A3 S-Line to Golf GTI?

[David McQueen]

That one is a bit tricky BH, but lets assume you are very lucky and manage a 1+23 at £250 per month for a comparable car. In which case that will be £5,750 every 2 years, so £23,000 over 8 years. Actually £800 cheaper than the used route and you have 4 new cars in 8 years, as apposed to just 2.

However, I've been looking at the PCH market long enough to know £250 on a 23+1 doesn't get you much....! It's likely to be similar to the PCP in reality, and again you don't have the advantage of maintaining the same monthly outgoing, while being able to increase the cars value each time. I've typically worked out decent motors to be about £4k per year on a average PCH deal, so thats £32k over 8 years....

Also mileage pays a more significant roll, so does early termination, but as long as you stick to 24m terms, I cant see that being an issue.

I think PCH can be a decent way of getting new cars cheap if you get the right deals, that's for sure! The inflexibility, uncertainty of what deals are around when your current one finishes, and mileage caps do put me off though....

I'm genuinely stumped about what to do if/when I get my next car....Im thinking the used route given the stupidly loan interest rates on personal loans though....still...keep my eye on the PH lease thread

You must be a nightmare for a salesman haha, wish i was as clued up as yourself!


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[S32B]

Just doing some rough calculations and it isn't as clear cut as I thought, but there is certainly some interesting aspects.

PCP car 1
1000 deposit + £300 *47monthlies = £15,100

PCP car 2
1000 deposit + £300 *47monthlies = £15,100

Total spent on two cars over 8yrs = £30,200


Used car 1
£18k to buy
£5000 upfront + £13k loan at £300 per month over 48month = £19,400
Sell for £8,000
Cost = £11,400

Used car 2
£21k (Now have £8,000 to put down as all my payments for the personal loan weren't just on interest and deprecation...)
£8000 upfront + £13k loan at £300 per month over 48month = £22,400
Sell for £10,000
Cost = £12,400

Total spent on two cars over 8yrs = £23,800

So about £1k cheaper year on year. Lets say you buy a 1 year old model, so only have to worry about MOT, breakdown and warranty for last 2years. So thats £80 for two MOTS, £80 for two breakdowns, as say £1000 for warranty repairs (being harsh I think...!). That for both cars means the £6,400 saving becomes £4k.

All of sudden not so great...! But still a saving nonetheless! Of course I could of decreased my borrowing and bought a car of equal value as my second used car, and increased those savings. I guess that would have been a more apple to apples comparison...?

However, not only do you not have to find the extra £1k every 4years, if you buy and sell sensibly your deposit will actually increase each time, allowing you to get a better/more expensive car without having to increase your monthly outgoings. So from a 'month to month' budget perspective, its cheaper as I don't have to factor in the extra £20 per month to make sure I have that £1k again.

I've just done a new car PCP, but I'm going back to used based on the above personally (or maybe lease if the right deal comes along...!).

It's an interesting debate though (one I should stop having on Muttley's GTI thread ), as there isn't as much in it as I first thought!

But what about when the car is 3.5 years old and the engine blows up and it's £8k to change it? For me I'd rather pay £1k extra each year for hassle/worry free motoring. I know what you're saying though ;

 

[DrEskimo]

But what about when the car is 3.5 years old and the engine blows up and it's £8k to change it? For me I'd rather pay £1k extra each year for hassle/worry free motoring. I know what you're saying though ;

Lol....something the salesman wants you to think

Ironically I did own a used A5 well out of warranty before the S5. Needed the entire engine stripped and rebuilt for a very common oil consumption issue. Bill was £6.5k! Guess how much I paid...? £0! Also the window regulators went and were going to cost £1200 to replace. I haggled and paid £100.

In truth, you very rarely have something going catastrophically wrong, and even when it does you can usually get Audi to help on cars barely 4/5yrs old!

 

[Bristle Hound]

That one is a bit tricky BH, but lets assume you are very lucky and manage a 1+23 at £250 per month for a comparable car. In which case that will be £5,750 every 2 years, so £23,000 over 8 years. Actually £800 cheaper than the used route and you have 4 new cars in 8 years, as apposed to just 2.

However, I've been looking at the PCH market long enough to know £250 on a 23+1 doesn't get you much....! It's likely to be similar to the PCP in reality, and again you don't have the advantage of maintaining the same monthly outgoing, while being able to increase the cars value each time. I've typically worked out decent motors to be about £4k per year on a average PCH deal, so thats £32k over 8 years....

Also mileage pays a more significant roll, so does early termination, but as long as you stick to 24m terms, I cant see that being an issue.

I think PCH can be a decent way of getting new cars cheap if you get the right deals, that's for sure! The inflexibility, uncertainty of what deals are around when your current one finishes, and mileage caps do put me off though....

I'm genuinely stumped about what to do if/when I get my next car....Im thinking the used route given the stupidly loan interest rates on personal loans though....still...keep my eye on the PH lease thread

@DrEskimo - Interesting thoughts ...

Like you say the right deal for a PCH has to come along but I can assure you, after getting emails from the main Lease 'culprits' there are numerous decent deals around. The replacement is all about timing but in my experience Leasers will allow you 30 days or more from the car being delivered to their supplying Dealer
Excess mileage is usually quite cheap & sometimes works out cheaper for a 5000 miles/year car paying excess mileage if you need to

PCH deals work for me as I like to change my car regularly & I'm sick of depreciation / negative equity TBH

Your comments make me feel quite happy about the new £31k 5 door Leon Cupra 300 5 door PCH deal I've recently signed up for
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/thread...-cupra-300-5-door-manual.340323/#post-3088727

Yeh, not a bad thread that

PS Still going for the GTI PP

 

[DrEskimo]

@DrEskimo - Interesting thoughts ...

