A8 2.8 - any comments?
Discussion
I have one. Its good. Do it!
Seriously, its a lot of motor for b**ger all money. Running costs aren't huge, nothing much goes wrong with them. That was confirmed by the service manager at an Audi dealer recently - they rarely get any trouble from them.
The 3.7 is supposed to be a better car (DavidY will pitch in sometime soon
) but the 2.8 is more available and cheaper. They all handle exceptionally well, and not even "for something that size".
I've had mine 3 years, no probs at all - except for getting it straightened when a numpty used me for target practice. Ally bodywork is fantastic, they stay as new forever. Paint doesn't chip either, the ally must "give" enough to prevent chips.
Recommended.
Editied to add: they're a bitch to park though, big as a battleship; they fill most parking spaces and then some. And watch the doors, they have a very aggressive 2 detent mechanism which *will* smack against other cars with surprising force!
>> Edited by victormeldrew on Friday 11th July 17:49
Seriously, its a lot of motor for b**ger all money. Running costs aren't huge, nothing much goes wrong with them. That was confirmed by the service manager at an Audi dealer recently - they rarely get any trouble from them.
The 3.7 is supposed to be a better car (DavidY will pitch in sometime soon
) but the 2.8 is more available and cheaper. They all handle exceptionally well, and not even "for something that size". I've had mine 3 years, no probs at all - except for getting it straightened when a numpty used me for target practice. Ally bodywork is fantastic, they stay as new forever. Paint doesn't chip either, the ally must "give" enough to prevent chips.
Recommended.
Editied to add: they're a bitch to park though, big as a battleship; they fill most parking spaces and then some. And watch the doors, they have a very aggressive 2 detent mechanism which *will* smack against other cars with surprising force!
>> Edited by victormeldrew on Friday 11th July 17:49
Can't comment on that one in partcular but a few years ago i used to do some some instructing for Audi UK customers at tracks around the country, then they changed it from track days to "safe" driving techniques.
They flew us all over to the mother land to get to grips with what they wanted to mirror in the UK, anyway to cut a long story short they picked us up at the airport in a fleet of A8 quattro thingies.
If i remember there were 12 of us so 5 cars and luggage raced back to the hotels, when i mean race i mean race, on the autobahn i saw 170 on the clock and one was slipstreaming us to get past
.
Bloody quick cars.
They flew us all over to the mother land to get to grips with what they wanted to mirror in the UK, anyway to cut a long story short they picked us up at the airport in a fleet of A8 quattro thingies.
If i remember there were 12 of us so 5 cars and luggage raced back to the hotels, when i mean race i mean race, on the autobahn i saw 170 on the clock and one was slipstreaming us to get past
. Bloody quick cars.
I'll measure it when I get home! I suspect you'll have a problem, mine doesn't go anywhere near a garage fortunately. Width may be a problem too. They are BIG, no doubt about that! I'm in Runcorn at the moment, home is Rugby, and I have some shopping to do on the way, so it'll probably be late, but I'll whip the tape out when I get back.
Edited to add: PS my computer at our offices seems to remember my old moniker - this is VictorMeldrew here!
>> Edited by philshort on Friday 11th July 19:14
Edited to add: PS my computer at our offices seems to remember my old moniker - this is VictorMeldrew here!
>> Edited by philshort on Friday 11th July 19:14
OK Victor I'll pitch in!!!
Nubbin read my profile and search through the threads (I think the word 'stealership' will find most relevant threads!!)
The A8 is a great car when it works, maybe I had a Friday one, but it hadn't done many miles (relatively speaking, I reckon they should be good for 200K plus) and I reckon I could have run a Cerbera over a similar mileage (approx 25K) for less!!!!
I don't regret owning it, it just was a bit expensive and I found the attitude of virtually all Audi dealers I visited bordering on the intolerable. Alos if parts were need at a service they seemed to take a long time to arrive. A two day service could stretch to 8 days!!)
