Collected my S3 today-Few thoughts from a new owner

[keendean]

I collected my S3 today, after putting a deposit down over the phone to a private seller. The car was the spec I wanted, and has low miles. The body work being white has a few stone chips and on the bonnet looks like some birds muck has stained the paint, so it's going to take awhile to get the body work to any kind of decent state It actually looks like it's under the lacquer which is really odd.
The things I don't like are, lack of coming home lights (seen a link on how to solve this), the stone chips-Does the Audi touch up pen actually match? The 2009 RNS is not very good, wished I'd bought the 2010 car which would of had the media button, the factory unit ipod dock in conjunction with the Rns does not work very well. The car also needs a service, cam belt and new tyres. Not my best buy, but bought without looking too deep at the detail. The car is an 09 plate Ibs white sport back, with buckets, pana room, RNS, Bose, front and rear sensors. So the spec is good, just for the money I paid with only 28k miles on the clock I expected a car in a lot better condition, so I'm a little gutted.
Going to claybar and polish the car, and when I have money one day go for Satin Black on the alloys and some H&R's.
I'm going to stay Audi for the service,Haldex, brake fluid possibly, as this seems pretty reasonable, then a known tuner for the cambelt kit.

Do all S3's from non enthusiasts start in such a poor state? Or have I been very unlucky? My 10 plate Scirocco was a mint example compared to this. I think five years of train car parks have not done it well

I'm sure I'll start feeling the love soon, I don't think the lack of functionality helps, and the dire state of the car and all the bills due soon. I've bought a lot of cars, but fell in love with the white/panom/bucket seats. I am just a sucker?

 

[chris.vincent3]

Why did you buy it if it was in such bad condition? :S

 

[Wicked666]

I wouldn't buy an S3 from a non dealer personally as there's no warranty and S3's are usually driven hard. TBH a 5k mileage car would be in bad condition if not been looked after.

 

[Gazwould]

Is it really that bad ?

You can't polish a ****.

 

[A3-black]

Got any pics?

 

[Tom5190]

Mine was pretty bad when I bought it but I did get a hefty lump of the price so it wasn't too bad really.

 

[S3_Jacko]

To get a decent car in the spec you want sometimes you need to go down the non-enthusiast list... But if I were you i'd get stuck in about it and put your own TLC into it before you make your mind up on the car... obviously it was not the most ideal scenario putting a deposit on a car you hadn't seen 1st....

 

[keendean]

It's not that bad, my mate think it's fine whose not into cars.
I bought it as I needed a car, it's the spec I wanted, and had a deposit down.
Jacko, I think you're right- it does need some TLC, but I've bought it now, so gotta to get on with it.
First thing is a claybar session. Fingers crossed, it comes up well

 

[keendean]

I'll post pics after it's had some TLC.
Going to put it in Audi for an interim, Haldex oil and filter and a check over.
Then save up and get it to Alex Aks tuning for a brake fluid change, cam belt.
I think those buckets seats hypnotised me into buying the car with my eyes closed slightly

 

[Rock Carver]

The 4 year old s3 I bought a few weeks ago was certainly nowhere near pristine. However, it seems to be more from laziness than outright neglect. Some fairly significant stone chips, broken parcel shelf, green mould on the window rubbers etc... Thankfully still under the 5 year Audi warranty so anything mechanical is covered at least. Some TLC and stone chip repairs by a company called AutoSmart in Kent has made a world of difference.

 

[sliced]

Nothing a good detail/ paint correction can't sort out!

And with headunit, you can get it upgraded to the later one i believe.

 

[veeeight]

The 4 year old s3 I bought a few weeks ago was certainly nowhere near pristine. However, it seems to be more from laziness than outright neglect. Some fairly significant stone chips, broken parcel shelf, green mould on the window rubbers etc... Thankfully still under the 5 year Audi warranty so anything mechanical is covered at least. Some TLC and stone chip repairs by a company called AutoSmart in Kent has made a world of difference.

Wow I am shocked. It just goes to show that not everyone looks after their cars.

My 60Reg S3 could be described as showroom condition, really really clean and tidy, and mechanically 100%. If you didn't look at the mileage (38k) you would think it had done less than 10k, from the look (interior & exterior), feel, and the way it drives.

Whoever buys it next is one lucky sod !!! It will be retailed by Worcester Audi in April !!
Unless someone off here buys it off me this month!!!

 

[Alex_Wil]

Is it really that bad ?

You can't polish a ****.

But you can roll it in glitter! Haha

 

[Alex_007]

I collected my S3 today, after putting a deposit down over the phone to a private seller. The car was the spec I wanted, and has low miles. The body work being white has a few stone chips and on the bonnet looks like some birds muck has stained the paint, so it's going to take awhile to get the body work to any kind of decent state It actually looks like it's under the lacquer which is really odd.
The things I don't like are, lack of coming home lights (seen a link on how to solve this), the stone chips-Does the Audi touch up pen actually match? The 2009 RNS is not very good, wished I'd bought the 2010 car which would of had the media button, the factory unit ipod dock in conjunction with the Rns does not work very well. The car also needs a service, cam belt and new tyres. Not my best buy, but bought without looking too deep at the detail. The car is an 09 plate Ibs white sport back, with buckets, pana room, RNS, Bose, front and rear sensors. So the spec is good, just for the money I paid with only 28k miles on the clock I expected a car in a lot better condition, so I'm a little gutted.
Going to claybar and polish the car, and when I have money one day go for Satin Black on the alloys and some H&R's.
I'm going to stay Audi for the service,Haldex, brake fluid possibly, as this seems pretty reasonable, then a known tuner for the cambelt kit.

