Can I justify 30k on an S3?

Audi couldnt win this one though could they - Too little or too much - it would never have been just right.

I think they set an expecctation with the styling differences on the first S3, but then I never liked the fact they forgot to paint half the bumper.
 
fjtwelve said:
No
For that money i could buy both my cars, my bike, and still have enough left over for the boat i want now i'm going to be living by the seaside.
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120bhp is going some for an old FJ mate.
What you done to it ?
Yamaha never claimed more than 101-105bhp for an FJ12.
 
Shao_khan said:
Audi couldnt win this one though could they - Too little or too much - it would never have been just right.

I think they set an expecctation with the styling differences on the first S3, but then I never liked the fact they forgot to paint half the bumper.
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I always have a chuckle when people say that the old S3 had much more styling than the new one and Audi have been lazy designing it...

The new one has the exact same number of external differences than the old one apart from the flared arches.

New front bumper (the whole thing)
New Grille
Side skirts
Roof spoiler
New rear bumper and diffuser

The old S3 was the same with slight differences over the other a3's.

Price wise aswell when the old one came out it was £26450 base price so the new one is not far off that!
 
yep, interesting comment... but how much of the spec in your sig was standard, and how much did you have to pay extra for! :think: . It is similar accross the range but ususally S cars have the lighting kit, xenons and recaro's as standard unlike in the new '3'.
The engine is sweet though...
 
madvw said:
No way is a new S3 worth £30k in my book. If i had £30k to spend on an audi, I'd be looking now for a year old S4 Avant or in a years time for a year old S5.
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You got that right!
 
Thanks for your comments guys.

Its interesting to read that a lot of you would not spend that amount of money, yet just as many have purchased new S3's too.

I have since managed to get the price of the car down to 28k with the same spec, which doesn't seem to be so crazy.

I think i'll be placing an order some time over Christmas - cant wait!!!
 
Thats pretty good and as I mentioned the residual in the new S3 is very good right now. Any discount is good on these cars as they are not 'push' cars (i.e. the dealer can discount 'push' easily but 'pull' cars (any S, TT etc) they are reluctant to. Expect to get £500 if your lucky!..
 
The911SC said:
yep, interesting comment... but how much of the spec in your sig was standard, and how much did you have to pay extra for! :think: . It is similar accross the range but ususally S cars have the lighting kit, xenons and recaro's as standard unlike in the new '3'.
The engine is sweet though...
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I paid £28400 in Jan for my car.

The sat nav plus, bluetooth phone prep and centre armrest was retro fitted.

I have since priced my car on the Audi configurator as if I was buying my car new with the spec inc retrofits and it comes just shy of 32k.

I must have been lucky getting a discount way back when I got mine of £500.
 
madvw said:
No way is a new S3 worth £30k in my book. If i had £30k to spend on an audi, I'd be looking now for a year old S4 Avant or in a years time for a year old S5.
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I'd like to find a year old S4 Avant for 30k without stupid miles on it even more so a S5, more like a 2-3year old car.

I suppose it all depends on whether you want a new car or not.

The S3 costs 27k which is 3k less than everyone is saying on here, which is not to be sniffed at. A 30k S3 is quite well specced up which it does not have to be...
 
This widely available discount you can get on an allegedly easy to sell car.
Surely that's as close as you'll get to Audi admitting the list price is excessive ?
 
JamS3 said:
I'd like to find a year old S4 Avant for 30k without stupid miles on it even more so a S5, more like a 2-3year old car.
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You'd be suprised.

take this:

http://usedcars.audi.co.uk/carview.aspx?id=501676000

It has under 10k, it is just under, or exactly 1 year old, and the asking is £35k. With some haggling, you could get that for £32-33k cash. Its automatic, it has satnav, cruise, armrest, parking sensors, light pack, heated fronts seats and a cd changer.... That one's a bargain.. And its from a dealer!
 
Client of mine has just bought some 500 Merc coupe thing.
I'm not good with Merc model designations.
It's 14 months old,so still has 16 months warranty.
Full RRP was,she claims,around £70K ?
She got it for £38K.
Even loaded people must cry at depreciation like that.
My client's laughing though.
 
s3mike said:
Hi,
I went through the same dilemma.

I previously had a Leon Cupra R which was a good car that I enjoyed but I had always hankered after the S3 ( old shape ) but couldn't really afford it at the time.

