Keep Q7? Swap? Trade down? All thoughts welcome...

[Anatonic]

Hey all

Been a while since I've posted one of these, but I've always appreciated the differing views and advice.

We are a family of 5 and currently have an Audi Q7 financed till Jan 2023 (16 plate, 60k miles) mainly for the space / occasional 7 seats. It gets regular use for band equipment (PA, speakers, drum kits etc) as well as loaded up with camping gear as we tend to do quite a lot of weekends away / festivals. We tend to use the 7 seats occasionally for when we have the in-laws with us every other month and when we go away as a family in one vehicle (we have a roofbox for it also to help when all 7 seats are in use)

Anyway... on to my dilemma...

Audi dealer phoned, they're looking for decent examples of Q7 for stock and offered me £30k for the car - settlement is currently £22k... we all know used prices are a bit bonkers at the moment, but it did get me thinking. The Q7 needs tyres all round in the next couple of months, as well as front pads not long after - but before I pull the trigger on getting the work done I'm starting to seriously consider my options...

1) Swap the Q7 for a newer Q7 (or another brands 7-seater) - we love the car and happy with how its financed, but appreciate that this route isn't financially the sensible option (approx £470 a month)

2) Refinance the agreement earlier and pay the £22k settlement fee - keep our current Q7, get the work done and look to outright own in 2 years, rather than simply PCP on a newer model. Also ability to sell at any point and pay off the loan (likely I'd just get an unsecured loan to settle the PCP - and it'll be lower than the 4.9% I'm paying now)

3) Swap the Q7 for something else of less value... this is where I'm starting to think maybe this is a sensible route to go... We love the Q7 but realistically it is a luxury and we don't need something of that size all the time (we do have a second car, an old 05 Passat Estate for beater duty)... In my mind, we could potentially trade in the Q7 for something cheaper, and buy outright sooner - when the kids are a bit older, Mrs Anatonic can get herself something a bit more luxury again.

Am I missing any other options here?

In my mind, I could trade in the Q7 at £28-£30k for something like a £18-£20k Touran and just have to pay off the remaining £10-£12k. We still ideally need 7 seats and a reasonable sized boot in 5-seat mode for the weekend stuff - we do still have the roofbox for when 7-seat mode is engaged! As much as I'd love to go the Kombi / Caravelle route, that's a no-go from the Mrs and would cost more money anyway...

I'm just not that aware of what 7-seaters are out there and which are terrible vs a good shout... As much as I was always against the MPV route, its been more appealing since we first got the Q7...

Help a man get his thoughts in order...

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd probably get a loan clear the finance & own the car outright it sounds like it's the right car for your needs, plus you know the car.

Your car is worth around 35k retail have a look & see what others are offering you may get more from Cazoo/Motorway.

7 seater wise the S Max

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110188...

& Galaxy's are the picks:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110128...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110158...

Leftfield is the i800:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109227...

7 Seat SUV wise the Kia Sorento KX-2 is a very good option & some will still have 3 years of Warranty left:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107064...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109087...

KX-4

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110118...

You'll get a nicer Santa Fe (because the warranty is shorter but it's the same car as the Sorento above:

Premium SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110158...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110118...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110188...

Premium

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109147...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108216...

[Disco You]

If a dealer is phoning you up cold and offering £30k I’d be looking up how much we buy any car and their competitors are offering for it.

[Dohnut]

Disco You said:

If a dealer is phoning you up cold and offering £30k I’d be looking up how much we buy any car and their competitors are offering for it.

This.

My local Audi dealer recently offered about £3K less than WBAC for my B9 A4 Avant S-Line on trade in for a Q7.

[Anatonic]

A good shout - I’m guessing they also want cars for the Cinch operation - time to go have a butchers…

I think we’ll likely end up keeping the Q7 longer term, just given that Mrs A loves the thing!

[Dimebars]

If you do decide to sell, you need to remember that what you get on one hand will disappear quickly on the other

The price of good used cars just now will eat up that £8k equity you have in no time

[Jamescrs]

I think unless you are wanting to sell up to release the equity and go for something cheaper you are best sticking where you are car wise, I know it's tempting when you can see cash being offered, I'm getting the same with my car from the BMW dealer I bought from 12 months ago but in reality I can't buy anything better for the same money and I don't need to sell.