3400 miles in

2.5 I5 20v TFSI - 335 bhp
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geek
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3400 miles in

Post by geek » Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:42 pm

Still smitten with it and growing more attached by the mile.

After an early scare with an inexplicable slow but steady loss of coolant there have been no other issues accept the infamous break squeal issue and a creaky drivers side door seal.

The car went into Audi for a long weekends holiday at 1800 miles for pressure and compression testing and since its return (touch wood) the coolant level has remained constant. A peculiar point to note on the coolant level issue; before it went to Audi there would be a noticeable change in fluid level showing in the expansion tank dependant on engine temp, post return it never changes, exactly the same indicated level at stone cold as it is at 100c......v strange.

Anyway, it continues to loosen up and feel stronger after every trip, the only weak area is the understeer when ham fisting a roundabout or sharp direction change (roundabout onto dual carriageway or such), the M3 by comparison wipes the floor with the RS3 at this point, the BMW on the limit is alive and infinitely adjustable whereas the RS feels blunt and has to be managed and compensated for in both style and your approach, making these adjustments and compensating accordingly isn't though a chore and I forgive it entirely; its character shines through the longer you live with it.

In terms of the chasis, will try tyres first before looking at suspension; I imagine that PSS's will take it up a level, possibly not a cure but likely to improve it significantly. It wants for nothing though when you point it cross country and go which is 70% of my driving for both work and play.

Incidentally, if you ever wondered how an RS3 would do in a straight line drag against a V12TDI Q7 from 50 to 'cough', I have it on good authority that the 3 has it :sekret:
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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by HYFR » Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:46 pm

I'm also bang on 3400 miles
I do like it, but I had high hopes it would take all that's good with the TTRS and add coolness, practicality and comfort....and whilst it does, I has less noise, less mpg and is not as fast...understeer is also a big problem

I think the initial shine has worn offfor me. Don't get me wrong, it's a great road car and good vfm and will cover ground very veryvquickly....it just isn't special imo...can't help but think a well spec'd S4 is a much better buy than this

Still struggling for 300miles to a tank

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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by P_G » Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:52 pm

Jeepers! And I thought I was putting the miles on mine! Just ticked over 2800. Glad you are enjoying the car, can't work out if my increased enjoyment is if the car is getting stronger or the more time that has passed since I had my RS4. Have to sort out the understeer though hence my other thread. Whilst I agree better tyres will help after shelling out for winter wheels and tyres new rubber when I have a set or even Conti's that have 1k miles on them is a bit of a waste so hopefully the ARB upgrade will help my enjoyment.

It is a quick car, gave an XF-R a scare from a 50-?? drag uphill but still feels like a few more torques and ponies wouldn't hurt. Build quality in mine is good bar a rattly passenger seat which is fine when someone is in it, just annoying when unloaded. Don't suffer from the brake squeal unless long periods of in town stop-starting

It's still growing on me.

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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by P_G » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:06 pm

D_K wrote:I'm also bang on 3400 miles
I do like it, but I had high hopes it would take all that's good with the TTRS and add coolness, practicality and comfort....and whilst it does, I has less noise, less mpg and is not as fast...understeer is also a big problem

I think the initial shine has worn offfor me. Don't get me wrong, it's a great road car and good vfm and will cover ground very veryvquickly....it just isn't special imo...can't help but think a well spec'd S4 is a much better buy than this

Still struggling for 300miles to a tank
DK, secondary cat bypass for the sake of £200 is a simple fit and will give you the noise you need and easy to do DIY or get someone to do in 30-45 minutes. I agree understeer is a problem, mpg is OK as a serious hoon will have 240-260 miles but my commute is still managing 320 to 370 to a tank. It does need some poke even against my RS4 but then the engine is still tight so that may hopefully get better but the practicality is a sacrifice I need hence why I don't have the TT-RS which is 80kgs lighter then the 3 and I can tell the 135kgs difference in the 3 compared to my 4. When you say it isn't special in what way? The big plus point which I guess you won't get to enjoy is the cheapness of tuning vs. the B7 RS4 when I get around to it which I gather will give more poke and even better mpg.
Last edited by P_G on Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:15 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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3400 miles in

Post by geek » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:11 pm

You could well be right. I guess it's horses for courses; how your starting to feel about the RS3 is how I felt about the M3 after about the same amount of time, the key difference though was the M3's ownership costs were dreadful by comparison. I did a 200 mile round trip today in the RS and went for it where I could, no holding back; I brimmed it when getting home and managed 24mpg. I have the evidence of the same run in a 58 plate M3 that shows 13.8mpg.

Tyres, tax and depreciation along with a lack of exclusivity got me over the M3 very quickly. I only enjoyed it when it was doing 200 to a tank full...at sane speeds it would still only do 22mpg and then it was just a 3 series coupe. Pointless.

I enjoy the RS3 at low speeds as much as when pushing it....that's the killer for me; the 5 pot is a legend in the making, it has similar levels of character as the M V10.

The key difference overall though is i guess that it is my 'do everything' transport, it is a genuine jack of all trades so i am able to see past the list of short comings.

What do you think the S4 would give you that the 3 doesn't?

As you say, the RS3 under steers like a b@stard, anyone who says it doesn't isn't going quick enough!

Do you know if you can get the 8.5j's aftermarket? Might try 255's with some PSS's....
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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by P_G » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:14 pm

geek, for the sake of the cost of one 8.5j rim I'd try an ARB first which will help. I'm going to do the instal on mine if you can wait so you can have a go in mine once done to see if you think it helps.

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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by HYFR » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:15 pm

Yep agree 2ndry cat by pass is a good cheap solution....it's just the TTRS Sounded great out of the box.

I have no idea how you are getting that miles to a tank...I do 75% motorway and rarely see 300! But would see 330all day long in the TTRS

Special - I just think it takes the noise and speed of the TTRS and turns then down a notch. Obv a remap and milltek would sort these. Handling though...too much understeer

I dunno..might do like it, if I didn't have company cars, I would definitely have factory ordered one personally (in lava green) ...They do look great...but there is something missing in stock form

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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by HYFR » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:20 pm

I just think an s4 black edition is the same price yet is so much more modern. Great 3.0TFSI that MRC can now get 440+ from
Dab, b & o, hdd navigation, audi drive select, sports diffential....

They handle great with torsen quattro with a bit of overseer fun with the diff. Loads more comfortable on a cruise and great mpg on par with the 2.5TFSI

I do see why the RS 3 is a worthy comparison...I get its rareness, I get the 5pot magic....I just think a sorted S4 is a bloody good proposition

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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by P_G » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:24 pm

But even the mighty RS4 needed a better sound? I guess they turned the noise down because it is more family orientated and the speed is just a simple factor of excess pork on the chassis.

My commute is normally averaging 65mph so that probably explains the mpg but in real world terms my commute is 88miles round trip and I can get that done in D in a quarter tank without it touching the next marker. The 4 would only do 22-24mpg if I was lucky for the same journey.

As for the S4, for me it was just getting too big and IMO, bland inside and out. I get the bit about the kit but then I don't use the Rs4 ICE that much and the 3 is comfy enough for me. The B6 S4 saloon looked great, I've just never liked the B7 and B8 versions since. Great sleeper car but I like the compactness of the 3 and if I can cure its understeer a bit I think it will be a more nimble car that also fits in my garage (IIRC the B8 wouldn't by about an inch!).

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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by HYFR » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:28 pm

I did like the stock B7 sound!

P_G, I do think the RS 3 is good and has lots of potential...I think I just hoped for more

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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by P_G » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:30 pm

So do I, it is a bit of a compromise but then I've modified most of my Audi's to get the best for me out of them and this will be the cheapest one to do so in a long time.

It's a shame they didn't give them the US spec 360bhp, torsen and DRC as standard, then it would be great!

As for the 4, my only complaint is that pedestrians got to hear the glorious V8 sound more than I did hence I went non-res to share the enjoyment! I couldn't let someone else drive it around all the time so I could hear it!

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3400 miles in

Post by geek » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:40 pm

P_G wrote:geek, for the sake of the cost of one 8.5j rim I'd try an ARB first which will help. I'm going to do the instal on mine if you can wait so you can have a go in mine once done to see if you think it helps.
Would appreciate that PG; are you diy'ing it?

If the understeer can be neutralised or at least greatly minimised this car goes from awesome to epic.

Steve.
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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by P_G » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:43 pm

Nah, I'll ask the professionals at Revolution to do it. Think I'll go for the 034 Motorsports rear bar in March / April as I have Geneva 2013 booked up which is a big spend few days and a possible Ring trip to pay for first.

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3400 miles in

Post by geek » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:46 pm

On the sound front; I went under the M1 at Northampton today at the end of my favourite monthly blat across the top of the Cotswolds, Oxfordshire and Northants; if you don't know the junction, it is a very wide 4 lane under pass...I held back for a clear run through, held it in 2nd and took it from 2 to 4.5k, sounded bloody awesome, made me genuinely laugh out loud and that is with a stock system.

Would love to do a bypass but am overly paranoid about warranty (same goes for ARB's). I may consult with my master tech to get a point of view.
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Re: 3400 miles in

Post by P_G » Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:52 pm

There are no sensors on the secondary cats, they look like they have been installed to reduce emmissions and given gas is only one way in them all it could affect warranty wise is the cat back system but nothing fore of it. Worst came to worst, if warranty work was needed change them out quickly.

As for ARB's, if both it could put extra stress on drop links front and rear but that's about it. Very rare for an ARB upgrade to affect suspension life, bearings etc.

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