Regarding the DCT, I commented on the forum about it but will restate it here because it really bothers me. There is nothing wrong with the DCT in this car. The S3 has a small 4cyl engine that doesn't produce a lot of torque. Any DCT paired with a similar engine will produce that same ''grabby" feeling at low speeds. Audi and other car makers are in fact moving (or have already moved) more models to standard automatic transmissions or automatics + torque converters because of people complaining about this same thing. At the end of the day, it leads to more warranty service claims submitted by dealerships just so they can tell my wife who doesn't understand how a DCT works that there's nothing wrong with her car. The DCT makes this car special when driven in Sport + Dynamic mode. It's communicates to the driver the closest feeling to driving a manual transmission without actually dealing with a manual transmission during tri-state area rush hour. It also considerably helps save your brakes - just a quick tap and you downshift instantly...much more so in the S3 than even the RS3 because of the way it's tuned. It's actually implemented better in the S3 for a "driver's experience" and when you add a resonator delete like you have, it's fantastic. So please don't complain about this. I don't want to be stuck with a torque converter automatic when I go to replace my RS3 and look like every other bozo driving an A4 S-line who needs to ride their brakes after every burst of acceleration. The face lift S3's are in IMO the perfect commuting car and we need more options like them.
Good points. Thanks for the reply. We may be talking about different things. I agree that the engine braking of a well-designed DCT transmission is enjoyable and a key advantage over a standard torque-converter auto. What bothers me is more of a software/programming glitch that I don't believe should be an inherent design flaw of DCT transmissions--it is specifically, in my S3, the prolonged hesitation during attempted acceleration in very specific low-speed situations. Namely, while driving in the sport setting and auto mode, slowing from approx 30 mph to approx 10-15 mph to execute a turn onto a side street. The car downshifts from 3rd to 2nd as it should, and then, during the turn, hesitates as it decides whether to continue downshifting to 1st. Most of the time it then downshifts to 1st and after a pause allows resumed acceleration out of the turn. The hesitation and hunting, though, causes stumbling and lurching and upsets the balance of the car. It feels like a novice driver lurching in a manual transmission car. The sequence of slowing for the turn, turning in, smoothly reapplying throttle, and completing the turn, should be a seamless one. This is anything but. Perhaps the only way around it is to drive in manual mode at all times and just leave the car in 2nd for the turn, or downshift to 1st prior to reapplying throttle in the turn. It's only this particular situation that causes the annoying hesitation. Otherwise the transmission does not feel grabby to me at low speeds--it's worlds smoother around town than the single-clutch SMG transmission in the E60 M5 I had 10 years ago. And the S3 certainly isn't lacking for torque despite its small-displacement engine--a simple OBD-port tune easily increases torque to 380 lb-ft, which is significantly more torque than the 4.0L V8 in my E90 M3 from several years ago. Perhaps some turbo lag, but not a tremendous amount.
@@AutoPilotgogogo Sorry just read your comment now after 2 months lol...you need to drive in Dynamic + Sport (no need for paddles) all the time. It helps but that delay will still be there but reduced. It's to prolong the longevity of the transmission components. Dynamic really helps when turning with your situation described. If you really want to get rid of it they make a tuning device but it will 100% be detected by the dealer regardless of what anyone says, whether it's there or not or re-flashed, etc. Everything leaves footprint in some capacity.
Well put. The weird jerkiness of the DCT at lower speeds made me think something was wrong with the car. I did research and had to get past the rich assholes who acted like they knew their car but, actually didn't and realized this is an inherent occurence with any DCT. This is as close as you can get to driving a manual and the super fast downshifts are there on purpose and even the manual tells you to downshift in certain instances (engine braking) instead of using the brakes too long. This is hands down one of the most unique cars I have ever driven. I am going Stage 1+ TCU+ECU tune. I read that you can reduce the slop of the transmission by inserting a dogbone mount, doing a TCU Tune, and getting new transmission mounts. No idea if people have done this and succeeded at reducing that annoying jerkiness at lower speeds. I literally bought this salvage and total cost is 23,700 cash for me including parts and labor. A steal when I bought it last year. Complaints: 1.Android Auto fails to work sometimes. (Might be my phone to be fair because it randomly restarts itself from time to time when connected to Android Auto) 2. No true OEM Remote Start. 3. No heated steering wheel. 4. No ventilated seats. 5. No massage seats. 6. Transmission jerkiness That's literally it. Car drives like a dream otherwise.