Also a lot of independents don't touch the A8, so you have to get it serviced at an Audi Main Dealer. Audi UK will not sell you a service manula but you can by a US one for US$99 from Benson publishing!!!!
There are plenty of cars out there, choose carefully and I'm sure you'll be rewarded.
I found that the cars size shrunk when you were inside and it was quite nimble, I was driving an Impreza Turbo before. It is big and I was careful where it was parked as I didn't fancy getting dings out of Alumium doors. The 18" wheel option looks good but remeber the tyres are expensive (around £175 a corner).
My 3.7 was very economical for a V8, over 30mpg on motorway runs (600 miles between fill ups!!). For long distance runs the car was brilliant, but I am just as happy with my current car Saab 9-5 Estate, though you can't throw it around like the Audi!!!
As I said choose carefully (get a warranty if you can, and watch out for Cambelt changes).
OK Victor, theres my 2p (not all negative!!!)
davidy
Nubbin read my profile and search through the threads (I think the word 'stealership' will find most relevant threads!!)
The A8 is a great car when it works, maybe I had a Friday one, but it hadn't done many miles (relatively speaking, I reckon they should be good for 200K plus) and I reckon I could have run a Cerbera over a similar mileage (approx 25K) for less!!!!
I don't regret owning it, it just was a bit expensive and I found the attitude of virtually all Audi dealers I visited bordering on the intolerable. Alos if parts were need at a service they seemed to take a long time to arrive. A two day service could stretch to 8 days!!)
Also a lot of independents don't touch the A8, so you have to get it serviced at an Audi Main Dealer. Audi UK will not sell you a service manula but you can by a US one for US$99 from Benson publishing!!!!
There are plenty of cars out there, choose carefully and I'm sure you'll be rewarded.
I found that the cars size shrunk when you were inside and it was quite nimble, I was driving an Impreza Turbo before. It is big and I was careful where it was parked as I didn't fancy getting dings out of Alumium doors. The 18" wheel option looks good but remeber the tyres are expensive (around £175 a corner).
My 3.7 was very economical for a V8, over 30mpg on motorway runs (600 miles between fill ups!!). For long distance runs the car was brilliant, but I am just as happy with my current car Saab 9-5 Estate, though you can't throw it around like the Audi!!!
As I said choose carefully (get a warranty if you can, and watch out for Cambelt changes).
OK Victor, theres my 2p (not all negative!!!)
davidy
Hi David!
Audi dealers are a mixed bunch, we have agreed on that before! Some in the Midlands are dire. I found Rylands in Stoke were good, and I'm using Lancaster Audi in Liverpoool at the moment, and they seem OK.
As I've said, no major problems in three years on mine, and I've put about 50,000 miles on it, and several dealers have told me they are solid. You must have been unlucky!
Audi dealers are a mixed bunch, we have agreed on that before! Some in the Midlands are dire. I found Rylands in Stoke were good, and I'm using Lancaster Audi in Liverpoool at the moment, and they seem OK.
As I've said, no major problems in three years on mine, and I've put about 50,000 miles on it, and several dealers have told me they are solid. You must have been unlucky!
Well, I'm now the proud owner of an A8 - but it's a P-reg 4.2 Quattro, 82000 miles, FASH, and best of all, it's an Approved Used Audi, complete with warranty and all the benefits that implies. I paid a bit over the odds for it, but it is worth it to get the Audi warranty.
The warranty will be used immediately, as the driver's headrest motor is failing, and a big plastic underbody shield fell off from the rear of the car after I had owned it for 20 minutes!!
Goes like stink though, and is just superb inside - it just fits the garage, although the door won't sit flush to the frame anymore!
The warranty will be used immediately, as the driver's headrest motor is failing, and a big plastic underbody shield fell off from the rear of the car after I had owned it for 20 minutes!!
Goes like stink though, and is just superb inside - it just fits the garage, although the door won't sit flush to the frame anymore!
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