I had a 2007 Honda Accord, along with my 2008 Honda S2000 CR, and 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Accord was my wife’s car but with a 9 month old baby at home she has naturally taken over primary driving duties of the Jeep. That left me with the Accord as my daily. We had been planning for a few years to replace the Accord, but every time we got close, we just couldn’t figure out what to replace it with. It was a great car all the way up until around 100k miles. Since then we have had a lot of little issues pop up. The shocks are in need of being replaced, the steering rack is leaking fluid and feels notchy, and the AC system is another expensive item that could go out at any time.
We started looking at replacement vehicles in January of this year, but after mapping out our plans and goals for the year we decided that financially it would be better if we waited until fall 2016. I just finally got the idea out of my head to replace the Accord and it left me stranded, thankfully in my garage. $400 and 4hrs of my time later it was up and running again, but this left us wanting to replace it sooner than later so we started looking into replacement vehicles again.
Options
I looked at and researched a lot of cars. My criteria which I was slightly flexible on was; under $50K, warranty, preferred brand new or low miles, 4 door sedan, fun, unique, sporty, luxurious, technology packed, could average 25mpg or better, engaging to drive, and had character. I also did not want to get a car that would compete with the S2000. Meaning, I didn’t want a car too sporty, fast, or fun that might make me want to drive it rather than the S2000 when I decided to go for a drive around town or in the mountains. The car would be for me, but I wanted the wife to be able to drive and enjoy it on occasions. She doesn’t like driving manual so I wanted an automatic, which I was okay with for a daily.
The cars I considered in no particular order:
Audi S3
Audi A4
Audi S4
BMW E90 M3
BMW 335
BMW 340
Cadillac CTS V
Cadillac ATS
Honda Accord
Acura TLX
Subaru WRX
Subaru STI
Lexus IS250, 350, ISF
I had always thought it would be awesome to own the S2000 and an STI since I had a Subaru prior to buying my first S2000. I took the Accord in for the Takata recall which was situated next to a Subaru dealership. I took the opportunity to check out used Accords, new Accords, and test drove a new WRX and STI. I was extremely un-excited about the Accords. They just felt too similar to our 07 and after nine years of driving an Accord, I was over it. Not excited and I decided I would rather keep fixing our 07 than buy a newer one.
The WRX I drove first and it brought back some good memories. Then it was on to the bad stuff. Subaru did not disappoint and the salesman gave me a lecture on over revving the cars on the test drive. I was told if I went over 4k three times he would end the test drive immediately. Glad I was treated like an adult. That was a reminder of the type of people that drive Subaru’s typically these days, kids. Anyway, the WRX was nice, however, it felt cheap, the driving position made me feel like I was on the car not in it, suspension was too soft, engine was okay, and interior was boy racerish and cheap. Next up was the STI. I like the looks a lot more, but it was too boy racerish for me. I already have a bright blue CR with a wing, so I don’t think I need two cars that scream look at me. The STI steering and suspension felt much better, but again, the interior felt and looked tacky and cheap. I wasn’t obviously able to give the car much throttle, but when I did it was a little disappointing. Car just felt like it had a narrow power band and I had to really get on it and drive it. That can be fun, but not what I really wanted for a daily.
I left the Subaru dealership and knew that neither car was for me. The cars also didn’t fit a lot of my criteria anyway so it was an easy pass. I was over them and wanted nothing to do with the cars. That morning I was able to check four cars off my list. I really started pondering what to get and got me thinking about it more and more.
I hate BMW’s for multiple reasons so I crossed all of them off my list. I took a really hard look at new and used Lexus’s but ultimately crossed all of them off my list. The 250 is overweight and significantly under powered, the 350 is also lacking the performance I wanted. Both models are a dime a dozen and I see 10-15 every day. The ISF could be fun, but the gas mileage was a little lacking, the interior was just okay, and there were not many low mileage options on the market. I took a hard look at the Acura TLX but never drove one. It just reminded me too much of a Honda and reviewers said it was just a nicer more expensive Honda. After two Accords and two S2000’s I was ready for a new brand. Ultimately I made the decision that I did not want another Japanese built car.
