So, I sold the X5 back in January as a) it was hateful, and b) I wanted to go back to the daily and toy combo. I got the Tiguan and then Covid kicked in, so I decided to be sensible and abort the idea of a toy given that I’m working from home and do no driving anyway. After reaching closure on the redundancy situation in work, I decided life was too short and began looking for a replacement car. My AT saved searches included a Touareg, A8, A6 Avant/Allroad, Golf R Estate and 335D, but there was nothing jumping out and some of the prices were mental.
Things got a bit serious on Sunday when my brother in law mentioned he was thinking of going to Newport to pick up an M4 if I wanted to go with him. I’d been reluctant to get on a plane to go for a car, so this got round that hurdle as he was taking his 140i over to trade it in. Despite refreshing AT at 4.8second intervals, there was just nothing bar a Golf R Estate. He did the deal on Monday, and I was forced to resort to desperate measures and checked Gumtree. There I found a lovely A6 Allroad. Private sale, 1 owner, fancy looking house in the background. I sent a message to initiate discussions and things escalated quickly. All was going well, my detailed questions were being answered and it certainly appeared to tick all the boxes.
On Tuesday evening (as you may have seen form the TTAYH thread), things took a bizarre turn and the husband and wife seemed to have a complete meltdown thinking I was a serial scammer. I phoned them from the boat on Tuesday morning and luckily any concerns were alleviated when we actually had a proper human conversation. As we drove down from Holyhead I spent the time trying to work out how to make the whole thing work out. We weren’t due to arrive in Newport until 4.30/5, the BMW dealership closed at 6 and the couple are shielding so couldn’t collect me. Things started to go my way when eventually they said they would collect me 10mins from their house and I could drive back. So the brother in law left me off and sped off to complete his deal, either never to see me again, or both of us in new cars later.
I got into the drivers seat, mask and gloves on, and he got into the near side rear (windows open in rain). I had to remove the glasses in favour of seeing very little rather than nothing at all (steaming due to mask) and set off. Car was 100%, no issues. Got to their place, sat outside in a gazebo, did the transfers (split in 2), had a coffee. No sign of the main large transfer from Santander. They phoned their back and were told that banks have a cut off time and if it wasn’t completed before then it would be the next morning. I phoned Santander and was on hold for 55mins. At this stage I had just accepted I was going to have to hotel it, but I then got a text to reply “Y” to confirm if I had made a transfer an hour ago, and as soon as I replied it appeared in their account. Nothing like the feeling of something going right for the first time!
That was it. On the road. Set off to meet BIL at a services so we could nosey at each others cars and get some food, before heading back to Holyhead for the 2.15am boat.
TL : DR, I got a new car.
It’s a 2016 A6 Allroad Sport 272hp with 32k. 1 owner and full Audi history. Absolutely delighted with it, so comfortable and just the right amount of power. Whilst the bi-turbo would’ve been ideal, there are just so few facelifts and they are a lot dearer. I’ve had the 245hp in the A7 and Mrs Lyons’ A6, so the extra hp here is welcome. There are loads of 218 models but they just wouldn’t have cut it! I have always loved the look of the Allroad, look great at normal S-Line height, but then you can raise it to go into snow mode- which is really essential where I live and why my heart wasn’t in the R Estate.
Great spec;
Tech Pack with MMI Plus
Parking pack (park assist and camera)
Ambient lighting
Panoramic roof
Black trim (someone paid £650 for this!)
Heated steering wheel
20” wheels
Heated seats
Paint pack (colour coded arches)
And the deal breaker- factory towbar. When I dropped this down at the guys house his face dropped. In the 4 years he owned it he never knew it had 1. Always a result.
Only thing it didn’t have that I wanted was Bose, but I drove an A8 with it a couple of weeks ago and honestly I didn’t notice any real difference. The standard system is actually 100%.
There were tears from the kids when I said I was selling the Tiguan as it has rear cupholders and the X3 doesn’t, so they were delighted to discover cupholders in this, and the sunroof too. Life would be so much simpler if cupholders were the only criteria in a car for me too.
No real plans. I just need to touch up a couple of marks, and get 2 dents removed that mum kindly pointed out yesterday. It was covered in rain so sadly I missed them myself. Also in the process of taking a 3 year warranty (Mrs Lyons laughed at the thought of me keeping it 3 years too). The current wheels need a refurb and would like to do them a very light gunmetal (like the shade they are at present between the spokes), not sure on colour yet. Just need a set of winter wheels and that’ll be me!
