So welcome to the Barmybob What Car? thread.

This started off with thoughts of purchasing an Audi TT 3.2 DSG, a car I had always fancied, but it has moved on quite a bit. I have moved through later model TT's, Audi A/S3's. VW Scirocco's and many more. Current thoughts are towards the Audi A5.

I've been so wrapped up in owning old cheap cars that I have no real idea of what is available, nor indeed what I really want. This has been made worse because I have increased the budget somewhat.


Current thoughts:

• The cars main function will be to commute - 45 miles a day.
• The car needs to be reasonably quick - The current 156 isn't and I hate it Previous cars - Alfa 166 V6 / Audi 2.8 Quattro were perfect.
  
• However - The current 156 has significantly reduced my fuel costs so finding something that can return mpg in the 30's or better would be nice.
• Style - I've always preferred 3 door Coupés - I don't need four doors.
• Age like mileage is not really important. The condition is key. I get a bit sick of viewing cars claiming to be 50,000 miles and prefect but that appear to be 200,000 mile taxis

Alfa GT 3.2 V6

Lovely indigo blue on around 68k for sale just up the road from me, 7k. I'd be there like a shot if I could.

Gt86

45mile a day commute and also knowing your route you don't have to worry about mpg Bob.
Get whatever tickles your fancy mate.

A sporty A5 over a TT any day .

Cayman 2.7.
Quite quick and should do high teens mpg.

High teens? Not quite in the 30's!

I still think the gt86 ticks all your boxes!

A GT86 isn't a nice place to spend any amount of time, especially not a daily commute. Cheap nasty looking dash, swathes of plastic, a gutless engine and a ride that become tiresome after 30 minutes. I did a 45 minute drive from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in a friends car, I didn't enjoy it as a cruising car.

What's your budget Bob?

Around about £14k

Seat Leon fr?
Lower end of budget ticking most along with quick diesel engines with good mpg.

Mercedes e class coupe? Loads under 14k fully loaded,diesel.

This car is still for sale on an Audi Forum, it's a lovely spec S5 4.2 V8

Audi S5

His price is down to £15K but I think he'll accept £14K if you offered it.

old ebay add

Sorry.
Meant high twenties.
Mid thirties on a run.

Or possibly a bmw 325 coupe? Or 320 or 330? All over 30mpg and under 8 secs with baring specs for choice. Loads at 6k onwards



http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201509217110058?onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&quantity-of-doors=2&postcode=cm241qw&fuel-consumption=high&radius=1500&search-target=usedcars&maximum-mileage=up_to_80000_miles&make=bmw&body-type=coupe&sort=atcustom&minimum-seats=4&price-to=12000&zero-to-60=fast&page=1&logcode=p

I went to look over an A5 today. The closest one was at a trader in Stansted... The fellow also had a couple of TT2's and after spending time looking over all the cars I discovered that I prefer the size - shape and specification of the A5 over the TT2.

The car was a base model 1.8 Tsi SE and wasn't fitted with the wheels shown. He also had a rather nice S5 4.2 V8. This was also in base spec rather than the "BLACK" and being a 2012 was well outside the budget.

There are a few V8 S5's in budget, the one Jimbo has linked to looks really nice, and the performance looks impressive too. But the fuel economy and the £505 road tax, year on year and I suspect insurance would be murder. If I didn't still have to go to work it could work, but we're treading on the Aston dream now! (Hmmm RS5 )

Having looked over the 2008 Audi A5 sales brochure on-line it appears that the 3.0 Tdi Quattro with the S-line, and if possible Black Line, trim would be the best. The online community and road test reports seem to suggest the 7 speed auto makes the most of the huge torque and I think I would prefer an auto too. Some of the options available on the A5 are crazy, and cost quite a bit too So seeing any fitted could be a big bonus

So, I have booked an appointment to see a 3.0 Tdi Quattro S-line Auto tomorrow. The mileage is a bit higher than I would like but it is a one owner car it has some extras and is slightly under budget.

