Trading up to an RS5 but need help... Please.

[Agilis]

Hello all,

Last week I realized my 2012 Audi S5 Pre-facelift is going in for the 22K service. So I started asking myself, is an RS5 an option? It has everything I've done to the S5, but stock. It has the upgraded infotainment system which is a big deal for me. I could finally get rid of many parts I'm storing and start off with a better baseline.

The problem is my car is only fetching 40K from the dealer and they won't accept the car as is. They would want me to convert it first so it can be recertified. Plus, I still need to pay the car off. I'm 25K away.

Now I know my car is worth more. The TLC I have showed that car, the mileage is 95% highway and the car is always taken care of. Plus the mods. Just ticks me off

But the dealer is not budging. I am close to my dealer and he's doing everything he can but just is not allowed to budge on my car's trade in value.

Here comes the part where I need help. I was thinking about leasing the RS5, and buying it when the lease is up. My worry, along with my friends, is if after 3 years, I end up having the same mindset as I am now with the S5, only I don't have any money to put down like I do now (the S5). At the end of the lease, I would have 3 options. 1. Walk away with 0 dollars. 2. Enter another lease. 3. Buy the RS5. With options 2 and 3, I would have nothing to put down on the new lease unless the RS5 value is more than the original lease.

To complicate things, the RS5 would take 3-4 months. That means I would drive my S5 putting more miles on it. At the same time, would be lowering how much I owe on the car but also hurting the trade in value.

Is there any advice anyone can give or is there a better option? Am I foolish?

And before anyone asks, I'm not rich, but have a steady income and steady job.

[Mops@Nemesis]

DO IT :)

[BestAudiFirst]

in my experience of buying cars, modding them, driving them and then wanting something new and exciting later on down the road….The dealer usually will not give you what you think and hope the car is worth…Especially if you are trading it in with mods. I'm sure you heard that before though. Usually what folks do is just return it to stock, sell the mods online and continue mission. By looking at your mod list, you shouldn't have much too worry about in converting it back to stock and selling your mods. By the looks of your situation, I would almost say just purchase one of the supercharger options out there and go hunt down some RS5's lol

[Mops@Nemesis]

OP is a buddy of mine. Please provide any applicable input.

[bknewtype]

you probably feel the car is worth more cause you have grown some sort of sedimental value to it. i say around 40k stock is about right for a dealer trade. sell it privately and u may b able to fetch more.

as bestaudifirst says, i would just supercharge the s5 so you can eat rs5's for dinner. i prefer the pre fl over the fl anyday. and since ur car is relativly low miles and i assume, well taken care of, it can last for a long, long time.

i honestly dont believe in leasing unless its a dirt cheap car that i would not care for. it feels like renting a car for 3 years.

unless u got the money, just yolo and buy the rs5 and enjoy ur life.

[essfour]

Well, first off, your car is only worth what comparable models are selling for on Manheim. NOT what KBB says or what cars are Listed for but rather it is what they sell for that will be the determining factor. So I would have the dealer print out and show you comps that have sold through manheim in the last 6 months so that you can begin to get an average selling price for your car. Make sure you deal with tangible things such as comparable vehicle sale prices rather than arbitrary sales-man numbers.

Secondly, you have a 2012 S5... gorgeous car with the tuning potential to be faster than the RS. Just throw a pulley and tune on your car and you will have something that will pull on any RS5 out there. I would personally never sell a car prior to paying it off.

[bknewtype]

Just throw a pulley and tune on your car and you will have something that will pull on any RS5 out there .

u may be thinking of the FL s5? a pully and tune on a v8 s5 should not be able to pull on an rs5...

[essfour]

u may be thinking of the FL s5? a pully and tune on a v8 s5 should not be able to pull on an rs5...

I didnt even realize he had the pre-FL. My fault for not reading. I had just assumed 2012 marked the year of the FL so I wrongly thought the car in question had the 3.0... oops.

OK - alternate point: sell that thing and buy the RS5...

[Agilis]

Thanks everyone for your input. I really do appreciate it. Mops as always, thanks for your help.

ESSFour: Haha nice. Yes, V8 Pre-facelift. And that's why I want to sell it.

Now, I am thinking of leasing it to buy. It's the best option. That way I pay taxes on the RS5 at the end. Now I just need to pick a color. My brilliant black gives me nightmares and stress cause of its constant upkeep and the challenge that comes along with it. The car is washed every weekend and during the winter, it's rinsed off in a manual bay. It has a professional application of Opticoat which helps a lot! So I need to figure out a color.

