RE: Audi R8 V8 manual: Spotted
Discussion
If anyone owns or is interested in an R8 we are just in the process of setting up an R8 Owners page on Facebook for meets and so forth as it's very under supported in the UK in terms of a club or group. We are going to have a couple of Curbrough track meets and runs out, maybe a dyno day etc. I'm.happy to take someone out in mine if they want to sample.
200Plus Club said:
Not at all I did ask if it was boosted by other repairs. Would still like to know as £4k must be with major items such as clutch or suspension I guess.
You can spend around £2k on fixing the front cover oil seal. Usual story, a £2 part needing £2k's worth of labour. Not unheard of to be a source of driveway drips. But the labour rates of a good indie will shrink this potential bill. There are various options for replacing the clutch. From around £1k up to about £3.5k for an uprated part with a lightweight flywheel. The factory now offers an all singing and dancing replacement option too. Clutch longevity depends entirely on the driver. Some chomp through one in under 15k miles, some get over 80k miles from theirs.
R0B. said:
Heard a few comments about how slow the V8 R8 is, and the comments in this thread about a Ferrari 360 being slower than modern hot hatches; a quick google search reveals both the R8 and 360 hit 60mph in 4.5 seconds or less and have a 190mph+ top end. hardly slow!
There's a V8 local to me with an aftermarket exhaust and it sounds fantastic and there’s a new V10 plus with what I guess is the standard exhaust and it certainly sounds like a supercar to me
It’s fast, but it’s a little slower than the fastest hot hatches now; the RS3 sneaks in a little under that.There's a V8 local to me with an aftermarket exhaust and it sounds fantastic and there’s a new V10 plus with what I guess is the standard exhaust and it certainly sounds like a supercar to me
Edited by R0B. on Thursday 19th October 13:57
Much as I loved my V8, it never felt hugely fast. The V10 plus feels very different, but of course, it was a lot more money.
Hungrymc said:
Secondly it’s the amount of “stuff” that the car got through, I’m including consumables like tyres and brakes (it was used fairly hard so you’d expect to get through these). A ridiculous amount of radiators and AC condensers. The car was used all year round (the radiators rot). Clutch, other transmission parts (diff issues) refresh of suspension, general repairs (window regulators, exhaust issues, other fairly minor stuff, but plenty of it).... in summary, 996 and 997 are very practical for the type of car they are, but use them hard year round and they take a lot of effort to keep them fresh.
Radiators rot? On a premium car like a Porsche? I'm still on the original rad on a 20y.o., 120k mile Honda...(Hell, I was on the original radiator on my old DC2 at 14y.o. / 90k of daily-driving in all weathers)
A/C condenser. I thought they were a Honda achilles heel, not a Porsche one?
Other issues - yeah, fair 'nuff I guess - I've shelled out for clutch, dampers, caliper and driveshaft refurbs and exhaust is next on the list...but on a 20y.o. leggy you sort of expect it. Total spend over 8 years including tyres/oil/etc. is somewhere around £8-10k)
Out of interest how old is your car / how many miles on it?
Very few posts here seem to note the real reason for buying a mid-engined car which, of course, is for the driver who perhaps prioritizes handling over power - or at least puts it equal first on the wish list.
You don't need to compromise seating capacity or luggage/oddments space in order to acquire power in a car so it's kind of missing the point to compare superfast hatchbacks like the Golf R and GT's like Aston Martins with mid-engined cars such as the Audi R8. In mid-engined cars you compromise those elements to gain mid-engined handling fun.
That's why people have always been able to find great enjoyment driving 85 BHP Fiat X1/9's, 120 BHP Lancia Montecarlo's, 150 BHP Alpine A310's and 250-270 BHP Ferrari 308's/328's etc and still do today.
You don't need to compromise seating capacity or luggage/oddments space in order to acquire power in a car so it's kind of missing the point to compare superfast hatchbacks like the Golf R and GT's like Aston Martins with mid-engined cars such as the Audi R8. In mid-engined cars you compromise those elements to gain mid-engined handling fun.
