Used Audi S3 (8V) review

Exterior:

Typical for Audi and Volkswagen products, let’s talk about sunroofs. Firstly, the drainage channels must be clean and clear, if not water can build up, eventually into cabin, this can cause all sorts of havoc with the electronics.

Next, the actual sunroof frame that the glass and mechanism sits in, it can develop cracks in the corners, this is because it’s plastic and over time, it can fatigue and if this happens, chances are water will leak into the car. Repairs for this can range from just gluing the cracks with some kind of waterproof sealant but that’s a bit of a band aid solution, or you could attempt to just replace the plastic surround but it’s apparently a faff of a job.

The best way to fix it is to replace the entire sunroof cassette and, yeah, this won’t be cheap.

The most common complaint about the sunroof is just that it can rattle incessantly but we may have good news here, before you head to your Audi dealership to have it sorted, check the owners groups and forums for tutorials on how to fix it yourself because it seems to be an easy fix, and according to some owners, this helped them avoid the over $1000 price their dealerships wanted to charge to sort it.

Speaking of Audi dealerships trying to rip customers off and ways you can avoid that, let’s discuss the reported failures of the DRLs. What’s happening is that the DRL strips can dim or flicker or fail completely, it’s generally the module that controls the little LEDs that light up the strip going on the fritz. Some owners have been quoted in excess of $10,000 for new headlights with fitting and calibration from their dealerships,

Other owners said “yeah, no thanks” and instead went with replacement secondhand headlights, however this can still cost anywhere from $900 to $3000 per headlight depending on condition, where you are, age – all that sort of stuff.

But here’s the good news, sort of, they can be fixed, and if you’re happy to attempt a pretty complex do it yourself project, it shouldn’t cost you more than about $400.

While we’re talking about issues stemming from electronic problems, just check that everything powered by electricity works as it should, especially the rear wiper and the windows, chances are they will be fine, the vast majority of owners have never had an issue with these, but some have, just check.

Many Audi S3s came fitted with Audi’s MagRide adjustable damper suspension, which can have mixed reports on how they perform but we’ll get into that when we drive this, the problem is, if the Mag Ride suspension needs replacing, it can be bloody expensive. Some owners we spoke to were quoted in excess of $2000 per corner.

The same can be said for the brakes, the S3 can be tough on its brakes if driven hard and the Audi OEM replacement stuff can also be ridiculously expensive.

The same even goes for servicing, loads of owners highly recommend avoiding Audi dealerships due to exorbitant labour charged and ridiculous prices for parts and components, but the hot tip from owners and those that work on these is to do your homework and look into quality aftermarket parts.

Interior:

Now inside, no surprise for an Audi, the interior is utterly wonderful, it feels of serious quality in here, all the touch points feel premium, ergonomics are spot on, it’s just a bloody lovely place to be. When it works…

First of all, the MMI infotainment system. A major complaint is that the screen can refuse to rise out of the dash. But that’s not it for the MMI system, plenty of owners have complained that it can just feel old and laggy, or it freezes and becomes unresponsive or on post-update models with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, these can disconnect randomly.

Then on pre-update models, apparently the Bluetooth can drop out and it can be a pain to pair back up again and the sound quality when using Bluetooth is rubbish.

Advice from the owners, if you’re not happy with the infotainment system or the sound quality, all this can be upgraded.

There have been reports of the virtual cockpit flickering now and again, or the power windows or powered seat controls act a bit erratically, or the vent actuators in the air con can fail and to fix this requires the entire dashboard to come out, pray that never happens because it is massively expensive to do but chances are, you like the majority of owners shouldn’t have any of these issues.

Mechanically:

In standard, unmodified versions, by far the most common and somewhat expensive fault is the water pump and thermostat module. They fail early and often. In some cases, the factory water pump is good for around 60,000km until it leaks. You could just consider it part of the normal servicing schedule, like a timing belt. The later models last a bit longer and some non-genuine replacement pumps last longer too.

The cam adjuster magnets — that’s basically the variable cam timing actuator — can fail, and the spool valves can get blocked up too. The magnets are easy to change, but you do need a special tool to get the spool valves out.

They do, on occasion, have some PCV issues, and like all modern engines, excessive crankcase pressures do make oil leaks worse. Usually, you’ll get lean fault codes, and sometimes you can hear a whistling noise too. If the noise stops when you take the dipstick out, your PCV valve is cooked.

Oil leaks — these tend to leak from the cam adjusters I just mentioned, the timing covers, rear main oil seal (gearbox out to fix), the oil level sensor in the sump, and the sump itself. Be careful not to misdiagnose a turbo oil leak — it might just be from the valve cover or PCV valve above it. The good news here is it’s easy to change and most do-it-yourselfers can do it.

Speaking of turbos, they’re usually ok if well serviced, but occasionally you get issues with the wastegate actuator failing and the rod rattling, which is annoying.

Now historically, the older VW and Audi models suffer from problems associated with feeble engine bay plastics (like the water pump), so as they age these will be the same. The intake manifold is one of those plastic parts — they have internal flaps and linkages that can break. It’s less common than earlier generations, but it can happen. Timing chain issues are way less common with these, but not unheard of — usually only in high mileage and neglected engines.

Moderate oil consumption is still a thing though, so frequent checking is advised.

I just want to go back to the sump — yes, they can leak, but often they get damaged from hitting something on the road. They’re plastic and they are very low and vulnerable. If you hit something on the road, you should stop and check.

Now, the DSG transmission cops a lot of criticism for being made of cheese and frequently failing, but the reality is if they’re serviced properly and on time, in a standard car that is driven moderately, they’re usually not too much trouble. They do have some DSG position sensor and mechatronics issues, but they are not as common as the internet would have you believe. It’s worth checking too that all the factory recalls are up to date, and you can do that via a VIN search. Some do complain about harsh low-speed operation, but that’s just how they are.

It’s a similar story with the Haldex system — that’s the hydraulic device that controls the amount of torque transmitted to the rear wheels. If they’re serviced on time with the right oil, they’re usually no problem either.

Now I just want to emphasise that these are a high-performance car and servicing them properly is absolutely imperative, and if you’re looking at one, make sure the previous owner has a well-documented service history. It’s worth mentioning that although it’s a high-performance car, it follows pretty much the same service schedule as an ordinary Golf, so (excluding those extra water pumps), the servicing costs are much the same.

And here’s a thing you definitely should be aware of. Some owners of these modify the crap out of them and when it comes time to sell them, un-modify them. By that I mean they put everything back to standard to make it easier to sell or trade. Now, a good technician who knows these things can usually tell when things have been messed with, so a pre-purchase inspection is highly recommended.