# New S3, threw out my back, shipping blocks?



## prelag (Jun 27, 2007)

I picked up my S3 Saturday night and began the drive home. Got up to speed, hit a bump, jarred my entire body and threw out my back.

Don't see anything up front, haven't tried to pull down the sleeve.

Picture of rear










Are these shipping blocks?


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## mroberte01 (Apr 29, 2015)

bump stops, On all cars.

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## S3n (Nov 22, 2015)

Curious if the dealer you bought from sells other make cars ?
Not all makes ship with bump stops. And even tho its listed on pmi I believe this is part of the issue especially with vw golf Rs..

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## RUPERTPUPKIN (May 25, 2010)

Bump stops are on every strut I've ever seen. they aren't added by someone. I think you just hit a nasty bump or have your S3 mag ride in dynamic. It isn't a Buick. 

I don't think the shipping block issue with the R was an issue on the S3.


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## RUPERTPUPKIN (May 25, 2010)

Correct. What I meant was I haven't heard of a single S3 with anything left on the suspension after shipping. OPs suspension is likely fine and he isn't used to how it rides, or hit a gnarly bump. 





itr_1211 said:


> Shipping blocks are normally on springs, not shocks


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## prelag (Jun 27, 2007)

Thanks for the heads up guys.

I'm coming over from a 2016 Golf R and find the ride on the S3 to be a bit stiffer in comfort mode. I can definitely feel more of the road imperfections. Will take some getting used to. 

Overall, the quality of the fit and finish on the S3 is worth the extra 4k I spent versus the Golf R. Power seems to be about the same, although the Golf R felt more nimble do to it's weight.


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## mroberte01 (Apr 29, 2015)

you can ask the dealership to recalibrate your mag ride which might improve some things, but highly doubtful. 

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## jiannu (Jun 10, 2015)

prelag said:


> Thanks for the heads up guys.
> 
> I'm coming over from a 2016 Golf R and find the ride on the S3 to be a bit stiffer in comfort mode. I can definitely feel more of the road imperfections. Will take some getting used to.
> 
> Overall, the quality of the fit and finish on the S3 is worth the extra 4k I spent versus the Golf R. Power seems to be about the same, although the*Golf R felt more nimble do to it's weight.*


The S3 weights 40lbs more....


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## prelag (Jun 27, 2007)

jiannu said:


> The S3 weights 40lbs more....


Interesting, I thought it was 150lb difference. I suppose it could be do to the overall length of the car? I've never tracked a car, don't know much about cars to be honest, but the S3 doesn't feel as tossible in turns as the Golf R did. 

That said, I think the S3 is the superior vehicle. It exudes quality where the Golf R just felt cheap in a lot of ways.


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## DarkSideGTI (Aug 11, 2001)

itr_1211 said:


> Shipping blocks are normally on springs, not shocks


On the Golf R they were on the strut under the dust boot.


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## Spoooolin (Mar 31, 2015)

On mini coopers they where on the strut under the cover.


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## iLove2dubb (Feb 3, 2008)

prelag said:


> Interesting, I thought it was 150lb difference. I suppose it could be do to the overall length of the car? I've never tracked a car, don't know much about cars to be honest, but the S3 doesn't feel as tossible in turns as the Golf R did.
> 
> That said, I think the S3 is the superior vehicle. It exudes quality where the Golf R just felt cheap in a lot of ways.


What specifically did you not like about the R? I am really torn between the two and would love your opinion having both.


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## prelag (Jun 27, 2007)

iLove2dubb said:


> What specifically did you not like about the R? I am really torn between the two and would love your opinion having both.


There are quite a few things that bothered me about the Golf R... and some things about the R that I liked better than the S3. Personally, I feel that if you can get an S3 at 43-44k range it's a better deal than the R (most R's sell at MSRP (38-40k). I did not get the lighting package or tech package on my S3, so it worked out well for me. Personally, I wish the tech package came standard. I wanted it, mainly for the bigger high res screen, but I didn't want to spend 2k for it. I do hate the low res of the non-tech package screen, but it does what I need it to do and I use my phone for navigation. 

Some gripes I had with the R...

Paint

Lapiz Blue shows micro-marring and develops scratches unlike anything I've ever seen. The paint seemed extremely brittle and was impossible to keep clean. I used the two bucket method and have a Porter Cable DA polisher. Advice, get a Pearl White R if you decide to go that direction.

