Well, the love affair with the BMW didn’t last as long as I thought, as much as I loved the styling, the engine, the power, the handling etc.. something was missing and it always felt a bit delicate for some reason. So I traded it in for another Audi after just 6 months of ownership.
Prior to the 330ci, I had an Audi A3 Quattro Sport 1.9TD, it was a 2002 car, one of the earlier shapes. It was the car I’d owned longer than any others, it was a great middle ground car, it was pretty economical, ‘nippy’ and it felt like a sturdy little thing, helped in a big way by being a Quattro. A couple of years back when we had that big lot of snow fall in a very short space of time, it was only the fact I was in that car that I made it home that night, albeit 6 hours after leaving work. During that epic drive home I even ended up having to pass abandoned land rovers and the like (I suspect more down to driver error than anything!) going home through the country lanes (the police had shut the A505 due to sheet ice).
I sold the previous Audi as at 150k miles it was starting to feel a bit tired, nothing actually wrong with it, but it felt like the right time for a change.
However, 6 months down the line, having spent way too much (new tyres and a clutch!), and having to spend more time getting things replaced than I’d hoped (a lot of it under warranty fortunately) I decided to start looking for a Quattro again. The selection is fairly limited when you go on Autotrader, mainly TT’s and I’m not having a mid-life crisis just yet (although being bald, I’m perfectly suited to driving a convertible it seems – what is it with bald guys and cabrio’s?). After a bit of scouring, I went to look at an A4 1.8T (soon left after the salesmen acted like a couple of idiots) and then up to Middlesex to view an A3 2.0T FSI Quattro Sport.
I ended up doing a deal with the guy there and then after pretty much pre-arranging the deal with the salesman on the phone, the car is in Dolphin Grey, has Xenons, full leather interior and is in generally excellent condition (not ‘perfect’ – if such a thing exists in a second hand car). No proof of the cam belt was evident (it was overdue by age, not millage) so I got that done the day I got the car (once you’ve had a cam belt go, you get a bit paranoid!) and it’s booked in for a full service very soon at Audi.
The car might not be as ‘fancy’ as the BMW, but at the same time it doesn’t feel as delicate, I’m less ‘worried’ about it overall.
This is my 3rd Audi Quattro now, not that I’m planning on changing cars again any time soon (again), but the next one will also need Xenons and Quattro 
Here’s a very boring picture of it, that doesn’t even really represent the colour very well, it’s miserable out there and I’m not going to be cleaning it again any time soon.
Dave.
November 22, 2011 at 4:45 pm
“it’s miserable out there and I’m not going to be cleaning it again any time soon”
hehe classic quote. good job you don’t run a car club or anything… oh, hang on…
November 22, 2011 at 5:03 pm
To be fair, I gave it a good clean and a coat of Autoglym HD Wax the weekend I got it AND Audi will clean and valet it when it goes in for it’s service