Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Audi A8

1356730

Comments

  • billmillsvabillmillsva Member Posts: 53
    Which model is it, a 3.7 or 4.2q?
  • ctf00ctf00 Member Posts: 7
    I just bought a 2000 A8. I can not understand why Audi did not use the same nav system as they did in Europe which the same as mercedes Comand center which gives you a map of your trip...I am very impressed with this car but it would be better with the different system does anyone know why??? by the way what a difference between the 99 and the 2000...
  • audiaudiaudia8audiaudiaudia8 Member Posts: 16
    I also have a 2000 A8. The nav system was designed the way it is so that you are not distracted from driving to visually process the routing commands. It's the only one that is not dangerous at more than 100 mph or on busy city streets. There are several reviewers that have preferred this nav system to the one in the mercedes for this reason. Although I haven't seen the mercedes one, I like the A8 nav system and carry a paper map for the big view.
  • ctf00ctf00 Member Posts: 7
    The audi a8 in europe has the same system we do & a map screen so we do not have to carry a paper map.... Agian why did they not offer the same system in the us?????? Yea I could always have a map but it would be cool to have both...
  • alloymanalloyman Member Posts: 3
    Bill are you out there ? The dealer checked the gas pressure on your idea of the check valve. Pressure was good. I'm thinking my starter may be the problem. Sometimes it won't start even when it's warm(until the second try). Sometimes when it starts hard you can hear a metal hitting noise. What do you think, maybe a flat spot on the starter ? I'm planning to leave the car for a few days at the dealer so he can monitor the situation.
  • alloymanalloyman Member Posts: 3
    I have 99 A8 with 2 winters. 1st winter on Goodyear LS (OEM) caused the Anti Locks to work very hard.
    This winter I bought Goodyear Ice Grips. A fabulous tire. Except for ride noise they handle better than the all seasons(not so soft). With these tires the car can almost dance on ice. They work well in snow too.
  • ctf00ctf00 Member Posts: 7
    I just bought a 2000 A8 about a month ago a I must tell you I have very mixed emotions about it. The car is fun to drive at first but it is missing something.. I get on the highway and I jam the peddle to the floor, however, my top of the line Audi just does not through my head back as I would expect it to. So I put it in tiptronic and it preforms a little better. This car should screem..The interior is great with the exception of the phone(cheep)and the nav system/radio.. Why,why ,why did audi not put a Command center in this car they put them in all the cars in europe so why not in the USA? The dealer will tell you that the virtual map is a distraction I say bull..Now I still have to carry a map around, and the system audi uses in europe has "the Voice" and the map. If they were so concerned about the driver keeping his eye on the road the would have put the phone on the steering wheel because the way the phone is now to dial you must completly take your head and look down pretty stupid...By the way why can't I get an S8?????? That car would shut me up(with a European nav/radio)
  • cesiumcesium Member Posts: 5
    understand why people want to buy this car. The styling is bland and old. And it's an Audi. For this kind of money you should go an get a Lexus or a Benz. What do you guys see in it?
  • cowboy5111cowboy5111 Member Posts: 2
    My dad has a new S500 and a new A8 and a 2 yr. old LS400, for when he feels like driving (otherwise the driver mainly takes my out in our Arnage) but anyway, i sometime drive the Audi and feel very loose compared to the S500. The Audi isnt very durable compared with the Benz or Lexus either, I've noticed items such as the stereo fading out or dash bulb going out 3 times (jeez old [non-permissible content removed] accords dont have this problem)
  • ctf00ctf00 Member Posts: 7
    I now know for a fact that Audi has informed its dealers that the S8 will be for sale in the USA in February 2001 I will be first in line that is for sure, unless I break down and get the S500 but for the money I think the S8 is the car to buy
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    The A8 is a different animal from the big Benzes and BMWs of the world. When it originally came here it was a breath of fresh air because of it's then light weight construction compared to the S-Class at the time. It was a technology leader at the time. The new S has passed it most areas, so it may seem old to some now. I don't expect Audi to let the new S go unanswered. Their is a W12 version coming for spring 2001. The A8 is still a techo wonder.

