Learn me: D3 Audi A8s

I've started the search for a new Dad-mobile (as seen in my recent posts). While browsing CL I found a couple A8s at a very reasonable price (sub-$10k). They seem like a hell of a car for the money. Aside from higher than normal oil change prices, what else should I know about these?

http://bham.craigslist.org/cto/5541204875.html

As with all things luxury car related, 10 years old means that their massive depreciation curve is working for you. But why is there that curve in the first place? Repair costs. If you buy a 10 year old Camry for 10 grand and the transmission takes a dump or the motor lets go, repairs are a few thousand dollars (huge numbers of them were built so replacement bits are relatively cheap). But if the trans in the A8 lets go...... 8-10 grand. And not every shop will want to work on it so it's either DIY or pay the premium price to the master tech at your local specialty shop.

All that said, it's a hugely good deal on a car that's nicer to drive and spend time in than about anything on the road. It's aluminum so it won't rust. I's say it's worth paying 2 grand for an aftermarket warrantee just in case the timing chain comes unhinged (the pictures of which make my skin crawl).

Check the Carfax report for maintenance history. If the oil changes weren't done at a minimum of 6000mi intervals, or the timing chains have not been replaced, just walk away.

The nice thing about A8s is that they are as light as A6s but they are HUGE all-day drivers. If it's an A8L you can probably put a bed in the rear seat area, legroom for miles. And they aren't any more expensive to maintain than any other Audi.

I'm still a bit saddened that a longtime customer moved away before he traded in his D2. IIRC he had been getting $1500 trade in offers. The only real downside was that he had been deferring a lot of maintenance in the last 50k so it needed front axles and the brake pad warning system sorted, and a fender bender had the backup radar system malfunctioning because the body shop screwed it up or something (never had us look into it). And it ate a set of 245/45-18 tires every 20-30k, but nowadays those are practically commodities, not $300 each. Not bad wear, he just wore 'em out.

There's one on Cincinnati Craigslist with 123k miles for $5800. That's crazy cheap but I can only imagine what the true coat of ownership would be.

I was looking at them locally last night. Both are a8L`s they look like a car that I would almost want to be in the back shofered around in as much as I would want to drive. I found a coupple in the sub 10k range that look to be screaming deals. I am going to look at one this week.

I was looking at a6s but found that the 8s seem to be better value for the money. They also seem to be optioned to the max and are all around bigger inside. For a commuter that I will use for work it seems like a great choice for me.

On a side note I am going to test drive a 2008 s-type R this week as well. Should be an intresting comparison.

dankspeed wrote: There's one on Cincinnati Craigslist with 123k miles for $5800. That's crazy cheap but I can only imagine what the true coat of ownership would be.

Not so expensive as you'd think. Pads is pads, rotors is rotors, the drivetrain bits are platform-shared, the expensive electricals cost the same as for an A4. So you're still going to need to pay like $1200 for the heater control valves if they go but it's actually worth it on an A8

I want to clarify my earlier statement regarding OCI. If the car lived a life of long OCIs, the chains are gonna die, so IF it has had long OCIs and it has NOT had the chains done yet, it will probably need them soon. But, if the oil changes have been done at 5-6k intervals with the correct oil, the chains last a good long time. Highest mileage chain 4.2 in my care is a tad over 150k and it's on the factory chains.

Knurled wrote: Not so expensive as you'd think. Pads is pads, rotors is rotors, the drivetrain bits are platform-shared, the expensive electricals cost the same as for an A4. So you're still going to need to pay like $1200 for the heater control valves if they go but it's actually worth it on an A8

The difference is that an A8 has a lot more fancy expensive electrical bits than an A4 does, so the odds of one breaking are higher. So how important is it to have all of the gadgets working? Are you willing to live with broken features?

That's the thing, though, there really aren't all that many things that aren't also on the "lesser" cars. It's just a bigger car, made of light alloy instead of cruder iron-based metals, and it has so much sound deadening and three or four layers of carpet that it is a little like driving a V8 powered sensory deprivation chamber.

