23rd Jun 2018, 22:37
Wish you many, many more enjoyable miles in your car.
Re: the suspension needing calibration - mechanically (engine, gearbox) that car should be fine if well-maintained and not abused. But the rest of the car, being the flagship, will have a lot of equipment that are complexities, like any air suspension systems, and these little things can fail. But it is on par with similar vehicles - any Mercedes S-class (post JR Ewing's), BMW 7-Series (from the Bangle era onwards), or a Range Rover. Many of these little things that fail are not likely to debilitate the car, but it may annoy you that it isn't working or not functioning correctly.
28th Jun 2018, 14:36
Thanks folks! I try to post up what it's like to live with the cars I own. I like to read others you see.
I tried an indie specialist, but like almost all of them they use VAGCOM to interface with the car's ECU. This isn't nearly as sophisticated as the German-HQ-connected software that main dealers have. I was referred to a main dealer by my indie specialist to do the recalibration.
I did 717 miles in three days this week, mostly at 30 plus degrees.
Out to Ipswich, then on to Reading, on to Poole, then home to the Midlands. Lots of roadworks and traffic as well as highway runs.
Amazing A/C, seats that are as comfy after five hours as they are after ten minutes, and all the torque in the world made for an extremely stress free set of road trips. Averaged 29 MPG too, which for a 4.2 V8 is close to amazing I think.
The interior feels a special place to be, and the engine just adds joy to any journey. As long as this doesn't become a money pit I feel sure I will keep this for a while. Just completed 2000 miles in my hands.
11th Jul 2018, 21:04
Original poster here again: First repair bill after 4 weeks :)
Turns out the software couldn't recalibrate the suspension because the residual pressure valves on the front suspension legs were clogged.
Audi don't list the parts any more, so I ordered fronts (and rears to be safe) from Meissner in Germany, who make the OEM parts. They were delivered next day to the UK, and the local Audi dealer fitted them for me.
What a revelation! The ride is now magic-carpet-like in "comfort" mode, and genuinely sporty in "Dynamic".
Hopefully my last big bill for a while and I can concentrate on putting some serious miles on this beautiful car.
12th Jul 2018, 19:46
When you drive a great car, simply consider it the price of admission. Consider the smile and quality of life factor. Pay the bill and put it away in a drawer. If you tire of the car, sell it for a new buggy.
12th Jul 2018, 21:21
Maybe I shouldn't have jinxed it with my comment on the complexities of the air suspension...
13th Jul 2018, 02:20
So get it fixed vs fret over complexities. A lot of the time the real jinx is our own attitudes, vs putting a car through its paces and having a lot of fun with them.
13th Jul 2018, 20:18
LOL got my first puncture in 20 years today :D
Jinxed! :)
I paid top dollar to get the best OEM parts and had them fitted by a main Audi dealer. I love this car and I agree that despite the amazing purchase price, cars like these take money and TLC to run.
It is a glorious piece of kit. So very timelessly handsome, comfortable, fast and mostly INTERESTING. I hope to keep this for a lot of miles.
14th Jul 2018, 10:50
I totally agree. Reward yourself with a great automobile instead of stashing every penny away. It’s a lot more fulfilling before you are too old to drive anymore.
17th Jul 2018, 17:54
Original poster here again - I clicked over my 3000th mile since I owned this car today on a drive back from Halifax.
It's a really lovely car, but I do hope I don't fork out £800 every 3000 miles!! :)
24th Jul 2018, 20:07
Original poster here: This lovely car is JINXED! LOL.
I reversed towards a kerb today and it ripped off a rear mudflap. When I jacked it up to take the wheel off to replace it tonight, I left the ignition on and the battery has run flat! Okay so it's my fault, but don't let that spoil a jinx story :)
In good news I bought the original Audi MMI update CDs from eBay and I updated everything to 5570 - the final 2g MMI update. Some really sweet updates, 3D nav, better media handling, other stuff. Sold the CDs for what I paid for 'em too :)
Cleaned it today. My word this is a timelessly beautiful car.
10th Aug 2018, 10:33
Original poster here:
Just clicked over 4500 miles. No dramas since the puncture.
Comfy, fast and handsome. 28 MPG too. Love it.
10th Aug 2018, 21:19
Keep at it, and keep us posted. Many cars can give some trouble and need repairs early on, especially if not used often enough of late, or there has been a change of driver (or, how the car is habitually driven), but run dependably afterwards.
25th Aug 2018, 14:32
Original poster here: Clicked over six thousand miles in my ownership, in two and a bit months. Nothing else has gone wrong in the last 5k miles.
Last weekend I had a road trip to Scotland, then Suffolk, then home in three days. 1100 miles. What a ground-coverer this car is! Staggeringly comfortable, yet still responsive to driver inputs. Drop the suspension to "Dynamic" and engage "Sport" gear change mode, and the big old A8 does a fair impression of a Mustang! The engine is silent when cruising, yet growls like a dragon when revved. With long drives mixed with some town work I'm getting 30 plus MPG, which is amazing for a car of this size and power IMO.
If it continues to be reliable I see no reason to let this lovely car go.
Incidentally the car came with Uniroyal Rainsport 3 tyres fitted, and they were supernaturally grippy in dreadfully wet conditions in Scotland.
Very happy right now.
26th Oct 2018, 07:33
Original poster here - Odo just clicked over 9000 miles. Nothing else has gone wrong, a litre of oil being the only maintenance expense. Not the car's fault, but parking has been my downfall. It is a truly huge beast and I have scuffed the rear bumper twice in my clumsiness.
Apart from that it has been a joy to own. Still gorgeous and timeless when cleaned, comfy everywhere and with a glorious V8 soundtrack. Town fuel consumption is appalling, but hey it's a 4.2 litre V8!
It "feels" like it will do a couple hundred thousand miles without any issue.
The advice seems to be "with an A8 don't buy the best you can afford, buy the best THERE IS".
23rd Jun 2018, 13:42
Thanks for the updates. These are good cars. Expensive though. I'd be wary of going to a dealer - an independent specialist might be cheaper for your suspension and other things. Let us know how you get on.