Ugent Advice needed on potential purchase

[jq_quint]

Hi guys,

Think I've finally sourced my S3, everything is great on paper, exactly what I wanted (spec etc).

It is facelift model 2002 on 51 plate and advertised as the 225 model.

I am going to view/buy tomorrow but I have asked the guy to email me reg no. so I could run a vehicle check on it.

Just run it through https://www.mycarcheck.com and everything looks rosy except it has come back with an engine code of AMK010748 which is 210bhp and not the advertised 225? Even more confusing though is that my car check reported it was an audi S3 225....So it is wrong also???

My instinctive reaction is not to go for it.....

So help/advice needed please...

Is AMK def 210bhp, and how can the vehicle check be wrong?
Is a 210bhp worth less? Should I haggle more off?
I have haggled down to £8500 for a sub 50k mileage mint example with full AFSH is this still worth it for a 210?

sorry for babbling on and on, but nearly got my car but hit now with this dilemma.....

Thanks
J.

 

[voorhees]

read this http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=72505
advertised as 225 and it being 210 I would walk away as something is not right

 

[jq_quint]

I guess thats the answer i didn't want, but sensible I guess considering the money involved.

Shame it could be genuine....but if there is something amiss with the vehilce check (stating its 225 model) then something can't be right...

Thanks

 

[grathies]

Is AMK def 210bhp, and how can the vehicle check be wrong?
Is a 210bhp worth less? Should I haggle more off?
I have haggled down to £8500 for a sub 50k mileage mint example with full AFSH is this still worth it for a 210?

As far as the 210/225 thing I dont go in for it all being that different, mine was a 210 originally and its very tuneable and in my experience has been just as strong as the 225s.

Im pretty sure that when you get a 210 or a 225 mapped it still goes upto the same power of around 265-270, but some people arent happy having the 210 for some strange reason, and they can be sold cheaper at times. Theres also a theory about the 210s having a lower CO2 raiting on the logbooks than the 225s and it could make a difference in the tax bracket, I dunno if anything else has been said about that tho lately as Ive not been on here much.

That car check does seem strange, but Id deffo say dont be put off of a car thats got all the right bits just because its a 210

 

[jq_quint]

I guess i'm not really bothered about having either 210 or 225, but really don't want a 210 if searches state its a 225, as i will have difficulty selling it also.....

 

[S3 Wannabe]

Difficult one. He (the seller) doesn't know the car too well if he's advertising it as 225 when it's not. That would concern me as i would want to buy from an enthusiast who has looked after it.
Also if the 225 part isn't right -what else is wrong???????

 

[jq_quint]

i know your right, its a dealer, not private sale, but yes you would assume he should still know....I'm gutted really wanted it....

 

[grathies]

Best bet would have been to call up your local Audi/Volkswagen dealer with the reg/chassis number and got them to look on thier computer, they will have the original engine number listed on thier Dialogue system, so long as that matches then its just other places getting thier details confused. Ive found with some parts suppliers they dont even list a 210 S3, they just list them all as 225 which could lead to confusion amongst some people.

We had someone come into the garage I worked at swearing blind that they had just bought a TDI 150 from an independant dealer, it was actually a 110, had the 110 engine, was on our system as a 110, turned out the person trading it in had changed the badge on the back to all red and told them it was a 150 and they trusted them!

 

[s3 Hoggy]

If it's from a dealer then surely it's a whole different ball game, you'd be a lot safer with more of a come back if anything was underhand?
Matt

 

[jq_quint]

Thats good advice grathies..I will delay going to see it tomorrow and suggest I wish to investigate with audi. He has told me which dealer has done all servicing so i'll start with them.

Thanks J.

 

[voorhees]

If it's from a dealer then surely it's a whole different ball game, you'd be a lot safer with more of a come back if anything was underhand?
Matt

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=72505 this car involved in this thread was from a dealer and was left to carry on selling even though there was discrepancies in the mileage so I think some are sharks