    M
  • coolmatt44coolmatt44 Member Posts: 54
    Hello we are currently in the market for one of those three cars, we like the 740i the best, but isa it worth $70,000? The dealer near us has a great deal on a 2000 that only has 300 miles on it (it wasa demo). It is a fully loaded car! cd,weather package, sport package, navigation, and all that other good stuff. Email me at coolmatt44@aol.com, if you have an opinion.
  • billmillsvabillmillsva Member Posts: 53
    I suspect your car drives just the way it did when you test drove it. If you didn't like it then you shouldn't have bought it. This car has two big things working against it that affect it's acceleration, the Quattro system and the automatic transmission which interfaces with your foot through a Bosch drive by wire system. It's a compromise, you want your neck to snap, buy a RWD manual transmission car and live with the trade off in bad weather driving. The A8 is luxury sedan not a sports car. That said, it still out accelerates a BMW 740 from 0-60 mph.
    As far as the phone is concerned, if I remember correctly, they are not even allowed to be used when a car is in motion in Europe so this is probably a mentality issue. Where the car is made, using the phone while it's moving is illegal so having the phone where you can't see the keys, in Audis' mind, is a non issue. This becoming more common is the US as well i.e. operating a phone while driving being illegal. Since the dealer installed phone is analog and digital seems to be the wave of the future you may want to consider going to an after market dual band phone with a hands free set. I have this in my car and I have it installed in my center console where the drink holder normally lives. It makes it much easier to see and operate. If you want confirmation of what number you are pushing on a key pad you still need to take your eyes off the road (even if the key pad is on the steering wheel) but you can dial by feel with the phone located where I have it and with a quick glance confirm the number before you hit the call button. Also you eventually memorize how many button pushes it takes to get to scroll to a frequently used number in your handsets phone book as well so calling these numbers does not require taking your eyes off the road. And it is possible to intergrate these after market systems (or I should say I know it is with the Nokia 5100/6100 series phones) into the factory wiring for the dealer installed phone so you maintain the stereo muting function, use of the built in phone speaker and have a clean looking installation.
    As far as the S8 goes, you can buy one in the US next year (2001) but it will have an automatic transmission.
    Be happy. You have a wonderful limited production car that was a technological breakthrough when it was introduced. Just keep in mind that cars are like computers, there will be a better version coming out soon. When Audi drops that 450 hp W12 in the A8 (guess that would really make it an A12), every other car in the category will be at the back of the pack for a couple of years.
  • joegrazjoegraz Member Posts: 2
    Wow. Continental tires on an A8? I have the 17" rims, and these tires make them look quite wimpy. Has anybody out there replaced them with a more aggressive looking and performing tire??
  • bollingerbollinger Member Posts: 207
    Pay $100K, get Continental tires. Conti's aren't all bad, it depends on which model they pick.
  • audiaudiaudia8audiaudiaudia8 Member Posts: 16
    Bill:

    After 10,000 miles on my 2000 A8, only 2 complaints. First is the rear seat legroom which I can live with (since I never sit back there), and the A8L which I saw is just too big. Second is a tire question for you. I still have the Eagle LS stock tires on 17" rims for summer driving. It would be nice if there were less body lean on tight curves without a noticeable "setting" of the car after the start of the turn. My dealer says that going to higher performance tires will significantly help this. What do you think?? Are the SP 9000's the way to go? What about snow/wet traction with these tires during the shoulder seasons before my michelin pilots are on?

    BTW, not a single mechanical or repair issue so far other than a minor adjustment to calibrate the trip computer and a reaiming of the headlights. I guess my yoga allows me to dial the phone while I'm driving without a problem.
  • billmillsvabillmillsva Member Posts: 53
    Hi Roger-
    Sorry for the confusion, the SP9000 does not come in a size match for the 17" Audi rim so it's not an option. When I said if you have 17" you can just change the tire I mean to something better than the Good Year LS. The 16" rim is just going to give you to high a profile tire, regardless of it's qualtity, for any truly aggressive maneuvering. As you may know I have Michelin Pilot XGT Z4 on Ronal R-28 17" rims and have been perfectly happy. The 18" combo I mentioned would most likely not be your best bet for winter. Keep the 17" for that season.
    As far as body lean or roll goes, tires will not really cure that. You need to work with the suspension to reduce lean or roll. Got $2,200 burning a hole in your pocket? You can get the S8 suspension kit for your A8 (installation not included) which will help with this and lower your car 20 mm in the process. Get those 18" rims with the Dunlop SP9000's and that S8 suspension kit and, well, one word comes to mind ..... Cool!
    Just remember, you're still driving a 4,000 lb. car so be careful!
  • charliemikecharliemike Member Posts: 87
    If they'd bring the S8 (twin turbo Quattro A8) to the US, the 2001 BMW M5 would be quickly forgotten.

    The S8 (Euro version) is an amazing car. You can see it in action in "Ronin" starring Robert De Niro.

    Cheers!
  • bollingerbollinger Member Posts: 207
    The S8 comes to the US this fall.

    Of course, the S8 isn't twin-turbo in any country. It may have been in the past, but the version in Ronin was not, and the current version is not.

    Audi is known to have been working on a twin-turbo 3.7 V8, but they haven't installed it in anything yet. It will certainly develop a lot more than 340HP, the rating of the current S8.
  • charliemikecharliemike Member Posts: 87
    I thought it was ... My apologies! I don't speak German so the site was a bit hard to navigate =)

    I'm really surprised that they can get the S8 to go that fast because of it's weight. I would think that it had more than 340hp.