The only thing I can think of, geegaw wise, that the A8s got that the others didn't, is some of the older ones had solar panels in the sunroof that would power the HVAC fan with the engine off to keep the interior cool when parked in the sun, and some of the newer ones have the neato spiffy video game view for parking, where it is like you're looking down on the car from ten feet up.

In reply to Knurled: my 2001 Allroad had that solar panel sunroof feature as well. Really nice to get in a parked car on a hot day and the interior would be whatever ambient temps were and not 140+ like other cars. The AC could cool you off just that much faster.

Seriously yall need to keep talking about this. This interests me greatly. What about d2s.

And didn't the S8 of this vintage come with the V10 they put in the Lambo's? I know they are a bit more, but are still a screaming deal for a 4-door V10. Obviously higher risk/reward, but seeing some videos of those with an exhaust and "wow"

Knurled wrote: That's the thing, though, there really aren't all that many things that aren't also on the "lesser" cars. It's just a bigger car, made of light alloy instead of cruder iron-based metals, and it has so much sound deadening and three or four layers of carpet that it is a little like driving a V8 powered sensory deprivation chamber.

The gadgets trickle down to the lower-end cars, so if you compare a 10-year-old A8 to a brand-new A4 you'll see similar sorts of things, but not so much comparing equivalent years.

For example, comparing new cars on Audi's site, the A8 has 4-zone climate control (vs 3), 22-way power front seats (vs 8), power rear seats (vs power front only), power tilt/telescope adjustable steering wheel (vs manual tilt/telescope), power side and rear sunshades (vs none), illuminated door sill inlays (vs non-illuminated), more airbags, heated front-and-rear seats (vs front only), cooled & massaging rear seats (vs not), power soft-closing doors (vs normal doors), etc.

Well having had a 01 S8 for a d.d for 5 years I had to do a little deferred maintenance when I got it but it wasn't to costly just regular things that would go on any car. I did have the tranny rebuilt for $2400 from a local specialist and that included them pulling and reinstalling it. You can pick up D2 A8's for next to nothing and most will still be under 100k. There are some pretty ratty ones in there as well but just move along.

For what you are looking at price wise you can find a 01-03 S8 with the same or less mileage. Funner car in my book and you don't have to mess with the air ride on the 04 and up or the stupid chains on the rear of the motor B.S. I love Audi and VW but who the berkeley designs that E36 M3!

I looked at some 04-06 A8's to replace my S8 after it was totaled and just couldn't pull the trigger because all I could find were the A8l and I wanted a short wheel base one.

Still the trannies are a little better and it's a 6speed auto so a little smoother. Best I ever got on the freeway was 23mpg and that was on cruise control for 200 miles at 70. Now the city is where it killed me I was lucky if I got up in the double digits. Kind of hard to keep the foot out of the peddle on the nice little back roads I have around here.

Oh and another thing the S8's in those years are still in the $40-50k range so not much of a deal there.

I'd like to hear the comparison of the Jag vs. the A8. As I really like them for the comfy air suspension and messaging seats. Anyone else have one?

Yeah, the rear chain thing is a big issue. I'd love to have a v10 bit you'd be shocked at what jobs require pulling the engine.

markwemple wrote: Yeah, the rear chain thing is a big issue. I'd love to have a v10 bit you'd be shocked at what jobs require pulling the engine.

It was a very bad day when I discovered that I can afford to buy a V10 S6. I shudder to think what S6-specific parts cost. And S-cars almost always have S-specific parts for everything, because German. (Well, the B5 S4 was a partsbin car... 2.7t/01E from the A6, four-pad brakes from the A8...)

But then a little voice says, you were willing to spend $20k on a STI/Evo, what's wrong with spending a little less for something with way more style? And it's probably more reliable, which admittedly isn't saying very much...

I went through the mental math of considering selling the 996 to get something fun yet more practical. From the M5 to the S6 to the e46 M3 to even a Urs6. At the end of the day, the 996 may not have the room, but for parts, reliability and performance in the 20k range, nothing touches it. Nothing.

I love the new S6, wish it would be cheaper. I also love the Urs4 / Urs6 they look bulletproof but I'm sure like any other 25 year old car would need things.