I went for the S3 Vorsprung. Got a healthy discount and given it has a better interior and more kit than the Golf which is cheap looking and feeling its a no brainer as well as being cheaper overall. Also the 15 speaker Sonos is way better than the 10 speaker HK in the Golf. Finally there was the dealer exerience. The VW dealers were massively disinterested whereas the Audi ones were very good. I've owned 3 Golfs in the past and to be honest I cant see myself ever going back, their cars and dealers dont represent good value or service anymore.
Prefer the Golf R exterior in looks for sure. Though, probably prefer the Audi interior but the Audi seats have little to no side support which is annoying when driving spiritedly. I feel like both cars are overpriced for what they are. There has been a fair bit of cost cutting and you could see that in your old comparison video between the 8Y S3 and the BMW M135i where the BMW quality was just better and a much cheaper car too. If I had to choose, I’d go Audi, VW dealerships these days are unbearable with awful customer services.
Why on earth manufacturers can’t make another option of a low rent interior for much cheaper price like the Japanese started years ago,, I’m not interested in the tec rubbish
@@alisonsmith3817 I’ve been saying this for a while, I don’t need fancy headlights and rear lights that do fancy things on opening, it all costs money to have!
@@Robcupra360 exactly this is exactly why the car prices have got out of hand, not catering to all customers choices I personally would sooner have a much cheaper price and take away loads of stuff you never use
For me a base model RS3 with buckets and Sunroof in Ascari is all I'd want. If I could have the 5cyl engine in my Mk7 R that would be perfect. I know how much Matrix headlamps cost to replace and I still prefer to have a dip beam stalk operation. I've test driven the non adaptive suspension and the valved shocks are excellent over rough roads around Poole. The salesman stated the adaptive suspension set up makes it stiffer for track but no more comfortable than passive set up. Keyless entry just makes the car more vulnerable to thieves. Hopefully it will have standard gas struts on the tailgate too. There are some decent discounts being offered at the moment from dealers £3k to £4K
Very good video and summary. My 2p, absolutely no way would I buy the audi for two reasons. Firstly, the tech pack you pay 3k for actually only gives you two options over a standard R which are pan roof and the sound system. All the other options are standard including the Adaptive cruise and lane assit. Secondly, the audi has lost alot of its identity with the removal of the badges. Imagine buying one in black for 50k and then being mistaken for a 1 litre A3 because of the colour. Even more if you spent 4k for the pearl option. Ultimately I don't feel the S3 looks as good as the R. Though I'm biased as an R owner. Keep up the great work!
Thanks JB. I'd probably go VW as I'd have to go S3 Vorsprung for the adaptive dampers and for £52k you get a pretty full spec R Black Edition though the PCP would probably be more than the Audi. So once again I'd not got for either and by a nice simple GTI 265 (with £720 adaptive dampers) ;)
Always preferred the looks of the Golf R and have always been disappointed by the Audi driving experience despite really trying to like them. Cloth seats would do me just fine as a vegan so bo biggie there. The big sticking point for me will always be the price... 50k plus for a decent spec on a family hatch. Im gonna stick with my STi RA and 320D M-sport that cost me less than one of these.
They don't appear to have sorted the software glitches that affected my 71 plate S3. In the latest Carwow drag race the new S3 was throwing up the same random messages mine did that never got sorted? I agree with you Navarra blue is worse than black for showing dirt and marks.
Great video, I was a lover of S3s and had them from then they were first launched in the UK and I bought one over the A3 T quattro. List was around £25k when they were launched in 1999, so £45k in 2024 is on par with inflation but you get a lot more for your money (first S3 was detuned to 210bhp to avoid competition with the TT at 225bhp). The only annoying thing about this video is that distracting flappy laptop lid!
It’s to do with the sensors in the wheel for driving/lane assist etc. Even my new RS3 Vorsprung has the awful big round wheel, just how it is now unfortunately
@@pricey78 Depends on the market. In continental Europe it was like you describe in prelifted version, even though it was only excuse because RS3 had flat bottomed steering wheel and sensors or whatever needed for lane keep assist. Now after FL you cant buy S3 with this round version. Luckily, because I really don't like it. It makes the car feel like a limo instead of a sports car. There's really no sense to it at all.
