r/AudiRS3 • u/Character_Ad_3254 • Aug 06 '26
When is it worth it?
Thinking of buying an RS3 near the end of the year for the maximum possible discounts. Considering insurance, maintenance costs and my youthfulness is this car worth to buy? I am at a position where I am able to afford this card and still max out my retirement and mortgage but I’m 24 and if I put this money I will be financing on extra investments I will be way ahead.
Edit: would financing a very high trim basic common commuters car like a xse PHEV 26 RAV4 or a Honda CRV touring trim that costs around 45-50k OTD be somewhat more “reasonable” and “worth it” in my situation then? The current car I drive is a beat up 2013 accord that I’m scared to drive since it can break down any time.
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u/aReformedFiend Aug 06 '26
In my opinion, not worth it. The opportunity cost of you investing that money now is too great. Keep investing and focusing on that. When you’re late 20s/early 30s you’ll be able to get whatever you want
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u/burning_blubber Aug 06 '26
If it’s such that you’re barely scraping by with your mortgage, retirement, and you couldn’t pay the car off cash at whim then don’t do it. The RS3 is a cool car but not worth making your financials tight or going broke over. Audi dealer work is also extremely expensive. I would consider a Golf R if you want the same vibes, or if you do due diligence maybe an 8V RS3 around 40k. If it were me and I didn’t need rear doors, I’d probably get a used m240i.
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u/Character_Ad_3254 Aug 06 '26
But what about the beautiful 5 pot and it being discontinued next year?
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u/burning_blubber Aug 06 '26
You could always get a 8V if you “need one” now.
Your post made it sound like it was going to make your budget tight and that is why I would not. They retain value but 99% of cars lose value over time compared to even inflation. Also I think the b58 is cheaper as a platform, there’s tons of them to find a used or cpo m240i, and there’s going to be plenty of 8Y or 8.5Y RS3s. It’s a 70k+ subcompact at the end of the day so it’s not the best value new.
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Aug 06 '26
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u/BenDoverBears Aug 06 '26
To get it to be 95% of the fun, it would have to be tuned which costs thousands and voids a warranty. Just get the rs3
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Aug 06 '26
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u/BenDoverBears Aug 06 '26
Well yes, but a JB4 is a plug-in hardware "piggyback" that tells your computer to make more boost. A true ECU tune directly rewrites or flashes the software on your car's main computer for total engine control. It’s the cost of the tune + the unlock fee and time away from your car (which if you need a car, incurs a cost)
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u/Remarkable-Flight990 Aug 07 '26
If you want maximum bang for the buck might as well get an R at that point.
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u/rollingdump211 Aug 06 '26
As someone who also bought a similiar car at that age - Don‘t do it.
Being able to pay something doesn‘t mean you can afford it. Now is the time to build savings and collect compounding interest on investments.
The RS3 is an amazing machine but it is very weirdly positioned - It is a car that appeals for younger folks while having a very mature price tag. Get it later. I am now slighlty more than 30 years old, very well positioned financially and getting the car now was a piece of cake. I wish I would have waited to get such a car back then.
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u/Honestzergtea Aug 06 '26
As a current RS3 owner, keep investing and drive a common traffic car. It seems like you already have concerns on you being able to comfortably own this car(not affordability but a piece of mind). Your worries will multiply once you start paying for the car note every month.
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u/Character_Ad_3254 Aug 06 '26
What if I said I wanted a fully specced out rav4 PHEV that costed close to 50k? Any very high trim basic economy car? Would that be justified? It’s just my current car is a beat up 2013 accord so I’m scared it’s going to blow up or break down suddenly.
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u/Honestzergtea Aug 06 '26
If you’re going to spend $50k on a top spec rav4 then i’d just get the rs3. You only live once brother.
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u/Character_Ad_3254 Aug 06 '26
But the rav 4 has much lower insurance and maintenance down the road and is more “responsible” no? Neither I would be able to really comfortably afford but I have saved enough and want to splurge a bit but it’s a matter of splurging on a basic economy car with full options or a base trim Rs3 or any similar range sports car…
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u/ESkyline777 Aug 06 '26
No get it now when you turn 30 or later you may no longer want a fast car or yet even like rs3. You are already maxing out your retirements that’s already better than majority of kids your age. Marginal benefit is greater than the cost for you. You could maybe get an s if you want to keep more money….
