which car to buy?

[paul_brad]

OK, so, finally, after owning my 1.8T for coming up to 3 years, and a house purchase along the way to reset the bank balance somewhat, I'll be ready in 2 months to get a new car...... I'm going to test drive each one, as not driven these, but what would you get with £9.5k?

S3 (X-Y reg facelift with above average miles)
Leon Cupra R (52-03 reg with average miles)
Golf GTI Anniversary (52 -03 reg, doubt I can get one at this price to be honest!)

going to test drive a LCR this weekend, will do an S3 when one comes up close enough to have a gander. (and golf...)

thanks for your input! Hopefully you won't all just automatically say "S3!"

Oh, and if anyone wants a spanking black 1.8T W reg with 103k on the clock in a couple of months (in the Leicester region), let me know.....

 

[rodenal]

Leon cupra R is worth a very very long look, has alot of the same interior bits as ur a3 and is a storming drive.

Whatever you pick will be a lovely motor tho, just go and drive them all n see what u feel the most love for lol

 

[jojo]

For the money, an S3 would definitely represent the best value and residuals, it's the only car there with 4WD, will have leather as standard, and the better finished interior. You would stand to lose less with an S3 also, as it would probable be the oldest car out of the three you have selected, and done most of it's depreciating.

Of course me having an S3 doesn't actually effect my reasoning, no no

 

[Aky]

For looks I'd probably go for the Anni, for straight line speed the LCR and for the tight twisty stuff the S3.

Depends what you want out of the motor really. They are 3 very different cars.

 

[paul_brad]

why the funk do those golf annis go for so much? Parkers et al have them down as worth a lot less. Even then, they still rank them a grand over the standard GTI/TDI versions. Paying 11 grand for a golf gti with nice seat and wheels versus about 7 for the standard seems mad. But here I am considering one! You're right about the residual values etc of the S3. I know technically it's the better car, and will be worth more in X years. But it's ever so slightly staid when compared to the gun-ho look at my wheels and brembos man, of the LCR. Looking on the seat forum though, there definitely seems to be more problems with em though.

 

[paul_brad]

OK, test drove an LCR this weekend, for those readers who are interested...
I was a bit underwhelmed really. Drives well, but the interior became a bit of a stickler for me. If you squint, it looks like my A3, but then when you look a bit closer, it's back to the Vauxhall et al quality in plastics. Nothing rattled when driving, but didn't feel quite as 'together' as my A3. I'll not rule em out at this stage, and may even go and look at another one, but I think the S3 is now the race leader....

 

[Randomjim]

I've always found the leon cupra r interior to be really cheap looking. Would stick with an audi all day.

 

[jojo]

OK, test drove an LCR this weekend, for those readers who are interested...
I was a bit underwhelmed really. Drives well, but the interior became a bit of a stickler for me. If you squint, it looks like my A3, but then when you look a bit closer, it's back to the Vauxhall et al quality in plastics. Nothing rattled when driving, but didn't feel quite as 'together' as my A3. I'll not rule em out at this stage, and may even go and look at another one, but I think the S3 is now the race leader....

You will always look for a quality interior after driving any modern Audi to be honest, they just do them so well, that anything else seems 2nd class!
you have to remember the price of LCR's brand new though, bargain performance hatchback that would hold it's own against an S3 with 5 doors and around 10k cheaper, you pays for what you get.

 

[Prawn]

i know im going to say this, being audi-sport, and the A3/S3 forum, but the S3 IS the better car technically. and as people have said, the interiors of the LCR just dont compare....

the LCR may be a little more 'badboy' in its image, but its only wheels really.... its still a ****** 5 door family hatch at the end of the day!

as for teh golf Anni, theres one that parks a hundred yards down from my 1.8T A3, and i LOVE IT, its a gorgeous car, and really original.

but at the end of the day, its no different to any other mk4 gti with a remap, some BBS wheels, and a 312mm brake upgrade. just a few fancy bumpers making it look a little different, and a nice looking tailpipe.... theyre gorgeous cars, but i dont see how it could be special enough to swap a 1.8T A3 for one.... as lets face it, the golf is just a cheaper version of the A3, so why buy a tarted up version of a lesser car?

id say S3 first, golf 2nd, and LCR last personally....

 

[S3tony]

i wouldnt have thought you would be looking for a x-y s3 with high miles surely you can get a average miles 51-02 for 9.5k. mines a 2002 51 plate and i would love 9.5k for mine.

 

[mattyboy199]

i wouldnt have thought you would be looking for a x-y s3 with high miles surely you can get a average miles 51-02 for 9.5k. mines a 2002 51 plate and i would love 9.5k for mine.

Your car is worth about 12k unless you have massive miles on it

 

[S3tony]

its just roled over 76k which is a tad high but nothin major. and i am think of sellin her soon doin to many miles these days and gettin a house next month.

 

[paul_brad]

I think it's gonna be about Y reg in honesty. I could get 51 reg onwards, but the miles are going to be going up and up. I know it's not a problem mechanically - i should know, my A3 has done 103k and works perfectly. It's just I'd like to have a lower mileage car for resale - more important for S3s I think.