New member looking for info.. good advice.

[wiberg]

Hi there,
Summer is around the corner and I'm going crazy, thinking about getting an S2!
I've tried to read up on as much info as possible but I still feel a little insecure about buying an S2.
Some of you guys must have learned some lessons during your ownership of an S2.
Is there anything you can think of that I should take in consideration when looking for an S2?
Don't hold back, just let me know what you're thinking.

My wish:
I dream about a stock looking S2, without any exteriour styling or things like that.
I would like to keep it as original looking as possible and stick to performance upgrades only. I love the design of this old coupe and I would hate to mess it up! This will be a pure weekend toy so engine tuning will def be a must.

-Wiberg (S2 dreamer from Denmark)

[Greg_S]

Hiya, there are some good buyers guides both here and at s2central.net also use the search feature for buyers guides and you will find lots of info.

Do expect a reasonable annual maintenance bill though since the cars are getting older now too

[wiberg]

Hiya, there are some good buyers guides both here and at s2central.net also use the search feature for buyers guides and you will find lots of info.

Do expect a reasonable annual maintenance bill though since the cars are getting older now too

Hi, Yes, I've read the buyers guide at s2central.net, thanks.
I was hoping for some additional information coming from owners own experiences.
Good or bad, I'd like to know what owners feel and think of the car. I'm sure there's a lot of different opinions on the varios models and 3B vs. ABY and so on.

[Jonas_R]

If I had the chance to buy an S2 again, I would definately go for a ABY instead of the 3B.

You get the newer type AC, the DE-headlight, the 6 speed gearbox, single coil ignition, the 2.5bar mapsensor incase you want to chip it

Then I would get one from 1993-1994 to keep the danish tax fee a bit down Dont take your car to garages like SMC or similar, they are to expensive. I normally use AZF in Germany for my larger repairs, since they only charge 59 euro pr. hour and they half price on spare parts + 10% discount from audi club dk.

It is an expensive car to run, especially if you can do any work your self. Also the insurance can be quite expensive

Where are you from in Denmark?

Cheers

JOnas

[220bhp]

I have a 3b coupe and an s6 avant.The 3b I bought from a known source with a very extensive service history,and have had a lot of problems with it from almost day one, as a quick look at some of my earlier posts will show. By comparison the s6 has been ultra reliable.Both cars share pritty much the same engine and running gear. I personally feal that the lack of space for air around the engine in the s2 creats a hotter environment under the bonnet than on the s6, causing quicker degradation of various component's as the wiring and some of the sensors given the age and mileage on some of these cars. However don't let me put you of,these are great cars and when sorted are very reliable and can be used on a daily bases.3Bv ABY is hotly contested on here,aby more expensive and a little more refind,so you pay your money and make your choice.

[MidnightBlueS2]

I'd go for an ABY but that's just me.

What is mandatory, if for you to download S2central.net buyers guide and make sure you go through the whole list ( took me about an hour on and under the car to go through the list when I checked out the Avant that I ended up purchasing ) when you go to check out an S2.

Info in the list is invaluable to a first time S2 buyer.

[wiberg]

Jonas_R:
Hi Jonas,
The late S2 models are quite rare/hard to find, I think.
Take it from you, the huge weight difference between the 3B S2 and the ABY S2 is not enough to level out the difference in engine management and so on?

I'm from vestsjælland, not far from Sorø.

220bhp:
Wow! Sorry to hear about your troubles with the S2. Are the problems to be fixed or unfixable? Sometimes you break something expensive and have to pay. It's far worse when something goes wrong and you can't seem to find the cause or actual problem.

MidnightBlueS2:
Yes, I've read the buyers guide more than once. I just wish there were more cars to chose from

[Error404]

most people will agree that the best S2 is a hybrid of both 3B and ABY, so do what i am and make your own out of a cheap CQ

[wiberg]

most people will agree that the best S2 is a hybrid of both 3B and ABY, so do what i am and make your own out of a cheap CQ

Please explain what you mean by hybrid?

Are you saying early S2 with low weight + ABY engine and driveline, or?

[Jonas_R]

There are quite a few on www.mobile.de and www.autoscout24.de

[Casper...]

I might know some one thats has a 3b for sale complete stock if you are interested ?

Casper...

[ujimaflip]

I have a 3B for sale right now

If you like the OEM look - try mine - only real mod are the porche brakes - which in my view are a must if you drive a modern car as well... brakes are under standard wheels

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30029&highlight=3B+sale

also on pistonheads http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/556841.htm

[S2central.net]

Weakest link of the 3B is the single coil and dissy serving all the HT requirements. This coil has to work five times harder then those on the ABY.

The character of 3B engine is a little more revvy due to use of single mass flywheel. This is lighter than the exotic DM flywheel used on ABY. The upside is smoothness on the ABY - depends how you like things. When people talk about the hybrid this is generally what they mean as a SM flywheel on the ABY gives it that more raucous 'wanna rev wanna rev' character.

Oh the other weak link of 3B is (sad to say) its transmission - Audi were cheapskates on these cars and used a derivative of the 01A gearbox for the S2 that has torque capability much lower than what the engine an do... COnsequently Audi tuned the engine and boost levels safely for that, but it can be a worry when modifying to high torque levels.

The ABY has the much stronger 01E gearbox - its downside is twofold - extra weight from additional gear and not everyone likes the 'stiff/slow' way the 01E changes gear. The 01A is a bit lighter/quicker to change... BUt this is something you get used to... The ratios on the ABY and its torque levels are such that you arent exactly rowing about thru the gears to make progress. 6 gears are cooler !

ABY is easier to upgrade as you have a higher specced ECU, more diagnostics, and the easily copied path to RS2 bolt-on upgrades which can can get you to 360-380bhp territory with the right software and some mechanical work if you wish. The same thing can be done on 3B but nothing like as easily as the RS2 engine is a derivative of the ABY... Direct Ignition etc.

The 3B fanatics will tell you the weak point of ABY is the coil-packs... Sure they can go bad, but replaicing those for original spec equipment every 120k miles is hardly a chore (though to be fair its expensive when it comes round).

ABY has stronger engine bearings and head gasket than 3B, but both are mechanically very reliable.

In some countries, 3B is advantageous as it can be legally deCATTed due its older age, but this may not apply where you live.

Good luck searching and welcome !!!!


Paul

[Rusty]

Best advice is rob a bank first so that you have lots of money to play with

[Casper...]

Do you work for a company called JK el og køl ?

Casper...