Audio connectivity 2018my-2021

[Slyjoe]

Hi all, I'm close to a purchase, after a lush test drive provided by Tim at the Banbury dealership.

I don't listen to the radio particularly, mostly Spotify - how do you find the connectivity between your Android and the car, which I guess is USB and/or Bluetooth? (Information overload on the day we visited)

The Miami Blue in the showroom was perfect, but as my old dad used to say (and it's his inheritance I'm spending) don't buy new - depreciation etc... - but as you know the later models have the updated head unit for Nav and Android Auto. I'm aware someone here sells beautiful phone mounts.

A Myriad of questions runs through my tiny brain. Used versus new, updated systems versus saving a few quid.

Any advice or help is appreciated.

[PhilipIbrahim]

I am of the opinion that CarPlay is such an improvement over what came before that I would not consider buying a car without it (any car, not just an A110). Like you, I primarily listen via Spotify and it works perfectly via CarPlay on my MY22 car.

Regarding depreciation, not that I'm qualified to give advice on car values, but the A110 depreciates a lot less than average. If you do not intend to own the car for long then I understand why you would want to avoid that first year depreciation hit, but if you're intending to keep the car long term the maths might work out differently for you.

[Slyjoe]

Thanks, Philip, Initially, due to personal circumstances, I had in mind keeping it for at least three years.

I can wait for the used stock to appear at Banbury - I'd much rather use a local dealer, other older cars are available around the country.

The rarity of the Miami blue kind of makes me hope re-sale will be easy without too much depreciation.

But, you can't do a big road trip, and a month in Provence without the right soundtrack - where did it all go wrong

First-world problems etc etc....

Seriously though, I'm much humbled to be in a position to make the right or wrong choice at this point.

[Colin P]

PhilipIbrahim said:

I am of the opinion that CarPlay is such an improvement over what came before that I would not consider buying a car without it (any car, not just an A110). Like you, I primarily listen via Spotify and it works perfectly via CarPlay on my MY22 car.

Regarding depreciation, not that I'm qualified to give advice on car values, but the A110 depreciates a lot less than average. If you do not intend to own the car for long then I understand why you would want to avoid that first year depreciation hit, but if you're intending to keep the car long term the maths might work out differently for you.

I'm not sure that buying used will save much money even on a short term ownership. Having been watching the market and recently bought these cars don't sell well privately, so the biggest hit is the dealer margin and it's more a question of how many years that is spread over.

I'd suggest wrapping your head around how much a second hand car is and how much a new one is in your desired spec and simply asking yourself if buying second hand is worth the relatively small saving. For me it wasn't. Admittedly, carplay was a feature in this.

[springfan62]

Mine doesn't have carplay and whilst I would like to have it, its not a game changer.

I just connect my phone either to aux or bluetooth and play music, never been an issue for me and I certainly wouldn't spend the cost to change for the small improvement.

[Colin P]

For me carplay is about being able to use other Navigation maps - planning "fun" routes in unfamiliar areas.

[xondat]

Slyjoe said:

Thanks, Philip, Initially, due to personal circumstances, I had in mind keeping it for at least three years.

I can wait for the used stock to appear at Banbury - I'd much rather use a local dealer, other older cars are available around the country.

The rarity of the Miami blue kind of makes me hope re-sale will be easy without too much depreciation.

But, you can't do a big road trip, and a month in Provence without the right soundtrack - where did it all go wrong

First-world problems etc etc....

Seriously though, I'm much humbled to be in a position to make the right or wrong choice at this point.

I had one of the three Orange Sanguine cars in the UK, and I'll sadly tell you that it didn't mean anything when it came to value. Just a couple of "nice spec" comments.

Unless you absolutely must have the Miami Blue color, just get a car with CarPlay. Standard navigation is awful.

Mine was a MY21, I mostly used Spotify, and sometimes Apple Podcasts. Bluetooth is fine but I prefer to charge my phone so connected with USB (to Lightning) and the audio was fine. Occasionally it skips half a second for no reason.

I had a phone mount but perhaps it's important to remember that even interacting with a mounted phone is now illegal, and can get you a fine & points.

[Debbiesd]

Decent phone mount just below the screen and my phone does everything that the screen doesn’t do, Spotify, google maps , syri etc, yes built in car play would be great but really not a reason to buy an earlier car, mines a 2020 Legende,

Tim at Banbury is also a Legende, the only sales person I have met who genuinely cares about aftersales and follows up on any issues, you won’t go wrong with Tim, I don’t buy new cars but had my current car from him, have an R on order and A290 all because of his approach

Buy with your heart , whatever model year you buy you won’t regret it

[Slyjoe]

Debbiesd said:

Decent phone mount just below the screen and my phone does everything that the screen doesn’t do, Spotify, google maps , syri etc, yes built in car play would be great but really not a reason to buy an earlier car, mines a 2020 Legende,

Tim at Banbury is also a Legende, the only sales person I have met who genuinely cares about aftersales and follows up on any issues, you won’t go wrong with Tim, I don’t buy new cars but had my current car from him, have an R on order and A290 all because of his approach

Buy with your heart , whatever model year you buy you won’t regret it

If PH had a like button, I'd click it now - Tim and I had a conversation earlier, and we're doing a deal couldn't be happier.

[a110au]

shameless plug for my phone holder:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/12438804...