@@Lukaszsiu My RSQ3 Vorsprung had a flat bottom wheel and all driving assistance, no issue at all. Then Audi stated if you want the assistance package then it’s only available with a massive bus steering wheel 🤣. They could do it, I just wonder why they’ve decided not too. My guess, cheaper for them to have the same on all their models, just like the cheap plastic interiors now. I love my RS3, but I do plan to go back to another BMW end of the year.
Another useful & informative video, Andrew - these are helpful indeed. Can't believe that Audi charge MORE for the saloon than the sportback - more for less, what is basically a modern version of a VW Jetta! Personally, I prefer the Golf - not that I'm a fan of the Mk8/8.5. But I wouldn't have either - the price of cars in general is ridiculous these days. I couldn't afford to replace my optioned up Golf 7.5 estate with either of them (& I wouldn't want to anyway). Even my local VW dealer said that I'd be better off just paying the final value payment on my current Golf. A great point about the colours - definitely a plus point of the Audi. Long being a failing of VW, the dull & limited choice of colours.
Thanks Andrew. The saloons in certain markets (Far East, Asia, US) are perceived to be more expensive cars than hatchbacks which are seen as utilitarian, to the point where you can't even buy an RS3 Sportback in the US because a premium hatchback just doesn't make sense. With regards to pricing, the RRPs are hefty but ultimately you are only funding the depreciation with a PCP so a £50k car dropping £30k over 4 years is similar to the finance cost of a £40k car dropping £30k over 4 years. Basically VW and Audi do not want to sell loads of cheap hot hatches as they will have to pay a fine to EU so they double the profit per unit and add a bit more for the fine, sell half as many as they did before and the best bit is because they sell fewer they hold their value better and the depreciation is less steep so the finance is not massively different.
@@volkswizard fair point - you know a lot more about the car market than I do! Re the pricing, I'm just comparing it to the list price (which I didn't pay anyway) for my own Golf R Estate (£41500 ish, including near £4k of options - that was in March 2020). I was chatty to a sales chap at my local VW dealer a few months ago, who said I could probably get an ex demo Arteon R shooting brake for circa £37k (something I picked up on from one of your previous videos) - but I'd still be about £100 pm more than my current car was. I just bought my car to keep long term, was the best option. The sales guy agreed with me🤣
@@TheEryk03 a saloon just looks like a hatchback with a boot welded on to it. They don't have a rear wash wipe & are much less practical to boot. Therefore more for less! As Volkswizard said, it's mainly in other markets - we've always loved hot hatches here! Looks are so subjective, that's true - look how poorly the old Jetta GTi sold here. I've only ever owned 1 saloon in 34 years of driving - I'd never have another, totally impractical.
I prefer the 18 inch wheels not available on the face-lift now , the warranty period is still poor compared to hyundai etc , some serious wedge to put down along with nearly 500 a month to not own it at the end is what I can't get my head round 😮
Hi Andrew,s3 being built next week.Daytona grey with red brake calliper’s and pro pack .if you order pro pack car comes with normal steering wheel not flat bottom also you can’t get roof rails.power boot only comes with vorspung
Thanks Ralph. Yep as with old RS3 if you get the full assistance pack either with Tech Pack or Vorsprung you get that awful wheel. Are you sure about power tailgate as the test car is not a Vorsprung but has it.
From 4000 for paint options......thats daylight robbery! Theres some big numbers there for mr average....the final golf payment £21k ! What would a 4 year old 40k mile R set you back?
Looking on autotrader, 4 year old golf R (not black edition) with 40k miles around 25-26k average. I suppose that 21k final payment for a car you know it’s history might be appealing to some. It mostly just a way to make the finance figures more appealing to get bums on seats though I think. And 4K for paint is a JOKE!
