Audi A8

audiaudiaudia8 · October 2000

I have replaced my OEM Eagle LS's with the Michelin XGTZ4. They improve handling quite a bit since the stiff sidewall seems to take out the body lean. Have not been able to get them balanced right with the spin balancer though at the tire dealer. He is saying that with audis and some tires you have to balance them while on the car so they are paying to have them balanced at an alignment place that can do this tomorrow. Anybody had this problem ?

On the front cowling, you just have to be real careful when pulling up to curbs.

billmillsva · October 2000

Roger- I had an '87 BMW L7 and I watched a guy at the local favorite tire shop balance the wheel while it was on the car once but I am not sure this had anything to do with what you are talking about and it seemed to be a art more than a science since from what I could see he was doing it visually. In any event you may want to check with an Audi dealer about this. Let me know what you find out. My car is in for service currently but should be ready tomorrow. I'll ask the service advisor about it when I go in.

B

sb55 · October 2000

I'm thinking of trading my '98 A-4 with 80,000 miles for an A-8 with 20,000 miles. Does this seem reasonable for $25K plus my car?
What is the real gas mileage for the A-8?
I have read this forum, but any problems with the A-8 that I should look for.
Any advise would be appreciated.

audiaudiaudia8 · October 2000

Turned out that I had a slightly bent wheel when that was caused by a flat tire I had a while ago (which unlike an explorer that flips over, you hardly feel in an A8 at 70mph). I must have drove on the tire too long before noticing the flat. After switching to the spare wheel, tires are great and smooth.

Gas mileage on 2000 A8: Around 24-26mph travelling at 85 mph on interstate. Around 16-18 around town with not much stop and go. Note that the computer guage on my car originally showed 10-15% better mileage than these numbers until I had the calculation adjusted.

steverisity · October 2000

I'm interested in getting a used A8 from 1 to 3 years old. Are there any significant feature additions or quality wrinkles that have passed as the years go up?
Is this a scarey car as far as maintaining goes?

My goal would be to buy one before the manufacturers waranty runs out from a private party - to save $$ and take the guess work out of knowing if anything needs work.

sb55 · October 2000

I posted a similar request (#214) but haven't gotten any feedback. At least if we buy from a dealer we should get Audi "assured" warranty which will cover drive train problems for 75k miles or 5 years from when car was originally delivered. That, at least, is a little peace of mind.

billmillsva · October 2000

It's fully loaded German luxury car, so you should get one with as little miles and as new as you can afford so it will have the longest warranty period possible. Audi Assured is definitely a good idea which means buying from a dealer. If you are worried about cost of maintaining the car maybe it's not for you. Like dear old Dad always said: "If you can't afford the parts, don't buy the car". As for fuel mileage, my '97 gets about 23-24 on the hwy and 18-19 in combined driving but I live in a rural area.

steverisity · October 2000

Why buy Audi assured if the car is still under the manufacturers warranty? I figure as long as the car hasn't been in an accident, Audi should be able to (assure it operates) take care of any problem that may not expose itself in a test drive.
Also, I would imagine buying off a dealer lot would amount to at least $5k more which isn't exactly chump change.
I may not have a choice though; these cars are not showing up in the used car section of my paper.

a8silver · October 2000

I've done this. Pulled up on a curb and while backing up heard a bunch of crackles and pops. The front bumper cover (along with all the fixins')popped out. I was able put it back together, but the underside of the bumper ripped in half. Long story short ~$1100 in damages(labor + parts). The Audi authorized body shop mentioned that they had seen this problem on several A6s also - if that's any consolation. Bad design!!!!!!!!!!!!

srob62 · October 2000

I think you may have a hard time finding a used 1-3 year old A8 from a private seller, with only around 2000 a year produced, and most being leased. I looked for two months, and found a 2 1/2 year old '97 A8 with 15K miles, from a dealer. The car was privately owned (verified through car fax). A salesman told me that Audi charges the dealership $500 for the Audi Assured plan. If that's the actual cost, it seems like a deal to me.

Bill is right. You will pay more for service, but it goes with the territory.

I used the internet to locate cars and all the dealers, shopped within a three hour radius, and played one against the other on the phone until I got the car I wanted at a fair price.

