Four days in the new to me 2002 Audi S8. I'm 54 and have owned a lot of
cars over the years. This is far and away the best sedan I've ever owned.
Put it in Sport mode, and the transmission matches up to the Brembo 13.6s,
the 19 inch wheels, and the stiff suspension to make this a wonderful
performer.

Having said that, it appears that Audi has a "worse than average" reputation
for repairs. This is my first Audi. It has 22,000 miles on it. It was a
lease car in Arizona and has been on the dealer's lot while they adjusted to
the market for 10 months. What should I expect it will need, and what
usually goes wrong with the S8/A8 from 2002?

Last question: Is the Nav system as useless as it seems, and if so, is
there anyway to upgrade without ruining the looks of the car's interior?

 

Congrats on your new beast! You will find a wealth of information in
http://forums.audiworld.com/a8/, along with a very supportive user
community.

Paul W's http://www.audipages.com is an excellent site for educating
yourself, especially about Nav system mods.

I am shopping for a car just like yours, or a new 2005 A6 4.2. Haven't
decided which one best fits my needs yet. My next step is to drive a new A6
4.2.


--
Stephen Clark
89 Audi 100
Houston, Texas USA

See my Audi in the Registry at www.audiworld.com!




"LIW" <liw@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:aYdnd.6916$qS4.1317@trnddc09...
> Four days in the new to me 2002 Audi S8. I'm 54 and have owned a lot of
> cars over the years. This is far and away the best sedan I've ever owned.
> Put it in Sport mode, and the transmission matches up to the Brembo 13.6s,
> the 19 inch wheels, and the stiff suspension to make this a wonderful
> performer.
>
> Having said that, it appears that Audi has a "worse than average"
reputation
> for repairs. This is my first Audi. It has 22,000 miles on it. It was
a
> lease car in Arizona and has been on the dealer's lot while they adjusted
to
> the market for 10 months. What should I expect it will need, and what
> usually goes wrong with the S8/A8 from 2002?
>
> Last question: Is the Nav system as useless as it seems, and if so, is
> there anyway to upgrade without ruining the looks of the car's interior?
>
>

 

Congrats on your new beast! You will find a wealth of information in
http://forums.audiworld.com/a8/, along with a very supportive user
community.

Paul W's http://www.audipages.com is an excellent site for educating
yourself, especially about Nav system mods.

I am shopping for a car just like yours, or a new 2005 A6 4.2. Haven't
decided which one best fits my needs yet. My next step is to drive a new A6
4.2.


--
Stephen Clark
89 Audi 100
Houston, Texas USA

See my Audi in the Registry at www.audiworld.com!




"LIW" <liw@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:aYdnd.6916$qS4.1317@trnddc09...
> Four days in the new to me 2002 Audi S8. I'm 54 and have owned a lot of
> cars over the years. This is far and away the best sedan I've ever owned.
> Put it in Sport mode, and the transmission matches up to the Brembo 13.6s,
> the 19 inch wheels, and the stiff suspension to make this a wonderful
> performer.
>
> Having said that, it appears that Audi has a "worse than average"
reputation
> for repairs. This is my first Audi. It has 22,000 miles on it. It was
a
> lease car in Arizona and has been on the dealer's lot while they adjusted
to
> the market for 10 months. What should I expect it will need, and what
> usually goes wrong with the S8/A8 from 2002?
>
> Last question: Is the Nav system as useless as it seems, and if so, is
> there anyway to upgrade without ruining the looks of the car's interior?
>
>

 

Congrats on your new beast! You will find a wealth of information in
http://forums.audiworld.com/a8/, along with a very supportive user
community.

Paul W's http://www.audipages.com is an excellent site for educating
yourself, especially about Nav system mods.

I am shopping for a car just like yours, or a new 2005 A6 4.2. Haven't
decided which one best fits my needs yet. My next step is to drive a new A6
4.2.


--
Stephen Clark
89 Audi 100
Houston, Texas USA

See my Audi in the Registry at www.audiworld.com!




"LIW" <liw@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:aYdnd.6916$qS4.1317@trnddc09...
> Four days in the new to me 2002 Audi S8. I'm 54 and have owned a lot of
> cars over the years. This is far and away the best sedan I've ever owned.
> Put it in Sport mode, and the transmission matches up to the Brembo 13.6s,
> the 19 inch wheels, and the stiff suspension to make this a wonderful
> performer.
>
> Having said that, it appears that Audi has a "worse than average"
reputation
> for repairs. This is my first Audi. It has 22,000 miles on it. It was
a
> lease car in Arizona and has been on the dealer's lot while they adjusted
to
> the market for 10 months. What should I expect it will need, and what
> usually goes wrong with the S8/A8 from 2002?
>
> Last question: Is the Nav system as useless as it seems, and if so, is
> there anyway to upgrade without ruining the looks of the car's interior?
>
>

 

"Stephen Clark" <nospam@spamnot.not> wrote in message
news:10psgm3o22gfu5e@corp.supernews.com...
> Congrats on your new beast! You will find a wealth of information in
> http://forums.audiworld.com/a8/, along with a very supportive user
> community.
>
> Paul W's http://www.audipages.com is an excellent site for educating
> yourself, especially about Nav system mods.
>
> I am shopping for a car just like yours, or a new 2005 A6 4.2. Haven't
> decided which one best fits my needs yet. My next step is to drive a new
A6
> 4.2.

