RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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Having never really been a German car fan - I've never really paid attention to S3s and only own an A3 because it was a good deal at the right time for me.
Mines a remapped 1.8T sport but theres some debate over whether its 197 or 207hp; regardless it just isn't that fun to drive anymore; it handles well but the acceleration just isn't enough even moreso after driving an Alfa Spider for 6 weeks, which was fun but not exactly practicle.
A mate has an S3 with the 225hp motor and its got me thinking of trading mine in against and S3 for a year or two until I get the car I really want after we finish the house.
I have whatever I could get for mine + £5-6k; but wouldn't spend anymore than £8k overall as I can't justify it until the house is finished - but I drive upto 650miles a week and need soemthing which holds my attention and is a bit more fun to drive.
Any opinions/experience with /views on them would be greatly appreciated.
When was the 225hp variant brought out and what are the differences over the 210hp?
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adiohead
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Registered: 28th Sep 01
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i know this about the LCR:
"Engine Diffrences:
210 is an AMK Engine code, 225 is BAM.
210bhp/199lbft vs 225ps/208lbft. Both cars remap to practically the same. The 210 is actually 212ps, and the 225(ps) is actually 222bhp.
ECU Code for the 225 has an “A” on the end.
There were always rumours that the 210 had stronger internals (20mm wrist pins and different rods), but it seems that this rumour stemmed from the early Audi S3 APY engine (also 210bhp) having stronger rods. However, Yumann's engine (AMK) build thread, he kindly measured the gudgeon pins for us, and they are 20mm. The later BAM engine are supposed to have 19mm wrist pins.
From ETOS and ETKA the block and piston set for AMK  6A 103 101 J and for the BAM : 06A 103 101 J, conrod for AMK : 027 198 401 B, conrod for BAM : 027 198 401 B. So if they are different, nobody told SEAT Parts.
Both engines have VVT, but this is apparently for emissions rather than a VTEC style torque/power shift. Although most cars definitely pull again at about 4,000 rpm). Originally we thought the VVT actuation was different (one mechanical the other hydraulic) but we now understand them to be the same. Again, it is the APY (early 210 S3 engine, never fitted to the LCR) that has mechanical VVT actuation and possibly where the rumour started. Both AMK and BAM have Electro-hydraulic VVT actuation.
The turbo (K04-23 from Borg-Warner), manifold & exhaust are all the same."
i love the S3 as they're pretty much the same as mine but with 4wd. i've been tempted to swap mine for one but the only ones that are cheap enough for me are high mileage.
think the 225s came about in 2001 BUT there are also 210s in 2001 too.
ESP wasn't available on the early models but became an option and then standard on the later ones.
your best bet is to get as new as possible with low mileage.
[Edited on 17-03-2010 by adiohead]
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mwg
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Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
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Haldex is shit and A3's are Golfs in fancy frocks 
You get a nice spec on the 8L S3, its got a wider body too. Are you on audi-sport.net? They have an 8L section on there that would be worth asking them for advice.
Joe's looks nice.
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Joe
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Registered: 20th Jun 04
Location: Hesketh Bank, Lancashire
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I love mine, plus they are pretty cheap now. £8kish gets a nice one.
Drive one and see what you think but I don't know if it will be much more 'exciting' drive wise than what you have at the mo but it will be nice to have the extra power.
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Graham88
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Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
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I was going to say they're very cheap now, alot of car for the money and they are pretty qucik.
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sand-eel
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Registered: 15th Mar 07
Location: carluke/braidwood--IRNBRULAND
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Its there much point in getting a car with 20bhp more, if you think yours is too slow? + 4x4 losses if yours is a FWD, it will feel not much faster.
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
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get one, gorgeous cars with a touch of style.
4x4 is handy even if its not a pureists 4x4 it will benefit you in the wet/ice
the standard figure can be increased wiih just a map so get one i say
Red one with cream leather or Grey with silver leather please
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Joe
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Registered: 20th Jun 04
Location: Hesketh Bank, Lancashire
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Cream leather is the Silver leather, thanks James.
