Audi A8

anthonyp · September 2005

In the process of ordering an a8 I addressed my concerns that `` what if some of the bad things happen to me?`` The manager said to me to make sure I let him know if the service people left me with any concerns....I stress the word `him`..He particularly said to not to go away angry....Possibly that may be helpful to you....Tony

foster1 · September 2005

Hi, Tony: sorry for delay in answering; I just saw your message. I've been getting only about 14 MPG, but this is because I live only one mile from work and mostly use the car for local commuting. The average speed since new is only 22 miles per hour. On the several occasions when I've taken it on the interstate for more than a few miles, it has gotten about 22-23 MPG.

anthonyp · September 2005

Thanks #1

Before getting my wife the bmw stationwagon, I got immersed in mpg and almost got the lexus 400.....I found that the biggest boost was the lexus turning itself off at stop lights.....It is amazing how much the fuel economy is hurt just waiting at an idle for a stop light...If it interests you , and the car has the average mpg, give it a gander...You start out and while the engine is warming up , poor mpg..After a few miles it settles down, and then when you get to the stop light watch as it drops....Tony

emauss · October 2005

Tony - I just ordered my A8. Normal Wheel Base. Cambridge Green with Ameretto interior. Premium Package, Wood/Leather Wheel, Ventilated Seats.
Also, I asked for the "Y" style 18" wheels, but they might not be available.

The interior color had to be "overridded" to be accepted, but it think it will look great.

Eric

anthonyp · October 2005

Well we are now both waiting....I noticed on the other board you changed to the long wheel base.....Any other reason other than the extra length?? I think the Ameretto is great, I now have a black carpet in the Lexus and it is a bit dark for me, so this time I am gettin a lighter color....Right now I forget which....I ordered on the first of Sept. and they think it will come around Thanksgiving, so I have forgotton most of the details.....I did order the 19 in wheels with the sport suspension.....I have some misgivings, but the lexus is too removed , so this may be too involved with the road...The wood steering wheel loks great....I have had it for the last two cars, and ironically I liked the leather wheel on wife`s bms, so am going with that this time.....I really want a different experience so that largely drives the decisions for me.....Stay in touch as this is a very lonely board....Tony

anthonyp · October 2005

I forgot to say `Welcome back`` Tony

emauss · October 2005

Thanks...good to be back.
Yes, I think those in the backseat will appreciate the extra 5-1/2", and on the test drive on the A8L, the car really seemed nimble...even with the extra length, so for the extra 4K (ugh), I went for it.

However.....it seems the "Y" style 18" wheels are not available yet, and worse, the wood/leather wheel is not available with the amaretto. I really want the darker interior, and the lighter wood with the clay steeling wheel is (imho) UGLY. So, I now have a heated wheel on order, and if the wood comes available in sycamore, I can add it on after the fact (I added the M3 wheel to my BMW 330 convertible after purchase).

Anyway, now the wait.........

(e)

anthonyp · October 2005

I was sort of under the impression that if you paid an extra upcharge you could order the car exactly as you wanted....I`m not sure what the charge was as I had gotten so many extras by that time I sure didn`t want to spend more....I also gas a little afraid to really change what they had designed as it may not work out in the lloks department....I further got the idea you could further change for a few weeeks until the order was accepted....With the sport suspension , it comes with a three spoke leather covered wheel with shift paddles...The color of the wheel I don`t know....Tony ps I bet it would look good in the rich leather color Tony

emauss · October 2005

I saw the 4-spoke wheel on a number of vehicles and I saw the leather/wood wheel on a few (Biener Audi had a lot of A8s in stock). The "CLAY" color is the steering wheel color when the beige (sand or cream) is selected. I saw it and thought it was not very pretty.

The charge for SO (sold order) paint is $750. I think that is the only additional charge. If I had ordered a stock color, there would not have been any additional charge, just the additional wait!

I was a little afraid of the sports suspension. I have had low profile tires on almost all of my previous vehicles, and I really didn't want to deal with all the potential problem with them in NYC again (lower traction on snow and ice, possible damage to rims, rougher ride).

I did email Audi USA to confirm that the Sycamore is not available for the wheel and shift knob, and also that the "Y" style wheels are not really available. I trust my dealer, but......

BTW, I was amazed when I configured a quattroporte on line. The color options are unbelievable! You can choose *every* possible color in the car individually!

Also, the Amaretto. is shown as a choice with the green in most places...just not in the current catalog (mistake?)

(e)

anthonyp · October 2005

There is another charge--not sure how much---that would apply if you wanted to change what the factory says you can order.....I thought that then you could get any configuration you wanted...I hpe the tires that come with the sport are all season---I further wish markincincinatti --would let us know what the tire deal is...as I also do not want the really low profile tire...Further did you see the two colored interior you could order? Tony

emauss · October 2005

I ordered the standard Amaretto interior. The problem I am having with the wheels is that they are not available yet. Some with the wood wheel with sycamore wood. It just isn't made (I went to another dealer today and he confirmed all that deata. I am still waiting for a reply from Audi USA).

The way I understand it, you can order the sports package with all season tires or with high performance tires. I think the 19"ers are a 40 series. Not too bad.

emauss · October 2005

The problem with the steering wheel I want (as with the 18" "Y" style wheels) is that they are not being made by Audi. I wouldn't mind paying an up-charge for a special order, but they do not make the sycamore-wood wheel and the "Y" style wheels, tho they are in the catalog, are not available yet.

As for the all season tires and the high performance tires come with different sports packages. You have to specify which one you want. Also, they are 255/40 R19s, so they are not "too" low profile.

The interior is the standard amaretto., It only comes this year with black/black. I don't think you can change the individual options within a color choice. For example, I think if you take the sand beige, I think you will have a clay-colored wheel and upper dash no matter what. That is why I did not go for that color. In my opinion, they clay with the light wood (for the steering wheel) just did not work.
(e)

...oppps I thought the previous message did not register, so I re-composed and re-sent it. Sorry.

(e)

anthonyp · October 2005

Thanks...I did order the all season, so I hope that works...It`s a shame about the steering wheel issue....When I wanted the wood I waited a couple of months for the lexus, and at first liked it..Only after a long time did it get to where I didn`t like the slickness, and a bit oily...I then started to use a paper towel in the afternoon when it got particularly oily....It turned out the paper towel started to change composition and that was what was making it extra slippery...After I stopped that things got better...That bit of information took me years to figure out.. I would have gotten the amaretto as it think it looks great....I am just tired of the black, which is easy to live with....It would seem to me that Audi would put the high horsepower engine in the a 8 and leave it at that....For the life of me I can`t understand how they charge an extra forty thousand dollars for that upgrade....That`s half the cost of the car to begin with....On the Lexus I have the ice box feature in the rear and it is a bit of a deception, as it only vent cold air from the a/c through it..I don`t know about the other makes but that is what lexus does..Also the Lexus cruse control does not work in the rain...I was told the Audi does. That will be nice.....Further the rear controls which cost so much have rarely ever been used so for me a waste of money....Tony

emauss · October 2005

I didn't get the any of the rear seat options, as the back will very rarely be used. I decided to go for the LWB simple for the "oh my god" effect when you sit in it. I looked carefully at the Phaeton, and for 77K MSRP, it really offers more creature comforts. All the rear seat options (heat, cool, massage) come automatically when you get front seat package. And...they will discount it sharply (Just over 72K)...but the Audi, for me, is the way to go.

BTW, I just got back from BMW and looked at the new 750Li. It comes to the same net price after discount as the A8L, has a more powerful engine...but I still prefer the Audi.

(E)

anthonyp · October 2005

Do you have any thoughts on the twelve cylander engine for sooo much money? I to almost got the bmw , but when things got screwed up I took that as an omen...Overall I like the audi more, but do think the bmw to be more powerful and probably a better weight balance ....Do you by chance know the weight didtribution on the audi? Tony

emauss · October 2005

I don't know the balance, but my friend just traded in a 745Li for the Phaeton and his wife has an A8L. He used to say that when he left his car for his wife's it was like going from a bag of bolts to a lovely vehicle.
I have had a few Bimmers of the years and the are wonderful driver's machines. BUT...I think when it comes to luxury, the BMW notion is that "okay, we'll allow air conditioning, but that's about it".

I think in creature comforts, Audi is very far ahead of BMW. In terms of sports car driving, I think BMW has the edge.

You pays yer money and takes yer choices.

(e)

emauss · October 2005

Tony -
I just called my dealer and left a message that I want to change the interior from Amaretto to cream beige. I hope the headliner isn't too light.

(E)

anthonyp · October 2005

I don`t know, but whatever they do, it will be attractive..I remember that the carpet is dark for some colors and then light for others...I think cream beige is very attractive, particularly over a period of time....I would have gotten that, but when I jumped the gun and got my wife her car, the bmw stationwagon, they had a white and tan interior, so that is what she chose...Unfortunately that was what i was going to get, so when I went to get mine I wanted another color.....I ended up getting a light gold color, so it wouldn`t show dirt so easily, and the interior is a little darker, sort of a light light green with the color cordinated dash carpet and headliner....I sort of wish that they stocked more cars, maybe at the port, as when it comes, probably it will be the most inconvenient time so the impulse purchase will turn into a long drawn out process..Of course I`l probably stay up late trying to learn how it functions....Oh well Tony

anthonyp · October 2005

By chance I found the pamphlet....The colors are cream beige headliner....lower dash sand beige.....carpet/ door insert...sand beige....lower dash/ lower door panel ..sand beige... upper dashboard /upper door pannel clay... This is why I was hesitant to pay extra money to change the colors if I wanted.....I would probably make a mistake and then it would not look as nice as what the did...Tony

emauss · October 2005

Yeah, I have the brochure, and I like everything except the clay! But, it will just have to live with it, I guess.

There have been a number of changes since I signed, and the last one the dealer took was on Thursday night. I then called him early am on Friday to change the interior with no response..so I called a few more times and emailed. He finally called today (Saturday) to say he was off on Friday and the order cannot be changed electronically any more. I told him that because he was off for a day, I will not be forced to take an 80K car that I don't want and he should find a way to make the change (he also has no signed contract for what I am getting, nor has it lived up the the buyer's regret terms of NY state.) Anyway, he said he will take care of it on Monday and it should not be a really problem. I told him there is no problem if the changes are made, and I thanked him

(e)

anthonyp · October 2005

I was told that you could make changes for a couple of weeks, or until the factory had it scheduled to be built......The color I got was the one next to the light one you want......I would not think the dealer would balk if you decided you didn`t want the car--after careful deliberations---and even if they did it would be worthwhile to forfet the deposit other than have a car you ultimately decided you didn`t want.....I don`t know but I think Audi is coming on aggressively, and I was certainly treated decently...Keep us posted.....Tony

emauss · October 2005

Tony - I don't think Audi is coming on agressively yet. So far I have been told that the order has been accepted in the computer and cannot be changed electronically, but that a phone call on Monday will be necesaary. I am fully expecting the dealer to call me on Monday and say all is okay. I am really the one who is a pain-in-the [non-permissible content removed] in this case. But I still have all my info straight just in case there is a problem.

Again, the dealer has been fine so far, and I will keep you posted.

(E)

opowers · October 2005

Good day all,
I am driving a low mileage 97 A8 4.2. I disconnected the battery and now, even though I have the radio code, I do not have the radio instructions that will enable me to re-code the Bose radio and get it out of SAFE. I am hoping for specific instructions as to the ways and means to get the Bose back on, ie, what buttons to press and hold to get to code from safe, what buttons to press for digit "0", etc.
Thank you in advance for any help.
opowers

emauss · October 2005

Tony - interesting developement - my salesperson just called me to say that the order was accepted by Audi and cannot be cancelled. His dealership will keep the green car with amaretto interior for a stock car and he re-ordered the car for me the way I want it. The order went in today.

I guess ya might just have to call that service!

(I am pretty sure I had the law on my side if it came to that, but it was handled very nicely by my dealer. Biener Audi of Great Neck, NY. He deserves the plug.)

(e)

anthonyp · October 2005

I was afraid that was what was coming, so your dealer does deserve a plug....As I remember from before your China trip, that you wanted the car early next year, so this works out for you....As some of the cars can not be ordered by dealers if eqipped with certain opions, I wonder if you did order some of the extra options??? The reason I ask is that I would like to know if a dealer would want to order a car with extra options to have in inventory and the only way was to take an order that was then cancelled..I personally think your color combination will be very pleasing as black ages quickly, in a way that you really just get use to and then ignore. I was looking at my Lexus today as I drove along over two hundred miles, and it has the light gray suade headliner and then the almost black leather.( it has a little very dark grey---they call it analine) nice, but I am tired of it...Tony

emauss · October 2005

I think the color and options are appealing enought that the deale should have no problem selling it. (Premium, Upgraded Seats, Heated Wheel, LWB, Green/Amaretto). Anyway, all is well and now just hurry up and wait..

BTW, I forget...where are you located?

(E)

anthonyp · October 2005

I have never understood what btw stands for? If by chance that is addressed to me it is Charleston South Carolina, and also mountains of NC which is where the sport suspension may come in handy....Tony

pat · October 2005

by the way ...

emauss · October 2005

Tony - BTW (By The Way) is one of the many 'shortcuts' that have been developed by the old BBS crowd who then moved to the internet. My favorite is WWW, that when verbalized is a shortcut of 9-syllables for a 3-syllable phrase!

(E)

anthonyp · October 2005

First a helping hand and then back over my head....I have enough trouble just working the t v and the computer when things don`t work just right.....I`m afraid in this litagation society if I use what I think is an abbreviation the party will mis understand and then say sell my car to another person....It`s happened before, and I have taken their word for it, but now in hind sight I think they were taking advantage of me.....Again thanks for the update, as I have seen btw many times, and thought it was someone`s initials....Tony

emauss · October 2005

For more info on abbreviations, take a look here....
this be the clicking place

anthonyp · October 2005

anthonyp · October 2005

Man thanks for the abbreviations...Coming in handy.....Went by the audi dealer this morning, just to check things out.....The gold color I ordered has a litle greenish cast in it, so I wanted to see a sample again so when the car comes in I won`t be disapointed.. Things looked slow at most of the dealerships on the drive over, so maybe the slowdown is in progress.....A sea of cars everywhere...I think we have a nice couple of cars coming.....I found out that they come through the port at Houston....They bring different models in at different ports, so they are very familiar with the model at that port....If anything is wrong they fix it there and then ship it on.....When the storm was coming they loaded the cars on the delivery truck just to get them out of town...Now listen to this---the driver left Texas went to California then up to Oregon , over to Wisconsin ovet to New York and then down to Charleston....Man what a marathon drive.....Tony

emauss · October 2005

Tony - Wow! We do a bunch of direct importing from China. Our shipments come to New Jersey, but there are others in the industry who import to California and truck the good cross country to NY. It is faster by about a week to ship that way, but more expensive... even with the increase of Panama charges a few years ago.

There had actually been a bunch of ship that had been going 'round the horn to avoid Panama costs, but now oil so high, I have not idea what will be.

Anyway, I will email my dealer tonight and ask when my car will be in. I'll keep you posted.

(e)

emauss · October 2005

...before the end of the year. 2005, that is.

Hey, Tony...I think you will have yours a LOT sooner than that, eh?

(E)

anthonyp · October 2005

Really not that sooner, around Thanksgiving....The dealer told me they keep the car for three days to do the pre delivery and check everything out...After hearing of other peoples occasional problems, I am not going to rush that aspect.....It is remarkable, but down here I have not seen one audu 8.....There are many of the other makes, but not ours....I sure hope it doesn`t get keyed as it should sort of blend in...My Lexus has one spot where someone gave it a gnash near its grill...Sort of a character blemish.....Incidentally it also has to make a visit to the shop as the wonderful stereo has something wrong with it, sort of stutters every few seconds while on fm but no where else...I have had more problems, not alot, but more than any other lexus ever...They are not quite as good as the first one, probably because of the extra electronics....It will be fun to see how the audi holds up, and thankfully the dealership is only a few miles away vs twenty for lexus Tony

emauss · October 2005

I was really hoping the new LS460 would be out this year..but I was a year off, I think. I would like to have considered it. Oh well...

(e)

anthonyp · October 2005

No question imo.....I think I would have probably done something like I am doing now as I would like a change for a while...If the audi holds up reasonably well then I`l be happy...Lexus ---in the past--offered a good car at a very competative price...The price being the thing that made the deal a good one...They sure capatilized on it and built a good lineup....The price has been going up pretty steeply ;lately so the deal isn` nearly so good ...If they stick to their past program the car will have pretty much everyting a person would want and a good price... I don`t know if you looked but the new S costs just about a hundred thousand dollars without the really expensive interior, and I personally question the looks Tony ps you may observe I type out the numbers as that way there is no mistake no shortcuts in that department

emauss · October 2005

I looked at the S just long enough to realize it was way more than I wanted to spend. The 750Li actually comes in at an almost identical price. The Phaeton net less after discount. And, of course, the Maserati is well over 100K. For me there was no better choice for at or under 80K.

(e)

merc1 · October 2005

Forgive me for asking you something you've probably answered already, but are you getting the A8 or the A8L?

M

anthonyp · October 2005

Hi Merc

As you can see emass and I are the only two people in the East who are getting an Audi a8 for me and a8l for emas....You are a real trooper when it get to cars, so if you have any thoughts I for one would appreciat them... particularly a perspective from Chicago, the land of the White Sox.....I got the regular wheelbase as it is a rare day when anyone is in the back seat.....I think the long base really gives a lot of extra space, so it would be nice for those that carry passengers on a regular basis.......Incidentally there is a great photo of an a6 in an ad in arthicetual digest.....Right up all of our alleys...Of course nothing in real life would look so great Tony

emauss · October 2005

Tony said it all. I ordered the NWB (the dealer said he hates the tern SHORT wheel base for a 75K+ car...I kinda agree) and then changed to th LWB. It will be the largest car I have every owned. My last two cars were a BMW 330 Convertible and a Porsche Boxster. This is soitenly a bit of a change! ...but having a granddaughter will do that to a person (hehe). Besides, I still have my BMW R1200C Motorcycle.

(e)

merc1 · October 2005

Thanks. Well this White Sox thing is getting out of hand. A lot of buildings in downtown Chicago have Go Sox or something along those lines spelled out at night. Even the electronic highway signs say "Go Sox" in between giving traffic times!

Ok, so you're getting the short A8. Well as you know I like the A8 a lot so by all means if you like it I love it. What exterior/interior colors are you getting? Did you look at the A6 since its about the same size as the swb A8?

M

rjlaero · October 2005

S8 pics and specs

http://www.germancarfans.com/news.cfm/newsid/2051019.002

anthonyp · October 2005

I wanted a car that would be easier to keep clean so I got what I think is a gold color...To my eye it is a gold that has a bit of a green cast but still light, not like a very silver gold color...The interior is a sort of tan again it looks like a sort of green tan color, or possibly a very light olive..It looks with the maple wood very attractive...What happened , as you remember is my wife car the Mercedes convertable was not what we needed so I jumped the gun and got her another car the bme stationwagon...I have been looking forward to a new experience and she got the colors I wanted (which she picked out not knowing about what I was thinking) so I sure didn`t want two cars looking alike.....I think I would have gotten what emass now wants,but am getting the above described colors..

Further I did look at the a6 and think it is a very attractive car both inside and out..I sure didn`t look as big to me as the a8, but as you really know your stuff I`l defer to what is in fact...The dealer did have an a8 long and it appears gigantic with loads of interior room....Here I have been waiting all thes years for Lexus to come out with a long version, and when i actually see something it was too big for me....My car is around eighty thousand dollars, and I swear I sometimes think I am crazy spending so much, so now here comes all the other companies with prices at a hundred thousand or more....I think there is going to have to be some sort of refletion on those prices unless the companies expect to just sell a few a year.....I know I asked the audi dealer about the W and he very proudly said he sold one a year or more ago to some one a hundred miles away.. Tony

anthonyp · October 2005

Thanks.......Don`t you think that is a hefty sort of price? Or is that the new way of keeping thing below a hundred thousand dollars? Tony

rjlaero · October 2005

You won't be able to buy the S8 for under 100K. I expect the S8 to be around 110-115k when it hits US shores next year. I think that's quite reasonable. It'll have the 450hp V10 from the Lambo Gallardo.

anthonyp · October 2005

I like the engine, and would try and get one if the price were to be a hundred thousand .....I realize the price was in euros, but I would think converted to dollars it would be above one hunderd twenty thousand dollars......If alot of people pay those kinds of numbers for a car, then thhe s8 would be competative....I just don`t think there is going to be that kind of demand for any of them Tony ps it`s nice to read your comments thank.

anthonyp · October 2005

Thats all it takes to ruin what could have been a fine experience....Please let us know what the cause of this could possibly be.....Who knows it could save my life, or atleast prepare me for a potential problem-----I sure don`t want my experience with a new car ruined for even a minute.....Tony

anthonyp · October 2005

Any more news on the car? Tony

Audi A8

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