New A8 arrived - a bit disappointed

[mik2855]

I've had an A8 3.0tdi Q Sport for a couple of years and a couple of days ago I traded it in for a brand new 4.2tdi SE Executive (after a 4 month delivery period). I have to say that on a number of counts I'm a bit disappointed. My fault I know but I didn't think too much about the purchase as I just assumed it would be just like my old A8, only better. Well it isn't. First, the boot really is a lot shallower than the old A8 and the rear legroom is tighter. Given that the car is apparently 3" longer than the old A8 (and a couple of inches wider), where has all the space gone? There seems to be little more space than in an A6, if that. Then a lot of the little storage cubbies which the old A8 had in the cabin have gone in the new model; no coin storage, no secret little cubby under the steering wheel and no storage in the central armrests and the door storage pockets are now open so you can hear your stuff rattling about. I specified Comfort Seats and they just aren't as comfy as the Comfort Seats on the old A8; they seem smaller and more pinched. One of the things I really liked about my old A8 was the mobile phone reception on bluetooth; on my new car, the phone only seems to work effectively in handsfree mode when bluetoothed to the car and apparently doesn't work thru the external aerial unless you buy a cradle. Whats the point in having bluetooth if you have to put your phone in a cradle to hook it up to the car?

The handling is better than the old A8 as you would expect but actually the ride is worse. I specified sports suspension for my new A8 and it rides a fair bit harder than the old Sport model and the way the wheels crash into potholes is quite disturbing. On the plus side, the 4.2tdi engine is a gem and the car goes like stink even with so few miles on it. The SatNav accepts full postcodes now (except strangely for my home postcode) and there is lots of electronickery to play with. The touchpad thingy is a gimmick in my view; you spend as much time scrawling letters on it as you would do scrolling thru the standard screen alphabet. Another gimmick is the interior mood lighting; it's too bright at night and I've turned mine off in the new car. One last irritant is that the car was delivered without the rear camera operational. I've already had to book into the garage for some kind of software update.

So overall, the jury's out on my new A8 as far as I'm concerned. Lets hope its other virtues grow on me

[craigyb]

I agree on the boot space, I bought an A7 instead and it's bigger,

Seems like you specified phone prep low instead of high. All hands free bluetooth systems rely on the phone for reception unless in rSAP mode or in a cradle, so you either haven't got it and that's your fault for not ordering it or you have it and not uising it properly.

The interior of the new A8 is dreadful, that clock is horrendous, the gear lever is hideous.

[mik2855]

OK its my fault, I didn't specify 'High' bluetooth probably because I didn't want all the internet connectivity rubbish that goes with it but, in my defence, when I asked the salesman whether my phone would connect to my new A8 in the same way as it connected to my old A8, he said yes, absolutely. Seems he lied.

Anyone know if low bluetooth can be upgraded to high?

[craigyb]

To be fair most salesman don't know what rSAP is and he probably just assumed bluetooth as in handsfree. So more likely lack of product knowledge.

No it can't as it is integrated into the front controller and would require a new one. Activation of these units is online so a good chance you will break your car if you swap it.

Edited September 10, 2011 by craigyb