The S5 lease thread

[rokut]

IJB1959 said:

I would have a Golf R over an S3 any day, even a RS3, but not over an S4/5.

Thanks for the replies. This boils down to economics as much as anything. S3 Sportback Black Edition is just over £9K for 10K p/a on 24 months, whereas the very best S4 deal I can find now is £10.7K for the same.

My head says S3 (decent car, good spec, practical enough) but my heart says S4 (better engine, easier gearbox, nicer interior, but no added spec or colour means it won't reach it's full potential).

Appreciate the thoughts and apologies for the thread hi-jack

[TomScrut]

rokut said:

Thanks for the replies. This boils down to economics as much as anything. S3 Sportback Black Edition is just over £9K for 10K p/a on 24 months, whereas the very best S4 deal I can find now is £10.7K for the same.

My head says S3 (decent car, good spec, practical enough) but my heart says S4 (better engine, easier gearbox, nicer interior, but no added spec or colour means it won't reach it's full potential).

Appreciate the thoughts and apologies for the thread hi-jack

But the S4 is way better equipped as standard than the S3 anyway with connect etc as standard, the only thing the BE beats it on is black pack, tinted windows and B&O/Bose whatever they put in the A3.

[IJB1959]

NSS89 said:

I was speaking to a tuner the other day who is adamant that a remap will not leave a trace on the ECU (TD1 Flag I think its called) as he would 'reset the counters' once the map was applied.

Does anyone have anymore knowledge on this? As far as I was aware it would leave a trace on there hence people going down the tuning box route.

Maybe he could I don't know, but personally I wouldn't risk it as there must be some sort of evidence if you know what too look for on the ECU.

[TomScrut]

IJB1959 said:

NSS89 said:

I was speaking to a tuner the other day who is adamant that a remap will not leave a trace on the ECU (TD1 Flag I think its called) as he would 'reset the counters' once the map was applied.

Does anyone have anymore knowledge on this? As far as I was aware it would leave a trace on there hence people going down the tuning box route.

Maybe he could I don't know, but personally I wouldn't risk it as there must be some sort of evidence if you know what too look for on the ECU.

I'm sure somebody else told me that if you know where to look on the ECU then you would spot issues with plug in boxes too, as the sensor values would differ to a standard tune? Either the sensor goes straight to the ECU not via the tuning box, or the tuning box cannot perfectly replicate what the normal readings would be to feed back into the ECU. Might be BS but thought I'd put it out there.

On the note of the exhaust valves, I plugged mine back in the other day. The RH one was a pain to get back in (was very stiff). I ended up taking the actuator off the top of the exhaust (only 3 nuts) and plugged it back in and then refitted the actuator. This is actually very simple and would allow for a better sealing job to be done on the actuator. Alternatively could be easier than unplugging it and taping up, just take it off and secure it somewhere, would save getting error codes too. Note there is a spring thing that interfaces the actuator to the valve in the exhaust that needs to be refitted when putting the actuator back on, so don't remove the actuator and drive off somewhere without taking the spring out first!

[rokut]

TomScrut said:

But the S4 is way better equipped as standard than the S3 anyway with connect etc as standard, the only thing the BE beats it on is black pack, tinted windows and B&O/Bose whatever they put in the A3.

Absolutely, but I have to admit I like tints and a good sound system... Both of which I would slightly miss in the S4 vs. S3. No doubt the S4 is the better car forgetting any spec. The engine and interior alone is a big step up, but is it worth £1.7K on straight increased lease costs, as well as more to service and re-tyre than the S3... I am guessing at maybe £2.5K more in total across the two years. So this is my dilemma haha

[cv3hd]

Hopefully the last question. For those of you who have taken out GAP is £15k sufficient for a claim limit?

[IJB1959]

TomScrut said:

IJB1959 said:

NSS89 said:

I was speaking to a tuner the other day who is adamant that a remap will not leave a trace on the ECU (TD1 Flag I think its called) as he would 'reset the counters' once the map was applied.

Does anyone have anymore knowledge on this? As far as I was aware it would leave a trace on there hence people going down the tuning box route.

Maybe he could I don't know, but personally I wouldn't risk it as there must be some sort of evidence if you know what too look for on the ECU.

I'm sure somebody else told me that if you know where to look on the ECU then you would spot issues with plug in boxes too, as the sensor values would differ to a standard tune? Either the sensor goes straight to the ECU not via the tuning box, or the tuning box cannot perfectly replicate what the normal readings would be to feed back into the ECU. Might be BS but thought I'd put it out there.

