You brought up one of the most important points in that people want to buy more expensive and luxury yet don’t want to use the product parts and fluids to maintain the car then complain when the car doesn’t run right or breaks down
Hate to say it but it’s true lol. I used to be a manager at autozone years ago and countless people would come in for example with bmws like 3-4 years old asking for a battery and the cheapest one we have. They would get mad because cheapest we had was like $220 for their car yet they wanted to pay $50. Like hey you bought a pricey car you’re gonna have pricey maintenance
I agree with you about VW/Audi reliability. I have owned mk6, mk7 golf’s and now 2020 A3 in the last 10 years, and never had to do anything other than regular maintenance. I had all maintenance work done at dealerships, so it wasn’t cheap, but I knew it wasn’t going to be cheap to begin with anyway.
Great video. Your opinions are spot on. I pick up a 2018 S3 tomorrow. Can't wait. Not been this excited about a car since buying a Corrado VR about 20yrs ago.
Had 4 Volkswagens, 2 of them I had to sell due to problems and all 4 cars where either new or used with low mileage. Problems ranged from electrical issues, to mechanical problems. I have a new A3 with 18" alloys with S Line and so far the car has given me no problems and the ride is very comfy, more comfy than my VW polos
Yeahh I feel the newer vws and Audis have been much better built than previous generations.. they’ve held up better. Trust me I’ve had some fair share issues over the years but nothing too crazy
I have A3 Premium Plus and I love it so far. Came from 2019 Mercedes Benz A220 4Matic.. that thing was sent from the deepest bottom part of earth to torture me and I was the only driver as brand new.. got rid of it and got the A3. Come to find out, the A220 is dead and Mercedes sent me a safety recall notice. Glad I let it go!!
Beautiful little car the S3 , always loved Audi’s , growing up a buddy of mine used to grab his dads Audi 5000 and that was like a 1991 and back then the Audi name was still growing. But it was a fun car for sure. This S3 is definitely on my list, just the right size,enough power and overall performance to enjoy your rip to work. I feel the same, Audi’s have continued to look good whereas I feel BMW has overdid it with the shape, losing the curves and lines and making a box with flared fenders. I just feel with car manufacturers if it’s not broke don’t fix it unless you’ve got the absolute proper recipe and I don’t see that in some of these new body styles , they just look horrendous. Audi carry’s on the sweet front end and tweaks the car in just the right spots. Looking forward to taking one of these things out.
I prefer the pre facelift to these due to the digital dash. The digital dash is lovely, but "too modern" for my liking. The pre facelift has near enough the same interior but with speedo's and that works perfect for me. I guess it all comes to personal preference.
Couldn't agree more with this video. I bought my 2017 S3 brand new (Panther Black, Technik, fully loaded) and have only had 1 issue besides the PODS, which i believe almost all 2017-2019's had, and that was a new thermostat, which was replaced in 2020. I was going to mod it with a Stage 1 but that would have voided my present insurance. So... nope. Anyways, great video.
Thanks man! Yes these cars are awesome and if you do ever decide to start modifying it the s3 would become an animal and you’ll fall in love all over again
i'm currently looking at trading in my 2019 ss 1LE camaro for a 2020 s3 technik, i'm kinda conflicted as i love the camaro but we get a ton of snow where I love so there's a good 5 months of the year where i'm not getting to fully enjoy the car haha.
@@DArias luckily I live next to 034 Moro sports so I have the tuning part handled but after watching a couple of your videos it seems like an intake is not really worth it so I’m glad I gave you a follow but do you have any recommendation for tires? Currently it has some crappy ass Federal, bottom of the barrel brand. Unsure of what to brand to get… well assuming I buy the car I test drove this weekend
@@DArias just picked up the 2016 S3. Question though. Do you know how or ever seen someone do a black optics diy project? Or do you know any decently priced options on how to switch it to all black everything
I haven’t had to do any sort of big maintenance item on the car yet tbh. I know some people experience a water pump fail here and there but that isn’t so so common. Really depends haha maybe I’ve been lucky so far
Tbh the benefit of no mag ride is the ease of being able to do coils springs air ride without all the sensors and error codes. The magride is nice to adjust suspension etc but right now im starting to get annoyed with it because I wanna go lower but the car over bumps is starting to bottom out because of the internal bump stops
Im planning to purchase a 2017 S3 Prem Plus, do you feel the mag ride is worth it for someone who will likely not do any mods? I’m also worried about longevity of mag ride vs regular bc I’ll be buying one with 60-70k miles. Any thoughts on that? Thanks for the response Diego
Mine is a 2017. I personally like the facelift models better. 17+. Nicer headlights and front end plus 2017 is the first year that offered the virtual digital dash.