    Again, apologies for the twin-turbo comment. I totally missed that.
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    To make it even better, Audi is lowering the final drive ratio on U.S. version of the S8, making it faster than the European model.

    M
  • charliemikecharliemike Member Posts: 87
    Damn, I need to win the Lottery!

    hehe

    Any ideas on price? I'm guessing $75k
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    I would guess right at 70K, maybe 72K or 73K with options, if there are any.

    M
  • bollingerbollinger Member Posts: 207
    I too am surprised about the speed difference the S8 has over the A8. A8 has 310HP and does 0-60 in 7.3 seconds. The S8 has 340Hp and does 0-60 in 5.5 seconds.

    That's a huge difference. A big part has to be the stick available in the S8 (or is it?). 30HP does help a little. But I can't help but think the car must lose some weight to make that big a difference.

    I can't afford it anyway, so I'm never going to find out.

    As to the price, the A8 hits $70K without a cell phone or Nav system. The S8 must cost significantly more. I'd guess closer to $80K. I would guess AoA would build-in all but the priciest of options. Perhaps all of them.
  • billmillsvabillmillsva Member Posts: 53
    Yeah, that's 0-60 in 5.5 with a stick. And the 310 hp A8 should get there in under 7 with an auto, at least it use to with the 300 hp 32V
  • quattro_pearlquattro_pearl Member Posts: 51
    They can't decide on which body style, yet have a few new engines to play withand the new A8 is supposed tbe priced less than the current one
  • jeskjesk Member Posts: 13
    thinking bout buying an a8 l version. has anyone seen the 18" wheels available on the car? if so where can i look at them. am going to dealer on thurs but want to have an idea of what i will be requesting on the car. i hear the car has a lot of room for negotiating. is this true? has anyone compared this car directly to the 740il? if so thoughts?
  • quattro_pearlquattro_pearl Member Posts: 51
    www.audiworld.com site in A8/S8 forum that has one with 25" wheels.
  • jeskjesk Member Posts: 13
    test drove the a8l today. what a beautiful car! excellent pick up and handled exceptionally for a big car. did not sense tremendous body roll. not suprisingly, the salesman was a total jerkoff who had no interest in budging on price. this suprised me because i have read many posts in this topic indicating that there should be serious discounts on this car. also, i wanted to test drive the a6 4.2 and he was dead set against it. is this because the commission is much higher on the a8? the a6 4.2 is a great looking car, wish i had drove it. just was not up to fighting with him. i will never understand how car companies can continue to employ such idiots trying to sell a $72,000 products. had a much better experience at mercedes-too bad didnt like the car.
  • billmillsvabillmillsva Member Posts: 53
    I'm sure AoA would love to hear about a sales man/dealership that refused to let you take one of their cars for a test drive, assuming of course that you are serious about buying one of these two cars.
  • bollingerbollinger Member Posts: 207
    He (or she) gets rated on overall sales. He doesn't like lost sales.

    Even if he keeps up the front to you (somewhat unlikely), he will give the salesman a thing or two to think about. My guess is if you call the sales manager of that dealership right now he'll have that salesman drive to your house today in an A6 4.2 to let you drive it.

