Why do S3's have so many owners?

Started by 106_racecar, December 05, 2006, 03:13:01 PM

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106_racecar

I have been looking on trademe at S3's over the last couple of months and for a 4-5 old car they typically have 3-4 owners.

That seems an unusually high turnover rate for an Audi - why would that be?
2007 Golf GTI

hitmanGTI

because people get sick of the Lack of space really quickly or they buy a S3 to impress their bimbo girlfriends.. marry her a few weeks later.. gets her pregnant and then realises oh damn.. maybe i should have a bought a S4 (more space for the kids)

djrisk

Quote from: Anton on December 05, 2006, 03:49:27 PM
because people get sick of the Lack of space really quickly or they buy a S3 to impress their bimbo girlfriends.. marry her a few weeks later.. gets her pregnant and then realises oh f**k.. maybe i should have a bought a S4 (more space for the kids)
Thats exactly what i was thinking!!! ha fortunately i dont have kids (yet!)
Him - Amarok highline
Her - S3 8P

106_racecar

Quote from: Anton on December 05, 2006, 03:49:27 PM
because people get sick of the Lack of space really quickly or they buy a S3 to impress their bimbo girlfriends.. marry her a few weeks later.. gets her pregnant and then realises oh f**k.. maybe i should have a bought a S4 (more space for the kids)
or bought a 5dr Golf 4Motion?!!
2007 Golf GTI

Audidude

.....sigh.......

Bias alert - Anton hates S3s.................

And LOVES Golfs.................

Actually - give me an S3 over a Golf any day - Golf's in my experience feel heavy and clunky pre-MkV GTi - and the interior isn't close to the S3.

Cheers

DISCLAIMER: I don't own an S3. :)
'90 Audi ur quattro 20v Tornado Red
'15 VW Amarok Highline 4Motion auto
'99 BMW M5 E39 (For Sale, see TM)
'96 Honda Integra Type R DC2 JDM K20A - Circuit race car
'96 Honda Integra Type R DC2 JDM, Championship White
'15 Renault Megane 265 RS, Capsicum Red
'03 Porsche 911 996.2 C2, Black, full leather interior

hitmanGTI

Quote from: Audidude on December 07, 2006, 08:08:45 PM
.....sigh.......

Bias alert - Anton hates S3s.................

And LOVES Golfs.................

Actually - give me an S3 over a Golf any day - Golf's in my experience feel heavy and clunky pre-MkV GTi - and the interior isn't close to the S3.

Cheers

DISCLAIMER: I don't own an S3. :)

i dont hate S3s at all

and you have owned two S3s lol..


bigbumper

hmmmn.... s3 or mk4gti.... no contest imho.... go the audi

hitmanGTI

Quote from: bigbumper on December 07, 2006, 09:00:11 PM
hmmmn.... s3 or mk4gti.... no contest imho.... go the audi

S3 of MK4 GTI.... no contest IMHO.. Fiat Uno Turbo ;)


106_racecar

Don't both the Golf 4Motion and Audi S3 use the Haldex AWD? 

The S3 over all is a bit more special and the seats are awesome, but the Golf is the better choice for those of us with children.

At a pinch we could take 3 children away with us providing I had a roofbox.  Would you want to do that with an S3?

Enginewise, the 210/225 BHP S3 is faster than the Golf and is much more tuneable and is where I would rather put my $$ but the S3 seems to have limited appeal?
2007 Golf GTI

Dubious

Was considering a silver S3 225 before finding my A4. Back then it didn't really appeal due to the feminine styling. Golf mk4 in my opinion uses better quality plastics and dashboard materials too.
15 8V S3 APR Stage 1

106_racecar

Quote from: Dubious on December 08, 2006, 11:36:28 AM
Was considering a silver S3 225 before finding my A4. Back then it didn't really appeal due to the feminine styling. Golf mk4 in my opinion uses better quality plastics and dashboard materials too.
Better quality materials over the S3 or the S3 and A4?.  Every Golf I seem to see has worn door handles trim inside the drivers doors.  What A4 did you get in the end?
2007 Golf GTI

Dubious

Quote from: 106_racecar on December 08, 2006, 11:50:07 AM
Better quality materials over the S3 or the S3 and A4?.  Every Golf I seem to see has worn door handles trim inside the drivers doors.  What A4 did you get in the end?

