Forester XT to MKV GTI to MKVI R to Audi S3

[Candyman]

Tucked up safely in an empty carpark while I go get some groceries.

[Candyman]

Clicked over 12,000 km today

Had the rear shocks replaced under warranty recall (thudding over speed bumps) and car is handling and driving better as a result

Apart from that the car has been faultless.

Surprised how good the car is on fuel on freeway drives averaging under 7 l/100km and on one sedate drive down the Bruce at a steady 110 kph, it hit 6.7.

The first VAG car I'll plan to keep beyond warranty it is that good.

[AdamD]

Glad to hear it's going so well Warwick!

It was such a nice day yesterday afternoon, I took mine out for a cruise along the waterfront. Almost at 4,500km now.

[Candyman]

Glad to hear it's going so well Warwick!

It was such a nice day yesterday afternoon, I took mine out for a cruise along the waterfront. Almost at 4,500km now.

It's still brand new Adam

I've picked up a few stone chips and other usual stuff that night trips seem to cause but I look past those these days.

Wife surprised me the other day when I was in the passenger seat - she dropped into sport and floored it - crap, didn't know she had it in her (the wife or the car)

[AdamD]

I've picked up a few stone chips and other usual stuff that night trips seem to cause but I look past those these days.

Same here - on the last cruise I copped a stone "impression" in the chrome grille surround just above the Audi rings and below the bonnet - it's small but I see it, and I doubt I'll be able to get it repaired. And I've just fitted (very expensive) new 8.5" rims and was unlucky enough to have thrown up some gravel/stones with the front-left wheel, which has resulted in a number of small (~1-2mm) chips in the rear-left rim lip; *sigh*. I should have gone with 245 tyres rather than 235s, as the rim lip actually protrudes beyond the tyre sidewall, although I didn't know this when I chose the 235s... hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Wife surprised me the other day when I was in the passenger seat - she dropped into sport and floored it - crap, didn't know she had it in her (the wife or the car)

You're such a bad influence.

[Candyman]

Would love to see the new rims !

Audi Centre Brisbane did a great job of replacing that stress cracked gloss black trim

We suspect it was someone trying to break in

We also have the paint scratches around rear number plate when someone tried to remove it

Oh well

[AdamD]

HRE FF01s in 19x8.5 ET47, liquid silver.





The stress crack did sound very strange - I recall reading your description of it on ozAudi. So someone took a screwdriver to the boot or something, trying to pinch the plate? Could they not just unscrew it? Full-size euro at the back? How bad is the paint damage?

[Candyman]

Forester XT to MKV GTI to MKVI R to Audi S3

Rims look stunning !!!

Love them

Re the gloss trim, yes, could almost see a screwdriver mark. ACB did it for free and did a great job. Caused three or four stress cracks full length of the trim

Re the rear plate, euro plate and had tamper proof screws but they got the top ones off somehow. The mark is about a cm long through top coat. I've touched it up but visible. Hard to see really so not that bad.

[AdamD]

Rims look stunning !!!

Love them

Ta! They're not 100% to everyone's taste (my dad's not a huge fan, but that's fine, he's happy with his star wheels on his S3), but they're a modern lightweight interpretation of a fairly classic style, and good for a few scene points. Now I just need to get the left rear repaired from the stone chips... :-/

Re the gloss trim, yes, could almost see a screwdriver mark. ACB did it for free and did a great job. Caused three or four stress cracks full length of the trim

Re the rear plate, euro plate and had tamper proof screws but they got the top ones off somehow. The mark is about a cm long through top coat. I've touched it up but visible. Hard to see really so not that bad.

Good of them to replace the trim for free - I can't imagine that was a cheap part. Still, it seems to be things like this that separate Audi from VW dealers/servicing; that's been my observation at least. Clearly they're much more interested in keeping you happy and retaining your business into the future. I've dealt with the same dealership for my GTI and S3 (only one Audi dealer in SA), but the variance in customer service between the two brands is substantial, particularly with respect to servicing.

Strange that the rodent got the top screws off but not the bottom ones. I'm guessing those top screws are lost and so you couldn't see what he'd done to them? At least the scratch is only 1cm or so - could have been much worse.

[Candyman]

The rims not only look great but are unique and that adds to the car.