Nice Spec slightly high on the budget but that's the starting price, you'd get it down £1K easily.

There is really nice looking 2008 which has CAT D against it, I believe it's got the full repair video on YouTube, they put the face lift front and rear bumper and lights on it, it looks great, is a really high spec and good price, it's just the CAT D if you can live with it.
If it's the same car, it looks like it had been the centre car in a 3 car shunt.

Let me try and find it

Here

Ah no, the video I'm thinking of is a white A5 Cabriolet.

Cat D is the lightest of repair categories, would be interesting to see what happened to it at that price.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201510238080248?page=2&model=a5&make=audi&postcode=cm241qw&sort=priceasc&search-target=usedcars&radius=1500&onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&logcode=p

Why burst the budget. Some nice a5 lower down the scale but obviously higher miles etc

An ex neighbour had exactly the a5 you're looking at, he loves it! Red it is, lots of toys and he's been really impressed, he traded it in for a new non Quat and hated it and went back to audi and swapped back!!!

Bob, if you do look at the 4.2 V8 (which sound amazing) it would be worth taking it for a carbon clean. By 40K miles the intake is pretty gummed up and will really benefit from a clean. It costs around £100 for the service so factor that into your costs or add it to the discount you're looking for.

Give me a shout if you've got any questions on the car or the optional extras, I ticked all the options boxes when I ordered my RS5, some of the options are great, some are pointless and not worth paying extra for.

I love the big coupe, I hope you do too.

There was a time when I would have been silly enough to have gone for the V8 without any thought of if I could afford to run / own it. Somewhat sadly those days are gone and the sensible head tends to dominate proceedings... so sadly no S5 or RS5 is on the cards for me

Wow that one is cheap.

Having looked at quite a few adverts I have decided that I much prefer the S-line specification to the SE. The Black headlining, upgraded MMI, S-line seats, styling touches and Xenon Plus lamps are all items I would like. If I could find one the Black Edition with the privacy glass, B&O sound and black rather than chrome trim, would be even better.

Alfa Brera 3.2 V6 ? I do love the shape and have been tempted, a late model pro drive model for around £12-15k

I looked at the Brera and GT, asked around and all positive feed-back came from GT owners, so GT it was. Very pleased.

Went to see a 2.7 S-Line Multitronic yesterday. We really liked the S-line spec and the A5 Coupé is growing on us too. The car was in white and had after market tints which didn't look good on the rear window The car looked a bit scruffy in places but inside there was little sign of wear and the car actually looked ok. All it did was convince me I didn't want the 2.7!

Having done some more research I have now ruled out the 2.0Tfsi, 2.7tdi, 2.0tdi, Multitronic and S-tronic.

If I go A5 it has to be 3.0 with Quattro and tiptronic or manual gearbox and as higher spec as can be found. There are a few sought after options on my list so I can narrow down the search.

On the way home we stopped to see another A5. It was a soft top, which we don't want but thought it would be good to get a feel of the cars. sadly it had sold but a blooming Passat CC caught the wife's eye. have to say it was rather nice - 2012, low mileage and in budget, just seems a bit too big!

The Brera was on my list. I've looked and driven a few but sadly they just didn't feel that well put together to me

About three years ago I looked for a GT but I just couldn't find a nice one I spent a couple of weeks trawling dealers and looked at perhaps 15 GT's. They all either had issues or were looking like the mileage had been adjusted. There was just one that I considered buying but even that had window issues - not dropping when the door was opened. We went to Leeds to collect my son from Uni and rather than take the train home (Car was full of his stuff) I bought a very cheap 2005 156. Sadly I have never liked the 156, it was a significant backwards step from the much older 166 . Regrettably I don't think I'll ever have another Alfa

Oh, on the way home yesterday we were passed on the A14 by a brand new UK spec Bright Orange Ford Mustang Coupé. I jokingly said to the Mr's "shall we just go to the Ford Dealer and order one of those"? I got the reply I wanted but I don't think she meant it.. " Oh for God's sake, if that's what you want to do!"

