Possibly getting A8 4.2 TDi - Peoples real MPG please & other stuff

[Muppet_man]

Hi everyone,

I've been looking at an A8 4.2TDi. I would guess an early one around 2006 to 2008.

 

I would appreciate what the real world MPG was as I see great differences in published figures. Not so much on a run where I assume it will be pretty good anyway, but backwards and forwards daily traveling without exaggeration. 

 

I would also be interested in someone who's gone from an early shape one to the newer 2010 onwards shaped version about what improvements there are in ride, performance, MPG and general driving/ownership. If it is quite a bit, I might be tempted to sell several of the older smaller cars and a bit of a loan to get just one nice newer one instead.

 

As always, any comments much appreciated.

 

Cheers chaps.

[NewNiceMrMe]

Your best bet is to look at Honest John's Real World MPG for the 4.2 TDi

 

It has 35 owner reports averaging 31.6 mpg.

 

p.s. interestingly, as you mentioned the 2010 model, the owner reports suggest a lower MPG - down to 30.8.

Edited February 20, 2016 by NewNiceMrMe

[cruiser647]

Hi everyone,

I've been looking at an A8 4.2TDi. I would guess an early one around 2006 to 2008.

 

I would appreciate what the real world MPG was as I see great differences in published figures. Not so much on a run where I assume it will be pretty good anyway, but backwards and forwards daily traveling without exaggeration. 

 

I would also be interested in someone who's gone from an early shape one to the newer 2010 onwards shaped version about what improvements there are in ride, performance, MPG and general driving/ownership. If it is quite a bit, I might be tempted to sell several of the older smaller cars and a bit of a loan to get just one nice newer one instead.

 

As always, any comments much appreciated.

 

Cheers chaps.

 

Git.  

 

 

When I had my v6 tdi quattro, I was getting 37/38 on my long commute.  (official figures say 42) 

It was (and still is) the crawling in traffic that kills it for me.

 

I have also heard that the 2007/8 models with the rectangular foglights have a different front suspension/geometry set-up which improves the ride a lot.

The 2006 models, onward have the £505? road tax.  There are a few 2005 (55 reg) 4.2 TDis about, but if you can afford the newer one then there is no reason to get one.

 

Personally, for me there is no better luxo-barge.

 

Back to the ride - you'll need to go and find 2 and give them a test over some bad roads.  See if you think the difference is worth it.

[cruiser647]

Forgot to add........

 

When you are looking at A8's, DO NOT discregard the ads that say LWB.

Many are NOT LWB models. 

 

Have a look at them all and you'll spot the LWB models after a short while. 

It might give you extra haggle room as it will put a few potential buyers off.

[Muppet_man]

Thanks all. Ta for the link NewNice. So urban looks like around 28MPG if I take the lower figure to be nearer the truth. Obviously runs make a substantial difference, but I wont be using it for that most of the time. I haven't had an A8 for around six years when I sold my S8. It would be nice to be back in something larger again.

 

My main car for work use is an Allroad 3.0 TDi which is in the two years where the tax was really high, then it drops. But well noted Cruiser.

 

I'm guessing that the LWB ones are slightly less wieldy that standard cars, and given I live in the middle of nowhere, most of my miles are country lanes which is perhaps not great for a LWB one?

[cruiser647]

 

 

I'm guessing that the LWB ones are slightly less wieldy that standard cars, and given I live in the middle of nowhere, most of my miles are country lanes which is perhaps not great for a LWB one?

 

No, sorry.

I think you might have mis-understood.

This ad - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201601089899563?page=1&search-target=usedcars&sort=default&model=a8&postcode=al71tw&price-from=4000&make=audi&radius=1500&quicksearch=true&onesearchad=used&price-to=8000&logcode=p

states the car is LWB.

Closer inspection, shows it isn't.

 

Whereas this one states LWB, and it is.  http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201602181155797/image-id/4a9e4511885c4dadaebd054af5614c9a?sort=default&make=audi&radius=1500&price-from=4000&postcode=AL7%201TW&onesearchad=used&page=6&price-to=8000&search-target=usedcars&model=a8&logcode=p

[Muppet_man]

Thanks Cruiser. I got your meaning, I was just wondering if by having a LWB instead would spoil the ride/handling combo. I've never seen, let alone been in a LWB version.

 

The 6.0 looks great, but I don't think I could afford to run it. But I do see what you're saying, the back seats look like you could have a party in them there's so much room.

 

The 4.2 link you sent me might have only been an example of non LWB advertised incorrectly, but I got very excited about for a moment there as I didn't notice it was a petrol one. I thought for a moment I would be traveling to pick it up tomorrow!

 

Cheers for the examples though.

[cruiser647]

haha!

 

Here ya go:-

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201512189541286?price-from=4000&model=a8&minimum-badge-engine-size=4.0&fuel-type=diesel&onesearchad=used&sort=default&searchcontext=default&postcode=al71tw&maximum-badge-engine-size=4.5&radius=1500&make=audi&search-target=usedcars&page=2&logcode=p

or

for a lighter interior

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201602040720997?maximum-badge-engine-size=4.5&fuel-type=diesel&sort=default&onesearchad=used&model=a8&radius=1500&minimum-badge-engine-size=4.0&make=audi&searchcontext=default&page=3&price-from=4000&search-target=usedcars&postcode=al71tw&logcode=p

 

There are loads over 100K miles and much cheaper as a result!

[cruiser647]

Have you got one yet? 

[Muppet_man]

Have you got one yet? 

Yup.   Got one yesterday.

 

I started to look a little early last week, and found one on EBay in Yorkshire. Was thinking of buying when the guy reported to me it had gone into limp mode with the engine management light on. He said he was dropping it to a local specialist on Wednesday for them to sort it out and he would let me know. I spoke to him Thursday and they had told him they couldn't find out the reason. It had a fault code for an imbalance on one MAF, but they'd checked and cleaned and it didn't make any difference. It was also making a strange noise when revved. They advised him it could be a blocked DPF, faulty EGR or perhaps some other exhaust related item. The guy was a bit depressed. I got him to send me the sound as a clip by e-mail and I heard the noise. Told him I thought there was either an induction leak or a diversion flap issue in the airbox somewhere as I'd heard that kind of noise before and know it would bring up that kind of fault code. He texted me Sunday to say he'd taken out the airbox, found that the arm had fallen off the flap because the clip was broken. He put it back on with a new clip and it was working perfectly. He was very happy indeed. By then however, I'd already seen the later one I've now bought.

 

I spent all of the weekend looking for one, but all the ones I really liked were about £11 to £12k which made them dangerously close to being a D4 version. So we went and looked at both the newer D4 shape A8 and an A7 3.0 TDi Quattro, which were all around the £16k mark. Couldn't decide. Then thought we were being too frivolous so decided to look cheap again. Was just about to settle on a 2006 one when I came across the facelift 2008 one.

 

Comes from Ireland. 2008 4.2 TDi in Black metallic. One previous owner, FASH, 11 months MOT, very clean just over 100k miles. Can't find a fault on it except for brake pad warning light comes on even though it has new pads. I'll check that out later. Plus an LED light in the passengers inner door handle doesn't come on (no idea if you can replace that). 

 

The only real downside is the display for fuel is all in Ltrs per 100 klm and the speedo is in KPH. Getting the readout changed is only a Vagcom thing, but the actual clock would need to have a different face. Found one on E-Bay for £60.00, but I'll need to get it all out, change just the speedo (or else the car won't start any more!) and put it all back. My only one concern is all the instrument panels for sale are for A8's pre 2008 which have an oblong readout panel in the middle. The 2008 and 2009 models have a full width readout so I need to be sure that it doesn't effect speedo dial. I might ring BBA Reman tomorrow and ask them if they could swap it for me if I send them both sets of clocks.

 

All in all, it's not the worse thing in the World and the car was really cheap at just £7500.

 

Sadly, I'm still stuck with the crap 5 digit post code search (what on earth was Audi thinking when they sold £70k cars but were to cheap to buy a full postcode search licence), also I'm not a fan of those flat looking wheels, but that's my only two complaints.

 

Now off out for a good drive even though it's chucking it down out there and blowing a gail. 

Edited March 28, 2016 by Muppet_man

[cruiser647]

Where are the pictures man? 

Do you have to do anything to register the car in the UK?

 

Brave man tackling the speedo, as that is something I would not even attempt.

The brake stuff should be OK to sort, possibly a VAGCom along with (as you say) the readouts in metric.

 

The D4s are getting a lot cheaper eh.  Did you drive one as I fear that once you had (or even sat in one with that lovely gear stick) you might have wanted one.

The A7 - is good, BUT (to me) it's not an A8 substitute.

 

What sort of spec does it have?

[Muppet_man]

I'm going to get it professionally valeted as we've just got it, then I'll post some photos.

 

They all seem to have so much on them anyway that I'm not sure what is standard and what is an extra.

Metallic black, black leather, memory seats driver and passenger, front and rear heating controls and heated seats, DAB and Media, Pre-Select sunroof, Dual Xenon that turns with the wheel and cornering extra lights (uses the front fogs), auto dimming rear and side mirrors, reversing camera and everything else I think is probably standard.

 

I spent a good portion of today trying to trace a leak in the headlamp washer jets that keeps emptying the washer bottle. Finally found a split in a high pressure pipe above the o/s intercooler. What a nightmare to get too! Couldn't repair it as it is some odd corrugated pipe. So I've blocked it and will have to order a new piece. Looks like I'll have to remove the front bumper to fit it which is a bit of an arse. Also gave it a full service today, oil, air x 2, fuel and cabin filters, 9.5 litres of oil and a good check all round. The underneath of the car is like new. Rear driveshafts and prop still have all their original part labels easily readable.

 

I'll have another good go in a couple of weeks and flush all the brake fluid and then do a four wheel geometry check and alignment. Then I should be happy.

 

Also ordered myself two new tyres for the front and will keep the cheapie's they had on the rear until they wear out, but can't live with crap one's on the front so have ordered a pair of Avons. Who would have a car like that and then fit budget tyres?!

 

Been averaging about 28 so far with no meaningful steady runs at all, which seems OK to me. That's as good as my wife's 1800 TT Quattro and about twice the power, cylinders and weight, so not bad. Points to a mid to high 30's on a run I hope.

 

Goes like the stink and just seems to keep pulling regardless. Putting your toe down at around forty to go past someone makes a very pleasing sound and then it pulls like a train. 

 

Aside from just around a half a dozen bits that have to be sorted I'm more than pleased.

 

This should last a couple of years and then hopefully on to the newer shape one including as you say the gear shift which I'm sure come's straight off of the Starship Enterprise. 

Edited April 1, 2016 by Muppet_man

[cruiser647]

Sounds good to me!

 

The only thing that is 'wrong' with the turbo models is the effort required to do anything under the bonnet!  There is absolutely no room to wield a short spanner or socket at all!

 

Mine has the dual xenon with the cornering light for either turning or indeicating.  Will have to check if it's the fog light or the halogen bulb that comes on.

I am missing the rear heating bit, but the ambient interior light stips in the door are fantastic! 

 

Sounds like a good purchase!  Will you get the auto-gearbox fluid changed (or do it yourself)?

[Muppet_man]

I've ordered up a new gearbox filter and the oil, so will hopefully get to that in a couple of weeks. I bout myself a VAGCOM lead and disc and have now got dash reading in MPG instead of Litres per 100Km's. Much better. That just leaves the actual mileage clock itself. I bought a miles per hour dash (only £40!), but alas, have realised that the needle is not calibrated the same for MPH to KPH. So needle straight up in KPH is about 100KPH (roughly 60MPH), however on a MPH speedo, 60 MPH is more like 10:00 o'clock. On close inspection it seems that on a MPH clock the speedo is spaced evenly, whereas a KPH one, the first half gets you to about 100KPH and the second half covers the other 180KPH! Very odd way of doing it. Unfortunately it does mean that I can't just swap the dial face.

 

A shame I didn't realise until I'd stripped the cluster and removed the face. Bummer.

 

Never too old to learn I guess.

 

It seems to be the light at the bottom, that I would expect to be a fog light that comes on as you turn wheel. Headlamps turn also as you steer. I'd like a picture of your door bits, I don't think I have them.

 

Cheers

[E-bmw]

Speedos these days are 100% electronic, so I would still fit it to try it, the scaling is probably done in the head referenced to the frequency input from the gearbox sender.

 

Not saying it will, but it COULD still work if it is electronic.

 

They do not work like the spinny disc thing on the old Bowden cable type speedos.

[Tipex]

Speedos these days are 100% electronic, so I would still fit it to try it, the scaling is probably done in the head referenced to the frequency input from the gearbox sender.

 

Not saying it will, but it COULD still work if it is electronic.

 

They do not work like the spinny disc thing on the old Bowden cable type speedos.

I was about to say the same thing, I'd be very surprised if the speed pulse was different between KPH and MPH cars, it's all sent over Can-Bus and the electronics in the speedometer will work out what to do with the pulse, definitely worth a try.

Edited April 8, 2016 by Tipex

[E-bmw]

I.....I...I...I was just about to say that Geoffrey!

 

Said in that irritating zippy tone!

 

Don't worry, I've already got me coat!

Edited April 8, 2016 by E-bmw

[cruiser647]

 

It seems to be the light at the bottom, that I would expect to be a fog light that comes on as you turn wheel. Headlamps turn also as you steer. I'd like a picture of your door bits, I don't think I have them.

 

Cheers

 

It's very annoying getting that far and then realising you can't do something.

 

I'll take some pics of the door stips.  Also a light in the door catch.

 

With my lights on, as I turn the wheel, the cornering lights come on - in the headlamp, just a halogen bulb.  Will try to check with the reverse settings too, as the lights do 'stuff' when I go into reverse.

[cruiser647]

Here are the interior background light things.  The brightness is controlled by the MMI menu, once activated in MMI Hidden Menu.

 

 

 

and

 

 

 

Mine is on about 2/3rds brightness.  I like light and bright things.

 

 

I have seen the strip lights for sale on eBay

[cruiser647]

Just noticed, the pictures seem to be upside down.

Sorry!

[Cuprabob]

Just noticed, the pictures seem to be upside down.

Sorry!

Rachel will appreciate that, if no one else does.

[Muppet_man]

 They look very swish indeed, even if I did have to turn my laptop upside down. I've got the ones in the door handles, but not that strip piece.

 

Must be part of the door card I would guess, so no chance of adding them. Dang...

[NewNiceMrMe]

Funnily enough, I stumbled across a set of LED footplates and interior light kit for the 5 series on YouTube.

 

My first thoughts were "These will look tacky".

 

Having watched the video, I think the opposite.  When done properly they can look very nice indeed.

[cruiser647]

 They look very swish indeed, even if I did have to turn my laptop upside down. I've got the ones in the door handles, but not that strip piece.

 

Must be part of the door card I would guess, so no chance of adding them. Dang...

 

Will get some pics at night, so you can see the glow.

I think the door cards will allow fitment, as they probably have a fill-in' of some sort there now.

[cruiser647]

Here's the night time pic.