15 plate vs 65 plate

[Chiefbadger]

Hi all,

Just had confirmation from my dealer that my new S4 is due to be with them in the next few days. I wasn't planning on collecting until Sep to get a 65 plate, but I'm not that fussed and was looking at a private plate potentially too, so my question is. . .

If I volunteer to take the car on a 15 plate, should I push for a further discount (e.g slight bump up to my trade in?) and what difference would a 15 vs 65 plate have when it comes to trading it in a few years down the line?!

Basically I'm feeling very impatient, but don't want to shoot myself in the foot financially!

 

[Bristle Hound]

Hi all,

Just had confirmation from my dealer that my new S4 is due to be with them in the next few days. I wasn't planning on collecting until Sep to get a 65 plate, but I'm not that fussed and was looking at a private plate potentially too, so my question is. . .

If I volunteer to take the car on a 15 plate, should I push for a further discount (e.g slight bump up to my trade in?) and what difference would a 15 vs 65 plate have when it comes to trading it in a few years down the line?!

Basically I'm feeling very impatient, but don't want to shoot myself in the foot financially!

'They' say that a plate change this close is worth £500. So if you take it now it will be worth £500 less than if you collected it on 1st September
So if your going to start negotiations with the Dealer about taking the car early bear those figures in mind
If it was me this close? I would wait for the new plate TBH
By the time the car arrives at the Dealer and they do all the PDi stuff, its gonna be another week. So in effect you'll only be waiting 2 weeks for it

 

[Phill_]

I'd wait too... probably, maybe - but its gonna be painful knowing its there!

 

[Chiefbadger]

The big dilemma is that I have a trip to France last week of August that would provide the running in duties very nicely! The sensible side of me is saying, yeah, but you've got a diesel a6 at the moment and it's a 1000 mile round trip full of luggage.

Aargh!

 

[jdp1962]

In that case, the two week wait is really only one week, because the second one will be preoccupied with the trip. Grit your teeth and hold on.

 

[GeoffDunk]

I couldn't wait for mine, I ordered and picked it up on 14th of Feb 2015, it became a valentines present form the wife as she's the financial orchestrator. I could have waited 2 weeks but I wanted it so badly so ended up with a 64 plate rather than a 15 plate. I don't care!!!! lol

 

[allanmb]

By the time the car arrives at the Dealer and they do all the PDi stuff, its gonna be another week. So in effect you'll only be waiting 2 weeks for it

Really? Is this something new? Because my car arrived at the dealer at around 9am and I drove out of the dealers on the same day at 14:30.

 

[GeoffDunk]

Really? Is this something new? Because my car arrived at the dealer at around 9am and I drove out of the dealers on the same day at 14:30.

Are you absolutely sure about that, mine took nearly a working week (4 days) and there is quite a bit to do to a new vehicle when it arrives. Some guys don't have the paintwork peppered but it certainly takes longer than half a day to PDI and process a vehicle.

 

[allanmb]

Are you absolutely sure about that, mine took nearly a working week (4 days) and there is quite a bit to do to a new vehicle when it arrives. Some guys don't have the paintwork peppered but it certainly takes longer than half a day to PDI and process a vehicle.

That is what my dealer told me anyway. I have no reason to suspect they were telling me porkies either.

The car did have a small clunking noise when I got it which turned out to be a plastic bush had been left on one of the suspension units so maybe they rushed the PDI ;-)

 

[Dippy]

The big dilemma is that I have a trip to France last week of August that would provide the running in duties very nicely!

Just my opinion (I shall elaborate on request), but if you would do a lot of motorway miles (when the engine is at constant revs) this is not necessarily a good way to run in a new engine.

I'd agree with the others - the majority of people in the UK are still focussed on the plate numbers enough that waiting for the September change could make a significant difference to resale value.

The matter of PDI is a question of attention. For sure the dealer can rush it through in a day, but do you really want it rushed? Best give them time to do a proper job and allow a few days.

