Looking to buy an A3

[JoeD]

Any idea what sort of car I could get for about £7-8k What sort of reg, millege. Anyone know the book prices or anything? Or point me in the direction of a site that will tell me.

I'm abit about a3 prices.

Thanks

 

[Ads]

For that sort of money you'll probably have to go for a non turbo 2.0 FSi or a 2.0TDi (140bhp version).
As far as trim wise, best you're going to get is probably a Sport I reckon (which has bigger 17inch alloys, sports suspension, drivers computer/DIS, which the two trims below, SE and standard don't have).
Year wise its going to have to be 2004 or early 2005 at a push.
You might get away with an early facelift 8P2 2005 onwards, but I'm thinking its more likely an 8P1 which is the first version of the new shape A3.

As an example, I picked up a 2.0fsi Sport, 2004, 33k miles, one owner, sunroof, parking sensors, Bose, auto lights, no body damage at all... It was up for £7500, but ended up paying £4500 plus a part ex valued at £3000 (although only worth about £2000).
This was in london, so prices a little higher, and was about 6months ago so prices shouldn't have changed too much.

 

[JoeD]

Ah, cheers fella, good info there:icon_thumright: I'm interested to get the 140 tdi then a remap would be on the cards. Sort of limited with a 2.0 and i'd rather save on fuel to pay for the remap ha

Concerning the spec, I'm not too botherd about the exterior but I really want an a3 with BOSE. I know little about it other than it's one of the best systems availible and the quality is just amazing. Did only S-Line's have BOSE or somthing? or was it availbiel on any A3 as an option? If I bought a car without it, can I retro fit a genuine Audi BOSE system and is this cheap(ish?) and easy to do?

many thanks

 

[redmanphil]

Just bought a 2003 A3 8p 2.0 FSI Sport in black. 44k on clock for £7300 and that was from Audi specialist dealer.
Lovely car for money and no way shows its age what so ever!

 

[Ads]

Ah, cheers fella, good info there:icon_thumright: I'm interested to get the 140 tdi then a remap would be on the cards. Sort of limited with a 2.0 and i'd rather save on fuel to pay for the remap ha

Concerning the spec, I'm not too botherd about the exterior but I really want an a3 with BOSE. I know little about it other than it's one of the best systems availible and the quality is just amazing. Did only S-Line's have BOSE or somthing? or was it availbiel on any A3 as an option? If I bought a car without it, can I retro fit a genuine Audi BOSE system and is this cheap(ish?) and easy to do?

many thanks

For a while I was thinking maybe I should've bought a TDi instead for remap purposes. But after coming on here and speaking to people who have got them there seems to be loads of expensive breakdowns happening with 'em. Turbos blowing here there and everywhere, and etc.
I haven't driven the diesel, but I'm more than happy with the fsi's performance for now.

As for the Bose system, I like it. I think it's got a good mixture of weight and clarity to it.
Some say it's overrated, but whilst I don't think it's the best you can get, and I probably wouldn't choose it if I had to fit a system myself, IF you can get hold of a car with it then be pleased.
If I've got mine up loud then it's good enough for people to turn their heads to have a look.
Once I took my car to get it washed and while they were doing it I walked round the corner to the shop. Walking back I heard some music and thought that system sounds quite good, turned the corner to find (yes you guessed it) the car wash guys blasting my stereo! I let them get away with it cos it gave me a chance to hear it from a distance

Bose is an option for all A3's I think, just depends on whether the person who bought the car from new specced it or not.
If you're gonna retrofit though there are plenty of aftermarket system that would be better for your money.

You say you're not bothered about the exterior.... I think that might change when you start seeing other A3's on the road
Also the exterior spec kinda goes hand in hand with the interior spec.
E.g. Standard trim = small wheels, high suspension, no fogs, plasticy interior trim/steering wheel, no digital aircon, no DIS.
SE trim = smallish wheels, no fogs, high suspension, old man wood trim inside, no DIS. Comes with cruise control though and leather steering wheel.
Sport trim = 17" wheels, firmer lower suspension, front fogs, Piano black interior trims, leather "sports" steering wheel, DIS

Have a look at these links, they will show standard equipment for the three trims and the optional extra with cost at the time of sale:
Standard - http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/equipment/Detail.aspx?deriv=25497
SE - http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/equipment/Detail.aspx?deriv=25498
Sport - http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/equipment/Detail.aspx?deriv=25499

These are all for the fsi, but will be the same for the tdi.

 

[wwwrich]

For that sort of money you'll probably have to go for a non turbo 2.0 FSi or a 2.0TDi (140bhp version).
As far as trim wise, best you're going to get is probably a Sport I reckon (which has bigger 17inch alloys, sports suspension, drivers computer/DIS, which the two trims below, SE and standard don't have).
Year wise its going to have to be 2004 or early 2005 at a push.
You might get away with an early facelift 8P2 2005 onwards, but I'm thinking its more likely an 8P1 which is the first version of the new shape A3.

