Audi S3...

[AudiA8Quattro]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2944762.htm

s3

OR....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CORRADO-2-9-VR6-K-reg-AQUA-BLUE-METALLIC-/280640733838?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item41577dc28e

I want that corrado 

[Horney]

S3's are chav mobiles. All the thingy heads round here have moved from their Saxo's into S1 S3's. See a few about with tacky stuff stuck on, choooons booming out and a 15 year old GF in the passenger seat. Avoid if you have any self respect.

Nick

[emery1990]

Because they are so cheap to buy. that red one with that many miles, you'd need to make sure it's had all the right work done on it, I wouldn't go near it tbh.

I'd want a facelift negaro blue one  but they are like 6k plus for a decent one.

[Mikester]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2835463.htm

[F17BAD]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2835463.htm

this is what you need to spend for a propper one.. even this has 70k - but its in the best colour too


I looked at buying a cheap one to break for its engine, cheapest i found was 2700 and it was a real dump, couldnt even find a good one for 3.5k (that i was happy with anyhow), so i ended up paying almost 2.5k on a engine with less than 40k on it which came out of a mint which had been damaged to its rear qtr


my pal just sold his blue one with 138k and in "ok" condition, he got 5.5k for it..  it was by no means mint..

[emery1990]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2897796.htm

I'd be looking at something like that, could haggle him down more to under 6k, and it's had it's suspension sorted, which if done properly would be close to 2k.

It's probably high miles and body condition that makes it cheaper.

That is a cheap s3, being a facelift 03 and the work it's had done. But could of been ragged around everywhere etc. Pot luck really.

[VW BUSH]

Stir up the wasps nest..........

Seat build quality is woeful, dont go near anything except a mint low mileage one if you have to.
Engine is great if looked after, rest is pretty poor.
And they look cack.

Why not buy a new(er) car some cracking deals to be had atm all main brands are offering some good deals, you could then trade up as you get older and wiser

[Ess_Three]

Good enough cars standard...well made, reasonably swift...but dull as dishwater to drive.

But, they can be made to fly.
Don't believe all the horse-feathers of 275-280 BHP with a re-map...it's utter crap.
You can ger 275-280 BHP/330 lb-ft out of them on a K04 - I did - but it will cost you thousands...many thousands and not a Stage 1 map as many idiots will tell you.

Brakes are woeful...you can kill the standard brakes on a backroad.
LRC Brembos sort that.

Standard suspension is even more woeful than the standard brakes - Bilstein B8 dampers, H&R springs, Neuspeed ARBs and Forge/KW rear tie bars sort that out...but won't leave you with much chance from £1500-2000 fitted and set up.
But it will at least corner like it should.

They will eat suspension bushes when sorted though...and you really need 18" wheels to make the best of the set-up.

100 cell 'race' cats are a nightmare - they struggle to pass the MOT on emissions with those on. 200 cell are better.

If you can find one with any of the above already fitted...you are onto a winner.
I had mine 3 1/2 years and it averaged around 25 MPG...but made 275+ BHP and 330+ lb-ft for most of it, was utterly ballistic point to point (easily left my 911 sitting on a back road)...but was just dull to drive.

There wasn't too much left standard on mine...so I have a good idea what works and what's internet myth...get in touch if you want specifics.
Mine was an AMK engine...makes no difference when mapped, as already said.

Just a note...it's like driving a diesel once you really start pushing the K04. You can run 1.8 bar peak boost, and 1.3 sustained with good enough ICs...but that's over 90% duty cycle on the injectors and the EGTs are rocketing by then. But, with the traction of a well set up S3, you can use 320 lb-ft daily, on full throttle, easily....by 330 lb-ft it struggles and I found the car actually slower point to point, so swapped back to a standard N75, back down to 320 lb-ft and stopped fighting the car.
It doesn't drift or power slide naturally...but by f**k it grips and goes.

Good cars...really very capable once sorted (the lad I sold mine too used to bait M3s and WRX STIs at wet trackdays) but ultimately little fun to hussle hard...just a typical Audi - efficient, but dull.

I'm biased, but I'd say Nogaro Blue would be the best choice, with the blue/black Alcantara/leather interior, LRC brakes and BBS wheels...
Just like this one in fact:


It's still about on audi-sport.net somewhere...on it's 4th or 5th owner...still going strong.

I wish I'd not sold it...it was probably the best road car I have ever had. Subtle and effortlessly f'in quick wet or dry.
I'd have it back in a heartbeat.

[Ess_Three]

I'd want a facelift negaro blue one  but they are like 6k plus for a decent one.

A wise choice! 

[Ess_Three]

Stir up the wasps nest..........

Seat build quality is woeful, dont go near anything except a mint low mileage one if you have to.
Engine is great if looked after, rest is pretty poor.
And they look cack.

Why not buy a new(er) car some cracking deals to be had atm all main brands are offering some good deals, you could then trade up as you get older and wiser

If straight line speed is your thing, then S3s struggle with LCRs...the same engine, the same power etc...the LCR is lighter and has less driveline losses.
...you will struggle to pass a LRC out on a straight road.

However, the LCR is an understeering chariot no matter what you do to it...whereas at least you can make an S3 stop understeering...and you can then use the torque and traction to leave LCRs dead on backroads...I never found much that was faster than my S3 on proper backroads....Evos/STIs/911s etc included...the K04 when mapped gives so much low down torque that you can dump well over 300 lb-ft down and really pull hard out of tight corners. No fuss, no wheelspin, no problem. Try that in a LCR.