Bob, you're bonkers!!

From a MK1 TT to a Mustang......

Yep -- "Barmy"Bob

I guess the madness comes from not knowing exactly what it is that I want! Big car - small car - quick or economical I just don't know. All I do know is that even a big budget, for me, can seem quite small when you are looking for cars.

Would you consider a hot hatch?

Something like an Audi S3 is still a nice place to be and returns decent MPG. If you wanted something more modern then an Astra VXR GTC might just squeeze into your budget. The MK3 Focus ST is suppose to be a very good car too but is only available in 5dr.

Nissan 370z is a nice car which also sounds good and goes well,but MPG maybe lower than you'd like. A neighbour has the black edition whigh has the dark alloys and red leather and it looks fantastic.

I did look at the Focus but a colleague, who had one, has warned of their fuel thirst. Also quite concerning how rust seems to be an issue on some of the post 2006 cars.

Also looked at a Nissan, looks don't work for me.

That's because you always look at the very top of your budget and then just a bit past! I'm terrible for doing it, try hunting about 10% down so you're not drawn into the stuff that's just out of reach.

Now that's not very petrolhead is it Muzzie!

Some ideas:

linky

Seen this month's C&SC, Bob? They're highlighting the 3.2 TT...

Biased of course, BMW Z4M Coupe

Likely to increase in value, I'm getting 27mpg from my 45 mile a day commute, impressive noise, performance and a nice place to be. Harsh ride but can be improved.

Get something interesting, life is too short. At a guess you'd be doing around 16,000 per annum, so whilst lower mpg will cost you, it's not the end of the world. Surely you can get a nice V6 that'll do enough to the gallon on a run...

Depreciation is a good point. My Golf R32 mpg was pretty poor at around 23mpg average, but it lost so little money over the 18 months I owned it, that a boring diesel rep machine would have cost more over the period.

Guys, thanks for all the tips and links

I've still not bought anything but I have viewed quite a varied selection at local dealers. Today I had a few spare hours and viewed a 2010 Focus ST3 2.5 for £10K and a New 2013 Focus 2.0 ST2 for £15K. The older car was fine but the newer car was much better. It still didn't feel like my kind of car though Also looked at another Scirocco, a VW CC and a Volvo S40.

Frustratingly I've still not decided what it is I want but I think the A5 Quattro with a 3.0Tdi looks to be leading the way. I have got some lined up to view on my days off, they are all a few miles away and with the spec / mileage I'm after they are all pushing the top end of the budget Today I have also spotted a TTS for sale which with over 300hp and sub 5 sec to 60 I might just have to go and view

With regard the 156. I've finally found the cause of the water leak. It is not the water pump it is the plastic water rail at the front of the engine. Pipe now ordered from Steve at AA.

WOW and nice in WHITE too.. Yes I know the BUDGET.... But I could push a bit more I'm sure

Those Z4M's look different..

Is that a good or bad thing for you Bob?

The seats in the White TTS are the Audi sports bucket seats, an expensive option, great for performance but have a good sit in them and decide if you think they are suitable for a daily driver.

Doubt one would tick your mid 30's mpg box!

Yeah, but the boxes it does tick means you really wouldn't notice...

The difference between 35mpg and say 27mpg on 16,000 miles is around £50 per month.

True. But old Bob may need that 50 quid......

If you are looking at the Audi 3.0 tdi Quattro auto do some extensive testing on pulling away when both cold and hot.

My parents have the A5 cabriolet and the car is currently away having the gearbox rebuilt. Audi wanted to charge just short of 14k to resolve the issue, but my dad being in the business has found an indy, but the costs are still likely to be near 4k to repair.

There is a well known issue that the gearbox does not kick in till the revs are high or been up for a while causing unpredictable driving that can be dangerous.

Problems aside, both my parents love the car and have no complaints about anything. My dad actually prefers enthusiastic driving in the A5 to his 911 turbo.