Do all S3's from non enthusiasts start in such a poor state? Or have I been very unlucky? My 10 plate Scirocco was a mint example compared to this. I think five years of train car parks have not done it well

I'm sure I'll start feeling the love soon, I don't think the lack of functionality helps, and the dire state of the car and all the bills due soon. I've bought a lot of cars, but fell in love with the white/panom/bucket seats. I am just a sucker?

I wouldn't say that it hasn't been looked after just because of a few marks on it, especially stone chips , most cars have them when there a few years old, I've just come out my gym and there is 2 a3's , ones an 11 plate and the other a 62 plate and there's stone chips all over the front , and the odd very minor marks around the cars in general, they're are both black though so show up more.

Some people just don't bother to ever have them polished including myself unfortunately, gets washed regularly but that's about it.

Give it a good scrub and polish I'm sure the good paint will surface and shine as it should .

 

[Rizzo_2014]

The 4 year old s3 I bought a few weeks ago was certainly nowhere near pristine. However, it seems to be more from laziness than outright neglect. Some fairly significant stone chips, broken parcel shelf, green mould on the window rubbers etc... Thankfully still under the 5 year Audi warranty so anything mechanical is covered at least. Some TLC and stone chip repairs by a company called AutoSmart in Kent has made a world of difference.

Hi Rock Carver, do all new audi's come with a standard 5year warranty or is that an extra you have? I just assumed it was 3yrs but even better if it's 5yrs

 

[Rock Carver]

You can get a 5 year warranty if you buy it up front. Thankfully it can be transferred to the next owner for an admin fee of £17.50.

 

[MattS5]

The 4 year old s3 I bought a few weeks ago was certainly nowhere near pristine. However, it seems to be more from laziness than outright neglect. Some fairly significant stone chips, broken parcel shelf, green mould on the window rubbers etc... Thankfully still under the 5 year Audi warranty so anything mechanical is covered at least. Some TLC and stone chip repairs by a company called AutoSmart in Kent has made a world of difference.

Is this car black, without the mirror covers in chrome?
Long shot, but I enquired about a car in London which was for sale privately which had a broken shelf and door rubber issue.
It also had the remainder of a 5 yr warranty but sold the day after I enquired about it.

 

[keendean]

The 4 year old s3 I bought a few weeks ago was certainly nowhere near pristine. However, it seems to be more from laziness than outright neglect. Some fairly significant stone chips, broken parcel shelf, green mould on the window rubbers etc... Thankfully still under the 5 year Audi warranty so anything mechanical is covered at least. Some TLC and stone chip repairs by a company called AutoSmart in Kent has made a world of difference.

I was going to get the a touch up pen, but you can have the stone chips repaired?
I have a panam roof, and some moss What is the best solution to get rid of mould?

 

[sliced]

I was going to get the a touch up pen, but you can have the stone chips repaired?
I have a panam roof, and some moss What is the best solution to get rid of mould?

Where are you located bud? Many detailers could get your car back to showroom new condition.

 

[keendean]

I work in Cambridge, and live just South of there near Linton.

 

[Rock Carver]

Is this car black, without the mirror covers in chrome?
Long shot, but I enquired about a car in London which was for sale privately which had a broken shelf and door rubber issue.
It also had the remainder of a 5 yr warranty but sold the day after I enquired about it.

Yep, that's the one. The chrome mirrors had been stolen, ripped off and replaced with colour coded ones. All done by audi at close to £900! Given that Chrome wing mirrors still seem to be a collectors item, and I also have to park on a road overnight, It wasn't a problem for me. The less attention my car gets, the better. My previous car (golf v6) was broken into within a week of owning it. Over £2,000 worth of damage as they tried to hack the stereo out. They also managed to rip the leather seats and break the arm rest. They toe rags took nothing, just left me with a hike in car insurance and a vehicle that was off the road for several weeks (happened two days before christmas). Not much , Ho,Ho,Ho, that year.

 

[dieselguy]

Yep, that's the one. The chrome mirrors had been stolen, ripped off and replaced with colour coded ones. All done by audi at close to £900! Given that Chrome wing mirrors still seem to be a collectors item, and I also have to park on a road overnight, It wasn't a problem for me. The less attention my car gets, the better. My previous car (golf v6) was broken into within a week of owning it. Over £2,000 worth of damage as they tried to hack the stereo out. They also managed to rip the leather seats and break the arm rest. They toe rags took nothing, just left me with a hike in car insurance and a vehicle that was off the road for several weeks (happened two days before christmas). Not much , Ho,Ho,Ho, that year.

Should install a in car camera and catch these B******!