@@Arizonacardinals480 they are quick from the manufacturer.. and they can be flash tuned to be quicker. But the money to jump from the A3 to the S3 IMO isn’t worth it.. take the A4 VS S4.. the A4 is becoming pretty beefy these days.. pretty dang quick.. and you can buy options that make them look almost just like an S4.. the S4 only offer 50 more hp.. such as with the A3 VS the S3.. they come with the same engine anyhow.. So why not save a bunch and just tune an A3? Because if you want the real speed demon you go for the RS3. Then the jump in price is well worth it because you get a different engine (the inline 5).. I actually feel my 2017 S3 was a mistake to buy.. I had once owned an S4 back in 2004 when the S’s were the current RS’s and not some gimmick. Not to mention the S4s had manual transmissions then. My S3 was a poor excuse for an Audi S and I have no one to blame but myself for the mistake. In terms of cost of maintenance if you have no extended warranty.. well.. think about it.. you have a top brand German car.. yes it will be expensive
Trying to get into an S3, I currently drive a 2012 A6 Prestige. I’m losing some features but I think the smaller package and dynamic nature of this car will be more fun for me.
I realize this video is old, but the homelink is surprising to me. I've owned 3 A3 8V's (2016 1.8t S-line, 2016 2.0t Quattro, and my current 2017 S3) and all 3 of them had the homelink transmitters. Yes I am US based as well.
I started leaving mine in S mode too....until I noticed it cruises at 1000 RPM higher than regular OD mode. Probably burns a lot more gas. The way I drive though, I'm averaging 15 MPG.
Would going from an a4 to this be a downgrade ? I have a 2009 prestige it has all the goodies like mirrors/ dynamic steering and drive select premium sound system. it’s my first car I was thinking an s4 or s3 whichever I can afford.
If coming from a 2009, I don't think the S3 would be a downgrade, especially given the improvements in handling and tech over the last decade. And the S3 is very tunable, with 380 hp very achievable through an APR flash with no needed hardware mods. The current gen S4 could be seen as an upgrade over the S3, simply because of having real Quattro (S4) instead of front-wheel-drive-biased VW Haldex (S3), but the increased size of the S4 does lose some of the maneuverability of the small S3.
You run the risk of voiding the warranty if there are any engine issues that can be attributed to the flash--it is detectable. But I had success going with a quality company like APR with an easy OBD-based flash tune.
Oh you mean connecting your computer to the OBD2 kind of flash right? Cause there are tons of “just plug this into your obd2 sensor and get an extra 50hp” but they always turn out fake..
@@prawnstar9213 Works through the OBD port, but it has to be done by an APR-authorized dealer with the appropriate software. And the results are real and significant--from 290hp and 280ft-lb torque to 380hp and 380ft-lb torque with a simple stage I flash. Transforms the car.
Probably no rub, but depends also on the shape of the tire's sidewall. A more squared-off sidewall such as that on the Yoko AD08R may present a problem. My setup is pretty close to what you're describing. My OZ Leggera HLT wheels are 19x8.5 +38 offset, and the 034 Motorsport springs lower the car 3/4"--no rubbing using this setup with slightly wider, but round-shoulder tires (Michelin PS4S 245/35-19).
@@AutoPilotgogogo Was looking to get the 034 Motorsport lowering springs as well so that's great to hear. Also, please make a delivery video when you collect your M2 competition!
