93SHOcar

Well I must say that an S8 had been my dream car as well. However, the first ones I drove were two S8's from BruceM (used car guy who has specialized in S8's). My experience was quite a bit different than what you went through. Ultimately, I went with a different S8 from another dealer, but if you are serious about locating a prime example of an S8, you might want to get in touch with Bruce. He is very active on several of the Audi forums. Very knowledgeable and straight forward guy.

Don't let one horrible example sour you on this model. Get a good look at a nice one and then you will be in a better position to know if this is something you will be interested in.

Also, take a good look at the used S8/A8 buer's guide on Audipages to understand potential issues with these cars. Lastly, if you find another that has more potential then this one, plan on getting a pre purchase inspection from an Audi specialist. The S8 I settled on had some issues but they were all manageable, not due to neglect/abuse and I knew what the $'s were going to be involved up front.

Two years after buying my 02 S8 I now have 89K on it and it still brings a grin to my face. Good luck!

slickdesign

seriously? anyone who knows anything about cars knows what to expect when they roll up to a used car lot....let me guess, there was an old w-series benz and a v12 xkr on the lot that also killed your childhood expectations of premium car build quality?.....were there balloons tied to the car?

by the time any car gets to a lot like the one where you 'found' this s8, the previous owner was likely either of limited options when he traded it in for bottom dollar, or never knew what it was in the first place, thus neglecting it of the upkeep required...

the more aesthetic problems are usually exacerbated by this fact, and drivetrain, tires or other mechanical systems are likely to pile up, making the overall 'experience' very dissatisfying....
the materials used in the trims of many modern luxury cars, like said doorhandle trim, are picked in many cases because of their pleasant-to-the touch quality, which unfortunately comes at the cost of wear longevity....again, something neglected in a car found at lots such as the one you were at....

as you have blatantly illustrated by sharing this experience with us, just because the car has the badge doesnt mean that the person in it knew anything about it.....this particular car would benefit most by an experienced d2 enthusiast who is willing to give it the proper attention, knowing its past potential.... having fallen below the 20k dollar range in recent years, opens these cars up for this sort of abuse, as they are more accessible to someone who just wants one of them 'fast euro-peen cars' for a value... when they should really just buy something japanese and save the rest of us from having to hear about how european cars are problem-prone, when its really just user-error...

Jamgusa

I bought a used 01 S8 two years ago.
Should you ever be in Southern Ca let me know and I'll show it to you.
Forget about the piece of junk you were shown.
Some just have cars to move from A to B, some others actually care and like their cars.

Jaime

mattsimis

Dont worry, I got a chuckle anyhow! Its a good goal point of how far its come when Im zooming nicely along the backroads at shall we say a spirited pace..

ltooz_a6_a8_q7

My 98 175k miles drives better than many new cars out there and still looks great, all original, nothing missing... People who don't take care of the car, then the car won't take care of them... it's a fair game. I don't even look at cars that look abused. I would pay a little more to get a nicer (complete-not handicapped) one than a cheaper one and fixed forever and still is a "BAD" one.

Cheers,

Louis

AMGM5S8

I think the car he test drove was from a movie set filmed in Paris.

PDXA4

Ha perhaps so

ivonius4.2

I believe it was Jay Leno who said, "I really want to experience what I drive."

I also have a friend who complained constantly about his A4, and is now wonderfully happy with his new Honda Accord. What he really wanted, and needed, was an appliance.

EyesofThunder

I would love an S8, but is the mpg for the S8 worth it over the A8?