So I've just finished my test drive of the rs3. It had dynamic package so had the sports exhaust. It sounded very good from the outside, but from the inside, even with the windows open, it sounded quite quiet - I assume with miltek secondary cat deletes it opens it up quite a lot? I actually felt quite underwhelmed in all honesty. The front end felt quite lazy compared to my R, and I can actually hear my golf more inside the car than the Audi. I assume it has more sound deadening?
I also felt the dash and door card materials were on a par with each other in the Audi and the R, but I honestly felt as if the centre console area was made with cheaper finishes and materials - it would probably feel nicer with the extended leather interior package which I'd definitely want and I'd wait for one to come up with that spec used. I felt the seats were better in the Audi (super sports seats do look the part!)
Audi have offered me £24k part ex on my golf r - the car was up at £36,750 so it was going to cost me £12k to change. I paid £32750 for my R brand new 7 months ago, so to lose that much on it within a few months is insulting. It wouldn't have been so bad if I'd ordered a bog spec R for £27k rather than spending £5-6k on it with the options. Saying that, my friend has exactly the same car as me with a 5 year warranty on it, he's just managed to sell it on with 30k on it and at 2 years old (so 3 years full warranty remaining) for £23k private sale. So to offer me that much on a car 18 months newer, with an extra 18 months warranty remaining on it is insulting to say the least.
I think I'm going to be sensible on this one and as much as I want the road presence of an RS model car, I just can't part with that much money for what I'd consider a smallish step up in performance.
I've read reviews on the facelift, and it seems we're getting a lot more for the money in them in terms of spec - sat nav high and VC is free, BO is cheaper etc etc. And with the extra spec it is going to make finding a used facelift a lot easier come the time. it seems the Quattro update with being able to send 100% power to the rear is going to improve the dynamics of the car a lot, and with an engine 26kg lighter I'm sure it'll address the laziness qualm I felt on the test drive. I'm hoping in 2 years time I'll be able to pick up a facelift for roughly the same prices as today and it'll feel a bit more of an update with the extra power as well.
