Just got a Sportback Special Edition

[TrickyLad]

Does this dealer know what they're doing?
Special edition is a trim/specification level.
If a prospective buyer asks for a special edition, they will be asked if they want a 1.6 petrol or a 1.9 diesel.
It's not a special type of engine at all.
In fact, to be blunt, the engines available in special edition trim stopped being 'special' a good few years ago.
The 1.9tdi, for example, has been around for years and years.
It was considered a bit rough and ready when I had my A4, in 2002!

i not claiming it to be special, compared to my old car its very special though.

on the a3 sportback 1.6 the options are either the 1.6 MPI or the 1.6 Special Edition.

I already thinking a few years ahead to my next one. I looking at the S3, but i will be 27 when i look to change, 23 now, so i might have to look at the a4 line.

I saw recently that someone said you buy an a3/audi cos they hold their value to well. Do they?
any guess' on how much a 5 year old a3 1.6 spec edition 5 door with circa 40k on clock would be worth.

I got it from the official dealer in blackburn, they tried to get me on a contract hire with them but they gave me a silly balloon figure of about 6.5k

which from my understanding would mean if my car was worth, say 9k, then i would get 2.5k deposit towards my next car with them. But if i had it on hire purchase for the same amount of time and at the end of the four years the car is worth 9k, then i would trade that in and have 9k deposit on my car.

Have i got this completelywrong

 

[smee]

Does this dealer know what they're doing?
Special edition is a trim/specification level.
If a prospective buyer asks for a special edition, they will be asked if they want a 1.6 petrol or a 1.9 diesel.
It's not a special type of engine at all.
In fact, to be blunt, the engines available in special edition trim stopped being 'special' a good few years ago.
The 1.9tdi, for example, has been around for years and years.
It was considered a bit rough and ready when I had my A4, in 2002!

Audi seem to be very inconsistent in what constitutes a special edition. When I got my A3 Sportback special edition it came with 18" wheels as standard and full leather and lots of other bits I cant remember, so it was definitely worth having. But I do recall at my time of ordering that the A4 2.0T special edition actually came with a 220PS rather than a 200Ps engine. So that would indicate that special edition can refer to either trim or engine.

 

[Amchlolor]

i not claiming it to be special, compared to my old car its very special though.

I'm sure it is, but if the dealer is claiming special edition=special engine, then he is wrong.
Unless he is confusing 'special' with 'specific', because special editions are only available with specific engines.

No real idea what a 5 year old special edition would be worth.
My colleague's special edition 1.9tdi was around £17k.
I would take a stab that a 5 year old version would go for around £7k(ish).
That's based on 5 year old examples of 1.9tdi A3's on Autotrader.

 

[Amchlolor]

So that would indicate that special edition can refer to either trim or engine.

But that would only be valid if there were more than one type of special edition available, which (at the moment) there isn't.

 

[TrickyLad]

Audi seem to be very inconsistent in what constitutes a special edition. When I got my A3 Sportback special edition it came with 18" wheels as standard and full leather and lots of other bits I cant remember, so it was definitely worth having. But I do recall at my time of ordering that the A4 2.0T special edition actually came with a 220PS rather than a 200Ps engine. So that would indicate that special edition can refer to either trim or engine.

its even more confussing when there is a special edition and also and SE

 

[Amchlolor]

its even more confussing when there is a special edition and also and SE

Yup, as I said earlier, there is huge room for confusion there.
It's obvious Audi wanted to avoid using 'names' for their special offer cars.
Whereas the likes of Ford will call their special offer cars something like 'Focus bonus' or Peugeot will call their's '307 look', Audi want to be a bit more upmarket.

 

[smee]

its even more confussing when there is a special edition and also and SE

I agree, I think after seeing this thread I will change my signature to say special edition rather than SE as it has confused me as well. I do know though that I definitely do not have an SE e.g. No Cruise

 

[Markm49]

I agree, I think after seeing this thread I will change my signature to say special edition rather than SE as it has confused me as well. I do know though that I definitely do not have an SE e.g. No Cruise

I'm confused now !

In your signature you have SLine SE - surely if it's an SLine it cannot be an SE or a special edition ?

 

[smee]

I'm confused now !

In your signature you have SLine SE - surely if it's an SLine it cannot be an SE or a special edition ?

Thats what I mean, it is confusing. Mine is definitely a special edition which I foolishly shortened to SE in my signature.
It is a January 2007 registered 56 plate S Line Special Edition. It has the S Line suspension and badges and the Special Edition added 18" wheels instead of the standard 17" and full leather. I would need to look back at the brochures to see what is else it added. But I can assure you it is an S Line Special Edition.

