A8 which diesel engine

[james S]

After years in Jags, its time to buy a new barge. I love Jags but feel a need to try something different and have only every heard A8s described in the most glowing terms.

Question is, which engine - the 3.0 or 4.l diesel. Or indeed is it worth digging a bit deeper and going for a 4.2 oil burner

Are the fuel numbers really achiveable in real life. I am getting a bit bored of 21 mpg from the current car

Ta
James

Edited by james S on Monday 7th July 21:05

[Skodaku]

james S said:

After years in Jags, its time to buy a new barge. I love Jags but feel a need to try something different and have only every heard A8s described in the most glowing terms.

Question is, which engine - the 3.0 or 4.l diesel. Or indeed is it worth digging a bit deeper and going for a 4.2 oil burner

Are the fuel numbers really achivealbe in real life. I am getting a bit bored of 21 mgp from the current car

Ta
James

Neighbour has a 3.0 TDi A8 and loves it. He has driven the others and thinks the 3.0 is the best all-rounder, (and his budget would have stretched to a 4.2 so that's not a factor). He does have a gazillion toys on it, though. It is lovely but, sadly, it's Silver and I hate the (non) colour. Saw one in pearlescent white in Munich last month. Looked superb.

[Dr G]

Agreed, silver is a fantastically boring colour for an A8.

You can see north of 30mpg on a good run in these, don't know what the book figures are exactly but having driven a few and heard a lot of customer feedback on them the larger diesel engine isn't worth it.

[Dilligaf10]

Don't go for the 4.0 TDi. Engine sounds and feels rough & not particularly economical, 3.0TDi uses later and better technology. I get over 40mpg on a run out of mine, 35mpg is the average over the last 18000 miles. Client feedback is excellent. Smooth, quiet and powerful enough to hustle the car along very nicely.

Agreed that silver is now quite a bland colour but ideal in my business as the car generally always looks clean, no matter what the weather. Black is nice but terrible to keep clean, I know, we have a black Mercedes. Looks good when first clean & polished but 10 minutes later looks dirty again.

[RedLeicester]

As above..... or do what we did and go for the 4.2 V8 PETROL! Gorgeous engine, much much quieter than either of the diesels, and we're currently getting 28mpg on a run....

[BillyWhiz]

My 3.7l V8 petrol does 32mpg on the motorway at 80 mph.

My plan is to replace it with a newer 4.2 petrol car next year and convert to LPG. This looks like a much cheaper option in medium to long run.

[RedLeicester]

Good plan - we're looking in to LPGing our 4.2 at the mo - after all even if there's a drop in MPG, 25 or so at 60p per litre will be a giggle...

[james S]

Thanks chaps - just test a 3.0D. Very impressive even after 100k in a 4 litre jaguar

Build quality rather superior to the jag however - stunning. A8 coming ttis way soon i think.

Petrol guys - what are got getting mpg on average - i can get 30 out of my jag on a run, but the average never gets above 22!

[phn]

I have a 1998 Audi S8 (4.2 V8 Petrol) and get Average of 20 for about 50/50 city/non-city driving. On a long run, 25 mpg might be possible.

Problem with the S8 though is that it's always so tempting to Boot It leading to less than stellar MPG. I'm sure someone with more self discipline could get better MPG figures.

[AKA8]

I have a 2004 A8 4.2 petrol, and on a motorway run at 80 leptons I get about 28mpg average. Central London driving averages about 10-12mpg, but I suspect the diesel will have similar issues. Since owning the car I have averaged 19mpg, living in central London and doing the odd long distance journey on motorways, or on the continent. It is remarkable how efficient it is, especially if like me, you enjoy exercising your car when you drive it.

P.S. Once had 30mpg on a return journey to Stansted at a steady 70mph.

[james S]

V helpful all - thanks was te new front end on the 55 platre cars purely a cosmetic upgrade or are there important differences with the current model. The guy at Audi told me the differences were few, but then again he also told me the updated front end came in in 2007 rather than 2005/6!

Thanks

[Dilligaf10]

Mine was first registered Jan 06 and it has the face lifted front end. (Picture on my web-site). 2007 models have changed to rectangular fog lights, different rear light cluster, repeater indicators in the mirrors.

Can recommend Chris at Audi Lincoln, he got me an excellent deal and they seem to be A8 specialists.

[BillyWhiz]

My 3.7 petrol returns 32 mpg on the motroroway and an average of 25 mpg with mixed town/long run driving.

[ukdennis]

I've just bought a 2005/05 A8 3.0tdi a month ago for my wife/family trips. It's got the torque exactly where you want it for a car like this - low/mid range. If 450nm isn't enough for you, get it remapped - MTM will take it to 525nm and 285 hp easily. Versions of the same engine produce 500nm in the A5 and 550nm in the Q7 bog standard, so it is clearly way understressed in the A8. That's getting close to 4.0/4.2 diesel territory with better economy. Speaking of which, I have a petrol barge too - a 1999 BMW 740i, which returns 30mpg on a motorway run and 23mpg in mixed driving. This seems to be about the same as the 4.2 petrol A8. On exactly the same journeys, my 3.0tdi A8 will get 40mpg and 33mpg respectively. Even with the price of diesel 10% more expensive than petrol, the diesel is at least 20% cheaper to run. Still doesn't stop me enjoying the BMW though!

[james S]

2006 3.0TDI bought this evening. Picking- up later in the week

[Dilligaf10]

james S said:

2006 3.0TDI bought this evening. Picking- up later in the week

Good lad!! Enjoy and welcome to a very select club.

Let us know how you get on with it, took me over 3 weeks to get to know all the toys.

[RedLeicester]

Dilligaf10 said:

james S said:

2006 3.0TDI bought this evening. Picking- up later in the week

Good lad!! Enjoy and welcome to a very select club.

Let us know how you get on with it, took me over 3 weeks to get to know all the toys.

3 weeks, blimey you moved quickly - I'm still resorting to the enormo-manual a few months down the line!

[Dilligaf10]

RedLeicester said:

Dilligaf10 said:

james S said:

2006 3.0TDI bought this evening. Picking- up later in the week

Good lad!! Enjoy and welcome to a very select club.

Let us know how you get on with it, took me over 3 weeks to get to know all the toys.

3 weeks, blimey you moved quickly - I'm still resorting to the enormo-manual a few months down the line!

I'm in the thing all day, every day so it was a case of having to. Waiting at airports, etc you tend to start fiddling with things.

[james S]

Just picked up my A8.(3.0 SE TDI. Only 50 miles in, but its clear they really are rather good!

Edited by james S on Saturday 19th July 08:01

[Dilligaf10]

They just get better and better as well!

Go out and enjoy it, stop wasting time posting on forums!!!!!