Traded my M3P for an RS3 - My thoughts on both cars for what it's worth

[White Shadow]

These people who are enamored with "engine sound" ought to just buy recorded sound. I don't get why people think NOISE is so wonderful. It is purely wasted energy, and totally unnecessary. That's like me liking the sound of rain dripping from my ceiling. It's a sign that something's wrong and should be fixed. I listen to the noises the car makes, and if it starts tapping, pinging, rattling, it's not good. My S does what a good car should. Slides down the freeway at 80+ mph at a whisper.

Had a MB diesel once for about a month, until I could sell the thing.

Noise and sound are not mutually inclusive. What you may consider noise may be music to my ears. Do you not understand that?

As for car sounds, I personally love the sounds that many performance ICE cars make. The engine, the intake, the exhuast system.....the mechanical sounds of the shifter as it clicks through it's gates. You may just hear noise, but enthusiasts like me hear it as wonderful sound sensations that tend to go along with the feel/vibration/thrust that you get with a performance car.

And for what it's worth, despite the fact that a Tesla can't make any of those sounds, it's still not whisper quiet. Tire and road noise are still prevalent and quite noticeable. I have several neighbors with Teslas who pass down my street every single day and they don't sound all that different than an ICE car coasting down my street.

 

[White Shadow]

A 100% stock Model 3 Performance is an 11.55 1/4 mile car with any reasonable battery percentage. With preheating it is an 11.4s car even on the 20” wheels. With 18” wheels and optimal battery temps it is an 11.3s car all day long.

I have done almost 40 1/4 mile passes below 11.40 in mine this summer alo

Yeah, like I said...same range. They are both 11 second cars. A simple flash tune on the Audi and you're mid-to-low 11s all day long. And you can go much faster from there if you want, unlike the M3P.

 

[White Shadow]

Any car will heat soak if you idle in it. Heat soak has less to do with how hard the car is being pushed and more to do with how little airflow it has going through it. The cure for heat soak is airflow.

Incorrect. First, we were talking about intercooler heat soak. A FMIC will have plenty of air pulled through it from the radiator fans and will not heat soak. Idling does little to nothing to cause heat soak on modern turbo cars. A more realistic issue is heat soak caused by running the engine contstantly in boost, which is something that you really can't do on the street. Maybe continuous racing on a track, but on the street, no.

Like I mentioned, my car is pretty highly modified and I had zero issues with heat soak until I went to a bigger turbo. The stock turbo, even running 25psi (which is a lot higher than stock) never once had an issue with heat soak. It's really a non-issue. And if you modify your car and have to deal with heat soak, a bigger intercooler will completely solve the issue, so it really isn't a big deal at all.

 

[T3SLAROD]

These people who are enamored with "engine sound" ought to just buy recorded sound. I don't get why people think NOISE is so wonderful. It is purely wasted energy, and totally unnecessary. That's like me liking the sound of rain dripping from my ceiling. It's a sign that something's wrong and should be fixed. I listen to the noises the car makes, and if it starts tapping, pinging, rattling, it's not good. My S does what a good car should. Slides down the freeway at 80+ mph at a whisper.

Had a MB diesel once for about a month, until I could sell the thing.

I dont know about the +...... I bet it falls on it's face while the "engine sound" just keeps going with its wasted energy

 

[sightman]

Why do some people think owning a personal EV is the environmental holy grail? I get we are on a Tesla forum, but if you are so concerned with your carbon footprint, take public transport and don’t buy an EV. That’s greener than this rant.

 

[heavyD]

These people who are enamored with "engine sound" ought to just buy recorded sound. I don't get why people think NOISE is so wonderful. It is purely wasted energy, and totally unnecessary. That's like me liking the sound of rain dripping from my ceiling. It's a sign that something's wrong and should be fixed. I listen to the noises the car makes, and if it starts tapping, pinging, rattling, it's not good. My S does what a good car should. Slides down the freeway at 80+ mph at a whisper.

Had a MB diesel once for about a month, until I could sell the thing.

Are you for real or just trying to be that guy?

 

[euro.r]

Yeah, like I said...same range. They are both 11 second cars. A simple flash tune on the Audi and you're mid-to-low 11s all day long. And you can go much faster from there if you want, unlike the M3P.

But warranty....That being said, love the RS3, always have. Nearly bought one about 5 years ago.

 

[clerks]

Can't blame you for going with the RS3....they are fantastic little cars. And if speed is your thing, it's quite easy to make them much, much faster than stock. But even stock, a new RS3 will run 11.8 quarter mile time, which puts it in the same range as the Model 3 Performance. Just tune the Audi and you'll have a faster car than your old M3P. Not to mention, the little Audi will run 180 mph bone stock if you really wanted to push it.

As an Audi guy, I think you made a great choice. My own Audi is pretty highly modified and really rips. It's my toy and I love it.