Looking for new cars I decided I needed something reasonably practical for trips to the airport, shopping, holidays etc. My Wife has an S2000 so not really any use in that respect ( not sure how she ended up with the open-top RWD roadster and I ended up with the practical hatchback! ).

I still wanted a quick car and looked at various including all the usual hot hatches and also BMWs. The new Leon Cupra was quick but I didn't like the interior quality or exterior looks much.

Stuff like the 350z, RX-8, Elise were ruled out on practicallity grounds and I'm not sure I could live with the in-your-face styling of an WRX STi or Evo. My brother had an EVO VIII for a while and it was fantastic to drive but drank petrol, had to be serviced every 4.5k and encouraged any driver to instantly become a lunatic when behind the wheel ( easy recipe for a driving ban ! ).

The R32 didn't really appeal and so onto the S3. I was immediately impressed with the service at my Audi dealer, accomodating, helpful and attentive - a nice change after multiple car dealers ignoring me or being busy doing other things and not even bothering to say "I'll be with you in a minute".

So what else, well it felt fast, well made and had all the options I wanted available ( albeit at a price ! ).

It's a lot of money and probably not worth 8k more than a lot of it's hot-hatch rivals but I have no regrets. If I hadn't bought the S3 I would always be thinking I should have.

Only problem now is my front windows / doors are both creaking ( like many others have reported ! ).

Oh and I tried out the adaptive lights for the first time yesterday ( first time I've been out at night ! ) and they are excellent. You can really see them turn to give much better illumination of corner exits.

If you can still afford your house, holidays, lifestyle and the S3 without too much sacrifice then go for it! You only live once.
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Very Very well said..
 
The911SC said:
Rs4's are dipping to 38K in the trade now!...
I like the S3 but its a 27K car tops I would say and thats specced. Its not what the old one was and I hate the fact its jus body kitted standard panels,standard interior and seats... bad show!...
Took the golf edition 30 out for a day the other week and nearly bought it.. £21k with spec and the same engine as the S3 , just detuned (and FWD!)..
Think the TT is more stylish that the S3; it kind of used to be the other way around?!
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I have to agree with John here. I've said it before on here that the skirts look like the biggest afterthought Audi have ever done. They look like an aftermarket add-on. What happened to the signature grey mouldings along the bottom of the door and quarter panel that S cars normally have ? And no slightly flared arches. Or are they saving them for something else ?

Chris.
 
s3bow said:
I have to agree with John here. I've said it before on here that the skirts look like the biggest afterthought Audi have ever done. They look like an aftermarket add-on. What happened to the signature grey mouldings along the bottom of the door and quarter panel that S cars normally have ? And no slightly flared arches. Or are they saving them for something else ?

Chris.
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If it had the grey mouldings it would look like the old one hence no difference over a "old" version and would be just like a S Line A4. The flared arches are not on any S version now just have a look at the new S4,S5,S6 and S8 I was looking at them today.

I think the skirts look great!
 
madvw said:
You'd be suprised.

take this:

http://usedcars.audi.co.uk/carview.aspx?id=501676000

It has under 10k, it is just under, or exactly 1 year old, and the asking is £35k. With some haggling, you could get that for £32-33k cash. Its automatic, it has satnav, cruise, armrest, parking sensors, light pack, heated fronts seats and a cd changer.... That one's a bargain.. And its from a dealer!
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Exactly its 5k over the 30k limit everyone is on about on here and IF the haggling works its still 2k over 30k.

Getting near the 30k line though....
 
JamS3 said:
If it had the grey mouldings it would look like the old one hence no difference over a "old" version and would be just like a S Line A4. The flared arches are not on any S version now just have a look at the new S4,S5,S6 and S8 I was looking at them today.

I think the skirts look great!
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No diiference over the old S3 ? No. Only every single part of the car would be different. Not much then !

S Line A4s have the body coloured mouldings at the bottom don't they ? Or have I got that wrong.

No flared arches on the S cars. Correct. Isn't that very poor indeed. Why do you think that is ? Cost saving ? Saving them for the never to happen RS3 ?
I know which I think.

Think the skirts look great. Well , you would wouldn't you. You bought it after all. Personally , as I said, I think they look particularly add-on bodykittish. And plain at that. No detail at all.

Don't get me wrong here though. This isn't an S3 bashing exercise here. Dynamically and quality wise its the top of the tree and , arches and skirts aside, I think the rest is great. Though I will say a worrying amount of the trick extras are at additional cost. Audi taking a leaf out of BMs book ?

Chris.
 
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