Which car after S3?

[Tay]

Right Audi Sport, I'm looking for as many opinions on which car I should replace my Pre facelift Stage 1 S3 3 door with...

The time has come and I have realised that a 3 door car with an almost two year old is slowly breaking my back, and with number two due early next year a new car will be needed.

The mrs is getting a 5 door Mk7 golf soon, so deep down I'm hoping that'll be big enough but I have a feeling that an A4 avant sized car would be ideal for me.

Getting to the point, I will have around a £20k budget (could push more for the right car) and fuel cost isn't that big of an issue with only having a short drive to work.

So far the options I've considered:

1. Facelift S3 Sportback - only problem is that the boot is no bigger than I currently have so not 100% convinced.

2. A4 Avant 2.0Tfsi - Spacious in comparison but can be a little pricey for what they are.

3. B8 S4 Avant - Really liking this option but they don't seem to hold any value whatsoever! Plus real work MPG is nowhere near quoted figures.

4. B7 RS4 - liked the idea but pretty much ruled it out on insurance being significantly more than I'm happy to pay.

5. RS3 - Over budget but love this car, any predictions on how much I could get one for next summer if I waited and saved a bigger deposit?

Any other options? I've already tried to force the estate car on the mrs but the only one she will have is an Insignia :/ I told her if she buys one of them not to come home

 

[Lewis583]

Out of that list there are only two I would consider. The B8 S4 or the B7 RS4. The S3 and RS3 I wouldn't have because it wouldn't really feel like having a new car. Just one with less miles/is faster. I know some people think different but that's my opinion.

Has it got to be VAG? I quite fancy a E92 BMW 335i Manual for my next car *runs for the hills*

 

[Tay]

That was the exact two I had it whittled down to at one point, then other ideas started floating around in my head. The S4 costs slightly more but doesn't seem to hold its value, whereas the RS4 is thirsty, higher mileage, holds value well, awesome sound but high running/repair costs especially if any of the known faults were to arise.

Doesn't necessarily have to be VAG, and I'm with you about the new 330i Estate but the rear wheel drive puts me off in bad whether knowing its useless if it snows just like my dads 320i was :/
Looked at A45 AMG's but they are definitely too small!

 

[NKenny]

Have you looked into QS5? Figures are impressive but may not have the sporty feel of S3 being an oil burning Chelsea tractor. My sister has Q5 and fits all bits and bobs required for 2 kids with space to spare. Not sure on price at present but will be less than RS3, should hold value quite well too.

I'd rule out S3/RS3, I have S3 Sportback with one 15 month boy and another on the way, no way the boot would be big enough for two. No change coming here though the wife has Mazda 6 for shepherding around the flock.

 

[Granta]

S4 avant

 

[kimhemm]

What about a Golf VI R in 5 dors ?

I was pretty surprised by the space in those when a friend bought one. DSG and 4motion makes them fast as well

 

[Tay]

Golf R isn't a bad idea, may have a look at one and do the pram test. Those boots are definitely bigger than an S3.

Kenny, you've got a good point I think the S3 boot is definitely too small. Hopefully the mrs Golf will be big enough which I think it will unless we plan a holiday abroad driving at which point ill consider an S4 avant, even though I'm skeptical with the depreciation.

 

[sliced]

Alot of people move from s3 to 335i,
Tbh looks like your after a 4/5 door, so yes s3 sportback potentially, would be a bit of an upgrade too!


Another option is to keep your s3 and get a 2.0 TDi avant A4 slightly older, for your family trips?

 

[JamesS4cab]

5 door m3.......

 

[DAYTONA 500]

B8 S4 Avant is an excellent car i had a saloon for 2.5 years previous to my RS3,its a fast Q car and for little money can be made even faster with a trip to MRC.The must have options are drive select,damper control ,sports diff,b&o,supersports seats ,19" wheels.In the price bracket you are looking at depreciation will have slowed down as the car will have lost its biggest chunk in the first three years.

 

[solaris]

How about the A4 B8 3.0 TDI Avant? bound to hold its value

 

[MrLapou]

Golf R is awesome... I'm still hunting for a decent speced one. They seem to sell at a premium.
RQ5 perhaps?