On the note of the exhaust valves, I plugged mine back in the other day. The RH one was a pain to get back in (was very stiff). I ended up taking the actuator off the top of the exhaust (only 3 nuts) and plugged it back in and then refitted the actuator. This is actually very simple and would allow for a better sealing job to be done on the actuator. Alternatively could be easier than unplugging it and taping up, just take it off and secure it somewhere, would save getting error codes too. Note there is a spring thing that interfaces the actuator to the valve in the exhaust that needs to be refitted when putting the actuator back on, so don't remove the actuator and drive off somewhere without taking the spring out first!

Could be correct although I could not find anything showing up with a tuning box, but Audi equipment possibly may. If there was something to show, then a remap is there done & dusted, but a tuning box can easily be removed, so how are they physically going to prove you had one unlike a remap?

[TomScrut]

IJB1959 said:

Could be correct although I could not find anything showing up with a tuning box, but Audi equipment possibly may. If there was something to show, then a remap is there done & dusted, but a tuning box can easily be removed, so how are they physically going to prove you had one unlike a remap?

Yes thats it. if they really looked into it i.e. took readings rather than looked for error codes they may find something but as you say how would they prove you had had a tuning box on?

[simonwhite2000]

rokut said:

TomScrut said:

But the S4 is way better equipped as standard than the S3 anyway with connect etc as standard, the only thing the BE beats it on is black pack, tinted windows and B&O/Bose whatever they put in the A3.

Absolutely, but I have to admit I like tints and a good sound system... Both of which I would slightly miss in the S4 vs. S3. No doubt the S4 is the better car forgetting any spec. The engine and interior alone is a big step up, but is it worth £1.7K on straight increased lease costs, as well as more to service and re-tyre than the S3... I am guessing at maybe £2.5K more in total across the two years. So this is my dilemma haha

Golf R as standard has 65% tints and the VW version of the virtual cockpit as well as adaptive cruise etc etc. I took a Golf R over an S3 as my previous car as it was the sweeter drive, better infotainment and I would make the same decision again aside from selecting Dynaudio.

[TomScrut]

cv3hd said:

Hopefully the last question. For those of you who have taken out GAP is £15k sufficient for a claim limit?

Are you looking at ALA? If so you want the recommended £25k, then get a quote from totalloss and then get ALA to beat by 20%. If you go for £15k then your initial premium is less making 20% of the difference less too. Don;t go over the recommended though or they may say "well thats too much" but they cant exactly go against their own recommendation can they?

[Stephen-25tl4]

cv3hd said:

Hopefully the last question. For those of you who have taken out GAP is £15k sufficient for a claim limit?

I'd say not - £25k needed on these cars

[cv3hd]

TomScrut said:

Are you looking at ALA? If so you want the recommended £25k, then get a quote from totalloss and then get ALA to beat by 20%. If you go for £15k then your initial premium is less making 20% of the difference less too. Don;t go over the recommended though or they may say "well thats too much" but they cant exactly go against their own recommendation can they?

Thanks - this is exactly what they did. See below from Jason:

Hi,

Sorry just to clarify their quote is based on the monthly rentals not the claim limit of £25,000 so we would have to adjust the claim limit to £15k to allow for this.


Kind regards
Jason Allen

Is this just a fob off? ALA quoted £190.80 including £3k initial rental and £25k limit and total loss quoted £120.87 including £3k initial rental and says there is no claim limit?

[rokut]

simonwhite2000 said:

Golf R as standard has 65% tints and the VW version of the virtual cockpit as well as adaptive cruise etc etc. I took a Golf R over an S3 as my previous car as it was the sweeter drive, better infotainment and I would make the same decision again aside from selecting Dynaudio.

Thanks Simon. Golf was in my mind when I started out but the only deals I could get close to the S3 were for the estate, which I am not as excited about. If the Hatchback deals were on right now it would be in the mix, but with it requiring more cash than the S3 I wouldn't go for it. Whereas I feel the S4 is a different level again and worthy of consideration. Golf R has a lot going for it for sure, but more interest in the Audi's. All personal perception though

Just checked quickly, best deal on CH&L leads to £10.4K over 24 months, 10K p/a. vs. £9K for S3, and £10.7K for the S4.

Edited by rokut on Tuesday 29th August 15:21

[TomScrut]

cv3hd said:

Thanks - this is exactly what they did. See below from Jason:

Hi,

Sorry just to clarify their quote is based on the monthly rentals not the claim limit of £25,000 so we would have to adjust the claim limit to £15k to allow for this.


