Short commute petrolhead family car

[Fanboy35]

The time has come, after a string of performance cars including a 2016 RS3 (way too capable and wasted on a stop start commute) and a 2013 Mini GP2 (the most fun in a car in a while... just don't ask about the clutch) a new addition to the family approaches and something more sensible(ish) beckons. Add into this a house move and work is now only 4 miles each way from home.

I've been promising myself an Audi RS4 (of the 2006 variety) for years now after being on the dream car list for a long time now but I can't find something special, not the usual sprint blue, phantom black or daytona grey that I want to invest in as something to forfill both the petrolhead and the family duties.
The alternatives currently are an audi S6 circa 2016 (can you see the theme yet) and a Tesla Model 3 Performance. An ev would not be a problem as work has plenty of slow chargers for staff use and superchargers on site (if said ev is a tesla) that can be used.

Current budget is the trade in value of the mini plus a few pennies so probably around the 20-25k area. I'm concerned on a petrol car being ruined on such a small commute and an ev makes the logical choice in my head.

So 20-25k maximum happy for it to be less of course! able to take baby and all the accompanying necessities, isn't going to be killed by such a short commute, ulez compliant and something with the look back factor (I know maybe not the tesla for that) any help or alternatives massively appreciated. This has been driving me mad for months and with obvious deadline want to get things settled in time.

I bow yo your wisdom!

[OMITN]

Assuming no health reasons that prevent, then…

1. Cycle to work - that’s 20 minutes at a non-sweaty pace.

2. Buy whatever car you want and enjoy it free of concerns

[Fanboy35]

I'd consider a bicycle apart from a few massive hills in that short distance. Maybe an electric one may be worth a look.
Main concern is getting the rs4 and then the massive amount of carbon build up from the short journeys destroying the engine and the subsequent expensive bills that entails.

[Cambs_Stuart]

Renault Twizy for the commute and something fun for the weekend.

[osterbo]

An Ebike is absolutely the right solution for that problem.

There's plenty of EV alternatives these days under £25k: the polestar, etron, I-pace, Megane, and i3 might be worth a look but the Tesla is probably the pick of the bunch.

[Fanboy35]

The weekend toy has already accounted for by a mk1 golf gti which needs more use so the thinking is something usable everyday but still is a bit different from the normal but capable of taking all the family gear; pram etc along with the weekly shop.
Old barges have crossed my mind along with the usual Octavia culprits as well as e63s, panemera, skoda superb. Maybe I'm over thinking the amount of load lugging needed.

[ZX10R NIN]

E Bike:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355669028721?itmmeta=01...

Or Scooter:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_n...

& the RS4 you promised yourself:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404048...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312044...

[Fanboy35]

Thanks all for the input so far. It's looking like the motorbike and rs4 option is the winner. Now tk find the right rs4. Completely ashamed to say I can be a bit kf a spec we and always wanting something different. So looking at the rare colours and Audi exclusive Interiors. Trying to locate a yellow, white, green or purple uk rs4 fkr sale is a nightmare.

What would people's view be of a Japanese import. This is ticking the boxes with a reasonable amount of budget creep.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041888...

And this is appealing as well:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041486...

The more practical side of me says this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023070492...

Which looks to have a very public history but is up for the same price from approximately 2 years ago with about 20k more miles on it.

Any thoughts or pointers towards the aforementioned rarer specification cars here or pm welcomed.

[ninjag]

Fanboy35 said:

Thanks all for the input so far. It's looking like the motorbike and rs4 option is the winner. Now tk find the right rs4. Completely ashamed to say I can be a bit kf a spec we and always wanting something different. So looking at the rare colours and Audi exclusive Interiors. Trying to locate a yellow, white, green or purple uk rs4 fkr sale is a nightmare.

What would people's view be of a Japanese import. This is ticking the boxes with a reasonable amount of budget creep.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041888...

And this is appealing as well:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041486...

The more practical side of me says this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023070492...

Which looks to have a very public history but is up for the same price from approximately 2 years ago with about 20k more miles on it.

Any thoughts or pointers towards the aforementioned rarer specification cars here or pm welcomed.

EV would be perfect for my commute (shorter than yours! lol) but someone mentioned in another forum that their EV doesn't get good economy until the batteries have warmed up. I'm not sure how true this is, but I've seen it mentioned elsewhere as well. I started to cycle anyway.

Does it have to be an RS4 and is there a specific requirement? Was thinking that an S4 with Sport Diff can be easily tuned to Stage 2 and would get you into a newer one whilst also not being so brutal with servicing etc, or an S6 Avant to also be newer and be V8 with bags of practicality. Appreciate they are all different beasts though.

[Dapster]

When I'm spending someone else's money, it's got to be one of these. It's a Maserati for God's sake!!





https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307049...

[riskyj]

I’m in a similar scenario with an even smaller daily journey of the school run.

Op raised the concern of regular journeys this short causing problems for ICE cars. Flat batteries and carbon build up ? Isn’t this an inevitability? I doubt a V8 lump would even be warm by the time you got to work?