I almost feel that an industry estimate of depreciation would be quite scary to add to the sums. How much do you think these cars will be worth? My 2016 S3 manual was still a fairly expensive purchase but not much more expensive than a new Dacia 🤣
Tell me about it! I think it's that blue interior as it will clash badly with reds and yellows etc. Mind you never stopped Honda with the Civic Type R red interior :)
Great video and really useful to boil down the specs and deals. I love Golfs but the S3 is starting to look appealing! Interesting as well that well spec’d 5 yr old MK 7.5 Golf R with low miles is around £20k! Are those residuals accurate?
When looking into cars of this value and this type, surely it'll come down either the better deal from dealership and badge loyalties. They pretty much do exactly the same things, so personal choice i believe
Aus importers of both spec adaptive dampers and similar price difference but prefer Audi looks - with now 8.5 GTI which also comes with adaptive dampers standard when gets here would be my choice as dont need AWD
I'm leaning towards the S3. Subjective but the interior of the R still irks me, Audi looks much classier. Awaiting the drive review with much interest. Thanks Andrew. 👍
Got to agree. Weirdly it’s less of an issue in the GTIs. I think the fact the R line interior is less offensive to the eyes but otherwise identical says it all.
Heard that from a few folks. In mitigation your 3 series is now an old model so was probably incentivised with low APR. Be interesting to see what facelift 1 series offers now but it remains a pretty unappealing exterior design, shame as inside it’s still better than new improved A3/S3
I think I will hold onto my S3 manual from 2016. The new cars look so bland. Have seen the RS in bright green and bright blue 💙 like a Volvo polestar and loved that
Do you think the Merc a35 amg is better? Personally think it looks better inside and out than the s3. The s3 doesnt look any different to an s line a3 .
How is S3 standard spec worse? Genuinely interested. Sure no LED matrix which R gets in the UK or keyless entry but you get leather as standard which is £2300 on Golf and a power tailgate which you can't order on a Golf at any price. And if you spend just £3050 on the Tech Pack Pro (which doesn't get you leather & sunroof on the Golf), there isn't much left apart from adaptive dampers (hmm)
I don’t think the majority of people are going into a dealership and transferring £50k, it’s all PCP or lease etc. I do get your point though, I have a couple cheap rental properties and they’re obviously an investment and an appreciating asset and obviously pay a monthly income. But I have nothing against people spending their money on something they enjoy. Life is about having fun and doing the things you want to do. Sadly I know all too well that we’re not here long enough.
Nobody actually pays that, it’s all about the finance. I don’t actually think these cars depreciate much more than when they were £40k so PCP isn’t that different but it’s still a lot of money down the pan £30k to effectively rent the car for 4 years, buys a pretty decent used car you will keep once paid for. But not everyone has £30k to hand cash hence why a lot of canny people with proper cash drive used cars and cars everyone else has new - how things have changed
I suppose this explains why 50% of this country only have 1k or less to their name and why most are living paycheck to paycheck, debtor is slave to the lender. People must like being on the hamster wheel I guess. The true cost of driving these vehicles your showing.per month £500 to rent £60 insurance £50 to £60 tax including premium car tax £250 fuel, guess. £25 for service £30 for tyres. Total around £900 to £915 per month or £11000 per year, or around half the take home salery of the average person just to drive. Anyone who is spending that money would comftorbly be a millionaire if they invest that correctly in around 25 years. Then they could drive that car and live for free forever on the passive returns. This is why everyone is broke.
@@davidwhitton5519excellent well said. These so called premium pieces of crud really aren't worth it. I drive a 14yr old Hyundai i10, people who drive these 'Premium' cars and finance them are the fools. I am laughing all the way to the bank.
@@polopoweredyou may be laughing all of the way to the bank but we’re having great fun driving our cars as well as the pleasure of ownership which I’m not sure an i10 would give you. Each to their own.
If you are looking for a performance 5 door hatchback on PCP what would your choice be? The black edition Golf R spec I ordered was cheaper for me than the standard R, and over the term of the agreement cheaper than a second hand 22 plate Golf R 8. People always seem to focus on the list price + options, and not on the negotiating you can do on a new car.