 

[essIII]

5dr M135i (budget will need another 5k though)

 

[jerrygttdi]

I have just bought a b8 S4 avant, sprint blue, supersport seat's, black optics etc. Like you I also came from an A3 3 door. Which was just a bit cramped for a 10&14 year old and all our baggage going on holidays. I managed to get it for below £19k as it had around 75k miles. But with full audi service history and to be quite honest, you would be hard pressed to find any sign of the milage anywhere on the car. It really is a great engine, so flexible, ok so it may not have the sound of the V8 but it has so much more torque in the lower end of the rev range. It also sounds pretty good once you get the revs up a bit too. I have just driven ours from the Highlands of Scotland down to the motogp at Silverstone and back up. The back seats are that comfortable, that there was not one complaint from the kids once, also Sitting at 85 on the motorway and using the power to overtake when needed it was returning 28.5 mpg. Running around locally on country back roads it's about 24, and even driving it hard over some of the best b roads in the country you will struggle to drop it below 21mpg. I honestly can't prase it high enough as an all round performance car. I think next year's holiday will need to be a return to the nurburgring only this time with a bit more power than the 2.0 tdi quattro.

 

[NobberUK]

Take my advice, don't do the B7 RS4 route. I had one before I had my S3 and a properly tuned S3 is much more entertaining and quicker. Don't get me wrong the RS4 is a great car, but I found it boring, heavy and not quick enough. It did make a nice noise though but wasn't loud enough out of the box, so then the modding begins and that's a slippery slope!!!

Alot of people move from s3 to 335i

This is exactly what I did, bought a 335i Touring! Had it 3 weeks now and love the thing!! So much fun and now with the right wheels, a little drop and a proper re-map, it's pretty damn quick for a bus!!

 

[madvw]

You're mad - 2 years of using a carseat in a 3 door? I'm in the same boat though, s3 sportback, way too small, only just big enough for a single maclaren buggy in the boot sideways and with another on the way, there's no way it will take an additional buggy base and the pram + all the other crap too. The only way the sportback coped was because the rear seat could be used and now that's taken up. I've looked at A/S4's and I'm not entirely convinced they'll take the kitchen sink comfortably. Possibly with a roof box, but I hate those. no recommendations or consideration for a C6 or C7 A6 instead? I'd love a bi-tdi C7 Avant.

 

[Mikemc]

A4 B8 dynamik?

 

[Tay]

A4 B8 dynamik?

For the price they are, I'd rather buy an S4 Avant tbh or a normal S Line A4 B8.

Not really keen on the A6's before the facelift, but there such a big car to still have good performance may become costly (and I do not need or want a diesel).

Seems like S4 Avant is rated very highly, need to go and have a better look at one for the boot size etc. I think I'm pretty much going to be ruling out the S3 Sportback unless the mrs' Golf proves to be the suitable family ferry.

I have spent a bit of time looking at options like the 335i Touring, but they are quite rare and the shape I like are still over budget. If BMW did an M3 Touring I think it would become S4 vs M3.

Have I missed any other options?

 

[Yolo_8p3]

Get a audi a4 b8 3.0tdi

 

[sliced]

M5 touring?

 

[Mikemc]

The boot size of the avant Is no bigger than the saloon other than the extra height that can help

 

[Lima]

3 Series estate? The 335i being the obvious choice there, but no idea what UK resales are like.

Otherwise an S4 Avant, or even the 2.0 TFSI Avant quattro which you could fiddle with a little to make it quite a capable little sleeper.

From what I can tell you guys get pretty hammered on resale prices over there, but then you purchase prices are generally a bit lower than we're paying in Australia.

 

[MartayMcFly]

Easy. RS4!

:end_of_discction:

 

[essIII]

M5 touring?

This. Here's one on PH - it's in budget too! Used BMW 5 SERIES (E60/E61) M5 TOURING ... for sale - PistonHeads (Ref 1634152)

Running costs might be a trifle expensive.

 

[Boydie]

I want a 3.0TSI S5 Coupe next - absolutely nothing else is ticking the boxes for me at the minute compared to my revo 2+ S3!

 

[Tay]

Test drove a 62 S4 Avant Black Edition today and it was superb! The smooth power delivery was excellent, but I'd like to see what ADS is like.

Shame about the stupid price though, and the silly finance rates Audi have for used cars. I don't want a new one but it would probably be cheaper!

 

[Kaibo]

Wild card, Vauxhall VXR8 4 door

 

[TDI140]

A4 3.0tdi manual then add milltek and remap !