Kind regards
Jason Allen

Is this just a fob off? ALA quoted £190.80 including £3k initial rental and £25k limit and total loss quoted £120.87 including £3k initial rental and says there is no claim limit?

Hmm, ALA took the price of my £25k quote and did it, maybe they have wised on to what we were all doing!

Either way ALA will beat totalloss on like for like so unless they are claiming its not like for like then they will still be cheaper.

[TomScrut]

Stephen-25tl4 said:

I'd say not - £25k needed on these cars

On lease? I doubt it to be honest. At RRP of £47000 they are £39000 excl VAT. If you wrote it off the day before you were meant to hand it back then the car would stand them (based on RRP not what they actually paid) at about £30k if you had one of the decent deals (taking £11000 of rentals minus VAT). There is no way the insurance company would say its only worth £15k at 2 years old, let alone £5k.

Unless I am missing something?

[IJB1959]

TomScrut said:

Stephen-25tl4 said:

I'd say not - £25k needed on these cars

On lease? I doubt it to be honest. At RRP of £47000 they are £39000 excl VAT. If you wrote it off the day before you were meant to hand it back then the car would stand them (based on RRP not what they actually paid) at about £30k if you had one of the decent deals (taking £11000 of rentals minus VAT). There is no way the insurance company would say its only worth £15k at 2 years old, let alone £5k.

Unless I am missing something?

Good point on the VAT as this should be out of the equation being reclaimable and lopping nearly 4k off the RRP.

[TomScrut]

IJB1959 said:

TomScrut said:

Stephen-25tl4 said:

I'd say not - £25k needed on these cars

On lease? I doubt it to be honest. At RRP of £47000 they are £39000 excl VAT. If you wrote it off the day before you were meant to hand it back then the car would stand them (based on RRP not what they actually paid) at about £30k if you had one of the decent deals (taking £11000 of rentals minus VAT). There is no way the insurance company would say its only worth £15k at 2 years old, let alone £5k.

Unless I am missing something?

Good point on the VAT as this should be out of the equation being reclaimable and lopping nearly 4k off the RRP.

£8k you mean?

[IJB1959]

TomScrut said:

£8k you mean?

Yep, sorry 8k...my head maths are rubbish.

[simonwhite2000]

rokut said:

simonwhite2000 said:

Golf R as standard has 65% tints and the VW version of the virtual cockpit as well as adaptive cruise etc etc. I took a Golf R over an S3 as my previous car as it was the sweeter drive, better infotainment and I would make the same decision again aside from selecting Dynaudio.

Thanks Simon. Golf was in my mind when I started out but the only deals I could get close to the S3 were for the estate, which I am not as excited about. If the Hatchback deals were on right now it would be in the mix, but with it requiring more cash than the S3 I wouldn't go for it. Whereas I feel the S4 is a different level again and worthy of consideration. Golf R has a lot going for it for sure, but more interest in the Audi's. All personal perception though

Just checked quickly, best deal on CH&L leads to £10.4K over 24 months, 10K p/a. vs. £9K for S3, and £10.7K for the S4.

Edited by rokut on Tuesday 29th August 15:21

Decision made then - S4

[simonwhite2000]

Figured id give a readout on the additional kit my replacement S5 came with over my previous one;

Pan Roof - not worth 1250 quid. I use it quite a bit but only because it's there - I would not miss it. Adds creaks and squeaks to the cabin that were not there in my previous coupe which is annoying. It isnt actually that big of an opening either - maybe the SB one is larger

B&O Sound - sounds hardly any different than standard sound to me currently but still convinced mine isnt working properly as it lacks power, bass and the rear speakers rattle like crazy (sounds like a duff speaker/s maybe)

Head Up Display - Love this feature especially when using sat nav. Not having to take your eyes off the road at all is great and it shows your speed, speed limit on the road, sat nav info and the lane assist status.

Wireless charging - Handy and charges the phone quicker than when plugged in but let's face it - plugging the phone in takes only a few seconds

Matrix lights - Cant see them from in the car and not able to tell the difference when driving. Nice to catch a glimpse of the sweeping indicator at the front once in a while but not worth the upgrade

Tour pack - Mostly assist systems that sit in the background and are not visible during the day to day


If it was my money I would only take the HUD from the list currently even though it is pricey - I really do like it. If I get to the bottom of the B&O sound problems then that might become another one I would go for.

Edited by simonwhite2000 on Wednesday 30th August 09:36