I recently bought a 230i, was looking at a Golf R and S3, even though the BMW is slower I just think it looks more premium, just BMW are a bit skimpy on tech really wanted adaptive cruise but apparently hardly anybody clicks that option and I bought nearly new. Have to say the S3 just looks boring to me now.
I will stick to my 2010 Hyundai i10 thank you. At least I own my car. These things really aren't worth the money, just think how much more wholesome your life would be without (not) 'owning' one of these. Who are you trying to please? Yourself? Or others? Seriously, see a therapist. Then use your deposit to buy a sensible reliable cheaper smaller car. Then you can rejoice at the freedom you now have. Knocking on deaf ears I know, with the knuckle draggers that finance these overpriced heaps. Money doesn't buy Class #StayClassy
I get what you are saying but old cars take maintenance and don’t cost much less than a new one in any other regard (tax, fuel and insurance depending on your age) so if you are into enjoying driving, it’s actually a small extra cost to drive a car you can be proud of with warranty for first 3 years
It's the working class that finance these, they will go without food, water and heating to fund one of these performance heaps. Have you ever seen a respectable, polite, smartly dressed middle class upstanding member of the community step out of a Golf R, Audi S3 or Merc A Class AMG??
Even if the Audi was cheaper, I still wouldn’t be owning one. There’s just something about that Audi badge that leads everyone to seeing you as a self absorbed and obnoxious 🍆 MK8.5 Golf R gets my vote 👍
I do agree. The M340i is much better than either of these. Obviously it’s more expensive but you’d have a lot to show for that increased price. - The B58 is enough to justify the price in my opinion!
I went for the S3 Vorsprung. Got a healthy discount and given it has a better interior and more kit than the Golf which is cheap looking and feeling its a no brainer as well as being cheaper overall. Also the 15 speaker Sonos is way better than the 10 speaker HK in the Golf. Finally there was the dealer exerience. The VW dealers were massively disinterested whereas the Audi ones were very good. I've owned 3 Golfs in the past and to be honest I cant see myself ever going back, their cars and dealers dont represent good value or service anymore.
@@andrewmiddleton6782 what dealer was it?
Liar
I prefer the looks of the Golf R especially the mark 8.5
Prefer the Golf R exterior in looks for sure. Though, probably prefer the Audi interior but the Audi seats have little to no side support which is annoying when driving spiritedly.
I feel like both cars are overpriced for what they are. There has been a fair bit of cost cutting and you could see that in your old comparison video between the 8Y S3 and the BMW M135i where the BMW quality was just better and a much cheaper car too.
If I had to choose, I’d go Audi, VW dealerships these days are unbearable with awful customer services.
Why on earth manufacturers can’t make another option of a low rent interior for much cheaper price like the Japanese started years ago,, I’m not interested in the tec rubbish
@@alisonsmith3817 I’ve been saying this for a while, I don’t need fancy headlights and rear lights that do fancy things on opening, it all costs money to have!
@@Robcupra360 exactly this is exactly why the car prices have got out of hand, not catering to all customers choices
I personally would sooner have a much cheaper price and take away loads of stuff you never use
Golf R Black Edition with DCC just ordered.
Well done. Thanks for sharing.
Amazing. Are you sure you can afford it?
Not having a DCC option on the Black Edition is a mistake! Think I’d prefer this over the R otherwise
For me a base model RS3 with buckets and Sunroof in Ascari is all I'd want. If I could have the 5cyl engine in my Mk7 R that would be perfect. I know how much Matrix headlamps cost to replace and I still prefer to have a dip beam stalk operation. I've test driven the non adaptive suspension and the valved shocks are excellent over rough roads around Poole. The salesman stated the adaptive suspension set up makes it stiffer for track but no more comfortable than passive set up. Keyless entry just makes the car more vulnerable to thieves.
Hopefully it will have standard gas struts on the tailgate too. There are some decent discounts being offered at the moment from dealers £3k to £4K
Very good video and summary.
My 2p, absolutely no way would I buy the audi for two reasons.
