RE: New Audi S3 starts at £47k in UK

[NGK210]

Not bad.
But in the flesh, the protruding / prolapsed grille looks well weird.

[s m]

fantheman80 said:

sege said:

I think the Audi S3 is one of the stupidest cars around. Why would any enthusiastic driver have one of these over an old second hand WRX or Evo?

1) Running costs and service interval's 2) Reliability 3) The S3 would comfortably hand most old evo and scooby models its arse on road or track

Would it look as good, have as much character, mechanical grip and sense of speed? Course not, but many folk can only have one car and hatches like these tick the boxes

The original S3 did pretty well in a big EVO test of 14 4wd cars as I recall - made it to the final 3 with the Impreza RB5 and EVO 6 RS.

[Cryssys]

timbob said:

In answer to your question about who is ordering these, from my experience of youngsters at work - all living at home on zero (or minimal) rent paid to parents, no bills etc, the first thing many do upon being confirmed in post at 19/20yrs old, on a salary in the mid 20s is to show up at work in a brand new, super hatch. S3s, Golf Rs, hot Civics, the lot. One 19 year old lass showed up in a brand new JCW Mini. She was paying well over £1000 a month on the finance and insurance for it. Before fuel annd tax. And she still had hundreds of pounds of “disposable” income left for a massive phone, nights out etc. Because at that age, in that situation, every penny you earn is disposable income, if you’re not thinking about saving.

But many then complain that it’s impossible to save for a house and get on the property ladder despite living at home, because you need a car, you need a phone, and then there’s not a lot left at the end of the month………

Part of the problem is over indulgent/soft parents who allow their kids to get away without paying anything whilst still living at home. First thing my mum did when I started earning was to start charging me "board". It wasn't just me, everybody I knew was expected to pay for their keep once they started work. That was the way it was.

If parents allow kids to freeload at their expense then there's no incentive for them to grow up and start behaving responsibly. If they can get away with it they will.

[hu8742]

Julian Scott said:

JJJ. said:

Julian Scott said:

timbob said:

But many then complain that it’s impossible to save for a house and get on the property ladder despite living at home, because you need a car, you need a phone, and then there’s not a lot left at the end of the month………

Herein lies a strong argument for many of the ills of the modern generation.

Heard the same stuff twenty five years ago. The people that it applied to all have homes/houses, they didn't thankfully buy the DM either.
It could be considered just a cheap pop at the younger generation. If they all saved , never went out , spend nothing and used push bikes the economy would probably be worse off generally speaking.
There's a time to do something like buying a home it doesn't necessarily mean a nineteen year old or someone in their early should put themselves in that position at such a young age. fk me, you're only young once, enjoy it and if that means paying silly money for insurance or a car so beit, even if I think 50k for an S3 is laughable no matter what a person's financial position is.
The other argument, is that if all early twenties adults started looking to buy a home that would increase demand on the housing stock which seriously lacking anyway. Greater demand, greater the cost.

You're missing my point (and bringing in a bullst Daily Mail reference), it is more the unwillingness to save to buy, instead wanting immediacy coupled with the 'need' to replace so many items every 12 months (phone/TV/etc). Dedicating the £XXX per month after purchasing (with interest) rather than saving the same £XXX before the purchase (and receiving interest).

It loops in house-buying, but only systematically.

For the first 3 cars I bought myself, I saved, and bought the car I had the cash for. Ditto a house deposit. Ditto putting a lawn on the garden. Ditto going on holiday.

Nowadays, whatever someone wants (and it's not just the under-30s), you get the item and pay for it through finance, and there lays the risk of over extending yourself, especially when interest rates increase. When you do that every 12/24 month for a phone, a car, a TV, etc it causes societal issues. Going on a £5-10k holiday then paying for it over 12 month because you shoved it on a credit card (and increased the cost of the holiday by 50%) it's makes the matter even worse.

My parents' generation was even more extreme. They didn't go on holiday, didn't have a car, bought a house and had to save for a year to carpet it. Then save to buy a washing machine. etc etc

Absolutely spot on. The generation of parents in the 70/80's just accepted that they had to cut their cloth accordingly, and if that meant not going on holiday for years or having a brand new car, then so be it. My Dad gave up smoking when interest rates hit 12% so that he could keep paying his mortgage. When rates dropped, he continued to pay the same monthly and paid off the mortgage quicker. Zero chance a Gen Z does that. They want everything now and will borrow to get it.

[Murph7355]

The company that pretty much did the most for blistered arches messes them right up.

[JJJ.]

Murph7355 said:

The company that pretty much did the most for blistered arches messes them right up.

Amazing in a way. The UR Quattro was such a revelation at the time and handsome too. Probably did more for Audi than any model since.

