Upgrading the A3

J7-AUDIA3

J7-AUDIA3

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Hi guys

Just something random thought up and wanted to ask. I'm currently adding bits here and there such as RNS-E and Cruise for 2 reasons.

1. To add value come trade in time.
2. Enjoyment of having the extras in the first place.

I was wondering how much do you think leather seats would be to put them in the car to add value etc? A Fortune?

Also what other little add on's would add value? (If any):o.k:

J
 
Theres loads of add ons. Ebay is a good place to get 2nd hand interiors, or dry a breakers yard. I don't know how much the value it will add but it'll certainly help! Bluetooth as well?
 
Not sure RNS-E will add any value to the car.
I read another article today (autocar) where the author said that a £150 Tomtom will beat any manufacturer's satnav.
FWIW, I'm not sure any mods add value.
They just make yours 'stand out' from the others.
 
As far as I'm aware the more options the more the car will fetch therefore the more the trade in you get, might just be me.

Yea I've got Bluetooth just now so overall options on my car are not too bad, to top it off I'd have to add Leather together with Xenons and it would be a beast.

Audi guy i went to not too long ago together with BMW said RNS-E was a good thing as it's an expensive option New..

J
 
Leather (the right colour) and xenons would get me excited, but I wouldn't give you tuppence extra for RNS-E, sorry.
 
Personal opinions I suppose mate.

In truth this is all just to add value to change the car, I want to go back to BMW, as much as I like the car I have just now, I so miss the rear wheel drive.

I fancy the new 123D Coupe or if they put the engine in the convertible I'd grab that (off topic sorry).

J
 
J7-AUDIA3 said:
I fancy the new 123D Coupe
J
Click to expand...

Colleague picks his one up in a month or so.
Ugly little fecker of a car, IMO, but some engine.
 
LOL. At least your honest.

I sort of agree regarding the looks, if they offer a new 323D Coupe then it'll be better than the 123D. But look of the car ain't half as important as how it drives and under the bonnet. (I can't believe I just said that haha)

J
 
I do believe that whatever the motoring press has to say about it, any built in sat nav system in a car will add value.
Many people prefer the convinience and the looks of a built in sat nav.
Cars on ebay seem to sell far quicker and have loads more interest than ones without.
The A3 is quite rare with the RNS-E from what I've seen.
 
Ive always been led to believe, and talking with my dealer confirms this, that options merely make a car 'easier' to sell. They wont add a penny in value.

They may make a car more attractive to a private buyes but a dealer wont give any extra.

This was the case for me when I traded my A3 earlier this year, The dealer said my trade in was the same price wether or not the RNS-E stayed in the car. So I popped it out and flogged for £400.

You may get a better offer for a car with leather seats and for some models an auto gearbox is more desirable to some buyers. It still wont be anywhere near the price of the option in the first place though.

By all means add/retro-fit bits and bobs for your own pleasure and enjoyment while you own the car but dont invest in them and expect to get your money back further down the line.
 
Well I would look at one with rns-e,xenons, heated seats etc, hence why I had to buy a brand new one!!

Tom Tom's are absolute *****, can't wait to use the audi one and chuck mine in the bin..
 
Good advice there Issac. I specify lots of options because I enjoy the creature comforts whilst I own the car and don't worry about whether I would recoup my money when the time comes to sell. To me it's just one of the costs of living really. Well cared for cars that are well specified sell very easily IMHO which is why I always sell privately.
 
N8KOW said:
Well I would look at one with rns-e,xenons, heated seats etc, hence why I had to buy a brand new one!
Click to expand...

The value of those options is at least 2K, would you pay 2K more for an identical car that just had those fitted. Maybe you would but I guarantee 'joe public' wouldnt - Hence why you wont get a decent return on them when you come to trade-in.
 
Yep, I should have added that I did mean selling the car privately would be easier with extras, plus add value, no question.
Dealers are just greedy gits.
 
Issac Hunt said:
would you pay 2K more for an identical car that just had those fitted
Click to expand...

No but the majority of us on here have had the RNS-E retrofitted and not payed £2k for it.
Joe public will pay on average £500 more to get a sat nav fitted car or so I'm told.
 
sat1983 said:
Yep, I should have added that I did mean selling the car privately would be easier with extras, plus add value, no question.
Dealers are just greedy gits.
Click to expand...

Maybe for a private sale you would get a little extra if you found/waited for a buyer who specifically wanted NAV. Would you get anywhere near the 2K+ cost of it? Not a chance IMO.
 
sat1983 said:
No but the majority of us on here have had the RNS-E retrofitted and not payed £2k for it.
Joe public will pay on average £500 more to get a sat nav fitted car or so I'm told.
Click to expand...