You have to be careful though, as you need to look at the full cost of motoring. Depreciation on a standard £14K car is around £200 per month. So you have to include this along with all other running costs.

Or take a diesel that needs a new set of injectors/dpf. That would wipe out a large chunk of any saving when comparing petrol with diesel. It's really not straightforward to calculate the real expected costs with the complexity of modern vehicles.

Out of my curiosity (as an accountant ) , I've calculated the cost per mile for just fuel and depreciation on my Golf R32 over 18 months and 9000 miles...

The cost was 34p per mile. For reference the mpg was 23...

If I took a diesel at the same price-point doing 40mpg and estimat it lost 25% of its value over the 18 months (probably more in reality), then the cost per mile would have been 46p...

See, fuel inefficient cars are cheaper to run Ok, so there are lots of variables, but the sentiment remains.

Jonny, if I ever need an accountant to persuade me (or more likely someone else...) of the reasoning behind a car purchase, you are top of the list!

On a more on-topic note, I'm sure someone must have mentioned the BMW 130i and/or 135i?
Decent rwd performance and 30mpg achievable. Sometimes.

Today was spent repairing the Alfa (Water Leak) I can now travel to see some of the vehicles I've been watching without having to constantly top up.

I've never been a fan of BMW's so have not really looked at them. The Z4 does look interesting though.

That's an interesting comparison.

Bob, are you calculating the pence per mile cost on the cars you've been looking at?

Man maths from an accountant

Yes, depreciation is frequently the biggest cost, so I'd decided long ago to choose a car that shouldn't depreciate too much (if at all) over fuel economy. I could never understand the customers that would buy cars from me when at Toyota just to save an extra few £ on rfl and mpg when they had just lost £6000 on depreciation

The Z4M is so far the best car I've owned, it's a shame we're not more local Bob would have been good to have given you a demonstration

As an aside I'm either buying an E46 325ti or 130i as a run around this weekend.

Is there somewhere I can see what the depreciation on new/used cars is?

I think Whatcar have a depreciation guide. Generally work on 50% over 3 years, but it can vary considerably. Also the greater the 'prestige' of the car, the lower the depreciation. Of course there are normal factors such as mileage, petrol vs diesel, option boxes ticked etc.

Depreciation is one reason I usually buy privately. Unless you need all the dealer trimmings buying privately usually bags a car much cheaper.

Having said all that I have just viewed a car at a trader that I might just complete on! I'm taking it out on an extended test drive on Saturday.

It's a 2010 Audi A5, 3.0 Tdi Auto, S-line with the special edition pack. It is in Black with black leather and has under 60K. I spent a good hour with the car today and found several items that need addressing. That said the guy has just collected the car (Audi dealer Trade in) and it hasn't even been prepared yet. Have to say I am rather impressed so far, just need to go for the test drive and see if he will do a deal, he has hinted he will.

Fingers crossed Bob..........

Worst thing you can ever do is visit an owners forum. The horror stories on there seriously have me reconsidering if I want to return to Audi... At least when you have an Alfa and it goes wrong you don't need to rob a bank to fix it.

Still taking the A5 3.0 TDi Quattro out today but I am now having serious doubts

A bit of a wild card but what about a Lexus IS ? Lots of choice within budget and some good engines.

Too late....

I HAVE BOUGHT AN AUDI A5

3.0 Tdi Quattro, Auto, S-line Special edition in black. Loads of extras too including MMI-3g+, DAB radio, Bluetooth, Electric seats, Auto dimming mirrors (All) and dark tint rear windows.

That's me skint now then!

Weather was perfect for taking out a Quattro. The grip is epic and the torque from that V6 engine is just stunning.

Lol, well done Bob

Fab! Hope you love it for years to come.

Well done Bob.

I love the sound of a V6 diesel. My mate has the 2.5Tdi.

Enjoy the Haldex in the snow !!