Have fun shopping. It's a great car and doesn't attract unwanted attention.

billmillsva · October 2000

I am suggesting you buy an Audi Assured car because you are concerned about cost of maintaining the car. The A8 is a fine car but if something big breaks out of warranty, it's going to be costly to fix. The Audi Assured program covers road side assistance and the cars major systems for an additional two years and up to 75,000 miles at a cost of $50 per visit, not per repair. So if you go in with a few things to fix you still pay $50. And you can probably get the dealership to pay for the Assured Program as part of the deal. If you can find a car from a private owner that is still under the original warranty, I would urge you to use some of that money you are saving to buy a warranty plan, they cost pennies on the dollar when something goes wrong and they are usually very comprehensive.

mpyles1 · October 2000

Has anyone seen or driven the new S8 (the juiced up A8 with 360hp)? Any impressions? Thanks.

mpyles1 · October 2000

Looks like someone has started a separate S8 topic. I'll look there for your comments. Thanks.

lostwages · October 2000

I have never owned an Audi (Volvo and BMW) but am considering a 1998 A8 4.2 w/ 18,500 miles for $40,000. I have liked this car for some time, but I do not know much about them. Could someone give me insight as to dependability, is it fun to drive, what you like best about the car, what you like least, and anticipated cost of major tune, etc. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks

Mark

billmillsva · November 2000

Well to help with an idea of cost of ownership, I just had my 30K service performed. I am no longer under the original warranty so I took the car to a shop that specializes in European cars and is a sponsor of our local chapter of the quattro club. The service ran $368 dollars which included plugs, change of oil & filter (I provided the oil), change of air filter, change of cabin dust and pollen filter and a list of about 20 "check this" items. The shop that did the work installed bosch platinum spark plug which they indicated would save me from having to change them at the next 30K service. Considering the plugs run $50 for the set and R & R is probably $35 (1/2 hr labor) the next 30K service (60K)should be under $300 provided nothing major needs to be done. The 90K service on the other hand, requires a timing belt change. Some how I don't think that's going to be cheap.

newowner2 · November 2000

I too am a new owner and lover of my 97 A8. But three days after picking up the car I caught the front bumper on a curb and had to have it completely replaced. I believe there is a true design flaw here and I am attempting to find out how commom this is. I intend to look for the article listed in audiworld.com that was mentioned in an earlier post. If anyone knows how to gather additional statistics, please let me know as I do not believe this should be reason for the insurance industry to place additional surcharges.

bollinger · November 2000

Make sure to check the A6 forum on www.audiworld.com. People have reported this problem on plenty of cars other than Audi's. It's just a fact of life nowadays with cars with noses that hang over like that.

steverisity · November 2000

OK, understood; get the Audi assured plan - but is this on top of the standard warranty? Is there any reason to buy this before the standard warranty runs out?
Also, can you change the oil in the A8 at places like Jiffy Lube? It's not cost I really care about with maintenence, it's convienence. I would rather get it done in a half hour than drop it off at some out of the way place that require an appointment. I'm the type that wouldn't want to pull into the Audi service site unless something major breaks or I hit 90k miles.

bollinger · November 2000

Assured program is when buying a car used, I don't know that you can add it to a car that you bought new.

vwguild · November 2000

For those posts concerning this subject...The W12
is a marriage of two VR6 VW engines...They are
displaced at 15 degrees...Hold up your index finger and middle finger and overlap your two
index fingers and you will discover the origin of the W.
Same engine as the VW *D-1* coming to the Detroit Show a year from January 2001.

ENJOY!!!!!

billmillsva · November 2000

Audi Assured is for pre owned cars. It kicks in when the factory warranty expires. It's not really something you add on later after you buy the (preowned) car and really the only reason you wouldn't get it is if you bought the car some where other than a dealer. I am sure you could get them to include it as part of the deal no cost. If you don't buy the car from a dealer, I'd get a warranty plan for one of the independent warranty companies. I asked my service advisor about them i.e. are they worth while. He didn't skip beat when he said "yep. if your, quattro system breaks, it will cost you $13,000 dollars to replace it. Usually those warranties pay for them selves if you have one major problem out side of the warranty period."
As far as "Jiffy Lube" goes, my opinion would be find a shop that specialises in Audi or European/German cars and stay away from fast food oil places. All the better if you can find one near your place of work so you can drop off the car and pick up the car later after work but most shops will accomodate a while you wait oil change if an appointment is made. Just make sure where ever you go that they have the ability to reset you service indicator. Your A8 holds 8 quarts of oil so oil changes only need to be done about every 5,000-7,500 miles depending on your driving habits.

marsha7 · November 2000

Appreciate your thoughts on extended warranties, as I have always bought them for cars...too many expensive things can break, easily costing in excess of the cost of the warranty.

