Motoring Discussion > Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure	Buying / Selling
Thread Author: legacylad	Replies: 28

New Mon 22 Dec 14 16:39   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - legacylad

Strange how sometimes fate takes a hand, but by rights I should now be in a Bruges with my chums enjoying the pre Xmas ambience. Unfortunately last minute events meant I was unable to go and then out of the blue I had a phone call about the A3 I was trying not to sell! Two weeks on AT, expiring tomorrow, with lots of dubious callers that I did not like the sound of and would not have appreciated calling around at my home. Then a very pleasant sounding chap rang One 8 mile drive later, quick inspection, and a mutually agreeable price reached. When I purchased it in April '14, as a 4yo ex lease with 90k miles on, for my ex's daughter ( back in the UK to give birth) I made very TIC disparaging remarks about it being an underpowered 4cyl diesel. Since it returned to my fold, I have had to eat my words. Comfortable, in SE spec, heated seats, practical in Sportback guise, lopes along at an indicated 90 with ease ( note I do not use the word waft) and remarkably frugal, achieving a best of 79mpg on a gently 60 mile run, and a worst of 47. Not inspiring to drive, not that I expected it to be, but if it had been my only option then I would have been more than happy to keep it as my only car. So now I only have the 330. Higher tax, more fuel, although I do not complain at 32/35 mpg as indicated on the trip computer, but so much more FUN to drive. Wonderful meaty steering, a kick in the back when I boot it in the lower gears and so impractical for the ancients whom I have to taxi around on occasion. Now, where's that 330/335 petrol Touring with sunroof? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 16:50   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Runfer D'Hills

VG ! Left of centre thought but how about a C class Estate? C63 for example... Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 17:04   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - legacylad

Ahead of you ( well I would be in a 330 !!) Read various road tests with regards to the latest C class, and although top marks for build quality and cabin ambience, the ' driving' experience is not up to that of the 3 series. I shall investigate further, but if I am serious then the 330 convertible needs to be sold. And now that I am back driving it that is harder than it sounds. I cannot bring myself to advertise it on AT just yet. Maybe Spring time. But then the roof would be down more often. And so it goes on, almost ad infinitum. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 16:58   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - No FM2R

Agree with all of that, but "with sunroof"? Really? I don't get on with them. Loads of wind noise yet seemingly no increase in ventilation, and a loss of headroom. Clearly people should have what they want, I just have never found any enjoyment in a sunroof. Now, a 335 or 535 touring without a sunroof on the other hand, lots and lots of satisfaction. I've had several Mercs, but I always end up back in a BMW at some point. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 17:02   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Runfer D'Hills

I like sunroofs Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 17:07   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - No FM2R

Each to their own, I prefer the window open. Pretty much whatever the weather. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 17:09   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Runfer D'Hills

A seagull once crapped on me through my sunroof Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 17:42   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - madf

I prefer everything closed and aircon. No dust, noise and fumes. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 17:57   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - No FM2R

>>A seagull once crapped on me through my sunroof Probably thought it was management. Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 22 Dec 14 at 17:58 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 18:35   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Runfer D'Hills

I remember seeing a thing in the form of a cartoon when I was a student explaining how management hierarchy works. Basically it was a Christmas tree with birds on every branch. Right at the top was the boss bird who crapped on the the couple below him, they in turn crapped on the 6 below them and so on down until the birds on the very bottom branches just got crapped on by everybody. I think the moral of it was that you'll get crapped on at whatever level you're at until or unless you reach the top of the tree. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 18:39   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - No FM2R

>>how management hierarchy works. Its usually the Middle Management who indulge in seagull and mushroom management. They're almost always the issue. Its much easier when the Board of Directors or the Senior Management are s***e, they're much easier to fix. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 18:43   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Runfer D'Hills

Well, the other point made by the Christmas Tree example was that the air might be sweeter near the top but that there were fewer branches and by default they were the least stable and the most exposed to changes in the wind direction. Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Mon 22 Dec 14 at 18:44 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 18:56   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Runfer D'Hills

This isn't the actual version i remember but you'll get the drift... c1.staticflickr.com/5/4045/4580812339_59fe17fbd3_z.jpg Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 19:27   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - legacylad

