ltooz_a6_a8_q7

I've been browsing around for a D4 TDI and I found these 2 cars that I really like. <a href="http://www.audisanfrancisco.com/used/Audi/2014-Audi-A8-f93f48a20a0a00024eafbacde0d347f6.htm">Blue</a> and <a href="http://www.audisanfrancisco.com/certified/Audi/2014-Audi-A8-c01cb3e90a0a000239239bb00a07df3e.htm">Beige</a> but they both have Silk Beige interior, beautiful but so hard to keep with the 2 young kids slurping ICEE and Frappe all the time in the back seat.
The price is amazingly good - $92k sticker and CPO 6years/100k miles warranty.
Everyday, we talked about these cars while driving to work, but we can't seem to find a good reason the shell out extra $60k for an A8 since our car is still so nice. Yes, better gas mileage TDI 24/36 compares to 4.2 16/28, mostly 17-18 on congested freeways these days. Yes, it's been 8 years since we had a new car...
I'm trying to get my wife to go see the car this weekend - may be we see something that can overcome our practicality. "you only live once..."
I know if I have to think about it, we may not able to afford it... or?

Anyhow, I need to implement blind spot side assist on my D3 this summer.

Cheers,

Louis

dvs_dave

It's a ton of money for not much different in the grand scheme of things. TDI whilst still a novelty in the U.S. is a lot less powerful so slower. High torque low down helps to mask it, but it can't make up for almost a 100hp deficit and the higher weight of the D4.

And if better gas mileage is actually a concern, dropping $60k to get it makes zero sense. That buys a **** load of gas, which is cheaper and much easier to find than diesel ever will be.

blankhopp

Do you guys have the V8, D4 diesel there? It has very good performance.

I would also look for a W12 D4 or perhaps the RS6 if I were to get a upgrade. You only live once.

Jack88

The diesel D4 with the V6 TDI is just as quick as your current D3 4.2. I would say that the added performance of the V8 turbo gasoline engine isn't a selling point for you, the TDI or the 3.0t get the car around pretty quick by most people's standards with the added benefit of outstanding fuel economy, and would make the better choice.

As to if it makes financial sense, of course it doesn't. You're spending a lot of money for a car with fewer miles, newer, and improved features. You want financial sense, buy a Corolla. I've always driven cars interesting to me, at a cost, because to me it's worth that cost. I spend too much of my time in my car to not enjoy the experience. What you have is a fine car, no doubt about that. What you're looking at are beautiful cars that also reward the driver. I wouldn't let the beige interior scare you, there's not a lot that can't be cleaned out by professionals, and it really makes for a more inviting interior as compared to black.

Jack88

For whatever, inexplicable reason, we do not have the V8 diesel. As far as the W12, that would command a huge premium over the 3.0TDI's he's looking at, probably well outside what he's looking to spend. Personally, I might look for a D4 W12 in a couple years after they have come down a bit, they really are astonishing.

MP4.2+6.0

Sure as the sun rises, D4 prices are going to hit the skids big time in the next 18 months. They always do when the new model gets close and then launches. More so the bigger they are, and maybe less so if they are the SUV's mascarading as minivans and station wagons that are more in demand. I would have to see sales data, but a good guess in California in general is that D4 sales have been somewhat sucking wind with the Peninsula soccer mom/fashion/hip Tesla stuff, maybe now even more with the D AWD ones. Same with the other German luxobarges. Anyway, give it time. In 18 months the same car literally could lose another third to close to half what it's worth now. My basic rule of thumb for depreciation for bigger fairly modern Audis is about 20% per year of the prior year's value, and another incremental one time 20% whack for a full model change (not just a facelift). The model change whack starts about when the good quality pictures leak out, last model year (2017) goes to short model year only (Audi's pretty consistent pattern in recent times), and dealers try to clear off inventory of used/CPO ones since they know full well what is coming and the schedule; it runs its full 20%ish incremental slide--over and above the annual slide--by the time the new ones are at the dealer.