Feels odd buying from a dealer, not done that for a long time. I am reasonably happy with the deal but the car will be booked in with the specialist to see if I've missed anything. If all is ok then a full service with all oils & filters will follow.

Advertised my Alfa 156 on a facebook selling page last night and it was gone by 09:30 this morning. I'm not even in the slightest bit upset to see it gone. It served me well really, other than coil packs, but I have hated the 156 since the day I bought it, over two years ago Its only saving grace has been that it was cheap to buy and didn't really owe me anything.

I have to say I was happy with the facebook selling page, quick, easy and local. I will list the 17 inch summer wheels and all the remaining Alfa 166 stuff I still have taking up room - Time for a complete Alfa separation.

Well done Bob!!

Looking forward to seeing some pictures of the beast.

Congrats on the new car, Bob. I'm also looking forward to the pics.

Which Facebook selling page did you use out of curiosity?

I used Facebook. It was just a cars for sale locally page.

collected the car today, will try and get some decent pictures up this week.

When I test drove this Audi I was impressed with its smoothness. There was a nice sound from the V6 and the Automatic gearbox (7 Speed DSG) seemed a perfect match to the engine. I could feel that there was some power but I never really exploited it. Overall I was very happy with the car and the package. I thought the Diesel could save me a few £££'s on the annual fuel bill, the specification was sweet and the Coupé looked really nice too.

A few days of ownership has though shocked me, and burst a few of my bubbles.

Bubble 1 (Diesels aren't fast).
Yes I remember seeing that top gear thing where J.C said that the 330d was almost as quick as the M5 but I had conveniently forgotten I had seen it! Well... the Audi 3.0 V6 is just as impressive. The acceleration of this thing is mind numbing. This week has been very wet but this Quattro just grips and goes. Standing starts are nothing less than impressive, my Coupe wouldn't touch it
But the most impressive aspect of this car is not the 0-60 of sub 6 seconds it is the in gear acceleration. The DSG probably helps here but when you want to accelerate this car just goes

Bubble 2 (Diesels ace economical)
Erm... I think this needs some perspective. For a car that is currently performing like my Coupé "On Boost" then yes it is somewhat economical. I would never see anything above 20mpg from the Coupé in that situation. However, even when driven sensibly I feel that late 30's mpg will be optimistic for the Audi

Bubble 3 (I don't miss owning Audi's)
I think I have been deluding myself. After just a few days I already feel like I am home. My last Audi was a 1992 2.8 V6 80 Quattro. I had kept it for years and didn't progress to the then A4 as I really didn't like it. It could just be the honeymoon period, but almost every aspect of this car has me wondering why I haven't bought one sooner

Yesterday I had the car checked out at an independent Audi Specialist and the car was given a clean bill of health, other than needing tyres. I am currently chasing down a set of smaller wheels, 17's with winter tyres. These 19 inch Y spokes are sweet but they seem rather venerable and you can't easily see potholes when it's dark!

So, my new affair continues There are no plans to sell the Coupé though I do wory that it may not feel so special when I get it out next summer

Erm yes, about that...... I spent just over £16K

But I sold the 156 .... really cheap

Really glad you like it Bob. Well worth the wait. Seems your homework paid off.

I have to wait until March before I go shopping.

My budget is less than yours, I only have around £12k to play with. Current favourite is a diesel RCZ

It would appear I am not the ONLY one with a flexible budget

I actually looked over two of those at Marshall's in Cambridge.

One & Two

Both were Petrol They do look quite nice though.

Nice update Bob - it's great to hear such passion and enthusiasm about a car - any car! I hope by the time you get back in the Coupe, you'll remember why you love it, too.

Yes, like you I decided my initial budget wasn't going to get me something new enough. Your chap who said the DSG equipped TT was one to avoid made me look elsewhere with an increased bubget.

I'm going to test drive this RCZ tomorrow. I can't buy one yet but would like to see if they drive ok.

And yes, I know they're not everyone's cuppa tea.