But, just out of curiosity, how often does the quattro break? $13,000 is probably the most expensive component repair I have ever seen, not counting vehicular damage from a collision. Makes me wonder if anyone would ever keep an audi over 100K miles (the usual limit on most extended warranties). Too many quattro breaks, and it would not bode well for buying an audi/vw-4-motion.

vwguild · November 2000

The VW 10/100 covers your powertrain including
the 4MO cars..."any lubricated part that moves the car"....

marsha7 · November 2000

thanks for the info, but as one who drives 28K miles per year, even with the extended warr, I am out of warr in 3.5 years. Looking forward to a 13K repair is not my cup of tea, hence, my question re: just how often does quattro/4Motion break?

vwguild · November 2000

Will make a call for you tomorrow...I have a VW
meeting near San Francisco in the AM...but will get back to you on this late tomorrow or Tues.
PS

billmillsva · November 2000

I think the point the service advisor was trying to make the point you made in your response. I.E. it's kind of a no brainer. I think he just cited the most expensive repair he could think off the top of his head and @$13K I suspect they would be replacing everything, not just the broken part(s). As far as VW's go yeah the warranty on the power train is better of the bat. There have been a few post on the local quattro club mailing list about a timing belt tensioner that failed after the warranty that would have been covered if they owned a VW. Same basic engine, but because of the VW warranty is was covered on the VW but not the Audi. Anyway, it's a trade off. I suspect the soup to nuts coverage bing twice as long on the Audi makes up for some of the thing you would other wise pay for on the VW.

bollinger · November 2000

Its not like its made of eggshells or something! With more moving parts than FWD though, I can't really see it being more reliable than FWD.

I don't expect you'll have any problems with the Quattro in the first 100K miles.

Why do you believe that Quattro is somehow some single unit that can't be fixed in parts? I've heard the tranny/center diff/forward diff unit costs $8K. That's a bundle. If any other part goes, you can probably get it replaced piecemeal.

You don't get a new engine every time your water pump breaks.

charliemike · November 2000

Here's something that might shock you ...

A new engine (rebuilt) for a Lexus LS400 is $18,600 plus labor and anything else needed to be replaced.

The timing belts on the Lexus V8s are no joke. It breaks and the engine is toast.

BTW, I never found the S8 forum on Edmunds. Does one exist?

marsha7 · November 2000

quattro could not be fixed with parts. Another poster stated that a service rep stated that if quattro must be replaced, it is $13K. I am only following up on that statement. I have no idea if a $50 part could fix it, or if it is only sold as a complete unit. I am just asking a logical question as a consequence of an apparent comment from an Audi service rep. Frankly, I never would have thought of quattro replacement, but it seems someone at Audi is well aware of it (assuming the statement from the previous poster is true....hearsay, you know).

billmillsva · November 2000

Bob and/or Marsha- what makes you think bollingers comment was directed at you? Look folks I was just repeating what the service rep said and as I stated in my post at that price it sounds like you would be getting a completely new unit (and then some). I'll ask him what that figure is based on but in reality his response to my question about buying an extended warranty was, in a nut shell, it is a good idea on a car like the A8. The example he cited was to dramatize that point using a worst case scenario. It was not meant to be a statement about the durability or reliability of the quattro system or a basis for cost of repairing any problem that may arise with the quattro drivetrain.
As far as CharlieMikes comment about timing belts, they are no joke on any car. No matter what engine they are on, if they break, the engine is toast and the engine is usually the single most expensive part on a vehicle to replace.

marsha7 · November 2000

to be directed at me, so I responded. No offense taken or given. The comment seemed to respond to my post, so I qualified what I thought was a question/comment to me, that's all.

Bob

vwguild · November 2000

Just got off the phone with my Audi counterpart
down the road...I asked him to describe is experience with Quattro over the past 7 years...
"bulletproof" was the response.

audiaudiaudia8 · November 2000

I own a 2000 A8. My previous car was a 1986 Audi 5000 Quattro of which I was the third owner and which our babysitter now owns. I believe this quattro system is very similar to the A8's although it had manual locking differentials instead of automatic. The independent service shop owner here repairs many Audis dating back 15 years and had never had an instance of quattro breakage.

