Well, it's been a bit of a long haul and we've seen quite a variety of different cars and models - not just VAG products either. The fact that he was set on the idea of an estate (to accommodate his ladders) has been a bit of a limiting factor - So many SUVs seem to have taken over this sector. Trouble is they don't have the length. Maybe because of the shortage of new cars just now (son in law has now been waiting for nearly 2 years for his new Skoda Enyaq) there's a fair amount of very "average to poor" condition vehicles being punted at exorbitant prices - to my way of thinking anyway. One we did see which I was quite taken with was a Renault Megane 140hp 1.3TCE estate. I don't think they are very popular which seems to be reflected in the prices being asked for one - £2000 less than the Audi I'm going to introduce to you below, for a 2019 model with 13.000 miles on the clock. Not sure if I'd buy one as historically I've not been keen on french cars, but it was very nice to sit in and looked good too. Bet it would be cheaper to maintain as it ages too?
Anyway, we got a call on Tuesday from one of the dealers who were looking out for a suitable vehicle for him to say they'd just taken in a 2017 Audi A4 Avant (estate) with sport trim and 35,000 miles on the clock, might it be of interest? Which engine? 1.4 TFSI. We hadn't thought about an Audi as they were mostly above his price range and many, anywhere near what he could afford, were high mileage. So yes, we'll come up next day (the car was up in Fife so not just round the corner). It was explained that the car was so new to them that it hadn't been prepared in anyway apart from a quick hoover and wash and that if we decided to have it it would be fully valeted and workshop checked. While my lad took a look at it, sat in it, turned the stereo on - wow, it wouldn't shame a discotech! - Played with all the bells, whistles and tech (and there's a lot to get your head round) and generally "kicked the tyres" I found the salesman who had dealt with it's previous owner. He told me they were a mature couple who traded it in against a brand new version of the same car, which they'd taken delivery of just that weekend, so they must have liked it?
I'd taken the precaution of getting the reg no the night before and checked it's MOT history. all clear until the last MOT a year ago, which it had passed but had advisories on brake pads and one rear tyre. So the first thing I checked was the brakes, which are easy to see due to the open nature of the, rather nice, alloy wheels. Virtually new discs and pads all round! and two new, good quality, rear tyres. The wheels are rather nice silver multispoke jobbies, not diamond cut which pleased me as I don't like the look of diamond cut and I've seen many examples badly corroded. If you look very closely there's a very small mark on one rear wheel rim but otherwise they are perfect. Tyres aren't too "silly" either 225/50 R17 (or was it a 45 section, can't quite remember) anyway I remember thinking the sidewall was reasonably tall so would have some compliance to deal with potholes etc. The interior is very good too. Rear seats look unused - no grandchildren been in here i'd say! and the load area seems to have seen very little use. there's a small mark on the plastic trim on the back of the driver's seat and a small scuff mark on the rear bumper probably caused when loading - it may well polish out. Passenger's front seat has a wee discolouration on the base - someone's spilt something - and the drivers seat shows some small signs of wear but this is nit picking. The bodywork is pristine in black (and he said he would never have another black car!) if it really had only been washed then it's going to look spectacular when polished and valeted. There's one tiny dent in the bonnet on the passenger side just in front of the windscreen. I wouldn't be surprised if it was caused by a wayward golf ball! The dealer told us his paintless dent remover man would "loose" it.
Now I know very little about Audis having mostly messed about with SEATs and Skodas. So I got quite a surprise when I opened the bonnet and saw it was a "north/south" engine, not east west as in the Seats and Skodas. I also noticed the "dreaded" twin ball joints on the upper suspension link during my investigations and the rear suspension is obviously multilink with a big alloy bottom arm clearly visible. Gratifyingly the exhaust, obviously the original, looked to be in excellent condition. The engine started from cold very quickly and ran nice and quiet - my 3 cylinder EA211, so same engine family, rattles and clatters it's valve gear when cold and it's one year older and with 5,000 less miles on it. However this engine is the 150 hp ACT so maybe not directly comparable valve gear? although I think the roller rockers and hydraulic adjusters are the same? Then I suddenly thought, North south engine, twin ball joint uprights, where have I seen this before? I know, Passat! So do they basically share the same running gear?
The road test was lovely, the car drove beautifully, the engine was surprisingly punchy, quite a bit quicker than my
Ibiza - as you'd expect - but beautifully smooth and with a nice supple ride, Rear seats are just as comfy as the fronts and it's got a spacesaver spare too. When we got back I snuck a look at it's service record on the computer - lovely, just serviced last month with almost a full year's mot and full dealer service record signed off!
Unsurprisingly we didn't get much of a deal on his old 2007 Astra estate with almost 130,000 miles on the clock - it'll go straight to auction I bet - but a small deal was done on the asking price of the Audi so we came away paying just over £15,000 for it. Not especially cheap methinks? but I don't think we are going to find another in this condition very easily - and the dealer knows he's got a good car here. Didn't buy any of the "extras" not even the extended warranty. We did think about the service package which included MOTs but I'd rather have it looked after by one of the indys like AVW as I think main dealer servicing can be a bit "skimpy"? Of course there is a short dealer warranty on it and I'm going to get either AVW or Autohaus (who are nearer for him) to do a vehicle inspection on it so we can have anything they find attended to before the short guarantee runs out. The car went straight into the workshops for preparation and he's picking it up after 10am tomorrow. He's a very happy and excited chap!
I've been thinking for some time now that at my age and with the restrictions my mild health problems force on me that I should be stepping back from looking after all the cars in the "Family Fleet" and this one's just so full of technology and stuff like electric hand brakes etc that I think I'll just let Alan, Keith and their "merry men" look after this one for me. Our Panda, my older boy's Punto and recently aquired Mazda2 (daughter in law) in addition to my
Ibiza should be quite enough for a nearly 77 year old don't you think?
