How much for "good" S3?

[dancuz]

Hi all,

Firstly I would like to say hello. I have been watching the forum for a few weeks now gathering information for the purchase of an S3 SL very shortly. Lots of really helpful info so I thank you all in advance.

This is where I am up to: After studying known problems, buyers guide etc, I'm after a facelift S3 which is relatively unmodified. I don't mind a remap (if from reputable company that alter fuelling!) and looking for something around the 100k miles mark or below. I know these engines go on for ever if well maintained so the most important thing for me is a good service history.

Looking on autotrader, forums and ebay the facelift cars around that mileage tend to start at around £4200 ish up to well over £6.5k. My main question is whether a decent example can be bought for the £4500 mark or whether you really do get what you pay for. I'm going to be keeping the car for a while and want something as reliable as possible, and willing to pay for that if it really makes a big difference. Can you guys and gals shed some light on this for me?

Cheers,

Dan

 

[jojo]

Buyers market, they are worth as much as you're willing to pay for it. There are a few dogs out there asking for silly money also, so go and look at a few and buy on condition.

 

[beanoir]

If it helps I got mine for £4,500 (paid what the guy was asking). 2001 '51 facelift model, 68k miles, FSH with all supporting paperwork, invoices and MOTs, no previous owners (the guy had the car from new), it was immaculate and very well looked after. It was due a cam belt and water pump but that was mentioned in the advert.

I think I got it cheap, i'd expect to pay £5,500 for the car to be honest, but some people have no idea the value of a car and he put it up for what Audi told him it was worth.

 

[Jimgrim77]

You'll learn a lot from the seller and what receipts he has for the maintenance work. Most have been modified in some way now.

I paid £4999 about 3 years ago for a 98k miles and unmodified. It was very unloved. Spent about the same on it since but thats another story.

 

[voorhees]

I have to ask why an unmodified one ?

 

[superkarl]

It's hard to advise because you might find a great example at the lower price range, and a dog at the higher. Which is what I experienced when buying. I thought I'd got a right gem when i was going to see a 2001 s3 with 1 owner a fash, i was so so wrong! And settled for a cheaper one with 3 owners and more miles that was twice the car.

Is upload som adverts in here then maybe we can tell you what we think of the cars/adverts.

 

[Jimgrim77]

It's hard to advise because you might find a great example at the lower price range, and a dog at the higher. Which is what I experienced when buying. I thought I'd got a right gem when i was going to see a 2001 s3 with 1 owner a fash, i was so so wrong! And settled for a cheaper one with 3 owners and more miles that was twice the car.

Is upload som adverts in here then maybe we can tell you what we think of the cars/adverts.

Agreed. Some sellers might be known on here.

 

[Benjiman46]

I payed £4000 for mine about 2 months ago... It's a little tired and had 89000 miles on the clock but it runs and is totally standard wont be for long though B)

 

[MURRAYS444]

If I was to buy another one it would have to be modified! e.g remap and coilovers!

 

[superkarl]

If I was to buy another one it would have to be modified! e.g remap and coilovers!

yep, i was one of those 'i want an 'unmolestered' example'. but knowing what i know now, id rather buy a slightly modded car, and especially off a forum member of some sort. after all, we love our cars

 

[voorhees]

yep, i was one of those 'i want an 'unmolestered' example'. but knowing what i know now, id rather buy a slightly modded car, and especially off a forum member of some sort. after all, we love our cars

I think people assume an unmodified one means it hasn't been driven,I believe it's the opposite in most cases IMHO

 

[superkarl]

I think people assume an unmodified one means it hasn't been driven,I believe it's the opposite in most cases IMHO

yep, and with a modified one i think it shows some care has been taken in keeping the car kept well and tuned well. obviously there are exceptions. but its clear on this forum at least that theres ALOT of people that put alot of work and money into getting their car just right.

i also think its silly for people to expect these cars not to have been driven hard, they are a sports car afterall.

i wish i had these same views when i was buying lol, oh well.