The new A6 4.2 is awesome. That is actually the vehicle I went in to buy or
lease. I particularly liked the dark blue over gray interior, with the new
Navigation, and all the bells and whistles. But that was $55,000 at my
dealer. The S8, which had been on the lot since I first test drove it in
February was slowly coming down in price. I guess they claim it was
$83,000 new when first placed in service in 2002 in Arizona, and in February
they were trying to get $65,000 for it. They had dropped to $54,900 by the
time I was test driving the new 2005 A6. I was ultimately able to get this
21,726 mile vehicle with remaining factory warranty and a certified
pre-owned 2 year extension to 100,000 miles. That was almost as long a
warranty as the A6. They eventually dropped the price to a point I was
willing to pay.

So I drove them both, back to back. The interior of the S8 just fit my
personality, and the ride of the vehicle, particularly on the after market
Zender 19 inch tires with the P Zero tires was impressive. The steering
wheel mounted Tiptronic gear changing buttons, the extreme bolsters in the
seats, and the completely tailored interior did me in. Just ordered my
new license . I used S8 "hand" (the kids plate showing a hand) les" And
it does.

I will admit that I'm still worried about reliability and expensive repair
issues.

 

"Stephen Clark" <nospam@spamnot.not> wrote in message
news:10psgm3o22gfu5e@corp.supernews.com...
> Congrats on your new beast! You will find a wealth of information in
> http://forums.audiworld.com/a8/, along with a very supportive user
> community.
>
> Paul W's http://www.audipages.com is an excellent site for educating
> yourself, especially about Nav system mods.
>
> I am shopping for a car just like yours, or a new 2005 A6 4.2. Haven't
> decided which one best fits my needs yet. My next step is to drive a new
A6
> 4.2.

The new A6 4.2 is awesome. That is actually the vehicle I went in to buy or
lease. I particularly liked the dark blue over gray interior, with the new
Navigation, and all the bells and whistles. But that was $55,000 at my
dealer. The S8, which had been on the lot since I first test drove it in
February was slowly coming down in price. I guess they claim it was
$83,000 new when first placed in service in 2002 in Arizona, and in February
they were trying to get $65,000 for it. They had dropped to $54,900 by the
time I was test driving the new 2005 A6. I was ultimately able to get this
21,726 mile vehicle with remaining factory warranty and a certified
pre-owned 2 year extension to 100,000 miles. That was almost as long a
warranty as the A6. They eventually dropped the price to a point I was
willing to pay.

So I drove them both, back to back. The interior of the S8 just fit my
personality, and the ride of the vehicle, particularly on the after market
Zender 19 inch tires with the P Zero tires was impressive. The steering
wheel mounted Tiptronic gear changing buttons, the extreme bolsters in the
seats, and the completely tailored interior did me in. Just ordered my
new license . I used S8 "hand" (the kids plate showing a hand) les" And
it does.

I will admit that I'm still worried about reliability and expensive repair
issues.

 

"Stephen Clark" <nospam@spamnot.not> wrote in message
news:10psgm3o22gfu5e@corp.supernews.com...
> Congrats on your new beast! You will find a wealth of information in
> http://forums.audiworld.com/a8/, along with a very supportive user
> community.
>
> Paul W's http://www.audipages.com is an excellent site for educating
> yourself, especially about Nav system mods.
>
> I am shopping for a car just like yours, or a new 2005 A6 4.2. Haven't
> decided which one best fits my needs yet. My next step is to drive a new
A6
> 4.2.

The new A6 4.2 is awesome. That is actually the vehicle I went in to buy or
lease. I particularly liked the dark blue over gray interior, with the new
Navigation, and all the bells and whistles. But that was $55,000 at my
dealer. The S8, which had been on the lot since I first test drove it in
February was slowly coming down in price. I guess they claim it was
$83,000 new when first placed in service in 2002 in Arizona, and in February
they were trying to get $65,000 for it. They had dropped to $54,900 by the
time I was test driving the new 2005 A6. I was ultimately able to get this
21,726 mile vehicle with remaining factory warranty and a certified
pre-owned 2 year extension to 100,000 miles. That was almost as long a
warranty as the A6. They eventually dropped the price to a point I was
willing to pay.

So I drove them both, back to back. The interior of the S8 just fit my
personality, and the ride of the vehicle, particularly on the after market
Zender 19 inch tires with the P Zero tires was impressive. The steering
wheel mounted Tiptronic gear changing buttons, the extreme bolsters in the
seats, and the completely tailored interior did me in. Just ordered my
new license . I used S8 "hand" (the kids plate showing a hand) les" And
it does.

I will admit that I'm still worried about reliability and expensive repair
issues.

 

"LIW" <liw@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:aYdnd.6916$qS4.1317@trnddc09...

> Last question: Is the Nav system as useless as it seems, and if so, is
> there anyway to upgrade without ruining the looks of the car's interior?

The navigation is excellent. Just learn how to use it, and it has almost
everything you could ask for.

 

"LIW" <liw@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:aYdnd.6916$qS4.1317@trnddc09...

> Last question: Is the Nav system as useless as it seems, and if so, is
> there anyway to upgrade without ruining the looks of the car's interior?

The navigation is excellent. Just learn how to use it, and it has almost
everything you could ask for.

 

"LIW" <liw@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:aYdnd.6916$qS4.1317@trnddc09...

> Last question: Is the Nav system as useless as it seems, and if so, is
> there anyway to upgrade without ruining the looks of the car's interior?

The navigation is excellent. Just learn how to use it, and it has almost
everything you could ask for.