dan_b
A2OC Donor
Well, this weekend, I decided to end my 19 year affair with Audi. I have put a down payment on a new Volvo which is a number of firsts for me.
It's the first time I've ever bought a non-Audi car.
It's also the first time I've ever bought a car with finance.
It's also the first time I've ever bought a car that is brand new, as per my spec, fresh from the factory!
I've only ever so far owned Audis since I've bought cars - 2x Audi 80Sports, 1x Audi S2 coupe quattro, 1x Audi A4 3.0 v6 avant quattro, and then of course most famously, the A2!
Of all of those Audis, the A2 is the one I've kept the longest (8 years), driven the most miles in myself (80k miles) and modified the most! I think it's also been the best Audi I've owned. The 80 Sports were both fun but rough and old and flaky. The S2 was an absolute hoot and I drove it like I stole it most of the time and nearly cost me my license at least twice (and the fuel bills were horrendous - 18MPG!). The A4 avant was my solution to being a driving hooligan but also to having entered the world of parenthood. It was smooth but utterly bland. The A2 was the best of the lot - character, practicality, rarity value, quality engineering and forward thinking design. Plus incredible economy.
But times change, tastes change, situations change, we move on. I'm feeling like now is probably the only time in my life I could afford a new car, and probably now is the last time I'll get a car with an ICE engine. The future's electric, but for me, not practical just yet. I'm now commuting for over 3 hours a day and to be honest I'm longing for something a bit smoother and quieter both on the motorways and in stop-start. I'm also suffering from sciatica and have been finding the A2's seating position exacerbates that. I also felt like a change of Marque was needed - I've found myself at a growing unease about the VW Group with the dieselgate stuff, and also with the general direction Audi in particular is going with its design philosophy. Nothing in the VAG stable appealed at all, and to be honest, Audi is extremely expensive for what you get.
So what this means is that come late March/early April, I'll need to let my my much-loved A2 go to be cared for by someone else. I'm hoping someone from the forum will take pity on the poor thing and give it a good home. I will prepare a proper For Sale thread for my wee aluminium beastie in due course. My car's life has been written all over the pages of this forum (including just about every mod its had) so it is definitely well-known. It's not perfect, it's got some faults, had some scrapes and knocks but it's a very solid car. I shall miss it when it's gone.
The A2 is a magnificent piece of engineering. It's a great, idiosyncratic car with character and still punches above its weight in today's car world for economy and practicality. This A2 Forum is also the most magnificent resource. Friendly, not too big, active and above all, deep with knowledge - which is essential to keep a one-of-a-kind 2nd hand niche vehicle going long past when Audi lost interest in it.
I've very much enjoyed my 8 years of A2-hood and of being a member of this forum. I hope I've contributed to it more than I've taken. I hope I've made more friends than I've made enemies. And I hope the A2 Forum will continue from strength to strength in the years to come.
Thanks all.
Dan_b
It's the first time I've ever bought a non-Audi car.
It's also the first time I've ever bought a car with finance.
It's also the first time I've ever bought a car that is brand new, as per my spec, fresh from the factory!
I've only ever so far owned Audis since I've bought cars - 2x Audi 80Sports, 1x Audi S2 coupe quattro, 1x Audi A4 3.0 v6 avant quattro, and then of course most famously, the A2!
Of all of those Audis, the A2 is the one I've kept the longest (8 years), driven the most miles in myself (80k miles) and modified the most! I think it's also been the best Audi I've owned. The 80 Sports were both fun but rough and old and flaky. The S2 was an absolute hoot and I drove it like I stole it most of the time and nearly cost me my license at least twice (and the fuel bills were horrendous - 18MPG!). The A4 avant was my solution to being a driving hooligan but also to having entered the world of parenthood. It was smooth but utterly bland. The A2 was the best of the lot - character, practicality, rarity value, quality engineering and forward thinking design. Plus incredible economy.
But times change, tastes change, situations change, we move on. I'm feeling like now is probably the only time in my life I could afford a new car, and probably now is the last time I'll get a car with an ICE engine. The future's electric, but for me, not practical just yet. I'm now commuting for over 3 hours a day and to be honest I'm longing for something a bit smoother and quieter both on the motorways and in stop-start. I'm also suffering from sciatica and have been finding the A2's seating position exacerbates that. I also felt like a change of Marque was needed - I've found myself at a growing unease about the VW Group with the dieselgate stuff, and also with the general direction Audi in particular is going with its design philosophy. Nothing in the VAG stable appealed at all, and to be honest, Audi is extremely expensive for what you get.
So what this means is that come late March/early April, I'll need to let my my much-loved A2 go to be cared for by someone else. I'm hoping someone from the forum will take pity on the poor thing and give it a good home. I will prepare a proper For Sale thread for my wee aluminium beastie in due course. My car's life has been written all over the pages of this forum (including just about every mod its had) so it is definitely well-known. It's not perfect, it's got some faults, had some scrapes and knocks but it's a very solid car. I shall miss it when it's gone.
The A2 is a magnificent piece of engineering. It's a great, idiosyncratic car with character and still punches above its weight in today's car world for economy and practicality. This A2 Forum is also the most magnificent resource. Friendly, not too big, active and above all, deep with knowledge - which is essential to keep a one-of-a-kind 2nd hand niche vehicle going long past when Audi lost interest in it.
I've very much enjoyed my 8 years of A2-hood and of being a member of this forum. I hope I've contributed to it more than I've taken. I hope I've made more friends than I've made enemies. And I hope the A2 Forum will continue from strength to strength in the years to come.
Thanks all.
Dan_b
