# Highest mileage S3? RIP?



## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

My trusty 2000 Audi S3 Quattro which I bought in 2009 with ~120,000 miles on the clock, I've since taken up to 290,500 miles on the original engine. I've run it on fully synthetic ester based oil which is how the engine has lasted along with most miles being motorway. I drive it like it's meant to be driven though and it pulls like it ever did. Is this the highest mileage?

Within a year of acquiring the vehicle I called upon the Audi paintwork warranty to remove some bubbling along the roof rail channels and doors (a common issue). This was done by an Audi's approved body shop and put the vehicle in a showroom standard again.

The vehicle has Recaro blue Alcantara electric seats. I spent a long time looking for a car with these seats as I didn't want full leather.

Bushes have been replaced to tighten up the handling, all wheel bearings replaced etc ... in fact it's a bit like Trigger's broom in that it's had so many items replaced with all the items you might expect to wear out only at high mileage - the heater blower motor for example - it runs all the time and brushes slowly wear. It drives like a new broom!

Some surprising things have failed such as the downpipe flexible coupling and a fatigue fracture on the rear exhaust box chassis mounting. All fixed and won't be happening again.

Other normal stuff that fails at lower mileage has all been changed - a recent set of new H coil packs for example, N75. I had to replace the aircon clutch but the original compressor still chills nicely. Everything working fine - it's a joy to drive.

It hit a raised manhole and holed the sump and broke a gearbox mount a while back (posted here). All claimed for and sorted with a replacement box from a low mileage TT.

I was trying to get it to 300,000 miles and write a magazine feature in Audi Driver. It was a personal challenge to get it there. I was only one service away from achieving this milestone when this happened:










Not my fault as someone went into the back of me but there's an estimated £5,500 worth of damage. The boot floor isn't bent and damage seems to be the rear quarter panel, slam plate, bumper, light of course, bent trailing arm and tailgate.

The third party insurers offered to look after the claim but they are going off Glass's guide which values the car at £1,650. I recon to get one as looked after as mine with so much of it in far better condition than the recorded mileage would suggest would cost me at least double. I've shown them the same year of manufacture S3s in Auto Trader but I can't find any with 300k miles on the clock. I saw a 1999 S3 with 123,000 on the clock for £3,595 for example . The insurance seems to think mileage needs to be matched rather than condition and because they can't find one at 300k miles they use the Glass's guide calculator to my disadvantage.

I'm left, through no fault of my own, worse off despite being entitled in law to be put back into the position I was in before the accident. Yet to get another S3 in similar condition I'm going to have to fork out. That doesn't seem fair.


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## corradoman (Sep 11, 2010)

Surely the insurance fight has just begun john. you don't seem like the sort of guy to give up and let them win?? keep at them and im sure you will squeeze some more out of them


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

corradoman said:


> john. you don't seem like the sort of guy to give up


I'm sure we'll hear from you in due course that you got what you expect to get [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

Do we need to send round "da boys" ?

Third party's insurers should pay you what it costs to put you back in to an equivalent car if it cannot be repaired at reasonable expense. However it seems that be their own admission there aren't any similar S3s with 300k on the clock so they should be paying you enough to buy the nearest model that is available. If that's one with only 123k on the clock, well that's not your fault, its their client's fault for hitting you.
Yes there may be some degree of betterment but you should not end up worse off than before you were hit. It will take some arguing though to enforce your point.


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## Marco34 (Apr 5, 2009)

Sorry to hear about this John. An excellently maintained car and what an ill-fitting way to go, if it should go?


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Thanks. I'm investigating possibly repairing it using another repairer and second hand suspension etc but it depends his much the bill can be reduced and how much I can beat them up. Certainly a lot of hassle I could do without.


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## Audiphil (Oct 23, 2012)

John,

Sorry to hear about this, I just had a similar issue with my sons car and when I checked the policy it was market value, not what it was really worth, I would not accept the settlement at this time and go and seek your own legal advice as once you take the money there is no recourse.

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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

That's too bad John I can highly recommend a new one but it may be a tad techy for you









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## Oranoco (Jan 10, 2016)

Fight fight fight.

My old XR2i got totalled by a plank that took it from behind. First offer was 500 quid. Laughed and they offered 750. 6 months of fighting and threatening them with the ombudsman and I finally got 2600 and swapped some of the nice bits (super rare XR2i Recaro Seats) and netted an extra 700.

Know what you want and stick to your guns until they get at least some way close


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## j8keith (Jun 26, 2009)

Hope that you are able to get it sorted quickly, and not left out of pocket.


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

I managed to beat the insurance up a bit but only because one of their models for estimated value at 150k miles was below market example prices, so they ratio'd up the Glass's guide estimate for 300k miles by the same shortfall presuming that would also be too low. It still means I'm going to have to fork out for a replacement S3 as there are no 300k examples for me to buy as a like for like replacement at that price.

I had a look at the car and took some pictures to try and get some alternative repair estimates. Here's a better shot of the damage.










There's a kink above the rear window










The boot floor is intact with no kinks in the chassis rail and the exhaust is Ok - the trim is bowed out because the light area is pushed in above.

attachFull79787









The trim at the back seat is out of line.










Here's why the rear wheel was way out of line - snapped at the handbrake cable entry - the wheel took a lot of the impact










The front of the trailing arm had impacted the carrier which may be damaged higher up but the floor is fine it appears.










The rest of the suspension looks undamaged with the tie bars straight. Why the insurance engineers report said they need replacing on both sides of the car I don't know - along with a lot of other mystery items.

The passenger door gap has been reduced compared to the driver's door but opens and shuts without problem. The panel has obviously shifted. The central locking no longer works at all - possibly a blown fuse. The passenger seat seems not to lock upright any more so may have been damaged. Lucky my daughter wasn't hurt too much but it was a big jolt.

I asked a recommended independent repairer who is used to repairing such cars to quote for pulling out the rear quarter and straightening - he reckoned that would be cheaper than replacing the part with all the accompanying rust proofing etc as the panel is about £500 alone. He reckoned much of the worse kinks would disappear when pulled and then dollies and some filler would sort the rest. A replacement arm I could get for £50 second hand but the tie bar bushes may need changing to match the other side. So not an insurance standard repair but something that would look fine and last.

Unfortunately the cost still comes in at about what I could possibly buy a cheaper end 150k mile S3 for and that's before I add the cost of the suspension parts and anything else that's discovered broken and pay the insurance for the salvage value. It's looking as if it's not going to be worth the effort and risk of extra costs mounting unfortunately. Sad.


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## j8keith (Jun 26, 2009)

Sad to face up that an old friend will need to go, but at least you are in one piece and able to talk about it.


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

j8keith said:


> Sad to face up that an old friend will need to go, but at least you are in one piece and able to talk about it.


I'll second that!
Material things can be replaced; health and life can't.


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