VW Quality

There are numerous threads on paint defects. Mine developed blistering paint on the front passenger side fender. It had to be repainted. VW used their body-shop which did not even come close to matching the metal flake in the paint. The fender stuck out like a sore thumb. You get what you pay for here. I know in my area that Audi, BMW, etc. use better / more expensive body shops which equates to better results from the people I've spoken to.
Build quality seemed sub-par on the R vs S3. The interior door handles creaked when I opened the door from the inside. The window up and down buttons felt cheap, they clacked and didn't feel smooth. Driver side window made a noise half way down the track. The car squeaked and rattled. Black trim pieces looked great at first, after initial use they were nearly impossible to keep clean and scratched easily.
Service Department is a PIA to deal with. Don't expect a loaner. Don't expect friendly customer service. With a family and kids, I found that I could no longer own a VW (have owned 4 previously) due to having to constantly take it in for small issues and using their shuttle service because all of their loaners were being used by someone else.

Random nitpicks

The steering wheel on the R feels too thin. Go sit in an S3 and compare the steering wheel to the R. S3 wins outright.
I personally hated the R seats. They hurt my ass after long drives. The bolstering is better on the R, but it also make it harder to get in and out of the R. At 20 years old, this isn't a problem. As a 34 year old with minor back issues, it makes getting in and out of the car a chore. The leather on the seating surfaces also are subpar to the S3. I personally did not get the Napa leather on the S3, as I feel it is less durable. On my R, the seating surface where I rested my ass had already formed ripples in the leather. I'm not a big guy either, 5'8 155lbs. That said, this has always been a pet peeve of mine with VW's. Their leather looks like garabge after 1-2 years.
Looks. The S3 definitely outshines the R here. I don't think the S3 is head and shoulders above the R, but I definitely don't have people asking me why I drive an eco-box. While I've always enjoyed the Golf styling, the tiny little Prius windows on the MK7's are hideous. Also, the R does not really disinguish itself from the GTI except for the quad pipes and a different front bumper. Lastly, the Cadiz wheels are ugly. Not an issue I suppose, if you plan on changing them out. 
No automatic trunk pop in the R. Not a huge deal, but when I'm holding two kids and grocery's it's nice to have.
Magnetic ride is superior to DCC imo. I couldn't feel much of a difference with DCC. That said, I feel like the S3 feels shakier at speeds above 65 MPH where the Golf R was not. Not sure why, as the S3 feels better until you pass the 65 MPH threshold.
R has a locked armrest. You can open it on your own, but the ratcheting system does not work properly. I'm sure there will be a real fix at some point. 


Good things about the R

Infotainment system is great. Apple Carplay integration is buggy, but cool non the less. I do like using the scrolling wheel more on the S3, it allows me to keep my eyes on the road and not get finger prints on the screen like the R.
Ambient lighting in the R is really cool. That said, VW sorta dropped the ball here too. You have ambient lighting on front doors and no ambient lighting on the back-doors.
Cup holder is better in the R. The S3 cup holder is a joke.
S3 instrument cluster looks better than the R's. That said, I feel the R has better information on the instrument cluster. For example, when I first start up the S3 it gives me mileage + odometer. I wish I could have that screen up with the digital speedometer while driving. Not an option in the S3, but I always used this on the R.
I was getting better MPG in the R than the S3.
R felt faster than the S3. Not sure why, but it just did. 
I don't have lighting package on the S3, but the R came with cornering lights and adaptive headlights standard.


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## Lagger1 (Jun 4, 2013)

prelag said:


> I picked up my S3 Saturday night and began the drive home. Got up to speed, hit a bump, jarred my entire body and threw out my back.
> 
> Don't see anything up front, haven't tried to pull down the sleeve.
> 
> ...



You ever get that shipping puck taken out? Looks like a grey one underneath your bumpstop.


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## prelag (Jun 27, 2007)

Lagger1 said:


> You ever get that shipping puck taken out? Looks like a grey one underneath your bumpstop.


I have an appointment on Monday. 

All I know is, my car is super stiff, the back-end clunks over bumps and I have a vibration under my seat and in the steering wheel at speeds over 65mph.

Does anyone else agree that gray piece is a shipping block? It sure would explain a lot..


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## prelag (Jun 27, 2007)

Just to add. The piece in question is definitely grey plastic covering half the rear shock. Can anyone verify if they have this on their s3 as well? It seems a little long to be a puck.


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## sevenVT (Aug 18, 2004)

prelag said:


> Just to add. The piece in question is definitely grey plastic covering half the rear shock. Can anyone verify if they have this on their s3 as well? It seems a little long to be a puck.