I took a glance at Cadillac’s lineup. The ATS was okay, but not exciting to me. The CTS-V spec I could get used but the gas mileage is horrible and honestly felt like major overkill for a daily. I think Cadillac is doing a great job right now, but the brand and car just isn’t for me.
My parents had a couple of Audi’s when I was growing up so I was always a fan of them. My wife and I also had a mutual friend that had multiple B5 S4’s which I drove frequently and liked. I am also a huge racing fan, specifically sports cars and LeMans, and I love what Audi as a brand has done over the past decade in racing. They are one of the few auto manufactures that is using racing as a platform to develop, test, and introduce new technologies. Direct Injection, regenerative braking, LED lights, variable vain turbos, new diesel technology are just a few of the things Audi used in racing years before introducing on road cars. As a brand, I could and would happily give them my money to help support their racing.
Audi
I was nervous at the thought of buying German due to their normal pricey repair bills. They are also not always known to be the most reliable. I started looking at used S4’s but got scared at the thought of buying used. There were not many CPO options out there either. I slightly considered A4’s and especially the new A4 but ultimately the A4 didn’t check enough boxes for me, mainly, not exciting, sporty, or unique enough.
I looked a lot at the S4. Issues I had with it was I did not like the interior as much as the newer S3, it was bigger and subsequently much heavier (about 500lbs heavier than S3), it was also hard to find used with CPO. New there were almost none on the lots locally so it would be hard to get a good deal. The more research I did I found that magazines found the S3 to be faster because of its lighter weight and it was also more fun to drive because of its lower weight and size. One review said the S3 was the most fun to drive car in the Audi lineup minus the R8. I dont care about a 3 4 or 5 badge, I wanted the funnest and most enjoyable all around car. I felt the S4 was just too big and not as sporty as what I was looking for.
Enter the S3. I remembered reading some articles about it when it came out and started getting excited. I read every review I could find and watched every youtube video I could fine. Every review had nothing but praise and good things to say about it. I kept reading and hearing grown up STI which was a good thing. It seemed like the accolades for the car just kept coming and nobody had a bad thing to say about the car except, it wasn’t always engaging enough and wasn’t really a car you would want to take to the track or wake up on a Sunday and hit the canyons with. That was perfect to me. It wouldn’t step on the S2000’s toes and compete for my free time. It was a driver’s car, but not like the S.
The more research I did, the more I realized this car checked all my boxes. Classy and elegant in my eyes, understated, luxurious, powerful, great gas mileage, technology throughout, DSG transmission which is one of the best available, light weight by today’s standards (3460lbs), the interior is work of art (Audi has the best interiors on the market imo), and overall, felt special. The car has just enough aggressive looks in person that an untrained eye would know there is something unique about the car. If you know cars, when you see the S badge, you know what it’s capable of. I was hooked.
Audi S3 Test Drive
MSRP: From $42,500
Other model years: 2015
Curb weight: 3,462 lbs
MPG: 23 city / 31 highway
Engine: 2.0 L 4-cylinder
Power: 292 hp @ 6200 rpm
Torque: 280 lb-ft @ 1900 rpm
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 4.4 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 10.8 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 19.7 sec
Street start, 5-60 mph: 5.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.9 sec @ 108 mph
Top speed (gov ltd, mfr's est): 155 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 160 ft
In person the car is small, but in a good way. It’s almost the exact same dimensions as an early 2000 B5 S4, which is a really good thing. Magazines often said they would rather have a S3 over a S4 because of its small size and weight. It is a great size for zipping through traffic and in the city. The car is understated, yet purposeful. It is an Audi after all and they are all very understated. The interior is just as amazing in person as the pictures. The backseat is small and tight. I am 5’ 9” and in the backseat my head just brushed the roof. If you need to carry four adults frequently, this car isn’t for you. I had enough room for my legs. Overall, it was doable. Trunk is also very small, but I have a Jeep for lugging things around. The majority of materials inside is soft touch and feels upscale. Some of the lower areas of the interior that you almost never touch do feel cheaper, but that is fine with me. I compared the optional sports seats and base seats. The sports seat option uses nicer Napa leather in a handful of spots and was definitely nicer to touch and look at. I am in love with the diamond stitched sports seats, so they would be a must have. They give up electric adjustment, but I don’t care.
