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Sedans Audi A8 Audi A8
1466 messages, Last post on Nov 18, 2009 at 6:51 PM
You are in the Audi A8 Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Did you compare the A8 to other luxury-cars. Which ones and what were the reasons for your decision? |
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| anyone know when the new A8 model will be available (know of any sites that I could go see it) | |
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I think the A8 is by far the most attractive car on the roads today. I don't find anything wrong with its shape. It is a very aggressive and serious car, but you have to look closely to see it. I've always been partial to european cars and drove Saabs and Volvos for years. My new A8 is my third Audi, and I'm ready to stop here. I can't imagine a more rewarding experience behind the wheel, not to mention the value and service I've received. I like the 2000 S class but they inspire a different feeling than my A8, and although I haven't driven a 7-series BMW I have a friend who owns a 97 528 and a 99 540 wagon, which are very powerful and well appointed cars, but, in my opinion, loose to my A8 in style and edginess. I think most cars today are dependable and largely trouble free, what separates them are cost, warranty, and personal preference. Any number of cars are worth buying, it just depends on what one likes and the deal he/she gets. |
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I the movie Ronin, they used and S8. Anyone have any idea if that model will be sold in the U.S.? M
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| why doesnt audi sell the s8 in this country instead of the a8? | |
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Hello All, I own an A8 4.2l 1998 and have some non theoretical experiences to share. 1. It takes a hell of a long time to get the AL automobile fixed. I was run off the road at a high speed clover leaf access and what looked like a safe run off zone had a hidden 4' deep drainage ditch. Over three months w/o my ten day old car. Cost to my insurance company $27,000. 2. Rear vision from the driver's seat is dangerously poor. The passenger's outside mirror is small and awful with several major blind spots on the right. Driver's side is a little better, however, compared to the S class cars I have driven it is outrageous that Audi would do such a shameful job on the safety details. Directly out the rear window there are major blind areas due to the very large rear seat head rests. In addition the C pillar's design was deemed production ready in 1991. The 1991 date came from one of two books Audi sends its' A8 owners. I am still surprised at the emphasis made about the C pillar size being fixed as it is by management. Between the head rests and the fat pillars there are two very large blind spots to the right and left when backing up or using the rear view mirror. I requested modification to the rear head rests before delivery. I received what has become a stock answer from Audi "No, the car passed all safety requirements......." My dealings with Audi for the past 19 months have been an ongoing nightmare of duplicity, arrogance, and unprofessional. My worst Dealer and Manufacture experience in 41 years of car ownership. The Audi dynamic still puzzles me since their advertisements, image, and history are performance related. My dealer started off very positively about several changes I wanted to make after driving the car for 4-5k miles. What a shock to have exhaust and brake upgrades refused after the dealer conferred with the area representative for Audi. The most disturbing aspect about the refusal was being treated like a "slow child" and treated in a very unpleasant manner. It seems that when my dealer confers with the Audi represenative that their formerly friendly and willingness to participate, if not doing the work helping acquire parts and provide referrals to competent Audi qualified Tuner/Mechanics. These are among the high points of my ongoing "enthusiastic" discussions with Audi. My most recent service, first oil change, detailing, a few clunks from the front end, and an intermittent problem with the entry remote system was awful. I sent the car right back with a five point re do list including the remote control being totally non functional when my A8 was returned. My A8 has been at the dealer for three and one half weeks and still the entry remote does not work.  The A8 is a fine car to drive, some times anyway, ie: when no one is passing on the right or left side with a speed differential > 20 MPH over my 80 mph on the interstate. Too many near misses when making a signaled lane change that includes LOOK out the window in the direction you are going to double check for any UFO's closing rapidly. Only my 1988 Honda CRX SI, "Car of the Year" was worse for rear vision and I sold it after 9 months of ownership. Beautiful execution of detail and refinement marred by inexplicable safety deficiencies: vision and awkwardness using the dash controls for heat/cool and radio. Far too distracting for the driver. The two companies supplying rear view mirrors, the center one inside, are Gentex and Donnelley? Both of these manufacture's offer mirrors with a compass integrated into the mirror. Quite similar to my wife's Grand Cherokee LTD. In the Audi models prior to 99 or 00 that incorporate a GPS unit as part of the front center console. I want my damned compass and feel mildly miffed that I need to pay $180 - $250 for a mirror incorporating a compass. I wonder if the close association of the Audi R & D / manufacturing creates a "Not Invented Here" syndrome? This may account for the lack of forethought oversights that are so annoying with the A8. IE: NOT TETHER FOR THE GAS CAP OR PLACE TO SECURE IT. This oversight is a grade three fubar. Should you avoid the A8? I'm neither qualified to have an opinion Audi, or intelligent enough to make wise decisions Dealer. Funny I'm the gentleman who paid $70k (taxes tags etc.) for a fully loaded, every option except 17" wheels for the A8. Anonymous and angry. PS: I investigate "parktronic" equipment to compensate for the lack of safe rear vision when backing up and decided up a Microwave 10 ghz unit with a transceiver mounted on a license plate bracket and a small annunciator and visual display that provides both three levels 3' 6' 12' alerting to obsticals behind the car when in reverse. I asked my dealer to install it. 2 wires without polarity consideration for voltage and running the audio/visual alert head (2" x 3/4 x 1"). My dealer's service manager called me up in a huff about my requesting they install aftermarket parts on my A8. Audi rep said NO. Dealership said if they wanted to do aftermarket they'd go to work for BestBuy or Circuit City. |
