Audi A8 - Talk some sense into me.

kaiowas

kaiowas

kaiowas

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So there I was looking on ebay to see what cheap stuff is in the area to get a bit of inspiration on what I might get to replace the MR2 when I came across a mid 90s Audi A8 for about 1.5k. I got as far as "4.2 V8" and I can't think sensibly now.

One of these would bankrupt me wouldn't it? someone talk sense into me before I do something daft...
 
Yep, it will bankrupt you...so what, it's a V8 Audi innit, it's being sold cheaply for the same reason they all are and that's because they've taken their owners to their fiscal knees.


However, when they've recovered their bank balances they have the memories of owning an Audi A8 with all the trimmings, if you want those memories too...cough up....and take the pain lol.
 
kaiowas said:
So there I was looking on ebay to see what cheap stuff is in the area to get a bit of inspiration on what I might get to replace the MR2 when I came across a mid 90s Audi A8 for about 1.5k. I got as far as "4.2 V8" and I can't think sensibly now.

One of these would bankrupt me wouldn't it? someone talk sense into me before I do something daft...
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I drove a '98 2.8 a couple of times. The engine was a bit crap but the car itself was fantastic, if a bit of a boat, as long as you didn't use the manual over ride on the gearbox.
 
Do you know how to repair cars yourself? If not, I can't see this being a good idea at all. I would take a look at some of the spares costs for the car and I'm sure you'll quickly change your mind. There's a reason why they're so cheap to buy second hand.

Rgds
 
radderfire said:
Do you know how to repair cars yourself? If not, I can't see this being a good idea at all. I would take a look at some of the spares costs for the car and I'm sure you'll quickly change your mind. There's a reason why they're so cheap to buy second hand.

Rgds
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I've plenty of experience of getting my hands dirty, mechanically there's not really a job I wouldn't tackle however these are somewhat more modern and complicated than stuff I've worked on before but where possible I'll do all my own maintenance so it really comes down to cost of parts and what expensive things are known to go wrong.
 
kaiowas said:
I've plenty of experience of getting my hands dirty, mechanically there's not really a job I wouldn't tackle however these are somewhat more modern and complicated than stuff I've worked on before but where possible I'll do all my own maintenance so it really comes down to cost of parts and what expensive things are known to go wrong.
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It's alright, Rob has VAG-COM :D
 
If, as you say, you're OK twirling spanners then it might be worth a shot.
The engines are pretty reliable but it's the rest of them that falls to pieces.

If you can afford to throw it away if something serious goes wrong with it, then do it.
 
I tried a 2.8 A8 when looking to buy my old e38 728i and preferred the BMW hence me ultimately buying one, I'd therefore say you try a 740i before going for the Audi.

That said, the A8 is not a bad car.
 
Well mine was great fun, but the runing costs were way beyond what I was prepared to pay so I got rid of it after just over a year. 15 MPG average, with a full tank costing just shy of £100 at the time. They need to be run on super unleaded to release the full 300 horses too, so that doesn't help.

Mine was a '96, and had most of the common little electrical gremlins, but there are some great how-to's listed on Audipages.com, which made DIY fixes a lot easier.

Go for the sport version if you can find one. Same engine power and performance, but the lowered suspension and larger wheels make them a little less boat like in the handling department, and the double glazing makes them even quieter inside.
 
Assuming that you've still got Humph as a weekend toy go for it! I've always had a soft spot for the big engined A8s, everytime I see one I feel like hitting autotrader :D
 
As someone who has owned both an MR2 and a 4.2 Quattro Sport A8 - don't buy the A8!

HUGE cars - might not sound like an issue, but if you're used to driving an MR2, the A8 will take some getting used to. Economy is predictably poor - 14mpg around town on a good day. They don't feel "fast" in the sense that an MR2 does, because of the weight. I found myself blasting along at 95mph a few times without realising it. Also they are pretty expensive to fix if stuff goes wrong - and on a 13/14/15 year old car stuff will go wrong (gearbox for example).

I'd avoid.
 
Why are you spending £1500?

If its because you can't really afford to spend much more than £1500 on a car, then do not buy the A8.

If its because you just fancy an A8 and frankly, 1500 quid is pocket change so why not, then do it, but be aware it'll cost you its purchase price again a few times over in running costs over your ownership period.
 
Goliath said:
Assuming that you've still got Humph as a weekend toy go for it! I've always had a soft spot for the big engined A8s, everytime I see one I feel like hitting autotrader :D
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There is then the option to buy a trailer and have Humph off the road, but I think Phil would go mad having only a barge to wallow around in!

We'll probably end up with another Mk1 at this rate.

Any other recommendations for good cars at the £1500 mark?
 
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I did look at Pontiac Firebirds for you (I like them). Alas you can only get the 3.8 V6's for around that :(
 
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