AutoPilot the only options mine doesn’t have is the adaptive cruise control that comes on a prestige. While I was shopping for one I noticed that a majority of the cars are highly options premium plus cars.
Interesting. My car was ordered by a local Conn. dealer for inventory. It must have been spec’d as a bit of a stripper-Premium Plus, with only options being carbon rear spoiler and resonator delete.
I really wanted to like this car coming from a Subaru wrx but although they look the same size this car is too small. And those big vents just ruin it for me. Waiting to see what the 2020 looks like.
Regarding the DCT, I commented on the forum about it but will restate it here because it really bothers me. There is nothing wrong with the DCT in this car. The S3 has a small 4cyl engine that doesn't produce a lot of torque. Any DCT paired with a similar engine will produce that same ''grabby" feeling at low speeds. Audi and other car makers are in fact moving (or have already moved) more models to standard automatic transmissions or automatics + torque converters because of people complaining about this same thing. At the end of the day, it leads to more warranty service claims submitted by dealerships just so they can tell my wife who doesn't understand how a DCT works that there's nothing wrong with her car. The DCT makes this car special when driven in Sport + Dynamic mode. It's communicates to the driver the closest feeling to driving a manual transmission without actually dealing with a manual transmission during tri-state area rush hour. It also considerably helps save your brakes - just a quick tap and you downshift instantly...much more so in the S3 than even the RS3 because of the way it's tuned. It's actually implemented better in the S3 for a "driver's experience" and when you add a resonator delete like you have, it's fantastic. So please don't complain about this. I don't want to be stuck with a torque converter automatic when I go to replace my RS3 and look like every other bozo driving an A4 S-line who needs to ride their brakes after every burst of acceleration. The face lift S3's are in IMO the perfect commuting car and we need more options like them.
Good points. Thanks for the reply. We may be talking about different things. I agree that the engine braking of a well-designed DCT transmission is enjoyable and a key advantage over a standard torque-converter auto. What bothers me is more of a software/programming glitch that I don't believe should be an inherent design flaw of DCT transmissions--it is specifically, in my S3, the prolonged hesitation during attempted acceleration in very specific low-speed situations. Namely, while driving in the sport setting and auto mode, slowing from approx 30 mph to approx 10-15 mph to execute a turn onto a side street. The car downshifts from 3rd to 2nd as it should, and then, during the turn, hesitates as it decides whether to continue downshifting to 1st. Most of the time it then downshifts to 1st and after a pause allows resumed acceleration out of the turn. The hesitation and hunting, though, causes stumbling and lurching and upsets the balance of the car. It feels like a novice driver lurching in a manual transmission car. The sequence of slowing for the turn, turning in, smoothly reapplying throttle, and completing the turn, should be a seamless one. This is anything but. Perhaps the only way around it is to drive in manual mode at all times and just leave the car in 2nd for the turn, or downshift to 1st prior to reapplying throttle in the turn. It's only this particular situation that causes the annoying hesitation. Otherwise the transmission does not feel grabby to me at low speeds--it's worlds smoother around town than the single-clutch SMG transmission in the E60 M5 I had 10 years ago. And the S3 certainly isn't lacking for torque despite its small-displacement engine--a simple OBD-port tune easily increases torque to 380 lb-ft, which is significantly more torque than the 4.0L V8 in my E90 M3 from several years ago. Perhaps some turbo lag, but not a tremendous amount.
@@AutoPilotgogogo Sorry just read your comment now after 2 months lol...you need to drive in Dynamic + Sport (no need for paddles) all the time. It helps but that delay will still be there but reduced. It's to prolong the longevity of the transmission components. Dynamic really helps when turning with your situation described. If you really want to get rid of it they make a tuning device but it will 100% be detected by the dealer regardless of what anyone says, whether it's there or not or re-flashed, etc. Everything leaves footprint in some capacity.
