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[Audi A3/S3] 8P - S3 Real World Running costs


a3malawimatt
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A tank at the moment is about £65 on Vpower.

I do a mix of short city runs and long motorway runs and my car has averaged over 14k miles about 28mpg.

I think some of the guys who mainly do shorter commutes are seeing an average of about 24mpg.

Be warned, these cars are very thirsty over short runs, they seem to run very rich for a while after start up.

If fuel costs and MPG are of concern to you I'd say it's probably not the car for you.

JK

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Thanks Jk,

Not too concerned just trying to compare it to my 335d. At the moment i am only getting about 300 miles out of a tank of Diesel which costs about £78. So pretty rubbish really. Someone is interested in buying my car and i am quite interested in possibly obtaining an S3.

Thanks

Matt

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No prob's - shhheeeeeesh it's quite in this part of the forum now!

Well I get about 300-325 miles out of a tank on £65(ish!) so similar really!

Have a test drive in one - had mine 15 months now and I still love it. I've held off a chip for this long too, it doesn't really need it!

Can't believe the MPG you're getting out of a 335d.... that's bad!

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Thanks again JK,

I drove one earlier in the year when i bought the 335d. i discounted it due to my insurance company not wanting to insure one yet they would the 335d. Weird. But have now got a new policy so can have one if i wish. Sounds like i am not gonna loose anything by changing so will see what happens with selling mine.

Thanks

Matt

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Jamie,

Quick Q. Have you driven a Golf GTi or Ed30, and if so how does it compare to the S3? Am I right in thinking it must be the same basic engine, with maybe a diff turbo, diff mapping etc? Loved my old mk5 GTi, and looking to get a new S3 soon.

Cheers.

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Thanks again JK,

I drove one earlier in the year when i bought the 335d. i discounted it due to my insurance company not wanting to insure one yet they would the 335d. Weird. But have now got a new policy so can have one if i wish. Sounds like i am not gonna loose anything by changing so will see what happens with selling mine.

Thanks

Matt

No sweat matt - let me know what you decide to do

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Jamie,

Quick Q. Have you driven a Golf GTi or Ed30, and if so how does it compare to the S3? Am I right in thinking it must be the same basic engine, with maybe a diff turbo, diff mapping etc? Loved my old mk5 GTi, and looking to get a new S3 soon.

Cheers.

Hey flux,

I have had a quick drive in Golf GTi.

You're pretty much right, it is in principle the same engine, however, in taking the S3 unit up to 261bhp a lot of the engine has seen some work to reinforce the internals.

I believe, the engine block, con rods, turbo have all had work.

I think, and I may be wrong, that the bulk of the strengthening is also in the GTi ed 30 and the Leon Cupra. Not sure if they are exactly the same though.

In terms of the drive, depends what you want. I had the old S3 and have become used to 4WD, however, with that 4WD comes extra weight, so it's arguably not as 'playful' as a GTi. However, it handles really well, I had mine on Mallory Park for a track day and was keeping some far more powerful machinery very honest. I'm so happy with it, after 15 months, I've actually done very little to it!!!

I don't think you'll be disappointed!!!

Have you test driven one yet???? You should!

If you do go the modding route, a few guys on another forum have taken their cars to around 340 and were running 5.3s 0-60 and 13's on the 1/4 mile at GTi International today. The stock S3 we're all running 5.7s to 5.9s which is pretty much what you'd expect going from the manufacturers figures.

It's a quick car!!!

Hope that helps,

JK

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Thanks Jamie, very useful, appreciate that.

I take your point re the 4WD, but I am actually a fan of the Haldex, from past Audi ownership, so the addition of Haldex to what is essentially a "better" version of the Golf GTi engine (which I loved) is a very attractive proposition. Especially if i added a Haldex Performance Controller to shift it even more to the rear!

Those stock figures are pretty impressive. I've been a modder in the past, but I don't know that this will need a lot, as you say (coupled with the fact I hate the insurance hassles etc).

No, not driven one yet. It's actually the Sportback that I am interested in, due to the need for 5 door and some practicality. I know the performance / handling won't be much different to the 3dr anyway, but I'd like to see the whole 5-dr package in the flesh 1st really (boot space, rear leg room etc). Though actually, I guess I could just look at any old Quattro Sportback for space, and just drive a 3dr S3. mmm, tempting. Then just bang my order in (once securing a big discount...)

Oh, and it would have to be Sprint Blue, no question!

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I went from a 335d to the S3 and I love it - 3600 miles already, most town and fast road - average mpg is about 26, and i see roughly 280 miles from a tank - A re-map really sorts it out and so much more fun than the 335D to drive.

You wont regret it, even thought Im thinking about an RS4 at the moment, but I might let prices drop further until I commit

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Mine in total town driving if I was using it (school run 13 mile trip) averaged around 22mpg, on the mrs' commute it was nearer 30mpg maybe a bit more.

As for GTi vs S3 well I drove GTi, Ed30 and R32 and went for the S3 as I felt it was a better all round proposition. Its all very personnal though, but I also really dislike the MK5 interiors and found it was hard to overcome that dislike.

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I went from a 335d to the S3 and I love it - 3600 miles already, most town and fast road - average mpg is about 26, and i see roughly 280 miles from a tank - A re-map really sorts it out and so much more fun than the 335D to drive.

You wont regret it, even thought Im thinking about an RS4 at the moment, but I might let prices drop further until I commit

Oli, is your S3 remapped? If so, what map did you go for?

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