Firstly, the tech pack you pay 3k for actually only gives you two options over a standard R which are pan roof and the sound system. All the other options are standard including the Adaptive cruise and lane assit.
Secondly, the audi has lost alot of its identity with the removal of the badges. Imagine buying one in black for 50k and then being mistaken for a 1 litre A3 because of the colour. Even more if you spent 4k for the pearl option.
Ultimately I don't feel the S3 looks as good as the R. Though I'm biased as an R owner. Keep up the great work!
Great video Andrew
Tough decision both great cars
If I had to choose maybe the Audi by a whisker. Thank you Vdub:)
Thanks JB. I'd probably go VW as I'd have to go S3 Vorsprung for the adaptive dampers and for £52k you get a pretty full spec R Black Edition though the PCP would probably be more than the Audi. So once again I'd not got for either and by a nice simple GTI 265 (with £720 adaptive dampers) ;)
@@volkswizard I have as you know, and ordered before the £500 price increase, so sub £40k with adaptive dampers = £190 Road tax win win…
This hatchback is forbidden fruitland in the United States. 🤤
S3 'Hunchback' as they said in Frasier ;)
Always preferred the looks of the Golf R and have always been disappointed by the Audi driving experience despite really trying to like them. Cloth seats would do me just fine as a vegan so bo biggie there. The big sticking point for me will always be the price... 50k plus for a decent spec on a family hatch. Im gonna stick with my STi RA and 320D M-sport that cost me less than one of these.
They don't appear to have sorted the software glitches that affected my 71 plate S3. In the latest Carwow drag race the new S3 was throwing up the same random messages mine did that never got sorted? I agree with you Navarra blue is worse than black for showing dirt and marks.
Software glitches on a so called 'Premium' car haha.
Great video, I was a lover of S3s and had them from then they were first launched in the UK and I bought one over the A3 T quattro. List was around £25k when they were launched in 1999, so £45k in 2024 is on par with inflation but you get a lot more for your money (first S3 was detuned to 210bhp to avoid competition with the TT at 225bhp). The only annoying thing about this video is that distracting flappy laptop lid!
I’d go for the Golf R. I much prefer the looks and I don’t like leather. It’s sweaty in summer and cold in winter.
Buy a Lexus. They have quality leather with cooled seats.
Why have audi removed flat bottomed steering wheels ?? Minor thing but I still prefer the look of the flat bottom wheel than the round one.
@@jasonedwards2852 Flat bottom steering wheel standard equipment on black edition just can’t have it with pro pack for some reason reason.
It’s to do with the sensors in the wheel for driving/lane assist etc. Even my new RS3 Vorsprung has the awful big round wheel, just how it is now unfortunately
NOBODY WANTS A FLAT BOTTOM!!!
@@pricey78 Depends on the market. In continental Europe it was like you describe in prelifted version, even though it was only excuse because RS3 had flat bottomed steering wheel and sensors or whatever needed for lane keep assist. Now after FL you cant buy S3 with this round version. Luckily, because I really don't like it. It makes the car feel like a limo instead of a sports car.
There's really no sense to it at all.
@@Lukaszsiu My RSQ3 Vorsprung had a flat bottom wheel and all driving assistance, no issue at all. Then Audi stated if you want the assistance package then it’s only available with a massive bus steering wheel 🤣. They could do it, I just wonder why they’ve decided not too. My guess, cheaper for them to have the same on all their models, just like the cheap plastic interiors now. I love my RS3, but I do plan to go back to another BMW end of the year.
Golf R All the way. Not happy with the new facelift on this s3, it looks like a normal A3 with 4 exhaust tips
Another useful & informative video, Andrew - these are helpful indeed.
Can't believe that Audi charge MORE for the saloon than the sportback - more for less, what is basically a modern version of a VW Jetta!
Personally, I prefer the Golf - not that I'm a fan of the Mk8/8.5. But I wouldn't have either - the price of cars in general is ridiculous these days. I couldn't afford to replace my optioned up Golf 7.5 estate with either of them (& I wouldn't want to anyway). Even my local VW dealer said that I'd be better off just paying the final value payment on my current Golf.
