dreamhope

Hello,

I think next week I'll definitely give up my 97 A8 4.2 Quattro. I want to thank everyone for their help when I had the car. Unfortunately, this car was the biggest mistake I've made in the last five years.

Not that this model is particularly flawed, though flawed it is (transmission). I was stupid enough to have bought this unit. Basically, I saw an ad and flew to Berlin from Paris to buy it. It was cheap, and it drove reasonably well, so I just paid cash. On the clock it had about 98500 km. Of course that's not real. I was very stupid to trust the seller. Now I know that Germany is the country with the highest prevalence of odometer fraud. I think the chief of police of some region was quoted as saying that 2/3 of used cars in Germany are clocked.

So I bought a set of new tyres and did some fluid changes. The engine always made some noise (not really audible with the windows up). I think it probably was the cam chain.

And so **** this **** place.

I was stupid enough to let a mechanic do an engine oil change. The ****er probably overfilled - because on the way back two of the three engine oil breather hoses busted. Replaced them myself - the rear ones really aren't designed to be replaceable, are they? I've also done the front engine shock absorber - another PITA.

I also changed all the filters - in retrospect, I threw too much unnecessary money at it.

Then, of course, the transmission went. This is the beginning of my real problem: I should have just cut the loss. Not much money anyway. I was stupid enough to have paid 3500+ euros for a reconditioning. No, it wasn't reconditioned. It wasn't properly repaired, either. I brought the car back several times with no results.

I have been suing the mother****er for over two years. The first court-appointed 'expert' had one year and did nothing. Later, I learned that he retired half a year in and hid behind his union. The second one filed a report. But by now the crooks have a new garage - same location, different name, the old owner is now an employee and the new owner was an old employee. The old garage is still registered there.

My lawyer tried to get their (old garage) account frozen. The judge gave BS reason not to grant it.

It's obvious what the *******s are doing: put all the liabilities on the old one and silently (under the table) transfer all the assets to the new one. With the efficiency of the French system, they can be all dead before held accountable for fraudulent transfer of assets.

Of course, all this time I had no access to the car (parked for three years). The *******s used the pretense of a 'parking' fee (>10k; I think just to **** with me), and my lawyer had to write a formal request ($ out of my pocket).

Today, I finally was able to tow back this POS (zero value; no one wants it). The towing guy is also a crook. He intentionally went to the wrong address and up-charged me - from 210 to 330 euros for a 35 km tow - and this **** guy didn't deliver to my address (yes, that's more money).

To my surprise, when a booster is connected the car actually starts (with CAT light / which is just CEL on EU models / on). But once the booster is disconnected the engine dies. Tomorrow I'll try with a friend to put a battery in it to see it the car drives. I want to give it to him. If it doesn't, I'll take some parts as souvenir and send it to the junkyard. Either way, next week it'll no longer be under my name, and my nightmare with it can finally end.

What was so stupid of me was the before I sent the car to the mother****ers I just replaced the trunk lock actuator and the coolant reservoir. I also installed iridium spark plugs.

I'm leaving France in two weeks. There're many nice people here, but absolutely not within 50 km of Paris. The worst crooks seem to follow a certain religion - but it's the system that nourishes crooks - and there's no shortage of aboriginal ones.

Including my legal fees up to date, I've spent in the area of 13k euros and only drove about 10k miles. I think winning the case is probable but collecting the judgement will be highly unlikely an endeavor to achieve.

I promise to myself that I should be damned if I buy another vehicle made by VW (Lambo, Porsche, Bentley, Seat, Skoda, and of course Audi all included) - not that I'll ever be able to afford any, but even if I'd be given any.

If someone offers me a Porsche, I'll tell him/her: "Show some respect and give me a Ferrari instead!"

dreamhope

btw, I now have a Lexus that has never had a single problem and every button still works.

This Audi has given me too many sleepless nights, not because it's a lot of money, two months' salary, ok, but because it's hard not to hate the crooks - and like Donald J Trump - and pretty much everyone - it just doesn't feel right to lose.