billmillsva · November 2000

I don't want to have to worry about any problems with my A8. Bulletproof sounds good to me. I expect I'll never have any problems with my quattro system. As I said it was an extreme example. I am sure quattro failure is very rare. And I am sure that figures into what the warranty insurance companies charge as far as premiums go. The point is it's a very complex car and if something big breaks out of warranty, if you have the coverage, it will most likely pay for it self and then some. The first new car I bought was an '86 Ford Taurus and I purchased the Ford ESP which extended my factory warranty for another 2 years/24,000 miles. The head gasket blew during the extended warranty period. So instead of the repair costing me over $600, it only cost me the cost of the ESP plan ($300) plus a $25 deductible. I know I'm talking Ford vs. Audi but my Audi has been in the shop on a few occasions for more than just maintenance since I have owned it. A more equal comparison ... You can buy coverage out to 7 yrs. and 100,000 miles. I had an '87 BMW 7 series that I bought from my father in law. He had purchased an extended warranty that covered the replacement of the rear axle and a few other big ticket items. Unfortunately for me he didn't get the coverage that went out to 100K because the tranny developed a major problem (would only engage in reverse) at around 92,000 miles. That ended up costing me $1,800 + towing. These maybe more typical examples of why you would want an extended warranty.

Bill

vwguild · November 2000

I have exchanged posts with M7 on several occasions concerning a VW Passat GLX equipped with
4Motion/Quattro. That car carries a 10year/100,000
mile powertrain warranty that includes the all-wheel drive 4 Motion System...that is not an extended warranty, but simply a part of the basic
VW Protection Plus program that comes with the base price of the car

marsha7 · November 2000

thank you for taking the time to check and respond. It was kind of you to put forth the effort.

Bob

maza8 · November 2000

I have a '99 4.2, and have a couple of specific issues that Audi tells me are normal.

First, with the car in "D" and if the a/c compressor is not running (either because of the heat being on or "econ" being selected), the car idles at 600 rpm (indicated). The issue is that the low idle causes a vibration in the seat, steering wheel, door panel, etc., (you can both hear and feel it). Take it out of gear and the r's jump about 50-100 and the idle is as smooth and quiet as you could want. I have a $68,200 car and it idles like a truck.

Audi's factory rep drove the car and advised me that this is "normal". Additionally, the idle has NO adjustment as the onboard computer ultimately selects the final idle sped. On my side, I always run the proper octane, beyond that I don't have too much control of the mixture that the computer selects. Does this sound right? Do these cars have an audible low idle problem normally? It just needs 50-75 rpm or so and the problem would be solved, but I'm told that's not available. When I have people in the car I find myself giving the car a little gas when at idle so as to avoid this situation in my expensive euro luxury cruiser....

Next, under normal traffic situations, the car shifts from gear to gear at way too low an rpm, leaving it very "flatfooted" and in frequent need of a downshift (usually two gears). If I get into the throttle at all off of the line I avoid this programming, but in my neighborhhod (25-30 mph) or in traffic on the highway (stop and go, 20-35 mph max), it's the "gear hunter". It shifts into every gear by 2,000 rpm, and into 4th at 32 mph, turning about 1200 rpm or so. Isn't there a non-EPA blessed EPROM from Audi (they tell me absolutely NO)? I don't care about my economy (loosing 1-3 mpg), I probably loose mpg's everytime it downshifts from 4th to 2nd and the r's go from 1200-3000. This car makes torque at 4,000; it's not a cast iron, push-rod V8. What are they thinking making it shift as if it has 475 lbs.ft. of torque at low rpm's? It makes no sense to me. My (94) 540i had similar final gearing with a 5spd auto too, and it was always in the right gear.

Thanks in advance.

vwguild · November 2000

Get a second opinion or two...

silvera8 · November 2000

I've taken my car('97 A8 4.2Q) in for the same (vibration at low RPMs) issue. The dealership in Portland, OR said that the vibration was normal, and the Audi V8 isn't like the Lexus/BMW V8 - I guess these V8s don't vibrate at low RPMs. For the transmission lag issue, you could try an aftermarket e-chip.

whalpin · November 2000

No serious vibrations on my car but it does run smoother in N rather than D when stationary. I noticed the early shifting on the test drive but it did not bother me, as it makes it a sedate car to drive in town. This is fine for me but perhaps not for everyone. It still goes when pushed...

Has anyone ever encountered a problem with the Radio/TV/Telephone remote buttons on the steering wheel continually failing? I am sure it's covered by the warranty, but is this an easy fix, would hate to be without it for too long.

thor8 · December 2000

I have an ML 430 and we are looking for a big sedan for the wife, we decided is going to be an S500 or BMW 740il or an Audi A8, all of a sudden the audis look very appealing to us, just by looking at it the car exudes quality and a beautifull interior, my guess is that a lexus has nothing over it and we like the handling of a german car anyway, what can I expect?

