TSPORT - Old and low mileage, or new and high?

[recomdos]

Having searched the uk (with dual head monitors 4 twice the search) constantly for the past 4 days, I've only made myself more confused. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

My mate reckons the mileage ain't important and it's the age of the car that makes the depreciation.

eg: 1999 T Reg Audi A3 1.8 T Sport
Petrol, Blue, Estate (OBVIOUS MISTAKE), 30,000 miles, 3 Doors. ABS, Adjustable Seat Height, Air Bag, Air-Conditioning, Alarm, Alloy Wheels, Body Coloured Bumpers, Central Door Locking, Electric Adjustable Mirror, Electric Sunroof, Electric Windows, Full Service History, In Car Entertainment, Leather Upholstery, Remote Tailgate Release, Sports Seats. £9,995.

where I could get: 2001 51 Reg Audi A3 1.8 T Sport Turbo
Blue metalic, Hatchback, 84,200 miles, 3 Doors. One Owner, Full Main Dealer Service History, Computer, Front & Rear Head Rests, Full colour coded body., Full recaro sports inti . , Immobilizer, Remote Central Locking, Traction Control System, Zeon head lights, Adjustable Seat Height, Adjustable Seat Lumbar Support, Adjustable Steering Column, Body Coloured Bumpers, Electric Adjustable Mirror, Electric Windows, Front Fog Lights, Leather Gearknob, Power-Assisted Steering, airconditioning, ABS, 16" light alloy wheels, airbag double + side, mobile phone prepreparation, radio/cd-changer, Awaiting Preperation. Stunning little performer at a afordable price.By Appointment.Jun 25 M1. £9,480.

I ain't that old, and this is the first big buy I'm making, I just don't wanna lose a fortune on the bitch (as if anyone does I suppose) Perhaps someone can shed a diff perspective on it for me?

My driving style isn't thrashing the **** outta things and I don't really cover that many miles - so getting a high miler might be in my favour. Also is there a diff between FSH and FAUDISH? SH is service history as far as I was aware. I'd best state that I'm hoping to buy from trade - that highlights why the prices are high, bit dubious about a private buy

................ahhhhhhhhhhhh stuff it - I'll go buy a ****** corsa! heh - joke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

buying advice would be welcomed.

Cheers

 

[AndyMac]

Obviously both mileage and age effect the depreciation. If you're not gonna do many miles but keep the car for a couple of years or more then a hi mileage buy should even out. But lets face it, in 3 years time the car ain't gonna be worth that much. The only way to reduce depreciation is to either keep the car for a very long time, or keep changing it every 6 months.
FSH is non Audi dealer service
FAUDISH is Audi dealer serviced
Don't be too put off by non Audi service, and the price should reflect this. Can just mean the owner was sensible, and didn't like forking out £70 per hour for a spanner monkey in Audi overalls.
The benefit of the hi mileage one above is that it still has 6 months of Audi waranty left on it, and the expensive cam belt change should have been done at 80k (check this)

 

[striderman]

go for the new one.
its the facelift model, not much difference, but you notice it when yours is the old one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif

Like andy said if you dont do many miles then it will even out over time.

 

[Mike.M]

If your still not sure mate..............hold back and keep looking.

It took me about 3 months before I found an S3 to my specifications. I had almost given up until I stumbled over it by accident while at an Audi dealer on a day off.

 

[benk]

I hope the "J25 M1" isn't the place you're meant to meet to see it, or that sounds well-dodgy!

 

[recomdos]

ok guys! I'm off to look at the:

1999 T Reg Audi A3 1.8 T Sport
Petrol, Blue,30,000 miles, 3 Doors. ABS, Adjustable Seat Height, Air Bag, Air-Conditioning, Alarm, Alloy Wheels, Body Coloured Bumpers, Central Door Locking, Electric Adjustable Mirror, Electric Sunroof, Electric Windows, Full Service History, In Car Entertainment, Leather Upholstery, Remote Tailgate Release, Sports Seats. £9,995.

I'll grab a few pics with the digicam 2, very excited! I'll grill them about the service history and find out next servicing, and what should be comin up: don't need to worry about the cam yet do I? like S3 mike says - I ain't gonna rush into it - bide my time, not unless I fall in love with it.

 

[cybrey]

Nope Cam is 80,000.

If its got 30,000 then it should have had an oil service at 30.. Its due for another major one though at 40,000 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[recomdos]

major 1? wot's that include? and a rough £££? - phew - well at least that cam mutha is a bit off! heh

 

[marksyms]

If it's a 1.8T the cam is 115K, the S3 is 80k

 

[AndyMac]

So they made the cam belt out of tougher material on the 1.8T? The S3 has to make do with an old pair of tights?

Not this argument again, it's 80k, has always been 80k. Don't play Russian roulette with your engine.
I just phoned 3 dealers and they all confirm 80k miles & about £380 all in.

 

[cybrey]

Was going to say its written in my service manual as 80K.. but I aint goig to argue.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif But I'll certainly be getting mine done at 80K. ( To me this even seems to be on the high side.. most cars are 60K).