Edited by riskyj on Thursday 9th May 22:46

[Fanboy35]

ninjag said:

Fanboy35 said:

Thanks all for the input so far. It's looking like the motorbike and rs4 option is the winner. Now tk find the right rs4. Completely ashamed to say I can be a bit kf a spec we and always wanting something different. So looking at the rare colours and Audi exclusive Interiors. Trying to locate a yellow, white, green or purple uk rs4 fkr sale is a nightmare.

What would people's view be of a Japanese import. This is ticking the boxes with a reasonable amount of budget creep.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041888...

And this is appealing as well:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041486...

The more practical side of me says this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023070492...

Which looks to have a very public history but is up for the same price from approximately 2 years ago with about 20k more miles on it.

Any thoughts or pointers towards the aforementioned rarer specification cars here or pm welcomed.

EV would be perfect for my commute (shorter than yours! lol) but someone mentioned in another forum that their EV doesn't get good economy until the batteries have warmed up. I'm not sure how true this is, but I've seen it mentioned elsewhere as well. I started to cycle anyway.

Does it have to be an RS4 and is there a specific requirement? Was thinking that an S4 with Sport Diff can be easily tuned to Stage 2 and would get you into a newer one whilst also not being so brutal with servicing etc, or an S6 Avant to also be newer and be V8 with bags of practicality. Appreciate they are all different beasts though.

I've considered newer the newer s6 and whilst it looks stunning the potential bills are just as bad and being new technology would require specialist and dealer vivisfs whereas a 2006-2007 rs4 I can reasonably expect tk carty most jobs myself apart from the more significant bits..... plus it's a dream car ticked off the list. This would probably be the last chance to get one looking at the way prices are going and may mean less/no depreciation in a few years or longer.

EVs are great (controversial I know!!) I work for an EV company so know the ins and outs and an ev makes perfect sense for me but one last ICE car before I switch is where I'm at. The EVs, mainly Teslas, that I know of can be reconditioned and you can set climate control to be ready at a certain time so never any cads that are too hot or too cold and of course maintenance is next to nothing and free charging at work.

[ninjag]

Fanboy35 said:

ninjag said:

Fanboy35 said:

Thanks all for the input so far. It's looking like the motorbike and rs4 option is the winner. Now tk find the right rs4. Completely ashamed to say I can be a bit kf a spec we and always wanting something different. So looking at the rare colours and Audi exclusive Interiors. Trying to locate a yellow, white, green or purple uk rs4 fkr sale is a nightmare.

What would people's view be of a Japanese import. This is ticking the boxes with a reasonable amount of budget creep.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041888...

And this is appealing as well:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041486...

The more practical side of me says this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023070492...

Which looks to have a very public history but is up for the same price from approximately 2 years ago with about 20k more miles on it.

Any thoughts or pointers towards the aforementioned rarer specification cars here or pm welcomed.

EV would be perfect for my commute (shorter than yours! lol) but someone mentioned in another forum that their EV doesn't get good economy until the batteries have warmed up. I'm not sure how true this is, but I've seen it mentioned elsewhere as well. I started to cycle anyway.

Does it have to be an RS4 and is there a specific requirement? Was thinking that an S4 with Sport Diff can be easily tuned to Stage 2 and would get you into a newer one whilst also not being so brutal with servicing etc, or an S6 Avant to also be newer and be V8 with bags of practicality. Appreciate they are all different beasts though.

I've considered newer the newer s6 and whilst it looks stunning the potential bills are just as bad and being new technology would require specialist and dealer vivisfs whereas a 2006-2007 rs4 I can reasonably expect tk carty most jobs myself apart from the more significant bits..... plus it's a dream car ticked off the list. This would probably be the last chance to get one looking at the way prices are going and may mean less/no depreciation in a few years or longer.

EVs are great (controversial I know!!) I work for an EV company so know the ins and outs and an ev makes perfect sense for me but one last ICE car before I switch is where I'm at. The EVs, mainly Teslas, that I know of can be reconditioned and you can set climate control to be ready at a certain time so never any cads that are too hot or too cold and of course maintenance is next to nothing and free charging at work.

Fair enough re. RS4, they are nice cars. I thought maybe the S4 B8.5 might be good for the shorter runs because it introduced manifold port injection to compliment the direct injection and solved the carbon issue. The RS4 saloon does look better than the Avant in my opinion, but the latter would probably be more practical.

[ZX10R NIN]

Fanboy35 said:

Thanks all for the input so far. It's looking like the motorbike and rs4 option is the winner. Now tk find the right rs4. Completely ashamed to say I can be a bit kf a spec we and always wanting something different. So looking at the rare colours and Audi exclusive Interiors. Trying to locate a yellow, white, green or purple uk rs4 fkr sale is a nightmare.

What would people's view be of a Japanese import. This is ticking the boxes with a reasonable amount of budget creep.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041888...

And this is appealing as well:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041486...

The more practical side of me says this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023070492...

Which looks to have a very public history but is up for the same price from approximately 2 years ago with about 20k more miles on it.

Any thoughts or pointers towards the aforementioned rarer specification cars here or pm welcomed.

That's properly strong money for the first one especially if you can't properly varify the history.

Not sure what spec you're looking for but these might work for you:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405029...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401085...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404048...

Avant:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402066...