Honest opinions on A8 ?

[n1cka8]

My A8 is my first Audi. I am keen to hear experiences of others who have A8's and have had a few niggles. It's easy to say how brilliant your car is and how much you love it, if you drive an A8 it's fair to assume you like your cars, like I do !

I have had all sorts of cars from a Land Rover D3 to a Caterham via some Alfa's and Ford's. I have to say that the A8 is on the whole stunning, it makes me smile each time I turn the key.

On a negative note I remain totally unimpressed by the over complexity of some of the systems and the list of "common faults" on, what is according to my paperwork, a £60k car.

Am I being over sensitive ? I appreciate many of you are regular contributors here and I am not. I am a novice with Audi's but I have friends with "other" german cars and they don't seem to suffer these issues, if they do they keep it quiet.

Where I have my servicing done, a german independant specialist - he has technicians for VAG and the obvious "other germans"...and he swears by the A8...tells me it's the ultimate and "knocks spots" of the 7-series and S-class, on the whole I agree but after a few issues that either never get resolved or cost the same as a small island to solve I feel my confidence fading. I am not a millionaire either so could it be that I have bought a car out of my league, should I have gone for the less complex and just as nice A6 le mans I looked at ???

I am feeling in need of an Audi group hug here guys, after my latest £170 for one rear LED light I am seriously thinking about parting company with her and I really don't want too but I fear what is around the next corner. Just how solid is the A8 ?

[EG-4.0TDI]

Well you certainly get my sympathy!

I've had a lot more trouble than most I think - it has, frankly, been absolutely ridiculous - and in a vehicle that is mostly used for motorway miles so not abused.

Rant said, they are utterly brilliant cars when they work - there really is nothing to touch them and once you've had one it spoils you for anything else (especially in the Audi range). Hugely comfortable, extremely fast, stable, works in snow, big enough to get anything in, looks appropriately classy wherever it is without being showy. And it has a belting Hi Fi.

You just have to reckon that they can cost a lot of money to run and that, really, you are taking a financial gamble on maintenance bills whilst saving the certainty of the depreciation costs (assuming you are buying second hand that is).

Now, the goods news is that you've probably heard from the person who has had the most aggro on here (and who would still buy another one!) and there are others who haven't had any issues at all...

[n1cka8]

I kind of agree..when it's working it is superb. It's currently sat on my drive, boot full, fuel tank full, polished looking awesome and ready to transport me and the family plus twin axle caravan 600 miles into France, and I know it'll do it all in it's stride and that's the clincher - so I guess after the initial shock of a £170 indicator I am calmer now...I have to be honest I did have a sneeky look on the autotrader page and fleabay......I quite fancy the 57 plate 4.2 Quattro sport !!!....for now it's business as usual with mine....

[Micha_elD]

I've had mine for about 5 years, since it was 18 months old, and done 40k miles so its now around 55k miles.

So far its needed 2 sets of tyres, one set of brakes, servicing every two years, and, err... a second hand back light and a thermostat. Thats it. I've spent more on it, by adding options, but thats because its a beautiful car to work on, and I love a good project, but really can't complain about the running costs or reliability.

In fact, I'm thinking of doing what I do with other technologies, and skipping a generation, e.g. go iPhone 4 to iPhone 5, and miss the 4S, same approach with PCs, TVs etc. Now thinking it makes sense with a car, the latest A8 doesn't seem to offer much of an improvement, so I'm thinking of getting the one after that, which will be out in about 6 years

[n1cka8]

I read a recent article where Mr Clarkson says "the new A8 is a superb exec car but once again the design/photocopying department at Audi have made it as dull as possible"....that's a bit unfair as surely the brand distinction on models is key ?

....Kind of irrelivant tbh as the new A8 is a long way off my budget !