As some may know, ever since my Nissan 200SX landed me in a hedge on a wet slimey road, I have faffed around with trying to find something as exciting to drive, with 2 + 2 seating, luxury leather etc, but without the SX foibles. Preferably something 4WD.
Watching Fifth gear was interesting when they put a Escort Cosworth up against a Focus ST, the Escort won by a wide margin because according to the driver VBH it kept grip out of the corners. Well I have no intention of driving anything like VBH, but that just cemented for me the impression that 4WD is going to give me the security I need if in that postion again (coming out of a bend on to a slimey wet road).
Mind you, lesson learnt too about reading road conditions... anyway I digress.
I test drove an 04 Audi A3 3.2 Quattro yesterday. It drove beautifully, was in lovely lovely condition but has nearly 90K on the clock. However with full service history I don't think thats a problem.
It has beautiful 2 tone (black.blue) leather, and all other examples I can find in the usual sites have a cream leather which I wouldn't like. It has the upgraded Bose audio system too, but other than that I felt it lacked things a premium branded car ought to have these days... note the following:
1. crap interior lighting (my old Ford Scorpio had lighting in footwells, and puddle lights in the door, the A3 had nothing but a roof light front and back)
2. no audio remote controls on the steering wheel, my Scorpio, VW Bora, Ford Galaxy, Peugeot 406, even Fiat Marea had those (all driven over last 10 years).
3. No auto dimming rear view mirror - again my 1998 Scorpio had that, so did my VW Bora.
4. No heated windscreen (Scorpio and Galaxy again)
5. No Heated seats - Ford Galaxy and Scorpio both both those in 1998/1999
6. No electric memory seats (Ford Scorpio, Peugeot 406).
Now, heres the thing, I haven;t looked in detail at any Audi, BMW, or Merc before, but the dealer says that these premium German brands are usually badly equipped, however this is not the lead in 1.6 I am looking at, but the flagship 3.2 Quattro.
Given the above, I am being "picky", expecting too much? or have I hit on something not commented on much, certainly there's nothing in HJs review of the A3 (2003) which leads the reader to feel the car will short change him of luxuries.
Certainly in many of the cases above, once you have had these items, you kind of don;t want to loose them when choosing your next car, and a Ford Scorpio or Galaxy, a VW Bora and a Pug 406 are barely the last words in luxury.
Guy
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All you describe are incidentals..Nice to have. Full stop.
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You need to understand how German manufacturers offer their cars. Rather than half a dozen models with increasing goodies as you go up the prices (meaning you may have to buy the top spec for that one goody you really want) they supply about 3 models which you can then add goodies to.
Audi do standard spec, SE or Sport and on some models s-line.
1. crap interior lighting (my old Ford Scorpio had lighting in footwells and puddle lights in the door the A3 had nothing but a roof light front and back)
Standard on SE
2. no audio remote controls on the steering wheel my Scorpio VW Bora Ford Galaxy Peugeot 406 even Fiat Marea had those (all driven over last 10 years).
Option
3. No auto dimming rear view mirror - again my 1998 Scorpio had that so did my VW Bora.
Standard on SE
4. No heated windscreen (Scorpio and Galaxy again)
IIRC Ford hold the patent so don't expect it on anything but Fords
5. No Heated seats - Ford Galaxy and Scorpio both both those in 1998/1999
Option
6. No electric memory seats (Ford Scorpio Peugeot 406).
Option
>>the flagship 3.2 Quattro.
This is the flagship engine/transmission option, IMHO not the flagship interior fittings option. Unfortunately Audi only offer the 3.2 and Quattro in Sport or s-line spec so all the luxury items you want and which are standard on an SE are extras on this model making it potentially very expensive. Sport and s-line have the sports supension instead.
If you want more goodies find a 3.2 where the original buyer went mad ticking the options. They are out there and won't cost you much more.
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1. So find one with the interior light pack fitted
2. Standard on SE models, optional on the Sport and S-Line models.
3. Needs to have the Sensing pack
4. I don't think any non Ford vehicle has one of these, personally I'm kinda glad because I find them annoying.
5. Optional extra
6. Not available with memory
Most of the things you want are optional extras on the car, the thing is that to have all of them would add another £1000 or so to the list price and not everyone would want them, though I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to go without in the next car. My not wanting to go without items include Cruise Control and Xenon Headlights, but other people might see them as a waste of money. Personally I don't mind electric seats but a manual one doesn't bother me in the slightest either. Certainly you can expect a luxury car to be dolled up with all the toys if that's the definition of luxury. To my mind toys help but to me luxury is about how the car makes you feel. I drove 48k in a 2.0TDI A3 from 2004 onwards and every time I drove that car it made me feel special, just as the replacement TT does. Every time I drove Dad's tricked up VW Touran with just about everything you listed I felt it was competent, full of toys, but not "special".
Sorry realise that's not much help, but if you really want these items they are available and if you find an Ex-Demo model it's likely to have those and more. Trust me in 04 dealers were registering 3.2Q as Demos faster than light because they are so fun (spent 3 years working for a dealer).
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Thanks I guess I want best of both, the whole reason I looked at the vehicle is the performance of the 3.2 V6 combined with 4WD, it certainly drove impressively. But although all those things listed are non essential "nice to haves" in the case of most of them,they also help make you feel good in the car even before you turn the key, the turning the key puts the biggest smile on your face.
Sounds like SE trim would offer more, but the 3.2 Q is not available in SE Trim.
One thing the previous owner did "tick" was custom leather, the car in question has beautiful 2 tone black/blue leather whilst all other examples I can find have a rather horrid cream coloured leather.
What is the conventional wisdom about high mileage, this has done 87,000 in 4 years, but looks immaculate and nothing felt loose or baggy when I drove it. Reckon it has largley been o n the motorway - it is an ex lease car with full history.
Anything in the history I should look out for,
As for "you should buy a Scorpio"... I would love a Cosworth Scorpion but Ford stopped making them far to early, and never replaced it with anything similar, hoping to customers would buy Jaguar, X and S type I think are horrid, and the XJ just not my thing!
if you want luxury, performance, and 4WD, but don't want to go down the SUV route, then Audi seem to have it sewn up with the A3 and A4 series.
Guy
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