A great point about the colours - definitely a plus point of the Audi. Long being a failing of VW, the dull & limited choice of colours.
Thanks Andrew. The saloons in certain markets (Far East, Asia, US) are perceived to be more expensive cars than hatchbacks which are seen as utilitarian, to the point where you can't even buy an RS3 Sportback in the US because a premium hatchback just doesn't make sense.
With regards to pricing, the RRPs are hefty but ultimately you are only funding the depreciation with a PCP so a £50k car dropping £30k over 4 years is similar to the finance cost of a £40k car dropping £30k over 4 years. Basically VW and Audi do not want to sell loads of cheap hot hatches as they will have to pay a fine to EU so they double the profit per unit and add a bit more for the fine, sell half as many as they did before and the best bit is because they sell fewer they hold their value better and the depreciation is less steep so the finance is not massively different.
@@volkswizard fair point - you know a lot more about the car market than I do! Re the pricing, I'm just comparing it to the list price (which I didn't pay anyway) for my own Golf R Estate (£41500 ish, including near £4k of options - that was in March 2020).
I was chatty to a sales chap at my local VW dealer a few months ago, who said I could probably get an ex demo Arteon R shooting brake for circa £37k (something I picked up on from one of your previous videos) - but I'd still be about £100 pm more than my current car was. I just bought my car to keep long term, was the best option. The sales guy agreed with me🤣
Jetta was also more expensive than the Golf.
Saloons just looks better. Better looks= more expensive
@@TheEryk03 a saloon just looks like a hatchback with a boot welded on to it. They don't have a rear wash wipe & are much less practical to boot. Therefore more for less!
As Volkswizard said, it's mainly in other markets - we've always loved hot hatches here! Looks are so subjective, that's true - look how poorly the old Jetta GTi sold here.
I've only ever owned 1 saloon in 34 years of driving - I'd never have another, totally impractical.
@@andrewmcivor42 In my country (Poland) I see more saloons than hatchbacks.
I personally also like more Saloon.
I prefer the 18 inch wheels not available on the face-lift now , the warranty period is still poor compared to hyundai etc , some serious wedge to put down along with nearly 500 a month to not own it at the end is what I can't get my head round 😮
Hi Andrew,s3 being built next week.Daytona grey with red brake calliper’s and pro pack .if you order pro pack car comes with normal steering wheel not flat bottom also you can’t get roof rails.power boot only comes with vorspung
Thanks Ralph. Yep as with old RS3 if you get the full assistance pack either with Tech Pack or Vorsprung you get that awful wheel. Are you sure about power tailgate as the test car is not a Vorsprung but has it.
@@volkswizard hi Andrew, when car ordered power tailgate was not on the black edition spec sheet only vorspung
That still might be the case, I don’t 100% trust Audi press car spec as being correct
From 4000 for paint options......thats daylight robbery!
Theres some big numbers there for mr average....the final golf payment £21k ! What would a 4 year old 40k mile R set you back?
Looking on autotrader, 4 year old golf R (not black edition) with 40k miles around 25-26k average.
I suppose that 21k final payment for a car you know it’s history might be appealing to some. It mostly just a way to make the finance figures more appealing to get bums on seats though I think.
And 4K for paint is a JOKE!
Mr & Mrs average are the mentally ill Plebs that finance these overpriced cars, just to keep up with the neighbours.
I thought you got electric memory seats on the Golf if you selected leather upholstery? It is a very expensive option though.
A question i would put to you Andrew is a new Vorsprung S3, a new Golf R or a used ( perhaps 2 years old) RS 3
RS3
I almost feel that an industry estimate of depreciation would be quite scary to add to the sums. How much do you think these cars will be worth? My 2016 S3 manual was still a fairly expensive purchase but not much more expensive than a new Dacia 🤣
Great upload Andrew and food for thought! It's a shame VW only offer the 3 colour choices for golf R 🙄
Tell me about it! I think it's that blue interior as it will clash badly with reds and yellows etc. Mind you never stopped Honda with the Civic Type R red interior :)
@@volkswizard why are you constantly bashing the Civic TypeR , it’s getting very boring now
@@bestcrazyboy8487 because the Japanese know how to make a great reliable car, they always have done. Andrew is in denial.
