Opinions Sought S3 price

LD3

LD3

Registered User
Joined
Oct 30, 2007
Messages
94
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Location
Bromley,Kent
S3 52 Reg 54k miles Blue, Bose half leather. Cambelt and waterpump NOT done, and some bodyworks required (hopefully minor 1-2 panel max) bubbling near arch.

Full history 2 Audi services then specialist and local garage. Also due a service. Has been serviced every 12k approx previously.

Going to need to spend circa £500 for service waterpump and cambelt plus another £250-300 for bodywork. Shouldn't be paying anymore then mid 7's given that I need to fork out straightaway?
 
Also check around the roof rails for bubling. £7 sounds a bit much
 
Agree. I had to pay more but that was for a 2003 with around 31k mls, cambelt done, body immaculate except a couple of scratches, etc.

Agree with the comment above that 6.5 seems about right, definitely no more than 7.
 
I would say closer to 6 rather than 6.5.

Sounds like the only redeaming feature is the low miles but that means nothing it hasn't been looked after. I would be wondering why the cambelt and waterpump haven't been done after 8 years?
 
Private seller, 4 owners. Belt wasn't done due to the mileage although I think it's 5 years or 60k?
 
You'll get different opinions,I'm a great believer of if the car is ten years old then the mileage doesn't count for sheet as it will still rust.
It shows the previous owner isn't that caring that the fundamental things...cambelt,waterpump, have not been done.
tread carefully
 
I agree £7k is tooo much. I would be offering £6k as an absolute max and maybe try starting lower. which means it will have cost you almost £7k which is still probably a bit too much for me.
The low mileage is appealing but as others suggest it really doesn't mean it was well looked after, indeed the lack of a cambelt change is almost unforgiveable on these engines.
I would check if the Haldex oil and filter has ever been done as well?
It is difficult as you have seen it and we not, but ultimately if i need to do work like this when i buy a car i deduct a premium over the cost as a contingency. It may well be there is other stuff you haven't found yet, as is always the way with 2nd hand cars.
The rust on the roof rails is covered by the audi warranty, but the responses seem to be anything but consistent from audi, and they can and do refuse claims; I have heard stories of a lack of audi sh being used. That said they have authorised my claim so i am grateful to them!
 
Last edited:
Full Audi service history is a joke,you do realise that they never change the water pump when doing the cambelt as in the book it doesn't say it,even though its a known issue with the impellers.
Tis a standing joke here.
 
I'd go in at £6k. Needs bodywork, needs some fairly costly servicing that you know of already plus potentially more that you don't know about.
 
Much appreciated for your advice and thoughts guys. I was going to do an AA pre inspection as I haven't seen it yet it's (400) miles away then see what the report says but from what I'm hearing my instinct says I might have to give this a miss despite being tempted.
 
This is purely my opinion but I would not take a chance on travelling 400 miles to look at a car needing this work. It would be very strong willed of you to travel inspect and manage to walk away if it was not right.
It would have to be great deal and as it sounds at mo it is not.
Just my opinion tho..
 
Just seen you said pre inspect - even so I would still look more locally and for a bit more evidence of caring ownership!
 
I'll play devil's advocate and also suggest that you don't judge it too harshly. But I also agree with voorhees comments. I bought my car with about 80K on the clock and no cambelt change. The last service done on the car was an Audi main Dealer for lots of bits and pieces and general service - which came to over £1000. Reason why he didn't change the cambelt - well who knows, additional costs ? History on the car is good to have and a good basis for a viewing as are general pictures of the car, but when viewing the car I personally put the history and anything else the buyer tells me to the back of my mind and I check thoroughly what's in front of me and judge what I expenses will be required and then put a bid in accordingly. I would not put a bid on any car which had dodgy paintwork/panels or any indication of serious accident damage even if it has been repaired to a high level, but that's just my own preference, even if the engine purred like a cat !
 
well anyone can ask for anything they want. I went and saw the BMW I purchased years ago they wanted £7500. The car bodywork was mint and engine very good, so innitially negotiated £1K less as it needed new disks and pads all round (which was not mentioned on advert), but on my test drive on the motorway the car overheated. I still wanted the car so I explained that worse case scenario I would need a new radiator and knocked it down a further £500 which was accepted and I bought the car for £6K. Had a good suspicion it was just a thermostat (which I didn't tell him) and that's all it turned out to be.

If he wants 7K, mention you think it's a bit overpriced for it's year and mileage. Is there room for negotiation ? Also if you find other faults will he budge further ? And on positive note mention you are a genuine buyer coming from far with the reddies - don't just be too negative.

Personally, having to do bodywork on the car would put me off completely regardless of mileage or price. The cambelt/water pump - not at all. It's better the devil you know....i.e at least you know what you need to spend and as always factor it in to the offer you make - if you do. good luck.
 
Thanks 007 thing is I didn't know about these faults first then as we spoke further was told wouldn't take less than 8..which I understand as I had an R32 18months ago which I initially put up for a high price but had to settle letting her go for no less than 9. This car has ben advertised previously and have seen price drop but I'm not going to make any offers just leave it as I'm sure his had plenty of other potential buyers offering prices mentioned earlier in the post. If it was local I could view it and get people to give me opinion on bodywork required etc which may be minor but last thing I want to do I'd travel 400miles buy it feel I've paid over the odds then have to fork out even more then I thoght I'd need to.
 
probably a wise move for the reasons you mention.

I'm sure they'll be plenty of others for you to drool over !

:)
 
@LD3

It's a buyers market right now and there's a lot of cars for sale. In all honesty £5k will probably get you a really nice car and if it's been serviced and looked after mileage isn't an issue either.

Prices are dropping like stones so I wouldn't want to be spending anywhere near £7k on an 8L because it'll lose money over night, regardless of whether it's low mileage etc.

Good luck :)
 
Thanks Scoob. 5k cars tend to be high milegae and some I've seen have been rough so would rather pay a bit more as I'm going to be keeping it for a few years minimum. I'm going to look at a Nog blue 45k FSH cambelt and waterpump done immaculate (Im told) condition inside out 2 owners from new on a Y plate 2001 at the weekend. I sound like I need my hand held here but opinion on what I should be paying?
 
It's a bit hit and miss on what you should pay. My car's a 2001 210 facelift with fsh and 125k on it in 8/10 condidtion - value? somewhere around £3500 and £4000. So, @45K maybe £6000 or slightly less. People are still asking silly money for their cars and no doubt there will be some silly people willing to pay silly money. (I'm not saying you're one of them)

I suppose I'm a little cynical as I bought my car nearly 3 years ago with 104K on it for £6500 which was cheap at the time as all the other cars I looked at were around £1K dearer. I was lucky with my car as the guy needed to sell it and I guess being Absolute ***** - sorry RED it wasn't a colour everyone wanted. It WAS however one of the best condition cars I looked at (24 in total) even with the higher mileage and apart from the esp/abs light playing up every now and then it's been fine (had to do a few coil packs but you should expect that). The most alarming thing is that if I had paid £7k upwards I'd now be looking at a depreciation of 50% over 3 years which, by anyones standard is just plain stupid.

There are some good bargains around if you're prepared to travel too :)
 
I guess 8-8.5ish is silly money for age will have a look anyway as it's not too far.
 
I saw this when I was looking through the classifieds-well tidy mate. I'm after Nog Blue myself but no doubt that will be off your hands quick!
 
Deanphoto said:
I reckon you'll be sat on that for a while at that price. I had mine up (lower miles, bit older, same condition and just as much mods) at 7.5k, it's now down to 6.5k and there is still little interest :(
Click to expand...

I think at 7.5K it is a bit overpriced for a private sale, but he may be lucky. He may have the right buyer in Somerset and there are no right buyers in your area, Surrey - who knows. Personally I would not even view a white interior S3, but strangely I love the colour combination :weirdo
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

I
Pictures of new A3Q - Opinions sought
Replies
20
Views
1K
Dean_T
Dean_T
monkeytrousers
Considering selling S3: opinions on price
Replies
13
Views
980
garratt83
garratt83
rodenal
Opinions on price
Replies
10
Views
995
rodenal
rodenal
H
Quick Opinion Sought
Replies
3
Views
539
hendo#1
H
C
S3 Opinions Please
Replies
21
Views
2K
knoxie
knoxie
Top
Back