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Hello All, I own an A8 4.2l 1998 and have some non theoretical experiences to share. 1. It takes a hell of a long time to get the AL automobile fixed. I was run off the road at a high speed clover leaf access and what looked like a safe run off zone had a hidden 4' deep drainage ditch. Over three months w/o my ten day old car. Cost to my insurance company $27,000. 2. Rear vision from the driver's seat is dangerously poor. The passenger's outside mirror is small and awful with several major blind spots on the right. Driver's side is a little better, however, compared to the S class cars I have driven it is outrageous that Audi would do such a shameful job on the safety details. Directly out the rear window there are major blind areas due to the very large rear seat head rests. In addition the C pillar's design was deemed production ready in 1991. The 1991 date came from one of two books Audi sends its' A8 owners. I am still surprised at the emphasis made about the C pillar size being fixed as it is by management. Between the head rests and the fat pillars there are two very large blind spots to the right and left when backing up or using the rear view mirror. I requested modification to the rear head rests before delivery. I received what has become a stock answer from Audi "No, the car passed all safety requirements......." My dealings with Audi for the past 19 months have been an ongoing nightmare of duplicity, arrogance, and unprofessional. My worst Dealer and Manufacture experience in 41 years of car ownership. The Audi dynamic still puzzles me since their advertisements, image, and history are performance related. My dealer started off very positively about several changes I wanted to make after driving the car for 4-5k miles. What a shock to have exhaust and brake upgrades refused after the dealer conferred with the area representative for Audi. The most disturbing aspect about the refusal was being treated like a "slow child" and treated in a very unpleasant manner. It seems that when my dealer confers with the Audi represenative that their formerly friendly and willingness to participate, if not doing the work helping acquire parts and provide referrals to competent Audi qualified Tuner/Mechanics. These are among the high points of my ongoing "enthusiastic" discussions with Audi. My most recent service, first oil change, detailing, a few clunks from the front end, and an intermittent problem with the entry remote system was awful. I sent the car right back with a five point re do list including the remote control being totally non functional when my A8 was returned. My A8 has been at the dealer for three and one half weeks and still the entry remote does not work. The A8 is a fine car to drive, some times anyway, ie: when no one is passing on the right or left side with a speed differential > 20 MPH over my 80 mph on the interstate. Too many near misses when making a signaled lane change that includes LOOK out the window in the direction you are going to double check for any UFO's closing rapidly. Only my 1988 Honda CRX SI, "Car of the Year" was worse for rear vision and I sold it after 9 months of ownership. Beautiful execution of detail and refinement marred by inexplicable safety deficiencies: vision and awkwardness using the dash controls for heat/cool and radio. Far too distracting for the driver. The two companies supplying rear view mirrors, the center one inside, are Gentex and Donnelley? Both of these manufacture's offer mirrors with a compass integrated into the mirror. Quite similar to my wife's Grand Cherokee LTD. In the Audi models prior to 99 or 00 that incorporate a GPS unit as part of the front center console. I want my damned compass and feel mildly miffed that I need to pay $180 - $250 for a mirror incorporating a compass. I wonder if the close association of the Audi R & D / manufacturing creates a "Not Invented Here" syndrome? This may account for the lack of forethought oversights that are so annoying with the A8. IE: NOT TETHER FOR THE GAS CAP OR PLACE TO SECURE IT. This oversight is a grade three fubar. Should you avoid the A8? I'm neither qualified to have an opinion per: Audi, or intelligent enough to make wise decisions per: Dealer. Funny I'm the gentleman who paid $70k (taxes tags etc.) for a fully loaded, every option except 17" wheels for the A8. My experience is an ongoing aggravation in the extreme, and I hope your experiences with your dealer and Audi of America are far more positive than mine are. Sincerely, Anonymous and angry. PS: I investigate "parktronic" equipment to compensate for the lack of safe rear vision when backing up and decided up a Microwave 10 ghz unit with a transceiver mounted on a license plate bracket and a small annunciator and visual display that provides both three levels 3' 6' 12' alerting to obsticals behind the car when in reverse. I asked my dealer to install it. 2 wires without polarity consideration for voltage and running the audio/visual alert head (2" x 3/4 x 1"). My dealer's service manager called me up in a huff about my requesting they install aftermarket parts on my A8. Audi rep said NO. Dealership said if they wanted to do aftermarket they'd go to work for BestBuy or Circuit City. |
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Nobody has anything else to say about this wonderful car? Anybody looking foward to the 2000 model? M |
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| Yes, Merc1, I am looking forward to the 2000 A8 and wish there was more info about it out there. I am told Audi intends to increase the horse power from 300 to about 365, in order to keep the A8 ahead of the new A6, which gets the 4.2 300 hp engine from A8 this year. I wish Audi would release some info on the 2000 models; maybe Audi is not Y2K Compliant yet. | |
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| I am considering the purchase of a either an A8 or a 540 (most likely used). I'm looking for feedback from folks who have driven both. Any comments/experience to share? | |
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