I met with a salesman and we found a car similar to the specs I wanted and off we went on a drive. I started in comfort mode. Steering was light, fairly quick, and had decent feel. Suspension was fairly soft and was good over bumps. Throttle application seemed a bit dull and the car didn’t see very lively. The dealer encouraged me to drive it however I wanted and to redline whenever I wanted.
Before merging onto the on ramp the salesman adjusted the car from comfort setting to dynamic setting. Big difference. Steering weight changed, suspension tightened up and eliminated roll, pitch, and dive. The exhaust and intake sound got louder, and the throttle felt much sharper. I had a red light ahead of me and a clear on ramp. I gunned it when the light turned green and ran through the first 3 gears using the DSG paddles behind the wheel. I looked down and was doing 80ish in a hurry. The car shifts so fast and seamless. The intake sound was fun and the DSG farts on shifts were a reward for each gear I grabbed. I was hooked. It was rush hour and I did some weaving through traffic. DSG was very nice. It was nice cruising, quickly grabbing a gear and having plenty of power from the 2 liter to squirt through traffic. The rest of my test drive was me doing a bunch of 5-80mph runs. It was addicting. I really liked the engine and exhaust note. The DSG, while video game like, was fun, responsive, and fast.
I left the dealership with smiles but also pondered how soon I could I get one.
Buying an Audi S3
I decided on the options I wanted, the price came to $47,740. Emailed the dealer to let them know what I wanted and I was interested in finding a car and if the right car was available and we could meet on a price, I was ready to buy. If the car wasn’t around, I would wait. I quickly found that only 1 car in the country fit my build. I asked what was close, and the only options, which were apparently a pretty standard configuration that dealers ordered was $51,790. It had a bunch of things I didn’t want that jacked up the price so I was frustrated at first.
I did some research on various Audi websites and found that the general consensus was it was fairly easy to get the cars under MSRP. There were people claiming north of 10% off MSRP. One guy said he got 14% off the last week of December 2015. The next step was to build my spreadsheet, which is what I always do when I buy a car. I listed out prices, tags, title, taxes, interest rates, trade- in value for my Accord, loan terms, down payment, and etc. I basically create a giant matrix of every scenario possible. This lets me see the whole picture and figure out what it would take to make the car work within my designated monthly car budget. After crunching numbers, I saw that what I wanted was 14% off MSRP. I could make it all work if I got at least 6% off, but figured I should shoot for the moon and see what happens. Worse thing they say is no and I maybe don’t buy a car right away.
The wife approved, so I emailed the dealer and said I will take the car and gave them the price I would pay, $44,550. After an agonizing wait, the dealer informed me the car that I wanted was already sold. They told me that I should consider ordering a car and I could place a refundable deposit to ensure I get what I want. In the meantime, we could keep looking for a car. I honestly felt I was getting a little bit of a run around and not being taken seriously. I even said, if the right car for the right price pops up, I will buy it tomorrow. They didn’t seem to bite. I was bummed and that was it.
Next morning was a Saturday. I woke up early, grabbed coffee, and started searching for cars. I ended up finding the exact same car I made an offer on available an hour away. There was a get e-price now button so I entered my info. Shortly thereafter I got the e-price of $49,7xx. Not what I was hoping for. The email also asked me when I was available to come in.
I sent the following email to them:
I could come in later today or Sunday. I live in Gilbert so I would like to negotiate the price before I commit to driving across town. I have been working with Audi of Chandler for the past month trying to find a S3. Based on availability, market research, and options on this car, I would be willing to pay $44,550. Please let me know what you can do to meet that price.
