D2 A8s - what say you?

"LeadfootYT" (leadfootyt) 04/02/2014 at 10:45 • Filed to: None

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My mechanic (and president of my state's BMW CCA chapter) has been recommending Audis to me as daily drivers, mostly those with the 2.8 six-cylinder or the 1.8T, and even the 2.7TT (like the B5 S4, which I very much like), but the Audi subject, and the need to find a spacious, practical, reliable, and comfortable daily driver, has made me consider the black sheep of the late-'90s Audi range. The spacious black sheep. The black sheep with the 4.2L V8 and plenty of room inside for activities (and also for camera gear).

So, what's the Oppinion on D2 A8s? I've heard good things about them, and I know that my mechanic actually used to have one himself. But would you buy one? I know that parts from Audi are expensive, but is it DIY-able? And would a higher mileage one be fairly reliable? I'm curious about them in the same way I'm curious about E38s, so I wanted to see if anyone was more familiar with them.

Example car. They're all in this price range. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Brian Silvestro > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 10:48

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I'd buy it at that price. I never see A8s that old, which makes them cooler.

Also, dat Albany craigslist. Do you live in Albany?!

Party-vi > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 10:49

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I've heard the transmissions are a weak point.

Aaron James > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 10:51

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What does your mechanic say about them? Does he recommend one for you?. Anything can be done DIY but you still have to pay for the parts.

Audi-os, amigos > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 10:53

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That's a damn handsome car.

And also, I can vouch for that 1.8T as it's in my B6 A4 right now. Heck of four-banger motor.

Sn210 > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 10:57

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I love the S8's from that generation. I'm not sure how they would stack up for daily use

Party-vi > Sn210 04/02/2014 at 10:59

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If you've got the pockets for it why not - I see a black D2 S8 consistently on the commute from DC to Baltimore.

Sn210 > Party-vi 04/02/2014 at 11:01

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anything can be a great DD if you've got deep pockets! I really haven't done my homework on these cars, so I can't offer much advice. I just know I want one for a weekend cruiser one day.

Jagvar > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 11:03

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Mechanically, they've been known to have problems (especially transmission-related). but this is true of any full-size German luxury car. A W220 or an E38 would cause you just as much grief, if not more.

The good thing about these is that they can be picked up very cheaply these days, and because of their advancing age, parts are becoming much more available, assuming you're willing to wrench them yourself at your local pick-your-part.

I think it's worth looking into. When I was growing up, several of my neighbors had them and swore by them.

LeadfootYT > Party-vi 04/02/2014 at 11:07

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Same. In fact my mechanic hates the tiptronics as a rule. But then again, he had one himself, so...

LeadfootYT > Brian Silvestro 04/02/2014 at 11:08

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Southern Vermont, but I frequent the Burlington, Western Mass, and Albany Craigslists haha.

LeadfootYT > Aaron James 04/02/2014 at 11:08

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I didn't check with him about these when I last spoke - they simply hadn't occurred to me - but I'll see. They're pinned as surprisingly reliable on forums, which got me thinking. I'll check next time I see him.

Brian Silvestro > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 11:09

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I see...

*cries alone in corner*

KatzManDu > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 11:09

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I owned a 1997 A8. Lots of fun.

Transmission. The "weak link." This is because Audi declared that it is a "lifetime fluid" and doesn't need to be changed. However, many owners smartened up and have had the fluid changed. As long as that maintenance has been done, these cars are very, very solid. That and do the timing belt at the appropriate intervals.

Other things to look at and worry about are upper/lower control arms and ball joints as well as coil packs.

This is the first car I did the shocks/struts on myself, and it wasn't that difficult.

EDIT:

I forgot; a few more things. One, monster car with monster fuel tank and it does require premium due to the higher-compression engine. The body is aluminum, so repairs can be tricky (finding a shop that knows what they're doing, etc.) Because of that comprehensive insurance costs a bit more. Head gaskets can eventually go, too, depending upon the age of the car. Because of the interference engine and overhead cams, that can be an expensive or time-consuming job if DIY.

There are people here in the US that have converted their slush box A8s/S8s to manuals, as in Europe the S8 did come with an optional manual gearbox. Go watch the movie Ronin if you haven't.

Aaron James > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 11:21

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He'd be your best real world source for advice since he's had one and hopefully can give you an unbiased opinion of them and an idea of the type and cost of maintenance. If you do buy one get the cleanest, most documented one you can afford, that goes for any car. If it's led a hard mysterious life devoid of any maintenance, it can turn into a nightmare fast. Spend a little more upfront and save a ton at the end. I've made the mistake of buying the cheapest example of a car I could find and been burned hard.

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 11:23

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Go B5 S4, saturated market means cheaper parts, tons of DIY info (and I mean TONS), also pretty fuel efficient if you can resist building boost. I cant...but its nice knowing I could be saving on fuel if I really wanted to.. Pics of my car below. p.s. its a love hate relationship, but mostly love.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 11:23

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for that price you can't go wrong, even if you only get a year out of it then you got your moneys worth ($4300 = $358/month x 12 months) I have to say that's a very elegant looking car even for being 13 years old

Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez > LeadfootYT 04/02/2014 at 12:08

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I used to have a '00 A6 2.7 TT as a daily. Here's the thing about Audi: Mechanically it's like a freaking Veyron because of the placement of things and the tight tolerances. It look me 3 days to do a starter because of blind bolts and removing various components. Audi uses brittle hoses that harden over time and leak and crack, leading to vacuum leaks and oil leaks all over the place. The A8 is a V8, so it isn't the hardest to take care of, but be prepared for oil leaks from the oil pan, both valve cover gaskets, and front main seal. Also, Audi made all these cars with timing belts and questionable tensioners, so it's only a matter of time before it pops and bends all your valves. That's a very intensive job that requires the car to go into "service carrier position", which involves taking the entire front end almost completely off. The electronics on the car aren't the greatest can can suffer from intermittent CAN BUS issues and the LCD screens are notorious for bleeding.

There's a reason A8s will never go below a certain price, it's because they're all aluminum, and scrap prices will always be higher than that of regular steel cars. It will also never rust, which is good.

I bought a W220 Mercedes S500 and it was a night and day difference. It was mechanically like working with Legos - easy to work on and take apart. It's the most reliable car I've ever had and has never given me an issue I couldn't easily resolve.

ColoradoTaco > LeadfootYT 04/04/2014 at 15:42

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Miles shouldn't matter in a car this old, I'd put more stock in having service records. The one you posted seems to have some of S8 bits; the side mirrors and wheels jump out at first glance. I have no experience with 4.2 personally but it is DIY-able, Audi still uses an updated version of this motor to this day.

If costs are an issue, avoid the 2.7T, it's a great motor but has some big failure points and can get expensive fast. But still DIY-able if you turn some wrenches, if not, shops will get ya. I had almost zero issues with my old 1.8T in the 6 years I had it. Aside from a clutch and a noisy cam chain tensioner, all I did was regular maintenance so I would recommend those. Huge aftermarket too, if that's your thing.