Pwrshift

20+ years of leasing S-Class...now switched to Audi A8L 2 weeks ago. It's taking me a while to get use to all the differences, but enjoying the car. Reading the manual is like going back to college.

Background: Last S-Class was the S400 Hybrid LWB. Had ordered new 2014 550 LWB 4Matic last November and had to extend my lease a year as they couldn't get a delivery date...but they changed the order to 2015 model with hopes of Boxing Day delivery...car would be over 4 years and out of warranty. Crazy. So I jumped ship to Audi.

jakematic

Welcome to the forum and welcome to Audi.
You've been officially ruined for any other vehicle

Any question, ask away.

Oh and pictures, we love pictures...

derfA8L

Welcome aboard! Let us know what likes/dislikes you have between the S-class and A8.

Cheers!

Pwrshift

Thanks. So far the A8l is a winner, but my broad beam hates the seat controls on the side o the seat instead of the door like on the S-Class.

Also, the Nav maps don't have some of my well travelled roads...will have to call and see why.
The Audi MMI command center is so different and less user friendly than the S was.

Tight fit...According to my garage, A8l is about 2" longer than the S but 2" narrower...so I have to be careful positioning the car before closing the door...the camera is helpful but why do you have to put the car into reverse to turn the forward camera on?

RED HORSE

I can use the button on the dash on my '15 to turn the camera on. It is very helpful parking in the garage.

derfA8L

Interesting...my research using the prior gen and new gen S400/S550 shows that the D4 A8L is only 0.8 inches longer and is actually wider than the Benz by 3 inches---mirror to mirror the S400/S550 (both 2013 & 2015) is 0.8 inches wider than the A8L (all according to Edmunds):

Overall Length: S400/S550 = 206.5" A8L = 207.3"
Wheelbase: S400/S550 = 124.6" A8L = 122.9"
Width (w/o mirrors): S400/S550 = 73.7" A8L = 76.7"
Width (w/mirrors): S400/S550 = 83.9" A8L = 83.1"

And yes, if you push the Parking button when car is in forward gear, the front camera display will activate, making it very useful for close encounters in the garage ;^)

Kkirkg

I has been my experience that there is always a bit a nostalgia for the familiar. I rented an X5, with no driver's manual of course, and I cursing BMW for its stupid non-intuitive design. Had I rented a Q7 I would have had a better experience, but Avis doesn't offer Audis for rent.

So . . . give it time. The Audi website has some helpful videos. This forum is also an invaluable aide.

jakematic

The other thing about MMI is it has an excellent voice interface.
90+% of the functions can be done just by speaking.

To get a list of options, press the voice button on the steering wheel and say "Help".

You should train the system to your voice first.

Pwrshift

I bow to your research and thanks. My comment on size differences was because I have a tennis ball hanging from the roof of my garage to touch the window when I park inside...I had to move it forward two inches to make sure the door wouldn't hit the trunk when it came down, resulting in less room at the front. My width comment was again visual from the front of the cars widest portion when coming into the garage. The 2015 550 LWB was supposed to be about an inch wider than the S400 and I was concerned about the tight fit for it too...so I find the 3" wider stat a little hard to accept, also because the front seats seem narrower in the A8L.

Still, every day the car is growing on me...finding new toys all the time. Love the massage. I do have a little difficulty with the right side blind spot to see if there is a car in that lane as the magnification makes cars seem closer than they really are but I'll get use to that once I get to trust the flashing rear view mirror.

Misses: I miss not having seat controls on the door and controls to move the passenger seat from driver side. The Merc had a button called 'rest' that you push to keep the car warm for 30 minutes when you go shopping in cold weather in Toronto. The glove compartment is tiny compared to the Merc and less accessible from the driver side...the Merc also had more storage up front, including one under the front of each seat.

Don't misread me...I love the A8L and these are just the differences I'm finding as I go along.

derfA8L

Yeah, I had to re-check the width stats 3 times and still find it hard to accept. You (the driver) can control the front passenger seat via the MMI, but agreed it's not as convenient as having a switch on the driver's door. And yup, the glove compartment should be large enough to fit the owners manual folder, but really isn't.
I'd still take the A8L over the Benz, hands down.