A few hours later I got an email confirming that they could match my price. Well shit, that was too easy. I said to my wife, “looks like we are buying a car this weekend.” I emailed back and forth a few more times and agreed to come in on Sunday at 1pm to look at the car and review paperwork.
The car build is as follows:
2016 Audi S3 Sedan 2.0T Quattro S tronic
Glacier White Metallic
Black Interior
S3 Technology Package
CD/DVD player with HD radio
Audi MMI Navigation plus w/voice control
Audi MMI touch
Audi connect w/online servuces
Audi Side assist
Black Optics Package
19” 5-v-spoke design wheels in titanium matte finish
235/35 summer tires
Audi magnetic ride
Black optic exterior kit
Exterior mirrors in body color
S Sport seat package
Bang & Olufsen Sound System
Red brake calipers
Cargo net
Audi Guard wheel lock kit
Grocery hooks
Audi cargo box
Front filler panel
Got to the dealer but the car was locked in their new inventory lot and I couldn’t see it. We crunched numbers again, and I negotiated the price a bit on trading in the Accord. In the end, the numbers worked so we proceeded with financing and credit checks. Everything was in line, so we pulled the trigger. Bought the car and the dealer agreed to deliver the car to my house Monday morning. Threw a dealer plate on the Accord since they now owned it and headed home still not believing that we just bought a new car!
Dealer texted me Monday morning saying the car was going through their shop, getting window tint, and being detailed. I tried politely to tell them not to detail the car, but was ignored which pissed me off. I have heard of and seen dealership detail horror stories so I figured I would have a lot of swirls to remove.
As promised the car arrived at my house driven by me saleswomen. It was stunning and to my surprise, the detail job was very good. Not a single scratch or swirl, it actually looked fantastic. They didn’t use excessive tire shine either.
Audi recommends staying under 2/3 revs for the first 600 miles. I did my best to honor that but I still dipped into the throttle and didn’t fully baby it. I believe in breaking in the car as you plan on using it, so for me, lots of 30% throttle blasts to 4k and then shift. In comfort mode it was easy to keep the revs in check. In sport auto the car wanted to pull to redline so I typically used sport manual mode so I could shift at 4k. I am in love with the DSG. Its super fast and IMO fun. Its is not as engaging as a full manual, but I still feel in control and like im “driving” the car.
What I enjoy the most is leaving my house in comfort mode. Snaking through the neighborhood and out onto the main roads. Once the car warms up I flip it into sport manual and enjoy ripping on the car a bit. Coming from a S2000 its got tons of torque and acceleration in almost any gear. It pulls hard and is very rev happy. Not quite F20/F22, but it wants to rev and is happy doing it!
I have enjoyed every drive in the car so far. It is EXACTLY what I wanted in a car. It does everything I want and need and it’s a true joy to drive. It feels special just like the S2000 and I get excited at the thought of driving it. I look forward to driving it every chance I get. I took the S2000 out on a group drive recently and while the S2000 felt very slow in a straight line, I really still enjoyed the car. Its more engaging, rawer, purer, and a classic. I pondered taking the S3 instead of the CR on the group drive, but very glad I kept the CR as the S3 is not a replacement for it. I think if I had to have either or, the S3 would be or could be a suitable replacement, but I’m glad I waited and got to a point where I could own both.
Just some iPhone pics for now. I plan on doing a proper photoshoot later this month.
IMG_4755 by Adrs2k, on Flickr
IMG_4799 by Adrs2k, on Flickr
IMG_4771 by Adrs2k, on Flickr
IMG_4764 by Adrs2k, on Flickr
IMG_4759 by Adrs2k, on Flickr
IMG_4772 by Adrs2k, on Flickr
2016 Audi S3 by Adrs2k, on Flickr
S3 by Adrs2k, on Flickr
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Originally Posted by AdrS3
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