Audi A8 D2 4.2V8 - 7 year running costs of a Shedworthy car
Discussion
With the old model A8 having paid a couple of visits to Shed of the Week stardom, I thought I would share the costs of my 2000 registered car over the 7 years and around 75000 miles I have had it. Might help anyone out there thinking of buying an old V8 to waft around in.
I bought it off ebay in May 2010 and became the 4th owner with it on 61056 miles and 5 stamps in the service book (4 x Audi and 1 x BMW).
Never tracked the fuel consumption other than via the dash computer thing. I reset it about a week after i got it and now the average consumption shows 24.9. No idea how accurate it is, but the car is mostly used on longer journeys, so would expect lower if short runs around town.
Quirks
Since I got it there has been an annoying clicking noise from behind the centre of the dash every 7-8 mins - probably about 20-30 clicks in quick succession. Something to do with relays/cogs trying to do something re fresh air (so the internet suggests). There is a bit of discussion about this on the web, but short of pulling the dash apart there doesn't seem to be a fix. I did replace a couple of relays (accessed by removing glove box) but to no avail.
The yellow emissions light on the dash is on - been on the last 5 years. Garage man says it is to do with cold start up (something at front of car of which there are 2 needs replacing if i remember correctly....£300-400....so i never bothered). A reset on VAGCOM turns it off for a day or so, then it comes back. No other issues show up.
For about 4 years in cold weather a fault in the steering angle sensor would turn off traction control/ABS and illuminate 2 lights on the dash. Stopping the car and starting it would typically see it go away. Finally in Sept 2016 I had the garage man take the airbag out and clean the wiring up. Dodgy connection i think as it has never come on since.
Must say the build quality (other than electrical niggles) is very good, and the engine feels like it would go forever. It is also very quiet and comfy, and whilst no-where near as nice as the Audi S8 V10 that was on the main Pistonheads page this week, I have been very happy with it. Considering it was bought as a short term car big enough to take 5 to France in relative comfort (there is surprisingly little rear space for such a big car...but thankfully had to carry 1 x child and 2 x small adults) and I had a) never owned/wanted an auto and b) was always a GTI kind of guy, then the old barge has served me well.
As of today it is at the garage (same guy who has serviced it since I got it) and I fear the estimate may make it uneconomical to repair...what with it needing a service, tyres, possible springs (a 4 inch long piece was sitting on the drive), and either a wheel bearing or front diff issue to fix (whines like an old Melbourne taxi) then it might be around £1000. It is also really due a 2nd cambelt replacement in my ownership which Audi want something mad like £700 for from memory, but thankfully less at my independent.
So if you are thinking of buying a Shed price A8 (which mine is now) then hopefully this helps. Running costs (i may have mislaid a couple of bills) below:
I bought it off ebay in May 2010 and became the 4th owner with it on 61056 miles and 5 stamps in the service book (4 x Audi and 1 x BMW).
Never tracked the fuel consumption other than via the dash computer thing. I reset it about a week after i got it and now the average consumption shows 24.9. No idea how accurate it is, but the car is mostly used on longer journeys, so would expect lower if short runs around town.
Quirks
Since I got it there has been an annoying clicking noise from behind the centre of the dash every 7-8 mins - probably about 20-30 clicks in quick succession. Something to do with relays/cogs trying to do something re fresh air (so the internet suggests). There is a bit of discussion about this on the web, but short of pulling the dash apart there doesn't seem to be a fix. I did replace a couple of relays (accessed by removing glove box) but to no avail.
The yellow emissions light on the dash is on - been on the last 5 years. Garage man says it is to do with cold start up (something at front of car of which there are 2 needs replacing if i remember correctly....£300-400....so i never bothered). A reset on VAGCOM turns it off for a day or so, then it comes back. No other issues show up.
For about 4 years in cold weather a fault in the steering angle sensor would turn off traction control/ABS and illuminate 2 lights on the dash. Stopping the car and starting it would typically see it go away. Finally in Sept 2016 I had the garage man take the airbag out and clean the wiring up. Dodgy connection i think as it has never come on since.