As mentioned in a previous thread, I have a 2000 A4 1.8TQ Sport.

The Golf has similar vinyl dash trimmings to the A4, and similar matte plastics for the air vents and door trims. The dash surface on the S3 feels rougher and rubberier, and is actually the same mould as used on the previous model Seat Leon.

The S3 is still a very solid drive, but I would still choose a Golf 1.8T and spend a few thou getting more power out of it. Alternatively, buy a 2.8 4motion Golf and you get recaros and some other niceties.
15 8V S3 APR Stage 1

Audidude

Quote from: Dubious on December 08, 2006, 12:02:11 PM
The S3 is still a very solid drive, but I would still choose a Golf 1.8T and spend a few thou getting more power out of it. Alternatively, buy a 2.8 4motion Golf and you get recaros and some other niceties.

I have driven the 2.8 4motion Golf and was amazed at how leaden it felt - absolutely no feedback at all. OK, the S3 doesn't exactly excel in this either but is far more communicative than the Golf. R32 however is very different to the 2.8 4Motion, and is really the only Mk IV Golf to challenge the S3. The 1.8T Golfs are not even close, even when chipped only get around 200HP whereas the S3 chipped gets 250-260HP and bucketloads more torque. It is shatteringly quick in the mid-range and seriously, if you think a non-R32 Golf compares you haven't had the thrill of piloting a chipped S3. Period.

And as far as interior goes, VW vs Audi from same year - no comparison the Audi wins easily. In fact it's one of the main things that sets the marques apart - the Audi has interior luxury ambience, the Golf a more utilitarian feel. That is in fact a deliberate distinction that VAG uses to justify the silly money we pay for Audis. Live with an Audi and you won't desire a VW.

Cheers
'90 Audi ur quattro 20v Tornado Red
'15 VW Amarok Highline 4Motion auto
'99 BMW M5 E39 (For Sale, see TM)
'96 Honda Integra Type R DC2 JDM K20A - Circuit race car
'96 Honda Integra Type R DC2 JDM, Championship White
'15 Renault Megane 265 RS, Capsicum Red
'03 Porsche 911 996.2 C2, Black, full leather interior

timmay

OMG...how many times are we going to have to compare the S3 to something???

I think what Dubious is saying is that if you have a budget to stick to, go wif the Golf and spend what you saved on giving it more power. No a Golf naturally will never be as quick as a chipped S3 unless the Golf itself has had some serious work done to it and even then the S3 has Quattro to help it get off the line quicker.

As for interior...well I think that largely boils down to personal preference. Yea for sure, the newer Audis do have a much more luxurious interior than the equivalent VW...thats the way its meant to be! But, apart from the Recaros in the S3, I don't think Audi did a very good job with the A3/S3 pair when compared to the equivalent MKIV Golf. Yea, the S3 may have more interior appointments...you are paying for it after all....but I agree with Dubious, the Golf interior is just a much nicer place to be.

Oh and btw...my door handle trims aren't worn  :P
2001 Porsche Boxster S: Meridian Silver| De-Ambered | De-Snorkled Intake
2003 VW Golf R32 | 2009 BMW Z4 sDrive35i | 2007 BMW 130i SE MSport | 1999 Honda S2000 | 2003 Mazda RX8 Type-S | 2000 VW Golf GTi | 1998 Mazda MX5 RS

GTI's

Whats happened to S3 Qauttro
His must be for sale?,,,,...   lightly salted

timmay

Quote from: BDmk2 on December 09, 2006, 11:58:19 AM
Whats happened to S3 Qauttro
His must be for sale?,,,,...   lightly salted

Nup he's still got his and not for sale as far as I know.

Being repaired currently though  :P
2001 Porsche Boxster S: Meridian Silver| De-Ambered | De-Snorkled Intake
2003 VW Golf R32 | 2009 BMW Z4 sDrive35i | 2007 BMW 130i SE MSport | 1999 Honda S2000 | 2003 Mazda RX8 Type-S | 2000 VW Golf GTi | 1998 Mazda MX5 RS

Audidude

Quote from: timmay on December 09, 2006, 10:37:31 AM
OMG...how many times are we going to have to compare the S3 to something???