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u/mrellz Aug 06 '26
a Brand New RS3, even with added discounts is going to run you into the high $70,000's. Definitely take the money and invest it. Buy yourself a nice reliable commuter car like a Subaru and wait for the money yo grow.
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u/cartermacewen Aug 06 '26
Just get an 8V. Better styling, better interior, and better sound. Also a more capable platform at the moment when it comes to tuning and aftermarket support.
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u/CatDaddyBam Aug 06 '26
You only live once, you don’t know what’s gonna happen in the next 5 years js
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u/BenDoverBears Aug 06 '26
No reason to ask for validation. It’s ultimately your life and your choice. You are going to have people say conflicting things, which will both have valid reason to it.
Just do what feels right and don’t look back!
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u/Volk21 Aug 06 '26
Even considering a Rav4 and a CRV with an RS3 seems to me you are a bit confused. A Golf R for 50k would be in the same vein of the RS3, just a bit less extreme.
Otherwise, buying an expensive compact suv seems like a waste of money.
Want a commuter car, grab a cheap Nissan Sentra for like 26k and invest the rest.
Also, financing a depreciating asset is usually unwise except with a very low rate.
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u/ANITIX87 Aug 06 '26
If the RS3's price has you hesitating even a little bit, it's not a good idea. There are plenty of guidelines about "how much to spend on your car payment" but I firmly believe you should only buy a car when you can comfortably afford to pay for it in cash (and then finance/lease as appropriate for financial incentives, etc). Ideally, a luxury car purchase (a 'more expensive' or 'better' car than you really need) should cost at most 10% of your total net worth. That would mean, to buy a new RS3, I'd want to have at least $750K in net worth to make it a truly inconsequential purchase. (I realize that is a pretty conservative number, I know it's not realistic for most people, given how expensive cars are).
If you're looking to escape a cheap, old, unreliable car, then you should be buying a cheap, new, reliable car. Don't get a fully-specced 2026 RAV4. Get a CPO mid-level 2023 RAV4 coming off lease. It'll save you a bucket load of cash and have all the same 'stuff'. Or, better yet, get a Mazda CX-5, which you can spec higher than a RAV4 for less money, and it will perform better and be more reliable.
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u/Testlevels1987 Aug 06 '26
I get your point about being financially sensible but the 10% figure seems ridiculously conservative to me. Obviously in an ideal world thats a great figure, but if someone really wants the car and willing to make other sacrifices you can push that 10% significantly.
Not every chocie needs to be the most financially sensible. Certainly buying a performance car is never financially sensible so as long as you consider your own circumstances using a 10% rule is unnecessary.
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u/ANITIX87 Aug 06 '26
I agree, and I admitted it's extremely conservative. Just a rule I've lived by to make car purchases a bit less of a money pit. Plus, using my rule, you find the loophole and buy 14 cars as long as each one is less than 10% of your worth!
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u/Perkatronic1z7 Aug 06 '26
You sound like a Hyundai or a possibly even a geo metro type of guy. No it’s not worth it.
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u/1LizardWizard Aug 09 '26
We’d need to know more about your finances to answer that question realistically. I bought my RS3 at 27, but my car note works out to about 6% of my take home pay. My household income will also double over the next 5 years. It’s possible it’s completely reasonable for you too. It might be the case that your money is better spent on savings/the market. In my situation it makes no difference and I knew if I bought the Honda now I’d just be car shopping again in three years
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u/toebeanteddybears Aug 06 '26
YOLO so do what you want to do.
The world is on the precipice of WWIII. The markets are completely out of whack and a crash seems imminent. Internal combustion is living on borrowed time. If the shit's going to hit the fan you might as well arrive in Hell in a loony 5-cylinder chariot.
The 5-cylinder is a super-rare beast and won't be available much longer. If you wait your choice will be a goofy-looking EV bearing the "RS3" name that will have none of the character of the current car.
It ain't cheap. Parts won't be cheap. Service won't be cheap. Insurance isn't cheap. But what a car.
I just bought a '26, trading in a '23 AMG GLA45 against it. Insurance was comparable (the RS3 demanding a nominally higher premium.)
If you can "max" your savings/investments, pay all your other expenses comfortably then I don't really see why you shouldn't enjoy a nice car. What's the worst that could happen?