Looking at buying an Audi from a dealer in Bolton but the problem is I’m in Cardiff! It’s an Audi s3 (new shape) anyone got one? Also just wondered if any lives in Bolton! Here’s a link to car http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201051375754458/sort/priceasc/usedcars/price-from/14000/maximum-mileage/up_to_40000_miles/price-to/19000/model/s3/make/audi/page/1/radius/1501/postcode/cf149jb?logcode=p sorry it’s so OT!

What do you want to know?

I guess you’ve seen a new one say in Cardiff Audi??

If not head in there and question them silly 😀

I guess there aren’t too many of these about with that spec so if it was me and I was keen on buying it I would take a trip to Bolton and take a look/test drive myself I wouldn’t necessarily trust someone going to look at it for me and then buying it over the net. Not for a car of that value.

Yeah I think they have new ones in Cardiff Audi so am gonna book a test drive for comparison etc. I guess I don’t really fancy the drive to Bolton if the car isn’t a good example, think it’s about 3.5hours drive. It’s hard cus s3’s are quite rare + in white + low miles + right price + close by makes it even tougher. Am moving from an impress sti so should be more refined

Yep right 3.5hrs would be about right.

Pics makes it look good.

I guess if you are interested I would email the dealer in question and ask for more pics especially of interior etc.

Also get a HPI check on it and/or an RAC inspection may not be a bad idea as the cost of that would be the same as your travel cost/time and wil give you a true reflection of condition etc

A friend at work has audi just like that in silver,he really rates it. He tried to flog me his old s3, the extremely high insurance put me off £700 with 9 yrs ncb and garaged (mitsubishi evo 6 is only £520).

Yeah good call on rac inspection… Decisions!

want me to nip over and give it a proper test?

My wife was given an S3 once as a loan car when her A3 was in for a service!
She came in and told me she didn’t want to drive it any more as it scared her.

I had to test it then to see what she was talking about, I had to test it a lot. Great car. It’s a sports car though and no mistake. Audi’s have stiff suspension at the best of times but that thing was rock solid. It was absolutely brilliant for razzing around in but I’m not sure how much fun it would be on long journeys.

Others are probably better qualified than me to offer a more authoritative view, but note that it’s “just had its first service” – that’s at 19,000 miles after 3.5-4 years. So, at face value someone’s spent a lot of money on the car up front (including upgraded seats, personalised finishes to wheels, bits of trim etc) but not on regular maintenance.

It may be fine, but if it’s been used for frequent short start-stop journeys then it could probably have benefitted from more servicing. The lack of any history also makes it difficult to validate the (significantly below average) mileage.

Your spending nearly £20k, and it looks clean. Its worth the drive.

My ass its only done 19k in 4yrs. Either its been clocked or its cat c/d.

I almost bought a cat c subaru once. I was suspicious of the dealer and ran a hpi. Came back as an insurance right off.

Buy more local and buy from a audi dealer wth a warranty backup on something of this calibre IMO.

I almost bought my bro in laws old S3 but the £700 next service put me right off!

Yeah I’m defo going to see it but just wondered if anyone was close to give it a once over n sound it out, Samuri are you close to Bolton? I think it’s off junction 5 of m61

Yeah millage looks weird but could be a weekend car? Such a rare car so hard to find in local dealer

Hpi it first. A £3.99 one will suffice. Ask them who the supplying dealer was and ring rtheir service dept and ask them a off the record question. Chances are it stayed with them/local.

My spider sensors are tingling.

Plus white? S3 needs blue, red, grey or black IMO not footballer white

hpi it them e-mail me I a m near enough to go an dsee if you really really want. i am an ex mechanicn but honestly I have little knowledge of cars beyond the functional ability to fix/repair them – I am not a petrol head at all.
About 10 miles from my house
E-mail me if you want – I will go with Hora and pretend we are a couple yes mark i will be the sub as usual.

Either its been clocked or its cat c/d.

The ‘unique’ finishing touches and low mileage are both warning signs for me given the age and type of car. HPI would definitely be worthwhile before proceeding, along with a detailed inspection by someone knowledgeable before laying down your money. At that sort of price I think my money would also be heading in the direction of a franchise dealer, or a well-known and trusted independent.

I noticed that the dealer had another couple of cars with unusual specs on their site – such as the A3 TDi with huge alloys on it. Seems odd to me that a dealer would actively seek out things that are out-of-the-ordinary and may be difficult to sell on – but you never know.

EDIT: It would be interesting to know who is selling the car – the details don’t seem to be specified on their website. There is/was a C Mills Car Sales Limited registered in Westhoughton with Companies House, but this was dissolved in June 2010: (check using Companies House Webcheck). The only phone number is a mobile one.

You know what I think I’ll walk away from this one your points -m- are very valid and I guess unless it was right on my doorstep it’s not worth the risk on a car of this price. STW coming to the rescue again!

I looked into the cat c/d thing on pistonheads when I was interested in the 5door impreza that seemed competitively priced. No not ‘cheap’ just between private and indie price guides. I asked the dealer (birmingham) numerous times if there were any prev probs etc ‘no’ was the answer. So I raised it on pistonheads and the response was the dealer could sell you a cat c/d car and argue POST-sale that he had told you this. In court the ‘keen’ pricing on a ad could support him.

A PH offered a HPI and it was listed. I told the dealer this and he admitted the car had been ‘partially resprayed due to cosmetic scratches’.

In my experience most <5yr old cars that are cat right-offs are always advertised with circa 20k mileage…..wierd huh

no way id spend that sot of money at a small independent dealer – main dealer, and a long wait for the right car

Yep, it’s junction 5, down to the chequers roundabout, down the hill and then left at the next set of lights, dead easy. Couple of miles from our house. It is just a little backstreet garage though, I ride past it a fair bit.

I’d be inclined to echo the other’s advice myself. I’d be looking for a written evidence of the Audi service history and a HPI check at the very least. I’d also want to know how such a car ended up in a little garage. It’s a lot of money.

never mind, just seen your last post. Good call.

I don’t think Bolton is the best place to buy. They have funny wheels there, they look like piles of bricks