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I am on the verge off doing a deal on a A8 3.0Tdi, car is perfect drives amazing but I am a bit scared off the potential bills. Anybody ever run one or got any advice? Reallife MPG would b good aswell? The car is 2005 full dealer history, Thanx in advance.
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Great car but VERY VERY expensive to repair so make sure you have a really good warranty from day one.
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noobytoogy have u owned one? what tends to go wrong?
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Regularly used to drive these for work - fantastic engine, by far the best one for the car. Car is lovely but repair bills can be high if electronic gremlins come. By and large if well maintained they are very reliable though. Real life MPG I would average 40-44mpg on a run and on average mid to high 30s mpg, less around town. Lovely car.
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Gasoil - you're asking a very similar question to what I was thinking of asking.
I intend treating myself at Christmas to something silly like this or possibly a 3 or 5 Series. My main concerns with the A8 are fuel economy and repair bills, it's pleasing to hear that they're a generally reliable car though, and what a beautiful big thing they are. I think they're even nicer than the 7 Series.
I'll second Gasoil's request for info please guys!
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mmmmm, still really tempted to part with my cash n buy an A8, but would I be wiser to purchase a A6 3.0Tdi or a BMW 530d? Like to have 4wd as I use it for towing? thanx
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I looked at the A8 and it's a lovely car. I didn't go ahead because like all cars that are expensive new, they continue to be expensive to run - parts, insurance, tax, etc. You pay for what you get...
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Don't forget the A8's USP - the aluminium space frame construction. It's 100-150kg lighter model for model than the 7 series which helps fuel economy and performance.
I had custody of a late 90's 2.8 petrol model for a week, and thought it was a wonderful car. Its keeper told me maintenance costs were eye watering though.
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Have a think about getting a VW Phaeton 3.0TDi. They're silly cheap second hand.
Want one want one want one.
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I looked in great details on A8s and VW Phaetons.
Neither are as reliable as they should be - and based on new prices, they should be as good as the best Japanese cars.
They are not. And some repair costs are £1000s.
Put bluntly, nice cars, but when over 3 years old, you need to be able to afford an occasional £2k bill.
Nice idea, poor execution in my view.
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...Want one want one want one....
Still still still?
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I'm afraid so. Surprised my madness is still remembered. Saw one this morning. And I've been checking them out on autotrader today.
Despite madf's apocalyptic warnings last year, they seem to be fetching the same sort of money now as they were then. They seem to get down to the 15k mark at around 3 years old. There are some very nice nearly new ones available for between 25-30k still. Pre-reg (09 plate) examples at about 28k look the best to me. Bargain doesn't quite cover it.
Anyway, now's not the time for me, we're moving house in a few weeks and that's tying up the money for a bit. We'll be looking to change cars in around November 2011 I reckon, and I think we'll swap the Touran, Mazda 6 and the Smart Roadster for a soft top Mini plus a large family car of some description. My extremely odd and irresponsible short list (today) consists of an Alfa 159 Sportwagon and a Phaeton.
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spoke ti Audi dealer today n service manager said the cars are good and give very few problems? still unsure,
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The 159 would be OK if only it were not so ugly......and who'd want one anyway.....Pah.....
;-)
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Sorry gasoil - completely missed the point of the thread. Too many painkillers after trying to fly my mountain bike at the weekend !!
The A8 is one heck of a car. A belgian friend of mine has one with I think a 4.0 petrol engine. Outrageous performance and considerable luxury. I guess it would be expensive to fix but may not need it very often.
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A good mate bought an Audi Approved used A6 3.0 TDI quattro. Fantastic car, goes like the clappers and has been very reliable in the 3 years he's had it.
APART from the high-pressure injection pump failing and wiping out the entire fuel system and engine (swarf found in sump). This happened after friend had had the car for 4 months. Repair bill of £10,000 +
All covered by the Audi Approved warranty, no quibbles, courtesy car etc etc.
As said above, get a warranty and you should be fine.
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Oddly enough I too have a Belgian friend who drives big Audis, but in his case they are A6s. He has just bought a nearly new one with I think that 3 litre diesel engine.
He is a long-time news agency hack who drove BMWs for many years. His red 316 (2002 shape) with big press notice in the windscreen was always screaming past people round the outside of hairpin bends in and around Algiers, and his driving style was so well-known that he had a reputation among local hacks as a 'racist' (he wasn't, but you could sort of see what they meant). One whole corner of the car, chrome and paint, had been sandpapered by a sandstorm down south there. Later, back in Europe, he had a row of 320s which he normally cruised at about 180ks, and then one of those diesels, 3 litre I think. He had a few prangs in them though, including a high-speed spin on the Paris-Brussels autoroute just under the take-off lane from CdG airport. It was wet, hadn't rained for a while and the car simply changed ends under acceleration on the plane-fuel/water mixture. He wasn't hurt but it was.
He calls the Audis 'banker's cars' and sees them as a sign of ageing. A bit safer than the BMWs probably.
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>>I too have a Belgian friend who drives....
Slightly off topic I suppose, but in my limited experience the Belgians appear to be a race apart when it comes to driving.
Probably in both senses of "race", but I suspect there must be better words describing the attitude and manner some adopt when behind the wheel.
Somewhere between arrogance and aggression, with a touch of invincibility.
Quite funny to watch when it all goes wrong. (from a respectable distance.)
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I recall reading here at some point in the past that some A8s tend to suffer from disintegrating gearbox syndrome before 100K is reached with predictably huge repair bills.
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Front suspension the most common fault parts costs have four didgets.The Pheaton which they make in the glass factory in Dresden is the same as the small Bently under the skin been round the factory very impressive.
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A8 gearbox problems solved IF fluid is changed around 80k miles....
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Ok, need to make my mind up, The car is a 2005, 78k miles, full Audi history which I have checked. Shouid I buy for £11,500?????. The car also has a brand new set of 19 inch wheels and tyres,
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Check the gearbox oil has been changed or get it done then buy it and enjoy.
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Of course you should buy it. It'll be great. We will all of course, (mostly anyway ) hate you, but I'm sure you will learn to live with that.....
Enjoy !
Edited by Humph Backbridge on 25/06/2009 at 21:03
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