ltooz_a6_a8_q7

<a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2844754">It was last year this time that I picked up my 2006 A8L after fully researched and searched for $17k from a nice man in LA.</a>
My A8L score card:
-16k miles later the car is still performing excellently with average gas mileage of 17-20 daily.
-Haven't had time to change the oil but the level is still in the middle between full and low and NOT black.
-Had to <a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2849517">change front brake pads only</a> - the rear's are bought but no warning light yet.
-Things I've done to the car for various reasons (mostly requests from family members)
1. <a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2844972"> Update MMI 1190 to 3360 for AMI add on system</a>
2. <a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2845498"> Update MMI 3360 to 4610 - Why NOT?</a>
3. <a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2844894"> Program homelink to our garage door</a>
4. <a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showpost.php?p=24443048&postcount=1"> Retrofit Back Up camera and AMI for Ipods/Iphones</a>
5. <a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showpost.php?p=24528509&postcount=18"> Added TV Tuner to watch local TV while waiting for family shopping.</a>
6. <a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2854150"> Watch Movies from an old Netbook on long trip while TV is not possible.</a>
7. <a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2847902"> Retrofit LEDS on my A8L</a>
8. <a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2850798"> I'm cheap so I fixed my trunk motor to work instead of spending $500 for a new and improved one</a>
How does my A8L score? 98% satisfactory because it's reliable, comfortable, fun to drive, cost effective, inexpensive and tons of options that actually work and still work(ing).
Yes, my wife keeps reminding me to do something with the car like maintenance and stuff - But if it works, why fix it? Yes I have to change the oil and spark plugs since it's almost 89k miles now. I need to check the timing belt to see if it can go 155k miles like my 96 A6 (and still running).
After the car wash (rain heavily in CA in the last few days), it's still beautiful and shiny as the day I brought it home.

My family loves the car and I still do although I don't like the squeaks on the front suspension when it's cold hence the 98%.

Cheers,

Louis

JohnnyJ A6Q

Happy Anniversary Louis !!!

Are you saying that in 16,000 miles you have not added any engine oil ?

If so wow, my W12 likes to drink some oil.....

I'd better look into why when it's warmer here.


Johnny J J

milellie111

Hey, don't want this to come off the wrong way but this is not the car to go "cheap" on, not change the oil, or ignore your wifes advice of not doing preventive maintenance (listen to that woman, shes smart!). The A8 is a very complex machine and can be a nightmare if not taken care of. The approach "if aint broke why fix it" is playing russian roullette because WHEN something does break, it can be a domino effect for other issues that will hit you all at once and leave you with a hefty bill. This can be prevented of course with proper preventive maintenace.

Don't gamble with an engine on an 80k German luxury sedan by not changing the timing belt and playing the "how many miles can i go game". High risk game my friend, like believing some random chick you meet in the club who says "i'm clean and i'm on the pill!"

Realize what you bought, properly take care of the car and it will take care of you. If you are trying to make your A8 equal ownership costs of a Honda Accord, then you are in for disapointment and in the future will hate the car because it will turn into a money pit.

MP4.2+6.0

while I do my oil changes at or before the required miles (or had the dealer do them under AudiCare thru 75K), I burn no oil. Zero, and it doesn't even move down the dipstick any noticeable amount over the whole 10K run. Thus, it's simply the fill at the oil change and no more. Gets boring after a while checking it on occasionally at gas station w/ never a change. At 101K currently; 2006.

halik

Hi Louis,
where do you guy the ipod interface from?

nathanwind

Louis:

Just curious, how do you plan to "check" the timing belt? Pull the front cover and visually inspect? I ask because I'm at 80K myself and like you previously went to 100K on my '03 allroad before timing belt with no issue. Just been internally debating on "when" to change it on the D3.

Petahs

On the 00 A6 I went 125k miles before doing my timing belt. I had the service done at 88k on the D3 A8 and the water pump was starting to fail.

Also on my 06 A8 the rear brake pads did not set off the instrument cluster only the fronts did. Is this normal?

MP4.2+6.0

It uses the rear brake parking motor to figure out cumulative wear. But if someone reset the warning with a false pad value after they were already worn some, I don't think the system can catch this. It just does a subtract from the reference value it is given for starting pad thickness AFAIK. Someone may have mistaken the simple open rear pads choice for other servicing, vs. the open and replace setting for installing new pads.

MP4.2+6.0

It's all a calculated risk. Inspect the (reinforced) belt until the proverbial cows come home, but then if one of the pulleys fail or the water pump freezes it can be over in weeks, days, hours or a fraction of a second. Any of those scenarios that can rip or skip the belt, reinforcement and all, and boom!

If you change it every 30K miles (what was the C5 RS6 interval for the 4.2T in 2003, the shortest ever on an Audi), your chances of screwing something else up may be as high or higher than the belt taking a sudden powder. 75K for the common normally aspirated 4.2's is what Audi moved it down to from its old higher recommendation (105K IIRC). They literally did it retroactively via a TSB even to prior year models, so figure something was catching their attention in the repair tracking. But, it could have been over in Honda world that things caught Audi's technical OR legal attention, where ultimately Honda wrote checks in probably the 10's of millions after a bunch of egg on face timing belt blow ups in interference engine Preludes and others.

If you put these together, you can surmise the rational lower risk range even in Audi think was probably in that 75 to 105K zone where the maintenance spec was on the non turbo belt driven 4.2 was at various times over its run. Of course if you do just the belt narrowly, that's just the low probability scenario the belt somehow just spontaneously self destructs or wears itself into oblivion or stretches (in spite of its reinforcement). It still does't deal with the water pump, idler pulleys and tensioner unless you change them out too.

Or you can go to whatever miles. Chances are it will ultimately be a water pump failure or thermostat failure that forces the issue, and perhaps 8 or 9 out of ten either one will come on with enough warning you can catch it. Maybe one in ten though that you never feel the head shot striking fast, having spun the proverbial revolver one too many times. There is a time for that too though, like when you reach the last "who cares" just drive it into the ground stage where the interior is shot, motor smoking, tranny failing, etc. Those "not worth it anymore" scenarios tend to come pretty late in life for Audis compared to many other "beater" cars though. And by those miles, you'll just call the last rites truck with the hook and kiss it goodbye when the time comes, belt failure or otherwise. ... Pay me now or pay me later is another less graphic apt saying.

JohnnyJ A6Q

+1 !!