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  1. #1
    Active Member One Ring
    Join Date
    Feb 21 2007
    AZ Member #
    15827
    Location
    So. Cal

    New guy, looking for a newer used car

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    So, I'm looking to buy a vehicle sometime in the summer. I have been a Mercedes guy since 02. I like to buy my cars and drive the hell out them. Get everything I can out of it mileage wise and then dump it. My current 2002, C230 Sport Coupe has 160k miles. I did some cosmetic upgrades, a Kleeman pulley, bi-xenons, a ported supercharger and the AMG C32 brake upgrade. Mostly, I'm into the performance and safety enhacements.

    The 2.0 Turbo engine looks to have great tuneability. Something that the Mercedes W203 series really didn't have. But does the tuning and injector upgrades serve to shorten the life of the engines? Are there tuned 1.8 guys with high miles that are still using the origional rings and bearings?

    I'm in SoCal, specifically the South Bay area. Is there a known preferred dealer with honest service advisors, and good techs? While I'm mostly a DIY guy, if the car comes with a warranty, why not let the dealer do the work.

    As I look into the B7 chassis, what are the know issues to look out for in the manual cars? Any enthusiast blogs, or websites that I can be referred to?

    I think I'm dialing in on the 06, maybe the 07 models. I'm hoping for one of those, "driven by a grandmother" cars and not someones modded out car.
    Thanks much,

    Ed

  2. #2
    Active Member Four Rings madrussian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 26 2004
    AZ Member #
    912
    Location
    Akron, OH

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    Buy mine...

    08 Audi A4 2.0T
    Under 8k on it.
    Black on Black S-Line
    Titanium Package
    Factory Nav
    Bi-Xenons
    Cold Weather
    Pretty Much every Option

    Only mods:

    Debadged
    Tein SS Coils
    Hardwired V1 (Which I'll Remove or leave if you want to pay extra for it)

    Driven like a grandma or close to it because well, I cant afford insurance w/o tickets, much less w/ them.

    Too bad I'm in Ohio :(

  3. #3
    Active Member Two Rings
    Join Date
    Jan 04 2008
    AZ Member #
    23860
    Location
    Eastern PA

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    Aren't all used cars driven by a grandmother, or a pastor?

  4. #4
    Active Member One Ring
    Join Date
    Feb 21 2007
    AZ Member #
    15827
    Location
    So. Cal

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    I was looking for the 06 or 07, so that someone else would have taken the depreciation hit of the first two years.

    The above car does sound nice.

    E

  5. #5
    Awaiting Confirmation Four Rings
    Join Date
    Feb 29 2008
    AZ Member #
    25864
    My Garage
    2006 A4 2.0T Quattro, Dolphin
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    You are on the EXACT right track, imho. I just picked up a premium-package '06 2.0T Quattro w/ Tip and some other toys for $26.5k with only 20k miles on it. It's Certified Pre-Owned with some pre-paid mainenance, and I'm currently makin payments of a little less than $300/mo including putting some extras from the dealer on the financing.

    One thing I'd highly recommend is asking the dealer if they will put in the 3M ClearBra (can also be called ClearShield) on both the car and your financing plan if you're buying.

    My ride still has the factory warranty till 50k, plus it has the 6 yr./100k extended, and I'd never take back this decision.

    Best of luck!

  6. #6
    Active Member One Ring
    Join Date
    Feb 21 2007
    AZ Member #
    15827
    Location
    So. Cal

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    Quote Originally Posted by B7A4Sport View Post
    You are on the EXACT right track, imho. I just picked up a premium-package '06 2.0T Quattro w/ Tip and some other toys for $26.5k with only 20k miles on it. It's Certified Pre-Owned with some pre-paid mainenance, and I'm currently makin payments of a little less than $300/mo including putting some extras from the dealer on the financing.

    One thing I'd highly recommend is asking the dealer if they will put in the 3M ClearBra (can also be called ClearShield) on both the car and your financing plan if you're buying.

    My ride still has the factory warranty till 50k, plus it has the 6 yr./100k extended, and I'd never take back this decision.

    Best of luck!
    Yep, sounds about right. Love the idea of the warranty.
    Still looking around this board for the tech write ups. We have the C230 Sport Coupe with the M111 covered with tech on the mbworld.org board.

    I was hoping to see the car at about 22-23k.

    Do you know what yours went for new?

    I suppose in two years you could see up to a 35% depreciation drop?

  7. #7
    Active Member Four Rings Blake P's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 02 2007
    AZ Member #
    16074
    Location
    Fresno, CA

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    Great to see you here Ed! 4 rings FTW.

