Baylorguy

Congrats! Acceleration wise what was your impression of how the RS3 compares to the M3?

tigerhonaker

a4 4snow,

Congratulations on placing your order.
I would be interested in reading about your test drive with the 2018 RS3 if you care to share ???
I have never even seen any RS3 much less sat in one and of course never driven one.

I would also like to see your build information if you would like to share that ???

​​​​​​​Terry

a4 4snow

The RS3 was very smooth from a power delivery standpoint, and much more liveable in traffic compared to a DCT M3 ZCP, and I am sure I will enjoy it everyday more than the M3. In terms of power and acceleration (was a rather short test loop and don't think I went full WOT) it isn't as fast as the M3 ZCP nor would I expect it to be as the two cars are in completely different classes. I can contest this fact as my first encounter with an RS3 was one trying to race me between lights and me consistently being in front of him, and him pulling up to me to say I was pulling hard on him. That said I am sure a light tune would bring the two closer without sacrificing daily driving, as the M3 is way to on off in its delivery making traffic or around town driving not easy or pleasurable; weekend and race track is a whole nother story; M3 all day there. We should also remember a M3 ZCP puts out 444 hp claimed at the wheels, and most who have dyno'd them say its a bit closer to 460+. So I covered power above, in short it's perfect for daliy from what I was able to due in my short loop and any lag people talk about in my mind make the driving experience more linear than peaky. I also don't think its turbo lag as much as the programing bringing the turbo in smooth. The RS3 ride, while a sports car still rides composed and seems to be very smooth (remember I am coming from a M3 ZCP which rides hard and a F250 on King Race shocks), the road I was on was not smooth by any means and the car did move about but nothing harsh; the seats also contributed to the nice ride feel. The steering is one area I am not sure of, it seemed very light to my tast but both of my current vehicles have very heavy steering so could just be a learning curve. Handling was decent, need more seat time to really tell but I can say on the sharp onramp we took it understeered more than I would like but the car still steered itself through the turn w/o going to wide before noticing what was happening *one note here I was playing with modes and I might have been in comfort entering the onramp before switching to dynamic to lay into the throttle*. Brakes were good very strong initial bite (as a former racer not my preference I like a more linear/wooden peddle), obviously I didn't try any really hard braking but I they felt very confident and hopefully stay that way through progression.
Let me know if there are any other areas you want my feedback on, I felt these were the main ones people might want to hear about.

Here is my build.. only thing not listed is front license plate delete (I can provide Option codes too if you would like)

RS 3

2.5 TFSI® S tronic®

MSRP: $56,200

• 
  
  Exterior color: Ara Blue crystal
  $1,075
• 
  
  Seat upholstery: Fine nappa leather with RS 3 diamond stitching, Seats: Black with Crescendo Red stitching, Dashboard: Black, Carpet: Black, Headliner: Black
  $0
• 
  Driver assistance package
  $1,500
• 
  Dynamic package
  $1,450
• 
  RS design selection interior
  $750
• 
  Audi Sport® Carbon inlays
  $600
• 
  Audi Care
  $999
• 
  Technology package
  $3,200
• 
  All-Weather Floor Mats (Front)
  $100
• 
  All-Weather Floor Mats (Rear)
  $54

Equipment: $9,728
Destination Charge: $ 995
Price as built: $66,923

tigerhonaker

a4 4snow,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on your somewhat brief drive.
Since we have the 2017 Golf R that's actually my wife's but I have driven it a lot over the last 2-years.
I'm thinking the RS3 will be just a lot more of what the Golf R is in all respects.
I want a small, repeat small sedan that's super fun to drive and really easy to drive in traffic where you can see around you easily.
I have had some older models of the Audi cars in my past but not the RS3 or the TTRS.
From all the videos I have viewed which have been a heck of a lot of them over time the RS3 seems it will be a really great fit for me.
I just traded in a new Challenger Hellcat that was a Power-House but a damn nightmare with it's huge (Blind-Spots).
So looking really forward to when I do take delivery of an RS3.

I did consider the Blue as it does look KILLER in pictures as well as videos.
But, when talking things over with my guy at Audi he thankfully told me the Tango-Red-Metallic is much more a Red than the 2017 & 2018 Orange Red.
So loving Red I went with it.

Thanks again for the information you posted.
Oh, nice build buddy.

Terry

a4 4snow

Thanks @tigerhonaker , and visibility and maneuverability was great in the little drive I took. While a M3 doesn't have the blind spots as a Charger it is really wide and doesn't feel like you can bounce around trafic like smaller cars. I was missing my B5 A4 so this RS3 is me getting my old car but with a lot more power. I was really wanting a custom color like my Shakar Orange or one of the Porsche blues but they aren't taking exclusive orders at this time. My M3 below gets compliments every day and I think that color would show the curves of the RS3 off nice but you won't regret the red... it's a sports car afterall.

Weebl

Yup, Sakhir is a good color I've seen a few.
There's no bouncing around in traffic in the South Bay, it's just a parking lot.

Baylorguy

I may have a bit of good news (proceed with caution). I ordered my RS3 11/6 and at no point did I have an allocation. This is despite the fact that the order was placed through a magna dealership, which is very high volume. I just received an update from Audi that it has in fact been submitted to the factory, so they are at the very least starting to pass out allocations to folks that did not previously have one.

In addition to this, I now have ETA production complete of 3/25, ship departure of 4/17 and domestic port arrived of 5/12.

Yes, I know they are ETAs, but figured I would pass on any semblance of hope It certainly is progress, and my thought process is that Audi would not be pulling in non allocated orders to the factory right now unless they were planning on ramping up in the near future.

-Phil

tigerhonaker

a4 4snow,

Speaking of the BMW cars ...........
I had the older M-3 and two of the older in-line 6-cylinder M-5's and a newer m-5 and some other more normal BMW's.
A buddy of mine had leased a newer M-3 and let me take it for a drive to see what I thought about it ???
It was an A-OK machine but honestly it was not for me.
Nothing at all really wrong with it but just not my thing and it was definitely not even remotely like the older M-3's.
I think I prefer the older M-3 that had the in-line 4-cylinder and a smaller car.
Easy to jump around in traffic and to me easier to see out of.

Your M-3 is certainly a LOOKER buddy !!!

And speaking of RS3 Custom colors.
I did notice when I built mine I did not see where they were letting you order the Custom-Colors for the 2019 RS3.
What I did see while at the Audi Dealer that sits right beside the Porsche dealership was a Bright Yellow Porsche.
Now that Porsche Bright Yellow with the Black optic package to me would be the Bad-*** combination on a new 2019 RS3 !!!

Now what's going to really be interesting is when we all get the "Rest-of-the-Story" from Audi on when the RS3 for 2019 is actually going into production
Maybe that just might take place in February at the Audi meeting with Audi Dealerships.
That meeting for my guy (G/M) is I think around the 1st of February.

Oh, if you have any further comments on your brief seat time in the RS3 please don't hesitate posting them.
I can say in all certainty I'm interested in all your thoughts and since it's going to apparently be a longggggg wait for our 2019 RS3's post away.

Terry

tigerhonaker

Baylorguy
Phil,

Thanks for the Up-Date and even if the dates don't work out exactly still they (Audi) are at least moving forward.

Terry

a4 4snow

Byond true, 14.5 mile commute takes me over a hour some days I am hoping the RS3 will have better manners in traffic.