cbb

Good morning community,

I am going to purchase an A8 D4 soon. I have narrowed my decision down to two cars.
The first car is an Audi A8 4.0 TFSI from 2012 and the other one is an A8 D4 3.0 TDI from 2010.

I will have to decide now if I should be sensible and get the 3.0 TDI or not.

What do you think?

Jack88

The 3.0 TDI is plenty sufficient to move the car with authority, however it seems anemic next to the sledgehammer 4.0t. In normal driving, you won't notice any shortage of power whatsoever though. What you would notice with the TDI is the far better fuel consumption. If you are in Great Britain, I'd recommend the TDI given the absurd attention paid to speed limits over there and the exorbitant cost of fuel. While the 4.0t is fairly economical for the power it provides, it doesn't hold a candle to the 3.0 TDI in terms of city driving. I remember when Clarkson managed an excess of 40mpg in the previous generation A8, where in the 4.0t 30mpg would be a hypermiling achievement.

cbb

@Jack88

Here are the optional extras of the two car.

A8 3.0 TDI - 2010 - £13,990 ($17425) - 119,884 miles

- Electric sunblinds for rear window and for rear door windows
- Deluxe 4 zone climate control including rear comfort armrest

- Lower Inlays - Brushed aluminium, silver
- Power operated boot lid
- Advanced key
- Exterior mirrors, electrically folding, automatic anti-glare action with memory function
- Audi parking system plus

- Comfort front seats
- Electric seat adjustment for both front seats with memory system
- Heated outer rear seats
- Massage seats, front and outer rear
- Front passenger seat adjustment from the rear
- Separate power rear seats
- Electric lumbar support - front and rear

- Bose surround sound
- Mobile telephone preparation low

- Audi pre sense plus
- Audi side assist
- ACC
- Night vision

Audi A8L 4.0 TFSI - 2012 - £17,598($21916) - 92,679 miles

- LED ambient lighting package
- Speed limit display
- Rear vanity mirror
- Through load
- Privacy glass
- Upper Inlays- Fine grain ash
- Additional rear reading lights
- Deluxe 4 zone climate control including rear comfort armrest

- Lower inlays brushed aluminium
- Power door close
- Panoramic glass roof
- Audi hands free boot opening system
- Advanced key
- Door mirrors electrically adjustable
- Audi Parking System Plus
- LED headlights

- Natural leather
- Comfort seats
- Electric seat adjustment for both front seats with memory system
- Heated outer rear seats
- Seat ventilation with massage function front
- Front passenger seat adjustment from the rear
- Separate power rear seats
- Electric lumbar support - front and rear

- Bluetooth privacy handset located in front and rear
- Digital TV reception
- DVD/CD changer
- Bose
- Mobile telephone preparation high

- Audi parking system advanced
- Audi pre sense front
- Audi lane assist
- High beam assist
- ACC

- quattro with sports differential


It looks like the A8 4.0 TFSI has a lot more specification. I am travelling quite frequently to Germany with the car so the petrol engine would be an advantage for the Autobahn.

Jack88

Drive both, and make the choice that suits you best. I can't believe how much cheaper those are in the UK. They cost twice that here for the same car.

Audis or VWs 4Life

They aren't that much cheaper look at the miles, also the 4.0t made it there in 2012 versus 2013 for us. I just took a sniff at a dealer auction site and two V8 2013 A8L's just recently crossed the blocks at 22k and 23k respectively. Car one had 92k miles car two had 90k miles. Price doubles if you want low miles, 20k mile car will be in the 40's.

S8's also start in the mid 40's for a 50k mile car and reach closer to $55k for a 15k mile car.

2011 and 2012 A8's are in the teens if they have 100k+ miles.

Jack88

Not on the lot they're not. Also, it's not that the models they have are built a year earlier than ours, they just have a different way of assigning the model year. The cheapest running 2011 A8 is $20,899 in the US, 2013 4.0t is $29,995, and 2014 A8 3.0 TDI is $36,999. So, you are correct in that they are not twice as expensive here, but they certainly aren't going as cheaply as that! What you might find at a dealer auction doesn't help most people here and don't reflect what most see.

cbb

I think the price for both cars is very good seeing the A8 4.0 TFSI was over £100,000 ($125059) when it was bought in 2012. The depreciation of those cars is massive here.
Regarding petrol costs it is not this much difference in the UK. 1 liter Diesel is currently at £1.23 ($1.54) and Petrol is about £1.21 ($1.51). I reckon the petrol engine only costs me £1500 ($1875) more a year.

I am looking for a very smooth ride and I am assuming the 4.0 engine will deliver that plus you have plenty of power.

Jack88

They both will certainly have that. While the diesel isn't nearly as quick flat out, during normal driving you won't notice the deficit given the abundance of torque. That said, I do occasionally make use of all the power available to me, and would personally prefer the 4.0t. You really don't have a bad choice, here.

cbb

I am fearing having a BMW 335d at the moment the 3.0 TDI in the Audi will not be quick enough. Does anyone has experience that?

cbb

This is the car I will have a look at: https://www.cargiant.co.uk/car/audi/a8/KP62PFA

As you can probably imagine there are not a lot of these ones around in the UK. Most Audi A8s, S Class and 7 series are diesel engines.