Hi!

I am just looking for some buying advice on an S3. Is it worth buying an approved used? Considering they are asking for £2-3k more than other dealers for similar cars. I’m looking to buy a 15/65 plate with 40000 miles.

Thanks in advance:)

Pete

I personally would only buy approved used especially for a performance model. As main dealers often keep the best for secind hand market. 

22 hours ago, Steve Q said:

I personally would only buy approved used especially for a performance model. As main dealers often keep the best for secind hand market. 

Thanks for your advice Steve

Hello Pete,

By ‘Approved used’ , are you talking buying from an Audi main dealer? 
If so, I thought the rule of thumb was that main dealers seldom retail cars in excess of 5 years old, and your 15/65 cars would now be 6 years old. 
Of course, things might have changed, or be different in your area.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

 

Hi Gareth,

 

There are a few 15 plates available on the Audi site. My budget would stretch to a newer face lift model. However this would mean getting one with 45,000 miles on the clock in 4 years. Because I do 17-20000 a year I feel I probably need a car that is well below average. Think it may be a bad idea to end up with a 5 year old car with 90,000 on the clock?!

cheers

Hello Pete,

Interesting that Audi are retailing even a few 15 plate vehicles.

I guess these will have mileages beyond your limits -? 
I can well understand your logic of wanting a low mileage example, so apologies for the pessimistic outlook, but it does restrict the number that are likely to come along at main dealers. 

Sounds reasonable to want an ‘approved’ example, but I would be carefully checking the small print on the warranty to find the exclusions, which of course will influence whether you pay a premium or not to get what you think you may be getting. In the end, the actual extent of the warranty cover may be very much the same in real terms. 

Worth asking for a copy at your local dealer. Boring, but important reading! 

Kind regards,

Gareth.
 

Surprisingly there is a 15 plate with 35,000 miles on the clock. I have my eye on that one!
Thanks a lot for your advice Gareth. I did have concerns about the warranty and whether it’s worth it’s weight in gold! I’ll do some research on it. 
 

cheers

Thanks Pete,

In this day and age of buying cars remotely rather than in your locality, it becomes increasing important that whatever warranty comes with the car, allows work to be carried out in your locality, rather than having to return it to the seller - which of course in impractical if the car was bought some miles away. 
I’m sure you will get to grips with finding ‘leaks’ in any warranty. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

More great advice, thank you. Didn’t even think of that! 👍😁