That's why people have always been able to find great enjoyment driving 85 BHP Fiat X1/9's, 120 BHP Lancia Montecarlo's, 150 BHP Alpine A310's and 250-270 BHP Ferrari 308's/328's etc and still do today.
firebird350 said:
Very few posts here seem to note the real reason for buying a mid-engined car which, of course, is for the driver who perhaps prioritizes handling over power - or at least puts it equal first on the wish list.
You don't need to compromise seating capacity or luggage/oddments space in order to acquire power in a car so it's kind of missing the point to compare superfast hatchbacks like the Golf R and GT's like Aston Martins with mid-engined cars such as the Audi R8. In mid-engined cars you compromise those elements to gain mid-engined handling fun.
That's why people have always been able to find great enjoyment driving 85 BHP Fiat X1/9's, 120 BHP Lancia Montecarlo's, 150 BHP Alpine A310's and 250-270 BHP Ferrari 308's/328's etc and still do today.
So Mx5's and Caterhams don't handle or aren't fun because they don't have much power and the engine is at the front? You don't need to compromise seating capacity or luggage/oddments space in order to acquire power in a car so it's kind of missing the point to compare superfast hatchbacks like the Golf R and GT's like Aston Martins with mid-engined cars such as the Audi R8. In mid-engined cars you compromise those elements to gain mid-engined handling fun.
That's why people have always been able to find great enjoyment driving 85 BHP Fiat X1/9's, 120 BHP Lancia Montecarlo's, 150 BHP Alpine A310's and 250-270 BHP Ferrari 308's/328's etc and still do today.
firebird350 said:
Very few posts here seem to note the real reason for buying a mid-engined car which, of course, is for the driver who perhaps prioritizes handling over power - or at least puts it equal first on the wish list.
You don't need to compromise seating capacity or luggage/oddments space in order to acquire power in a car so it's kind of missing the point to compare superfast hatchbacks like the Golf R and GT's like Aston Martins with mid-engined cars such as the Audi R8. In mid-engined cars you compromise those elements to gain mid-engined handling fun.
That's why people have always been able to find great enjoyment driving 85 BHP Fiat X1/9's, 120 BHP Lancia Montecarlo's, 150 BHP Alpine A310's and 250-270 BHP Ferrari 308's/328's etc and still do today.
Well said. My track day shed is a mk3 mr2 which to be fair has no power but sticks like brown stuff on a blanket. You don't need to compromise seating capacity or luggage/oddments space in order to acquire power in a car so it's kind of missing the point to compare superfast hatchbacks like the Golf R and GT's like Aston Martins with mid-engined cars such as the Audi R8. In mid-engined cars you compromise those elements to gain mid-engined handling fun.
That's why people have always been able to find great enjoyment driving 85 BHP Fiat X1/9's, 120 BHP Lancia Montecarlo's, 150 BHP Alpine A310's and 250-270 BHP Ferrari 308's/328's etc and still do today.
havoc said:
Radiators rot? On a premium car like a Porsche? I'm still on the original rad on a 20y.o., 120k mile Honda...
(Hell, I was on the original radiator on my old DC2 at 14y.o. / 90k of daily-driving in all weathers)
A/C condenser. I thought they were a Honda achilles heel, not a Porsche one?
Other issues - yeah, fair 'nuff I guess - I've shelled out for clutch, dampers, caliper and driveshaft refurbs and exhaust is next on the list...but on a 20y.o. leggy you sort of expect it. Total spend over 8 years including tyres/oil/etc. is somewhere around £8-10k)
Out of interest how old is your car / how many miles on it?
Yep, where they sit behind the bumper vents gathers crap and they rot. And you can’t risk it because cooling issues seem linked to bore scoring... That’s my big take away from 911 ownership (996/997), they make fine everyday cars but they are not quite as robust as the bloke down the pub thinks.(Hell, I was on the original radiator on my old DC2 at 14y.o. / 90k of daily-driving in all weathers)
A/C condenser. I thought they were a Honda achilles heel, not a Porsche one?
Other issues - yeah, fair 'nuff I guess - I've shelled out for clutch, dampers, caliper and driveshaft refurbs and exhaust is next on the list...but on a 20y.o. leggy you sort of expect it. Total spend over 8 years including tyres/oil/etc. is somewhere around £8-10k)
Out of interest how old is your car / how many miles on it?
