Modiecast

I'm 47 and on my second A8L, a 2015 4.0T. My wife drives an A6. No car compares to the A8 giving the perfect balance of luxury and performance. The A8 demands respect as well, more so than the A6. Get the A8!

BigGrasshopper

I leased my D4 A8 when I was 38. I love Audis and found no faults at all with the car. However at the end of the day, my younger self wanted more passion/excitement from a daily driver.

My current car is now a Maserati Ghibli Q4. The fitment and gizmos of the Audi was substantially better, but the Maserati is so much more enjoyable to drive - which suits what I want at this stage in my life.

Maybe an S8 would've done that too, but the S8 was $35k more, and frankly I just think that an S8 is overkill. Plus I have I have an exotic for weekend driving so no need to for the S8 as a daily driver.

Look at a Maserati Ghibli, just beware that in terms of technology and quality, the Audi is better.

motegi

Congrats on the Ghibli. I've checked them out at some local car events and really like the styling. Its unfortunate to hear about the quality comparison. Based on my rather dismal experience thus far with my A8 I'm hesitant to believe that the quality of the Maserati Ghibli could possibly be worse.

Heck, I'm even starting to look at Aston Martin as a more reliable replacement. LOL.

derfA8L

Surprisingly, the interior quality of the Ghibli and the Quattroporte (subjectivity) don't match up to the A8 re: fit and finish of tactile controls. Both models have been significantly discounted in the U.S. due to lack of demand, which actually makes them a pretty good buy.

HouTexAudi

I would never buy another Maserati after my experience with owning an '08 Quattroporte Sport GT for 2 years. The car was absolutely beautiful (at least the last generation was--I think they took a step backwards with the new design, especially the rear end) but doing business with the local Ferrari dealer that had no sense of urgency left me cold and there were definitely too many service issues (including a bad camshaft that took them 2 months to diagnose and fix). I can see why they are currently being heavily discounted.

jro

I was 45 when I bought my A8. Turn 50 in 3 months and just bought a S8. Buy the car!

jrosseau

I am 43, just purchased a 2012 A8L and Love it. I wouldn't worry about the demos.

aTOMic

It's been said (ad nauseum) that there are no stupid questions. However, this comes pretty darn close.
+1
Well said.

I've often pondered; if I were the only person on earth, what would I drive? I thought a Murciélago would be fun, what with the V-12 AWD. After test driving one I can honestly say the A8L is a better car. Although I think I'd lean toward the (D3) S8 with the 10-cylinder engine just for the sound!

Perhaps you could allocate your funds for the best of both worlds: say $25k for a clean D3 A8/S8 AND $30k for a sports car to maintain your young image.
If you need a Chick magnet: Pick up a nice red '80s Ferrari. Not a bad investment. Good for networking, as well. Registered and insured as antique will save you tons of cash.

Practical vehicle: A8, no contest!
Good luck,either way!
-Tom

WillD13

I bought my 2014 A8L TDI at 46. My wife and I love the car.

Flamur-Albania

I got my A8L last year and I was 31yrs...and I feel great about owning this car