Audi A8 4.2 Quattro 2003

Audi A8 4.2 Quattro 2003

Author
Discussion

slippery

Original Poster:

14,093 posts

238 months

Sunday 13th May 2012
quotequote all
So here's my latest in a long line of bargain barges and after just over 4 months and 14,000 miles, I thought it was time I posted some pictures. smile

I was looking for something up to around £10k, that would still look fairly current and would be a nice way to spend 30-40,000 miles per year. I considered all the usual large barges, but this one caught my eye in the PH classifieds. It was the most humble car in the fleet belonging to PHer http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/profile.asp?mem...
so I knew it had to be coming from a very good home. It had covered just 55,000 miles, with a full Audi main dealer and specialist service history and although I wasnt a lover of the wheels (due to be changed this week) and the grey interior is not to everyone's taste, it was an honest car and a deal was struck at just under £7,500.

Coming from a manual VXR8, this was a bit of a change of ambience and I was afraid I would get a little bored, but the quality of the interior makes it a really nice place to be and the V8 is a lot more vocal when provoked than one would expect from a luxo-barge.

The drive home from Surrey to Norfolk was effortless and I knew I had bought a good car. After many miles and several months, I can confirm this car crushes long journeys. Yes as many have said before, the chassis is a little dull, but that's not what these cars are about and I prefer to enjoy what it does best.

My car is equipped with the optional keyless entry and keyless go, complete with fingerprint recognition, which automatically adjusts your seat, steering wheel etc. A lovely touch which you become used to very quickly.

The Multi-media screen is a doddle to use, which adjusts everything from the temperature of the heated seats and climate control, to the suspension settings and the audio. The rear heated seats and electric blind are a hit with the rear seat passengers too.

The things that really strike you about the car when you spend any time with it are the quality of the interior materials, which are first rate, together with those lovely finishing touches that make living with it on a day to day basis an absolute doddle. One such example of this, are the hooks at the top of the cavernous boot, which fold down and allow you to securely hang carrier bags without fear of them falling over. A Godsend on an enthusiastic drive home from the local Chinese take away! lickhehe

Over the last 4 months, all maintenance has been routine. Front and rear pads, full service and timing belt change, complete with all associated ancillaries (water pump etc) and this week there will four new tyres to go with the replacements wheels (pics to follow). The MOT was an instant pass with no advisories. So I'm still the right side of my £10k and intend to keep running it for a couple of years or so. Average fuel consumption so far has been 21MPG just in case anybody is interested.

Hope the above is of use to anyone who likes or may be considering buying one of these cars. I must say, I really fancy a go in a W12 and an S8 for comparison, but not until I get close to selling mine!

Stop Press! Having trouble getting photos to post, so a friendly PHer will be along very shortly! bow Thank you ferret!

Edited by slippery on Sunday 13th May 22:14

the_ferret82

25,627 posts

183 months

Sunday 13th May 2012
quotequote all










Edited by the_ferret82 on Sunday 13th May 22:33

Lordhitman001

14,343 posts

172 months

Sunday 13th May 2012
quotequote all
Looking a great barge Mr S keep it updated biggrin

GBDG

896 posts

153 months

Sunday 13th May 2012
quotequote all
What a way to waft about. Fantastic.

You just have to resist the W12 now

emicen

8,558 posts

217 months

Sunday 13th May 2012
quotequote all
Why not the 4.2 TDi?

Still a V8 but would be at least £3k a year cheaper to fuel.

slippery

Original Poster:

14,093 posts

238 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
Lordhitman001 said:
Looking a great barge Mr S keep it updated biggrin
Thank you Lord H. smile

slippery

Original Poster:

14,093 posts

238 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
GBDG said:
What a way to waft about. Fantastic.

You just have to resist the W12 now
Must. Avoid. Classifieds. hehe
There was a wonderful W12 on the £5-20k bargain barge thread very recently. I was incredibly tempted, but had literally booked mine in for the big service and timing belt change that day.

slippery

Original Poster:

14,093 posts

238 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
emicen said:
Why not the 4.2 TDi?

Still a V8 but would be at least £3k a year cheaper to fuel.
I didn't actually consider any diesels. I was considering A8 W12, 750i/760i, S500/600/55, XJR etc. There will probably be a day, when I am forced out of the wonderful petrol engined cars I'm lucky enough to be able to drive, but for as long as I can I'm going to stick with them. For now at least, I'm happy to allow my fuel costs to be offset, by marginal levels of depreciation and low road tax. smile

Max M4X WW

4,788 posts

181 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
I like it and the 'fat fives' too, but will be interested to see what you change them for smile

B'stard Child

28,320 posts

245 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
Walks in looks around - hmm nice decor and lighting - might stay

Explaination despite being on PH for a bit of a while I got introduced into "limited section access facility" (by a forum moderator many years ago) to stop me spending too much time on PH

I had to show all sections and then find this section - I'll add it to my selected profile

Anyway Slippers - it looks great and please bear me in mind for that enevitable change time in a couple of years (please keep the std wheels) be handy for winters

slippery

Original Poster:

14,093 posts

238 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
Only if I can leave them in your garage BC! hehe

y2blade

56,029 posts

214 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
I'm a Big fan of these cloud9

following with interest.

B'stard Child

28,320 posts

245 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
slippery said:
Only if I can leave them in your garage BC! hehe
I can find room for them - based on ending up owning the car in a few years time biggrin

Can I aslo ask you to get a stealth towbar fitted sometime in the next 2 years wink

goldblum

10,272 posts

166 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
Had mine a couple of years now.Brilliant car.Not that cheap,though did get what I thought was a very good deal.




Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
I have always loved the older A/S8's. Just about the only Audi car bar the Quattro that I really like these days!

y2blade

56,029 posts

214 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
Did I read that right, you paid £7.5k for it?

slippery

Original Poster:

14,093 posts

238 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
goldblum said:
Had mine a couple of years now.Brilliant car.Not that cheap,though did get what I thought was a very good deal.



That looks stunning. How dare you post pics of it on my thread and make my car look bad! smashhehe

slippery

Original Poster:

14,093 posts

238 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
B'stard Child said:
slippery said:
Only if I can leave them in your garage BC! hehe
I can find room for them - based on ending up owning the car in a few years time biggrin

Can I aslo ask you to get a stealth towbar fitted sometime in the next 2 years wink
Any particular make?!!! rofl

I'm going to leave the wheels with my friendly tyre man to try and sell for me. I don't know how much success we'll have, but it's worth a go and they aren't worth more than a couple of hundred pounds, so I'm certainly not cluttering up my garage with them.

slippery

Original Poster:

14,093 posts

238 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
y2blade said:
Did I read that right, you paid £7.5k for it?
Just under actually. Is that not about right?

goldblum

10,272 posts

166 months

Monday 14th May 2012
quotequote all
slippery said:
That looks stunning. How dare you post pics of it on my thread and make my car look bad! smashhehe
Oops getmecoat



smile