CrypticS3
Registered User
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2016
- Messages
- 151
- Reaction score
- 135
- Points
- 43
Well I've been around for a little bit now so guess I should make a start with a proper thread and an introduction to the car I should've walked away from.
The short version of events were a need for another car and the impatience that comes with having to do a complete house move in two and a half weeks. After listing everything that needed doing and fitting it around the better half's work schedule it quickly became clear that I had to have another car (Subaru was stored awaiting a gearbox rebuild) and I began looking at cheap cars that I could flip at the end of the move but as usual I began looking at other cars on the "want' list instead of the 'it'll do' list. So long story short I saw an S3 local to me and as soon as I landed back in Aberdeen after my trip I arranged to see the car. Now my gut feeling was saying 'Yes it's cheap but this doesn't look too good..... WALK AWAY!!!' but my impatience got the better of me. I knocked a good chunk off the already cheap asking price and drove it home.
Managed to get the house move completed and went back offshore for 5 weeks. In that time I decided that I liked the car and made the decision to put the car right and enjoy it. Another bonus was the better half likes it (she hates the scooby) and she can drive it which is great as it keeps the corrosion off the brakes when I go away on long trips.
So what is wrong with it.
For starters and the biggest thing that got my walk away shoes on was unknown brand tyres. This is always a big clue to how well looked after a car is. Cheap tyres on a performance car usually means the maintenance has been done on the cheap if at all. I was however proved kind of wrong in this respect as it does have a nice Audi Service history and it had a fresh MOT, new front disks and pads, haldex service and health check a week before my purchase. But that's about it. For me that's bare minimum effort. Other things were the good old hunting idle, scabby wheels, slipping clutch and paintwork that is beyond saving. The interior is not in the best condition either but it does have wingbacks . Also has a Milltek Cat-Back but the pipes are a bit scabby. Need to polish them up if I get round to taking the rear diffuser off.
Anyway. On with the show.
With summer at an end I've decided that a respray can wait until next year but in the mean time I can do a few mods and give it some much needed love and attention.
First things first was to give it a good wash and see what I'm dealing with.
So as can be seen the paintwork is tatty, wheels are tatty and the interior could be better. Paint hasn't seen a polish in what seems like since the day it was new and looking at the battle scars it looks like a confirmed car/jetwash queen. It didn't look anywhere near as good as the camera makes out when they were taken. Paint was dull and far from shiny. Sad times
Well from here the only way is up. Started to get some parts together and make a start on some mods.
Offside rear cluster seal had gone so was full of condensation. Enter obligatory MY11 tails
Then a set of Team Heko wind deflectors
And a full EM Tuning LED kit off t8ups. Still waiting on the LED DRL/Side lights coming through with a replacement for the boot light board and also have a set of white fog lights to fit and silver coated indicator bulbs for the front when I have the bumper off. No photo's of them fitted yet but will get those when I get round to doing the puddle lights, fogs etc
Now we get to today where I spent most of it properly cleaning the car and getting a couple of coats of polish onto it. I didn't take any pics of the process as i had a lot to do and it had been threatening to rain all day. Any way it was snow foamed, G101'd the shuts, panel gaps and tyres, wheels done with Wolfs Chemicals De-Ironizer, two bucket wash, decontaminated the paint with Iron-X and Tardis, clay bar, a coat of Blackfire gloss enhancing polish and for speed 2 coats of Auto Glym Super Resin Polish. I then cleaned the glass with Auto Glym Fast glass in preparation for putting the glass sealant down but then the heavens opened.... guess I'll do that the next dry day. This also put an end to the interior clean but again, next dry day.
Nice to see some beading on the paint for a change and it has a nice shine to it now but you'll have to take my word for it.
Anyway that's as far as I've got with the car now but I still have a bunch of stuff to do and fit.
Revo Ceramic CAI, Forge DV to Intake hose, GFB DV+, new PCV and gasket and a TTS engine cover.
Drivers door card armrest
New Michelin PSS tyres 225/35R19 and new MTM centre caps all the way from Germany (Thanks for excellent customer support MTM). That's everything in place for the custom wheel refurb I have planned. Forgive the mess. Still sorting the new place out.
SportShifter kit arrived today too. Black Ultrasuede with red stitching and weighted knob with red pattern.
Also have a nice new Black Grill to fit too.
So there we go. Got some stuff done and a lot of stuff that I can get on with. Still have many plans and items either needing ordered or in transit but it's a long way from where I want it to be in the long run. Hoping to get most of this on before I go back offshore but that's looking like next week so not sure how far I'll get.
