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Audi A8
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Comments
Oh, the 7-Series is nice too, but I like the S even better than it.
M
However, I think this was Mercedes oppurtunity to put the rest of the industry out to pasture. But in typical M-B fashion, they did bring to the industry some new technology. The new laser cruise control is one heck of a breakthrough in this market(any market), particularly how it stops on a dime and resumes speed again without driver initial input. And since they couldn't get the interior to Audi levels, they did give it new fiber-optic lighting. But here they fumbled the ball too, incorporating the i-Drive-like infotainment center.
But again, M-B has one thing up it's sleeve that nobody can touch: POWER, and lots of it. The S550 scoots to 60 in 5.5 seconds, with only 362-hp to move a four and half ton car, that is remarkable. The 7-G tranny is just phenomenal. This is how Merc makes the most out of their engines, and for the first time they'll offer it on the super-fast AMG models and the S600.
So to sum it up, no the interior is not up to VW/Audi standards, but Merc set the bar even higher for the rest of the field envoking it's provocative styling(a first for an M-B) and adding some of the most tasteful technology and right-out power ever.
P.S.- I think I'm starting to like the styling now that I've stood so close to one.
The glass does make for one extraordinary quiet ride, in fact maybe a little to quiet. You can't hear any road rumble and only when you get up to about 90 mph does any wind noise come around the mirrors. It also is a worthy option, IMO, as the glass is 5 times more rigid than the standard single pane, which adds to security in the event that a perp will try to break a window to enter the car. Even the side glass on the rear doors are double-paned.
Well German carmakers operate on the monkey see, monkey do system. Once BMW did it, Audi felt compelled and there was no way Mercedes was going to be left out so there you have it.
M
...and for me the lumbar massage and ventilated seats were a must.
Eric
Thanks!
Roadtest of the Bentley Continental GT.
A quote: "The 6-litre W12 engine shipped over from Audi, complete with a brace of turbos, is more than up to the job, though. It produces 551bhp at 6100rpm and masses of torque, 480lb/ft at 1600rpm."
Plenty of aritcles on Audi/VW/Bentley and their shared usage of the W12 can be found here.
M
VW must know something that other carmakers do not about "marrying" engines as this is one of the most smooth and turbine-like engines I've ever heard or felt. Very smooth and drama-free over it's powerband. Too bad it didn't work out in the W8 Passat, which didn't catch on quite well in the States due to slow sells. The same for the wonderful but dull Phaeton V-8/W-12.
I've had an swb 05 A8 for 14 months. so far the car has been flawless. i live in the northeast. i have 2 awd full size vehicles so i really never expected to use the A8 for bad weather. all this changed a few weeks ago when i got snagged in a snow storm leaving work late. i was amazed at how well the A8 handled snow covered roads. the car has the original all season tires on it and it didn't slip once. now i drive the car regardless of the weather conditions.
overall this is just an amazing vehicle. this is my first Audi. if the experience stays like this it won't be my last.
Here's an old mechanic's trick: Take a quarter and stick it in the groove of the tire. If you can only see half of it , then tread is good. If only 3/4 quarters of it, then they have about 75% still left on them.
If you do purchase the car, just remember that these cars are heavy and with low-profile tires, they'll need constant rotation(about every 3k miles or every oil change)
On another note, I found that my pedal effort was a tad stiffer than that of my previous 760il, but much lighter than that of my previous S65 AMG. But the Audi drives and rides better than both(except the Bimmer in fast curves) despite having 20" wheels and it accelerates off the line without the sagginess of both of those cars. Overall, I think W-12 splits the difference of both of the other V-12 cars. Quieter, better gas mileage, and the safety of quattro AWD.
Thanks.
M
I've gotten as high as 26 mpg when there is no wind and travelling at about 65-70 mph(so hard to do with this much power on tap).
