S5 V8 - thoughts?
Discussion
They're good cars and excellent value. There are a number of older threads on here particularly comparing them to B7 RS4, B8 S4 etc.
As a package I really like them, both manuals and autos. They have a big old dollop of personality and character which is unusual for so modern a car but very welcome. Interior is a lovely place to be and the seats are first rate. Overall quality is very good but there are a few things to watch out for.
The clutches are generally durable if treated with respect (they're good for the power) but given the amounts of torque and traction available it will always be the weakest link in the drive train and will not tolerate idiots. You abuse it and it will break (I suppose you could say similar of any powerful four wheel drive car). The engines are not often problematic but they will suffer coking, particularly if driven overly gently and the plugs need changing far more often than the factory 60k intervals as they get gunked up and hurt performance. Other general A5 stuff includes sticking ignition switches and failed MMI (infotainment) amplifiers. Keyless unlocking (where fitted) features door handle sensors made of glass but luckily they're only about 40 quid and fairly easy to replace. Early cars (pre 2010 I think) have rubbish window regulators that if not replaced already must be replaced in pairs as they're a completely new design to eradicate the problem. Noses suffer from chips, particularly low down and the 'splitter' part of the front bumper is easy to mark.
If I was buying one I'd want B&O, heated seats, navigation, Bluetooth and AMI (iPod integration). Things like folding mirrors, memory seats and adaptive cruise are lovely too. The ride on 19s is pretty good but can get a tiny bit jiggly on 20s.
Don't worry overly about the number of owners, the last one we sold had had 6 but was easily the nicest S5 we've seen in years. It was cherished and virtually perfect. A lot of people buy them and move them on after a year or so but it's pretty common across the sector (you'll likely see similar if you're considering a Porsche or M car too).
Plenty of owners around here who will probably chime in on the bits I've missed but do ask away if you've any further questions.
As a package I really like them, both manuals and autos. They have a big old dollop of personality and character which is unusual for so modern a car but very welcome. Interior is a lovely place to be and the seats are first rate. Overall quality is very good but there are a few things to watch out for.
The clutches are generally durable if treated with respect (they're good for the power) but given the amounts of torque and traction available it will always be the weakest link in the drive train and will not tolerate idiots. You abuse it and it will break (I suppose you could say similar of any powerful four wheel drive car). The engines are not often problematic but they will suffer coking, particularly if driven overly gently and the plugs need changing far more often than the factory 60k intervals as they get gunked up and hurt performance. Other general A5 stuff includes sticking ignition switches and failed MMI (infotainment) amplifiers. Keyless unlocking (where fitted) features door handle sensors made of glass but luckily they're only about 40 quid and fairly easy to replace. Early cars (pre 2010 I think) have rubbish window regulators that if not replaced already must be replaced in pairs as they're a completely new design to eradicate the problem. Noses suffer from chips, particularly low down and the 'splitter' part of the front bumper is easy to mark.
If I was buying one I'd want B&O, heated seats, navigation, Bluetooth and AMI (iPod integration). Things like folding mirrors, memory seats and adaptive cruise are lovely too. The ride on 19s is pretty good but can get a tiny bit jiggly on 20s.
Don't worry overly about the number of owners, the last one we sold had had 6 but was easily the nicest S5 we've seen in years. It was cherished and virtually perfect. A lot of people buy them and move them on after a year or so but it's pretty common across the sector (you'll likely see similar if you're considering a Porsche or M car too).
Plenty of owners around here who will probably chime in on the bits I've missed but do ask away if you've any further questions.
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