Facelift A3 differences.

[anderswhk]

Does anyone know of a complete list of the changes between the A3 pre and post facelift? Only thing i can find is wikipedia, and you know how that is. Im talking everything from engine to interior.

Offtopic: Milltek still hasnt delivered my exaust. Its been a month now. Slow *******s.

 

[Danio]

EXTERIOR:
Head Lamps,
Tail lamps
Front wings - prelift has got full edges around head lamp.
New grill - slightly fatter
Rectangle indicator in front wings.
Tail gate with different reg plate trim and with micro switches to open. Lock is also different.
Round handles on the doors.
Front Bumper lip with fog lights.

INTERIOR:
Instrument Cluster - facelift has got digital clock. Number starts 8L0 920 xxx
New air Con panel, different dash middle console with ESP,hazard light switch and cup holder.
Illuminated air vents
New steering wheel
New roof lining with a bigger amber lights.
New sliding sunvisors
Plastic trims in the boot.
Gear stick.
Diagnostic connector is under the steering wheel on face lift models.
Door cards with warning lamps.
Central locking pump. facelift number starts 8D0 xxx xxx
Different better seats. - Buckles.

I thin that is all.

 

[anderswhk]

Thanks Danio. Mine is facelift, doesnt have foglights tho. Shame, it looks good.

 

[Lavis89]

should imagine fog lights would be easy enough to retrofit, i've fitted oem foglights to a couple of my old cars where they were optional extras that i didn't have

 

[anderswhk]

Wouldnt i need a new underlip and alot of wirework?

 

[Lavis89]

yea but would be easy enough to get hold of if you found someone breaking their facelift a3/s3

 

[vfr800]

EXTERIOR:
Round handles on the doors.

There were pre-facelift A3s with the nice rounded handles - I had one - they came on the '99 [EDIT: should be Jul '98] model.

 

[Prawn]

Door handles change was july 98.

Digital clock also happened Pre facelift too, and side repeaters on the wings are a different shape.

Also, the far more important thing to note, is the engine is totally different!

AGU in the pre facelift, me3.8 ecu, cable throttle, large port, 20mm wrist pins, and a tiny ko3 turbo.

AUM in the facelift, ME7.5 WB ECU, DWB throttle, small port head, 19mm pins, and a ko3S turbo.

Engine and turbo difference are far more important than the rest, but for what it's worth, the facelift is MILES better on the whole, the interior is nicer, the seats are 10x better, it's just a newer feeling car.

 

[anderswhk]

Yeah Prawn, unless you have leather or recaro seats, they look awful in the pre facelift.

 

[Prawn]

worth noting that leather in the prefacelift actually uses the SE seats with less side support. there was no leather option on the sports seats pre facelift. There was no recaro option for pre facelift, only the nasty cheque or leather I believe.

Leather on a facelift sport uses the same recaro type seat frame and support as the standard cloth facelift seats.

 

[anderswhk]

Love leather seats, well, the idea of leather seats. In practice, i hate it. If you dont take proper care of it, its gonna look like absolute **** fast. My friends Leon is 6 months old, and is already starting to look wrinkley in the drivers seat. In the summer you burn yourself, and in the winter you freeze your *** off.