Buying an S3 in early 2016 - pro's & cons

[jimgreen83]

My first post in this forum, as I said in my new member post, I am a long time lurker and this forum has been my main point of call. I am hoping to keep my GT86 as my daily and buy ideally an S3 as a family car. I test drove one last January and it is a very different beast to my GT86 but one that fits a very different need.

Time wise, we will probably need this car around April/May time. Having been on drivethedeal/orange wheels/carwow, I am getting offered standard specd for £4.5k off or £5.3k for my spec (which is fairly loaded and seems to be a common trap). Options I would like:

- mono pur (most important option first)
- magnetic ride
- titanium 10 spokes
- comfort pckg with front&rear parking plus
- folding/adjustable/heated door mirrors
- rear side airbags
- tech pack (I want the larger screen)
- B&O
- LED lights
- advanced key
- reversing camera
- through load
- interior light package
- hill hold

The last new car I ordered was the GT86 (62 plate) and the two choices were leather/alcantara or cloth seats and did I want nav! Slightly larger options list!

So my dilemma is whether to order now or not? Reasons for are:
- I hate the new screen in the A4 and worry that this may be my last chance to get one with a retracting screen (carplay doesn't outweigh it given I use tom tom on my phone for sat nav)
- significant discount at the moment (albeit not miles higher than last year) which may disappear on facelift
- order times don't seem to be crazy and may jump up with the facelift
- facelift may only really be visual changes

Reasons not to:
- facelift will wipe some residual away
- facelift may have LED's already
- model could be out of date a month or two after I have bought it

What are peoples thoughts about buying now? (if you made it this far, sorry for the huge first post!)

 

[musicegbdf]

May I be first to say hi , and nice spec.
Colour ?
Difficult one , as the discounts also drop on a facelift. So in a way hoew long will you keep it ? If for say five years or more I would go for the discount now . I would also go for the five year warranty.
If you are only planning to keep a short time , less than three years , the calculation gets more complicated.
Honestly I would go for best deal you can get now and pull the trigger.
I also have an impression the discounts are also partly linked to the Euro exchange rate and that could change as we near negotiations with the EU.
So put those thoughts aside and just go for it.
I won't ask if manual or Stronic as that could start a whole new debate

 

[Daveotto]

I also have an impression the discounts are also partly linked to the Euro exchange rate and that could change as we near negotiations with the EU.

My understanding was that discounts in 2015 were high (10-12%) as the Audi AG to Audi UK £ to Eur exchange rate is set and fixed at the start of the year and was before the £ rose significantly against the euro so dealers found themselves able to offer large discounts without affecting there bottom line.

Could be a different story this year as the £ already dropping against the Euro

 

[Simon L]

My first post in this forum, as I said in my new member post, I am a long time lurker and this forum has been my main point of call. I am hoping to keep my GT86 as my daily and buy ideally an S3 as a family car. I test drove one last January and it is a very different beast to my GT86 but one that fits a very different need.

Time wise, we will probably need this car around April/May time. Having been on drivethedeal/orange wheels/carwow, I am getting offered standard specd for £4.5k off or £5.3k for my spec (which is fairly loaded and seems to be a common trap). Options I would like:

- mono pur (most important option first)
- magnetic ride
- titanium 10 spokes
- comfort pckg with front&rear parking plus
- folding/adjustable/heated door mirrors
- rear side airbags
- tech pack (I want the larger screen)
- B&O
- LED lights
- advanced key
- reversing camera
- through load
- interior light package
- hill hold

The last new car I ordered was the GT86 (62 plate) and the two choices were leather/alcantara or cloth seats and did I want nav! Slightly larger options list!

So my dilemma is whether to order now or not? Reasons for are:
- I hate the new screen in the A4 and worry that this may be my last chance to get one with a retracting screen (carplay doesn't outweigh it given I use tom tom on my phone for sat nav)
- significant discount at the moment (albeit not miles higher than last year) which may disappear on facelift
- order times don't seem to be crazy and may jump up with the facelift
- facelift may only really be visual changes

Reasons not to:
- facelift will wipe some residual away
- facelift may have LED's already
- model could be out of date a month or two after I have bought it

What are peoples thoughts about buying now? (if you made it this far, sorry for the huge first post!)

Nice spec Jim and welcome

Completely agree with you as far as the retractable MMI...................massive backwards step by Audi!!

LED lights no biggie in my opinion, probably the least value bang for buck option available..................most reckon the Xenon's perform just as well. Agree with the comments above so as far as yer trigger finger is concerned....................