My only worry is, after the lease is up, I will have to buy. In 3 years what will be available? Because after 3 years I won't have the same luxury as I do now.

[Mops@Nemesis]

Prism Silver or Daytona Grey

[b6bydesign04]

My only worry is, after the lease is up, I will have to buy. In 3 years what will be available? Because after 3 years I won't have the same luxury as I do now.

This is a very valid concern. I was in a similar situation with my previous S4. I went into the lease assuming I'd be buying the car once the lease was up, but after 42 months, I had changed my mind. I had put a decent chunk of money down when I originally leased the vehicle, which was nice because it lowered my monthly payment and the payoff amount at the end of the lease, but once things started going wrong with the car (and it was out of warranty) I decided against buying it and ended up turning it in, losing the money I had put down when I originally leased the vehicle.

The only other thing to keep in mind, once the lease was up, the vehicle was actually worth quite a bit more then my payoff. While I still decided I didn't want to keep the car, I did toss around the idea of buying it out, then attempting to trade it in somewhere to recoup some of the money I had put down and was going to lose. I ended up not doing this since I couldn't get near what the car was quoted for on KBB and NADA, but it may be an option.

Either way, best of luck with your decision! I tend to make impulse decisions, especially with cars, so I say go for it!

Edit: and my vote is for Daytona

[Zee Dgerman]

IMO black cars only look amazing the day you take them out of the dealer... never to look that way again. Go with Daytona or Silver or Red :-)

Thanks everyone for your input. I really do appreciate it. Mops as always, thanks for your help.

ESSFour: Haha nice. Yes, V8 Pre-facelift. And that's why I want to sell it.

Now, I am thinking of leasing it to buy. It's the best option. That way I pay taxes on the RS5 at the end. Now I just need to pick a color. My brilliant black gives me nightmares and stress cause of its constant upkeep and the challenge that comes along with it. The car is washed every weekend and during the winter, it's rinsed off in a manual bay. It has a professional application of Opticoat which helps a lot! So I need to figure out a color.

My only worry is, after the lease is up, I will have to buy. In 3 years what will be available? Because after 3 years I won't have the same luxury as I do now.

[essfour]

Prism Silver or Daytona Grey

+1. Daytona is quintessential RS. Prizim is sweet too! I had originally ordered my car in Daytona but I was able to get a 6 month earlier delivery by accepting one in phantom black - and I harbor the patience of a 2 year old.

[patmusk]

Do what I just did.

Sell your car yourself. Never let the dealer rape you with trade-in offers. Then buy a 2013 pre-owned RS5!

Win.

[Agilis]

I hear you in that patmusk but it's easier to sell the car to the dealer since the car is not entirely paid off.

[Agilis]

The car has been ordered and is in queue. There is no allocation for the 2015 car yet. But the options are available.

From my order sheet:

Model Year: 2015
Model: 8T35XY RS 5 Coupe 4.2 Quattro S Tronic
Exterior Color: H8H8 Panther Black Crystal Effect
Interior Color: UB Black (Leather w/ Alcantara Sport Seats)

Options:

0P6 Sports Exhaust System w/Black Finishers
6W9 Without Front License Plate Holder
9ZW AUDI Connect
AMI iPod Cable for Audi Music Interface - No Charge
PC2 Brakes - See Order Guide for Details (Red Calipers)
PNY Technology Package
PPD Driver Assist Package
PQW Wheels and Tires Package - Silver Finish
VJ7 Matte Aluminum-Optic Package

No prices or anything was available because it's not up for allocation so the order is simply in the queue at Germany.

I did not see the Rear Window shade as an option when looking at my dealer's screen. Not sure if it's included or not in any of the above packages.

[Conartist]

Congrats! Can't go wrong with an order similar to Nate's!

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

[Mops@Nemesis]

Congrats, Rick!! Jealous! Very excited for you.

[essfour]

Um... Panther black, with the red painted brakes, and the alu optic AND alcantara/leather... personally that may be my ideal combination. Good job with the options, congrats!

[scottykenneth]

Congrats and so funny how close we live to each other. We shall def become friends :). Post some pics!

[Beast]

He's prob has the car by now, too busy enjoying it haha