Great video and really useful to boil down the specs and deals. I love Golfs but the S3 is starting to look appealing!
Interesting as well that well spec’d 5 yr old MK 7.5 Golf R with low miles is around £20k! Are those residuals accurate?
I’d say that sounds about right for the best 7.5 R yes. If you like the S3 after this video, watch the full review on Friday 👍👍
Personally would go for S3. Already good additional discounts to be found on both cars on drivethedeal
When looking into cars of this value and this type, surely it'll come down either the better deal from dealership and badge loyalties.
They pretty much do exactly the same things, so personal choice i believe
Aus importers of both spec adaptive dampers and similar price difference but prefer Audi looks - with now 8.5 GTI which also comes with adaptive dampers standard when gets here would be my choice as dont need AWD
I'm leaning towards the S3. Subjective but the interior of the R still irks me, Audi looks much classier. Awaiting the drive review with much interest. Thanks Andrew. 👍
Got to agree. Weirdly it’s less of an issue in the GTIs. I think the fact the R line interior is less offensive to the eyes but otherwise identical says it all.
Audi’s interest rate is ridiculous and the reason I went to bmw and got an m340i
Heard that from a few folks. In mitigation your 3 series is now an old model so was probably incentivised with low APR. Be interesting to see what facelift 1 series offers now but it remains a pretty unappealing exterior design, shame as inside it’s still better than new improved A3/S3
I do like those funky new colours - a bit iPhone 16ish. I particularly like the Diamond Beige but not at that price!
I know! I do the beige at £1k but not £4k. It looks like an interesting silver which is right up my street. Maybe one for RS3?
It seems to have a bit of a pink hue so in the good old days it might be described as ‘champagne’.
I think I will hold onto my S3 manual from 2016. The new cars look so bland. Have seen the RS in bright green and bright blue 💙 like a Volvo polestar and loved that
Great video very informative as a result of all your hard work and calculations i think i would go S3 defo food for thought
Great video. Thanks for doing all that work and presenting it so clearly.
Much appreciated 👍.
Not to mention Carwow dealers offering plus 10% discount right now on the Audi
If you can get 10% off with carwow good dealers shoud beat that if you deal direct as they pay a fair bit of commission to CW
@@volkswizard good to know!
Lap top shaking messing up my ocd 😕
i prefer vw over audi plus golf looks better but maybe just for me:D
Have you heard the Sonos yet?
Do you think the Merc a35 amg is better? Personally think it looks better inside and out than the s3. The s3 doesnt look any different to an s line a3 .
Great video it's a minefield trying to get the best value for your money 👍
Thanks. Indeed it is 👍
I recently brought a 2024 VZ cupra formentor which I think is better value
So is Farmfoods, Douchebag.
The S3 standard equipment is much worse, and the options are very expensive.
How is S3 standard spec worse? Genuinely interested. Sure no LED matrix which R gets in the UK or keyless entry but you get leather as standard which is £2300 on Golf and a power tailgate which you can't order on a Golf at any price. And if you spend just £3050 on the Tech Pack Pro (which doesn't get you leather & sunroof on the Golf), there isn't much left apart from adaptive dampers (hmm)
Did you watch the video or?
@@volkswizard Powered tailgate is not standard. Just taken delivery of a Black Edition with Tech Pack Pro and has manual boot.
In the Netherland this spect car costs €105.000 🤦🏻♂️
thank to the green EU and Von der Leyen ...😂
I hope i never hear the word earplugs ever again......................
6,9% APR is the lowest i’ve seen since 2021
Desperate Dan is desperate man
new S3 is a bargain. For the golf r price it gives better interior.
This country must be full of nutcases. Paying nearly 50k for a piece of junk hatchback, I
buy properties for that money
I don’t think the majority of people are going into a dealership and transferring £50k, it’s all PCP or lease etc. I do get your point though, I have a couple cheap rental properties and they’re obviously an investment and an appreciating asset and obviously pay a monthly income. But I have nothing against people spending their money on something they enjoy. Life is about having fun and doing the things you want to do. Sadly I know all too well that we’re not here long enough.