Must say the build quality (other than electrical niggles) is very good, and the engine feels like it would go forever. It is also very quiet and comfy, and whilst no-where near as nice as the Audi S8 V10 that was on the main Pistonheads page this week, I have been very happy with it. Considering it was bought as a short term car big enough to take 5 to France in relative comfort (there is surprisingly little rear space for such a big car...but thankfully had to carry 1 x child and 2 x small adults) and I had a) never owned/wanted an auto and b) was always a GTI kind of guy, then the old barge has served me well.
As of today it is at the garage (same guy who has serviced it since I got it) and I fear the estimate may make it uneconomical to repair...what with it needing a service, tyres, possible springs (a 4 inch long piece was sitting on the drive), and either a wheel bearing or front diff issue to fix (whines like an old Melbourne taxi) then it might be around £1000. It is also really due a 2nd cambelt replacement in my ownership which Audi want something mad like £700 for from memory, but thankfully less at my independent.
So if you are thinking of buying a Shed price A8 (which mine is now) then hopefully this helps. Running costs (i may have mislaid a couple of bills) below:
Ah...the clicking on mine is pretty loud but doesnt continue after turning the engine off. However it does make some quite faint whirring noises for 15-20 seconds sometimes, but a different sort of noise. A few years back I did find someone on web who suggested pulling off some pipe/cable that ran behind the pedals to stop the clicking, but it didnt look simple and he wasnt sure what else it impacted!. Also found someone in US who worked at a VAG dealer who said it was a known problem...and a dash dismantle to fix.
Photos....these are the only ones i have...from the advert on ebay 7 years ago. Its VERY green and beige, with (what i deem) ugly old fashioned wheels. SWMBO calls it the "stately home on wheels". But, it does a job (in comfort) and my MK1 MX5 (also green much to her annoyance) gives me my Pistonheads fix (in the 6 months that it is taxed at least!)
Photos....these are the only ones i have...from the advert on ebay 7 years ago. Its VERY green and beige, with (what i deem) ugly old fashioned wheels. SWMBO calls it the "stately home on wheels". But, it does a job (in comfort) and my MK1 MX5 (also green much to her annoyance) gives me my Pistonheads fix (in the 6 months that it is taxed at least!)
Well a few years later i thought it time to provide an update on the running costs of the old A8.
It has still (fingers crossed) never let me down and got us to the South of France twice in the last 3 years (breakdown cover with ADAC just in case, but never needed...they cover older cars unlike many). Now showing over 160,000 miles and the fuel display is on 26.2mpg average, but that is mostly open road use as the wifes car gets used for running about.
Some muppet hit the left rear when i stopped at a junction, then promptly drove off. Next day in the local online news, that very Ford was featured, in a ditch with an article saying the police were chasing it as was stolen. Pushed the left side of bumper in a cm or two but no damage otherwise.
Since the last update i lost one of the foglight grilles (common issue i believe and not shown on my cost log) and found a replacement on ebay. I then lost the other side and second hand replacements were £80+ (there is a new one on ebay today for £149 !) so i got one for an A6 and bodged it on (doesnt really fit). Over Xmas i lost the remaining A8 one so got another A6 one (£8) though it looks different to the other.
Also the steering angle sensor finally gave up the ghost in Jan so i got one off ebay that was "guaranteed to work". Low and behold the steering sensor bit worked but the airbag connector has a fault, so i just got another ebay one (after the seller of the other made all sorts of excuses not to refund the "guaranteed" part) which will be fitted next week....so fingers crossed.
|https://thumbsnap.com/gExBiunZ[/url]
It is still a great place to sit for wafting along the motorway and part of me still wants to get it to 200,000 miles. The other part of me says it is time to replace it as we will be clocking up more miles (Essex to Hull as mother-in-law is unwell) and to daughters university, so need something a bit more frugal. Fancied a Saab 9-5 Aero but with road tax of £555 and fuel economy not much over the A8's that has been chopped off the list.
Updated running cost log in case anyone is interested (minus the ebay grilles and steering angle sensor)
[url]
It has still (fingers crossed) never let me down and got us to the South of France twice in the last 3 years (breakdown cover with ADAC just in case, but never needed...they cover older cars unlike many). Now showing over 160,000 miles and the fuel display is on 26.2mpg average, but that is mostly open road use as the wifes car gets used for running about.
