Tough predicament!!!

[QIK-R]

Ok,

So as you know, or as you could probably tell by my sig, ive got an R on order, which isnt due to arrive till much later on this year, im not even sure when build date is due to my salesperson not getting back to me. Just landed a new job where i have to go out and visit clients at their homes/offices, need to use my own car. now my bmw does the job ok, but being its age, its going to cost me a bomb to replace something on it...

i have been looking at second hand r32's, s3's, gti's, so ideally it will be something from the VAG shed.

what do i do? cancel the order on the R and;

1. find one with similar specs in stock?
2. go for a second hand R32/ demo R?
3. second hand s3?
4. second hand/demo GTI?

[Ben_GTI]

Second hand S3. I think they look nicer and are probably a lot cheaper.

[Blitzen]

Yeah, I would go the S3...

[Greg Roles]

I considered the exact same thing recently, as I am at car upgrade point ( but decided to stick )

In the petrols it was wait for an R, or get a low km S3.

Go sit in the Audi, and the choice becomes simple. The R is a gorgeous car, but so too is the Audi, and you can get it tomorrow.

S3 vote here.

[Transporter]

Well, a new car is a new car, but again if for any reason I couldn't wait, I would pick S3.

[Corey_R]

I had the choice of buying a Audi S3 (from an audi dealer, Spirit Blue <8,000km <8 months old. financial repo) back in 2008. But after looking at it in great detail and evaluting everything, I ended up buying a full optioned MKV Golf GTI of similar age and kms for quite a bit less. Whilst the S3 was nice, the lower roof line meant that my girlfriend couldn't sit in the back seat without constantly hitting her head on the "sunroof bump" and some of my male friends just had no chance of getting in there. It also didn't have some things that I really wanted such as the sat nav, flat bottom steering wheel, adjustable arm rest and thigns like that... oh, and no DSG in the 3 door... you have to go for the "wagon-esc" style sportback. Whilst all those things are options, you don't get a choice of specifying them on a second hand car. So I considered a new S3 and then saw the RRP apporach $90k! wowsers. Yeah, I know since it's an Audi it'd probably be possible to get a $15k discount, but still. I personally just didn't think that the S3 was anywhere near the quality difference that the price different made - and that was between it and the GTI. The R is a similar situation except you now obviously have the same engine and AWD.

If you can find an S3 in the exact colour and specs you want second hand, then I'd say, maybe that's a good option... (if your friends fit in it of course), but otherwise I'd probably stick with the R.

[walshydub]

I'll go against the consensus and say MK4 R32. Fun during the week & the weekends, plus a bit of money left over for mods.

[Sharkie]

I'll go even further and say this ....

1. Keep the order for the R ..... take it when it arrives.
2. buy an older reliable car (but still fun) to drive until the R arrives ....
ie .... 9N3 Polo GTI, Mk4 Golf GTI ($12-15K) and when lightly tuned quicker than any R32 and pretty much on par with a stock R.

[AdamD]

I'll go even further and say this ....

1. Keep the order for the R ..... take it when it arrives.
2. buy an older reliable car (but still fun) to drive until the R arrives ....
ie .... 9N3 Polo GTI, Mk4 Golf GTI ($12-15K) and when lightly tuned quicker than any R32 and pretty much on par with a stock R.

+1. There are so many cheap respectable options to get you around for 6 months until your R arrives. If you choose well, buy and sell well, it may even cost you nothing in depreciation.

Neither the age of the S3 in its current model cycle, nor the popularity of the R as a great alternative, are going to do the S3 any favours in terms of depreciation over the next couple of years in my opinion. The best time to buy a near-new S3 would be once the next generation is released - then it'll be an (awesome) steal.

[QIK-R]

Ill need the car in about 3 months ideally, but I am selling the BMW at the moment, if it sells I'll be purchasing a vr6 for now, which I will keep when the new car does arrive, depending on what I get. If not, I'll trade it on the new car.