Apologies for the pic heavy thread opener and if you made it this far thanks for putting up with my waffle
The short version of events were a need for another car and the impatience that comes with having to do a complete house move in two and a half weeks. After listing everything that needed doing and fitting it around the better half's work schedule it quickly became clear that I had to have another car (Subaru was stored awaiting a gearbox rebuild) and I began looking at cheap cars that I could flip at the end of the move but as usual I began looking at other cars on the "want' list instead of the 'it'll do' list. So long story short I saw an S3 local to me and as soon as I landed back in Aberdeen after my trip I arranged to see the car. Now my gut feeling was saying 'Yes it's cheap but this doesn't look too good..... WALK AWAY!!!' but my impatience got the better of me. I knocked a good chunk off the already cheap asking price and drove it home.
Managed to get the house move completed and went back offshore for 5 weeks. In that time I decided that I liked the car and made the decision to put the car right and enjoy it. Another bonus was the better half likes it (she hates the scooby) and she can drive it which is great as it keeps the corrosion off the brakes when I go away on long trips.
So what is wrong with it.
For starters and the biggest thing that got my walk away shoes on was unknown brand tyres. This is always a big clue to how well looked after a car is. Cheap tyres on a performance car usually means the maintenance has been done on the cheap if at all. I was however proved kind of wrong in this respect as it does have a nice Audi Service history and it had a fresh MOT, new front disks and pads, haldex service and health check a week before my purchase. But that's about it. For me that's bare minimum effort. Other things were the good old hunting idle, scabby wheels, slipping clutch and paintwork that is beyond saving. The interior is not in the best condition either but it does have wingbacks . Also has a Milltek Cat-Back but the pipes are a bit scabby. Need to polish them up if I get round to taking the rear diffuser off.
Anyway. On with the show.
With summer at an end I've decided that a respray can wait until next year but in the mean time I can do a few mods and give it some much needed love and attention.
First things first was to give it a good wash and see what I'm dealing with.
So as can be seen the paintwork is tatty, wheels are tatty and the interior could be better. Paint hasn't seen a polish in what seems like since the day it was new and looking at the battle scars it looks like a confirmed car/jetwash queen. It didn't look anywhere near as good as the camera makes out when they were taken. Paint was dull and far from shiny. Sad times
Well from here the only way is up. Started to get some parts together and make a start on some mods.
Offside rear cluster seal had gone so was full of condensation. Enter obligatory MY11 tails
Then a set of Team Heko wind deflectors
And a full EM Tuning LED kit off t8ups. Still waiting on the LED DRL/Side lights coming through with a replacement for the boot light board and also have a set of white fog lights to fit and silver coated indicator bulbs for the front when I have the bumper off. No photo's of them fitted yet but will get those when I get round to doing the puddle lights, fogs etc
Now we get to today where I spent most of it properly cleaning the car and getting a couple of coats of polish onto it. I didn't take any pics of the process as i had a lot to do and it had been threatening to rain all day. Any way it was snow foamed, G101'd the shuts, panel gaps and tyres, wheels done with Wolfs Chemicals De-Ironizer, two bucket wash, decontaminated the paint with Iron-X and Tardis, clay bar, a coat of Blackfire gloss enhancing polish and for speed 2 coats of Auto Glym Super Resin Polish. I then cleaned the glass with Auto Glym Fast glass in preparation for putting the glass sealant down but then the heavens opened.... guess I'll do that the next dry day. This also put an end to the interior clean but again, next dry day.
Nice to see some beading on the paint for a change and it has a nice shine to it now but you'll have to take my word for it.
Anyway that's as far as I've got with the car now but I still have a bunch of stuff to do and fit.
Revo Ceramic CAI, Forge DV to Intake hose, GFB DV+, new PCV and gasket and a TTS engine cover.
Drivers door card armrest
New Michelin PSS tyres 225/35R19 and new MTM centre caps all the way from Germany (Thanks for excellent customer support MTM). That's everything in place for the custom wheel refurb I have planned. Forgive the mess. Still sorting the new place out.
SportShifter kit arrived today too. Black Ultrasuede with red stitching and weighted knob with red pattern.
Also have a nice new Black Grill to fit too.
So there we go. Got some stuff done and a lot of stuff that I can get on with. Still have many plans and items either needing ordered or in transit but it's a long way from where I want it to be in the long run. Hoping to get most of this on before I go back offshore but that's looking like next week so not sure how far I'll get.
Apologies for the pic heavy thread opener and if you made it this far thanks for putting up with my waffle