Inflated prices

rub a dub

rub a dub

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I am currently looking to buy myself an s3, and have been looking around for the last few months. Am justwaiting until my next pay packet and bonus in 3 weeks, then I can finally get the car (hopefully)

I have noticed though in the last few weeks, the prices for s3's are sky high for cars which really aren't that great (i mean some examples, not s3's in general)

For example I was goping to buy one about a month ago which was a 2001 facelift in silver, 72k (ish) on the clocks, heated black leather, andmac sub in boot, parking sensors, haldex just replaced, loads of extras, for £7500

Lately, ones with higher mileage which dont seem to be as good as this, and a lot which are pre-facelift all seem to be going for around the 10k mark, and the good ones are even more!
I dont mind paying the money, but want as much car as I can get for the hard earned!

Has anyone else noticed this, and does anyone know why??

Is it the wrong time of year tobuy a car??

Sorry for the rant :confused: :)
 
Well if that correct i'm going to keep mine for another five years and sell it for 15k.:)
 
Car is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it at the end of the day, of course you are going to get a wide range of prices for different specs, mileage and condition cars. It really depends if the car hits the spot with the person buying really, and for those with inflated prices, maybe you should haggle hard, and those with lower prices, the owners usually won't give a penny off... horses for courses really, which means my T99 is worth peanuts, better off keeping it for a few more years methinks.
 
Mine's for sale :-

original.JPG


s3_25-03-07.jpg
 
I like yours stewart, whats the spec and price??
 
Spec is as follows but I must stress that the spec list cannot do justice to how this car handles in the dry, thanks to Glen (Ess_Three) and my own development this is an awesome, superbly neutral handing S3.

Edit: This is £9,000 worth of mods! :crying:

Mods / Spec
2001/X Facelift with 46,600 mls and full, comprehensive history
Neuspeed Anti Roll Bars
Koni Coilovers (New in May 2007)
Forge Adjustable Rear Tie Bars
Powerflex Dogbone Mount
Powerflex bushes
K&N Cone Filter
18" MTM reps with Yoko Parada Spec2's
Audi RNS-D SatNav
Ipod Interface
LCR Splitter
REVO Remap
RS4/RS6 plugs (range colder)
JBS (400lbs rated) Kevlar based Clutch
Beetle Sport Gearnob
Milltek Exhaust
Porsche GT3 brakes + ECS 2 piece slotted and drilled 334mm (R32) disk setup + DS2500 pads
Custom Braided hoses (front only)
Alternative R32 Brake setup (2 sets of disks and pads, Goodrich hoses)
Recaro Speed Seats
Neuspeed Short Shift
Forge 007 DV
Samco TIP
R32 Steering Wheel and Airbag
18mm Rear hubcentric spacers
15mm Front hubcentric spacers
Aero Wipers
Fabia Rear Wiper
Cruise Control
1 Touch, single select sunroof

Pricing? Read on...

I have done extensive research into the true and realistic SECOND HAND value of the mods should I sell them separately so I know that I can recoup £3800 (£3400 without alternative R32 brakes) by selling the mods.

So my rationale for pricing is simple :-

Realistic price of standard car + realistic second hand value of mods = Selling price

So, £9200 + £3400 = £12,600

I had resigned myself to putting it back to standard anyway so it's not a big deal to do that but would obviously be nice to sell it as it is and let someone else benefit from it's awesome setup.

I am prepared to reduce the mods list and therefore the price to suit someones budget.

A more recent pic of the car :-
s3.jpg
 
im selling the same wheels in classified if anyones interested! and ill let them go for £400.
 
Whilst a car is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. It is also worth remembering you also only get what you pay for!!! You might think your getting a good deal buying an S3 for £7000 but if its not been looked after and has 150000 miles for e.g. It will cost you Mega money in the first year or so and probably gut you!!!!

Clutch, brakes,cambelt,water/oil pump and on and Ariston......... are all mega money if your not mechanically minded or know a cheap source of labour IE mate/relative who can help.
I don't mean to go on but remember what your buying!! In a stealer's eyes its still a £30,000 pound car!!.
If you can buy a low milage pre face-lift with less options for say £8750 or you had a face-lift car with lots of options but 160,000 miles for £7500 you could soon wish you had opted for the earlier option!!
Take your time the right car will turn up and I Never buy the first car i see!

:icon_thumright:
 
I forgot to mention that Cambelt, water pump, maf, coil packs were all done at 27k, not because they needed doing but because I'm a firm believer in preventative maintenance.

Oil has religiously been changed every 4-5k with Castrol then later Mobil 1.

Haldex done at 20k, 27k and 44k, plugs 3 times, i think you get the picture of how I treat my cars...
 
S3 Dave said:
Whilst a car is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. It is also worth remembering you also only get what you pay for!!! You might think your getting a good deal buying an S3 for £7000 but if its not been looked after and has 150000 miles for e.g. It will cost you Mega money in the first year or so and probably gut you!!!!