As an example, I picked up a 2.0fsi Sport, 2004, 33k miles, one owner, sunroof, parking sensors, Bose, auto lights, no body damage at all... It was up for £7500, but ended up paying £4500 plus a part ex valued at £3000 (although only worth about £2000).
This was in london, so prices a little higher, and was about 6months ago so prices shouldn't have changed too much.

Hi, this seems like a very good price. When was its last service, and did it have any MOT, tax etc?

I have seen a 2004 (53) 2.0 FSI SE 3dr with 50,000 miles on sale for £7000. The condition both interior and exterior is excellent, but I would probably prefer a sport model regarding the interior, wheels and suspension.

I thought the bose sound system was only found in S-Line models, but someone has cleared that up.

Rich

 

[Ads]

Had about 7 months left until its next service, a full years mot and about 2 or 3 months tax. Only downside was that it was almost due its routine cambelt change so had to fork out for that not long after buying.

The price you mention sounds ok although probably could find cheaper. Having viewed SE's as well I'd definitely go for the sport.
Is that price from a dealer or private sale. You should be paying a bit less if private.

 

[wwwrich]

Bit unlucky about the cambelt. Yea it is from a dealer who would give it a service and put 12 months mot and the give the usual 3 months warrenty.

Regarding the sport, I have just seen on autotrader a 2004 2.0 FSI Sport with 48,000 miles, MOT-10-2010 without the bose sound system for sale for £8750!

I really dont want to be paying much more than £7500 for that kind of spec but there really isnt anything about for that price in my area, which is Harrogate / Leeds.

 

[Ads]

£8750, no way... far too much!!
IMO Valuation and asking price for a 2003/2004 2.0 FSi Sport, all depending on condition etc.... private £6000-£7000, small dealer £6500-£7500, main dealer £7500-£8500 but I would never give a main dealer £8500 for it.

If your budget is £7500 then you'll find something. Might take a little while to find one you want and might need to travel a bit, but I'm sure you'll find one. Would be harder if your budget was less, but I think you're in a good and realistic position.

 

[wwwrich]

I’d love to leave it a few weeks / months to see if the perfect spec car shows up on the market, but I don’t know when that will happen. I'm itching to get rid of my current car incise it starts to cost me any more money. There is a a3 2.0 FSI Sport for £7600 but it has done 87,000 miles. Ideally I dont want any more than 60,000 miles.
I phoned up the garage selling the sport for £8,750 and they pretty much weren’t willing to budge on price. Not much to say when someone clearly wasn’t interested in offering a deal.
I think for the sake of getting something sorted soon I am going to consider the SE which is still for sale for £7,000 which the more I look at it seems like a great price. Will have a test drive tomorrow I think and maybe buy it!

 

[FUNKYCLIFF]

I would try ebay there is a few dealers selling sports on ebay i reckon you could get a 60k onrefor about 6500 i got lucky at the back of June i bought 53 plate 2.0 fsi sport in black 67k off a private seller on ebay for £3750

 

[wwwrich]

I would try ebay there is a few dealers selling sports on ebay i reckon you could get a 60k onrefor about 6500 i got lucky at the back of June i bought 53 plate 2.0 fsi sport in black 67k off a private seller on ebay for £3750

Woa thats cheap as chips! Was it in good condition etc?

I will check ebay out I think... I have seen a couple of cars online which are about 55 miles away from me, which fit the spec im after. Its just a case of waiting for one to show up with the best spec / milage and not too far away.

 

[FUNKYCLIFF]

It was in good nick i had to go from Notts down to West Sussex to fetch but it was well worth it, i have just changed the front end, but as i dont have the budgets of most people on here im having to do mine slowly but surely. I wish i had 7500k to spend lol

 

[wwwrich]

I think I would want something pretty immaculate for £7500. I will keep a look out for good deals. I cant believe you paid £3750.. it wasnt stolen was it?
If I buy private then I would expect to see something a lot cheaper, but I wouldnt have expected to see something that cheap. But I guess who ever sold it really needed the money at the time.

 

[FUNKYCLIFF]

Funny you say that, the guy i bought it off normally part exs his cars but his father in law sold him a 2.0 tfsi cheap so he put the other car on ebay and i emailed him 5 minutes after it went on with a buy it now offer (without seeing it risky i know) but i had already phoned Audi to do a history mileage check etc and once he agreed to sell it to me i HPI'd it and that came back clear, i suppose at the end of the day i was just beating a trader buying it giving it a quick valet and oil change and then marking it up for £5995 with 3 months not worth the paper its written on warranty lol. I am with the AA so i bought a warranty through them for £69 a year which covers 5 claims up to £500 a time which no trader would have offered me that. I reckon there are some good private cars out there which once the traders get their hands on make a good wedge on them. If you go that route and find a car you like its worth spending £70 on an inspection which at the end of the day could keep some bucks in your pocket and find you the right car.

 

[andyb_88]

2005 2.0 TDI DSG Sport with all the little extras but not with parking sensors, paddle shifts (got buttons instead) and BOSE sound system, with 30K miles for £10,000