Like you say the right deal for a PCH has to come along but I can assure you, after getting emails from the main Lease 'culprits' there are numerous decent deals around. The replacement is all about timing but in my experience Leasers will allow you 30 days or more from the car being delivered to their supplying Dealer
Excess mileage is usually quite cheap & sometimes works out cheaper for a 5000 miles/year car paying excess mileage if you need to

PCH deals work for me as I like to change my car regularly & I'm sick of depreciation / negative equity TBH

Your comments make me feel quite happy about the new £31k 5 door Leon Cupra 300 5 door PCH deal I've recently signed up for
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/thread...-cupra-300-5-door-manual.340323/#post-3088727

Yeh, not a bad thread that

PS Still going for the GTI PP

Yea mate that's a cracking good deal!

That's the thing I would look out for and could sway me to lease. Unfortunately deals on the A/S3 seem few and far between. As we know they are stingy on options so when you add the basic stuff it ends up similar to a PCP.

I think deals can be had on the Seats and Golfs though.

Quite tempted by the current Golf GTE deals, but I don't really want a Golf...! If something for the A3 1.5TFSI comes up I will probably snatch at it!

 

[deanshaw24]

Leasing is the way forward when you find those stupid cheap deals, like the golf r a few years ago at £200 a month. Last year I had a 5 door golf gtd that was only £180 a month including vat. And I know they've done scirocco rs and golf Gtis for under £200 a month also. It's as you say all about timing.

 

[Muttley75]

Wow...plenty going on here in my absence! Couple of other things to consider - PCP = brand new car, which is really nice for someone with auto OCD such as myself. Also, once a car is 4 or 5 years old I don't want it anymore so if I bought a used car I'd be looking to change it anyway. And given I don't want to ***** a shed load of savings on a car outright, paying monthly really suits me. I did look at PCH but there were not any good deals on Audi A3s at the time (that's still the case by the look of it). Plenty of deals on the Golf R mind.

Currently, I'm thinking either see through my current PCP till September 2019 and then get another (by then new model!) A3 on another PCP... or buy an 18 month old used Golf GTI for around £20k. I've read all the above and the head is saying GTI but something is still luring me towards those four rings. The power of marketing I guess! #Sucker!

 

[deanshaw24]

I've just got a quote on pcp for a golf gti and it was £290 a month (standard 245ps stronic). Also got a quote for a standard s3 saloon black edition stronic and it was £285 per month. I would be silly to get the golf unfortunately

 

[Brumbrum1]

Thinking ahead to my next car, I've always wanted a Golf GTI but when it comes round to changing the car I always end up with something else.

2010... almost bought one and got a Seat Ibiza Cupra instead. Great fun but firm ride abs cheap nasty interior.

2014... almost bought a GTI but went for a TT instead. Hated it - rubbish handling and really missed the DSG from the Seat. Although it had a nice premium badge and interior.

2015... nearly bought a GTI again but instead opted for an A3 1.4 150ps S-Line. Love the car but can't help feel it's a trifle dull to drive. Can't quite put my finger on it but I think it's probably the steering as the handling itself is fine.

Anyway, thinking of finally getting that GTI - any reasons why I shouldn't? Has anyone come to the A3 from a GTI got any views on this?

On paper it's a no brainer. It's cheaper, faster, better handling, tons more kit, great interior (if slightly less posh than the Audi) but it's 'just a Golf' albeit a decent, fast Golf.

What do you guys think? BTW I wouldn't consider an S3 as it's out of my price range and I don't want the additional running costs.

The other option is an S1 but looking back on the TT, I think I'd miss the S-Tronic too much.




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I also was tempted by a GTI and had an extended test before buying my A3.
I loved the drive but, for me, the interior was a bit too boy racer.
I would have had to spec the leather seats rather than the cloth tartan.
IMO the A3 interior is a much nicer place to be (agree there is a severe lack of cubby holes though).
Re earlier posts I did spec the variable steering and I think it does liven up the drive and the 2.0 190 has a decent pull if not quite as quick as the GTI.
Also the VW salesman sending me a email video telling me he could do me an absolute "mega deal mate" and let me have a stock car "for just £32 grand mate if you act quick mate" put me right off.

 

[Muttley75]

Sounds like I dropped the ball not ticking the progressive steering box. In fairness, I ticked many boxes... and it was going to cost many many pounds, so I had to back track and untick a few. Quite a lot... actually. Ended up with just S-Tronic, electronic lumbar, comfort pack and high beam assist (love that feature - wouldn't be without it). Retro-fit progressive steering anyone??? Is it a software change (like Dynamic vs Comfort) or mechanical?

 

[deanshaw24]

I also was tempted by a GTI and had an extended test before buying my A3.
I loved the drive but, for me, the interior was a bit too boy racer.
I would have had to spec the leather seats rather than the cloth tartan.
IMO the A3 interior is a much nicer place to be (agree there is a severe lack of cubby holes though).
Re earlier posts I did spec the variable steering and I think it does liven up the drive and the 2.0 190 has a decent pull if not quite as quick as the GTI.
Also the VW salesman sending me a email video telling me he could do me an absolute "mega deal mate" and let me have a stock car "for just £32 grand mate if you act quick mate" put me right off.

I got a quote of carwow for the gti and asked my closest dealer if he could match the discount of a dealer further away and he replied by saying he wasn't as desperate as them to sell cars. Put me right off him.