Well put. The weird jerkiness of the DCT at lower speeds made me think something was wrong with the car. I did research and had to get past the rich assholes who acted like they knew their car but, actually didn't and realized this is an inherent occurence with any DCT. This is as close as you can get to driving a manual and the super fast downshifts are there on purpose and even the manual tells you to downshift in certain instances (engine braking) instead of using the brakes too long. This is hands down one of the most unique cars I have ever driven. I am going Stage 1+ TCU+ECU tune.
I read that you can reduce the slop of the transmission by inserting a dogbone mount, doing a TCU Tune, and getting new transmission mounts. No idea if people have done this and succeeded at reducing that annoying jerkiness at lower speeds.
I literally bought this salvage and total cost is 23,700 cash for me including parts and labor. A steal when I bought it last year.
Complaints:
1.Android Auto fails to work sometimes. (Might be my phone to be fair because it randomly restarts itself from time to time when connected to Android Auto)
2. No true OEM Remote Start.
3. No heated steering wheel.
4. No ventilated seats.
5. No massage seats.
6. Transmission jerkiness
That's literally it. Car drives like a dream otherwise.
The rear view mirror issue that you have in reverse can be unlocked/enabled with an OBDEleven and other features.
Looks fantastic, best I've seen. Wasn't going to upgrade the stock wheels on mine, but I'll have to now!
You can adjust your mirror to go downwards when putting ur gear in reverse using VCDS. I have it on my A3 S-Line but never use it.
Great review. Appreciate the thoughts and information you documented here.
If you have a car its always a good idea to get those mirrors for your blind spots even if you can look back.
Love my S3! A fun daily driver.
Are they quick? And are the repairs pricey
@@Arizonacardinals480 they are quick from the manufacturer.. and they can be flash tuned to be quicker. But the money to jump from the A3 to the S3 IMO isn’t worth it.. take the A4 VS S4.. the A4 is becoming pretty beefy these days.. pretty dang quick.. and you can buy options that make them look almost just like an S4.. the S4 only offer 50 more hp.. such as with the A3 VS the S3.. they come with the same engine anyhow.. So why not save a bunch and just tune an A3? Because if you want the real speed demon you go for the RS3. Then the jump in price is well worth it because you get a different engine (the inline 5).. I actually feel my 2017 S3 was a mistake to buy.. I had once owned an S4 back in 2004 when the S’s were the current RS’s and not some gimmick. Not to mention the S4s had manual transmissions then. My S3 was a poor excuse for an Audi S and I have no one to blame but myself for the mistake. In terms of cost of maintenance if you have no extended warranty.. well.. think about it.. you have a top brand German car.. yes it will be expensive
Hi from Scotland,I have a 2017 Audi S3saloon with manual transmission,love it
Hello there! Sounds great-shame we couldn’t get the manual over here.
I really like S3 facelift. I drove 2017 example in May 2020. It was blast to drive with magnetic ride.
Trying to get into an S3, I currently drive a 2012 A6 Prestige. I’m losing some features but I think the smaller package and dynamic nature of this car will be more fun for me.
Agreed. It’s very nimble and zippy, especially with a relatively inexpensive APR tune through the OBD port.
I realize this video is old, but the homelink is surprising to me. I've owned 3 A3 8V's (2016 1.8t S-line, 2016 2.0t Quattro, and my current 2017 S3) and all 3 of them had the homelink transmitters.
Yes I am US based as well.
Were your cars the higher-level Prestige trim line?
@@AutoPilotgogogo negative; premium plus.
I started leaving mine in S mode too....until I noticed it cruises at 1000 RPM higher than regular OD mode. Probably burns a lot more gas. The way I drive though, I'm averaging 15 MPG.
You must drive like an idiot.
A B 15mpg? He must not take his foot off the throttle at all😂
You can see the temperature if you set menu to "lap timer". You get the oil temp
Interesting-thanks.
Great review. Did you return the car to stock at the end of the lease?
Thanks. Put stock wheels and tires back on, but left the lowered springs in place...
Great review, thanks!
