[Audi A3/S3] Rough value please - A3 3.2

[BeakerBuddy]

Been trying to get an idea of it's current value as will get offered a p/ex deal on Saturday. I'm thinking that private sale it's probably £21K... but I'm really not sure and I'd appreciate your opinions?

Spec is a May 2004, 04 plate A3 3.2 S-line in Lava Grey with DSG, cruise, single CD concert stereo. I'll throw in the freezer bag clip on the exhaust diaphragm for free.

It's done 15,000 miles and the bodywork/interior is immaculate, the only problem I have is scuffing on the wheels although I think he's forgiven me for that as he says it's obviously been very well cared for.

The guy is from Maranello's in St Albans if anyone knows them

Cheers People

[andyo]

I've just bought a dealer supplied ex-demonstrator for 6k off list, 3mths old, 3k mls, 54reg. I'd say if your selling privately aim for 19k, otherwise you will be paying money to advertise and loosing £350 a month in depreciation.

[BeakerBuddy]

It's always painful news! As it was an ex-dem I guess it would have been well equipped but did you get DSG and S-line pack though?

[Simonl]

What you getting Breaker, why the sale?

[BeakerBuddy]

Testing a 53 plate S4 Avant and a 51 plate M3 tomorrow but if it's only worth £19K I may not be getting anything!

Had an alarming incident this morning, approaching a small roundabout in manual mode and was slowing having been in 5th. Noticed that there was a gap and if I didn't stop I could get out in front of the oncoming car just approaching the roundabout. Blipped the paddles down to 3rd as I crossed white lines but kept my foot in mid pedal as I didn't want to fly. Nothing, nada...the car didn't respond in time and I ended up coasting out in front of the oncoming car with my hand up apologising to the now very close driver! The car eventually engaged 3rd and I continued on my way...somewhat relieved and perplexed at what had just happened.

It's things like that that are spoiling my fun with the DSG

[Simonl]

So i presume you are going for a manual.

I get the feeling that the S4's aren't as much fun as they should be.

I've noticed a couple of people trading down to hatches like the 3.2 and GTI. Just not sure about a V8, it's such a beast to run.

Love to know what you think of the M3 though, good choice

[dgl]

[ QUOTE ]

Testing a 53 plate S4 Avant

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I may have seen the S4 Avant you are talking about this morning. I live in Egham and noticed that Maranello's in Egham have a red S4 Avant for sale. Is this the one? Nice car, sure made me twist my neck as I drove past!

Incidentally, I used to have an Alfa with Selespeed (not the same league as the DSG, I'm sure) and those sort of incidents are exactly what put me off those gearboxes for life!

[BeakerBuddy]

Not unless they've moved it as it was in their St Albans branch. The website seems to link the stock from the branches so it's not easy to see where a car is although the S4 isn't currently listed, they've only had it a couple of weeks.

[dgl]

Well they definately have a red one in Egham. I think it was up for about £31K?

[BeakerBuddy]

Interesting as the one in St Albans is a 53 plate for £33K. Think it has 17K miles but not sure about the spec other than it had Bose. Thanks for the info, I'll ask tomorrow.

[gizze]

Have a look on the audi website? I posted a link to a B7 54 plate S4 avant on the A4 forum the otherday at Dulwich Audi for £29,995 with just under 5,000 miles on it.

[rjgreen4]

I sold my 04 plate A3 4 weeks ago and was a 3.2 S Line lava grey with DSG, cruise conrol, sunroof, electric folding mirrors, arm rest, votex body kit, bose, xenons, symphony,

and it had done 22k miles

got £21.5k as a part ex for an A4 2.0T FSI Quattro S Line, got 9% off the new car.

Was going to get an S4 but needed the car immediately and the company would need a bit of pursuasion for the fuel costs due to the excessive miles I do

[dgl]

So, how did you get on with the test drives?

Was it the red S4 Avant?

[nicks3]

beakerbuddy is this the first time this has happened. Have there been any other bad 'experiences' with the dsg. I ask as I am thinking of ordering one and don't want to do this if I am going to experience problems.

[BeakerBuddy]

The S4...well to quote my g/f, upon getting out she just said wow...I had to agree.

I think it had been washed but inside was grubby and I asked had been out recently and sure enough it was down at Egham being shown the previous day, so thanks for the tip off. They clearly didn't think that I was a worthy enough customer to warrant cleaning it though so it hadn't been made it look it's best.