...........fire at will !! lol

 

[Jassyo06]

The retractable mmi should still be with the small facelift model alongside the optional virtual cockpit,l wouldn't option the leds knowing what l know now,having seen the new style leds on the TT and the q3 are far brighter and bluer if you catch my drift,discounts on the newest A3 should be around 4/5% initially.??
Swings and roundabouts really,magride is on available on the hatchbacks with 19"optional wing arm alloys £2000 standard on saloon

 

[pburv]

As above I would bite the bullet now..
At the end of the day if I assume (might be wrong) you are getting it on pcp surely all that matters is getting the monthly cost down..
There won't be a huge difference between the current model and the face lift model.Also as said above you might not get as good a deal as are available now..
What's it going to be???

 

[Simon L]

Some high quality, interesting and 'on topic' debate here guys................................

 

[pburv]

Isn't it always ??

 

[Jassyo06]

You pair

 

[musicegbdf]

My understanding was that discounts in 2015 were high (10-12%) as the Audi AG to Audi UK £ to Eur exchange rate is set and fixed at the start of the year and was before the £ rose significantly against the euro so dealers found themselves able to offer large discounts without affecting there bottom line.

Could be a different story this year as the £ already dropping against the Euro

Ahh so I guessed right. ..
Seems to be a consensus to go for it now..

 

[chazd]

Be mindful of the discount as Audi are offering a £3k contribution which is included in the car wow offers so actually the percentage discount is significantly smaller than it first appears!

 

[Jassyo06]

Be mindful of the discount as Audi are offering a £3k contribution which is included in the car wow offers so actually the percentage discount is significantly smaller than it first appears!

yip sales jargon....but its better than everyone else got on here,seen this discount trend through several models in different car forums...when there is a slight or even major changes made to a specific model,hence there are so many getting a 2016 s3 just now

 

[jimgreen83]

Cheers for the opinions guys, a lot for me to think about, need to do another configuration. Should have said that it would be an auto and Daytona pearl is the favoured colour at the moment. The link between the € rate and the price/discount is also interesting, will update once I know what I am doing!

 

[Simon L]

Cheers for the opinions guys, a lot for me to think about, need to do another configuration. Should have said that it would be an auto and Daytona pearl is the favoured colour at the moment. The link between the € rate and the price/discount is also interesting, will update once I know what I am doing!

Are you going HB, SB or saloon? Daytona is awesome, can't recommend it enough...........looks the business in the sun and really easy to maintain.

What's the GT86 like, must admit I've always liked the look of them, imagine they feel faster than they actually are?

 

[MrSharpie]

I had the same dilemma, and I ended up ordering my car in December of 2015. My thinking was, I love the current car now and I knew I would be happy with it. If you keep waiting for the next, latest and greatest car, you'll never have a new one. I say go for it now.

 

[WarwickL]

Personally I think it is always wise to buy a year after a new release, even a facelift. Time for issues to be identified and resolved.

 

[jimgreen83]

Are you going HB, SB or saloon? Daytona is awesome, can't recommend it enough...........looks the business in the sun and really easy to maintain.

What's the GT86 like, must admit I've always liked the look of them, imagine they feel faster than they actually are?

Probably SB but the saloon is a possibility. Good to know about Daytona, my GT86 is white so want something easier to keep looking clean.

The GT86 is great fun, has a brilliant driving position and likes to be thrashed. The 0-60 is not the quickest but it gives you a lot of feedback, on track it is fantastic. It is worth a drive in one, I love the retro interior but miles away from the S3's quality wise.

 

[Rob2k68]

Personally I think it is always wise to buy a year after a new release, even a facelift. Time for issues to be identified and resolved.

Yep ! - I've seen some of those temporary fixes to get the car out of the door. Six months later there's generally a much more robust solution in production.

 

[jaypers777]

Definitely buy new. I thought about used, but any S3 would have been abused from it's first mile which put me off. You don't save much either plus you will be compromising on spec somewhere along the line. Not sure LED lights are worth the premium over Xenons. Great choice of wheels by the way. You don't see many......love mine.

 

[steeve]

Is it yet clear as to what the changes will be? It's not going to be like the A4 which is a new model (is it?)

What ever you get and when ever you buy, it will be superseded so follow your heart.

 

[jimgreen83]

Just saw this video on youtube when searching audi carplay, if they make it like this with the retractable screen like in the q7 then it looks like none of the audi car setting etc functionality is lost:


I will definitely buy new, if I am spending this much on car I want it to be to be my spec as I would probably keep for at least 5 years. Going to speak to Audi Chelmsford to see if they have any idea when facelift can be sold/expected to deliver as that may help as would need to a stop gap car potentially in between.

