Changing cars advice- German to German…..

[Mfunster]

Need some advice from the piston heads collective please……

I have a 2017 Ara Blue Audi TTS Quattro black edition with c45k miles. Owned 12 months and love it. 12 months left on my approved warranty and have just had the car serviced and put new Goodyear tyres all round. Car had a DSG fault in March and the Audi dealer diagnosed a problem and replaced the entire gearbox under warranty, so it has a new box.

I don’t drive like a banshee….and I return about 32mpg on average. I do about 14000 miles a year so economic is a factor.

Now the crunch…….my circumstances are changing and I need to be more frugal about outgoings so perhaps it is time to change for a sensible (but not boring) alternative. I owned a BMW M4 comp at the same time but that has had to go….

A bit more space would be nice but economy and quality are the key I think. It needs to feel special.

I guess my car worth c.£20k and can add a few grand only because of the circumstances I mentioned…..

I am considering:-

Audi A4 avant 40 TDI black edition c.2018 on
Audi A6 avant with same engine same vintage
Audi A5 coupe with same engine ditto
Audi A7, might have to be the V6 if not too thirsty-2017 on
BMW 320 or 330d touring from 2017-2019
BMW 520d or 530d touring 2017-2019, probably not MHT

Would need to be decent spec.

Will those of you in the know or who have owners these cars give views please. Should I stick with the Audi for another year and swallow the fuel costs or change now to something slightly bigger and newer with better fuel and space but less horsepower….?

Currently leaning

[QuattroDave]

Don't overlook some cracking non German alternatives.

I've got a 2017 XJ 3.0d. 5.1 to 60, simply the most comfortable car I've owned (heated/cooled massage seats), does corners far far better than a car its size ever should and yet I regularly top 47mpg over a tank of fuel (measured brim to brim - OBC says 48mpg so pretty accurate).

If that's too big the XF isn't too bad, not quite as efficient I understand despite being smaller but still good. Having owned 17 Audi's & 11 BMW's my Jag's build quality is easily on par, drives better and lets face it all German fuel gauges massively overestimate fuel economy by 3-4mpg.

[Mfunster]

Thank you. A good friend had the XJL 3.0D and said was the best car he ever had. Will give some thought, thanks!

[mwstewart]

Do you need to spend 20k? There are good, low mileage earlier cars available for much less if you want to tighten your belt for a while.

All personal preference of course, but to me your TT is something interesting to own and a bit of fun, whereas the other cars mentioned are neither, but they will lose you a fair chunk of money in depreciation. I don't see the value in spending 20k+ on any of them.

[QuattroDave]

Mfunster said:

Thank you. A good friend had the XJL 3.0D and said was the best car he ever had. Will give some thought, thanks!

mwstewart said:

Do you need to spend 20k? There are good, low mileage earlier cars available for much less if you want to tighten your belt for a while.

All personal preference of course, but to me your TT is something interesting to own and a bit of fun, whereas the other cars mentioned are neither, but they will lose you a fair chunk of money in depreciation. I don't see the value in spending 20k+ on any of them.

No problem, if you're not bothered about tech/interface the pre-facelift early models can be had for c£10k which is where mwstewart is going, you definitely don't need to spend £20k on any of those cars and whatever you save in fuel costs will be dwarfed by depreciation. But a 2010-2014 XJ will outwardly look just like a 2022 plate one (save the headlights) and will have pretty much shed all of its value so depreciation will be at a minimum.

I bought mine 18 months ago, 2017, one of the very first of the facelift models with better tech in portfolio spec for £17k (I got lucky and swooped up an ebay bargain!) It's still worth £17-20k now.