The interior didn't look as fresh inside as mine but it did feel sportier with the leather seats having much more supportive yet comfier bolsters than the A3. I'm not up on specs of cars so I am not sure if it's all been revamped in the new model but I did like the silver touches around the dash but missed the new style a/c controls of the A3, the colour DIS was a bonus but wasn't so keen on the buttons under the dials. All in all though it looked very familiar. The car hadn't been valeted but it still felt very special, but maybe not as 'new' as I would have expected for something with comparative mileage, cleaned up it probably would have been more appealing. Just sitting in it the seats, the driving position and looking at the silver wing mirrors you are aware that you were in something special but thay may have just been the big kid in me knowing what I was sitting in. That however is the feeling that I was looking for and had lost a little with the 3.2 since the model changes and the fact that everyone and his dog seems to have a new A3.

When you start the engine the burble is there, in your face...and the grin widens a little!!

The S4 felt more alive than my 3.2, moreso than I had imagined it would as the 3.2 is not exactly slow and neither are turbo'd, on paper it is less than a second faster to 60. The perkiness may have had more to do with it being manual vs DSG as well though as the 3.2 in Sport mode the 3.2 is perfectly capable. There was definitely an audible involvement though that I haven't had before, so much so that I didn't pay any attention at all to the Bose. The manual was easy to handle in the low gears which I was worried about and there was certainly a sense of urgency when the revs were high that told you that it was ready to go. The 3.2 has a slightly higher pitch that makes it umcomfortable to hang at high revs too long. Given time to adjust from the DSG the gear changes are swift enough for my humble abilities.

Just because of the sheer size and weight it seemed to be very well planted on the road and it soaked up the bumps and lumps as easily as mine and maybe little better? Maybe that was just because it was a test and I was more focussed on the performance. Even with the increase in size it felt no less nimble on it's toes. Brakes were certainly good enough for my needs but then again I don't push cars to their limits. I pressed the brakes and it stopped...that's about as much as I can say. If I had applied them with force I am sure that the blurred tree-line would have rapidly become focussed and I could have repositioned my kidneys but I felt it unnecessary given the circumstances.

Sadly the M3's they had there had been sold so I couldn't do a comparison but I was more than happy with the S4 and decided that I am not going to bother with the test in an M3 for a few of reasons. My perception of BMW drivers, less practical so would need to change cars sooner, more common where I live and maybe wrong but my feeling that it would attract more attention?

I'm not a 'reviewer' and from a just a regular Joe's point of view the car was everything I had been looking for but just a little thirsty. However I figure that life's too short, and whilst the S4 does however offer the potential to limit it further, I've decided that I am definitely going to get one...but not this one. They offered £18K p/ex for mine and wanted £33K for the S4 so I don't think that particular car is for me. At the time I said I would want £1K more for mine and £1K off theirs and they promised a deal could be done but having read the posts above and had time to think about it I think I will look around. I'm in no hurry to change and I need to research the specs more and consider the facelifted version.

I'm sticking with the 4 rings badge but I'm hoping to have a bigger lump to hang it on soon.

[Simonl]

Great review. Maybe you should take out a manual 3.2

I know on paper the DSG is quicker, but i guarantee the manual will feel more involving and nimble. S4 is a great great car though... but with the new S imminent, there will be more around so the cost to change will get smaller.

I once tested a 328ci auto and manual back to back, it was two TOTALLY different driving experiences IMO.

[andyo]

BeakerBuddy

To answer your question from earlier, mine isn't S-line or DSG but with the extra mileage and age I think a private sale should be about that price.

I drove the DSG and the manual and went for the manual because I thought that the DSG had flaws. Its interesting that all the reviews and Audi Salespeople think its fantastic & after only 30minutes I found a hesitation with the car. I had approached a T junction & decided I could get out before the approaching car so let the car run on with the brakes, dropped down the gears to first and then sat in the middle of the road waiting for the car to engage gear. After that I had decided this was not a safe car with the way I like to drive. I took a bit of a risk going for the manual as the demo had a tendancy to bog down at low revs, stalling frequently or with over reving setting off like you were in a real hurry. I reckoned that this was because the dealer had a tank of nornal unleaded in it instead of the recommended Super. I have just used my first tank of optimax and it seems to be running alot better. I had a worry that it was the electronic accelerator that was the problem which would mean I'd be changing a bit sooner than planned.

I also tempted for the S4 but they are holding their value with even the higher mileage ones around the 30k mark. Maybe in a couple of years time. Ask Synters for a list of used stock in the uk, prices differ upto 5k for similar cars from individual dealers in the group.