I think what Dubious is saying is that if you have a budget to stick to, go wif the Golf and spend what you saved on giving it more power. No a Golf naturally will never be as quick as a chipped S3 unless the Golf itself has had some serious work done to it and even then the S3 has Quattro to help it get off the line quicker.

As for interior...well I think that largely boils down to personal preference. Yea for sure, the newer Audis do have a much more luxurious interior than the equivalent VW...thats the way its meant to be! But, apart from the Recaros in the S3, I don't think Audi did a very good job with the A3/S3 pair when compared to the equivalent MKIV Golf. Yea, the S3 may have more interior appointments...you are paying for it after all....but I agree with Dubious, the Golf interior is just a much nicer place to be.

Oh and btw...my door handle trims aren't worn  :P

I didn't start the comparing S3 to Golf thing but saw some significant (and on this forum commonly seen) slagging off of the S3 on grounds which are simply unsustainable. As a Golf owner I am sure you find the interior just a much nicer place to be but i can assure you I have spent significant time in a MkIV Golf and an S3 and you are quite simply either wrong or biased.

The performance thing you seem to accept.

I just wanted to balance the argument :)

Cheers
'90 Audi ur quattro 20v Tornado Red
'15 VW Amarok Highline 4Motion auto
'99 BMW M5 E39 (For Sale, see TM)
'96 Honda Integra Type R DC2 JDM K20A - Circuit race car
'96 Honda Integra Type R DC2 JDM, Championship White
'15 Renault Megane 265 RS, Capsicum Red
'03 Porsche 911 996.2 C2, Black, full leather interior

Turbo

2000 S4, MTM stage 1, Oettinger RE's, Bilstein Sports, Vogtland springs, H&R Swaybars, DBA 4000 rotors, EBC Yellow stuff pads, 710N DV's, F1 tints, RS4 clutch

timmay

Quote from: Audidude on December 10, 2006, 03:07:42 PM
As a Golf owner I am sure you find the interior just a much nicer place to be but i can assure you I have spent significant time in a MkIV Golf and an S3 and you are quite simply either wrong or biased.

Ha...I wouldn't say I was wrong or right or biased for that matter...i'd call it a difference between personal preference! I know there are other people who would agree with me too.

If you were to compare the MKV Golf GTi and the new S3 (based on what I have seen in da pics) i'd say the new S3.
2001 Porsche Boxster S: Meridian Silver| De-Ambered | De-Snorkled Intake
2003 VW Golf R32 | 2009 BMW Z4 sDrive35i | 2007 BMW 130i SE MSport | 1999 Honda S2000 | 2003 Mazda RX8 Type-S | 2000 VW Golf GTi | 1998 Mazda MX5 RS

Audidude

Quote from: timmay on December 10, 2006, 10:37:10 PM
Ha...I wouldn't say I was wrong or right or biased for that matter...i'd call it a difference between personal preference! I know there are other people who would agree with me too.

If you were to compare the MKV Golf GTi and the new S3 (based on what I have seen in da pics) i'd say the new S3.

Ha ha - we might differ here too - the new GTi is a cracker to drive - informative and responsive. Don't expect such feedback from the new S3 which will be significantly heavier - it will be v quick for sure but I suspect for the Thrill of Driving the GTi might have the edge. The S3 will be beautifully finished and appointed so I guess it depend on what you want and how much you can afford - expect the S3 to run close to $100K  ::)

Remember that the Thrill of Driving has little to do with point to point times but far more to do with how it makes the driver feel about the experience. How much the car talks to the driver and how well the car allows the driver to interact with the road.

Cheers

'90 Audi ur quattro 20v Tornado Red
'15 VW Amarok Highline 4Motion auto
'99 BMW M5 E39 (For Sale, see TM)
'96 Honda Integra Type R DC2 JDM K20A - Circuit race car
'96 Honda Integra Type R DC2 JDM, Championship White
'15 Renault Megane 265 RS, Capsicum Red
'03 Porsche 911 996.2 C2, Black, full leather interior