 

[Jassyo06]

Just saw this video on youtube when searching audi carplay, if they make it like this with the retractable screen like in the q7 then it looks like none of the audi car setting etc functionality is lost:


I will definitely buy new, if I am spending this much on car I want it to be to be my spec as I would probably keep for at least 5 years. Going to speak to Audi Chelmsford to see if they have any idea when facelift can be sold/expected to deliver as that may help as would need to a stop gap car potentially in between.

Hi Jim l spoke to my son last night he's a Audi exec,they know nowt for the moment but he expect orders will be taken come may/June the S3 maybe a bit later....it's not certain the product improved S3 will be released simultaneously

 

[Scott.T]

Who were giving you 4-5K off.
My spec on a S3 Saloon 2 weeks ago through carwow only returned a £3K saving on all 4 responses.

 

[Shawn8V]

Who were giving you 4-5K off.
My spec on a S3 Saloon 2 weeks ago through carwow only returned a £3K saving on all 4 responses.

The highest offer I got was 4.8k from my s3 saloon from Coventry Audi. Then went to my local dealer who gave me 4.3k and ended up ordering through my local dealer

 

[musicegbdf]

Probably SB but the saloon is a possibility. Good to know about Daytona, my GT86 is white so want something easier to keep looking clean.

The GT86 is great fun, has a brilliant driving position and likes to be thrashed. The 0-60 is not the quickest but it gives you a lot of feedback, on track it is fantastic. It is worth a drive in one, I love the retro interior but miles away from the S3's quality wise.

Yah another Daytona SB Stronic..catching those Sepangs

 

[jimgreen83]

Hi Jim l spoke to my son last night he's a Audi exec,they know nowt for the moment but he expect orders will be taken come may/June the S3 maybe a bit later....it's not certain the product improved S3 will be released simultaneously

Cheers Jassy, saves me a call. May/June is probably a bit late for me (and as you say, S3 update may be later) so that solves that dilemma!

 

[jimgreen83]

Who were giving you 4-5K off.
My spec on a S3 Saloon 2 weeks ago through carwow only returned a £3K saving on all 4 responses.

That was orangewheels, £4.9k off £39.5k spec.

 

[Gazjs]

Sorry to hijack the thread here.

I am also looking to order new, this week, and have already talked figures etc. I received around £500 off my OTR price, and also a 1K depsit contribution. From speaking towards the end, I will also get mats, mud flaps and boot liner thrown in.

Should I be negotiating more? Or does the deal offered seem good?

All these figure of 4.9K etc is making me wonder.

Thanks

 

[Jassyo06]

Sorry to hijack the thread here.

I am also looking to order new, this week, and have already talked figures etc. I received around £500 off my OTR price, and also a 1K depsit contribution. From speaking towards the end, I will also get mats, mud flaps and boot liner thrown in.

Should I be negotiating more? Or does the deal offered seem good?

All these figure of 4.9K etc is making me wonder.

Thanks

South of the border expect 10 to 11% off with everything combined, ie a £40k S3 you should only be financing say £36k or slightly less north of border expect 8-5% max discounts are less up in Scotland

 

[musicegbdf]

Gazjs ,short answer , yes a lot more.
Get prices from car wow. Don't be put off by the distance of the dealer . Many will deliver.

 

[Gazjs]

Time to start investigating then.
TBF, I didn't ask for any discount. So I suppose they may well expect me to request slightly more anyway.

 

[Scott.T]

As mentioned above East Kent offered 3.5K without asking on what would of been about £37K spec.

 

[Gazjs]

I should have mentioned, can these same savings be found on PCP deals?

 

[Jassyo06]

I should have mentioned, can these same savings be found on PCP deals?

YES PCP DEALS....register with carwow....then jump back to your local dealer with some quotes to see if he can get anywhere close

 

[jimgreen83]

A quick update, I got cold feet due to the FL and also doubts whether it would be big enough as a family car in the relatively near future. This sent me down the A4 Avant route but then got stuck there as the S4 Avant is not miles off. The FL S3 has got my interest again (it kept the pop up screen) so will see how the offers look as was amazed at the discounts on the A4 Avant as soon as it released.

 

[Tony1982]

Screw the pros and cons, drive one, if you like it enough you won't care I want to test drive a BMW M2 (DCT) when I can find the time, if I like it enough I'll be getting rid of my S3 and ordering the beemer, don't really care for what the pros and cons are, if I like it then I like it, same thought process was applied when I ordered my S3 and I've never regretted it