330ci vs TT225 vs S3

wingman said:
Is yours an auto Atari?
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It is indeed - I fancied an auto at the time as it sounded like it would be a fantastic match with the M54, but at times I do wish it was a manual - usually when pressing it a little bit.

I also wished it was a manual when the gearbox needed replacing a few months ago :p
 
Yeah, I bet!

Most mornings on the way to work I wish mine was an auto but then most evenings on the way home, providing the roads are clear, there's great satisfaction with pushing on effortlessly with the manual.
 
adam cool dude said:
Saab 9-3 Aero? You would get a nice example for 3k. Remap to 250BHP for the price of a tank of petrol.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...model/9-3/price-from/2500/make/saab?logcode=p
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Yep, buy a Saab 9-3 (Aero), remap it, realise it's a truly awful car to drive and want to kill yourself to escape ownership much like I do.

The 330i/ci are brilliant cars, watch out for rust though. I'm considering a TT 225 for my next car which I guarantee is a cracking car to drive next to a Saab 9-3, but not so good as a 330i. Look at saloons for slightly better vfm. They sound fantastic too, unlike the Audis you're considering.
 
Wouldn't really call any of these fun cars.. They will pick up speed at a good pace on roads that allow it, but aren't fun.

You need a sports car for that..
 
DannyW said:
id take s3 get it remapped 4 wheel drive grip too
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For the OP its an 8L model, they are seriously getting on a bit now. That generation haldex in both the TT and S3 isn't brilliant and most of the time they don't work due to broken earth straps etc.

The S3 comes in two variants the AMK engine which is 210HP and BAM which is the 225HP engine also in the TT. They both remap to the same but going much past a simple remap and the rod's can bend easily.

In standard form the S3 is slow, brisk but not fast. Too much weight and old tired engines. A remap does make them better providing the turbo is in good condition.

They suffer from rusty roof rails and at the bottom of the doors, most have been covered under warranty though. The xenon headlight's are also a pain as the levelling motor fails and the light just points down to the ground.

A fun car? No, a good all rounder and the clean ones I think still look good.
 
Xez said:
For the OP its an 8L model, they are seriously getting on a bit now. That generation haldex in both the TT and S3 isn't brilliant and most of the time they don't work due to broken earth straps etc.

The S3 comes in two variants the AMK engine which is 210HP and BAM which is the 225HP engine also in the TT. They both remap to the same but going much past a simple remap and the rod's can bend easily.

In standard form the S3 is slow, brisk but not fast. Too much weight and old tired engines. A remap does make them better providing the turbo is in good condition.

They suffer from rusty roof rails and at the bottom of the doors, most have been covered under warranty though. The xenon headlight's are also a pain as the levelling motor fails and the light just points down to the ground.

A fun car? No, a good all rounder and the clean ones I think still look good.
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Thanks for the replies everyone, it seems like BMW for the best driving experience however I do have a soft spot for the S3s.

I've been trying to get my head around the rods bending after remaps, having a read around it doesn't seem too common? and seems to have resulted from poor maps? Xez you seem to know a fair bit about these cars...care to shed more light?

Is con rod bending a genuine concern when buying an S3?
 
zegna said:
Wouldn't really call any of these fun cars.. They will pick up speed at a good pace on roads that allow it, but aren't fun.

You need a sports car for that..
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And then you're (probably) sacrificing the OP's requirements.

Leon Cupra R not a bad shout if you can get over the awful, awful interior.
 
The interior is mostly the same but mine had different materials and generally felt much better than my friends Seat.

Bending rods isn't massively common for purely stage one remaps but I would say it's best to try and get a more progressive map but then that removes some fun. You can go a bit beyond that, mine was mapped and had a full exhaust system but it never felt that fast. A friends Corolla T-sport came past me quite easily going up a hill so mine must have been unhealthy!

I did like mine and the car was very solid despite doing almost 140k when I got rid of it. The engines are quite reliable apart from old split breather hoses, tired turbo's and also oil pickup pipes being clogged.
 
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