Potentially new member

[Domanesl7]

Hi

This is my first post on here.

i would be grateful for some advice regarding the purchase of a 19 plate SQ2, their are two that I am interested in one is going to be ready for sale at the beginning of December (or so I am informed) with 47500 miles and the other has 15000 but is £3500 more, both have full service history.
other than owing an A4 many years ago I have no experience with the Audi brand so any comments from experienced owners would be good.

[Magnet]

Welcome to the Audi Owners Club !

Good to have you onboard.

Hello Mark,

Thanks for posing the interesting question, and sorry to have to ask some questions before responding:-

47k example - ‘ready by beginning of December’. Why, and what is being done to the vehicle that delays its availability? Could be a simple explanation that it’s not  coming in in part exchange until then, or more sinister, it’s undergoing mechanical or body repairs. Have you seen the vehicle in the flesh, or if not viewed the service history print out, and enquired about its ownership history, and in particular how long the last owner has owned it for.

15K example:- same as above in terms of viewed/ not viewed-? With an annual mileage of less than 4K, this vehicle should have been serviced on an annual schedule. Beware, it may not have been serviced annually, and just had ( or may not have had even) - one service in its lifetime. Although low mileage is an attraction (and I’m not commenting on the £3.5k premium), it’s worth giving some thought that the vehicle is likely to have been operating over short journeys when it seldom gets up to operating temperature, and may therefore had more of a mechanical hammering that a vehicle doing a much higher mileage over long trips at optimum operating conditions. 

Are these vehicles being bought ‘remotely’ rather than locally? If so, then in my book, doing your homework is essential, and at least requesting e-mailed copies of service history printouts before travelling to view. Being cynical, it’s surprising how such evidence seems to disappear once you actually view. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
 

[Domanesl7]

Hi Gareth 

 

many thanks for your comprehensive reply, in answer to your queries please see enclosed:-

 

The higher mile SQ2 is located about 80 miles from my home and won’t be available  until the beginning of next month as the garage in question are taking it as part a exchange vehicle. So I have emailed the dealer with a raft of questions. Obviously I will want to inspect and drive prior to any purchase.

the lower mile SQ2 is local to me and I inspected it and taken a test drive, it does have a complete service history. Also has four new tyres as at the end of last month.

I was aware of some of the pitfalls relating to lower mileage vehicles that you mentioned all of which are valid. I probably will only keep the vehicle for between two and three years so potentially putting another 10k or 15k on it.

 

TIA

[Magnet]

Thanks Mark,

Re. the higher mileage one :- being sold by a main dealer? 
If not, how long has the current owner owned it, and bear in mind that he must be buying a ‘bit newer’ car for some reason - rather than new if not main dealer. This could be significant in the homework stakes. 
Re low mileage one :- again main dealer? FSH. As asked - have you seen the service print out to confirm it’s had 3 or 4 annual services rather than 1 ‘Longlife’ service - which wouldn’t be appropriate that the low annual mileage. 
If not being sold be main dealers, it’s worth questioning in your mind why not, since up to 5 year old models usually are. 

Have you checked book prices for both via. Parker’s or similar? 
4 new tyres on the 15k one. Quality brand or budget? 

On higher mileage one, you will need to be assured that all tyres match ( certainly on same axle anyway) and all have similar tread depths. 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Domanesl7]

Cheers for replying Gareth

the high miler is for sale by a generic nationwide car retailer and it’s has had two owners. When I checked the DVLA web site last MOT was in March 23  with 31000 miles, so over 14000 miles since March…

The local lower mile’s vehicle is on sale by the local Skoda dealer, I did think like you why the seller didn’t go to the Audi main dealer. (It’s one of my many questions for tomorrow when I am quizzing the dealer) from memory I thinks it’s had three services but not sure what type will check this out. Also it came from a town 20 miles from where it’s being sold and only completed 3000 miles in the last year according to the DVLA.

The first thing I did was check the book price of both vehicles on various sites, the high miler is on average £1000 above and the low miler on average £1550 above.but to be fair I have always found the sale price to be be a bit above the book price.

also the low mileage dealer offering one years breakdown cover, this vehicle I first noticed about five weeks ago at £25999 at the same dealer.

If any I am leaning towards the lower miles vehicle (although I prefer the colour of the other car, white =local blue = distance) as if there are any after sales issues I can deal with it locally.

 

thanks again

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Magnet]

Hello Mark,

It sounds like you have already been on the homework quest!

Higher mileage example at a nationwide retailer, but not available until Dec. sounds unusual, since they don’t normally advertise what they don’t have available at that time, but…. Also 31k to March of this year, and then a sudden increase in mileage since, would suggest a different owner during this year - a bit off putting in my book, but again I could be wrong. 
The local low mileage example makes more sense and probably explained by the owner choosing to buy a new Skoda rather than its stablemate Audi. 
Prices would seem to be a bit ‘blinking heck’ to me, but prices are bordering daft these days, but possibly not as daft as a year ago, as new vehicles appear to be on a shorter lead time. 
Good luck with whatever you decide to do, and see if you can sneak a quick view of the last owner’s name on the V5 and seek them out! If not, they sometimes forget to blank that detail off the computerised service history. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

 

[Domanesl7]

Forgot to add that’s it’s now at £23750… bought a few cars in my time but always do my homework first hence reaching out on this forum 😊

Great insight, thanks for your input Gareth much appreciated, I will post if I purchase a SQ2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Domanesl7]

Hi

just to let you know only gone and pulled the trigger today, managed to get a slight further discount, so the I collect towards the end of next week.🤗