    Note that letting a car salesman know where you live (so he can drive over) is not necessarily a totally good thing...
  • jeskjesk Member Posts: 13
    i am pretty serious about buying one of these cars. however, they think that you have to buy the damn thing the first time you step into the showroom. i dont know about you, but i like to take my time and have a really good feeling before i plunk down that type of cash. i am a salesman myself and cant imagine turning the screws on a potential customer like that. i have no idea where they find these guys, but most of them have suspect sales skills, very little product knowledge and horrendous interpersonal skills. im done
  • bollingerbollinger Member Posts: 207
    I've rarely met one who wants to be a car salesman. They just see it as an entry into the higher pressure/high powered portion of sales. I think they'd really rather be selling real estate or something.
  • lourosnerlourosner Member Posts: 1
    Anyone have a suggestion where I can get a great deal on a '00 A-8 in the Philadelphia (southeastern PA)area? I seem to recall a comment about a dealer in Altoona, PA selling at $1000. over invoice. Thanks.
  • jeskjesk Member Posts: 13
    if anybody knows, i would be interested as well. i am going to lease the car.
  • audiaudiaudia8audiaudiaudia8 Member Posts: 16
    The audi salesperson I bought my car from was the best person I have ever dealt with. Fair,extremely knowledgeable about the product, great on followup after I bought the car, upfront and flexible on price, wanting to make sure I got the car I wanted. Made sure I testdrove everything that Audi made (and he still calls me to testdrive new offerings. This dealership is one of the highest volume Audi dealerships around. Unfortunately for some of you, its in Montana -- but if you can figure out the angles, there's no salestax in Montana.
  • billmillsvabillmillsva Member Posts: 53
    The Quattro Club of America has local chapters that usually have a "favored" dealership and this is usually based on which one is the most cooperative with the local/regional chapter. You may want to see if you can contact whom ever runs the local chapter of QCUSA in your area for suggestions. These dealerships are usually favored because they grant special privileges like "tech sessions" and discounts on parts to Chapter members though so I'm not sure how much using these favored dealerships will affect your ability to get a great deal when buying or leasing a car.
  • jeskjesk Member Posts: 13
    did you get an a8? if so, did u buy or lease and how much did you get it for? i would buy from this dealership and have car shipped if price was right
  • jeskjesk Member Posts: 13
    another audi dealer just called me and told me that the a8l will list for about 70k and they will discount up to 5k off the car. lease it to me for about 1000/mo for 36 mos 12k per yr. how do these figures stack up?
  • quattro_pearlquattro_pearl Member Posts: 51
    Has info on the new A4, RS4, and others including the A8 W12 http://www.motor-presse-online.de/Zeitschriften/ams/index.htm oh, it is in German though, couldn't find in English, will look later
  • audiaudiaudia8audiaudiaudia8 Member Posts: 16
    I bought a 2000 A8 when they first came out and received a sizeable discount off of list. I am not comfortable disclosing the amount on this web site.
  • jeskjesk Member Posts: 13
    if you feel like discussing it with me, i would love to hear about your experience. i can be contacted at jeskali@yahoo.com. tks
  • quattro_pearlquattro_pearl Member Posts: 51
    on the upcoming Audi models. I think this upcoming A4 looks better than the present version and definitely better than the 3 ser. http://www.audiuniverse.com/
  • bollingerbollinger Member Posts: 207
    At the bottom. This indicates the photos are fake.

    Why are you looking at fake photos? I could make up my own impression of what the new A4 would look like. But it wouldn't make it any more likely that what you see on this website.
  • quattro_pearlquattro_pearl Member Posts: 51
    see it, all of the other photos are the same car except that photo. Look at the trunk and tail light shapes.
  • mpyles1mpyles1 Member Posts: 91
    Anyone hearing anything about the next-generation A8? Just saw a sketch in a car magazine, accompanied by a blurb that said the space frame was significantly re-engineered to weigh one-third less but be several hundred percent stronger at key stress points.
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    2003 model year for the new A8 in the U.S. market, bet on it.

    M
  • jwilkersonjwilkerson Member Posts: 15
    I have owned a Benz for 23 years. Have a 96 S500 and a 450SL. Don't like the new S car. I have never driven an Audi. Manufacturer rep. contacted me recently regarding the A8L, says I can drive one for 3 or 4 days. Looked it up on the Internet, and it is about $10K less than the S500 with much the same list of equipment, except warranty. Why only 3 years? Benz is 4 and a lifetime of 800 number service, Audi only 3 years.
    Seems like the manufacturer is not really standing behind the vehicle. Most others going the other way, longer, more attractive consumer oriented plans. Anybody know what the deal is with the "Premium Alcantara and Leather Trim Package at $3,500? Your comments and opinions are most appreciated. Many thanks...
  • ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    the 2001 audis will have the 4 year warranty as well as scheduled servicing. if the warranty concerns you that much, go for the next year. i think the alcantara is a suede that goes on the roof and doors, not sure if it goes under the leather covered surfaces or replaces them. the A8 is a great car, even better in long form. be sure to check out the big BMWs - 7 series esp if you want a sporty car with a huge interior. it is a bit old looking on the inside and out and will be replaced in the next year. the A8 will hold out for 3 years until the next design (important if you dont want to buy a car that will look old in a year). the A8 is at the middle of its life cycle, so all the glitches should be worked out. one warning with the A8- do not get into an accident with it, it has incredible insurance costs to fix, since it is aluminum and needs to be lifelighted to the nearest regional specialist if it needs to be fixed. other than that, it's a great car, maybe the best, without the gimmicks of the MB and has fantastic safety crash scores, with secure AWD.
  • jwilkersonjwilkerson Member Posts: 15
    Thanks for the data on the new 2001 Audi A8L. When will it be available? Seems the Manufacturer Rep. is pushing the 2000. Do they have many in stock in the midwest? How much discount are most dealers providing? The car cost the dealer with delivery about $62,500 invoice, or $71,500 sticker. I think $2,500 front is enough for any dealer. What is the resale for this car in the three to four year category? Any idea why they are going to a 4 year/50K warrant in 2001? Is it just the competition? Will the built in phone be removable in the 2001, as with the MB S car? I know very little about an Audi. What is the service history like? Your insight and opinions are genuinely appreciated. Many thanks.
This discussion has been closed.