Not long until the Golf GTE & A3 e-tronics start getting returned to VW Finance and we will see how they are priced as used cars after the VW / Audi dealers get real and need to shift them on as used cars.

 

For easy in an easy in and easy out and cheap motoring from cars that can be picked up pretty cheap a Toyota Yaris Hybrid does the job 

and is quite capable of keeping up with UK traffic and overtaking slower traffic like those in Audis that do not want to be behind other cars 

and once past can not even keep up to 60 mph since they read in the brochure that their 122ps A1 had the best MPG at 56 mph.

I was hoping someone would say "don't worry, it's not that bad. Servicing is ok, etc...." but no....

I'd not set out to get an Audi. Ended up thinking about hybrids as I do lots of short journeys, so came across the A3 etron, though I don't think I'd get the money back in saved fuel.

Would slightly prefer something with higher seats to make it easier to get in and out for people with less mobility. (I think I've posted about this before)

Maybe Golf SV, BMW active tourer or an SUV.

 

I'm hoping mine is ok. The DSG is very smooth at least 95% of the time. Very occasionally I can feel a bit of a bump at very low speed. It's a late 59 plate that I've had for nearly 3 years now.

Speaking as someone who does have slightly restricted mobility, how "deep into" the car the seats are is more of a factor than how high they are. I find that my Octy 1 is easier to get in and out of than an Octy 2 because the 1's seats are nearer the roof edge.

I am the same having an artificial leg.

Out of many cars i have had a Toyota iQ was the easiest for access, lots of width for driver and passenger,

but the huge door was a PITA for parking spaces.  Disabled bays almost always necessary if you wanted to get back in the car if someone park next to you, even in their own bay.

When i wanted a replacement an Audi A1 was the nearest i could find for easy of access, and much more comfortable.

I wanted the Audi i knew that suited, not an A3, but a A1 185ps s-tronic as they became available,

with the no price option of no Sport Suspension & 16" Alloys & non metallic, basically the lowest priced A1 Twincharger available.

 

The very Audi Salesperson was all, 'You want Sporty, you want handling, you want resale value etc.

I was all, 'I am buying a keeper do you want to take the order you can have the deposit on the car i want, not crashy and i will fit the wheels and tyres i want when i want, the 16s will do till i see how it is where i drive.

Order taken, 6 months later Audi were still having New Build issues, S-Tronic and others and whikle Demonstrators were being delivered my 

No Sports Suspension and 16" alloys was not.

So i took a full refund, interest for my deposit at 8.9%,which was the same as their interest rate, they were not happy at that, i told them they would be less happy when i had a solicitor on the case,or i took goods to the value from out of the showroom,  i then went and bought a Used Skoda Fabia Twincharger for much cheapness.

(Audi UK sold or first registered less than 500 185ps A1, no wonder when Audi UK have Dealers with some of the salespeople that there are.)

Edited 18 August, 20169 yr by GoneOffSKi

Having had an A3 saloon, in sport trim, I can say it really is a nice place to be.

Things are better laid out, the sports seats are really comfortable (Lumber is electric or nothing though!)

The car is quieter and the engine is mapped differently (I'm quite confident of this having now had a few CR150 TDI)

The question is, how much is that worth, and on the A3, the answer I came to was nowhere near as much more than it would cost vs the octavia.

I was in an S3 (the 2nd gen, whatever model that is. 09 plate, IIRC) the other day (only a short lift home from a pub), and apart from the amazing sounding B&O or BOSE radio, I was surprised by how cheap the rear door cards felt. There was more plastic and less leather/fabric than I expected, and it was much more scratchy than I would imagine - more inline with my parent's Focus than my much older BMW with its soft foamy material on the doors.

 

The question is, how much is that worth, and on the A3, the answer I came to was nowhere near as much more than it would cost vs the octavia.

 

This is my biggest bugbear about the VAG group and their business model. Regardless of how good or bad any given product might or might not be, it would irk me massively as a buyer to know that a car had been designed to be profitable at £8k (or whatever it is a Fabia costs), but for the sake of some nicer plastic and a couple of extra sensors (lights/wipers etc.) you're paying more than twice the price in an A1, knowing full well that it's not costing twice as much to make.

 

With a Lexus, BMW, Merc., even if they have the some profit margins as Audi, somehow I'd feel happier knowing that I didn't pay more for the same engineering just due to a badge.(Illogical, I know)

I'm a big Skoda fan.

 

My mate at worked picked up his leased 2016 Audi A4 saloon a week before I picked up my 2016 MkIII Octavia Scout.

 

The Skoda was lovely inside, the Audi was even better.

 

Small things but they all add up. The Audi was the nicer place to sit.

 

I'd still take the Skoda though. Interior quality isn't as high up my list of priorities as some other areas.

Take pleasure at looking at your bank statement and then....... weeping at its depleted state.

Had Skoda and Audi, neither have broken the bank but in both cases the secret has been a good dealer who is willing to listen to what's needed and go the extra mile to keep your business.

Audi fit and finish is better, mechanically not much to choose between them in terms of running costs, Skoda was probably higher thanks to the more approachable nature of the Audi folks against the thoroughly intransigent nature of Skoda warranty administrators.

Overall, owning the Audi has been a great experience and thanks to the discounts around on A4s and the demise of the 4x4 VRS, one which looks set to continue.

Buy this Audi

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipbwpjW0-A4

That's an impressive sound   

But at least as you are changing your Skoda you won't have to rely on the heated rear window to keep your hands warm whilst pushing it along.

I always thought that quote was reserved for Fiat 500

I have to admit an RS6 Avant would be on my list of nice cars to own.

I have to admit an RS6 Avant would be on my list of nice cars to own.

Same here.. probably the only audi worth the money imo... in terms of practicality and sheer brute force.. never gonna have one though.. bar somebody gives a winning lotto ticket..

+1 to the above two comments.

I had a play with one recently.. he let me keep up then vanished on the mway home one day.. then let me catch up again, had a little exchange of knowing looks before his missus waved at me and they vanished again

I have to admit an RS6 Avant would be on my list of nice cars to own.

 

RS6 Performance - 605PS - why oh why did I look at them? Just spec'd one on the Audi Configurator - £119,215

 

There's a problem though - if I chose the Dynamic Package Plus @ £11,500 I can't then have a towbar. Sorry gents, it's just not practical enough!!!!

 

'king stunning though.

 

 

 

I had a play with one recently.. he let me keep up then vanished on the mway home one day.. then let me catch up again, had a little exchange of knowing looks before his missus waved at me and they vanished again

 

Same here - M42/A42 the other night, in red, I was behind a Corsa with the RS6 in front of that. The Corsa was right up his chuff behind a couple of trucks. Once they moved over, he just lit it up and it disappeared. My grin was huge!

My mate dailys an RS6 Avant. The one with the V10 twin turbo Lambo engine. It's a weapon!

Got to be some bargains at 5 years old, right???

Got to be some bargains at 5 years old, right???

....

Hi, I thought you might be interested in this advert http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/RS6/AVANT-4./200714662407723740/advert?channel=CARS on Carzone.ie

Thats what its like our side of the water..

Theres a 4.0 tfsi 560 on 161 (1st half 2016) probably demo listed for €129k also.