Hi I am new to the site, not an owner yet, awaiting SE version availability for test drive. The car mags review of the Q3 say SE with standard 17" wheels give most forgiving ride on our dreadful roads. Prior to ordering I wonder if Drive Select+Damper Control at £900 is worth it .Trying for best ride to suit my wife who finds travel on bad roads very painful (back). Any comments / advise welcome.
SE Version for comfort!
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Hi Oliver,
It's all a matter of personal preference, coming from an MSport BM i opted for the SE. I actually told the salesman when i first met him i wanted comfort, comfort, comfort and i'm 39
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I think the ride is fantastic, it's quiet and very smooth. Been through a few bad roads and caught a few kerbs with no problems or kerbed wheels.
The S-Line comes with the same suspension, it's just the larger wheels and they are only an inch larger so you may find the ride fine. I was just taking no chances after thebone-shakeri had previously!
Take your wife out in both and see what you think, i test drove the S-Line and didn't think it was all that bad. I did drive an A4 S-Line and it wasdreadfulwith the sports suspension,absolutelyterrible.
It's all a matter of personal preference, coming from an MSport BM i opted for the SE. I actually told the salesman when i first met him i wanted comfort, comfort, comfort and i'm 39
I think the ride is fantastic, it's quiet and very smooth. Been through a few bad roads and caught a few kerbs with no problems or kerbed wheels.
The S-Line comes with the same suspension, it's just the larger wheels and they are only an inch larger so you may find the ride fine. I was just taking no chances after thebone-shakeri had previously!
Take your wife out in both and see what you think, i test drove the S-Line and didn't think it was all that bad. I did drive an A4 S-Line and it wasdreadfulwith the sports suspension,absolutelyterrible.
I suffer with lower back problems - and driving over 25k miles per year, I was very worried about what to get... I was even going down the Volvo route, to be sure to get a comfortable ride.
All the Q3's I saw before purchasehad the Sports seats fitted, but I wanted to know what the standardseats were like (without lumbar adjustment), and I didn't know whether I would need to budget for better seats.
I have to say, I've not had a moments issue with the SE ride and handling on Standard wheels- It just devours distance comfortably, and the seats, even in standard fit, are comfortable - I've done 500 motorway miles in a day without problems, and a daily commute of 50 cross-country miles is totally fuss-free.
A lot of the reviews I read, said choose SE for comfort, and don't bother with the adaptive dampers given the price - but, as reilsab says, it's each to their own preference.
However - £900 can buy you a lot of other goodies that you'd use more often!
All the Q3's I saw before purchasehad the Sports seats fitted, but I wanted to know what the standardseats were like (without lumbar adjustment), and I didn't know whether I would need to budget for better seats.
I have to say, I've not had a moments issue with the SE ride and handling on Standard wheels- It just devours distance comfortably, and the seats, even in standard fit, are comfortable - I've done 500 motorway miles in a day without problems, and a daily commute of 50 cross-country miles is totally fuss-free.
A lot of the reviews I read, said choose SE for comfort, and don't bother with the adaptive dampers given the price - but, as reilsab says, it's each to their own preference.
However - £900 can buy you a lot of other goodies that you'd use more often!
Many thanks 'reilsab' for your reply, we too are after comfort..... I am basing my query on the Car Mag comments and would not be interested in lower and stiffer suspension of the S-Line.( Not a boy racer). The S-Line we only sat in, arranging a test drive in an SE when one available.
Hi Jules,Thank you for your informative reply, can you please confirm the 'motions' of the SE Standard seat as the seat we tried in the showroom was an S-Line and the seat cushion raised/lowered back and frontindependentlyof each other, is this the case with your seats please. The brochure description infers that the S-Line seat is a Sport Seat plus electric lumber adjustment, does this mean it is different in its controls/motions to the Standards SE seat? Hope I am not being a pest, but the showroom does not yet have an SE available to check myself.
The standard SE seats don`t have adjustable lumbar support, and has (I think) just general height adjustment, where the seat base moves up and forward when adjusted) - when my wife brings the car back, I`ll double check that!
These are just the sort of questions that you need answers to, so ask as many as you like
These are just the sort of questions that you need answers to, so ask as many as you like
Dear All,Many thanks for your comments/advice. We will be asking dealer in the next few days when an SE will be available to test drive, but unsure when one will actually be available as he has searched and cannot find one . We just sat in the showroom S-Line with sports seats, which my wife found comfortable, but it remains to be seen how she travels in an SE or do we need the sports seats.
Hi Oliver, thought I would offer some advice also. It's worth clarifying that with S Line you get exactly the same suspension set up as the SE unless you opt in (free of charge) for sports suspension. The relevant differences being 18 inch wheels and also sports seats with electric lumbar adjustment. I drove both the SE and then the S Line both on standard 'dynamic' suspension and in my opinion there was no difference in ride comfort. I opted for an S Line and find it extremely comfortable. I hope this helps.
Cheers Bilster
Cheers Bilster
I have the S line too with standard suspension and have had no problems despite spinal stenosis which brings on sciatic pain in the wrong car - like a Golf for instance. Ihad no back problem with an S line A4 with sports suspension either. It "crashed" something dreaful over pot holes though.
It's very much a personal thing andmy wife's £10k on the road new Vauxhall Agila has the best seats I have everdriven on! An extended test drive is essential and see if you can borrow the car for a half or a full day. The fuel cost of filling the tank back to where it was is well worth it. It's not peanuts you are paying for the car and a decent dealer should have no problem. Find another if they won't play ball.
It's very much a personal thing andmy wife's £10k on the road new Vauxhall Agila has the best seats I have everdriven on! An extended test drive is essential and see if you can borrow the car for a half or a full day. The fuel cost of filling the tank back to where it was is well worth it. It's not peanuts you are paying for the car and a decent dealer should have no problem. Find another if they won't play ball.
The roads really are a terrible state, i ratled down a few craters today and was pleased with the ride on my standard 17's. Squeezing out a space today i could feel the tyre scraping along the kerb, thanks to the high profile there was no damage to the wheels
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I think i kerbed every wheel on my last car thanks to the super low profile and the wheel sticking out beyond the tyres. I would take 10 inch wheels on a 100 profile if i could get them
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I think i kerbed every wheel on my last car thanks to the super low profile and the wheel sticking out beyond the tyres. I would take 10 inch wheels on a 100 profile if i could get them
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