I have a S3 FHC. Whenever it rains I have to bail the water out of the footwells. I’m not talking about a damp patch but a couple of pints in a week! The car is parked in my drive, nose downhill. I can see gaps where the doors should seal against the body - the seals look flat and possibly too thin. Is there any other area I should be looking at or do I just get some fat seals for around the doors? I have no garage so I have to leave it out in the weather. 
The S3 fhc is the one that’s NOT supposed to leak… 
Check the top of the front of the doors, and the adjacent part of the door opening. There’s a strip of rubber that’s supposd to keep water out in this area. Also, I think there’s a drain tube in the door here (I may be wrong - I often am 
) - make sure it isn’t blocked.
There’s a drain tube at the bottom of the heater intake plenum too. If this gets blocked water may get inside. When it’s clear the water drips onto the gearbox…
Matthew
A couple of pints in a whole week isn’t much.
I’ve never managed to cure all the leaks in mine, but some of the water gets in around the top (i.e. windscreen end) edges of the bonnet and if I have to leave the car out for a long time in heavy rain a piece of cling film along the join helps.
Any rain getting into the door is supposed to exit via drain holes at the bottom of the door & those holes are OUTSIDE the door seal, so the water should not get into the car.
More likely is that water running down the screen runs under the rear of the bonnet onto the flat area under the carbs, and opposite. Any cables etc. running through there probably have non-waterproof grommets.
Jim
You say footwells - so we are to assume that both sides are wet.
- Check that all the holes in the bulkhead (firewall) are sealed. There many, and I found it best to seal each of them them from both sides. To ensure you find them all, put a strong light in the engine bay and look for points of light from within the footwells.
- Windscreen (windshield) corners ? an obvious source of leaks.
- ?A? post seals ? are you sure the rubber seal at the bottom of the ?A? posts held in place by metal strips are working correctly? Apart from knowing that these were introduced to stop leaks, I?ve never been exactly sure as to how these were meant to work. Maybe to stop water leaking through the door check holes??
My favourite is the bulkhead not being fully sealed.
I had this problem, fixed it this year. Worth a check.
I had water entering into the car both sides in the door area. Lots! Thought it was the seals. It was not.
I found;
The drain hole in the top of the door near the hinge area takes in water as it should (no factory tube in mine). However, it runs down onto one of the bobbin supports just under and then is guided into the back of the door card and comes out behind the door card and in front of the door skin straigt into the car. Nothing to do with seals. So thats why my right pants leg always got wet. 
I went to B & Q and got some ally tube. I then drilled a hole in the bottom of the door under the top one. I flared the tube at the top and chamfered the door hole. I then drove it in with a bit of clear silicone. It know takes all the water that comes over the side of the screen through the door. Any water that comes into the door from the glass area just runs down to the other two holes at the bottom and vacates.
For me, the volume is what come off the screen. Why did I not do the water jug test 5 years ago. Found it in 5 minutes. 
Maybe you have other leaks but this can be a volume one.
Mike
Wow! I was away for a couple of days and today was the first day I got to read the forum since mid-week. There’s plenty for me to investigate. I’ll post a note on the forum to let people know what I find. Thanks to everyone who contributed. Today, weather permitting, I need to reinstall my distributor!
- Bill
I had a bad leak on mine years ago. Primarily fixed by drilling holes in the floor so like you say I din/t have to bail it out. Main leak was finally traced to where the wiper spindles go through the body. The rubber grommets here on mine were old and not sealing. Worth a check on yours.