Early R8 running costs / budget

After 10 years away from performance cars I’m looking to come back and the car I’ve fancied for many years is a Manual Coupe V8 R8. I’d be moving away from motorbikes which I’ve been using for last 15 years or so.


Always used to do well by buying cars at the bottom of their depreciation curve and getting the money back (or more) when I changed it. Feel they are a good buy currently at around £40k.

I’m not rich so I could do with an education from any owners on potential issues / running costs. I’ve read many threads and watched many videos and it seems very all or nothing.

Plan would likely be to buy at the top end of the early cars in order to get a low mileage / well maintained car rather than buy a dog and have to throw lots at it.

Car would be a second car / toy so likely cover 2-3k miles a year.

It would be really handy if someone kept a record of their running costs for one for some objective info. Assuming the car is purchased outright with no finance I need to understand if I can run one without impacting my life.

Yes I’m fussy but also realistic. I’d be patient to wait for the right car too

Couple a grand a year isn’t bad.

What years , model do you have and how long owned? What you spent?

Tyres are stupidly expensive, and you get through them.

I have had a 2007 manual for over a year now. I reckon £40k ish for a nice one sounds about right. I don't think there's truly such a thing as a £35k R8. Ideally you need to find one which has had all the big ticket items done recently (easier said than done), or 5k to 10k will disappear very quickly putting it right.

Many of these I'm sure you'll have learnt about already:

Mag rides (either renewed or replaced with passive or aftermarket coilovers)
Brakes (an easy £2.5k to £3k front and rear for pads and discs) but could last 20k to 40k miles depending on how the car is driven
Tyres (£1k for all four)
Clutch (£3k plus) depending on how it's lived could go at 30k or 70k miles. Mine is on almost 60k now.
Oil cooler lines
AC condensers in the front bumper
Engine Carbon clean budget about £600
Coolant expansion tank
Oil level /temp sensors can fail
Door lock actuators


In terms of the regular running costs, mine is averaging about 18mpg, tax is 700 odd per year. Insurance isn't outrageous.

A minor service (oil and filter) will run £350 to £400
Other service items intervals roughly as follows as I understand:
Gearbox & diff oil - 4 years
Spark plugs - 4 years
Air filters - 4 years
Fuel filter - 4 years
Pollen/cabin filter - 2 years
Brake fluid - 2 years

Replacement parts wise, some things are a little pricey but in general I'd say cheaper than an alternative like an Aston Vantage of similar age. I've replaced things like external trim pieces (headlamp washer jet cover - £30), rubber wheel arch edge trims £30 each).

I paid a little over the odds for mine but with the knowledge that most of the above had already been sorted and so far in terms of maintenance and repairs etc (not including consumables) it's cost me about £800 over 14 months.

I believe it's possible to get an Audi warranty even, around £2k for the first year, then possibly dropping to £1k on subsequent years.

Sounds entirely possible. In reality I've spent a lot more, circa £3.5k in my ownership before tax and insurance, because I've done other things like changed the coilover spring rates, 4 new tyres, full paintwork detail with ceramic coat, new car play/Android auto stereo etc. But they weren't all strictly necessary!

Well…. as another poster mentioned man maths was deployed fairly early in this and now I’m actively looking for a car. Looked at a couple so far and it’s very obvious that some fell into the wrong hands.

One of my Ducatis sold in about a hour so that’s now gone so just another to sell but whilst that does I’m out there looking at cars. If the right one comes up I’ll have it.

Decided I want a white (or red maybe) manual V8 coupe with a few extras like sensors/cruise/ Carbon etc.

Good for you.

Pics pls!

Also OssAndy. where / who did your Android headunit upgrade and what did you go for?

I did it myself using a RTA fabrication fascia and wiring kit and a Kenwood dmx8019dabs.