 

[Scottyg]

Just don't get them to wash it or touch the paint in any way. I'd just go and collect it. Plate doesn't bother me.
Just think of all the fun you could have giving it a blast down to France and back. Just factor in more fuel money, and stops.

 

[scotty76]

Just don't get them to wash it or touch the paint in any way. I'd just go and collect it. Plate doesn't bother me.
Just think of all the fun you could have giving it a blast down to France and back. Just factor in more fuel money, and stops.

Lots of fill ups. 280 to a tank is about the best I've ever managed.

 

[Chiefbadger]

Just my opinion (I shall elaborate on request), but if you would do a lot of motorway miles (when the engine is at constant revs) this is not necessarily a good way to run in a new engine.

I'd agree with the others - the majority of people in the UK are still focussed on the plate numbers enough that waiting for the September change could make a significant difference to resale value.

The matter of PDI is a question of attention. For sure the dealer can rush it through in a day, but do you really want it rushed? Best give them time to do a proper job and allow a few days.

I've heard this from other people in the past, but there seems to be so many differing views about running in now, that I've kind of given up trying to work out what's actually good for the car! My view is that as long as it's properly warmed up and not thrashed to an inch of its life, it will probably be fine!

The fact that my A6 has a 75litre tank and will do 50mpg fully loaded vs (55l?) and 25mpg at a guess in the S4 is also worth thinking about I guess.

The drive would definitely be a lot more fun in the S4 though!!

I guess I'll see what the dealer has to say next week. . . .

 

[scotty76]

No, wait. Lying. Found a 295 on the spredsheet.
My S4 thread

Back on topic, I'd wait for the 65 plate.

 

[Chiefbadger]

No, wait. Lying. Found a 295 on the spredsheet.
My S4 thread

Back on topic, I'd wait for the 65 plate.

Blimey! I regularly get 550+ in fairly mixed driving from the A6. Going to be a bit of a shock!!

Makes waiting for the 65 plate a bit more attractive!

 

[scotty76]

I've heard this from other people in the past, but there seems to be so many differing views about running in now, that I've kind of given up trying to work out what's actually good for the car! My view is that as long as it's properly warmed up and not thrashed to an inch of its life, it will probably be fine!

The fact that my A6 has a 75litre tank and will do 50mpg fully loaded vs (55l?) and 25mpg at a guess in the S4 is also worth thinking about I guess.

The drive would definitely be a lot more fun in the S4 though!!

I guess I'll see what the dealer has to say next week. . . .

Prior to this car I've been buying 3 year old cars. Obviously in this situation I had no control over what the running in was and it's never worried me. Never had anything break that was attributed to running in.

 

[scotty76]

Blimey! I regularly get 550+ in fairly mixed driving from the A6. Going to be a bit of a shock!!

Makes waiting for the 65 plate a bit more attractive!

If you don't have one, now is the time to get a fuel loyalty card. I don't mind the fuel consumption at all. Press the pedal, smile broadly.

 

[Chiefbadger]

If you don't have one, now is the time to get a fuel loyalty card. I don't mind the fuel consumption at all. Press the pedal, smile broadly.

I never wanted a diesel, so can't wait to be back in a decent petrol! If I can average low/mid 20's I'll be happy as a pig in s#it.

I had a TVR Chimaera a few years back which used to struggle to do more than 150miles to a tank. Mainly to do with the noises it used to make popping and banging when you left it in second gear though!

 

[Chiefbadger]

Damn I miss the noise it made. I don't think the neighbours do. . .

 

[Scottyg]

If that's the mpg and tank size it's looking more favourable to wait till 1st September.

 

[jdp1962]

I'm not sure I'd be wanting to acclimatise myself with a new car at the same time as coping with the rigours driving on the wrong side of the road. One or t'other, but not both together.

 

[Dippy]

Excessive oil consumption can sometimes be attributed to the piston rings not seating properly which can be due to 'babying' an engine during running in (or simply having a 2.0 TFSI).

I might get 300 miles out of my current tank but that's due to some efficient journeys recently.

 

[Chiefbadger]

Aaaargh. The Audi tracker is telling me it's at the dealers. I am terrible at waiting!!!