1998 Audi A8 Tiptronic Quattro V8 4.2, 300hp from North America

Summary:

A nice, but expensive, sedan

Faults:

The engine's timing chain has broken twice, after warranty.

The water pump failed, resulting in an expensive engine overhaul.

The transmission had to be replaced.

General Comments:

This is a fairly good car. The looks are nice, and it is luxurious and comfortable without being ostentatious. The performance could be better. The engine is a great engine, but more power is needed for such a large car. It has many nice features, including rear heated seats.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th November, 2003

1998 Audi A8 4.2 Quattro 4.2L from Switzerland

Summary:

The higher level car on the market

Faults:

The radio system ; the searching station can't find a station if it hasn't a perfect signal. I have to change the antenna or the radio, I don't know what the problem is yet. That is the only thing that shocked me. I can't believe that for a luxury German car the radio is made in Portugal.

General Comments:

The car is so comfortable that you think you are in your home while you're driving it, I drove it many times on highway and I can say that you hear nothing. The car is totally insulated, there is no noise.

Audi is known as an excellent manufacturer and really exclusive (in any case for Audi A8).

I drove a Mercedes class-S and the A8 is far away better, smoother, lighter, faster for a smaller engine, and less consumption.

The perfect RPM level for low consumption is approximately 2'000 rpm. It accelerate very good, and go more than ~140 km/h in the last gear (at 2'000rpm of course). And the tip-tronic semi automatic transmission is really exclusive, you can drive it like an automatic or a manual car.

There is just one thing that annoys me, the dealer service, they are very low level people and they are expensive (or like robbers) ; for repairing the radio system they ask 950$, this is amazing, because I can pay another radio for less.

It's really the best luxury car. I said that I don't know if I would buy another car of this manufacturer, I would make it only if it's an A8 again.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 7th November, 2003

4th Jan 2004, 17:11

I appreciate your comments. Please be aware of the other known problem with this year A8, which could be the transmission. See audipages.com under transmission noises for the issue. I just got hit with the issue.

Mike.

8th Mar 2004, 16:45

What do you think Portugal Manufacturing is?

What's the problem about the radio being manufactured in Portugal!! For your information most of the electric system of Porsche, Audi, BMW and others is in fact pre-manufactured in Portugal, and then mounted in the cars!!!

22nd Apr 2004, 06:49

Radio, that is produced in Portugal is the best thing on this car, believe me, I've had one of thees and it was not quality car, and not one single part was produced in Germany. I've made a little survey and the chassis and everything else made of metal was produced in Bosnia and Herzegovina. If you want a quality car, buy volvo or japanese car.

29th Jun 2004, 13:26

I am the one who wrote this comment on my Audi A8.

Mike, thanks you! I have reached 80'000km, and there are no other problem except with the radio. I heard about the problems with the transmission, but I never push this car to the limit... I'm getting about 2'000rpm in every gear and it's perfect! So, I think this problem won't come.

For the two others, you are saying incredible things. There are no problems with Portugal, but for a car like this one, it needs an excellent quality built in a high level country, like Germany or Switzerland... And Blaupunkt is the manufacturer of this radio, and it's a German enterprise, so why they didn't built it in Germany too? It's amazing and I was shocked when I knew for it.

And I don't want a Volvo, or a Japanese car (even if the Honda Legend's pretty good), I want the best luxury car, and if I have it, I want the best quality.

17th May 2006, 15:51

I would be very surprised to find any modern car manufacturer (or should that be simply, manufacturer?) outsourcing items and parts in order to produce a car to budget. No, I'm sorry, it's true, regardless of spec or that glossy buying guide, every car made is produced according to budget. This is a global economy. Get real.