Suggestions for a newbie - A3 1.4 TFSI Sport

[Uno98988]

Hi All,

As the thread title states I am a newbie. I am 18 years old and just got my Audi A3 1.4 TFSI Sport 3 door (my pride and joy). It is a stunner and a really unique one (as long as I am aware there is not a single one for sale like this). It is brilliant red with 17inch wheels but the the seats are the sport milano leather ones. I already have a few ideas to do to it but as most of you are more experienced than me I'd be happy to hear some opinions.

The list of things I want done;

- Stage 1 remap (was considering APR/Revo/Superchips) currently sitting at 122bhp but I'd be happy with about 170.
- I want to enhance the sound of the turbo inhaling (possibly air filter and/or new exhaust?)
- Want to lower it slightly (not too much maybe 10 or 20 mm down)
- Tinted windows (50%)
- Carbon fiber front lip and rear splitters
- Black 18'' rims
- Speaker update (currently I got the OEM speakers and I have to lower the bass for it to sound alright as if I turn the bass up, at higher volumes levels, it quietens down to accommodate for the amount of bass. Anyone got any solutions other than new amp and speakers?)
- Carista OBD2 to set auto folding mirrors and other functions.

As I said please feel free to suggest anything.

 

[RichardT]

Have you checked how some of those mods will affect insurance at you tender age.

Nice car - same colour as mine.

 

[Uno98988]

Have you checked how some of those mods will affect insurance at you tender age.

Nice car - same colour as mine.

No I am actually yet to do that. I don't pay much anyway (£180) a month with two non fault crashes on my belt. It was much worse on my 56 plate 1.8 civic at £260 a month.

Thanks, it's a really nice colour and it stands out from all the black ones currently on road.

 

[RichardT]

Crikey - mine’s not much more than that for a year!
But then I wish I was 18 again

 

[AlS3BE]

WOW!! £180 per month!
That just make me feel old now. My annual premium for a s3 is less than 2 months of yours.
I would avoid the performance mods as your insurance can go up dramatically saying that if you are looking at monthly payments it will probably end up being about £20-30 extra a month.

If I were you I would go for Audi parts like alloys and maybe claim they are factory optional extras. Lots of nice(and lots of ugly) factory alloys so get them.
Depends on your budget but I think the factory b&o is pretty good if you want that factory look and finish without amplifiers and cables everywhere. Not sure how much the retrofit will cost but all I can say it won’t be cheap.
On lowering it, I think Audi’s sline kit is lower than the sport by 10-15mm again will avoid insurance issues.

 

[Uno98988]

WOW!! £180 per month!
That just make me feel old now. My annual premium for a s3 is less than 2 months of yours.
I would avoid the performance mods as your insurance can go up dramatically saying that if you are looking at monthly payments it will probably end up being about £20-30 extra a month.

If I were you I would go for Audi parts like alloys and maybe claim they are factory optional extras. Lots of nice(and lots of ugly) factory alloys so get them.
Depends on your budget but I think the factory b&o is pretty good if you want that factory look and finish without amplifiers and cables everywhere. Not sure how much the retrofit will cost but all I can say it won’t be cheap.
On lowering it, I think Audi’s sline kit is lower than the sport by 10-15mm again will avoid insurance issues.

Yes that is true. In all honesty I only had Audi alloys in mind just black ones instead. Sort of trying to get a red and black theme going on with hints of carbon fiber.

Re the speakers, as long as I can turn the volume up properly without it turning down when the bass kicks in I am happy with that. Although the b&o itself is about £400-450 so I might just have to mess about with aftermarket stuff. Not set in stone though.

 

[Uno98988]

WOW!! £180 per month!
That just make me feel old now. My annual premium for a s3 is less than 2 months of yours.
I would avoid the performance mods as your insurance can go up dramatically saying that if you are looking at monthly payments it will probably end up being about £20-30 extra a month.

If I were you I would go for Audi parts like alloys and maybe claim they are factory optional extras. Lots of nice(and lots of ugly) factory alloys so get them.
Depends on your budget but I think the factory b&o is pretty good if you want that factory look and finish without amplifiers and cables everywhere. Not sure how much the retrofit will cost but all I can say it won’t be cheap.
On lowering it, I think Audi’s sline kit is lower than the sport by 10-15mm again will avoid insurance issues.

Oh yeah and the insurance. Don't even mention it, it's daylight robbery. It would be cheaper if I had a blackbox but I'd rather not ever again.

 

[AlS3BE]

Yes that is true. In all honesty I only had Audi alloys in mind just black ones instead. Sort of trying to get a red and black theme going on with hints of carbon fiber.

Re the speakers, as long as I can turn the volume up properly without it turning down when the bass kicks in I am happy with that. Although the b&o itself is about £400-450 so I might just have to mess about with aftermarket stuff. Not set in stone though.

I would have expected it to be more than £450 for b&o. Maybe try adding a sub/amp. That should take the strain of bass out the existing setup and allow it to power the other speakers.

 

[RichardT]

WOW!! £180 per month!
That just make me feel old now. My annual premium for a s3 is less than 2 months of yours.
I would avoid the performance mods as your insurance can go up dramatically saying that if you are looking at monthly payments it will probably end up being about £20-30 extra a month.

If I were you I would go for Audi parts like alloys and maybe claim they are factory optional extras. Lots of nice(and lots of ugly) factory alloys so get them.
Depends on your budget but I think the factory b&o is pretty good if you want that factory look and finish without amplifiers and cables everywhere. Not sure how much the retrofit will cost but all I can say it won’t be cheap.
On lowering it, I think Audi’s sline kit is lower than the sport by 10-15mm again will avoid insurance issues.