Much as Pugs are nice to drive, I could never recommend them as a brand. I've had 2 from new (307 and 208) and both have had significant problems.

Makes my Coupe look totally reliable.

My 208 is currently in the main dealer having a slipping clutch looked at (20k miles from new !!!). Not to mention the replacement top mounts after 6k miles. And the suspension still rattles. Apparently, that's "normal." Oh and the paint is 0.000001 microns thick. I scratched it by sneezing the other day.

On the other hand, my wife has a 5008. She's had it for 4 years now, done 60k miles in it, and with 95k on the clock, it hasn't missed a beat. Original clutch and original exhaust. Even all the electrics work!

OK I know you've all been waiting so here are a few pictures. Winter does not do the car any favours, it's filthy

On the test drive


On the drive


I think having one of these during the summer may have influenced my decision?


2 door Coupé, Auto, Full Leather, Great sound and media system, lots of toys and no space in the back.

oh no it's a diseasel !

Fair point. I expect it's the same for many brands. It's a bit hit and miss. I do have a deep distrust for French cars though. A bit hypocritical for an Italian car owner I know !

That looks very nice Bob, congratulations!!

Congrats Barmybob
Elegant and powerfull (the Audi that is)

Audibob

Looks fab Bob, well done.

And tell Mrs BB to smile

That's a sweet ride Bob. What is its weight ?

I really like the A5. Stands out from the other Audi offerings at the moment. Perfect time to buy a quattro with this this weather

Quick update:

I saw a set of 17 inch wheels with nearly new winter tyres on E-bay the other day. £450 later and we are now on winters. The wheels look a bit uglier than the 19's but they are like new with good tyres too. The tyres with their large sidewalls should offer a bit more wheel protection and better winter grip too. Car still rides firm with the sports suspension pack but there is a bit more give than with the 19's. I am still loving the car hugely and would say it is one of the quickest point to point cars I've owned in many years, if not ever. Not since my old original Quattro have I driven anything that gives me as much confidence. That said the drivetrain has moved on significantly since the 80's. So whilst it may not be as nimble as the old car it seems to under-steer far less. But the real star of the show is this motor, it is just epic. I urge everyone to go and test drive one, it can make even the most devout petrol head smile.

There was also a bit of a scare this week.

I was looking through my emails and noticed that I had a couple of HPI checks left, so I ran one on the car. The result was a bit alarming! It came back showing the car as having Finance!! The HPI report gave the details so I made the call to VW finance. Yes they still had a financial interest in the car

I then called the trader who sold me the car as "HPI & Finance clear." He was genuinely shocked as I relayed the details. He urged me to give him time to find out what was going on and said he would call me back ASAP. Sure enough an hour later he called back - the poop had hit the fan. He told me that the Audi dealer, who they bought the car from, hadn't paid down the finance. He said he had been assured by them that it would be sorted the same day. Not that I didn't trust the guys story but I too decided to call Audi to check. Indeed the dealer had failed to pay the finance after they had accepted the car in part exchange. They assured me they had now made full payment.

Fortunately everything is now sorted and the finance company have confirmed they no longer have any claim on the vehicle, PHEW. Next week I am going to pop into the seller and push for a cheap DSG gearbox oil change, hopefully with some goodwill contribution element from the Audi dealer.

And more good news...

I visited the place that sold me the car today. He called up Audi and got them to book me in for a Gearbox oil and filter change for £50 less than their usual price.

Oh great £950 instead of £1,000?

Silly question but can you fit a mountain bike into the boot and fold the seats flat?

I really like the idea of the A5 3.0 just not sure how practical it would be.

No not quite as bad it works out at just over 25%



With an A5 sport-back, easily. I would think that it should fit in the Coupé too but you might need to twist / align the handle bars. I managed to get the 4 x 17 inch winter wheels / tyres in the back but it was a bit tight.

I was going through the thread I started 6 weeks ago regarding a new car. This made me smile -





I hope to have some news by the end of next week regarding my new car.....

