Changing my TDI A3, thoughts?

[HangTime]

Not sure why but 'knowing' the value of the car will depreciate (and a rough idea of how much over 4-5 years) seems to be much more of a sensible option, than a high mileage car with potential to cost a substantial amount (admittedly not as much as the cost buying newer) and be much less likely to incur expensive repairs... And be pretty much worthless when 4-5 years down the line I really have no option?

The point I was trying to get at earlier was that even if what you say is true and your current car does literally become worthless then the absolute worst case scenario is you will lose about £4k from its current value. So a worthless car will have cost you less (in depreciation, repairs and other running costs notwithstanding) than a £12k car losing say half of its value.

Whether or not that is offset by the benefits of a more modern car only you can decide, but I wouldn't necessarily view the fact your current car may become worthless as a problem if it wasn't worth an awful lot to start with

 

[Roady]

The point I was trying to get at earlier was that even if what you say is true and your current car does literally become worthless then the absolute worst case scenario is you will lose about £4k from its current value. So a worthless car will have cost you less (in depreciation, repairs and other running costs notwithstanding) than a £12k car losing say half of its value.

Whether or not that is offset by the benefits of a more modern car only you can decide, but I wouldn't necessarily view the fact your current car may become worthless as a problem if it wasn't worth an awful lot to start with

That's partly the point I was trying to make... Is it better to spend money on an older car that'll be worth less in the long run than investing more into a newer car which will be worth more in the same time frame!? But I guess that's a very personal decision as there are pro's and con's to each...

I would hope that my current A3 (with it's book value of £4000-4500) wouldn't lose too much more... It's got high(ish) miles (118k) but the engine should be good for 200k or more? I paid £11,000 for it back in 2010 so the actual depreciation is quite high on the A3 (at least up to now). £7000 depreciation in 4 years!

Then again I probably paid more than I should have for it in the first place as the guy valued my trade-in a good 1500 above anywhere else!

For the money I've been looking at, the BMW 320d looks very nice... I can't really find anything much else I like!

I've looked through VW's (the ones I consider 'ok' are the same price and engine as the A3), Volvo's (I must be getting old but the V70 is nice), BMW's (only like the 3 and 5 series, but hear they can be total stinkers), Masda's (6's, but only people I know with them have had major problems), Ford fiestas and focuses... Still can't find many I like enough to considering spending 5k or more (+ my 4k trade in) on!

 

[oweneades]

I can't think of a fun car for £12k other than an e46 M3.

Really.... none at all?

My car is starting to feel slow and I have only owned it for 2 weeks infact I am actually missing the tdi torque and finding having to change down from 6th to 4th and back up a real chore when overtaking :/

Perhaps I need a remap?

Your car is a S-tronic isn't it? Just put your foot down and let the kickdown do the rest. Any overtake that would require dropping a few gears in the 1.8 would also require the same in the TDI (especially a 140PS model).

 

[86JR]

It has a lot less torque. For example I could sit at 70mph up Holden Hill in my tdi in 6th, in my petrol version I have to do so in 4th + 5th near the top of the hill. I don't use D or S on motorways, i put it into 6th so I save the most fuel.

Sure a modified Mr2 Turbo might be as fun as a standard M3 but it is a much older car and will be inferior in many ways.

Find me a car that is capable in all things as an M3 for under £12k? Performance, comfort, etc?

 

[NathWraith]

Find me a car that is capable in all things as an M3 for under £12k? Performance, comfort, etc?

This is a pointless task and you will just rebuke everything suggested to you anyway.

If you love the M3 so much, why haven't you got one?

 

[86JR]

I can't afford to run one if I am honest, I have other priorities that would need to be sacrificed, and like I have mentioned before, where I live they are drug dealers cars. I am hoping this changes when I move house and then I am hoping to be able to afford to run an E9* M3 4 door.

 

[commited]

I would hope that my current A3 (with it's book value of £4000-4500) wouldn't lose too much more... It's got high(ish) miles (118k) but the engine should be good for 200k or more? I paid £11,000 for it back in 2010 so the actual depreciation is quite high on the A3 (at least up to now). £7000 depreciation in 4 years!

This is key - you're looking at repeating this cycle again, and spending an additional £7k over 4 years to own effectively the same car is bonkers!

 

[Roady]

This is key - you're looking at repeating this cycle again, and spending an additional £7k over 4 years to own effectively the same car is bonkers!

Yes but, the current A3 I bought with 80k on the clock and it is having problems. I'm doing much less miles now and I would be buying one with 50-60k on the clock, several years newer!

I actually like the newer shape Focus' and Fiestas so going for some test drives later to see what they're like. Before the A3 I had a '53 plate Focus TDCI Sport that I did 100k miles in 8 years in (and it didn't skip a beat)...

 

[[TW]Fox]

The cost of the problems will be lower than the depreciation of buying exactly the same car again.

 

[Roady]

This is key - you're looking at repeating this cycle again, and spending an additional £7k over 4 years to own effectively the same car is bonkers!

The cost of the problems will be lower than the depreciation of buying exactly the same car again.

And that's exactly why I posted here, I needed some rational thinkers to keep me on track!

I'm going to get mine sorted and take my time making a choice (which won't be made anytime soon) about staying diesel or going for something a little more daring!

Thanks for everyone's input!

 

[Roady]

The cost of the problems will be lower than the depreciation of buying exactly the same car again.

And that's exactly why I posted here, I needed some rational thinkers to keep me on track!

I'm going to get mine sorted and take my time making a choice (which won't be made anytime soon) about staying diesel or going for something a little more daring!

Thanks for everyone's input!

2 trips to two more garages later (and £120)... One thinks its the Intercooler (£800 + labour) and the other thinks its the turbo (£1200 + labour). My MOT was due in a few weeks and I'd just spent £180 taxing it for a year.

Had booked it into my local Audi dealers for them to check what the fault was and give me a quote... They charge £100 per hour and imagined it would take 'less than 2 hours' to diagnose.

Rough prices from Audi were £2000 if it was the Turbo and they couldn't give me a set price for the intercooler, but suspected it would be the flywheel (£1000) and not the intercooler. Of course it could be both AND the intercooler (i'm very pessimistic when it comes to cars!)

Book price for it was £3600-£4000, so rather than spending £200 plus £1000 to £2500 pounds on it (and adding nothing to the book value) I'm trading it in.

Local second hand car dealer drove it (experienced the problems after I explained them to him) and offered me £3600 on it part-ex towards a couple of the cars he had on his forecourt. I thought that was very reasonable given the book price, the problems and high-ish mileage. So I couldn't really say no...

I'm now (or will be in a couple of days) the proud owner of am '11 plate Ford Fiesta Zetec S with 32,000 on the clock (for £8400). It an ex dealers display car with loads of extras and in very good condition.

I'm only intending on keeping the Fiesta for a year or two... Until my funds and the Audi A3's I want are around the same budget! (famous last words, I kept my last Focus for 8 years and 100k miles)

Fingers crossed I've not made the wrong choice, but £2000 on an older car (and still not adding any value to it after depreciation) to me seemed like a crazy option... Maybe if it'd had less miles on the clock I might've thought differently!