Gonna resist the urge to mod this time around mostly for warranty reasons. Early dyno and 1/4 times showing 400whp on the 8y RS3. Typical German underrating. Plenty fast for me but maybe down the road. Nice Audi btw.

 

[White Shadow]

But warranty....That being said, love the RS3, always have. Nearly bought one about 5 years ago.

True, but LOL @ warranty. If speed is your thing, then modifications are the name of the game. So you either wait until the warranty is expired, or you live dangerously and take responsibility for your own car if something should fail.

 

[clerks]

True, but LOL @ warranty. If speed is your thing, then modifications are the name of the game. So you either wait until the warranty is expired, or you live dangerously and take responsibility for your own car if something should fail.

If you saw the cost of an out of warranty replacement for a DSG gearbox, you'd probably pick the warranty. At least in my income bracket.

 

[Cypcode]

I had a Mitsubishi EVO X with the SST gearbox. Oil changes are not cheap. And the transmission is $10k plus to replace. To replace the clutches, the parts alone are around $4-5k and then add the labor. I made sure to baby the car for the 13 years I have owned it. Loved the car!

 

[derekmw]

I had a Mitsubishi EVO X with the SST gearbox. Oil changes are not cheap. And the transmission is $10k plus to replace. To replace the clutches, the parts alone are around $4-5k and then add the labor. I made sure to baby the car for the 13 years I have owned it. Loved the car!

This is a big reason I switched to EV's. Not to save the environment like many seem to think all of us are here for. I owned several STi's, and although I tracked them, anytime not on the track, I felt I always had to baby it so that things wouldn't break. lol. I like being able to now romp on it whenever I want without worrying if I'm wearing out the tranny.

I just don't see myself going back to ICE even though I miss it. If I wasn't too cheap, I'd also get a car like OP and have it as a fun car to enjoy the sound and shifting (I'd get a manual). But for now, it's only an EV for me. Congrats and enjoy the car. Looks super fun!

 

[euro.r]

This is a big reason I switched to EV's. Not to save the environment like many seem to think all of us are here for. I owned several STi's, and although I tracked them, anytime not on the track, I felt I always had to baby it so that things wouldn't break. lol. I like being able to now romp on it whenever I want without worrying if I'm wearing out the tranny.

I just don't see myself going back to ICE even though I miss it. If I wasn't too cheap, I'd also get a car like OP and have it as a fun car to enjoy the sound and shifting (I'd get a manual). But for now, it's only an EV for me. Congrats and enjoy the car. Looks super fun!

I'm with you on this too. Had an 11 STi hatch which I loved but chose not to mod because of all the grenading and issues owners were having with Subaru. I also don't ever envision going back to ICE.

 

[White Shadow]

If you saw the cost of an out of warranty replacement for a DSG gearbox, you'd probably pick the warranty. At least in my income bracket.

In all honesty, I've never had a car with a DSG. My performance cars have always been manual because that's the way I enjoy them. And over the years I've learned how to completely rebuild a manual gearbox, as well as replace a clutch. The DIY guy always has a cost advantage when it comes to not having a car with a warranty.

 

[Zcd1]

In all honesty, I've never had a car with a DSG. My performance cars have always been manual because that's the way I enjoy them. And over the years I've learned how to completely rebuild a manual gearbox, as well as replace a clutch. The DIY guy always has a cost advantage when it comes to not having a car with a warranty.

Yep, people that modify cars while they’re under warranty, blow them up and then do the repairs themselves are a breed apart, for sure.. (and likely a vanishing breed too…)

 

[Theone8181]

Interesting when people compare sizes (snigger), I always put the a5 class as being model 3 sized.

 

[White Shadow]

Interesting when people compare sizes (snigger), I always put the a5 class as being model 3 sized.

I think everyone does. They are practically identical in size.

 

[Theone8181]

I think everyone does. They are practically identical in size.

It was just as there was a comparison to the model 3, although I struggle to see the point of the "saloon" a3 over a normal a4?

 

[White Shadow]

It was just as there was a comparison to the model 3, although I struggle to see the point of the "saloon" a3 over a normal a4?

The A3 is a smaller car than the Model 3. As for Audi, A3 is smaller than A5 and the A5 is smaller than an A4. But the A5 is a 2-door car (although they did start making an A5 4-door sedan, which I always thought was really pointless when you have the A4 already)

The A3 has always been a 4-door car, just like the A4.

 

[nate704]

The A3 is a smaller car than the Model 3. As for Audi, A3 is smaller than A5 and the A5 is smaller than an A4. But the A5 is a 2-door car (although they did start making an A5 4-door sedan, which I always thought was really pointless when you have the A4 already)

The A3 has always been a 4-door car, just like the A4.

I had A3 and Q3 loaners from Audi and they were very tight and small inside. Definitely smaller/narrower (interior) than Model 3.