Some muppet hit the left rear when i stopped at a junction, then promptly drove off. Next day in the local online news, that very Ford was featured, in a ditch with an article saying the police were chasing it as was stolen. Pushed the left side of bumper in a cm or two but no damage otherwise.
Since the last update i lost one of the foglight grilles (common issue i believe and not shown on my cost log) and found a replacement on ebay. I then lost the other side and second hand replacements were £80+ (there is a new one on ebay today for £149 !) so i got one for an A6 and bodged it on (doesnt really fit). Over Xmas i lost the remaining A8 one so got another A6 one (£8) though it looks different to the other.
Also the steering angle sensor finally gave up the ghost in Jan so i got one off ebay that was "guaranteed to work". Low and behold the steering sensor bit worked but the airbag connector has a fault, so i just got another ebay one (after the seller of the other made all sorts of excuses not to refund the "guaranteed" part) which will be fitted next week....so fingers crossed.
|https://thumbsnap.com/gExBiunZ[/url]It is still a great place to sit for wafting along the motorway and part of me still wants to get it to 200,000 miles. The other part of me says it is time to replace it as we will be clocking up more miles (Essex to Hull as mother-in-law is unwell) and to daughters university, so need something a bit more frugal. Fancied a Saab 9-5 Aero but with road tax of £555 and fuel economy not much over the A8's that has been chopped off the list.
Updated running cost log in case anyone is interested (minus the ebay grilles and steering angle sensor)
[url]Interesting hypothetical here (man-maths) based on 10 years and 100,000 miles with possible goal of convincing myself to go electric.
A bunch of assumptions made, but a base model Tesla 3 (without the self-drive gubbins....i like driving myself !) comes out not that much dearer per year (and with the option to buy via my limited company it would be less still due to tax savings etc)
Its not a perfect comparison but if vaguely correct then maybe shedding a barge isn't as cheap as maybe thought, and I could be tempted to get myself into a shiny new car !
Question is, are these maths near enough right ?
A bunch of assumptions made, but a base model Tesla 3 (without the self-drive gubbins....i like driving myself !) comes out not that much dearer per year (and with the option to buy via my limited company it would be less still due to tax savings etc)
Its not a perfect comparison but if vaguely correct then maybe shedding a barge isn't as cheap as maybe thought, and I could be tempted to get myself into a shiny new car !
Question is, are these maths near enough right ?
Thought it warranted an update as the car has now passed 185K - also need to fix my opening post where i said the car was a 2000 model, when it was actually registered in April 2001
Must say that these old Audi's were solidly made as the doors still clunk and everything works (still got the weird HVAC clicking that has been there for years), and its still a comfy place to waft along the motorway.
Wife still thinks its a stately home on wheels and still (after all these years!) hates that it is green, but I do now hope to get it to 200K before looking for a replacement - which on current thoughts would be a Dacia Duster with the extra warranty - following the thread https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Obviously the fuel cost is a major outlay on a car like this and i have never kept tabs on spend. Around £30K would be my guess
So rough man maths of £30K for fuel and £10K in bills to drive 124K miles over just under 11.5 years works out at 32p per mile (excluding tax and insurance) or £3500 per year
Must say that these old Audi's were solidly made as the doors still clunk and everything works (still got the weird HVAC clicking that has been there for years), and its still a comfy place to waft along the motorway.
Wife still thinks its a stately home on wheels and still (after all these years!) hates that it is green, but I do now hope to get it to 200K before looking for a replacement - which on current thoughts would be a Dacia Duster with the extra warranty - following the thread https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Obviously the fuel cost is a major outlay on a car like this and i have never kept tabs on spend. Around £30K would be my guess
So rough man maths of £30K for fuel and £10K in bills to drive 124K miles over just under 11.5 years works out at 32p per mile (excluding tax and insurance) or £3500 per year
Well i didnt go down the EV route (though may be taking a new look at it) and the old A8 beast has sailed past 200,000 (back in December) and is now on 207K from memory (car is currently on a 400 mile day trip to the mother-in-laws). I was really pleased to hit the 200,000 mark with her.