Misano Red - Silver leather was my ideal but there was none about.
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Ian W
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Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
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You should test drive one and see what you think, IMO much better than an A3.
Had mine over two years now and don't see myself selling it anytime soon/
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adiohead
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Registered: 28th Sep 01
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this is the interior i'd choose:
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
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Joe, i have seen a cream leather one. May have been aftermarket, but deffo cream
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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tbh, I think you're better off keeping your current A3 which lets face it, is no slouch. Put the cash you would spend towards the house and then get the car you really really want sooner.
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Whats the car you really want?
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ian W
You should test drive one and see what you think, IMO much better than an A3.
Had mine over two years now and don't see myself selling it anytime soon/
I've driven my mates ming blue, 225 one but that was on a Black Rock Sands in North Wales and I was dicking about; could do with trying one on the roads ideally as it won't be everyday that I take it onto a totally empty, perfectly flat beach
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fir3vip3r
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
Location: Stevenage, Hertfordshire
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quote:
Originally posted by deano87
tbh, I think you're better off keeping your current A3 which lets face it, is no slouch. Put the cash you would spend towards the house and then get the car you really really want sooner.
this
seems to much of a sidestep imo
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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tbh, If I don't swap mine in for one of these, I won't trade it in at all. Its just an option I'm mulling over - the other option is exactly what Deano has said; keep mine and finsih the house sooner; I knwo what the missus would prefer............
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FruitBooTeR
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Registered: 18th Jan 07
Location: Wolverhampton Drives: S15
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http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1566723.htm
Now that looks nice! And is quite cheap for what you get too.
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Fro
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Registered: 20th Jun 06
Location: Rainham, Essex Drives: A3 2.0TDi Sport
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In standard guise it wont be any quicker in gear than what you're running already due to the extra weight.
Will get off the line and corner quicker though if you push it hard enough for the haldex to kick in.
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FruitBooTeR
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Registered: 18th Jan 07
Location: Wolverhampton Drives: S15
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Are turbo upgrades on the s3 quite common? How expensive are they to get past 300bhp?
Ive seen some highly tuned ones, but is it difficult like tuning bmws for example?
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Ash_EP3
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Registered: 15th May 07
Location: Melksham, Wiltshire
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I was going to choose one of these over the civic, but thought that they are so damn expensive! £7,400 for a 9 year old car!!!
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ryzer
Member
Registered: 18th Mar 03
Location: Berkshire Drives:UGLY MUG
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quote:
Originally posted by Ash_EP3
I was going to choose one of these over the civic, but thought that they are so damn expensive! £7,400 for a 9 year old car!!!
thats true I guess, but I would think that ok for S3 as it has all the toys, xenons, climate, heated seats, blah blah, 4x4, I cannot understand the prices of Anni golfs tho, that confuses the hell out of me.
get an S4 instead, bit older but 340 brake!
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1547336.htm
edit: see, heres my point about mk4 anni's. makes that blue S3 seem a bargain to me
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1568698.htm
[Edited on 18-03-2010 by ryzer]
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Joe
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Registered: 20th Jun 04
Location: Hesketh Bank, Lancashire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by FruitBooTeR
Are turbo upgrades on the s3 quite common? How expensive are they to get past 300bhp?
Ive seen some highly tuned ones, but is it difficult like tuning bmws for example?
Can get about 270 with just a remap I believe, there are loads of tuned ones though so no not difficult at all. Its the same engine that gets tuned in allsorts of other cars.
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Fro
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Registered: 20th Jun 06
Location: Rainham, Essex Drives: A3 2.0TDi Sport
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Over 300bhp you need to think about internals, which is when it starts to get expensive.
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adiohead
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Registered: 28th Sep 01
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they usually only make about 250bhp with a remap.
revo advertise 270bhp for my engine, but hardly anyone actually gets that
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tom-gardiner
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Registered: 10th Jul 09
Location: Weymouh, Dorset
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s4 is the way foward! like an s3 but rarer and cooler
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