Of course we would, but look how many A3's you see on Autotrader that dont have NAV? There are loads. these cars still sell though so that says to me that NAV is not that popular in general terms.

Dont get me wrong, I have the RNS-E and use it a lot but when you can get TOM-TOMs et al for under £100 many people wont pay extra for it.

Maybe the forum gives a slightly twisted view of things as most people on here would like it/or have it already. Most drivers arent "car enthusiasts" like us on here though:icon_thumright:
 
Over the years I've discussed cars with loads of people who worry about not getting their money back on well specified cars. They buy the standard model and thus spend their lives permanently driving around in uncomfortable heaps whislt their money depreciates in their bank.
 
I know what you're saying Isaac, but I'm still convinced that at least one in 10 buyers looking on ebay/autotrader/pistonheads will choose an RNS-E fitted car over any other A3!
And it's partly why I chose to have it fitted, when I do decide to sell the car, I want to sell it quickly to the right buyer prepared to spend a little more for a well cared for fairly high specced example.:)
 
Unfortunately adding lots of "desirable" extras will not give a better trade-in value IMO. For instance, I bought my Sportback from the local Audi dealer end Feb '07 for £19,200. Since then I've fitted the full s-line bodykit to include new front and rear bumpers, front grill, original 18" RS6 s-line wheels (which have new Michelin Pilot Sport 2's on) and s-line badges. In addition, I've lowered the car and had the rear windows professionally tinted and retro-fitted aluminium roof rails and sharkfin GPS antenna. Inside I've retro'd RNSe with bluetooth phone preparation, fitted a centre armrest, cruise control and multi-function s-line steering wheel.

All in all, I think I've made it a much more desirable car. However, visted the same garage the other day to see what they would offer me for it against an S3 - £13,000!!! That was the best they could they do.

Bascially, fit the extras for your own personal enjoyment but don't expect to get you monet back or any extra for resale or part-ex.
 
To be fair boggy, the audi dealer will have probably noticed the mods. And there is mods and mods.
Fitting the RNS-E is one thing, as 99% of dealers won't notice it will have been retofitted whereas lowering it and tints won't go unnoticed! (and it seems you have done quite a few other noticeable mods).
I have the RS6 wheels and it's lowered at the mo but if I was to give it back to the dealer when I wanted to sell it, I would fit the original SE springs and wheels.
 
Dead right sat1983, some of the mods are obvious but I think what they offered me for the car would have been pretty much the same if I'd have done nothing to it. I just wanted to make the point that modding is for yourself and won't add that much value to the car. I'd do the same and put the original bits back on where I could to part-ex but unfortunately, most of it got sold! Stupid me!!
 
N8KOW said:
Tom Tom's are absolute *****, can't wait to use the audi one and chuck mine in the bin..
Click to expand...

Really? Whats wrong with yours?

I cant fault mine at all, had it just over a year and always got me where I need it to with no fuss plus the added advantage of it being portable.
 
Dealers much prefer cars as originally supplied by Audi. Factory fit options, either fitted when made or afterwards, tend to be OK but that's all.

In connection with Sat/Nav, personally I much prefer my PDA based GPS and software compared with the Audi units.
 
When we part exed our A3 all the dealers went to to part ex it were only bothered if it had Bose and Metalic paint. They said they are desirable items that help sell the A3, all the extras we had were nice but added no real value on the A3. If it was an A6 then alot of them would then be necessary to help shift the car.
 
Cheers guys for all the responses.

Looking at the comments they seem to vary, a popular thought obviously seem to be it won't add money to trade in price. I've had alot of cars in not alot of yrs, 7 in 4 years to be exact, anytime I trade one in the sales man wants to know what i have in the cars, 99% of the cars were standard. They always come out with, 'if you have leather', 'if you had Sat Nav' etc etc the amount I'd give you would be better. I suppose I can only wait and see come trade in time which sadly won't be for 18months but personally think I'll be going to BM.

J
 
LOL Aren't the salesmen canny? When you buy they say 'Doesn't it look lovely in white?' When you try to sell it back they say 'Pity it's in white, if it was balck I'd give you £1k more for it'
 
Anyone done a back to back test, RNS-E v Tomtom?
The article I read in Autocar started with the bloke using a 'Via Michelin' satnav, which he said was hopeless.
He then switched to a Tomtom, which he said was perfect in every way, stating that it was miles better than any manufacturer's own satnav.
Given that he's a car journalist, fair assumption he's tried most.
I was watching a re-run of Top gear the other night too, where Clarkson was using a McLaren Mercedes to get to Oslo.
He was evidently losing the rag at Merc's own satnav.
 