 

[dancuz]

Thanks all for your input. On your advice I'm going to go and see one this weekend. Has an RSD remap and Badger5 V2 tip......

 

[sportstractor]

4K for a facelift more for a later bam maybe

 

[s3dave]

Try and look at as many examples as you can, as said you wont go far wrong getting one from an enthusiast, have you looked at the classifieds on here? plus the added benefit at looking at there posts to back up whats been done....

 

[ShaunS3]

I paid £4500 for my 2002 facelift BAM S3. FSH, 114,000 miles, stage 1 custom code remap, forge diverted valve, parrot Bluetooth kit. Car is in great condition but does have a couple of scratches. But it is 10 years old. Drives very nice.

 

[vfr800]

I got my Facelift AMK with 93k on the clock for £3800 about three weeks ago from a private seller who had owned it for 7 years.

I was looking for an "un molested" specimen, I wish I'd had bought from someone who looked after their car properly and took an interest in it/modified it.

I knocked him down from £4600 because of obvious things that needed doing: front bushes, rocker cover & tensioner gasket, tyres worn, knackered rear wiper motor.

Advertised with Full Audi Service History. When I looked through the paper work he showed me a few receipts for a couple of things not done at Audi.

So now the list of problems that weren't mentioned: rear ARB and mounts, trailing arm bushes, engine dogbone mount ( bolt snapped by the muppets he got to change the clutch ), thermostat, wrong bulbs jammed into the indicators, auto dimming mirror not working, various vacuum hoses split, DV fubar, wrong coolant, both front fans inoperable, electrics not connected in passenger door card, clutch switch broken, front strut top mounts, dip stick & guide, various nuts and bolts missing, cam belt cover smashed, wheel bearing.

I wasn't expecting it to be perfect with 93k miles, but I knew I was taking the risk buying privately.

I will probably have spent in the region of £2k fixing everything so that I'm happy. But the £150 spent on the DV and vacuum hoses, coolant, and thermostat have transformed the engine, it was hesitant, erratic, horrible (made regret selling my A3 1.8T AGU), now it's lovely, solid, consistent and responsive. Exactly what I was expecting.

I'd recommend taking a laptop and VCDS with you to check the fault codes on the cars you look at.

Liam

 

[ads1377]

Ive had my 2001 S3 with 100k for a couple of weeks.

Paid £4300 for it, the seller worked for VW and was an enthusiast, the car is immaculate and wants for nothing, not a single mark on the bodywork or interior.

Ive replaced the thermostat and done the haldex service since owning.

The specialist looked over it today and commented that it wanted for nothing and had lots of money spent recently.

Tons of paperwork and fsh with all Audi parts.

Its had a remap, eibach springs and high performance disks with brembo pads.

So, for 4K there are lots of dogs, but if you persist there are some gems too

 

[finesse]

Bargains to be had, look around

 

[krisrg87]

Also dont be put of by milage. Mine has 170k and is lovely to drive. Not had one problem in my year of ownership, obviously with a full service history. My tip would be to question the seller on the haldex, if they know what that is and its been serviced at the correct times then i reckon you have a well looked after car. Even some garages are oblivious to it and it never gets serviced.

Good luck with your buy, you wont regret it!

 

[Mike B]

My son bought an 02 last summer for £4200 with 100k .Its nice to have extras eg heated seats sunroof Bose 6cd in dash but we looked at loads which had rust in the roof rails some just bubbling but many worse.Had to go a long way to find one with these extras and rust free

 

[Vwdan80]

I bought my 02 bam s3 for 5k a few months ago with 60k on the clock and full history, totally standard and all I could find wrong was a ball joint! There are plenty of bargains put there just need to be patient when looking

 

[Customboy]

Dont rush or let ur heart rule ur head and make sure u do a proper hpi check and u will find a good bargin but be prepared to travel for a great car

 

[BuckleyTDI]

friends for sale let me know if interested