We are lucky up here in that we have only seen one other S3 on the road - not many around. Pretty common in Brisbane however, mostly white and blue.

The gloss trim part wasn't pricey but it took a lot to replace - required door panel to be removed (which worried me) but I checked everything closely and they did a superb job.

I talked to a local copper about the tamper proof screws and he said thieves carry portable grinders (hand held battery screwdriver with grinder attachment) and takes them a few seconds to take the head off. Suspect they got interrupted before they hit the lower ones. They appeared to have more trouble taking the plate cover off as the clips were covered in scratches.

Touch up paint doesn't match well even though it was Audi touch up paint. I could remove the plate and wetsand it but meh.

[AdamD]

I need to get a couple of central locking solonoid mechanisms replaced on my Golf (Mk5), and they require door skins off to replace too. A real PITA in terms of labour, but I have read that they're not that tricky to remove (either for the Golf or the Audi), just a bit fiddly and requiring two sets of hands at times.

Hmm, so it sounds like it would have been a (semi-) professional rather than just some kid who wanted the plate on his wall? You've got a special combo don't you, so it's not like it'd be used for a crime if it's a noticeable combination.

Pity the touch-up paint doesn't match well, although that doesn't surprise me much. I imagine trying to match Sepang (what with its pearl effect) must be a bastard of a job to get right. Hopefully we can avoid copping too many stone chips! (I haven't bought any touch-up from Audi yet, although I suspect it's only a matter of time.)

[fung9420]

Clicked over 12,000 km today

Had the rear shocks replaced under warranty recall (thudding over speed bumps) and car is handling and driving better as a result

Apart from that the car has been faultless.

Surprised how good the car is on fuel on freeway drives averaging under 7 l/100km and on one sedate drive down the Bruce at a steady 110 kph, it hit 6.7.

The first VAG car I'll plan to keep beyond warranty it is that good.

Hi do u mean the shocks were official recall? Or just fixed under warranty?
I'm not told there's a recall. I'm with Audi corporate plan too.


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[Candyman]

There is a TPI out but Audi instruct only to fit if customer identifies with dealer there is an issue

[fung9420]

Ta! They're not 100% to everyone's taste (my dad's not a huge fan, but that's fine, he's happy with his star wheels on his S3), but they're a modern lightweight interpretation of a fairly classic style, and good for a few scene points. Now I just need to get the left rear repaired from the stone chips... :-/



Good of them to replace the trim for free - I can't imagine that was a cheap part. Still, it seems to be things like this that separate Audi from VW dealers/servicing; that's been my observation at least. Clearly they're much more interested in keeping you happy and retaining your business into the future. I've dealt with the same dealership for my GTI and S3 (only one Audi dealer in SA), but the variance in customer service between the two brands is substantial, particularly with respect to servicing.

Strange that the rodent got the top screws off but not the bottom ones. I'm guessing those top screws are lost and so you couldn't see what he'd done to them? At least the scratch is only 1cm or so - could have been much worse.

I could agree more with customer service in solitaire. Missus has golf Alltrack. We went in VW and then Audi department absolutely different atmosphere there. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying VW anything wrong. Just audi's one on one service. The guy almost remember my name after months.

Btw, nice s3. I'm in SA with blue Sportback too.


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[AdamD]

There is a TPI out but Audi instruct only to fit if customer identifies with dealer there is an issue

Exactly. Most dealers require the issue to be identified by a tech on a test drive, before they'll approve the work. I've not heard the issue myself, but then I don't drive my S3 often and usually with the music cranked. It's had someone in the back seat perhaps twice ever.

I could agree more with customer service in solitaire. Missus has golf Alltrack. We went in VW and then Audi department absolutely different atmosphere there. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying VW anything wrong. Just audi's one on one service. The guy almost remember my name after months.

Btw, nice s3. I'm in SA with blue Sportback too.

Yep, they roll out the red carpet at Mile End (Solitaire Service) if you've got an Audi. Usher you straight into the inspection bay, and then to a desk for a coffee and a chat. No queuing or standing around, no sir!

I've seen your S3 around the place, and spotted/posted on EuroSA. IIRC yours was a demo Sportback? If so, I think I drove your car.