Major services are normally things like the sparks being changed as well (Theres a list in my service manual I can dig it out and type it in if you want.. or alternatively just have a look at the start of the service manual when you look at the T plate.. or phone and ask an Audi garage what they charge for a 40,000 mile servuce). I'm guessing but I suspect it'll be around 2-3 hundred mark for the 40,000.

Back on topic I would take the low miler any day of the week. ( and I did).

 

[dbm]

As an aside, neither car is cheap - whatcar has a valuation function that allows you to put in the make, model, year and mileage and will give you a price. The old car is about £1000 over what you should pay, whilst the younger car is still £500 more than you should pay a dealer.

Modern cars have galvanised bodies, so a couple of years shouldn't make a significant difference to the body work. For mechanicals I would say mileage was more significant than age, but then I'm not a mechanic.

Don't lay down your hard earned cash unless you are certain the cars are what you want.

Dan

 

[603ELO]

Eary 1.8ts (including golfs) had timing belt change at 120K and is written in service schedule - they changed to 80k a few years later. There are no real known failure horrors. Water pumps then that is another story...........

Personally I would buy a mint private early car with full history. Why accept depreciation AND pay £1000 over the odds at a dealer??? I always buy privately as judge the car for what it is. Just because it comes from a dealer why does it mean that it will be a good one?

Despite what you think, these cars are not overly complicated so a private buy is not that much of a risk. If not mint and things do not add up then walk.

Most people are not interested in high miles new or old, particularly when turbos etc involved. So would either buy really cheap and enjoy what everyone else is missing or buy a low miler.

 

[603ELO]

As a side note, a friend of mine has a 18 month old 1.8t, I have a 97 and he prefers mine! His is always going wrong and does not drive quite as well.

I however must admit that his satin interior is very nice.

Also his car is solid black and because is sprayed in water based paint is always picking up scrathces and chips. Dealer says is a common problem!

 

[audi_girl]

My Timing Chain / Cam Belt went at 20k miles on the S3 - apparantly a common problem with S3's and TT's - probably different with the A3 though - like Andy said, S3's just have a pair of old tights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[AndyMac]

[ QUOTE ]
dbm said:
As an aside, neither car is cheap - whatcar has a valuation function that allows you to put in the make, model, year and mileage and will give you a price. The old car is about £1000 over what you should pay, whilst the younger car is still £500 more than you should pay a dealer.


[/ QUOTE ]
Those valuations are very inaccurate, particularly with Audi's. WhatCar reckon you can get a 99 1.8TS (60k miles) at a dealer for under £8K, which is utter garbage. They are all over £9k. With the new A3 having no 1.8T option, it will severely suffer from lack of company car takers (the V6 being too heavy on emissions). So the 3 year old secondhand market will suffer especially with many opting out. An online valuation is a very rough guide as there are so many variables. If you are selling a stupid colour (like Minerva Green), with a stupid spec (sunroof no climate control with cloth seat) in the wrong area of the country then the valuation maybe closer. Everything's cheaper up north anyway.

 

[603ELO]

Bit harsh!

Whatcar valuations are far more realistic than you might think!

In the real world a 99 1.8t with 60k odd miles is worth high £7s. How much premium you wish to pay a dealer is up to you!

 

[cybrey]

Most of the trade use Glasses for basing car prices on. They do very specific price valuations on cars for a small free ( think it was about 3 quid when I did it a week ago). My car was on at 8,500 at an Audi dealer, came out at £8,200 on glasses so I paid £8,000. I disagree with Ju about Dealers above, I normally buy from a main dealer. Its right that you can't gurantee the car being great but you can hopefully gurantee service and getting something wrong put right if it goes wrong.

We've ( so far) just had excellent service from a main stream dealer, where every single thing that we asked to be done put right before sale.(Replacement DIS, replacement indside door handles, alloys needed treating, paint needed touching up, MOT and service ).If you go private you'd have figure all that into your costs. Your normally looking around 1000 cheaper at private, but the lot above we got done would probably have come in at around 1000 quid from a main dealer. Plus on top of that you get the 'wonderful' Audi warranty which includes parts and labour for a year, breakdown, MOT retest gurantee etc etc (The list is quite impressive.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif ).

Anyway its all personal opinion .. some people prefer private and some prefer the relative safety of main stream dealers.

 

[603ELO]

Agree that a MAIN dealer will give peace of mind. Maybe I should clarify between main and independent dealer or trader.
I can understand using a main dealer but would always go private before any other type of dealer!

 

[Stuart_A3_Turbo]

i changed my cambelt at 60k on my 99 A3 1.8 t sport and it cost me 200 quid. sod going to audi for a cambelt change. Id rather get it changed every 60k than take the risk going any higher, especially as ours is quite heavily modified. If it was me, id go for the lower mileage one as its a good spec and not a bad price at all.

 

[ANDYTQ]

Also take into account model change ie facelift model has much nicer interior,better lights etc ,a later car with more miles but fash would be ok if you dont do big milege.Cheers Andy