Upgrading my 8V Audi S3? EA888 tuning experiences
Discussion
I'm really happy with my current 2018 S3, but now that we've added a family runabout to the fleet - and the S3 is garaged - I had been wondering about an RS3. However, there's still a mighty price gap between equivalent age cars (nearly 100% extra on top of S3 trade-in)... so it doesn't seem like a good value option to me.
Instead, I'm looking at upgrading my S3 a little. It's mechanically standard other than a Stage 1 c.350hp remap, has S-Tronic (DSG) and is a healthy car on 26k miles.
I have very subtle tastes and prefer the undercover approach to tuning. I run a campervan as well as the runabout, but the S3 is still a family car and I do long distance business journeys in it. If I do go down the tuning route I'd want something very driveable (torque), reliable and with mods very much "label in" rather than brash and loud.
I'd appreciate any views on what seem like the main options below, to help me decide:
Option 1 (handling / looks): subtle (10-20mm) lowering springs, Clubsport discs and decent pads (c.£800-1k)
Option 2 (noise): plus Milltek resonated exhaust system (+£1.7k)
Option 3 (power): plus Revo Stage 2 or similar - with TCU tune, intake, downpipe, intercooler etc ~400hp and a big uplift in torque I hear (+£4kish, maybe more)
Which would you go for? I'd really appreciate any views from anyone who's done the more extensive mods to an EA888 drivetrain and whether there's much value in going for them over my existing Stage 1 setup.
Instead, I'm looking at upgrading my S3 a little. It's mechanically standard other than a Stage 1 c.350hp remap, has S-Tronic (DSG) and is a healthy car on 26k miles.
I have very subtle tastes and prefer the undercover approach to tuning. I run a campervan as well as the runabout, but the S3 is still a family car and I do long distance business journeys in it. If I do go down the tuning route I'd want something very driveable (torque), reliable and with mods very much "label in" rather than brash and loud.
I'd appreciate any views on what seem like the main options below, to help me decide:
Option 1 (handling / looks): subtle (10-20mm) lowering springs, Clubsport discs and decent pads (c.£800-1k)
Option 2 (noise): plus Milltek resonated exhaust system (+£1.7k)
Option 3 (power): plus Revo Stage 2 or similar - with TCU tune, intake, downpipe, intercooler etc ~400hp and a big uplift in torque I hear (+£4kish, maybe more)
Which would you go for? I'd really appreciate any views from anyone who's done the more extensive mods to an EA888 drivetrain and whether there's much value in going for them over my existing Stage 1 setup.
It's always a tough decision on spending on tuning but if your happy with the car and can afford it then why not.
I try all the time to justify an RS3 in my head but at close to £40k for just that 5 cylinder engine it makes little sense.
Your car must be low £20k somewhere all day long, by the time you have spent £7k on yours the number difference doesnt look too silly.
I'd always start at option 1 myself with regards to the tuning.
I try all the time to justify an RS3 in my head but at close to £40k for just that 5 cylinder engine it makes little sense.
Your car must be low £20k somewhere all day long, by the time you have spent £7k on yours the number difference doesnt look too silly.
I'd always start at option 1 myself with regards to the tuning.
With lowering there is always a trade off of performance vs comfort, so if you don’t want to sacrifice comfort the lowering isn’t such a good idea.
I would go with the stage 2 mods and software. These are brutally quick at stage 2. Maybe add the club sport discs but they won’t really benefit huge amounts. Better heat dissipation and lighter but you’d never notice it day to day driving.
I would go with the stage 2 mods and software. These are brutally quick at stage 2. Maybe add the club sport discs but they won’t really benefit huge amounts. Better heat dissipation and lighter but you’d never notice it day to day driving.
I have a 17 plate S3 8V DSG and remapped with APR stage 1 (rolling road ws 390 bhp) and the difference was amazing, night and day. Obviously still got the 4pot sound and everything else was standard. I have since had the APR TCU remap which allowed the high torque stage 1 map to be added rather than low torque previously added. Adds a little more but not sure it’s worth it.
I have looked at RS3 and as you have found the upgrade cost I don’t think is justified.
It’s a good fun car, quick everywhere especially in the wet but the handling is somewhat held back especially on the bumpy stuff.
I recently brought a 981 Cayman S and can cover some of the same roads at a much higher speed just due to the superior suspension/handling. Still have the S3 as coulnd’t bring myself to sell yet, but not sure it would be worth spending too much trying to change it into something it isn’t It’s quicker than the Cayman, but boy the Cayman is much more entertaining to drive (this is PDK so it’s not about the gearbox).