Could u plz talk about the comparison between dat R56 you had and this Audi S3? I know they were totally different cars. I just kinda wanna know was it a good choice for me to swapped my s3 with R56S last year.
@@DArias actually it was a A3 hatchback, with same digital dashboard same as s3. I did modified a lot to it. At the end, I just found A3 does not have enough characteristics as a “ fun car”. Don’t get me wrong, I think A3/S3/RS3 is a good car, it got best performance and modification potential in their price range. But it just can not stand out, maybe because so many ppl drives Audi in my area.
I was also debating on the s4 but was a bit out of my price range at the time and tuning wasn’t huge but luckily for the b9 owners many tuners this past year have cracked into them and they’re running AWESOME times
Best MPGs I’ve seen highway wise 2 and a half hour drive was about 31 on 93 but typically city and highway driving combined I see about 24ish and I get about 270ish-280ish on a tank with mixed driving.. now if it’s a fun couple of days driving pedal to the ground pull after pull I get about 220-230
It depends! Haha anywhere from like 40k-50k miles you’re looking at high 20s to lower 30s. Lower miles go for mid 30s and any higher mileage I’ve seen 65k and up go for mid to low 20s. It fluctuates a ton thought depending what part of the country you’re in
I’m short haha I’m 5’7 and tbh at 6’7 it may be tough. A guy I work with is like 6’4 sat in my car and fit without any real issues so you may be ok with the chair all the way back and to it’s lowest setting
ive owned 2 VAG cars so far..........and so far.......both have had the same problem.....stupid plastic water pump thermostat housing.....when are they gonna stop making these? they havent gotten it right yet and its been over 20 years. my B5.5 had coolant leak issues......my 2017 a3 that i just bought is leaking thru the WP housing.....whyyyyyyyyyy. just make it metal. ppl literally had to make their own metal T housings for the 1.8t platform just to never have to replace the plastic ever again.
I’m 16 and I have a 2015 A3 with a reasonator delete and some cheap exterior mods like debadging and black Audi rings!!. I also have a small black tail lip spoiler. Audi A3 s3 rs3 on top
I respect that .. to me the interior is made pretty nicely there aren’t any hard cheap feeling plastics plus the steering wheel and digital dash combo put it over the top for me imo
@@DAriasthere is something so satisfying and special about this steering wheel I agree😂 I did not expect to get in a car for a test drive and the first thing I noticed was “damn this is a nice steering wheel” I wasn’t even in the market for an Audi. I went to the dealership to look at a BMW and Lexus. Saw the S3 and had to test drive it. In the end it won me over. On the surface it seems more “boring” Compared to the other 2 I mentioned but there is something about it that feels more high quality. It just feels like a good, solid, well made vehicle. And it’s super fun to drive.
A3 is a great choice! Especially if you’re gonna be modding extensively with a bigger turbo. At that point the a3 and S3 become the same and you’ll make the same power but in a car that cost you $5k-$10k less
The best hybrids on the market rn imo are eqts vortex standard and vortex xl turbos. Many people making 500+whp with proper fueling on stock engines with 0 issues
Newer audis are some of the best looking cars on the market. Couldn’t agree more with that statement
Absolutely! Love the look of all the newer audis man. You can’t beat them
You brought up one of the most important points in that people want to buy more expensive and luxury yet don’t want to use the product parts and fluids to maintain the car then complain when the car doesn’t run right or breaks down
Hate to say it but it’s true lol. I used to be a manager at autozone years ago and countless people would come in for example with bmws like 3-4 years old asking for a battery and the cheapest one we have. They would get mad because cheapest we had was like $220 for their car yet they wanted to pay $50. Like hey you bought a pricey car you’re gonna have pricey maintenance
I agree with you about VW/Audi reliability. I have owned mk6, mk7 golf’s and now 2020 A3 in the last 10 years, and never had to do anything other than regular maintenance. I had all maintenance work done at dealerships, so it wasn’t cheap, but I knew it wasn’t going to be cheap to begin with anyway.
How much was it all together?
Great video. Your opinions are spot on. I pick up a 2018 S3 tomorrow. Can't wait. Not been this excited about a car since buying a Corrado VR about 20yrs ago.
I have an S3. It’s mix of elegance and performance in a small package.