The pucks left on my car (thanks dealership...) were blue and there were a good number of them (three each side) under the dust covers. Think you are looking at bump stops, but does not preclude your dealership from having a poor hand-off/delivery check list.


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## prelag (Jun 27, 2007)

sevenVT said:


> The pucks left on my car (thanks dealership...) were blue and there were a good number of them (three each side) under the dust covers. Think you are looking at bump stops, but does not preclude your dealership from having a poor hand-off/delivery check list.


Yes, I believe the bump stops are the yellow portion. A previous poster and myself are referring to the grey piece just below the yellow bump stops.


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## prelag (Jun 27, 2007)

Weekend bump. Can someone check the rear of there s3 for the plastic sleeves right below the bump stops?


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## Ryegor (Feb 26, 2008)

prelag said:


> I have an appointment on Monday.
> 
> All I know is, my car is super stiff, the back-end clunks over bumps and I have a vibration under my seat and in the steering wheel at speeds over 65mph.
> 
> Does anyone else agree that gray piece is a shipping block? It sure would explain a lot..


My car's rear suspension acts the same way as you describe. It makes a loud bumping noise when driving over a small bump or a pothole. It feels like the suspension is being locked. I once took out everything from the trunk thinking the floor cover or other components around the spare tire might be bouncing thus causing the bumping sound. I didn't hear the bumping noise that day, but regardless the car's rear suspension feels very stiff.


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## robopp (Aug 5, 2012)

Ryegor said:


> My car's rear suspension acts the same way as you describe. It makes a loud bumping noise when driving over a small bump or a pothole. It feels like the suspension is being locked. I once took out everything from the trunk thinking the floor cover or other components around the spare tire might be bouncing thus causing the bumping sound. I didn't hear the bumping noise that day, but regardless the car's rear suspension feels very stiff.


When I first bought my car it had a really loud and harsh sound from the rear when going over small bumps. It almost sounded like a bolt holding the strut to the car was loose. I brought it in and there's a TSB for the rear strut mounts. After two weeks they ended up replacing both rear mounts and rear magnetic struts. I still have the bumping noise, but it's a lot quieter from when I first picked up the car.


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## robopp (Aug 5, 2012)

robopp said:


> When I first bought my car it had a really loud and harsh sound from the rear when going over small bumps. It almost sounded like a bolt holding the strut to the car was loose. I brought it in and there's a TSB for the rear strut mounts. After two weeks they ended up replacing both rear mounts and rear magnetic struts. I still have the bumping noise, but it's a lot quieter from when I first picked up the car.


For reference, here's the TSB number - 2042645/1


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## Ryegor (Feb 26, 2008)

robopp said:


> For reference, here's the TSB number - 2042645/1


Thank you, I'll see if this will fix it.


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## robopp (Aug 5, 2012)

prelag said:


> I picked up my S3 Saturday night and began the drive home. Got up to speed, hit a bump, jarred my entire body and threw out my back.
> 
> Don't see anything up front, haven't tried to pull down the sleeve.
> 
> ...


No, yellow are the bump stops and the grey are the magnetic struts.


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## prelag (Jun 27, 2007)

Small update, dealer tried to road force balance tires. Was told they are ordering 3 new tires on a car with 1k miles.

Seems weird. Not sure why they don't just change all four.

Will update again next week, as the tires do not arrive until Monday.


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## kingnyc (Mar 29, 2016)

any update on this.....cause I have a 2016 S3 with magnetic ride and you can hear the thumping sound from the rear suspension. I got the car in March and also thought that the noise was either the truck cover or its from the 19's riding rough. I also installed ED springs recently and not sure if i was to bring the car to Audi for the TSB will they deny the claim.


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## kingnyc (Mar 29, 2016)

Any updates, I have a 2016 S3 that might also have issues with the RSB's but my issue is that I have Ed springs on and not sure if Audi will deny the TSB cause of the springs.


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## prelag (Jun 27, 2007)

Audi changed out 3 tires and I still feel a slight vibration and the car seems to bounce up and down at speeds above 65mph. I ended up driving another s3 that exhibited the same behavior. At this point, I'm assuming it's just normal. I still have a clunking sound when going over bumps, but I do not want to go to the dealer again right now to address it.

At the moment, I'm kicking around the idea of getting back into a Golf R. Seemed to drive better and the s3 seems unstable to me at high speeds. I basically white knuckle the steering wheel all the way to work.


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