I’m not so sure about that. Lowering it, even using s-line kit would have to be declared to the insurance company.

 

[Adam14]

Oh yeah and the insurance. Don't even mention it, it's daylight robbery. It would be cheaper if I had a blackbox but I'd rather not ever again.

I'm in a similar boat, aged 20 and a 17 plate S3. I can't make any performance mods on mine without the premium going mad! I'd be very wary of mods, especially ones which increase power. The premium comes on the % change. So 122hp - 170hp is about 30% increase in power. Add in the fact you're 18 and male... Think the premium change is gonna destroy you on that alone, unless you're happy (I assume) probably paying well over £230 a month.

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[Uno98988]

Thanks for the input. I agree, my insurance would likely increase my premium massively or refuse to carry on the policy. Although I have heard that it depends on the insurer. But how would they tell if I got a stage 1 remap. No parts would be changed only an updated software on the ECU.

In addition when I had my first crash in my fiesta, I didn't have stock wheels on and I had a pioneer stereo in and once they came to inspect the car (it was totaled) they could't care less. The guy came out took pictures of the whole car (inside and outside) then went off and I got payed out in full.

 

[RichardT]

The thing about “how would they know...” is that if they did find out after you had an accident you would be uninsured and that could be very expensive on top of a criminal offence.

Non-disclosure is regarded as very serious by insurance companies.

 

[Uno98988]

hmm maybe they have started to focus on it more now as it wasn't an issue with my fiesta, either way I will call and ask when I have some time.

 

[Adam14]

As Richard has said, insurers find any excuse not to pay out, while it is expensive to declare mods. It is a lot cheaper if you're in the unfortunate position of needing to claim. Non disclosure would make it very difficult to get insurance in the future, and a lot more expensive. People have had insurance claims voided based on cosmetic mods. Isn't worth the hassle. Just declare it and swallow the cost.

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[AlS3BE]

In addition when I had my first crash in my fiesta, I didn't have stock wheels on and I had a pioneer stereo in and once they came to inspect the car (it was totaled) they could't care less. The guy came out took pictures of the whole car (inside and outside) then went off and I got payed out in full.

If it was a non fault claim they wouldn’t care less. However if it was a fault claim they would be all over it. A young lass at my old work drove her car into a tree in the work car park and the assessor came out and saw big wheels and badly tinted windows. They initially weren’t gonna pay out and in the end cause her car was modified she had to pay the difference in what her premium should be and her excess on a modified car was £1000 more than the £3-400 it was. In the end to get her car fixed her premium went up by £600 and excess was up by similar amount. Was over a grand before insurance came out to pay.

 

[Uno98988]

So to conclude, don't be stupid either declare it or don't do it. Makes sense to be honest.

 

[wab172uk]

No I am actually yet to do that. I don't pay much anyway (£180) a month with two non fault crashes on my belt. It was much worse on my 56 plate 1.8 civic at £260 a month.

Thanks, it's a really nice colour and it stands out from all the black ones currently on road.

18 years old and had 2 crashes? Ok, not your fault, but that's some bad luck.

As said by others. If your premium is £2160 now, as soon as you mod it, (especially a remap and lowering) the insurance company will just refuse to cover you, or if they do, you'll no doubt be paying double.

It's worth at your age to just keep the car standard for a couple years, save up, and get something a bit tastier next time round. Build-up slowly. It's frustrating at your age (we were all there once) to see your mates etc driving around it powerful or modified cars. Chances are they're on their parents insurance, or they're just spending every penny they have on their car.

Keep it standard, and spend some of your wages taking a GF out. While they're sat in their cars or sat at home as they have no money left, you're getting your nuts emptied several times a week.

 

[wab172uk]

The thing about “how would they know...” is that if they did find out after you had an accident you would be uninsured and that could be very expensive on top of a criminal offence.

Non-disclosure is regarded as very serious by insurance companies.

Also if you get pulled for any reason, the Police can check with the insurance company to see if your mods (if obvious) are declared. If not, then you're not insured. Loss of car, and probably licence. Is it worth it?

 

[Uno98988]

That's only the tip of the iceberg for my bad luck with cars, I am on my 6th one in a little more than a year of driving due to being f'd over by sellers etc.

 

[AlS3BE]

That's only the tip of the iceberg for my bad luck with cars, I am on my 6th one in a little more than a year of driving due to being f'd over by sellers etc.

You should invest in a bus pass or just Uber it

 

[Adam14]

As Wab172uk has said. You're better off "sucking" up the lack of mods for a year or two and get some experience and hopefully NCB behind you. Cars are a money pit before you pay for insurance £210 pcm plus the extortionate increase for performance mods you'd want to do.
Save up and get a tidy motor in a couple years. Enjoy the motor, it's a tidy car already for your first one. Beats my 1.0 Fiesta I used to have

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[Uno98988]

You should invest in a bus pass or just Uber it

No clue why everyone keeps saying that

 

[Uno98988]

As Wab172uk has said. You're better off "sucking" up the lack of mods for a year or two and get some experience and hopefully NCB behind you. Cars are a money pit before you pay for insurance £210 pcm plus the extortionate increase for performance mods you'd want to do.
Save up and get a tidy motor in a couple years. Enjoy the motor, it's a tidy car already for your first one. Beats my 1.0 Fiesta I used to have

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It's not my first, it's 6th specifically. But yeah agreed. I need to do something with the sound system though.