N2AK

I am about to part with my wonderful, owned since new, 2005 A8L. I took it to the dealer last week because of an extremely rough idle for a few seconds after it starts. It also leaks coolant. Considering the repair quote ($8,000- head gaskets) I will feed it Barrs Leaks & continue to drive- since at 130,000 miles I should also perform timing belt, etc. which is not part of their quote. ( also, I don't believe the hard start has anything to do with coolant. Last time they were kind enough to replace the Air Mass Meter for the starting issue.) I would just like to thank Mishar, & others for great advice which will keep me reading this forum. My wife claims that if I had a way I would enshrine the car in the living room. I have never enjoyed a car as much although for anyone contemplating a purchase I would agree that you NEED to be able to DIY.

I will look for a newer version although what this 65 year old wants is my D3 with all its charms- trunk hinges, radiator leak, vexing "lawyer screen- I think you know the rest of the chorus. Anyway, thanks for a great run.

Jack88

I don't know what this means.

richard-tx

My advise to you is to either
1- dump the car ASAP.
2 - fix it right and drive it another 230,000 miles

If it were me, I would dump it now and find a nice low mileage or new W12. Do that and you won't miss the old one at all.

The lawyer screen went away with newer version of the software. You should have updated the MMI long ago then the lawyer screen would be just a distant memory in the dark dim past.

Torsion'sA8

What is the lawyer screen?

MP4.2+6.0

Used to be what the first screen was to MMI that came up every time you started it saying be attentive and the usual nanny stuff. You had to click through it every time.

Went away by the 3360 MMI update so only seen now in older pre-update D3's.

Jack88

It's at 130k and never had the timing belt? That's stunningly late.

richard-tx

+1

It is a ticking time bomb.

If I were to buy or sell it, I would insist that the car be towed to the nearest shop and have the timing belt, water pump, and possibly the tensioner/idlers changed. I would not start the car until that was done. With the car being that old, do you want to risk blowing the engine? At that point it might only be worth whatever aluminum scrap metal pays.

N2AK

The timing belt, etc. was replaced at 75,000 miles. BTW, what does aluminum scrap metal pay?

richard-tx

Aluminum scrap metal pays between $0.25 to $.90 per pound depending.

I think the car weighs around 4000 lbs. So, scrapped out a A8 should bring between $1000 and $3600

dvs_dave

Bit optimistic....not everything in the car is made of Aluminum....probably only about a 1/3 of its total weight could be weighed in as scrap AL.