Going green in an Audi RS3
Discussion
One year
It's been just over a year since I got the car, and I last used it again to visit my parents at the weekend. It's the typical use the car gets; once every week or two on a long journey - 4,714 miles in all during the first 12 months.
I took the opportunity to take a quick pic in the morning light at the usual spot, which I think gives a better idea of the colour and calipers than those taken in darker light (as with the next pic):
Last month saw me replace our urban runabout with a brand new Mini - covered in another thread. The Mini being a high-spec model in a similar colourscheme has somewhat blurred the lines between the cars, on paper at least. I have no plans for the RS3 at the moment, but unlike with the previous runabout I'm confident I could downsize to just the Mini if the need arose.
A cold start of the RS3 soon puts the contrast between the cars into sharp relief.
It's a fantastic car to drive and feels good every time it's used, but the Mini does an incredible job of offering very usable performance and comfort.
But on reflection the RS3's future is tied to our van rather than small car, because while the runabout is a daily we rely on, the RS3 & van cover very different needs while also giving us an extra set of wheels when the Mini is also in family use.
I have some long distance business trips coming up during the month, plus that leather to get fixed. I'll keep the thread updated.
It's been just over a year since I got the car, and I last used it again to visit my parents at the weekend. It's the typical use the car gets; once every week or two on a long journey - 4,714 miles in all during the first 12 months.
I took the opportunity to take a quick pic in the morning light at the usual spot, which I think gives a better idea of the colour and calipers than those taken in darker light (as with the next pic):
Last month saw me replace our urban runabout with a brand new Mini - covered in another thread. The Mini being a high-spec model in a similar colourscheme has somewhat blurred the lines between the cars, on paper at least. I have no plans for the RS3 at the moment, but unlike with the previous runabout I'm confident I could downsize to just the Mini if the need arose.
A cold start of the RS3 soon puts the contrast between the cars into sharp relief.
It's a fantastic car to drive and feels good every time it's used, but the Mini does an incredible job of offering very usable performance and comfort. But on reflection the RS3's future is tied to our van rather than small car, because while the runabout is a daily we rely on, the RS3 & van cover very different needs while also giving us an extra set of wheels when the Mini is also in family use.
I have some long distance business trips coming up during the month, plus that leather to get fixed. I'll keep the thread updated.
Well, I'm afraid this is my last update for this green RS3.
My wife went away for the night last week and, as you do when your other half of 20+ years is away, the sleep was somewhat restless. I decided I wanted to refocus my resources a little - more on bikes and holidays basically. To my surprise, it only took a few hours from dawn breaking for a deal to be done with the dealer I’d bought the car from and it was collected today.
It all happened quickly – but, as is often the case with these things, the reasons were building for some time.
I’ve enjoyed every moment actually driving this RS3. It's a dream spec and I am sure to look back on it with a scratch of a head, as well as a tear in my eye. So, why did I sell?
Firstly, this RS3 wasn't a daily driver; it was a special occasion car – used every couple of weekends to visit my parents, with just a handful of long-distance work or social trips on top. That 2023 Mini I mentioned above is a daily and, while it’s certainly not a peer car, a smaller vehicle like this is a much better match to what we need as a family and means I can consolidate to one.
Secondly, and being completely honest with myself, having a pampered car with its own garage was a drag. I wanted the RS3 to be spotless and have the very best of it. I found myself using my precious spare moments researching, fetching the car from its off-site garage, having things done to it etc. I’m looking forward to having a little time back to dedicate to other things in my life, worrying less about keeping a car top notch.
Thirdly, I also still have our van. It’s over ten years old now but in great condition and replacing it would be non-starter for my family. It’s almost the opposite of the RS3, but it does have bags of character. So, I’m going to be using this a bit more for the time being. It won’t be any good for business trips and I’ll need to watch out for a nearby ULEZ-type zone. But it’s a vehicle that everyone loves, does over 700 miles to a tank and I can get even more use from.
There has of course been some depreciation over the 14 months of ownership, but less than you might think. I can offset it a bit in my head because I sold another car recently for more than I bought it for. I will be putting the money back into savings, but also some into updating my fleet of bicycles - all of which get used a lot.
My wife went away for the night last week and, as you do when your other half of 20+ years is away, the sleep was somewhat restless. I decided I wanted to refocus my resources a little - more on bikes and holidays basically. To my surprise, it only took a few hours from dawn breaking for a deal to be done with the dealer I’d bought the car from and it was collected today.
It all happened quickly – but, as is often the case with these things, the reasons were building for some time.
I’ve enjoyed every moment actually driving this RS3. It's a dream spec and I am sure to look back on it with a scratch of a head, as well as a tear in my eye. So, why did I sell?
Firstly, this RS3 wasn't a daily driver; it was a special occasion car – used every couple of weekends to visit my parents, with just a handful of long-distance work or social trips on top. That 2023 Mini I mentioned above is a daily and, while it’s certainly not a peer car, a smaller vehicle like this is a much better match to what we need as a family and means I can consolidate to one.
Secondly, and being completely honest with myself, having a pampered car with its own garage was a drag. I wanted the RS3 to be spotless and have the very best of it. I found myself using my precious spare moments researching, fetching the car from its off-site garage, having things done to it etc. I’m looking forward to having a little time back to dedicate to other things in my life, worrying less about keeping a car top notch.
Thirdly, I also still have our van. It’s over ten years old now but in great condition and replacing it would be non-starter for my family. It’s almost the opposite of the RS3, but it does have bags of character. So, I’m going to be using this a bit more for the time being. It won’t be any good for business trips and I’ll need to watch out for a nearby ULEZ-type zone. But it’s a vehicle that everyone loves, does over 700 miles to a tank and I can get even more use from.
There has of course been some depreciation over the 14 months of ownership, but less than you might think. I can offset it a bit in my head because I sold another car recently for more than I bought it for. I will be putting the money back into savings, but also some into updating my fleet of bicycles - all of which get used a lot.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff