Buying a personal import

[enforce]

I'm looking at a B7 RS4 which is a personal import.

Just wondering if anyone has an opinion on their value as I assume they would not hold as much value as an Aus delivered car.

Also having a hard time deciding between a B7 RS4, C63 Sedan with Performance Pack or a TTRS easier to modify. I don't need it to be practicable or care much about auto/manual. I just want to use the car on weekends and the occasional track day. My issue is I would like the car not to depreciate to hell and the first two will probably hold prices much better. The two v8's are at their limits with power without serious money and the TTRS being a different weapon all together with a great engine. Any pro's/cons or personal experience appreciated.


Cheers,

Luke

[jamesatfish]

Private Imports always sell for less than an Australian delivered car of the same specs and condition. If the import stigma doesn’t bother you then you can get a good deal on a PI car, but be prepared to have a harder time selling at the other end.

If you want to drive on the track and mods are on the cards then TTRS would be the go. The first gen cars have finished dropping and can be picked up in low $30Ks, but the current gen is certainly on a steep downhill curve (as indicated by someone on another local Audi group who bought a brand new TTRS for sub $100K recently). They’re certainly not known for holding value and seem to be quite hard to sell used.

C63 and RS4 are great highway and road cars but not as suited for the track. The C63 for example is under-tyred at the rear (especially the previous gen cars - our PP Estate had 255 rears) which is great if you like going sideways and own shares in Pirelli, not so much for fast smooth lap times. I haven’t driven a B7 RS4 but my experience with the B8 (and our C7 RS6) is that beyond 9/10ths they really show their weight and tendency to underwater. Again not ideal track characteristics.

[smit2100]

I'm looking at a B7 RS4 which is a personal import.

Just wondering if anyone has an opinion on their value as I assume they would not ho


ld as much value as an Aus delivered car.

Also having a hard time deciding between a B7 RS4, C63 Sedan with Performance Pack or a TTRS easier to modify. I don't need it to be practicable or care much about auto/manual. I just want to use the car on weekends and the occasional track day. My issue is I would like the car not to depreciate to hell and the first two will probably hold prices much better. The two v8's are at their limits with power without serious money and the TTRS being a different weapon all together with a great engine. Any pro's/cons or personal experience appreciated.


Cheers,

Luke

Check carefully for any signs of rust on a UK importGenerally I derate a UK import by 20 percent over local in like for like condition. Interesting you rate a c63 over a m3 based on your criteria

[IchBautAuto]

Had a couple of imports and all said is true in my experience. It can be the silliest of things that make it a bad move over and above the losses and hard to sell issues. UK B5's, as an example, eat the rear spring housings through corrosion and these are now no longer available. Solutions to this type of problem either involve re-engineering or big hunt for good parts. Hundreds more examples like this.

Lets be honest, none of us are earning a crust on the track so you can drive anything as hard as you are able and get enjoyment. If you need a car that Schuey could step into then TTRS for sure for the track. There are a couple of good builds on the net.

[ian]

I thought they were too new to do a personal import on unless owned for several years? so those import rs4 that are here have been brought in by people immigrating permanently to OZ. before I bought mine I looked at NZ prices, (petrol there is $2.60 a L in auckland for 98 so will drop even more!) but when i checked th rules (easy to do) the b7 isn't old enough.

[itaplikeabiatch]

I thought they were too new to do a personal import on unless owned for several years? so those import rs4 that are here have been brought in by people immigrating permanently to OZ. before I bought mine I looked at NZ prices, (petrol there is $2.60 a L in auckland for 98 so will drop even more!) but when i checked th rules (easy to do) the b7 isn't old enough.

i believe u only have to own the car for 12 mths overseas. thats why a lot of expats bring over cars when they return to australia

[Chung]

Can I jump on the back of this thread instead of starting a new one? I've got a PI which I brought over with me in 2012, love the car but it's no longer practical, kids are bigger, need to transport surfboards etc. It's a 2007 A6 TDi SE C6 4F, can't get a value via redbook etc. here as the model wasn't released here, closest equivalent is valued between $8-10k so realistically I'll get $5k if I'm lucky.
Any thoughts out there, do you think I'll even get that on a trade in? I know selling private would be better but it's such a hassle.

Cheers

[IchBautAuto]

Can I jump on the back of this thread instead of starting a new one? I've got a PI which I brought over with me in 2012, love the car but it's no longer practical, kids are bigger, need to transport surfboards etc. It's a 2007 A6 TDi SE C6 4F, can't get a value via redbook etc. here as the model wasn't released here, closest equivalent is valued between $8-10k so realistically I'll get $5k if I'm lucky.
Any thoughts out there, do you think I'll even get that on a trade in? I know selling private would be better but it's such a hassle.

Cheers

I'm not in the trade so my comments are my opinion rather than fact. Doubt if a big dealer would touch it unless you were buying a new car and then they would probably wholesale it out just to get your buy. Almost certainly worth less than they would give you as a trade. Small independents might look but then you'd be expected to buy from their stock and there may well be nothing there you'd touch. Everything depends on car condition and whether there are service and repair parts that aren't locally stocked. Once you get to that point you need to target the enthusiast market where someone will take the time to buy in the parts needed. It isn't really an enthusiasts car either. Personally, if it's in good nick I'd probably keep it as a run about and future kids car but that may not be at all practical.

[Chung]

You're spot on IchBautAuto, just got back from Westside Auto where I was looking at a 2007 Multivan they had for $14k, they offered me $3k on the A6
Going to 2 other places on Saturday to see what they'll give me against a 2008 Land Rover Discovery 3 which they have up for $22k and a 2008 Q7 TDI Quattro that's up for $23k.