I still find the look of this car better than newer Audi models. However, the AWD and engine-forward design grew tired.

twentysevenlitres

I've read some of your posts in the past and have some idea of the story behind your car.
Run of bad luck and possibly poor choices.

To blame that on the brand in general is a little unfair, though with a bitter taste comes a reluctance to have another bite I suppose.

I think you also bought this car with a limited budget (were you a student at the start?), and this really isn't the sort of car that can be run on a shoestring.

Good luck with your Lexus

2001 S8

I too have followed your story. It sounds like this is the right move for you. Given what you found out about potential "clocking" of the odometer, it may have been a bad buy.

I agree with 27litres, that writing off an entire brand (VW) is a little much, but do to your experience I can't fault your decision.

I owned a Lexus RX. Very reliable. 70,000 mile on it, no major issues and everything worked. Good luck with your Lexus as the next chapter of car ownership begins.

dreamhope

Thanks guys.

Once the case is over (maybe in a year's time), I'll post some pictures and videos I've taken yesterday.

btw, I learned that the cheap man pays twice. Just 1500 more would've bought me a new box. What a lesson.

Shark_V8

Experiences like this repeat themselves 1000x everyday. My advice for the cheap guy is #1 you have no business acquiring the most complex and costly vehicle in the range. I know of the transmission issue, my brother had the same in his D2 he went w/ $6000 on a new (or factory reman) trans from Audi. I was for it. I have a buddy with a trans shop. Great guy and honest too, but when it comes to complex issues he's under-gunned. I have not stepped in for certain cases, for fear of being sucked into a vortex! He then refers these un-solvables to the dealer. I have been involved in automotive lawsuits. Even with the small claims system, it's a last resort imo. The judges are under-gunned too. They don't know what's right and wrong.

And speaking of judging, travelling distance to buy is another error. By being patient, I found you can always cut a local deal that would usurp a trip, in this case to Frankfurt or where ever.

I think there needs to be an automotive hotline for service coaching. Engineering advice. Some shops can be stupid, others very smart, but on balance kinda stupid. They can do the work and replace parts, but no intel.

Lastly on Porsche - they are solid cars throughout. But not without technicalities and there can be the expectation that the owners throw $$ at them. I have 2 friends that I am coaching and working on their cars from time to time. Total savings between the two is getting close to $10K over what they or shops thought should be done, and actual level-headed service actions.

omarcarbomb

I might be at the end of my 16 year D2 A8 journey myself. My 200 A8 is dead and I have not been able to find a suitable host for its smooth as silk rebuilt transmission (paid $3500) with less than 50K on it.
I need to make room in my garage to work on my S8 (it’s too cold wot work outside).

Does anyone have or know where I can find a PFL D2 A8 (no L’s & Miles < 160K) with a bad transmission for sale?

Has anyone noticed that there are no D2 A8’s on the web anywhere? Is the party over?

I can’t find one car in the entire US of A except except this one that is priced at 3X the going price for such a car.
2002 Audi A8 | eBay

Only one D2 on Ebay right now not one on CL and zero on Audi boards. ONE Car!

If I can’t find a host car this weekend I think I’m going to have to move on. I have had a DEAD A8 in my garage for over 6 months and have not been able to find a decent car to plant its transmission in.

If you don’t know of where a car is but have an idea of where to look please offer up a suggestion.

I suppose I’d sell you my transmission but you would have to be in the SF bay area with an ailing A8, in which case - don’t buy my tranny, sell me your car!

Y888

I wanted to do a manual swap,would fbg trans fit?prob not?

omarcarbomb

A8 is being towed in the next 24-48 hrs.
The D2 A8 period of my life is over after 16 years

I'm moving my S8 into the garage for Sunday Driving.

omarcarbomb

Bought a new car over the weekend. The A8 is being towed on thursday.

It actually had both of it's fog light grills!
I also have custom all weather rubber mats. One pair used and one never used pair.

PM me.

Thanks