[iphonedyou]

Julian Scott said:

You're missing my point (and bringing in a bullst Daily Mail reference), it is more the unwillingness to save to buy, instead wanting immediacy coupled with the 'need' to replace so many items every 12 months (phone/TV/etc). Dedicating the £XXX per month after purchasing (with interest) rather than saving the same £XXX before the purchase (and receiving interest).

It loops in house-buying, but only systematically.

For the first 3 cars I bought myself, I saved, and bought the car I had the cash for. Ditto a house deposit. Ditto putting a lawn on the garden. Ditto going on holiday.

Nowadays, whatever someone wants (and it's not just the under-30s), you get the item and pay for it through finance, and there lays the risk of over extending yourself, especially when interest rates increase. When you do that every 12/24 month for a phone, a car, a TV, etc it causes societal issues. Going on a £5-10k holiday then paying for it over 12 month because you shoved it on a credit card (and increased the cost of the holiday by 50%) it's makes the matter even worse.

My parents' generation was even more extreme. They didn't go on holiday, didn't have a car, bought a house and had to save for a year to carpet it. Then save to buy a washing machine. etc etc

You're like an angry old man ChatGPT, where the ChatGPT has been prompted solely via the Daily Mail.

Honestly, many millions of people don't do any of what you describe.

[ImFeelingSaucy]

Who approved these images?
Far too dark and not very flattering angles.
The Audi Marketing team need a kick.

[Julian Scott]

iphonedyou said:

Julian Scott said:

You're missing my point (and bringing in a bullst Daily Mail reference), it is more the unwillingness to save to buy, instead wanting immediacy coupled with the 'need' to replace so many items every 12 months (phone/TV/etc). Dedicating the £XXX per month after purchasing (with interest) rather than saving the same £XXX before the purchase (and receiving interest).

It loops in house-buying, but only systematically.

For the first 3 cars I bought myself, I saved, and bought the car I had the cash for. Ditto a house deposit. Ditto putting a lawn on the garden. Ditto going on holiday.

Nowadays, whatever someone wants (and it's not just the under-30s), you get the item and pay for it through finance, and there lays the risk of over extending yourself, especially when interest rates increase. When you do that every 12/24 month for a phone, a car, a TV, etc it causes societal issues. Going on a £5-10k holiday then paying for it over 12 month because you shoved it on a credit card (and increased the cost of the holiday by 50%) it's makes the matter even worse.

My parents' generation was even more extreme. They didn't go on holiday, didn't have a car, bought a house and had to save for a year to carpet it. Then save to buy a washing machine. etc etc

You're like an angry old man ChatGPT, where the ChatGPT has been prompted solely via the Daily Mail.

Honestly, many millions of people don't do any of what you describe.

If you have nothing intelligent to add, just shout 'DAILY MAIL' loudly.

[TUS373]

DaveyBoyWonder said:

Cryssys said:

A cheap dig which does not reflect well on you.

Worked in central Bradford for 8 years. Its not a cheap dig, its entirely accurate.

Audi S3 also available in: Blackburn, Burnley, Oldham and Luton. Always in black with mis-spaced plates. Go figure.

[Car 54 where are you]

Nearly every one will be bought on finance. The list price is one thing...but Audi traditionally has some of the highest APRs of any mainstream manufacturer. Purchasing through a broker - never through an Audi dealer - would help ease the pain.

[Ron240]

cerb4.5lee said:

we paid £41k brand new for an Audi TTS Black Edition back in 2012 in comparison

Are you positive about that price and year because it seems unusually expensive?
This is for the TTS 2.0 with 272PS?
I bought a brand new S3 Saloon Black Edition with 310PS in May 2018 for less than £37k. It was discounted but full retail was less than £40k because I made sure of it due to the recently introduced rip off road tax.

Edited by Ron240 on Saturday 20th April 20:58

[DonkeyApple]

Firebobby said:

PRO5T said:

Christ we’ve totally fked this country, pre brexit/Covid a top of the line “super hatch” like a Civic Type R or Focus RS was circa £32k, now it gets you a 1.5L A3.

£32k pre Covid IE 2019 just with UK inflation is equivalent to just shy of £40k today!
So in effect a £7k price increase on same cars.
You for forget for two years inflation was over 10%!!
If you can't afford one I promise you this, no one will make you buy one...

And the slight matter of massive currency devaluation during Covid which many didn't notice because all currencies were devaluing simultaneously as they were during QE.

In reality, it's not the cars have become more expensive but more that what they are measured against, money has been devalued.

And of course, one has to account for the reality that RRP is not a price but a tool by which to assist the sale of captive house finance at grotesquely inflated rates as well as to allow for faux discounts as everyone loves a bargain.

The thing about the A3 is that it's now the size of the older A4 by all counts so one could also add the argument that one ought to contrast this against the older A4 rather than A3.

I had an A3 saloon loner a few weeks ago and it was a perfectly nice car. Drove better than the older A4 although the driving tech was invasive and off putting. It's certainly worth getting a car before that junk becomes mandatory and can't even be turned off!!!!