And that’s the best part! Doesn’t get better than that
Only problem is feel every bump and flat tires
Well said sir....once a car is cared for in the right way it will perform and last
Absolutely always!
Had 4 Volkswagens, 2 of them I had to sell due to problems and all 4 cars where either new or used with low mileage. Problems ranged from electrical issues, to mechanical problems. I have a new A3 with 18" alloys with S Line and so far the car has given me no problems and the ride is very comfy, more comfy than my VW polos
Yeahh I feel the newer vws and Audis have been much better built than previous generations.. they’ve held up better. Trust me I’ve had some fair share issues over the years but nothing too crazy
I have A3 Premium Plus and I love it so far. Came from 2019 Mercedes Benz A220 4Matic.. that thing was sent from the deepest bottom part of earth to torture me and I was the only driver as brand new.. got rid of it and got the A3. Come to find out, the A220 is dead and Mercedes sent me a safety recall notice. Glad I let it go!!
Good takes on performance as well as comfort. It’s nice to have both
Always amazing to have both!
Had my A3 for about a month now, I love it. My first “luxury” car
Oh and your exactly right mine a 2015 29k miles I paid a little over 19k
@@Juscaps please say you mean S3 not A3 bro
Bro an A3 is not even close to the S3 I’m car shopping so when I compare the specs boy the A3 is dookie
@@SynergyGuitars I’m saying
@@Juscaps you paid too much but im glad you got it
Love it dude - hopefully will be getting my S3 in a few months.
Thanks man! I promise you won’t regret it. They’re awesome
Prefer analog dash and it took me a while to find one that way.love it! Great video! For the better trunk space the Golf R is the way to go.
Beautiful little car the S3 , always loved Audi’s , growing up a buddy of mine used to grab his dads Audi 5000 and that was like a 1991 and back then the Audi name was still growing. But it was a fun car for sure.
This S3 is definitely on my list, just the right size,enough power and overall performance to enjoy your rip to work.
I feel the same, Audi’s have continued to look good whereas I feel BMW has overdid it with the shape, losing the curves and lines and making a box with flared fenders.
I just feel with car manufacturers if it’s not broke don’t fix it unless you’ve got the absolute proper recipe and I don’t see that in some of these new body styles , they just look horrendous.
Audi carry’s on the sweet front end and tweaks the car in just the right spots.
Looking forward to taking one of these things out.
I prefer the pre facelift to these due to the digital dash. The digital dash is lovely, but "too modern" for my liking. The pre facelift has near enough the same interior but with speedo's and that works perfect for me. I guess it all comes to personal preference.
You can get this with dials
Literally change the dash bro you’ll have a better car
@@toxicity6629 facelift and pre facelift are the same power wise 💀
somehow mine is facelift, but has the analog dash...
Love it when people complain about maintenance when they’re the ones who wanted to buy a higher end car in the first place lmao
Happens all the time lol. I mean it is what it is. People love to talk bad about cars but let them rot out
@@DArias truth
These cars are reliable if you do the right things. Cant expect to buy a nicer car and have it last forever with no care
Absolutely agree without question
To make 400hp with under $2000 spent is such a steal
It’s a no brainer to go with an MQB platform car
Awesome video. Every point you made is 100%. As a person who loves to modify having aftermarket support is huge
It’s huge for a car guy! Thanks for watching
Love my 2018 Rs3. Right on man
Glad to hear it! RS3 is def on my radar sooner than later haha
Couldn't agree more with this video. I bought my 2017 S3 brand new (Panther Black, Technik, fully loaded) and have only had 1 issue besides the PODS, which i believe almost all 2017-2019's had, and that was a new thermostat, which was replaced in 2020. I was going to mod it with a Stage 1 but that would have voided my present insurance. So... nope. Anyways, great video.
Thanks man! Yes these cars are awesome and if you do ever decide to start modifying it the s3 would become an animal and you’ll fall in love all over again
i'm currently looking at trading in my 2019 ss 1LE camaro for a 2020 s3 technik, i'm kinda conflicted as i love the camaro but we get a ton of snow where I love so there's a good 5 months of the year where i'm not getting to fully enjoy the car haha.
Solid points always. Great video
Love the video man. I’m currently looking for a 2016 because they are more budget friendly. But this video helped 👍
Appreciate the support! And you’ll love the s3! They’re great cars. Lmk how it goes when you get it and how you like it!