I owned it for around 7 years (from around 4 years old) put 70,000 fairly hard miles on it over the time I owned it and I really think it was the winters that had the big impact, parked in a garage through the bad weather and only used in the summer and it would be cheap to keep.
I can confirm that the issue with the F360 is one of braking using the standard stoppers. After more than a couple of laps they fade and you are indeed left at the mercy of the fast hatches! When the brakes are working, however, a reasonably well driven 360 will edge away from most of them and even nearly stay with a Cayman GT4 until you have to press the brakes. At which point you’ll be doing well not to run in the back of the GT4 hahahah! Also the stability control on the 360 is laughable and only works well when it’s switched off!
But it’s still a Ferrari and so it’s still fantastic. Just like the R8 will always be Audi’s 4wd practical supercar and will always, always be better than a TT!
But it’s still a Ferrari and so it’s still fantastic. Just like the R8 will always be Audi’s 4wd practical supercar and will always, always be better than a TT!
Hungrymc said:
Yep, where they sit behind the bumper vents gathers crap and they rot. And you can’t risk it because cooling issues seem linked to bore scoring... That’s my big take away from 911 ownership (996/997), they make fine everyday cars but they are not quite as robust as the bloke down the pub thinks.
I owned it for around 7 years (from around 4 years old) put 70,000 fairly hard miles on it over the time I owned it and I really think it was the winters that had the big impact, parked in a garage through the bad weather and only used in the summer and it would be cheap to keep.
Thanks Mike.I owned it for around 7 years (from around 4 years old) put 70,000 fairly hard miles on it over the time I owned it and I really think it was the winters that had the big impact, parked in a garage through the bad weather and only used in the summer and it would be cheap to keep.
10k a year in a 911 is pretty good going...puts the costs into context too...
Driven both; V8 sweet handling but didn't feel as quick as I wanted....and V10, feels heavier but that engine is amazing sound and mid range torque. I love the looks and the attention to design detail and its something a little different from the ubiquitous Porsche. Certainly one of the best performance cars in the pre-owned market right now IMO.
Totally split about the r8.. Always liked them but perhaps not loved them? Had one around the track and wasn't blown away, didn't hate it either - wasn't particularly fast and the handling wasn't overly mind-bending - some grip better than the r8, others were more exciting whereas the R8 was right in the middle. (but it was sandwiched between driving a GTR and an Aventador so it's perhaps not the fairest evaluation, I also overtook the R8 in the Aventador as if it was in reverse, and while I'm not comparing the two - why would you, it probably didn't do much for my impressions of the r8 nonetheless).
They were on the shortlist for my 911's replacement, but I think for me, the cliche of ''they're too boring'' applies. I like the look, but whereas a similarly priced (here in aus) Gallardo rolls past I can't stop staring, when the R8 goes past I just go ''oh, it's an R8''. They're just very ''Audi'' on the roads, and although I like the looks and practicality isnt even on my radar (I have a very cheap used and abused jeep for that), I kind of feel like I want a 'fun' car to be more than just good enough.
That said, with a bit of a personal fettling to put that extra garnish and excitement on and I think my opinion would be very different.
They were on the shortlist for my 911's replacement, but I think for me, the cliche of ''they're too boring'' applies. I like the look, but whereas a similarly priced (here in aus) Gallardo rolls past I can't stop staring, when the R8 goes past I just go ''oh, it's an R8''. They're just very ''Audi'' on the roads, and although I like the looks and practicality isnt even on my radar (I have a very cheap used and abused jeep for that), I kind of feel like I want a 'fun' car to be more than just good enough.
That said, with a bit of a personal fettling to put that extra garnish and excitement on and I think my opinion would be very different.