I was wondering why you didn’t have the digital dash…
I'm thinking maybe it was introduced with a refresh of the S3 perhaps later in its run...
I like this body shape better than the 2022
Would going from an a4 to this be a downgrade ? I have a 2009 prestige it has all the goodies like mirrors/ dynamic steering and drive select premium sound system. it’s my first car I was thinking an s4 or s3 whichever I can afford.
If coming from a 2009, I don't think the S3 would be a downgrade, especially given the improvements in handling and tech over the last decade. And the S3 is very tunable, with 380 hp very achievable through an APR flash with no needed hardware mods. The current gen S4 could be seen as an upgrade over the S3, simply because of having real Quattro (S4) instead of front-wheel-drive-biased VW Haldex (S3), but the increased size of the S4 does lose some of the maneuverability of the small S3.
AutoPilot would maintenance be cheaper on an s3 vs s4?
What’s the wheel and tire setup?
OZ Leggera HLT 19x8.5 all around, with 245/35-19 Michelin PS 4S. I mention it around the 13:50 mark.
Very informative! Ty
You can flash a lease?
You run the risk of voiding the warranty if there are any engine issues that can be attributed to the flash--it is detectable. But I had success going with a quality company like APR with an easy OBD-based flash tune.
Oh you mean connecting your computer to the OBD2 kind of flash right? Cause there are tons of “just plug this into your obd2 sensor and get an extra 50hp” but they always turn out fake..
@@prawnstar9213 Works through the OBD port, but it has to be done by an APR-authorized dealer with the appropriate software. And the results are real and significant--from 290hp and 280ft-lb torque to 380hp and 380ft-lb torque with a simple stage I flash. Transforms the car.
Nice review! I'm currently running +35 offset on 19x8.5 on 235/35s atm. You think itll rub if I lower the car by about an inch?
Probably no rub, but depends also on the shape of the tire's sidewall. A more squared-off sidewall such as that on the Yoko AD08R may present a problem. My setup is pretty close to what you're describing. My OZ Leggera HLT wheels are 19x8.5 +38 offset, and the 034 Motorsport springs lower the car 3/4"--no rubbing using this setup with slightly wider, but round-shoulder tires (Michelin PS4S 245/35-19).
@@AutoPilotgogogo Was looking to get the 034 Motorsport lowering springs as well so that's great to hear. Also, please make a delivery video when you collect your M2 competition!
i didn't knew the quattro on the s3 is a haldex system!
Yep--Audi's dirty little secret! It's based on the same system as the Golf R.
great video
I own a 17 premium plus that came with homelink option.
So strange. I wonder if it was a separate option outside of the package, or maybe Audi revised the packages during the model year.
AutoPilot the only options mine doesn’t have is the adaptive cruise control that comes on a prestige. While I was shopping for one I noticed that a majority of the cars are highly options premium plus cars.
Interesting. My car was ordered by a local Conn. dealer for inventory. It must have been spec’d as a bit of a stripper-Premium Plus, with only options being carbon rear spoiler and resonator delete.
Lol 90 hp over stock. Makes it" fun and responsive" that would be a beast 🤣🤣
Certainly wakes things up. 😀
no fender rub with those lowering springs and wider tires? tires were 245 35R19?
Correct-no rub. Perfect offset for slightly wider track and filling fenders without any rubbing. Tires are 245/35-19 Michelin PS4S.
Color?
Daytona Grey Pearl
What color is that
Daytona Gray
pink
I just wanna know if the engine burn oil or they fixed the problem
I really wanted to like this car coming from a Subaru wrx but although they look the same size this car is too small. And those big vents just ruin it for me. Waiting to see what the 2020 looks like.
Which vents, Mike?
AutoPilot what you mean. Those two big tits in the middle. Looks bad.
yeah the air vents are googly as hell
How is the ride?
Where’s the virtual cockpit?
I believe the virtual cockpit was an option in 2017 with the higher-trim Prestige level. My car has the base trim package.
Damn you complain a lot dude
its not haldex