@@DArias luckily I live next to 034 Moro sports so I have the tuning part handled but after watching a couple of your videos it seems like an intake is not really worth it so I’m glad I gave you a follow but do you have any recommendation for tires? Currently it has some crappy ass Federal, bottom of the barrel brand. Unsure of what to brand to get… well assuming I buy the car I test drove this weekend
Motor sports **
Wait I just saw you made a wheels and tire video. I’ll watch that now 😂😂
@@DArias just picked up the 2016 S3. Question though. Do you know how or ever seen someone do a black optics diy project? Or do you know any decently priced options on how to switch it to all black everything
Awesome points. Def a good buy
Thanks man!
The consolation I have by being the A3 and not S3 owner is that I am still turning same AC buttons....
Haha hey that works! The a3 is great though. Once you go hybrid turbo they are literally identical so they’re both a great option
Buy the PFL tho! 1 digital cluster looks like a toy, 2, the 6 speed is proven stronger, 3, no exhaust restrictions.
This helps a lot thank you!👍🏾
Glad it does man!
i have a 2017 a3 s line quattro and haven’t had many issues
Awesome man! Yeah these cars are fantastic. Great looking cars, pretty luxurious and good on performance. Can’t beat it!
So close to 5k subss
All because of you!
Been trying to get a new 2020 s3 for months but still waiting on this stop sale to end..
Yeah man I hear ya the market is so bloated rn. Once it pops though you need to hop on it!
How does it feel sitting in the seats compared to the same gen GTI cousin?
I would say these are more comfortable but the plaid gti seats def have more bolstering and give a sportier type of feel
Tons of aftermarket support, yet nobody makes a repair manual for this car.
Great vid. Did you also do a FMIC upgrade with the down pipe?
Wish I had went with the rs3, still love
I feel you on that haha.. I feel the same sometimes would love the rs3 or ttrs one day
About to get an s3, was curious what the maintenance costs are yearly? Apart from oil changes, breaks and tires.
I haven’t had to do any sort of big maintenance item on the car yet tbh. I know some people experience a water pump fail here and there but that isn’t so so common. Really depends haha maybe I’ve been lucky so far
@@DArias Well I hope I'm lucky as well then 😆
Just make sure to do the routine stuff and you’ll be okay! You’ll love the car they’re very fun
@@DArias you still didnt answer … how much yearly ?
Good video! Now 2018 Audi S3 costs ~37k in the current used car market, do you think it is a good price?
Thanks man! Depending on mileage it may be a good deal anywhere under 25kish miles isn’t awful for the price
Is the mag ride worth it or is regular suspension sufficient?
Tbh the benefit of no mag ride is the ease of being able to do coils springs air ride without all the sensors and error codes. The magride is nice to adjust suspension etc but right now im starting to get annoyed with it because I wanna go lower but the car over bumps is starting to bottom out because of the internal bump stops
Im planning to purchase a 2017 S3 Prem Plus, do you feel the mag ride is worth it for someone who will likely not do any mods? I’m also worried about longevity of mag ride vs regular bc I’ll be buying one with 60-70k miles. Any thoughts on that? Thanks for the response Diego
What year s3 do you have and what year do you recommend?
Mine is a 2017. I personally like the facelift models better. 17+. Nicer headlights and front end plus 2017 is the first year that offered the virtual digital dash.
I have a 2013 vw gli rn but i’m looking to upgrade to an audi s series either s3,s4, or s5
Would be a great upgrade tbh from the newer tech to the performance and comfort etc
@@DArias I agree! I'm hoping I can find one at a good price
I see you’re in the Lyndhurst/NA area! Any recommended shops in the area for maintenance/tuning/installs?
Could u plz talk about the comparison between dat R56 you had and this Audi S3? I know they were totally different cars. I just kinda wanna know was it a good choice for me to swapped my s3 with R56S last year.
Sure I can absolutely do something like that. And you swapped your s3 for the r56?
@@DArias actually it was a A3 hatchback, with same digital dashboard same as s3. I did modified a lot to it. At the end, I just found A3 does not have enough characteristics as a “ fun car”. Don’t get me wrong, I think A3/S3/RS3 is a good car, it got best performance and modification potential in their price range. But it just can not stand out, maybe because so many ppl drives Audi in my area.
Convince me more
did you look at any other audi models before you bought?
I was also debating on the s4 but was a bit out of my price range at the time and tuning wasn’t huge but luckily for the b9 owners many tuners this past year have cracked into them and they’re running AWESOME times
Would you recommend getting a used S3 after owning it for a while now?
This is absolutely a biased answer but yes. I absolutely love this car. Everything about it is great
@@DArias be honest, what’s the MPG like because this would be a daily for me.
