A3 sports suspension vs S3 adaptive suspension question.
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From: MA
A3 sports suspension vs S3 adaptive suspension question.
Today I drove an S3 with 19" wheels. On the "dynamic" setting, the ride was too harsh for when I ran over small defects in the road. On "comfort" setting it was fine.
If I buy an A3 with 19 inch wheels and sports suspension, will it feel like an S3 on "dynamic" or "comfort?"
If I buy an A3 with 19 inch wheels and sports suspension, will it feel like an S3 on "dynamic" or "comfort?"
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Today I drove an S3 with 19" wheels. On the "dynamic" setting, the ride was too harsh for when I ran over small defects in the road. On "comfort" setting it was fine.
If I buy an A3 with 19 inch wheels and sports suspension, will it feel like an S3 on "dynamic" or "comfort?"
If I buy an A3 with 19 inch wheels and sports suspension, will it feel like an S3 on "dynamic" or "comfort?"
my 2 cents
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Today I drove an S3 with 19" wheels. On the "dynamic" setting, the ride was too harsh for when I ran over small defects in the road. On "comfort" setting it was fine.
If I buy an A3 with 19 inch wheels and sports suspension, will it feel like an S3 on "dynamic" or "comfort?"
If I buy an A3 with 19 inch wheels and sports suspension, will it feel like an S3 on "dynamic" or "comfort?"
From most comfortable to harshest:
A3 standard --> S3 mag ride comfort --> A3 sport suspension --> S3 magride auto --> S3 standard suspension --> S3 magride dynamic
Just to put it out there, I have the B12 kit installed on my car and it is around S3 magride auto in terms of harshness, but handles like S3 magride dynamic.
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I would suggest that the A3 and sports suspension with 19" wheels will be a pretty harsh ride. There is a reason that now you have to have mag ride on an S3 when you option 19 " wheels and if you go to any European forum the A3 with sports suspension is considered a harsh setup even with 18" wheels on most roads. The S3 standard suspension (non-mag) is different to a an A3 sports suspension.
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From: MA
I just realized I didn't check their tire pressure before driving. So before any test ride where you are trying to feel the wheels and tire, come prepared with the starting pressures from the owner's manual, and bring a gauge to lower to them. And if they are too low, have them add air or bring a compressor (probably no one has done that).
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Based on my first-hand experience with the different setups, I have the following subjective ranking:
From most comfortable to harshest:
A3 Standard, S3 Magride Comfort, A3 Sport, S3 Magride Auto, S3 Standard, S3 Magride Dynamic
From most comfortable to harshest:
A3 Standard, S3 Magride Comfort, A3 Sport, S3 Magride Auto, S3 Standard, S3 Magride Dynamic
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If your observations are accurate, I guess I must like a very harsh ride as I drive almost exclusively in S3 Magride Dynamic. I personally don't think it's that harsh though, except when going over speed bumps.
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It is just a relative scale. I didn't really find the magride dynamic harsh either. It is less comfortable yes, but I think the flatness makes up for it.
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From: MA
The S3 I just drove was for sure pointless on the street in dynamic mode. Was it harsh on smooth road? No. Was it bad hitting road imperfections? Yes. Was there any advantage at all to that setting outside of a track? Not a chance. Was it terrible over a few bumps? No - but just no point on the street. I would be happy with fixed suspension, if it were fixed into the mag-ride comfort setting.
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The S3 I just drove was for sure pointless on the street in dynamic mode. Was it harsh on smooth road? No. Was it bad hitting road imperfections? Yes. Was there any advantage at all to that setting outside of a track? Not a chance. Was it terrible over a few bumps? No - but just no point on the street. I would be happy with fixed suspension, if it were fixed into the mag-ride comfort setting.