Clutch, brakes,cambelt,water/oil pump and on and Ariston......... are all mega money if your not mechanically minded or know a cheap source of labour IE mate/relative who can help.
I don't mean to go on but remember what your buying!! In a stealer's eyes its still a £30,000 pound car!!.
If you can buy a low milage pre face-lift with less options for say £8750 or you had a face-lift car with lots of options but 160,000 miles for £7500 you could soon wish you had opted for the earlier option!!
Take your time the right car will turn up and I Never buy the first car i see!

:icon_thumright:
Click to expand...

Cheers chap, good bit of info, Ye I am looking for the lowest possible mileage really, as I know i will probably put a fair few miles on it with commuting, and so still want it to be going strong and worth a bit in 2 years time!!
I really want chris's s3, but just don't think im guna be able to get the money that its worth in time really, cos im sure it won't take long to sell it!!
Realistically, the tidyest and lowest mileage example for£9k or less that I find, I will probably buy soon, as its getting too cold to not have a car at the moment!!
 
I had the same thing mate, was looking for ages for a car around the 9k mark that fitted the bill, wanted somethings standard. Then went out and bout something modified lol.

Just keep looking, checking on here, piston heads and on autotrader (on PH its worth looking back thru the older adverts for ones that didnt sell, it may be that their great cars but just werent right for those people, doesnt mean their lemons and should be steered away from)
 
rub a dub said:
Cheers chap, good bit of info, Ye I am looking for the lowest possible mileage really, as I know i will probably put a fair few miles on it with commuting, and so still want it to be going strong and worth a bit in 2 years time!!
I really want chris's s3, but just don't think im guna be able to get the money that its worth in time really, cos im sure it won't take long to sell it!!
Realistically, the tidyest and lowest mileage example for£9k or less that I find, I will probably buy soon, as its getting too cold to not have a car at the moment!!
Click to expand...

No worries!! P.S. Don't forget in the really long term an Early S3 in good condition with low miles will be like a MK1 Golf Gti Rare and Expensive!!
 
S3 Dave said:
in the really long term an Early S3 in good condition with low miles will be like a MK1 Golf Gti Rare and Expensive!!
Click to expand...

And in retrospect ****** horrible cars to own :p
 
audi upgrades
lol see I have my Rallye sat over the road still and thats a ****** horrible thing to drive in reality, used to love being "oldschool" but now Ive got the S3 I cant belive I made do with older cars like that!
 
grathies said:
lol see I have my Rallye sat over the road still and thats a ****** horrible thing to drive in reality, used to love being "oldschool" but now Ive got the S3 I cant belive I made do with older cars like that!
Click to expand...

Yea but remember how easy they were to work on!! And the noise!! drilled air box and K+N filter!! full Magnex system. My neighbour thought it was a TVR when i went out the first time!!. My mom used to know when to put tea out cos she could hear me between 1-2 miles away LOL!!!!
 
I do miss the charger noise on the re-spool on a crisp morning, the G howl!

The Mk1/2s are easy to work on but their all getting that wrong side of age now where theyve been owned by numpties in the past that have bodged bits etc so what should be a simple job isnt

Owned Mk2s since I was 15 and Im sooooo glad I changed to an S3 now, as much as I love Golfs (and hated 20vT's) the S is just perfect for me
 
audi upgrades
i paid £8800 for my s3 in june 2001 facelift,with 72k but only limited service history as previous owner is a mechanic,but its immac im well chuffed but when i was llokin to buy mine i saw loads for around 9000 with 60k and fsh,so why has the s3 price all of a sudden gone up,how much would mine be worth now? 74k bailey recirc pipercross filters, denso's audi a8s immac,and no funny remarks about my a8s please,lol
 
Stewart said:
I think he might have, it's not in classifieds any more...
Click to expand...


I didn't actually get it into the classifieds - I'm waiting till after its been back to Star for a check up and service. Its still parked in the garage :)

Yours is a very nice example Stewart. Good luck with selling it.
 
I paid 13k for mine 1 year ago. Its a 2003 on a 52 plate.

Looking on autotrader now it seems that it hasn't depreciated really. It had 42k miles on it when i bought it and its now got 52k now.

cheapest 2003 model on autotrader now with under 60k miles is £12,500 and thats searching nationally. Next is one at £13,285 and it goes up from there.

I didnt do too badly really.

Im glad that there values are holding firm. When I bought the car I had a look on autotrader and the cheapeast ones were 1999 V reg at £7k with 150k miles on the clock. I figured that if I kept the S3 for 4 years I would only loose 6k which is pretty good if you ask me.
 
I don't know why people take advertised Autotrader prices as a guide, it means nothing except what people think their cars are worth and comparing prices with Dealer prices on AT is downright stupidity (unless you're a dealer).

The higher priced cars invariably stay on AT or PH until the seller starts dropping the price to more realistic levels.

I paid for a Glasses Guide valuation 2 days ago and mine was booked at £8600 and that's with all the options ticked...

Obviously Glasses and Parkers guide's don't reflect supply and demand status (desirability and rarity) too closely but Glasses isn't the defacto industry pricing bible for nothing.

Thanks Chris, I'm pretty certain I'll have to return it to standard but I know I won't have any trouble selling the standard car at a REALISTIC price.
 
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