200Plus Club said:
A Gallardo would be cool. Unfortunately they aren't quite in the same price range as a Gen 1 R8 V8 and will definitely cost a lot more to run.
deffo as far as running costs go, but over here if you're willing to go for an import, you can pick up a gallardo for the same money as an R8 V8 if you're patient - which makes the r8 a very tough sell imo - especially if you're doing limited milesThe cheapest r8s around here tends to be the $120-140k mark (71k-83k, sterling) whereas gallardos tend to run at 150k on average (89k sterling) but frequently have come up around the 130k mark in the past. Earlier in the year the cheapest r8 around was $140k vs the cheapest gallardo at $130k
Plus with the euro cars being so much to service already here, the gallardo costs aren't significantly more over an r8 depending on where you get her tended to
Edited by antacid on Friday 20th October 11:48
Edited by antacid on Friday 20th October 11:49
antacid said:
deffo as far as running costs go, but over here if you're willing to go for an import, you can pick up a gallardo for the same money as an R8 V8 if you're patient - which makes the r8 a very tough sell imo - especially if you're doing limited miles
The cheapest r8s around here tends to be the $120-140k mark (71k-83k, sterling) whereas gallardos tend to run at 150k on average (89k sterling) but frequently have come up around the 130k mark in the past. Earlier in the year the cheapest r8 around was $140k vs the cheapest gallardo at $130k
Plus with the euro cars being so much to service already here, the gallardo costs aren't significantly more over an r8 depending on where you get her tended to
probably different scenario there then as opposed to UK. this is the cheapest Gallardo in the UK on PH The cheapest r8s around here tends to be the $120-140k mark (71k-83k, sterling) whereas gallardos tend to run at 150k on average (89k sterling) but frequently have come up around the 130k mark in the past. Earlier in the year the cheapest r8 around was $140k vs the cheapest gallardo at $130k
Plus with the euro cars being so much to service already here, the gallardo costs aren't significantly more over an r8 depending on where you get her tended to
Edited by antacid on Friday 20th October 11:48
Edited by antacid on Friday 20th October 11:49
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
and its at one of the worst rated traders in the UK, so it will have issues no doubt. thats a good £30k dearer than the cheapest UK (bland basic spec) R8 V8, and 20k dearer than a nice UK R8.
hypermark said:
Driven both; V8 sweet handling but didn't feel as quick as I wanted....and V10, feels heavier but that engine is amazing sound and mid range torque. I love the looks and the attention to design detail and its something a little different from the ubiquitous Porsche. Certainly one of the best performance cars in the pre-owned market right now IMO.
This is true, which is why the V10 Plus is a good choice. A decent weight reduction over the standard V10, extra power, and a nice suspension set-up.If anyone fancies a closer look at an R8 (V8 or V10) next season a few of us have started up a facebook UK group for R8 owners, it will probably be fairly low key with dyno days, drive outs etc. Curbrough sprint track will be one of the first meets and as mentioned I'm up for giving someone a passenger ride if they want. https://www.facebook.com/r8ocuk/
I'm tempted by the V10 next so it will help me if someone with a Gen 1 V10 is in the South Yorkshire area :-)
I'm tempted by the V10 next so it will help me if someone with a Gen 1 V10 is in the South Yorkshire area :-)
Love the R8, have done for a long time. Looks are subjective of course, but to my eyes it's a great looking thing (those side blades!). I think the V8 still looks like a supercar and so people expect it to be supercar quick, with a 0-60 of sub 4 seconds, but the hot hatch game has moved on a lot in the last 5 years, and duller-looking stuff like an A45 AMG is simply quicker: we're going through a period where turbos have changed the picture.
Not driven the V10 but the V8 perhaps suffers from what can also be seen as a strength: it's quite civilised and smooth, and the magride dampers on normal setting work incredibly well at ironing out poor surfaces and so it often doesn't feel as raw as other performance cars. An exhaust and sports mode selected on the magride will probably cure a lot of that.
It does have great presence, does feel special and you get positive reactions from the public, which all contribute to how you feel about it. It's not the fastest as has been said, but it's fast enough for most people and for those that can't stretch to a V10, I think it's a great option for those with £40k+.
Not driven the V10 but the V8 perhaps suffers from what can also be seen as a strength: it's quite civilised and smooth, and the magride dampers on normal setting work incredibly well at ironing out poor surfaces and so it often doesn't feel as raw as other performance cars. An exhaust and sports mode selected on the magride will probably cure a lot of that.
It does have great presence, does feel special and you get positive reactions from the public, which all contribute to how you feel about it. It's not the fastest as has been said, but it's fast enough for most people and for those that can't stretch to a V10, I think it's a great option for those with £40k+.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff