S8 V10 findings after a few weeks of ownership

[cruiser647 1,491]

Well, it still makes me smile when I start it up.  The previous (one of) owner had the engine flaps removed from the intake, as these are a PITA and can break very easily from my research beforehand.  He also had it remapped to take that into account.  Not sure if it has meant anything else in terms of power though.  

The difference I have found, and they mentioned this in the ad, is that the engine is very lumpy when starting when cold, for the first 30 seconds or so.  Once the secondary air pump stops, then the engine is smooth.

Gearbox is smooth, the ride is fantastic on the 20's with the suspension in auto.  Hardly any cornering lean and if in Dynamic mode (lowers suspension by 10-20 mm) then it is possibly a wee bit too hard on normal roads unless pressing on on a country lane. .  I remember the S6 got slated for not having air suspension and I can understand why.  It would be way too hard for many in normal use.

Back to the engine.... the sound it makes is intoxicating, even small throttle increases make it sing.  It doesn't burble as such, but you can hear  something very different in it.  Bloody quiet when off throttle and when cruising.  However, just the one niggle - the gearing is very low for such a fast car.  Just shy of 30 mph per 1000.  Not a problem, as the engine is quiet at motorway speeds with just a hint of sound.

You lot will laugh at this, but I have not needed to use Sport mode yet, the thing flies if you only half floor it!

Adaptive Cruise is damn good with different 'Audi driver tailgating' settings.

 

MPG - on a cruise including motorway, A & B road with traffic and the odd overtake, gave me 22 mpg using the brim to brim technique.

I am still playing with the settings as it has the fingerprint  recognition start (or I can use the key).  And for some reason, the previous owner had turned off the Main Beam in the MMI... which I found out at night down a lane.  

Any regrets?  Only that I am gathering too many Shell points.  But I did get a free drink flask thing from Shell after filling with V Power.  Would I buy another one?  Yes.

[CarMad 739]

Excellent, you on live once you might as well enjoy it.

[cruiser647 1,491]

Spoke (email, as his email was on all the Audi invoices) to one of the previous owners,  he now has a D4 S8.

He drives it to the Alps once or twice a year, and is now using 2 less tanks of fuel to do the same trip than in 'my' S8.  I think the D4 might have a 2 gallon fuel tank size advantage

[Andy_Bangle 3,131]

Something for you to try:

 

[cruiser647 1,491]

If I cut them up enough, I can probably fit 4 or 5 in the boot. 

[cruiser647 1,491]

I drove down to Cornwall, 315 odd miles.  On a Monday.

I went from Peterborough to Northampton to Oxford to Burford to Cirencester and Tetbury to the M4, the M5 and the A30.

Took about 5 hours and a stop, no traffic!!!

filled the car up, and have just filled it again.  25 mpg....  was a gentle cruise along the lovely A & B roads to the M4, but quite impressive mpg...

 

I drove through the most fantastic Oxfordshire/Cotswolds village of Bibury.  Wow!!!  Lots of coaches of Chinese tourists and Chinese tourists with cameras wondering around clicking!  Tetbury is pretty damn quaint too.  If you can, drive through Bibury. 

[Rachel 904]

So you are a happy camper then?

[cruiser647 1,491]

Very happy camper!!

[NewNiceMrMe 3,155]

On 10/10/2017 at 8:24 PM, cruiser647 said:

If you can, drive through Bibury. 

You didn't happen to spot a yellow Vauxhall Corsa did you?

[cruiser647 1,491]

3 hours ago, NewNiceMrMe said:

You didn't happen to spot a yellow Vauxhall Corsa did you?

What have I missed?

 

[chasdrury 167]

1 hour ago, cruiser647 said:

What have I missed?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-gloucestershire-38867290

[cruiser647 1,491]

This fate probably awaits SK when he gets older.....

 

Poor old bugger!!  Sad people vandalising the car.  Looks like CCTV will be needed.

[cruiser647 1,491]

Just had the first major (non-service) work done on my S8.

The suspension pump gave up the ghost, so I was stuck in low, rock hard suspension.  So, that is how a 'bad boy' Nova driver feels..... bloody uncomfortable! 

 

I drove down to Welwyn and my old VAG man to sort it and a few other bits and pieces (some suspension bushes and brake fluid)  as my local Audi dealer wanted over £2K just to do the pump.

I got a lovely Nissan Note (auto) as a courtesy car.  Seemed OK, sat at 60-70 fine, very economical too. (but then again, most things are compared to a V10)

Car back after 2 days, as they had to order some extra pipes.

Feels good to have some suspension give.

 

[Rachel 904]

So what did your VAG man actually end up replacing?

[billy2shots 894]

On 23/11/2018 at 10:19 AM, cruiser647 said:

 

 

Feels good to have some suspension give.

 

 

It's probably the air pocket created by the empty wallet in your back pocket that's making for a smoother ride..

[cruiser647 1,491]

On 26/11/2018 at 3:26 AM, Rachel said:

So what did your VAG man actually end up replacing?

The pump (which was properly FUBAR'ed!), the pump fuse and the relay (the relay is the part that dies - stuck ON, to the pump just runs itself to death and the car then goes into JACKING MODE where the air bags stiffen to avoid damage)

Front and rear upper suspension bushes (front)

Brake Fluid change.

 

Mercs, Range Rovers use the same pump....

[Rachel 904]

Yep.  A colleague here got his hands on a 2005 AMG CLS55 - and in a wek had the airsuspension crap out due to a compressor failure...   Then a month later due to the front struts losing air (the car had apparenrtly sat for 4-5 years and not been run).

It wasn't cheap for him to fix.

[Andy_Bangle 3,131]

My A6 Allroad started loosing air in one corner when I was up in northern Finland. Think it was just the cold (-30c) more so than a pump or bag failure as it was fine futher south.

[cruiser647 1,491]

On 12/12/2018 at 3:36 AM, Rachel said:

Yep.  A colleague here got his hands on a 2005 AMG CLS55 - and in a wek had the airsuspension crap out due to a compressor failure...   Then a month later due to the front struts losing air (the car had apparenrtly sat for 4-5 years and not been run).

It wasn't cheap for him to fix.

Yep!  Need to know where to go.

But 4-5 yrs of nothing won't have been kind on the rubber bags and pipe work.... And the piston ring in the compressor would have formed a nice ridge in it's cylinder.

Did he factor that in on the price? (no, didn't think so).

 

Edited December 18, 2018 by cruiser647

[Rachel 904]

The car got a gold star on mechanical inspection (he bought it in Sydney).  It was 2 weeks after he drove it home to Canberra that it went "pffffftt..."

[cruiser647 1,491]

On 20/12/2018 at 2:35 AM, Rachel said:

The car got a gold star on VISUAL inspection (he bought it in Sydney).  It was 2 weeks after he drove it home to Canberra that it went "pffffftt..."

It is sad when things like that happen.  Bought in good faith etc.

If they were tyres, they'd have replaced them straight away, as you can see them with cracking along the edges.  Shows how storage can ruin a car.

[Rachel 904]

He got a complete new set of P Zeroes and an engine and transmission service before pick up.

The air suspension is a known failure point, but you are supposed to wait for it to fail before remediating...

[cruiser647 1,491]

It has gone.

My days of horizon chasing to a background of sweet revving V10 goodness are over.  I doubt they will come back. .  Still, 17 months of (expense) and smiles and V10 and Warp factoring and mmmm!!!!

Downside was that it was drinking me out of house and home.  A few thnings were showing up and would have to be addressed But, it had to be done.

Instead, I am in (another) V6 diesel A8.  I thought about the V8 TDi with it's torque wave, but will probably get that next time round. (how ever long or short that may be).

Completely different animal.  Needs a prod to get going - but goes well.  Whereas the S8 only needed a feather resting on the throttle and up came 80+.  Damn sharp response!

 

[Ian_C 419]

Sorry head ruled heart on this one!!