Touch wood, nothing significant to report. It did start running very rough and needed 2 new ignition coils, the engine management light remains on (except when I clear it with VAGCOM, but soon comes back), and the weird HVAC clicking every 8 mins remains (from almost the day i bought it)
£11K in costs (excluding petrol, insurance, road tax) seems a great deal over 12.5 years and 145,000 miles, in a comfy barge. Yes i have to top up the oil every now and then, but she is an old girl (22 years), and obviously she likes a drink from the local purveyor of petrol.
Through work it is looking likely that i will be getting an EV (prob an MG 4 Trophy) which would mean my time with the A8 would come to an end. Done 3 trips to the South of France plus Brussels, Paris and a few other european jaunts, and not once has it let me done or come home on a flat bed (tempting fate). Maybe the old adage of "they don't make em like they used to" is very apt for the D2 generation A8
Touch wood, nothing significant to report. It did start running very rough and needed 2 new ignition coils, the engine management light remains on (except when I clear it with VAGCOM, but soon comes back), and the weird HVAC clicking every 8 mins remains (from almost the day i bought it)
£11K in costs (excluding petrol, insurance, road tax) seems a great deal over 12.5 years and 145,000 miles, in a comfy barge. Yes i have to top up the oil every now and then, but she is an old girl (22 years), and obviously she likes a drink from the local purveyor of petrol.
Through work it is looking likely that i will be getting an EV (prob an MG 4 Trophy) which would mean my time with the A8 would come to an end. Done 3 trips to the South of France plus Brussels, Paris and a few other european jaunts, and not once has it let me done or come home on a flat bed (tempting fate). Maybe the old adage of "they don't make em like they used to" is very apt for the D2 generation A8
Just been to the local MG garage and an orange Trophy model is looking ever more likely. Part of me would love to try and get the A8 to 300,000 but that's quite a few more years of petrol to pay for.
Not sure I have ever kept a car much over 4 years previously so A8 ownership will be a record that is unlikely to be beaten.
As we left the MG dealer the wife said 'i would be really sad to see the A8 drive away, as after 12 years she is part of the family ". And I always thought she hated it for being "old man like"!!
Oddly, having always been a fan of GTI, WRX type stuff I would go as far as saying that the A8 has been the best car we ever owned...maybe that just reflects that I have gotten old !!
If we do say goodbye, I will come on here and close the thread. If not, maybe the next update will be at 222,222 miles
Not sure I have ever kept a car much over 4 years previously so A8 ownership will be a record that is unlikely to be beaten.
As we left the MG dealer the wife said 'i would be really sad to see the A8 drive away, as after 12 years she is part of the family ". And I always thought she hated it for being "old man like"!!
Oddly, having always been a fan of GTI, WRX type stuff I would go as far as saying that the A8 has been the best car we ever owned...maybe that just reflects that I have gotten old !!
If we do say goodbye, I will come on here and close the thread. If not, maybe the next update will be at 222,222 miles
Well our time with the A8 has come to an end, with her being replaced by a salary sacrifice leased MG4 Trophy in a rather bright orange.
Sheet below records all the costs along the way (i may have missed some smaller ones) as well as the buy and sell price.
So £16K (excluding tax, insurance and shed loads of petrol) over 13 years and 4 months, and 150K miles . Dont think i can complain about that, especially as it never once failed to start, or let us down. We averaged 12,600 miles a year over the past 6 years so she was still adding the miles on. Pleased i got a photo of it clocking over to 200,000
Hopefully we will see it around for a few years to come, as someone local took it away as a wafter to drive 5 miles to work for a few months before giving it to his dad
Sheet below records all the costs along the way (i may have missed some smaller ones) as well as the buy and sell price.
So £16K (excluding tax, insurance and shed loads of petrol) over 13 years and 4 months, and 150K miles . Dont think i can complain about that, especially as it never once failed to start, or let us down. We averaged 12,600 miles a year over the past 6 years so she was still adding the miles on. Pleased i got a photo of it clocking over to 200,000
Hopefully we will see it around for a few years to come, as someone local took it away as a wafter to drive 5 miles to work for a few months before giving it to his dad
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