What is it you hope to get out of the car? You may well end up spending a few grand chasing something that doesn’t materialise…
I have looked at RS3 and as you have found the upgrade cost I don’t think is justified.
It’s a good fun car, quick everywhere especially in the wet but the handling is somewhat held back especially on the bumpy stuff.
I recently brought a 981 Cayman S and can cover some of the same roads at a much higher speed just due to the superior suspension/handling. Still have the S3 as coulnd’t bring myself to sell yet, but not sure it would be worth spending too much trying to change it into something it isn’t It’s quicker than the Cayman, but boy the Cayman is much more entertaining to drive (this is PDK so it’s not about the gearbox).
What is it you hope to get out of the car? You may well end up spending a few grand chasing something that doesn’t materialise…
Thanks for all the suggestions and comments above - they're definitely making me think hard about what I want.
I bought the S3 a year ago to be shared with my wife and run alongside our van, but now it's fully mine since I added another car as a runabout. I think it fits my needs well, being driven infrequently but on good runs every time. Being modern, capable of holding the family and doing business miles is all relevant to me.
What I'd really like is more "S3-ness"... an extra depth to the performance, noises and sharper responses in the same cossetting package - feeling even more like an event when I drive it. I guess that last sentence has RS3 written all over it!
I bought the S3 a year ago to be shared with my wife and run alongside our van, but now it's fully mine since I added another car as a runabout. I think it fits my needs well, being driven infrequently but on good runs every time. Being modern, capable of holding the family and doing business miles is all relevant to me.
What I'd really like is more "S3-ness"... an extra depth to the performance, noises and sharper responses in the same cossetting package - feeling even more like an event when I drive it. I guess that last sentence has RS3 written all over it!
^^ Quite. I suppose I had in mind one of the equivalent age RS3s.
I've literally come off the phone to organise a viewing on this 2016 model. Camo Green Individual paint, Luna silver interior, B&O sound, sports exhaust, mag ride and a few other options.
I'm not 100% sure on whether the colour scheme works with all the black details... and it's obviously a pre-facelift spec, but there's no doubting that it's a unique car. Feels like it's worth checking out before deciding on whether to upgrade the S3.
I've literally come off the phone to organise a viewing on this 2016 model. Camo Green Individual paint, Luna silver interior, B&O sound, sports exhaust, mag ride and a few other options.
I'm not 100% sure on whether the colour scheme works with all the black details... and it's obviously a pre-facelift spec, but there's no doubting that it's a unique car. Feels like it's worth checking out before deciding on whether to upgrade the S3.
Don’t forget the overall cost to you of any upgrades on the S3 vs buying the RS3.
Generally speaking the market for modified cars is smaller and if you remove parts you will get less back, and need to factor in your labour or the labour of somebody else.
I tend not to recommend finance, but with rates so low there might even be some man maths that says financing the difference to an RS3 would work out cheaper than upgrading and then downgrading the S3 when you sell it.
Generally speaking the market for modified cars is smaller and if you remove parts you will get less back, and need to factor in your labour or the labour of somebody else.
I tend not to recommend finance, but with rates so low there might even be some man maths that says financing the difference to an RS3 would work out cheaper than upgrading and then downgrading the S3 when you sell it.
I'd go for a pre-facelift RS3 myself. I know looks are subjective but there's not much difference in the facelift visually apart from more angular headlights? Interior is largely the same and personally prefer proper dials over the virtual cockpit which I think will age quicker. Engine wise nothing a good remap wouldn't be able to sort. Also the exhaust sounds better on the pre-facelift.
Yep - this is now officially the worst ever EA888 tuning thread:
Just done the deal on this 2016 RS3...
The best and worst thing about it is that it's a totally one-off spec. I wasn't sure before viewing, but it has real presence in the flesh and I thought it was too good to pass up on this 1-owner (assuming rather mature from the smell of the car), full Audi-historied car. The colour is very hard to capture on camera.
I'll do a proper Readers Cars thread on it when I'm properly up and running with it.
Just done the deal on this 2016 RS3...
The best and worst thing about it is that it's a totally one-off spec. I wasn't sure before viewing, but it has real presence in the flesh and I thought it was too good to pass up on this 1-owner (assuming rather mature from the smell of the car), full Audi-historied car. The colour is very hard to capture on camera.
I'll do a proper Readers Cars thread on it when I'm properly up and running with it.
Gassing Station | Audi, Seat, Skoda & VW | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff