Anticipated maintenance cost for 4.2 vs. 3.0t vs. 4.0T?
07-15-2016, 12:18 PM
#21
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If it doesn't come with a warranty, don't pay for one. They are a losing proposition, and all of the ones available for purchase are full of holes and exceptions for the most common problems. Motegi is toward the end of a statistical extreme, where I feel like I was on the other end, with very few issues, all that were solved very cheaply(sold the car with 72k.) I recommend finding a good independent shop, or get handy, though. Some issues can be much more expensive at the dealer than what they would be elsewhere. Keeping up with maintenance, paying attention to warning signs, and solving issues when they show up all goes a long way in avoiding an expensive ownership experience.
07-15-2016, 04:22 PM
#22
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If it doesn't come with a warranty, don't pay for one. They are a losing proposition, and all of the ones available for purchase are full of holes and exceptions for the most common problems. Motegi is toward the end of a statistical extreme, where I feel like I was on the other end, with very few issues, all that were solved very cheaply(sold the car with 72k.) I recommend finding a good independent shop, or get handy, though. Some issues can be much more expensive at the dealer than what they would be elsewhere. Keeping up with maintenance, paying attention to warning signs, and solving issues when they show up all goes a long way in avoiding an expensive ownership experience.
If it weren't for the warranty I'd likely be out well over $15k in repairs on my '11 A8L.
07-15-2016, 05:01 PM
#23
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Did you have the transmission cooling valve leak? I do know that issue can get extremely expensive if not caught before the car starts to misbehave. I was terrified of that one, I was always looking for signs of transmission fluid leaking everytime I was under the car. If you catch it, it's not too bad. Mercedes has a similar issue in quite a number of their cars, although it rarely ends so catastrophically.
Last edited by Jack88; 07-15-2016 at 05:04 PM.
07-15-2016, 06:23 PM
#24
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You must have had the dealer do everything. I do a lot myself, and that cut the costs down significantly. I did a repair that took 3 minutes and cost $45 that the dealer wanted $400 for and another for $130 in 20 minutes that the dealer wanted $650 to do. The markup can be truly extraordinary. European cars seem worse for this than most others.
Did you have the transmission cooling valve leak? I do know that issue can get extremely expensive if not caught before the car starts to misbehave. I was terrified of that one, I was always looking for signs of transmission fluid leaking everytime I was under the car. If you catch it, it's not too bad. Mercedes has a similar issue in quite a number of their cars, although it rarely ends so catastrophically.
Did you have the transmission cooling valve leak? I do know that issue can get extremely expensive if not caught before the car starts to misbehave. I was terrified of that one, I was always looking for signs of transmission fluid leaking everytime I was under the car. If you catch it, it's not too bad. Mercedes has a similar issue in quite a number of their cars, although it rarely ends so catastrophically.
But with the A8/S8 I use the dealer for repairs. Some servicing such as brakes I'll take to a friends shop but everything else I use the dealer.
Things like the MMI display failure and MMI control unit failure were beyond my ability to repair. Things like the air suspension leak and pump failure were also best addressed by the dealer.
Last edited by motegi; 07-15-2016 at 09:59 PM.
08-10-2016, 02:22 AM
#25
I used to do quite a bit of repairs/servicing on my own with my prior cars. Even repaired one of the circuit boards on my old Acura RL SH-AWD when the upper dash display board went out (after my ex-wife crashed it). I actually have a 4-post lift in my garage and have done everything from exhaust work, alternator changes, and brakes on my other cars in the past. Over 10 years ago I created an Acura Legend enthusiasts website where I posted photo tutorials on basic repairs, performance mods, and maintenance.
But with the A8/S8 I use the dealer for repairs. Some servicing such as brakes I'll take to a friends shop but everything else I use the dealer.
Things like the MMI display failure and MMI control unit failure were beyond my ability to repair. Things like the air suspension leak and pump failure were also best addressed by the dealer.
But with the A8/S8 I use the dealer for repairs. Some servicing such as brakes I'll take to a friends shop but everything else I use the dealer.
Things like the MMI display failure and MMI control unit failure were beyond my ability to repair. Things like the air suspension leak and pump failure were also best addressed by the dealer.
08-11-2016, 07:44 PM
#27
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Insurance is outrageous in fla. ky & tn is ok, but the wheel tax calculated by value of car will take you to cleaners. Full coverage for my 2011 4.2 A8L in Ohio is $550- @ year. Ohio is least cost overall.
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