3.0 tdi SE or Sport? 07 or 08 model?

[xila]

I'm thinking on getting a nearly new A8. They seem to be great value at the minute. So I need to decide which age and model. My intended budget was about £25K and I will keep the car for about 4 years.

Essentials are Xenon lights and long thigh support. Is it possible to get extendable thigh support in an SE?

1. The brouchures imply very little difference between SE and Sport - so why do people buy the sport model - are there benefits?

2. Is there much difference in A8 for 2007 and the 2008 model which I guess started with 57 reg. I know the square foglights are the visible difference, but what about dynamics.

3. When the emmission level change to 224?

4. What are LED daytime running lights?

Look like a 07 SE should be below budget whilst an 08 Sport is over budget. Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks

Xila

[MadMacStew]

I thought the same - then I discovered the VW Phaeton! Same engine and transmission, arguably better looking, superbly made with almost every conceivable toy as standard fit, and ludicrously cheap now - you'll get an early 2008 model for £25k!! Remember it's the Phaeton, not the A8, that is the basis of the Bentley Continental - you can easily see this by checking out the centre console, which is identical apart from the Bentley having rounded 'soft' buttons on the sat nav display.

[xila]

I thought the same - then I discovered the VW Phaeton! Same engine and transmission, arguably better looking, superbly made with almost every conceivable toy as standard fit, and ludicrously cheap now - you'll get an early 2008 model for £25k!! Remember it's the Phaeton, not the A8, that is the basis of the Bentley Continental - you can easily see this by checking out the centre console, which is identical apart from the Bentley having rounded 'soft' buttons on the sat nav display.


Madmac - don't start me on that road again! I struggle with the rear end of the Phaeton, and the Sat Nav just looks dated to me, but I can't forget how wonderful the seats felt and how well it drove. The kids loved the (Breitling, I think) clock, and they are just 6 & 8.

I'm going for a long drive in the A8 and will then be in a better position to decide...

Thanks for the input :-)

Xila :biglaugh:

[MadMacStew]

Hi Xila,

I agree that the back end of the A8 is cleaner than the Phaeton (there's something not quite right about the shape of the front of the C pillar), although I like the Phaeton's rear light cluster, and I think the VW front end is much more elegant than the Audi - but that's all in the eye of the beholder. I also agree that the integral sat nav isn't as good as my TomTom - but that's not unusual with proprietary systems! The 'real' clock is a classy touch, but I'm not sure if it's by Breitling (Bentleys certainly have Breitling clocks), although it's certainly accurate as it's radio-driven. The 'cool toy' that most passengers like is the motorised wood covers over the dash air vents - I got a wide-eyed 'No Way!' from our office petrol head on his first ride to the pub on Friday lunchtime. :-)

When I bought my Phaeton, I confess that it was mostly because it was £10-15k cheaper than an equivalent A8, so I saw it as a 'second choice' value option. Having driven it for a couple of thousand miles now though, I think it may be a better car in an absolute sense - certainly, it's much more exclusive! I've seen lots of Passat and A6/A8 owners looking it over in car parks, and I've only ever seen one other one on the road. As you say, it's a very comfortable and 'feelgood' place to sit, and the adaptive air suspension makes it a breeze to drive long distances in comfort - even on UK roads....

Let's face it - you can't really go wrong with either an A8 or a Phaeton, it's very much a matter of personal taste and they are each better than the Beemer/Merc/Lexus alternatives, although I guess I would say that, having had five Audis in a row before jumping ship!

[Gerbil]

I know these things are a matter of personal taste, but I just cannot see the Pheaton in the same league as the A8?

I drove a Bentley owning mate in my 05 plate A8 recently his comment as he left, was the Audi was clearly no where near as quick (mine is a 3.0 petrol) as his Bentley, but the comfort of the ride; sat nav, sound and seats were all superior to his. Maybe the Bentley was just a little too much of a Pheaton :-)

But beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the Pheaton is definitely a well built car, but I think I would stick with the A8 with its Bose sound and alloy body.

Just wish it had DAB radio or an ipod connection.

[MadMacStew]

I know these things are a matter of personal taste, but I just cannot see the Pheaton in the same league as the A8?

I drove a Bentley owning mate in my 05 plate A8 recently his comment as he left, was the Audi was clearly no where near as quick (mine is a 3.0 petrol) as his Bentley, but the comfort of the ride; sat nav, sound and seats were all superior to his. Maybe the Bentley was just a little too much of a Pheaton :-)

But beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the Pheaton is definitely a well built car, but I think I would stick with the A8 with its Bose sound and alloy body.

Preference for one or the other is certainly a matter of taste, but they are definitely in the same league. Don't forget that the Phaeton was commanded by the Chairman of VAG to be the best car they could build, no holds barred. It's heavier than the A8, so slower and thirstier with the same engine, but this pays off in the ride, which is superior to any A8 I've ever driven (3.0 diesel, 4.0 diesel and 4.2 petrol). This is commonly exacerbated by A8 owners going for the 20" wheels, which look great but do the ride no favours. Bentleys are stiffer due to their much higher performance and 'sporty' setup, so you can't fairly compare the ride quality. With the B&O option, the A8 has a great sound system, but so does the Phaeton, in fact L.A. Car describes it as “the best-sounding factory audio system on the planet,” and says, “the sounds from top to bottom are immaculately free from distortion and presented with staggering three-dimensionality.” I have to say that the standard sound system in my Phaeton is the best I've ever heard - and I've had seven Audis before jumping ship! Personally, a matter of taste again, I hate the 'popup' satnav display in the A8, but I did think it was the same basic system as the Phaeton.

Bottom line, they're both fine cars and a credit to their makers, so you can't really go wrong whichever one you prefer.

[A8 Chris]

I have just bought an 07 3.0TDI SE LWB for 25.5k, down from the advertized 30k.

This might become a bit of an issue with the Audi dealer as it was advertized with Xenons, but after decoding the options list, I found it lacks them. After finding a car with a light interior, Xenons were high on my list of priorities, as my old Vauxhall Omega Elite had them, and I have retro fitted them on my two bikes. However, scanning the used A8 market for the last 6 weeks shows how few there are with this option.

You will also need to find one with the comfort seat pack for the extra thigh support.

I want to change the 19" wheels to the standard spec 17" ones for improved ride quality. Even with the 19s, I have to say that it is the best ride I have experienced in any car, and as a chauffeur, I get the chance to drive a few. Perhaps that's down to the adaptive suspension and longer wheel base.

Personally, I find the driving seat of the Phaeton lacking in cushioning and uncomfortable. Yes it has all the bells and whistles, but I find the interior quality and finish of the Audi just that bit better. Personal judgement I know, others may disagree.

Chris

[JimC64]

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r38/jaycam0802/car22.jpg


A8 OR Phaeton.....both top class excellent cars IMO.
I've loved the A8 for a few years now and nearly bought one last year, top ofthe range 4.2 Tdi Quattro.......stunning.
The Phaeton has taken my breath away a few times...as a previous poster said, the brief from the VW MD at the time was, no expense spared, get it right. The W12 I think it is can do 185mph and one of the main requirements was NO wind noise, even at that speed..NONE
Personally I don't think it has the same appeal or class as an Audi, but what a car.
Tough call whatever way you decide to go.....please let us know

Cheers

Jim

[xila]

Well, here is my update. I got a facelifted A8 '08 Sport in black. Very happy. Had it for 3 weeks now and really getting used to the size. At first I was just a little intimadated with it, even though I was coming from a Touareg which was quick a similiar size.

Xila

[xila]

I have just bought an 07 3.0TDI SE LWB for 25.5k, down from the advertized 30k.

This might become a bit of an issue with the Audi dealer as it was advertized with Xenons, but after decoding the options list, I found it lacks them. After finding a car with a light interior, Xenons were high on my list of priorities, as my old Vauxhall Omega Elite had them, and I have retro fitted them on my two bikes. However, scanning the used A8 market for the last 6 weeks shows how few there are with this option.

You will also need to find one with the comfort seat pack for the extra thigh support.

I want to change the 19" wheels to the standard spec 17" ones for improved ride quality. Even with the 19s, I have to say that it is the best ride I have experienced in any car, and as a chauffeur, I get the chance to drive a few. Perhaps that's down to the adaptive suspension and longer wheel base.

Personally, I find the driving seat of the Phaeton lacking in cushioning and uncomfortable. Yes it has all the bells and whistles, but I find the interior quality and finish of the Audi just that bit better. Personal judgement I know, others may disagree.

Chris

Chris,

What are you going to do about the Xenons. I find the Xenons to be superb, my first car with Xenons and was one of my main requirements.

Xila

[MadMacStew]

Well, here is my update. I got a facelifted A8 '08 Sport in black. Very happy. Had it for 3 weeks now and really getting used to the size. At first I was just a little intimadated with it, even though I was coming from a Touareg which was quick a similiar size.

Xila
I know what you mean about the size. I was concerned about this, going from an A4, but the front/rear parking sensors on the Phaeton are really good, and very easy to use, so I find parking this car easier than almost anything I've driven, including the wife's TT!

[Gerbil]

[

This might become a bit of an issue with the Audi dealer as it was advertized with Xenons, but after decoding the options list, I found it lacks them. After finding a car with a light interior, Xenons were high on my list of priorities, as my old Vauxhall Omega Elite had them, and I have retro fitted them on my two bikes. However, scanning the used A8 market for the last 6 weeks shows how few there are with this option.


This is probably a terribly basic question, but how do you "decode the options" to find out if you have Xenons? I think mine has them (The lights are fantastic out of town) but I have no idea how to confirm.

My 05 A8 came with 20" alloys, and I agree entirely that the shift to smaller wheels improved the ride. I managed to find some 18" 13 spoke alloys on eBay, which was great and very lucky - but beware they took up a lot of room in the car when I picked them up!! So take something with you to protect the seats.

Cheers

[MadMacStew]

[

This might become a bit of an issue with the Audi dealer as it was advertized with Xenons, but after decoding the options list, I found it lacks them. After finding a car with a light interior, Xenons were high on my list of priorities, as my old Vauxhall Omega Elite had them, and I have retro fitted them on my two bikes. However, scanning the used A8 market for the last 6 weeks shows how few there are with this option.


This is probably a terribly basic question, but how do you "decode the options" to find out if you have Xenons? I think mine has them (The lights are fantastic out of town) but I have no idea how to confirm.
Cheers

When you switch on Xenons, there's a quick high-intensity flash before the lights commence normal operation, the dipped lights always have self-levelling so you see the lights drop and then swing up into alignment on switch-on, and the light is a little bluer than halogens. You can tell if you have Bi-Xenons (dip and main beams) because on full beam, both main and dip beams will be the same intense blue-white colour.

[Sam]

This is probably a terribly basic question, but how do you "decode the options" to find out if you have Xenons? I think mine has them (The lights are fantastic out of town) but I have no idea how to confirm.

Try this

http://igorweb.org/equidec/Default.aspx

;)

[Steve-T]

I don't think the xenons are all that to be fair....sure they look good, but don't from inside the car. The full beam is average and not nearly as good as my wife's 51 plate 3 series beamer xenons.

I have made reference to this before, apparently it's to do with the lens.

I have xenons on an A8 and an A6 and they are no different.

Just picked up a non-xenon A8 55 plate, so will wait till it gets dark!!