Thanks in advance for a good assesment.

audiaudiaudia8 · December 2000

I have a 2000 A8 with 20,000 miles. Did minor adjustments at 5,000 miles and have had not mechanical problems since. The car is very fast and handles extremely well, especially if you put performance tires on. When going 110, it feels like 60. Fit and finish on my car were flawless. I purchased it for the long drives out west, including heavy snow weather. The only complaint, which reviews have borne out, is rear seat leg room. For more details see my post back in late 1999. I'll be getting another one when the new model comes out in a couple of years.

mbnut1 · December 2000

Interesting to see your interest in the A8. I own an Audi A4 currently. Unlike our other favorite marque I think that the engineers (rather than the bean counters) are still running the show at Audi and the A8 is the best example of this. Close the doors on the A8 and then do the same on the new C.

The A8 is a special car. Alas if it only came with the right badging.

merc1 · December 2000

It is indeed sad what is happening to Mercedes. The new C isn't quite up to what I thought it would be overall.

M

a8pilot · December 2000

My wife and I own a 2000 A8L. Having put about 8K miles on, I am looking to improve the compliance on the suspension. The suspension is stock with the Continental tires that came with the car, 17" factory rims. I have installed Bilsteins on a number prior vehicles and found significant improvements. Anybody have experience in this area?

idahoa8 · February 2001

I've got a 2001 A8 but not real thrilled about the current model phone that is available.
Anyone know if/when there will be a digital phone available that will plug into the current
system? Or any suggestions on other options.

Steve

bertram60 · February 2001

I purchased a 2000 A8 from a friend loaded with every option including the phone. He got a 2001 S500 sport (and hates that he sold me his A8). I love his Star Tac phone feature(and Nav system which is also in my wife's ML430) and have checked with everyone about upgrading or changing the phone. According to my Audi dealer (Champion Motors) the 2002/3 will have a digital phone system. We are stuck with the analog (I can't even get my phone company to put the same number that's on my portable on the car phone so that I can utilize the hands free features).

Other than the phone, this is by far the best luxury/performance sedan on the market. I came from an A6 2.8 and love the speed and quiteness of the A8. I chose this one over ordering an A8L because of the short wheelbase and the handeling. Gearing in this car is great!

Perhaps the best and worst feature is that no one knows what it is, but it's fun blowing away 5.0 Mustangs at 70-100mph sprints! Most of them catch back up after I slow down and want to know what I've done to this sedan (nothing other than remove that badges from the trunk). Speaking of which, does anyone know where to get a performance air filter for the 40v 4.2 engine? I have tried and tried, but no luck. Thanks, Randy

ported · February 2001

My A6 does the same thing ('99 A6Q auto.) Wonder if quattro causes this sensation, or the need to upshift quickly? The manual mode is not an issue.

pjn2 · February 2001

I have a '97 A8 w a BOSE/Blaupunct factory radio. I have had (and have) other Audi's w same radio and it's been fine w them but in this car the reception is terrible, esp, AM. FM is decent but AM is almost nonexistent. Dealer says it's common w this year and there's little that can be done. I can't believe that. When I turn engine off AM improves dramaticly, so is it a supression problem?
Also on Tranny: I notice that during the shift between 4-5, engine races a little, tranny seems to slip a bit. It's noticable both from a "feel" standpoint, and the tach verifies a pretty good slip is happening. Anybody have any ideas on this stuff?
Thanks......

moimeme · February 2001

All you need is to get chipped. Check out APR's web site and browse around at www.audiworld.com. If you chip your transmission and ECU, you'll be much happier with your car.

I have the same issue with my 2001 A6 4.2. In park, it idles at an insane 500 rpm. In drive, it bobs down to 400 rpm. When the engine is cold, the idle is a bit rough.

For fun, try turning the steering wheel somewhat quickly when it's doing this roughness. The program on my car sees the rpm's dropping quickly, rev's up to 1000 and when I go back to normal, it idles about 50-75 rpm higher for the rest of the day. I think it determines that it's NOT going to let the engine stall.

As for the transmission being an instant slow, this is common when the accelerator is fly-by-wire. The computer is making sure you mean it for an instant. Again, chipping will fix that real quick!

Audi A8

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