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Audi S3 is awesome

TheWombat

Go Kart Champion
Location
Vermont
For us in NA, it doesn't matter what you can get in the rest of the world; I wouldn't presume to speak for anyone outside the USA of course. Here, the difference is ten grand, give or take. And, no manual option. So it's a much different calculus. If the two cars were more comparable here, yeah, I'd definitely consider a small premium for the S3, because I sort of prefer a sedan to a hatch these days, but we don't get the choice really.
 
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lalalaprise

Ready to race!
Location
Halifax
For us in NA, it doesn't matter what you can get in the rest of the world; I wouldn't presume to speak for anyone outside the USA of course. Here, the difference is ten grand, give or take. And, no manual option. So it's a much different calculus. If the two cars were more comparable here, yeah, I'd definitely consider a small premium for the S3, because I sort of prefer a sedan to a hatch these days, but we don't get the choice really.

Have you tried to negotiate a deal on an R and an S3? Vw dealers aren't very willing to budge even a little bit...they treat the R like some rare car....Audi is pretty eager to lop a few thousand off msrp.

Comparing msrp v msrp you'd see a 10 grand differenc but the real world numbers seem to say it's close to 3-4 than 10
 

TheWombat

Go Kart Champion
Location
Vermont
Have you tried to negotiate a deal on an R and an S3? Vw dealers aren't very willing to budge even a little bit...they treat the R like some rare car....Audi is pretty eager to lop a few thousand off msrp.

Comparing msrp v msrp you'd see a 10 grand differenc but the real world numbers seem to say it's close to 3-4 than 10

Oh, you're probably right, though where I live there are so few people and dealers that all bets are off on any sort of speculation. But Audi doesn't offer the S3 in a manual here, so there would be no need to consider it, really. I like the platform and the form-factor but at that size I really want a manual (at the moment; might change later). But it is a nice looking car for sure.
 

lalalaprise

Ready to race!
Location
Halifax
Oh, you're probably right, though where I live there are so few people and dealers that all bets are off on any sort of speculation. But Audi doesn't offer the S3 in a manual here, so there would be no need to consider it, really. I like the platform and the form-factor but at that size I really want a manual (at the moment; might change later). But it is a nice looking car for sure.

Yea, I prefer stick and hatch...if I was in the market for this car I'd buy the R without much thought...even if the $$ was equal. For folks that want DSG and prefer sedan it probably makes sense to pay the 3-4 grand and go for S3
 
Location
St. Olaf
For us in NA, it doesn't matter what you can get in the rest of the world; I wouldn't presume to speak for anyone outside the USA of course. Here, the difference is ten grand, give or take.
Legit, but CarLover, who's the OP, is from the UAE. He wouldn't need to be
interested of NA's 1st world problems, if you get what I mean. :D
Please don't get me wrong, but Americans tend to not take a look outside.

;)
 
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CarLover

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
UAE
Nobody answered me about the steering feel...can anybody explain it to me? An what I the differences between an R/GTI steering feel and the S3?
 
Location
St. Olaf
Nut huge. Like they use to do on other fields Audi and Volkswagen use slightly
different software applications on the Servotronic and slightly different springs,
dampers and swaybars. A matter of taste for the very most part of it IMHO. ;)
 

TheWombat

Go Kart Champion
Location
Vermont
Legit, but CarLover, who's the OP, is from the UAE. He would't need to be
interested of NA's 3rd word problems, if you get what I mean. :D
Please don't get me wrong, but Americans tend to not take a look outside.

;)

Fair enough; I don't check the location tag on the poster's ID usually because the text is so small! I can't read it easily. The majority of the posters here are from North America, but of course there are many from other parts of the world as well.

Which is probably why anyone posting should indicate, if the topic is dependent on location, where you are talking about, up front.
 

CarLover

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
UAE
Nut huge. Like they use to do on other fields Audi and Volkswagen use slightly
different software applications on the Servotronic and slightly different springs,
dampers and swaybars. A matter of taste for the very most part of it IMHO. ;)

Thanks for the info
 

hal

Ready to race!
Location
Bahrain
Nobody answered me about the steering feel...can anybody explain it to me? An what I the differences between an R/GTI steering feel and the S3?

There is more road feedback in the R than the S3. The steering feels more precise and sharp. They may both respond to driver input equally but you don't feel attached to the car and the road in the S3 as you would in the R.

Could be due to suspension, tires or steering setup. I know the first two are different between the S3 and the R.

Most (if not all) of us here got the Golf because we wanted a hatch. IMO, the S3 hatch looks funny and the sedan looks better (more like a real Audi). So if you're a fan of Audi styling then most likely the sedan will appeal more to you.
 

jmal2005

Ready to race!
Location
Atlanta, Ga
There is more road feedback in the R than the S3. The steering feels more precise and sharp. They may both respond to driver input equally but you don't feel attached to the car and the road in the S3 as you would in the R.

Could be due to suspension, tires or steering setup. I know the first two are different between the S3 and the R.

Most (if not all) of us here got the Golf because we wanted a hatch. IMO, the S3 hatch looks funny and the sedan looks better (more like a real Audi). So if you're a fan of Audi styling then most likely the sedan will appeal more to you.

I have an A3 convertible. I've never driven a GTI nor the R so I can't comment on steering difference but at the end of the day I find that the powered steering rack is precise if nothing else. If I turn that thing a little bit it responds with agility and precision but the rest of the feedback I have to get from the chassis, suspension, and pedals if that makes any sense. That is one thing that I miss about my old Honda accord is that it had hydraulic steering. I could feel EVERYTHING through the wheel.

However I definitely feel connected to the road with the low center of gravity and the haldex transmission pushing me out of corners with my foot down on it :D
 

PLF8593

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Philly
Car(s)
19 Alltrack 6MT
And to be honest I'm not a fan of the interior either. It's better in quality, but worse in design IMO

Agreed. The design is very lackluster. To slant-quote someone's post I saw recently, "It's minimalist to the point of being boring." I honestly think the "integrated" look of the Golf interior (specifically GTI/R) with the trim around the shifter seamlessly flowing into the Infotainment, then outward to the steering wheel and glove compartment. I do not like the circular air vents, or the thing everyone's doing these days with the screen that comes up from the dash
 

The Fed

Old Guys Rule
Location
Florida
The R's steering ratio is faster than the GTI's.

The S3 has MagneticRide, the R has valved shocks.

The S3 is more expensive than $2-3K if you get the same options as an R, and much more expensive if you get every available option.

In my case, even if the S3 was a hatchback there is only one Audi dealer in my area and I don't like them.
 

cornercarver

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
SWFL
For us in NA, it doesn't matter what you can get in the rest of the world; I wouldn't presume to speak for anyone outside the USA of course. Here, the difference is ten grand, give or take. And, no manual option. So it's a much different calculus. If the two cars were more comparable here, yeah, I'd definitely consider a small premium for the S3, because I sort of prefer a sedan to a hatch these days, but we don't get the choice really.

This was true until the '17 model year. Now I cannot find a Golf R (Base MSRP $39,375) for less than $40,xxx. and attempted to negotiate with only getting $300.00 under MSRP. With the S3 (Base MSRP 42,900) and Golf R only $3000.00 difference in price, I feel like I could negotiate the S3 to a price lower than the Golf R, since the local dealers won't budge on the price.

My only issues is that I cannot justify spending $40K on a compact car.
 
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