Audi S8 as an ownership proposition.

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

For some years now (as a half way house until I can afford the 10 year itch for a AM V8V) I have had a want for an Audi S8, like this - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

They are available for less, but they're not as nice. As an EG the way the leather has been kept in this one (my trade, I know what looked after leather looks like) suggests this one has been loved.

I'm not ready to buy, priority now is paying for our wedding in August.

So, does anyone know what they are like as an ownership proposition?

I know MPG shall be frightful, I guess 10 mpg if you're pressing along.
I am fully aware that servicing is likely to be £1000+ a time, brakes/tyres etc won't be cheap.
I'm aware that if a Lamborghini engine borkes it shall be ruiness!

It would very much be a second/ best car for us both. We have a 15 plate Insignia estate for day to day/ Sarah's work, and my van for day to day my work.

Are they a reliable machine? Looked after, well serviced yearly would it likely bankrupt me? Are the auto boxes solid? Any other common risks?

Any thoughts welcome.

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

Thanks both.

A few comments a questions in response:

The leather comment was as IME 90something % do not/ do not know/do not care how to look after leather. The fact that the leather on this one looks as new after nearly 10 years suggests to me a fastidious owner. May be wrong though.

What year are the facelift models from?

What are the tell tale signs of electrical problems on them?

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

briang9 said:

If/when you find one probably worth getting a decent independant Audi specialist to look it over, Think it cost me approx £100 when I got mine, well worth it IMHO.

Edited by briang9 on Saturday 25th February 13:26

That's a very good suggestion actually.

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

KungFuPanda said:

You also need to put aside £1500 for a Milltek...

Thanks for the pointers, and RE the above, yes I would agree.

RE the leather, my company is in my profile, and I could cover Manchester, building in a (not silly) amount for travel. We don't clean, we restore, but if you let me know your requirements I would happily give you the rundown on what we do. Won't say more on here as I've had a thread shut down not too long ago when it went on to work speak, and it became deemed an advert!

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

KungFuPanda said:

Just PMd you Rob! No rush to respond.

Personally, I looked at a couple of D3 S8's much like you are now but the ones at the bottom of the market are a bit rough.I spent a bit more money and decided to go for a D4 3.0 tfsi. Remapped it to circa 400bhp and it's pretty swift. If things work out, you'll be able to see it soon.

Just seen it, I'll respond/advise etc in due course.

The idea with it would be a toy/best car, and won't be for a while. As mentioned we need to pay for a wedding in August first, so a maybe for 2018. To see a same ilk 8 up close would be nice, whilst I know well what they look like I've never so much as sat in one!

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

OK. I'm back here again. Specifically this one has caught my eye.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

A few things. Sarah doesn't know yet, so I need her permission, and secondly I'm concerned I'm missing something, as it seems too cheap?

Taking in to account due diligence/ checks mentioned above (good advice all round) does anyone have any thoughts?

I've left the dealer a voicemail, and I shall cut to the chase and ask him if there is anything I need to know about the car when/if he calls back!
Edit, he's called. He says everything is how it should be. The only issues he informed of are a tyre pressure monitor warning light (he said a sensor on the wheel needs changing) and it shall need wheel bearings changing soon. My main thought was why would you not get these done if they are just small jobs??

Oh, and I'd change the interior to black, as I restore leather for a living.

Edited by Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah on Monday 13th November 13:37

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

Greg66 said:

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:

OK. I'm back here again. Specifically this one has caught my eye.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

A few things. Sarah doesn't know yet, so I need her permission, and secondly I'm concerned I'm missing something, as it seems too cheap?

Taking in to account due diligence/ checks mentioned above (good advice all round) does anyone have any thoughts?

I've left the dealer a voicemail, and I shall cut to the chase and ask him if there is anything I need to know about the car when/if he calls back!
Edit, he's called. He says everything is how it should be. The only issues he informed of are a tyre pressure monitor warning light (he said a sensor on the wheel needs changing) and it shall need wheel bearings changing soon. My main thought was why would you not get these done if they are just small jobs??

Oh, and I'd change the interior to black, as I restore leather for a living.

Edited by Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah on Monday 13th November 13:37

These are cheap because not many people want thirsty V10 engines, 127k mile cars, £500+ pa road tax and the perception that the next service bull could be ruinous.

But they are great value, and exceptionally well built.

The tyre pressure sensors: a bit of a minor PITA, these. Once the batteries in the sensors die, the car will ping a warning noise at you. New sensors from Audi are ridiculously expensive, but I got mine from ebay and they work just fine. You fit them, never check the pressures except for novelty value, forget about them, and then only remember them when the batteries wear out again.

Keyless entry: I thought it was a gimmick but love it. The little button on the door handle that you use to lock the car is susceptible to water ingress though. One of mine has died and one is temperamental.

Soft close doors really are a gimmick. Three other women in our house: guess how many can close a car door without slamming it.

The soft close bootlid motors are a bit anaemic - they will close the boot but can struggle to lift it. The fingerprint sensor on the ignition button can be a bit glitchy to recognise your print, but all it does is set AC, ICE, that sort of stuff. The button turns the engine without needing to read your print and the seat adjusts to your key.

One slight downside of that particular car is that it has Bose rather than B&O. But there don't seem to be many B&O cars around right now (there's this one: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201... which also has 4 zone climate control and the face lift front fogs and rear lights, but the price is a fair bit higher.

My only real quibble is a design point. The button to open the fuel flap is on the inside of the driver's door, and I only seem to be able to remember that once I've got out, closed the door and am standing in front of the closed fuel flap.

Good pointers, thanks. Anyways, Sarah's having none of it. Never mind the £10k we spent on her car earlier in the year, the £20k extension she's hankering after etc etc. Women do my head in sometimes. Oh well, time to be a little selfish and stash away £500-£1000 a month till I get the required amount me thinks

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

richardracer said:

If you search for S8 v10 on here you will find a thread I contributed to with a long summary of running costs. I recently sold my car with 172k miles after driving it for 110k miles and over 5 years. Find a well looked after one, a goo mechanic and a copy of VCDS with suitable cable and you will have Q car limousine motoring for not a lot of money.

Good luck

Richardracer

Thank you Richard, I'll have a search tomorrow when I'm more awake!

Can you please elaborate on 'a copy of VCDS with suitable cable', as that doesn't make sense to me?

Basically, I want/need a toy, something mint sounding (Milltek suggestion v much noted) prestige, very fast, very luxurious. I don't care for MPG - I had a fairly heavily tuned Focus ST3 (which I miss) returning ave 18mpg, I'm not bothered at £500 RFL, it's once a year, needs to be auto as S - whom I speaking to again after the earlier blow up - needs, she hates manuals. It fits EVERY last box. I need one.

The one I listed was only let down by none black interior. On that subject, another thing, hear me out, I need a car to be a leather showcase. My company restores leather, a leather colour change car or one where I need to make the leather perfect is great - selling a job, come and have a look at my car, what I've done, 'wow, when can you fit me in' etc.

Now to just get the readies together, or pursued Mrs Tyler to let me spunk £8000 on a toy, which to her is an extravagance, she doesn't get that the need for something petrolhead is important to me, much, I suppose, like I don't get her desire for owning £1000 handbags.

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

Easternlight said:

VCDS is dealer level diagnostic software for Vag cars, essential for fault finding but also does much more.
Available here.
https://m.gendan.co.uk/vcds-hex-usb-can.php

Thanks, again, noted, for whenever the need arises.