Matt said:
plus the added advantage of it being portable.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but where is the advantage of it being protable? Is it the part where you:
  1. Have to stick it on the window before every use?
  2. Stash it in the glove box everytime you leave the vehicle, and hope you dont get robbed?
  3. Remove all signs of owning a tomtom everytime you leave the vehicle, polishing that greasy circle off your windcreen?
  4. Being able to walk around town with it in your hand declaring "It's this way darling" <--he says holding his tomtom aloft in the town centre
Surely a fitted GPS beats any aftermarket device hands down? :think:
 
L60N said:
  1. Being able to walk around town with it in your hand? "It's this way darling" <--he says holding his tomtom aloft in the town centre
Click to expand...

Can't you see a scenario where the above might be handy?
I sure as hell can.:think:
With regard to fitted being as good as portable, that relies on them both performing equally.
From what I can gather, many OE satnav are absolutely appallingly bad.
So a portable one will often kick the **** of OE stuff that's ten times the price.
 
L60N said:
Sorry, but where is the advantage of it being protable? Is it the part where you:
  1. Have to stick it on the window before every use?
  2. Stash it in the glove box everytime you leave the vehicle, and hope you dont get robbed?
  3. Remove all signs of owning a tomtom everytime you leave the vehicle, polishing that greasy circle off your windcreen?
  4. Being able to walk around town with it in your hand declaring "It's this way darling" <--he says holding his tomtom aloft in the town centre
Surely a fitted GPS beats any aftermarket device hands down? :think:
Click to expand...

:lmfao: Loved that!!! Totally agree with ya there, i don't miss the days i had to do that with my tom-tom.
 
sat1983 said:
:lmfao: Loved that!!! Totally agree with ya there, i don't miss the days i had to do that with my tom-tom.
Click to expand...

But does your RNS-E perform as well as your Tomtom?
That's what I'm trying to establish.
 
Bowfer I have to say that featurewise the tom-tom does win. No question.
I miss the touchscreen and the full postcode function.
They both have their advantages, but I'd rather the RNS-E overall as it's just far less hassle on a day to day basis.
 
L60N said:
Sorry, but where is the advantage of it being protable? Is it the part where you:
  1. Have to stick it on the window before every use?
  2. Stash it in the glove box everytime you leave the vehicle, and hope you dont get robbed?
  3. Remove all signs of owning a tomtom everytime you leave the vehicle, polishing that greasy circle off your windcreen?
  4. Being able to walk around town with it in your hand declaring "It's this way darling" <--he says holding his tomtom aloft in the town centre
Surely a fitted GPS beats any aftermarket device hands down? :think:
Click to expand...

Err being portable means that when you have a hire car, courtesy car, or you have more than one car in the family you can take tomtom with you... So the advantage is that when I am driving another car and mine is sat on the drive I know where I am going!

Unless your a sales rep or delivery guy I'd guess you dont need your satnav every single journey? So sticking tomtom or other portable nav system is harldy a chore.

Also can you add a speed camera database to your factory fit satnav?

Then there is the cost... £150-£200 for a decent portable nav that you can take with you or £2K for a factory fit or £700/800 aftermarket factory fit... that is dead money. You wont recoup that come time to sell, it'll make it easier to sell but then so would knocking £2K of the price come sale time...

Surely it's a no brainer for the portable one?
 
bowfer said:
He then switched to a Tomtom, which he said was perfect in every way, stating that it was miles better than any manufacturer's own satnav.
Given that he's a car journalist, fair assumption he's tried most.
Click to expand...

Did anyone watch fifth gear on monday night when the young bloke drove a new 6 series to poland and the factory Nav only had a map until the border of germany...
 
marriedblonde said:
Also can you add a speed camera database to your factory fit satnav?
Click to expand...

So factory satnavs don't warn you of speed cameras??
Crikey, I didn't know that.:faint:
 
Most of the oem sat navs that I've seen or used do not allow the adding of any poi layers. So no speed camera databases, no petrol stations/hotels etc etc. The maps are normally out of date (more so than tom-tom) don't allow online updates free of charge, won't do full post code planning, can't be taken on holiday and stuck in the hire car, can't be used by a pedestrian when trying to find somewhere in a large town...need i go on?

Sure the rns-e looks ok, but for 3-4 times the price for a retro fit that doesn't do what the majority of people want...
 
Mr MarriedBlondeMod.

Obviously my sutble sense of humour is wasted on you... I was merely poking a little fun. So i'll leave it at that.

As an aside, ive got TOMTOM on my mobile... Its free if you know where to look, which is a good thing, as I would'nt pay tuppence for that ugly miniture TV in my car :icon_thumright:
 
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