  8. #8
    Veteran Member Three Rings greene08's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 29 2008
    AZ Member #
    27033
    My Garage
    2023 Audi SQ5, 2024 Tesla Model S Plaid, 2022 Kymco People S150i
    Location
    Costa Mesa, CA

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    You can find a relatively low mileage 2005.5 or 2006 model in that price range if you strip most of the extra options off of it. Just keep looking!
    Lover of all things motorsport, powersport, sport.

  9. #9
    Awaiting Confirmation Four Rings
    Join Date
    Feb 29 2008
    AZ Member #
    25864
    My Garage
    2006 A4 2.0T Quattro, Dolphin
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    Quote Originally Posted by emrliquidlife View Post
    I was hoping to see the car at about 22-23k.

    Do you know what yours went for new?

    The official sticker price on the car was $30,---, and the asking price was a good 3 grand below at $27,---, but then I was able negotiate a little more off because I pulled the B8 card . I also got a special promotional finance rate that was only offered on 2006 Certified Pre-Owned A4s ONLY; any other year, model, or even 2006 A4's that weren't CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) didn't get that rate. How about that for a luck-out? (unless that's the dealer tricking me, )

    The first thing to remember, is that the salesman is inevitably gonna try and feed you lines of bullshit to "get you in this car today." Guess what that means? You get the free pass to BS right back. Play hardball, tell him you've got your eye on a few cars and they'll have to be the one's getting YOU instead of you buying the car from them.

    More than the depreciation, I would harp on the fact you're buying a model that's about to be out-dated. Personally, I like the B7 better anyway, but the dealer doesn't have to know that. If they give you too high a price, just tell them you have other things on the table and that "you can't conceive of overpaying for a soon-to-be old model." Worked like charm for me.

    EDIT: Also, I belive 2006's come with pre-paid maintenance that transfers to other owners, whereas other years do not. Surf's got a great deal, unless you're looking for a Quattro; all CVT's are FWD. (sorry to cramp your post, Surf! That IS a great deal tho, including the mods.)

    Again, best of luck!
    Last edited by B7A4Sport; 04-04-2008 at 03:47 PM.

  10. #10
    Account Terminated Three Rings
    Join Date
    Sep 19 2006
    AZ Member #
    11731
    Location
    Orange County

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    Buy mine in perfect condition no swirl marks either ;)

    07 Quartz Grey
    Premium Package
    CVT Tranny
    18" OEM BBS CH S4 Wheels
    S4 Door Blades
    DTM Filler Plate
    GIAC Chip

    13K miles

    $26K

  11. #11
    Active Member One Ring
    Join Date
    Feb 21 2007
    AZ Member #
    15827
    Location
    So. Cal

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    Quote Originally Posted by Blake P View Post
    Great to see you here Ed! 4 rings FTW.
    So did you like that special Sig we had done up for you?

    Didn't know I'd see you out here.

    ONLY downside I see as I troll for Audis is that the car is FWD. I'm comparing this to the last E46 BMW. But the bimmer just isn't as sexy as having a turbo.

    We'll see.

    E

  12. #12
    Veteran Member Four Rings d. wig's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 23 2005
    AZ Member #
    8087
    Location
    boston, ma

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    Quote Originally Posted by madrussian View Post
    Buy mine...

    08 Audi A4 2.0T
    Under 8k on it.
    Black on Black S-Line
    Titanium Package
    Factory Nav
    Bi-Xenons
    Cold Weather
    Pretty Much every Option

    Only mods:

    Debadged
    Tein SS Coils
    Hardwired V1 (Which I'll Remove or leave if you want to pay extra for it)

    Driven like a grandma or close to it because well, I cant afford insurance w/o tickets, much less w/ them.

    Too bad I'm in Ohio :(
    why are you selling?
    B7 A4 2.0t s-line titanium

  13. #13
    Active Member Four Rings Blake P's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 02 2007
    AZ Member #
    16074
    Location
    Fresno, CA

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    Quote Originally Posted by emrliquidlife View Post
    ONLY downside I see as I troll for Audis is that the car is FWD.
    E
    No FWD for me. Quattro FTW!

  14. #14
    Active Member Four Rings madrussian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 26 2004
    AZ Member #
    912
    Location
    Akron, OH

    Re: New guy, looking for a newer used car

    Quote Originally Posted by d. wig View Post
    why are you selling?
    i dunno, im bored.

    im not sure how serious i am. but i wouldnt mind getting a rabbit s instead... and then buying a cross bones harley.

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