Running costs

[iain1067]

I would really agree with the DIY route, not only on cost saving but getting the job done right, there is enough help here and other places on the web to enable people to DIY, god only knows what people did before the internet rely on haynes manuals most likely

[S2 Ant]

I dont really wanna think about what ive spent, the list is long and the receipt box is now boxES! 2 box files of receipts is a scary thought already let alone the costs.

[Rusty]

Around £100 a month DIY when using it every day (averaged over 2 years).

Most garages do the job to a time budget whereas DIY it's done right. These cars are too old, fast and expensive to muck about so genuine VAG all the way too.

BUT all of this goes out the window when you get the old girl running just right!

[MidnightBlueS2]

Aside from upgrade parts and respraying, I replaced in my first year of ownership :

A foglight lens
Complete fuel lines kit
front Top mounts
Full Porsche brakes conversion ( my original discs and pads were shot )
rear-end gearbox bushing
inner drivers side wheel arch cover
front lower end suspension balljoints / right and left
1 full suspension alignment done when the balljoints and the top mounts were replaced...

Not too bad IMHO

2006 seems like it's gonna be a "banner" year as I'll get MRC'd big time in July...

[T2Andy]

These cars arnt rocket science but im lucky enough to have a few mechanic\Race engineers on call .are you busy this week BRY.

Spent 2600 quid in 9months mainly uprating .
Spent about 100 on sundries
spent 0 on mundries or tuesdries.

[Fat Audi 80]

I can't do / haven't got the tools or knowledge to do some of the jobs on the S2 - (like a new clutch ) but I will happily change the oil, replace radiators,fit HID lights, re new trim, fit stereos and tidy it up on my own.

Also mine is a second car which really takes the pressure off it having to be available every day for work. I honestly don't think I could afford to run on a a daily driver, purely because of the petrol consumption and then if it goes wrong you HAVE to book it in to garage to get it fixed right away...

@ Bry, the foglight is fine now, thanks for pointing that out. (Every week )

The Bottom line is though, when its running right you love it, and when it isn't you would pretty much cut off your right arm to have it back running correctly again. Such is our love affair with these cars....

Cheers,

Steve.

[s2driveruk]

yeah i agree - having it as a 2nd car or not being reliant on it for everyday use makes living with an S2 much easier and cheaper to own. You can do most of the work yourself and spend the real money not on labour but on the parts you want to fit. I do most things on it that don't require a ramp or heavy tools/electrical diagnostics or special skills/equipment and that really custs the cost out.

other thing I notice not driving it everyday is you notice much more quickly if something is not right as there is not a slow deterioration which you wouldn't notice immediately if you are in and out the car everyday but when its fully on song it blows you away everytime you drive it

[Jamo]

I can't see how you guys can have the S2 as a 2nd car, if i did that i'd get to drive it once a week and then i'd sell it as i couldn't justify the cost of keeping it.

[Fat Audi 80]

The only major costs of keeping one over and above another car, are road tax, and insurance.

For me thats £170 and £500. The great thing is with an S2 as a second car all the nasty servicing and sundries that you would have to buy a lot you suddenly don't have to. You buy less tyres, change the oil less, service it less. The biggest saving of course is petrol, but I do 90 miles a day!

All my major miles are done on the 16v Golf that can be serviced for £20 does 30 mpg and wears £50 rubber than lasts 30k miles.

It certainly works for me.

[Jamo]

I do 10-12 miles a day Fat man, I get public transport if i dont want to drive for costs sake.

Thats probably the main difference.

[Fat Audi 80]

Stop calling me bloody Fat Man!

Yes. A 10 - 12 mile a day drive (say 60 - 70) Miles a week, is a whole different ball game to the total of 2500 miles a month that I do

I don't think I would have 2 cars if I *only* did 10 miles a day! (Actually I probably still would as it means I have a station/dump/shopping car and the S2 as a toy!

Cheers,

Steve.

[s2driveruk]

I drive at the weekends and use mine for business if the office is a drive rather than a flight away...other than that work from home or commute into Holborn on the train.

When i used mine as a daily driver was doing 110miles per day which was much more crippling for the bank account i can assure you. If i had used a diesel heap I'd have loads more money to play with now

[Graham]

I do mine myself now as i once got a garage who thought they knew the S2 to do the timing belt and under torqued the crank shaft pulley bolt to 250Nm instead of 450 Nm, inevitably 13 month later and 8900 miles later it came undone bending all 10 inlet valves and as it was 13 months the warranty which was the only reason i got it done there was expired - I phoned audi and they said warranty was 1/2 the service mileage or 2 years, but my garage wouldnt budge. So £1000-1200 later and 5 days off work with the engine workshop manual i re-built the head with new seals, valves (All re-ground) a pressure test for cracks, and chequed for warp- (Good heads on these, not alot of chance of warpage-even though possible) So with wage all in over 1500 quid in a week, but hey its hardly cost me a penny since, other than (What my missus wouldnt agree with as) neccesary upgrades mentioned below in my sig. But for value for money, they (when maintained correctly) will eat most cars like WRX's, Evo's (Up to 6/7 anyways) are reliable, better built, comfortable, and cheap over a long economic run.
E.G. 4 years ago i drove from Middlesbrough to Alton Towers (308 Mile round Trip) in a 1.8 Golf Driver Mk 3, then 2 years ago done the same trip in the S2 with the same load and people.- The Golf Cost (averaging 80-90MPH on (Private ) Motorways) £44 in fuel, the same trip in the S2 averaging 80-90MPH(Up to 140 once) on said (Private ) Motorways cost £38.50. 6 Gears- It makes a difference.
HTH
Graham