On another note, this car gets better as the miles roll on by. It seems like the engine is getting quieter and the transmission shifts are buttery-smooth, unlike when new with the somewhat abrupt 1-2 shift.
P.S.- Did you get the extended warrannty covering ALL suspension, engine, and electronics through Audi? I sure hope you did if you plan on keeping the car for long.
about a month and half ago my local dealer received a couple of new M5's. i went down to look at them and eventually took one out for a test drive. the car was
fantastic to drive. powerful with fantastic handling. in the end i decided not to give up
my A8 for the M5. one of the reasons was that i was nervous about first year reliability. like many high end German vehicles i figured the complexity of the M5 was destined to have some first year issues. i owned an 03 M5 so i still post from time to time on the M5 board. i've been visiting the board more frequently lately and i am amazed at the amount of problems the first batch of M5's are having. i've been a big defender of German vehicles particularly on these boards but BMW seems to me to have a mess on their hands with the new M5's. in contrast my A8 has been flawless. the 04's had some mmi issues but overall Audi has manufactured a very good vehicle. my short wheel base handles great(not M5 great but pretty good!), is roomy and comfortable, and can take anything mother nature can throw at it. if my ownership experience stays like this it will be hard not to purchase another Audi in the future.
As to the ACC, I've read on other Audi forums that some owners were experiencing your exact problem. The most frequent problem lies within both the software and infra-red sensory, which prohibits the car to trail to close. In the event that the sensor is dirty or distorted, it will read the car on either side of car, which will slow it down and not allow a passing manuever. I, fortunately, have not had this problem, but I do know it exist, especially on early-build models.
Overall, my Audi experience has been exemplary also. Never have I had to nag and complain to get something done, in some cases they actually went beyond and over my demands. True, the Audi will never be an M5, matter fact no car will, but take it from me coming from an 760il, the Audi is just an overall better rider. The 760 took curves and fast sweeps with more attitude and poise, but on the open road, the Audi will flat out run over the 760. It has been my experience that the Bimmers have the best steering and braking in the class, hands down, but they suffer hard with reliability and customer satisfaction(M versions not withstanding) while Audi and shockingly Jag's remain high in the Euro-car satifaction comparisons. As a matter fact, Mercedes does worst than BMW.
I was happy with my 760il until I drove the W-12 and actually paid some attention to the execution to detail, material, and overall build quality. So I dumped both my 760il and S65 AMG for the W-12. Now I've got my eyes on the S8 with the wife considering dumping the CLS55. She is such a leadfoot. All of her cars have to be the hi-po version, and that explains why she won't let me sell our G55 for a new Audi Q7 V-8 when it comes out.
mine has 27k miles, tires are shot...naturally. Anyone try a new tire vs OEM? I live in high desert with occasional snow and like to drive spiritedly....any suggestions out there on tires people have liked to increase performance without giving up on road noise / stiffness?
thanks
I can't wait to wear down the Conti's on my W-12 with the 20's on it because I've recently learned that Michelin has the sizes all the way up to a 22" rim now.
M
hey...how's it going!? i've been doing more lurking than
posting the past few months. i'm surprised that the
"high end luxury thread" isn't exploding with "Lexus
are perfect" posts since the latest Consumer Reports.
is "oac" no more?? so what do you think of the new S. it has been getting some rave reviews. i have yet to see one in person. it seems MB pulled out all of the stops to put the S back on top.
after reading "blkhemi" posts i find
myself jealous of some of the outstanding machinery that has been placed in his garage. makes me want to go buy
a ski mask and visit my local banker with a big paper bag and a note!
one thing i feel most people would be able to agree on is the attention to detail that Audi puts into their interiors. it may not hit a person when they first sit in the vehicle but given a little seat time they will notice that their is true commitment to quality and intelligent design.
on last thought.... i'm hoping that Audi ups the HP in the 07 A8 to try and keep pace with the competition. 360 would be just the ticket.