Good to hear... Budget out of the window like mine?

Yes. It's going to be double what I initially wanted to spend

We only get to take this trip once mate... If you can afford it go For It

Finally managed to get some time to clean it today and fortunately the weather was ok too. This was the first time I've had a chance to really examine the body work. The roof needed claying as there was lots of sap on there. Overall I've found a few small scratches / marks, some bird poop damage and a small dent that I hadn't noticed before! They should all be easily fixable, when the weather gets better. So after a good wash and a little bit of work on the roof, finished off with a swift polish and sealing the car is looking rather fine.



That said, these winter wheels have still not grown on me... I should have spent a bit more and gone for S-line 18's. Can't wait to get the Summer 19's back on

I also added one of these today... A Cool gadget


Oh and I also spoke to an Audi tuning place and discussed mapping today too. It is possible to get a gearbox re-map for faster changes and there is also an Engine performance map option too... A REVO Stage 1 offers about 300hp and up to 600nm of toque

Looking good, never seen those wheels before!

It does look great, I agree about the wheels Bob, they look really small on such a big car. They look lost in those arches. Maybe spraying them black or grey will help make them blend in?

Saying this, who cares, if you are happy, so what

Only just seen this Bob - Your A5 looks extremely .

Get that engine map sorted pronto.

600nm torque through 4wd sounds like fun - its certainly entertaining having that much at your disposal through just the Jags rear end

Merry Christmas mate

Bob

Hey Bobby, nice to hear from you

I'm still totally enjoying the Audi and keep buying little trinkets for it. The wireless charging plate is really cool I'm also now starting to get MPG returns much closer to the 40's. This week I got 355 miles on just over 40 litres, quite happy with that.

Still not over happy with the looks of the 17's, will be great to get the smart ones back on.

And then yesterday.....

I was talking to Adam about doing something else to the Audi and got a response I wasn't expecting...

"Dad, you bought the Audi to get to and from work. Yes it's a nice car and it looks good, but it's no Coupé. The Coupé turns heads and people comment when you park it or fill up. Nobody is interested in the Audi, it's just another Audi that looks much like any other Audi, there are loads of them everywhere."

Kind of told me

Good point, well made! Although your lad sounds a lot more polite than my stepsons.

I did perhaps use an element of editorial judgement

Yes I'm suffering the same thing from my 3 children.

Apparently a TT is a girly car.
I'm too old for a Fiesta ST-2 (probably correct on this one)
A DS3 is a noddy car and are 10 a penny

and........

A BRZ isn't a proper Scooby (My son said that, he wants me to get an STi again).

Cotton wool in ears

But not an ST-3

Hmmmmm.

In my defence your honour, I went and test drove another one and concentrated more on the seating position. Having Recaros it is just so comfortable and supportive of my dodgy back and troublesome leg.

My lad (14), said it's a bit of a 'boy racer' car. To a point, I have to agree

I've only gone and booked a viewing of 2014 TTRS/Plus on Sunday And I have an appointment tomorrow to see if Audi can come anywhere near an Orange wheels quote on a new S5

Have you outgrown the A5's performance already, Bob?!

Still loving my A5, don't get me wrong. The torque is fantastic and addictive but I also like the way the car looks and drives. We have decided it makes a bit more sense to make a big purchase whilst we are both working and not just wait and use the pension pot.

I confess I still like the idea of a 5 cylinder 20V Turbo TTRS+ and have read up on them extensively. This is why I have booked to go and see one. When my colleague saw the price of the car he had me spec up an S5 too. Whilst an RS5 would be great car to own they are perhaps just a bit too pricey to buy and own

That said I am aware that the blown S5 can be chip tuned to match the RS5

S5 spec was big and it came out at silly money. My colleague then entered the same specification into the Orange wheels website, he has just used them to buy a fully loaded Golf R with a huge discount. He gave me a price which was 20% off the OTR price but shockingly is only £4k more than the TTRS I am going to see