 

[Amchlolor]

I'm confused now !

In your signature you have SLine SE - surely if it's an SLine it cannot be an SE or a special edition ?

There was an S-line special edition a while back!
Just to add more confusion...

At the moment though, the only special edition available is a special offer model, with 1.6 petrol or 1.9tdi.

Can you imagine someone calling an Audi parts manager?
It would be like a Two Ronnies sketch

"It's a special edition"
"1.6 or 1.9 diesel, sir"
"2.0 Turbo"
"Oh, it's an SE then"
"No, an S-line special edition"
"click.....brrrrrrrrrrrrr........."

 

[PNH80]

S-line special editions aren't rare at all. Audi released 'special editions' which came equipped with an ipod connection and 2 tone heated leather seats. I think some had the split rims as standard also. So, it's just cosmetic repackaging.

Funnily enough when i did a registration check on mine it came back as a special edition?!.... Not to the best of my knowledge!

 

[TrickyLad]

S-line special editions aren't rare at all. Audi released 'special editions' which came equipped with an ipod connection and 2 tone heated leather seats. I think some had the split rims as standard also. So, it's just cosmetic repackaging.

Funnily enough when i did a registration check on mine it came back as a special edition?!.... Not to the best of my knowledge!

My special edition doesnt sound very good when i think about it

it has all the basic stuff in it, doesnt even have front fog lights. My very first car which was a new polo had fog lights.

Oh yeah to add even more confussion i checked my paperwork that had my finance stuff on it and it says SE on it



how do you do this registration check, i want to get a line drawn under this confussion as soon as possible.

 

[Amchlolor]

My special edition doesnt sound very good when i think about it

it has all the basic stuff in it, doesnt even have front fog lights. My very first car which was a new polo had fog lights.

Oh yeah to add even more confussion i checked my paperwork that had my finance stuff on it and it says SE on it



how do you do this registration check, i want to get a line drawn under this confussion as soon as possible.

I wouldn't worry about it, people will inevitably shorten 'special edition' to SE, on paperwork.
If you had ordered an SE and were delivered a special edition, you'd have every right to hacked off.
But you ordered a special edition and have a special edition, isn't that correct?

 

[TrickyLad]

I wouldn't worry about it, people will inevitably shorten 'special edition' to SE, on paperwork.
If you had ordered an SE and were delivered a special edition, you'd have every right to hacked off.
But you ordered a special edition and have a special edition, isn't that correct?

I understand what your saying
Its just nice to know what i actually own

i shouldnt care, its better than my mates cars and thats all that matters

 

[PNH80]

My special edition doesnt sound very good when i think about it

it has all the basic stuff in it, doesnt even have front fog lights. My very first car which was a new polo had fog lights.

Oh yeah to add even more confussion i checked my paperwork that had my finance stuff on it and it says SE on it



how do you do this registration check, i want to get a line drawn under this confussion as soon as possible.

Well firstly i am talking about S-line models. The special editions released 06/07 just had nice little extras thrown in. Nothing special...excuse the pun!

As far as registration checks go... You can simply get a car insurance quote online and enter the reg number...It will come back with the model of the car. Or alternatively you can do it on the RAC website, enter the reg number and it will give you the model. I've had hours of fun on there entering random personalised reg's and seeing what vehicles they're on. I know i know.... I need to get out more.

 

[Amchlolor]

No offence to special edition owners, but I was amazed my colleague went for one.
Some of the other cars on his authorised list were much better equipped and used much more modern and powerful engines.
Still he went for the pretty basic and low power (105bhp) special edition sportback.
It just goes to show the power of the badge...

 

[TrickyLad]

No offence to special edition owners, but I was amazed my colleague went for one.
Some of the other cars on his authorised list were much better equipped and used much more modern and powerful engines.
Still he went for the pretty basic and low power (105bhp) special edition sportback.
It just goes to show the power of the badge...

yeah they arent special as you would hope, but they do the job

 

[PNH80]

No offence to special edition owners, but I was amazed my colleague went for one.
Some of the other cars on his authorised list were much better equipped and used much more modern and powerful engines.
Still he went for the pretty basic and low power (105bhp) special edition sportback.
It just goes to show the power of the badge...

Well lets be honest, manufacturers repackage cars to make money out of old rope....Usually when the model is due for a facelift. Some customers must get excited at seeing the word 'special'.

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

That's what I find most useful plus the ability to change the digital speedo to km/h when I drive in Europe.

I find the reverse to be quite useful too for when I travel north of the border.