First fill with the BIL’s new car.
Allroad mode:
Dynamic mode:
Things got a bit serious on Sunday when my brother in law mentioned he was thinking of going to Newport to pick up an M4 if I wanted to go with him. I’d been reluctant to get on a plane to go for a car, so this got round that hurdle as he was taking his 140i over to trade it in. Despite refreshing AT at 4.8second intervals, there was just nothing bar a Golf R Estate. He did the deal on Monday, and I was forced to resort to desperate measures and checked Gumtree. There I found a lovely A6 Allroad. Private sale, 1 owner, fancy looking house in the background. I sent a message to initiate discussions and things escalated quickly. All was going well, my detailed questions were being answered and it certainly appeared to tick all the boxes.
On Tuesday evening (as you may have seen form the TTAYH thread), things took a bizarre turn and the husband and wife seemed to have a complete meltdown thinking I was a serial scammer. I phoned them from the boat on Tuesday morning and luckily any concerns were alleviated when we actually had a proper human conversation. As we drove down from Holyhead I spent the time trying to work out how to make the whole thing work out. We weren’t due to arrive in Newport until 4.30/5, the BMW dealership closed at 6 and the couple are shielding so couldn’t collect me. Things started to go my way when eventually they said they would collect me 10mins from their house and I could drive back. So the brother in law left me off and sped off to complete his deal, either never to see me again, or both of us in new cars later.
I got into the drivers seat, mask and gloves on, and he got into the near side rear (windows open in rain). I had to remove the glasses in favour of seeing very little rather than nothing at all (steaming due to mask) and set off. Car was 100%, no issues. Got to their place, sat outside in a gazebo, did the transfers (split in 2), had a coffee. No sign of the main large transfer from Santander. They phoned their back and were told that banks have a cut off time and if it wasn’t completed before then it would be the next morning. I phoned Santander and was on hold for 55mins. At this stage I had just accepted I was going to have to hotel it, but I then got a text to reply “Y” to confirm if I had made a transfer an hour ago, and as soon as I replied it appeared in their account. Nothing like the feeling of something going right for the first time!
That was it. On the road. Set off to meet BIL at a services so we could nosey at each others cars and get some food, before heading back to Holyhead for the 2.15am boat.
TL : DR, I got a new car.
It’s a 2016 A6 Allroad Sport 272hp with 32k. 1 owner and full Audi history. Absolutely delighted with it, so comfortable and just the right amount of power. Whilst the bi-turbo would’ve been ideal, there are just so few facelifts and they are a lot dearer. I’ve had the 245hp in the A7 and Mrs Lyons’ A6, so the extra hp here is welcome. There are loads of 218 models but they just wouldn’t have cut it! I have always loved the look of the Allroad, look great at normal S-Line height, but then you can raise it to go into snow mode- which is really essential where I live and why my heart wasn’t in the R Estate.
Great spec;
Tech Pack with MMI Plus
Parking pack (park assist and camera)
Ambient lighting
Panoramic roof
Black trim (someone paid £650 for this!)
Heated steering wheel
20” wheels
Heated seats
Paint pack (colour coded arches)
And the deal breaker- factory towbar. When I dropped this down at the guys house his face dropped. In the 4 years he owned it he never knew it had 1. Always a result.
Only thing it didn’t have that I wanted was Bose, but I drove an A8 with it a couple of weeks ago and honestly I didn’t notice any real difference. The standard system is actually 100%.
There were tears from the kids when I said I was selling the Tiguan as it has rear cupholders and the X3 doesn’t, so they were delighted to discover cupholders in this, and the sunroof too. Life would be so much simpler if cupholders were the only criteria in a car for me too.
No real plans. I just need to touch up a couple of marks, and get 2 dents removed that mum kindly pointed out yesterday. It was covered in rain so sadly I missed them myself. Also in the process of taking a 3 year warranty (Mrs Lyons laughed at the thought of me keeping it 3 years too). The current wheels need a refurb and would like to do them a very light gunmetal (like the shade they are at present between the spokes), not sure on colour yet. Just need a set of winter wheels and that’ll be me!
First fill with the BIL’s new car.
Allroad mode:
Dynamic mode: