Topic: First Drive: 2011 Audi A8L

[Autos_Editor]

To drive, or to ride? That's the dilemma Assistant Editor Jil McIntosh faced with the long-wheelbase 2011 Audi A8L: it's a great car to pilot, but it's equally nice to sit back in living-room comfort and enjoy the scenery.

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[lebowski]

This new A8 seems predictably impressive, but I wish Audi would have taken greater stylistic risks (as they did with the previous A8). This one looks a real snoozer. Of course, I'm also about 30 years and at least 1 bank robbery away from being in this car's intended audience.

[chrischasescars]

I'm also about 30 years and at least 1 bank robbery away from being in this car's intended audience.

Ha! Yeah, aren't we all?

[lebowski]

I'm also about 30 years and at least 1 bank robbery away from being in this car's intended audience.

Ha! Yeah, aren't we all?

Haha, indeed! Though i have to admit, every time i see a 1st-gen S8, I begin to rationalize the purchase of a 9-year-old alluminum-bodied, uber-complicated luxury car. I mean, the purchase price would be very reasonable, so cost of ownership should be equally so, no?

[ovr50]

I'm old enough, and I'll skip the bank robbery as it's too much work unless you go for mega-bucks. 

BUT, this Audi is a very large car, much akin to the stretched BMW 7 Series. These cars are too large for my tastes. Even the 5er BMW is too large for me. The A8L is a nice car, but I would still take the new 7 over it.

[lebowski]

I'm old enough, and I'll skip the bank robbery as it's too much work unless you go for mega-bucks. 

BUT, this Audi is a very large car, much akin to the stretched BMW 7 Series. These cars are too large for my tastes. Even the 5er BMW is too large for me. The A8L is a nice car, but I would still take the new 7 over it.

I agree, the 7 is much nicer looking - make mine the shorter-wheelbase version.

[Erik]

Yeah, but does it have a timing belt or chain?

[pavle]

Eric,
you have 100 000.00 to spend on a car, and you can not afford 700.00 every 150000 km for timing belt job?
Doesn't  make any sense at all.
By the way a love bigger cars, and maybe in a couple of years I will get one.

[visitor]

Methinks Paul may have been playing out the thread proposed earlier that a nine year old A8 must surely be a poster child for easy and inexpensive maintenance.  You need to be concerned with the timing belt in this context.  After all, topping up the oil now and again should be all this thing needs to hum beautifully, right?

[rrocket]

Eric,
you have 100 000.00 to spend on a car, and you can not afford 700.00 every 150000 km for timing belt job?
Doesn't  make any sense at all.
By the way a love bigger cars, and maybe in a couple of years I will get one.

If you were a regular here, you'd get the joke...

I thought German cars didn't use either?  Don't they use braided strands of unicorn hair or something??   

[John Meyer]

There are some great deals on older Audis, VW Phaetons, Infinitis etc.

When they go wrong though I think you just park them.  Half shafts for an older A8 are $2000 installed and a rebuilt transmission is $3000 plus labour.  Engine rebuild?  priceless.

Cheers,
John Meyer

[chrischasescars]

I thought German cars didn't use either?  Don't they use braided strands of unicorn hair or something??   

Well played. 

[pavle]

well, I read always what you guys think , and when ever is the vw or audi or any german car  featuring timing belt, there are always debate about that.
I'm from Europe, here in Canada for 7 years, been driven american and recently (last year)i bought a couple of German engineered cars
(vw jetta tdi 2010, and audi a3 2009 2.0 t  quatro).
I love driving, and I think everybody can say everything about any car manufacturing company, just don't forget who invented them.
That being said you know now that I love to drive European cars.
that's all.
 

[ovr50]

Eric,
you have 100 000.00 to spend on a car, and you can not afford 700.00 every 150000 km for timing belt job?
Doesn't  make any sense at all.
By the way a love bigger cars, and maybe in a couple of years I will get one.

If it matters, pavle, I agree with you. The timing belt vs chain issue is overblown, IMO.

[mmret]

One has to be kind of ... unique to buy this car for its balance of sportiness and rear seat luxury?
What, are you going to drive it on weekends but get wafted into work M-F by Alfred?

That said it is a truly impressive piece of work.


If I had this coin I'd rather waft myself into work in a 550i or S6, but that's just me.
Or if traffic was truly atrocious, an E550 / GS430h.
For sheer ridiculousness I'd rather have a Phaeton. Hundred grand Volkswagen!

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Eric,
you have 100 000.00 to spend on a car, and you can not afford 700.00 every 150000 km for timing belt job?
Doesn't  make any sense at all.
By the way a love bigger cars, and maybe in a couple of years I will get one.

If it matters, pavle, I agree with you. The timing belt vs chain issue is overblown, IMO.

Are you kidding? The timing belt vs chain is the single most critical issue of all time! OF ALL TIME!

[vdk]

No one's picking on the aluminum frame? Weird... 

[guest]

Because bimetallic corrosion and leaky electrical systems are best kept in the closet?

[tpl]

No one's picking on the aluminum frame? Weird... 

IIRC when the first Aluminium A8 came to Canada  there was exactly one place in Southern Ont that VW authorised as a body shop. Somewhere in the Pickering/Ajax/Whitby area I remember.   A bit of a problem for anyone with a fender bender anywhere else.

[TopGun]

Are you kidding? The timing belt vs chain is the single most critical issue of all time! OF ALL TIME!

Yes...just eclipsing what size of Hercules tires to install.

While it's getting older, I'd still get a Quattroporte over this thing any day.