Argh! Help me choose a car!

Barring S4's and RS4's none of the A4 particularly light up the tyres, but they will cruise at 85-90mph on the motoway. As long as I get from A to B without having to peer at the engine and acceptably quickly I don't care now about it being quick as I know I have a 'Toy' car locked up for weekend fun.

I bought a BMW Mini Cooper 's' as a supposive 'Sensible' car a few years.. It was fairly quick, but not quick enough to justify it's 20 odd mpg even when you took it easy, you could only really get 2 people in it comfortably, you could just about get a bike in the back if you stripped wheels, seat post etc. off it and if you wanted to fit roof bars you have to fit special BMW clips to fit their bars which involves drilling holes in the roof!!

The moral of the story, buy somthing cheap, fast enough to get from A to B, cheap to run, big enough to put a bike inside, clean enough to look respectable but no so mint that you don't mind bashing or putting muddy clothes in. Compromise cars just don't cut it... Quick and sensible = RS4 and another 15k
 
I back the call for the VW/Audi 1.9 TDI engines, they are superb. I recently purchased a 2000 VW Bora 110TDI with 60k on the clock from a vw main dealer for £4k. It is basicly a golf with a cavernous boot. I chose it over a golf as its just that little bit more unusual on the roads (i guess its the same reason i choose to ride a retro bike, while all those around me scoot around on modern rides).

Its actually my second bora, late last year i was involved in an accident which wrote off my car, myself and my passenger walked away totally unharmed, something that i put down to the safety levels of the car. If it was a fiat punto or focus, im not sure it would have been quite the same.

And being VW, they last well, depreciate slowly, will do huge milages and not cost the earth to service.

As for bike transport, it is possible to fold the rear seats flat and manouvre a couple of bikes through the boot/rear passenger doors. It is much easier however to use a bike rack. When using more "normal" shaped lugguage
my car has done airport runs with me and three friends with all the suitcases fitting in the enormous boot.

If you go down the private sale route you can pick up a nice one for less than i paid at a main agent.
 
Fair enough matey.
I've got the Midget and V8 Roadster for the weekends so I think i'll have a look at that old 5 series estate tonight.
Cheap, tough and dosn't matter too much if it gets a bit dirty.

The A4 with 61,000 is still tempting though.
 
The VAG 1.8T is a good engine too, had one in both my old SEAT Leon Cupra and my current A3 Sport. No problems with 150k from them.

I'd avoid anything with Quattro/Haldex just because of the additional servicing costs of the Haldex 'clutch' - it's only another oil and filter change but not necassery unless you've got one of the really powerfull S/RS Audi variants.
 
Well, went to see the 5 series estate and it was ok but didn't really do anything for me.

There was a nice A4 TDi at the very top of my budget too.

As I was leaving I spotted a P-reg A4 Avant TDi Quattro.
On closer inspection it looks a bit neglected.
Rust spots where stonechips haven't been touched in, filthy interior and the front bumper looks to have been resprayed.
It's not on the market yet - needs parts for the heater and an MOT but then they'll be asking around £3,000...
...asking for trouble? :?
 
Don't touch an Audi that hasn't been meticulously cared for, the majority are fully serviced and well looked after. No need to pay for someone elses neglect.
 
I concur with Mr PSD - the man knows his VAG cars, trust me!

Possibly going to be looking at an A4 for myself in the not too distant future - but I keep getting swayed by the idea of another Corrado, or maybe a 16v Audi Coupe...! :LOL:
 
Ended up buying a 1998 A4 Avant 1.8T Sport with 73,000 and FSH for £3,300 so i'm happy. 150bhp and 0-60 in 8.2, not bad.
Waiting for the cheque to clear now.
:D
 
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