Likewise, my D3 is in great shape and I am very happy with it. I could get the same or better performance with current level of power 4.0T (435 now, 420 last year, 450 next year, coupled to (not as smooth) better performance 8 speed), and no way I'm going to save on the gas vs. depreciation equation--by a factor of like 10-20x. Probably going to ride it until D5 launch gets close enough to see what it will really be. There is also the new Q7 as an outside possible (though way larger than needed and current Q7 is way too truck like to me), tbd Q8 concepts, A9 who knows what concepts, etc. My current watch spec is basically D4 W12 five seater (minority of few available ones right off the bat), 4.0T with some loaded Exclusive package, or loaded S8 with fancy Vermont Brown and carbon twill package. All likely post facelift only for various equipment and technical, performance and fuel economy reasons, so 2015 forward only. If I hold it as long as I have the D3 already--8 years and 100K miles--I figure get as many of the goodies and unique stuff as possible. Very small cross section of the market, and then once you cross off the sea of black on (shade of) black ones that seem to be so much of the used market, even smaller. I'm actually also watching the new ones on Autotrader, so I know for later how some were actually built and sold and thus what to hold out for. I suspect it will indeed drift to D5 timeframe and D4 prices for ones I look at will be well down, and the 2015's will start to run off lease or get traded early by the money to burn crowd. If they ship the D5 into the US with the then current version of the 4.2TDI, that would probably nail it the other direction. Time will tell. Meantime, my W12 costs little besides bit parts, routine maintenance and some incremental gas, frankly is plenty good enough on the electronic toys 95% of the time, and with my upkeep should see its next 100K with hopefully no nasty big surprises.

There's the R8 fantasy as well, but those prices have yet to adjust more harshly as the new model become reality. That shorter financial bath won't be as bad as the pretty easy to predict D4 one though given the greater enthusiast demand for them.

chokboywonda

Remap the TDI and you will be laughing. Go drive one then tell me the same please

Doc_A8

Buckinghamshire? Beautiful little towns in there.

dvs_dave

Great way to invalidate the power train warranty though and it's still way down on power. No amount of chip tuning will add over 100hp. A cursory glance of the net shows a solid performance difference too.
240hp vs 350hp
6.3s vs 5.9s 0-60
15s vs 14s for the 1/4

And before you say I don't know modern diesels, I have extensive experience with a Benz E320 CDI (204) as well as the current E350 CDI (265) which is more powerful than the U.S. A8 TDI. The E350 isn't quite as fast as my D3 4.2 although day to day it "feels" faster.

Diesels "seem" quicker because of the very high torque low down and the fact that they don't need to rev to produce their power. This gives the impression that they're very muscular and faster than they are. However they are nowhere near as smooth, the power band is narrow and they're all out of puff by 4k rpm. A gas engine makes more fuss about going fast and uses more fuel but they sound great doing it. Diesels don't.

Don't get me wrong, I like modern diesels and they make a lot of sense in certain markets. However they're a bit pointless in the U.S. where gas is very cheap, diesel is expensive, not ubiquitous, and in the U.S. you also have to mess around with ammonia additives.

The V6 TDI is/was pretty much the entry level model in Europe so is not comparable on the 4.2 V8 other than for novelty value, and woo look at my gas mileage bragging rights.

Jack88

I'm inclined to side with the boy from Buckinghamshire on this one. You're not a diesel fan, Dave, and that's fine. I prefer the gasoline engines myself. But I don't think you're giving diesels their due credit. You mention the 110 Hp deficit but ignore the 80 lb-ft advantage. Torque is what you're more apt to notice in day to day maneuvers, and with the 8 speed auto, the relatively low redline is irrelevant. Motorweek managed a 5.9 second 0-60 in their 2014 A8L TDI tester, with a 14.4 second quarter mile. As far as saying the diesel A8 isn't smooth, ride in one, it'll show you otherwise.