Golf GTD/A4/3 series.....which to buy?

bs2014

Hi fellow car enthusiasts,

Want some advice and have narrowed down what I want to buy buy what to sense check my rationale, preferably off those already in the trade. All 3 cars are roughly the same prices

Have sold my car to a trader in Dublin for okayish money so this frees me up to go to the north (reluctant to go to the UK as most dealers don't even know where Ireland is from what I've seen!) and hoping to get bit more discount by dealing straight.

I'm coming out of a Leon FR 2.0 150hp

Looking to move into 2016 maybe 2017.

Golf GTD manual:
-I know they overrated but they do hold their value and similar priced to my own. I also conscious they basically the same as what I came out of just with a little more class
-I like the fact they come with adaptive cruise control, its a nice to have.
-Possibly would consider stretching into the MK7.5 to get the nice upgraded touchscreen and dials.


A4 S line 2016 model
-For basically the same money as a Golf GTD, I could get up into a total different class of car.
-I stopped into an Audi dealer in the south today and have to say the young sales man was a real gent. He let me drive the 2.0 190 and 2.0 150 back to back so I could compare them, naturally the prices are alot dealer than the north.
-I got a PCP quote on a 2017 Sline 190. Seemingly the GMFV would be 16k after 36 months. Surely if I had a 141 (5 yr old) A4 sline today I wouldnt get 16k + for it. Am I right Audi overshoot their GMFV? I thought I heard this before.

320d msport manual
-I know the auto is good but I just prefer manuals to drive.
-Love the driving position of the 3 series (Plan to drive a 320d tomorrow)
-Niggle thing but I find the pedals off centred a little annoying.
-Conscious the 320d may not hold its value as well after 3 years due to the irish market being flooded with 316d and 318ds (at least the audi 2.0 150 is the bread and butter model in Ireland)

Main questions.
-Which has the best reputation for giving least faults.
-Which would cost me the least (ie should hold its value best)

Thanks for the advice. Any traders or dealers into their resale values etc get in touch lol thanks.

bazz26

The manufacturers offer the best incentives with PCP to get people into new cars. They don't offer as good a PCP deal on a used car because they ain't selling you a new car. The reason the GMFV is so high is because you won't have much equity in the car at 5 years old and they get more from you through the monthly payments over the 3 years. Have you priced PCP on a brand new A4? I would wager that when man maths are done around the overall cost of a new A4 on PCP it would probably work out better over the term of the entire 3 years versus that of a car that is already 2 years old.

Regarding resale values. The 3 Series will lose more because it has just been replaced by a brand new model, the market is also awash with UK imports which are cheaper to buy. However it should be noted that the current A4 has been around since 2016 and just got a mid life facelift. In 3 years time I'd expect a new model to be launched so resale values of the current model will take a knock too just like the 3 Series.

bs2014

bazz26 wrote: »

The manufacturers offer the best incentives with PCP to get people into new cars. They don't offer as good a PCP deal on a used car because they ain't selling you a new car. The reason the GMFV is so high is because you won't have much equity in the car at 5 years old and they get more from you through the monthly payments over the 3 years. Have you priced PCP on a brand new A4? I would wager that when man maths are done around the overall cost of a new A4 on PCP it would probably work out better over the term of the entire 3 years versus that of a car that is already 2 years old.

Regarding resale values. The 3 Series will lose more because it has just been replaced by a brand new model, the market is also awash with UK imports which are cheaper to buy. However it should be noted that the current A4 has been around since 2016 and just got a mid life facelift. In 3 years time I'd expect a new model to be launched so resale values of the current model will take a knock too just like the 3 Series.

Thanks wouldn't be interested in going brand new. The prices new versus even a nearly new import are just so much different that I couldn't afford or justify. Thought same about the 3 series but the advert prices in the north and UK are still quite strong. What's your thoughts on a GTD. They worth more or less a4 money.? Had also toyed with the idea of buying an ad or sport ultra to avoid inflated rrp and vrt and stick a nice set of wheels and tinted windows on but I'm quite vain with my cars so dunno if I could live with that workaround lol

mickdw

Pcp on a used car makes little sense as the interest rates are higher than on new cars and paying interest on Pcp makes it expensive finance as you pay interest on a large portion of the finance bundled to the end of the deal.

Heres Johnny

OP purely out of interest and boredom I called into an Audi garage with the missus one Friday afternoon to look at new A6 and I was driving her A6 which is a 141. Priced up cost to change and I was offered 24k for her low mileage 65k kms 5 year old A6 S Line against a brand new one with list price 60k. So I'd believe the 16k for an A4 S Line all day long unless something happens with diesel in meantime. Delighted to be offered 24k on a car we paid 20k for but I'd have to part with another 36k to do so.... But there's a benchmark for you about Audi residuals today once you are spending money with them again

bs2014

Heres Johnny wrote: »

OP purely out of interest and boredom I called into an Audi garage with the missus one Friday afternoon to look at new A6 and I was driving her A6 which is a 141. Priced up cost to change and I was offered 24k for her low mileage 65k kms 5 year old A6 S Line against a brand new one with list price 60k. So I'd believe the 16k for an A4 S Line all day long unless something happens with diesel in meantime. Delighted to be offered 24k on a car we paid 20k for but I'd have to part with another 36k to do so.... But there's a benchmark for you about Audi residuals today once you are spending money with them again

Thanks. I don't plan on going PCP I plan to buy straight in the north with a bank loan. To be honest there is no way audi can offer you 24k on a car you paid 20k.....it comes back to my point they must be at least frontloading that 4k into the price of the car you are buying to make you feel you are getting more for it

bazz26

They normally take the discount on the new car and use it to bump up the trade-in value of your existing car to make it look more attractive.

Heres Johnny

bs2014 wrote: »

Thanks. I don't plan on going PCP I plan to buy straight in the north with a bank loan. To be honest there is no way audi can offer you 24k on a car you paid 20k.....it comes back to my point they must be at least frontloading that 4k into the price of the car you are buying to make you feel you are getting more for it

Well that was it exactly, it was full list price on the new A6 including 4k of extras bring it to 60k, they obviously have a lot of fat built in to that price.
I wouldnt get that trade in value against say a 171 if i was just looking to move up 3 years.

maddness

For driving fun the GTD would be the choice, place to sit the A4 and a good mix of both the 320D.