Best MPGs I’ve seen highway wise 2 and a half hour drive was about 31 on 93 but typically city and highway driving combined I see about 24ish and I get about 270ish-280ish on a tank with mixed driving.. now if it’s a fun couple of days driving pedal to the ground pull after pull I get about 220-230
What's the price for your car in the states? Here in Greece a used face-lift s3 is about 40k Euro!
It depends! Haha anywhere from like 40k-50k miles you’re looking at high 20s to lower 30s. Lower miles go for mid 30s and any higher mileage I’ve seen 65k and up go for mid to low 20s. It fluctuates a ton thought depending what part of the country you’re in
I live in Utah and bought mine with 24k miles at $29,000 (not included tax and other fees).
Does usa have the hatchback version yet?
Ugh I wish lol we don’t. If we did I 100% would have bought the hatch version
Do you have any concern about the PODS recall?
Tbh no concerns at all. There’s been recalls on many different cars for so many things. Going to set up an appointment for my car soon
I bought an Audi a3 2017 with 56k Miles for 18k
That’s a very good deal!
How tall are you? I only ask because I am 6'7 225. Looking at buying an S3 as a daily. Not sure if I'll fit.
I’m short haha I’m 5’7 and tbh at 6’7 it may be tough. A guy I work with is like 6’4 sat in my car and fit without any real issues so you may be ok with the chair all the way back and to it’s lowest setting
@@DArias Ok thank you.
T-shirt is very nice. I like the car better 😂😂😎😎🤣🤣🤩🤩
Heyyy I respect that lol
ive owned 2 VAG cars so far..........and so far.......both have had the same problem.....stupid plastic water pump thermostat housing.....when are they gonna stop making these? they havent gotten it right yet and its been over 20 years. my B5.5 had coolant leak issues......my 2017 a3 that i just bought is leaking thru the WP housing.....whyyyyyyyyyy. just make it metal. ppl literally had to make their own metal T housings for the 1.8t platform just to never have to replace the plastic ever again.
I’m 16 and I have a 2015 A3 with a reasonator delete and some cheap exterior mods like debadging and black Audi rings!!. I also have a small black tail lip spoiler. Audi A3 s3 rs3 on top
I hate the inside it’s took boring but the exterior looks good
I respect that .. to me the interior is made pretty nicely there aren’t any hard cheap feeling plastics plus the steering wheel and digital dash combo put it over the top for me imo
@@DAriasthere is something so satisfying and special about this steering wheel I agree😂 I did not expect to get in a car for a test drive and the first thing I noticed was “damn this is a nice steering wheel”
I wasn’t even in the market for an Audi. I went to the dealership to look at a BMW and Lexus. Saw the S3 and had to test drive it. In the end it won me over. On the surface it seems more “boring”
Compared to the other 2 I mentioned but there is something about it that feels more high quality. It just feels like a good, solid, well made vehicle. And it’s super fun to drive.
once my A4 paid off, im getting RS3 lol
Trust me … I’ve been having thoughts on an rs3 too much lately lol.. might have to make a bad financial decision myself 😂. Great minds think alike
@@DArias Goodluck man. keep us posted let us knw how it is when u get it 👍
Thank you man! Hopefully sooner rather than later haha
I was gonna get an Facelift S3 but ended up getting a 2019 Golf R DSG #hatchislife
Excellent choice and tbh i wanted one and only reason I didn’t is because I wanted a different logo on my car as I r owned way too many vws lol
@@DArias
I might switch over to the next gen. hits the North American shores.
I went with A3 😥😥
A3 is a great choice! Especially if you’re gonna be modding extensively with a bigger turbo. At that point the a3 and S3 become the same and you’ll make the same power but in a car that cost you $5k-$10k less
@@DArias yeah already have a stage 1 tune looking for more tho what turbo do you recommend
The best hybrids on the market rn imo are eqts vortex standard and vortex xl turbos. Many people making 500+whp with proper fueling on stock engines with 0 issues
@@DAriasAll you need is a stage 1 tune and you’ll be as fast as an s3.
great cars
“Should you get an s3” hm wonder if this will be biased 😂🙄
I’ve had cars in the past I didn’t like soo it happens lol a little biased yes but opinions could change out of nowhere too
2016/17 are best looking. Most recent front end is ugly...especially huge “nostrils”
I don’t hate the new ones coming out tbh but it absolutely has to grow on me a little more haha
Good video. $20k (before Biden)
Thanks man!
35k with Biden... but don't worry inflation isn't happening right?