To date I have never had any seagull leave a deposit through my open sunroof. I s'pose that's what happens when you're stuck in the car park, trying to sell shoes to Brantano in Skeggy. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 19:38   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Runfer D'Hills

>> to Brantano in Skeggy. You really would, or I really would anyway, have to go and find a bridge to jump off if I'd spent a day doing that ! Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 18:31   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Westpig

>> I like sunroofs >> So do I. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 19:35   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - MD

Mmmmm. Ain't got 6k though. And I hate sunroofs. Last edited by: MD on Mon 22 Dec 14 at 19:38 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 19:41   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Runfer D'Hills

What and you a builder ? Course you have ! Just look in that drawer marked "not for HMRC" Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Dec 14 19:48   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - legacylad

Phew. That's a relief. I shall go outside to the garage this very instant and tell Herman that he can sleep peacefully tonight. Might have a blast up to Grasmere early on the 25th, roof down, before the festivities begin at noon. Good weather forecast at the moment. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Dec 14 13:40   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - legacylad

Non refundable deposit paid, balance by BACS, hopefully close of business today. I must have sold dozens of cars privately over the years, but am not sure legally whether putting in writing , and signed by both parties, the words'sold as seen with no warranty' would stand up in court if something went wrong with the vehicle. The new owner is happy with the A3, a proper service history, and prints outs of work down by Audi supplied by the lease company. But even so, anything I should, or should not write, in a bill of sale . Thanks for any advice Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Dec 14 15:04   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Skip

As a genuine private seller I am pretty sure that you can only end up in trouble if you misrepresented it or sold it in an unroadworthy condition. No comeback for anything else is possible. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 24 Dec 14 14:53   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - legacylad

I prepared a 'bill of sale' which basically stated that the vehicle was sold as seen , with no warranty,,and that no finance was outstanding on the car. The new owner was more than happy with the documented service history, MoT certificates and two service print outs from the previous owner, JCT600 Contracts. We each have a copy, signed by both of us. I even gave him some two stage touch up paint for the minor stone chips which I had not gotten around to, checked the tyre pressures and all fluid levels, and put in £20 of diesel. Drove the 17 miles to his house and got a lift home. He is delighted and is now the owner of a cracking little diesel. It's gone to a good home which is always nice. How sad is that! Next up... The 330. I already have my eyes on some nice practical German machinery, but don't want to be insulted by some part ex valuation at a glass palace. Merry Christmas one and all Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 24 Dec 14 16:50   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - WillDeBeest

Sunroofs are awful. (MD and I find something to agree on!) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 24 Dec 14 16:57   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Lygonos

>>Sunroofs are awful In general I agree - the Kizashi has a sunroof - it's fairly small and eats up headroom. On the other hand, the sunroof on the Foresters I've had, and on the Shogun, were huge and airy jobs which I did occasionally use. I would never pay £££ to have one as an option though, similarly I'd never pay a grand for leather seats if the cloth ones were decent. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 24 Dec 14 17:05   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - legacylad

Horses for courses but leather seats are so much easier to remove dog hairs from. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 24 Dec 14 18:00   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - WillDeBeest

Don't let the dog drive. We're still finding dog hairs in the LEC after nearly three years. Mostly in the carpeted boot but in the leather interior too. On the other hand, if I do talk myself into a Golf GTE to replace the Volvo, that will have cloth seats in that fabulous tartan pattern. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 24 Dec 14 18:18   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Runfer D'Hills

My dog is a little sod. If I have an oh my god o'clock start in a morning like when I'm going to London or whatever, he has been known, on more than one occasion, to sneak into the boot or rear passenger footwell to try to hitch a ride. So far, I've always found him out but one day he's going to get away with it. If you want a mental picture of him just think of Mutley from Wacky Races. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 24 Dec 14 18:26   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - No FM2R

>>just think of Mutley from Wacky Races. Never thought of you as a Dick, or the LEC as a Mean Machine. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 24 Dec 14 19:11   Audi A3 Sportback - Goodbye little A3, hello driving pleasure - Runfer D'Hills

Steady ! Reply to this message | Report message