S2 Avant

[Sonic]

Hi,

My colleague wrote off his Skoda Octavia last Saturday (along with a brand new fiesta, he could have at least done the world a favour and written off an old-style fiesta!), and is now after another car when he gets his insurance $$$.

He used to have a Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000, and has decided to re-join the fold and get another 'performance car' after this latest incident.

Ive managed to re-educate him, and his impreza/s2 buying chances have gone from 100-1 this morning, to 4-1 after speaking to Ross (off this forum, with the s2 coupe), and now stand at 3-1 after looking at insurance quotes.

I believe his price range is £3-£4k, and he's now itching to test drive an s2 for comparison with his old impreza, so does anyone know of an s2 avant for sale anywhere near South Lakes, Cumbria, or have any advice for him?

Cheers.

[Greg_S]

At that price bracket he will have to check carefully over the car since it will probably need a couple of bits doing to it. Just really the mechanical stuff & bodywork dinks. Also worth taking a boost gauge to plumb in temp to test the boost outputs.

[KaraK]

Hiya - its me who is currently considering the S2 BTW...

Greg this is one of the concerns I have about an S2 - despite the almost legendary Audi build quality at that sort of age & mileage there is an awful lot of potential for there to be parts on the verge of failure. My bracket lets me look at Impeza's with alot less on the clock and couple that with the fact that I know them very well and I would stand a much better chance of avoiding any disasters. The S2 would save me approx £29 a month in insurance costs but thats no good if I lose more than that with having to fix bits.

On paper I'm very intruiged by the S2 but its still got to work quite hard to overcome by lifelong love affair with scoobs and put simply I'd have to get very lucky with finding one that meets my requirements (stock spec, good nick, dark colour, close enough to test drive) in the really rather limited timespan I'm going to have between getting my insurance cash and losing my hire car.

[Dpicariello]

I really hope this doesn't put you of as they are fantatsic cars but I bought mine about 5 months ago. It was sold as stock (turns out it has been tweaked but niether myself or the previous owner knew about it), it's volcano black and only had 66K on the clock. Bodywork is impeccable but I had to pay £7K for this privilige.
So far (touch wood)there have been no real expenses. I've just invested money in general wear and tear items and got it cleaned up.

As I said I hope this doesn't put you off. There are S2's out there that are cheaper but the mileage will be high and things will need doing.

Comparing it to an impreza.... obviously a scooby is an impressive piece of kit and I don't doubt their performance but every Tom, **** and Harry seems to be burbling around in one. I love the fact that the S2 is rare and so subtle.

[Fat Audi 80]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you are worried about £29 / month on insurance you should not be buying an S2.

You should budget on up to £1500 - £2000 PA to run it. That does include tyres, and servicing, but they are old cars and bits are not cheap if they go wrong.

I admit I am pedantic about mine, but I have spent £6k over the last 2.5 years.....

You need to go into it with your eyes open, they are very reliable cars but do need some looking after. An oil change will cost you £40 in oil if you are using the right stuff!

Good luck

Cheers,

Steve

[pastures16]

just a thought what are the performance specs on the jap c**p compared to the s2

[Jon441cc]

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthr...ht=piston+slap

[pastures16]

good reading with mixed views any specs for oe cars to put side to side

[KaraK]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you are worried about £29 / month on insurance you should not be buying an S2.

You should budget on up to £1500 - £2000 PA to run it. That does include tyres, and servicing, but they are old cars and bits are not cheap if they go wrong.

I admit I am pedantic about mine, but I have spent £6k over the last 2.5 years.....

You need to go into it with your eyes open, they are very reliable cars but do need some looking after. An oil change will cost you £40 in oil if you are using the right stuff!

Good luck

Cheers,

Steve

I'm not so much worried about the £29 / month. It was more a case of not spending it if the S2 was going to be the better all round buy. Like Sonic says I used to run an impreza (did so for 2.5 years) so I am well aware of what a car like that is like to run day to day.

All things considered I think I'll go with what I know. I like the way the scooby drives, I for one actually like the interior (found it much better put together than the interior on the Octavia). Yes I would prefer a car with a slightly better image but not at the expense of having the car that I want. Of all the cars that I have driven (and liked) over the years the scooby has been the only one to get under my skin
(all together now.... awwww!)

I've no doubt that the S2 is a great car - but its already got some warning bells ringing for me.

1. The mileage/age (of ones that I can afford!)
2. The seats (having sat in them I dont feel as gripped and secure as I did in the impreza ones)
3. availability - the exclusivity cuts both ways, I think I'd struggle to get one that I liked on my timeframe.

so on the whole methinks I'll go back to scooby-land!

[Condor]

S2

Just seen this one on the bay..
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...ADME:B:SS:UK:1

No conection to seller .....

I'm not so much worried about the £29 / month. It was more a case of not spending it if the S2 was going to be the better all round buy. Like Sonic says I used to run an impreza (did so for 2.5 years) so I am well aware of what a car like that is like to run day to day.

All things considered I think I'll go with what I know. I like the way the scooby drives, I for one actually like the interior (found it much better put together than the interior on the Octavia). Yes I would prefer a car with a slightly better image but not at the expense of having the car that I want. Of all the cars that I have driven (and liked) over the years the scooby has been the only one to get under my skin
(all together now.... awwww!)

I've no doubt that the S2 is a great car - but its already got some warning bells ringing for me.

1. The mileage/age (of ones that I can afford!)
2. The seats (having sat in them I dont feel as gripped and secure as I did in the impreza ones)
3. availability - the exclusivity cuts both ways, I think I'd struggle to get one that I liked on my timeframe.

so on the whole methinks I'll go back to scooby-land!

[Ross]

I think the avant isn't quite what you're looking for tbh... Now a sedan maybe but they're rare as. Or you could go project car, but I understand you already have one of these...

Problem is, you'd end up wanting to spend 1000's on it and in your price range, you'd probably have to in the 1st year or 2. If you want 'out of the box' fast then get the scooby, especially if you think you'd always be kinda wishing you'd gone for one.

Now, on the other hand, if you want a quality stealth machine that with a bit of input will hold the scoob honest, put you to a new level of exclusiveness (but only recognisable to a devote petrolhead) and take camping equipment and a few adults off for a weekend then the Avant it is, hands down. I think the RS2 is really what you're looking for but that's a little outta your price range. You'd like the seats, too...

Cheers
Ross

[KaraK]

I think the avant isn't quite what you're looking for tbh... Now a sedan maybe but they're rare as. Or you could go project car, but I understand you already have one of these...

Problem is, you'd end up wanting to spend 1000's on it and in your price range, you'd probably have to in the 1st year or 2. If you want 'out of the box' fast then get the scooby, especially if you think you'd always be kinda wishing you'd gone for one.

Now, on the other hand, if you want a quality stealth machine that with a bit of input will hold the scoob honest, put you to a new level of exclusiveness (but only recognisable to a devote petrolhead) and take camping equipment and a few adults off for a weekend then the Avant it is, hands down. I think the RS2 is really what you're looking for but that's a little outta your price range. You'd like the seats, too...

Cheers
Ross

I think you've hit the nail on the head Ross - I'm not wanting to take on another project at this stage (the Sierra is more than enough on that front). I am wanting something that is very much "pick up and play" since I'm only intending on running this car for a year or so anyway as my finances should in theory take a significant improvement next year as I get free of some debts - at which point I'll probably get myself a MkIII STi

Having looked around at a few RS2s they do indeed sound very tasty indeed but like you say they are way out of my current range.

[Sonic]

imo you'd be better off sticking with that 1.3 8v KA thats just pulled up outside.. the one from the hire company