Looking for experiences with the Audi V8 TDI (3.3L CR Diesel) in the A8

Ich liebäugele gerade mit einem solchen Wägelchen.

Can anyone share positive or negative experiences? Are there any specific things to consider when making a purchase?

I am grateful for any response!

Stefan.

Hello,

'My father owns one of these. He is generally satisfied with the car; he gets about 9 liters per 100 kilometers in fuel consumption, mostly during relatively fast driving on country roads. He especially praises it when he's towing a caravan. The 100 km/h speed limit is, of course, not a problem, and the vehicle can easily handle that speed (or even more).'

Within the warranty period, he experienced some unpleasant (expensive) damages, but all of them were covered. These included both turbochargers (although I doubt the workshop's diagnosis, but never mind), as well as parts of the common rail system, although I no longer remember which ones.

Furthermore, he had problems with the Tiptronic, which was probably because his was a pre-production model (built immediately before the factory holidays) and therefore supposedly did not have the standard transmission.

Inside the car, the door panels started to develop some mildew, which apparently is not uncommon with Alcantara, and they were also replaced under the warranty.

Currently, the car has around 150,000 kilometers on the odometer, and since the initial problems, it only has one issue remaining: the idle current consumption. Even when everything is turned off, it's around 300mA, which can become a problem with longer periods of inactivity. However, apart from disconnecting the battery, there doesn't seem to be a solution for this.

Regards,
Private.

Great, thank you for the answer.

The issue of moldy door panels was already addressed in a previous episode of the series.
The Tiptronic transmission of the vehicle I'm considering is unlikely to have any 'unusual' problems; it's a vehicle manufactured in September 2001, which makes it a model year 2002 and therefore one of the last models produced.
With 60,000 km on the odometer, I would consider it to be well-broken in. Of course, I would only buy a vehicle with a manufacturer's warranty (my current experience with aftermarket warranties has convinced me of that...).

I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone with further experiences.

Stefan.

I would be very critical of a three-year-old vehicle of this class, especially one equipped with a diesel engine, with only 60,000 km on the odometer. These are usually vehicles driven by people who travel a lot, and typically cover 40,000 to 50,000 km per year.

I would very carefully check the mileage. I wouldn't give much weight to a service booklet from a dealer who is also selling the vehicle, as 'mileage tampering' unfortunately seems to be a common practice these days. Instead, ask to see inspection reports and repair invoices that include the mileage, and carefully examine the vehicle. However, I must admit that it is difficult to determine the true mileage of vehicles like this.

Regards,
Private.

Thank you for the information!

The mileage is genuine; the vehicle still has the original factory-installed windshields and brake pads, which show realistic wear. The shock absorbers are still in good condition, the interior is not worn, and the service record is complete and verifiable. The stamps in the service record are very diverse and correspond to what the odometer indicates.

This week, I'll be taking it for a test drive and then taking a closer look. The vehicle is being sold by a large Audi dealership in the area, and they aren't afraid to offer vehicles with over 200,000 km on the odometer.

Stefan.

3.3L diesel engine displacement? That would be almost 500€ in annual vehicle taxes .

Or is this part also tax-advantaged through a loophole, like the Touareg? If so, it's better not to say it, such an injustice would really annoy me.

Best regards,

SeatArosa1.7SDI wrote:

Oder ist das Teil auch über die Hintertür steuerbegünstigt wie der Touareg?

How does this benefit work? Is it through registration as a truck?

ulf wrote:

SeatArosa1.7SDI wrote: Oder ist das Teil auch über die Hintertür steuerbegünstigt wie der Touareg? How does this benefit work? Is it through registration as a truck?

.. Through approval as a combination vehicle. This applies to vehicles between 2.8 and 3.49 tons of gross vehicle weight. These vehicles are then taxed based on weight (like trucks) and not based on engine displacement . Emission standards also play a role. Therefore, the Phaeton TDI and the Touareg TDI do not need to meet the EU4 standard (these vehicles are even subject to the EU2 standard!!!!). Other vehicles, such as the M-Class and the X5, are also subject to this strange regulation.
Don't worry about it, it will be over in a few months...

http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/0,1518,310671,00.html

Bertil wrote:

This applies to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight between 2.8 and 3.49 tons. These vehicles are then taxed based on their weight (like trucks) and not based on engine displacement . The emission standards also play a role. Therefore, the Phaeton TDI and the Touareg TDI do not need to meet the EU4 standard (these vehicles are even subject to the EU2 standard!!!!). Other vehicles, such as the M-Class and the X5, are also subject to this strange regulation. Mach dir nix draus, in ein Paar Monaten ist es damit vorbei ....

I can only say: Exactly! / That's right! / Well done!
It's amazing that our government is finally doing something useful.

As far as I can recall, the A8 weighs just under two tons; with an estimated payload of 600 kg, it only comes to 2.6 tons; therefore, it certainly doesn't qualify as a commercial vehicle.

(Unless you buy the armored 3.5-ton version.)

Stefan.

Okay,

ich bin dann mal mehrere Fahrzeuge zur Probe gefahren und zu dem Entschluß gekommen, dass das genau das Richtige für mich ist.

Way too big, impossibly expensive, attracts strange looks, and is simply fun to use, subjectively speaking.

My question now is: what is the average fuel consumption? The vehicles I drove all seemed to indicate around 9 liters. Is that actually the real-world consumption? Because if so, it would consume less fuel than my current AFB Quattro in my A4. Even better!

Stefan.