Nobody actually pays that, it’s all about the finance. I don’t actually think these cars depreciate much more than when they were £40k so PCP isn’t that different but it’s still a lot of money down the pan £30k to effectively rent the car for 4 years, buys a pretty decent used car you will keep once paid for. But not everyone has £30k to hand cash hence why a lot of canny people with proper cash drive used cars and cars everyone else has new - how things have changed
I suppose this explains why 50% of this country only have 1k or less to their name and why most are living paycheck to paycheck, debtor is slave to the lender.
People must like being on the hamster wheel I guess. The true cost of driving these vehicles your showing.per month
£500 to rent
£60 insurance
£50 to £60 tax including premium car tax
£250 fuel, guess.
£25 for service
£30 for tyres.
Total around £900 to £915 per month or £11000 per year, or around half the take home salery of the average person just to drive. Anyone who is spending that money would comftorbly be a millionaire if they invest that correctly in around 25 years. Then they could drive that car and live for free forever on the passive returns. This is why everyone is broke.
@@davidwhitton5519excellent well said. These so called premium pieces of crud really aren't worth it. I drive a 14yr old Hyundai i10, people who drive these 'Premium' cars and finance them are the fools. I am laughing all the way to the bank.
@@polopoweredyou may be laughing all of the way to the bank but we’re having great fun driving our cars as well as the pleasure of ownership which I’m not sure an i10 would give you. Each to their own.
What does a marmite color mean?
Must be financially illiterate to consider either of these.
Well said...
If you are looking for a performance 5 door hatchback on PCP what would your choice be? The black edition Golf R spec I ordered was cheaper for me than the standard R, and over the term of the agreement cheaper than a second hand 22 plate Golf R 8. People always seem to focus on the list price + options, and not on the negotiating you can do on a new car.
The Audi comes across as more refined..... just wait and buy one that's 1 year old
Refined in image definitely 👍
I recently bought a 230i, was looking at a Golf R and S3, even though the BMW is slower I just think it looks more premium, just BMW are a bit skimpy on tech really wanted adaptive cruise but apparently hardly anybody clicks that option and I bought nearly new. Have to say the S3 just looks boring to me now.
Golf 8.5 R for me any day
I’m confused 😂
Love the conclusion. Neither.
I will stick to my 2010 Hyundai i10 thank you. At least I own my car. These things really aren't worth the money, just think how much more wholesome your life would be without (not) 'owning' one of these. Who are you trying to please? Yourself? Or others? Seriously, see a therapist. Then use your deposit to buy a sensible reliable cheaper smaller car. Then you can rejoice at the freedom you now have. Knocking on deaf ears I know, with the knuckle draggers that finance these overpriced heaps. Money doesn't buy Class #StayClassy
I get what you are saying but old cars take maintenance and don’t cost much less than a new one in any other regard (tax, fuel and insurance depending on your age) so if you are into enjoying driving, it’s actually a small extra cost to drive a car you can be proud of with warranty for first 3 years
The working class cannot afford those anymore.
It's the working class that finance these, they will go without food, water and heating to fund one of these performance heaps. Have you ever seen a respectable, polite, smartly dressed middle class upstanding member of the community step out of a Golf R, Audi S3 or Merc A Class AMG??
@@polopowered they step out of a daihatsu?
Neither. Boring looking cars now.
Even if the Audi was cheaper, I still wouldn’t be owning one. There’s just something about that Audi badge that leads everyone to seeing you as a self absorbed and obnoxious 🍆
MK8.5 Golf R gets my vote 👍
You mistake it with BMW badge.
Get a bmw340i not alot more but in a different league.
A lot more expensive and it's just another overpriced BMW.
I do agree. The M340i is much better than either of these. Obviously it’s more expensive but you’d have a lot to show for that increased price. - The B58 is enough to justify the price in my opinion!