This is NOT a mid life crisis R8

[lrdisco]

I have done well recently financially and I have always promised myself a serious car.
I was looking at McLaren 570s but honestly it would be wasted on me as a driver plus it’s a huge amount of money to be stood outside my home.

Reading PH one night in my hotel in Dublin where I work I read the article on the R8 V8. Sounded amazing on YouTube clips and rated by just about everyone.

Looked on line at a few and then found this one. Full Audi SH and with a warranty. I bought it unseen in a private sale. I know a mortal mistake.
I’m a bit impulsive really.

So deal done I flew into Gatwick. Then spent 7 & 1/2 hours driving home with a very bad knee.

I had to go for the R-Tronic due to my wife having an ankle and knee injury. Also I’m a lazy git. The R-Tronic is actually good once you learn how to use it.

The car is in fantastic condition and my only change is to put a battery conditioner on it and maybe a sports exhaust.

So as per the thread title the car is absolutely not a midlife crisis car. Oh no that was the C6 Corvette or maybe the 969 C4 convertible.

[Royal Jelly]

Mega. I feel that V8 R8s are the bargain of the century at the moment.

[Court_S]

Very nice.

These early R8’s have aged so well; the later cars look very fussy compared to them.

The V8 makes a great noise too especially with a cheeky exhaust upgrade.

[lrdisco]

Totally agree. The shape is very fluid to me. The new ones look wrong. All angles. I think these will age well. In fact they already have.

[Carlson W6]

My good friend is an ex racing driver and motorcycle racer.

He loves his V8 with the R-Tronic box. Swears that if you use it in “manual” mode and treat it like a motorcycle gearbox it completely comes alive.

Nice purchase!

[carinaman]

Well done. I like this a lot. I much prefer these to the Mk2 R8s.

[SpeckledJim]

Very handsome. Agreed on the first ones being better-styled than the later ones.

[JulianPH]

Sorry to hear you are having a mid life crisis mate!

It looks bloody lovely and if you are ever round my way you will have to drop in with it and we can catch up.

Cheers!

[RC1807]

JulianPH said:

Sorry to hear you are having a mid life crisis mate!
//snip//

It's not the male menoPorsche though.


I really like the R8.

[NewNameNeeded]

Absolutely fantastic mid life crisis car. It served its purpose well for my own a couple of years ago!

Enjoy!!

[lrdisco]

After having the R8 a few months and using it every weekend come rain or shine the wheels had some corrosion around the air valves.
A really small bit of missing paint had got a bit bigger and the car juddered when breaking. Front tyres were looking a bit tired.

Time to spend some money-
2 x Pirelli P Zeros £368.00
Paint £280
Re finishing the wheels £328
New disks and pads at the front £880
Brake fluid service at Audi £150

I went for a darker grey on the alloys so they stand out against the silver paint work.

Also found out that you really do need to warm up the tyres on a cold winter’s morning even with the Quattro system. It all went very wrong very quickly and it was not skill on my part that I and the car are still in one piece. Pure bloody luck!

I thought I read R8s were cheap to run!
Don’t care really as it’s an experience everytime you go out. Kids point, people still take a second look and regularly get great comments at filling stations.

I did think of selling the car but balls to that. Don’t really need the money, but that may change when I start two new houses to sell.

Edited by lrdisco on Friday 22 April 06:11

[lrdisco]

I love the new colour of the wheels.

[PositronicRay]

lrdisco said:

I thought I read R8s were cheap to run!

Edited by lrdisco on Friday 22 April 06:11

Comparatively they are, similar to other quick Audis.

The wheels look great in that colour.

[Chunkychucky]

Nice car, have considered these given they have dropped to within my meagre budget! I'd have to have the manual for engagement and the 'clack-clack' I used to get when borrowing my friend's

Look forward to further updates and reading how you get on with it!

[PaulD86]

lrdisco said:

Also found out that you really do need to warm up the tyres on a cold winter’s morning even with the Quattro system. It all went very wrong very quickly and it was not skill on my part that I and the car are still in one piece. Pure bloody luck!

Pirelli P Zeros and cold/cold and damp conditions are lethal. Next time you need tyres, go Michelin or Goodyear and you'll solve the problem.

I remember driving a 2014 R Tronic R8 V8 over some of Scotlands best roads - the R8 certainly does make for extrememly rapid cross-country progress.

Enjoy the car

[Gorilla Boy]

PaulD86 said:

lrdisco said:

Also found out that you really do need to warm up the tyres on a cold winter’s morning even with the Quattro system. It all went very wrong very quickly and it was not skill on my part that I and the car are still in one piece. Pure bloody luck!

Pirelli P Zeros and cold/cold and damp conditions are lethal. Next time you need tyres, go Michelin or Goodyear and you'll solve the problem.

I remember driving a 2014 R Tronic R8 V8 over some of Scotlands best roads - the R8 certainly does make for extrememly rapid cross-country progress.

Enjoy the car

I second this, get rid of the Pirelli's, they are ste.
Put a set of Michelin pilot sport 4S's or Goodyear Eagle F1s on it and it will transform the car

[lrdisco]

Thanks for the recommendations for tyres. When I need some new tyres I’ll certainly look outside Pirelli’s.
As a tight Yorkshire man I will have to wait until the tyres need changing.
Certainly frightened me when I lost it on cold tyres.

[Andy OH]

As said twice above. Ditch the Pirellis when you can and get some Michelin PS4Ss. I have them on my GT4 and they are superb. I only use the Cup 2s the car came with when on track.

[blade runner]

Lovely looking car. Good choice on new wheel colour too - contrasts nicely with the silver body and gunmetal is great at hiding brake dust!

[Tin Hat]

A good opportunity to share the most tempting advert in automotive history:

https://youtu.be/XflP9D53slY