I've become a big fan of the new S-Class, having seen it up close and personal more than a few times now. The car is a winner and reeks of quality like a Mercedes should, unlike the first years of the previous W220 S-Class.
Yes blkhemi has (or has had) an impressive collection of vehicles. A8 W12, G55, S65 etc, yikes!
Yes the VW empire is the ruler in interiors IMO. Well you know that new Q7 has a newer version of the Auid V8 with FSI so I'm sure it will find its way into the A8 for 2007. I would also bet on the A8 getting a facelift for 2007 or 2008.
M
We got word from Audi of NA that they're now accepting deposits for the Q7 and S8. Here's where it gets tricky: M-B is set to release it's Hi-Po S63 AMG, so it may take a little more persistance to get her to stay the course. If push comes to shove, I just may have to sell my beloved W to keep the S8. What a pity!(lol)
As to CLS, we stopped in at the Merc dealer, and found out the car is still worth about $83.5k, despite 7500 miles on it and minimal wear and tear. We'll be selling it and just rely on the G55 or the Commander to get her around, because the W-12 is considered an "old man's car", she wouldn't be caught dead driving it.
BTW, the W-12 is still running as new, and I finally got the trip computer to read one mpg instead of fluctuating between 17.9 and 19.2 in the city, it reads 18.5 now and has been doing so for a couple of weeks.
Thanks,
Jack
anyone familiar with the 2000 model? would you recommend it? what sort of maintenance issues and costs do you think i would be in for at this point?
pricing on vehicle - Edmunds says about 17,000, KBB says about 25,000. big difference - more than usual. dealer wants about 25k, but says will come down to 23k. any advice would be appreciated!
many thanks - matthew
First, depending on the mileage, the car may be a great investment. If it's a low mile/one owner car, it would be worth the investment on the approval of the service records. I would definetely have to see a steady history of preventive and basic maintenance.
Secondly, the price. If this car is really catching your eye, then offer 20k, straight up. I'm willing to bet that he'll be more than willing to give a great deal on it.
Finally, if it's a higher mileage car, then I'd definetely have to make sure that both the quattro and suspension has been serviced throughly. You do not want a suspension or AWD problem out of these cars. And last but certainly not least, always, always, always run the CARFAX on ANY potential pre-owned car. This will save you the pain down the line.
it seems some changes are in order for 07. first the A8's horsepower will go up. it will now receive the FSI engine. my guess is it will rise to about 360HP. secondly the B & O sound system will be an option for all A8's not just the S8.
on a side note i am hoping that the A8 will receive the integrated spoiler that the S8 will have. i think it adds
a nice touch to the rear of the car. 07's should be showing up at dealers in a couple of months. it's still not known if the A8 will have an S line package. if i here anything else i will post it.
I'm putting my "summer tires" back on this week as the snow tires are becoming noisy, which is the case when no snow is around. The car has really loosened up and the throttle jerkiness is gone. The brakes are less touchy, and the engine is only a muted burble now. My wife just discovered that we had a fridge in the back seat of the car. SO now it's a booze hide-a-way(lol).
P.S.- We sold the CLS on our on and got $90k for it. We only lost $11k on it, so I'm satisfied. How's the front bumper holding up?
For the firt time in many years I also got complemented on the car..I was so surprised, that it turned out be be a `conversation`. I didn`t want the gentleman to think I was rude and just drive off. Further I have had no more injuries to the car, and the shop who fixed the bumper did a really fine job, so now it`s just a fading memory...The reason i found out about the air recirculation only lasting 15 secods as I was searching to find out how to keep the interior warm while I went in the grocery store...Just punch the on/off switch after turning the car off...Sort of hold the button down for a second or two...Tony ps where is emass?
The wife of my friend with the CLS55 and the Phaeton has a 2004 A8L and I was in it the other day. There were not too many noticeable diferences, although I understand there were a lot of problems with that year.
I think Audi will lose her when the new Lexus comes out.
...(e)