Hello All-

Hopefully you guys won't throw me out of here as an MB owner! I'm thinking of moving on from a 2002 Benz E430 Sport. I've always had a soft spot for Audi design and engineering, and the A8 is just magnificent.

My questions is...
A)How is it possible that A8s have depreciated so much? It is really staggering to see the price ranges for a 2004 or 2005. Are the cars in the $20,000-$25,000 range just junk? I've even seen some certified ones that low. What gives? In your honest opinion, how does the A8 compare to S500 of same era? (I wouldn't even consider a 7-series)

B)Is it outrageous to own one of these cars and expect nothing but regular maintenance and an occasional failure? This has been the case with the MB and I've probably spent $1500-$2000 yearly on average. Of course I understand that this is a much more complex car, particularly the electronics, but I just don't want to get in over my head. Surprisingly Consumer Reports ranks the A8 better than my E430, and I've had very few problems.

Any advice would be great. I commend all of you for your very good taste; the A8 is really up there in terms of aesthetics. Now what about the rest?

 

but that could just be my opinion. The test drive of the S500 did not thrill me either. I have always really liked the exterior styling of the S500 and that is what prompted me to drive one. I think the handling of the A8 is a little more 'sport' like than the S500 without sacrficing the luxury and comfort side of things.

I do not think it's unreasonable to expect normal maintenance expenses from the car. That has been my experience in the last 15 months of A8 ownerwhip. What really prompted me to go with the A8 after my 4.2 A6 was the Audi community here and other places. This brand has an enthusiast following that I do not believe exists with the MB.

You should definitely test drive both and draw your own conclusions.

As far as the depreciation goes...well...in this day and age I'm not sure their depreciation numbers are any worse than other brands.

 

I don't think your expectation is at all unreasonable. I have just done routine maintenance (& upgrades to get the Audi Music Interface), with a few minor fixes.

I traded an S500 in on my A8 and have never regretted it for a second. There are a few areas where the Benz is stronger, but not many (paint job, trunk closer, Bose sound). I think the Audi handles better and is a much more comfortable environment. I get better mileage and have had far fewer repairs than I had with my S500.

My sense on the depreciation is that all expensive cars have depreciated quickly and it's taking a while for the status of the Audi to get to the cachet of the Mercedes.

I hope that as more people discover how nice the Audi is relative to the others it will level out. I think you'd really like the move from your current Benz.

 

...let me first plug my services. When you are ready, I can buy a great, carefully selected and inspected car to your specs at a great price. There are over 30 people on AW with cars I got for them. No hassles, no worries, no surprises, and you'll know exactly what you will pay in advance of me buying the car for you. Email me at brucem105@comcast.net for more details.

Now that that's out of the way, I have lots of experience with boths cars. I have had 9 D3 A8s, 15 D2 S8's, over a dozen S430 4matic/S500 4matic/S600, E55, E320, E350, E430, E420, and I have five MB's in my driveway now. Phew, sorry!

I am a big fan of the D2 styling, I think it's a more classic design. I do think the W220 styling and the D3 styling are a good match for each other, very upscale and elegant while slightly futuristic.

The interiors on the Audi's are definitely nicer than the S-class interiors. While the S-class use good materials and have good fit and finish, there is something about them that lets you know they built it to a target dollar amount, and it looks less "bespoke" and more "assembly line". Not bad at all, just different. If you get perforated leather, wood/leather steering wheel, etc then it starts to get closer to the D3 A8, but still a bit off.

As far as ride, I think the Audi is more of a driver's car (firm but comfortable), and the S-class more of a luxury car (silky smooth and softer unless an AMG Sport). The Audi Quattro system is far superior to 4matic for on-road bad weather driving.

Reliability is similar. Neither will win any awards, but usually it's small (but sometimes expensive) leaks or electronics. The engines, trans, and drivelines are very stable.

The A8, even in standard (not long) wheelbase is a much bigger and more substantial-feeling car on the road than a W210 Benz. Definitely an upgrade.

They depreciate like rocks because they are Audis. But then again, I just bought a 2006 Benz S500 4matic, mint, 68K miles, for $18,500 recently, so they are no winners in the depreciation game either.

Good luck!

Bruce

 

If BMW's were still as well designed as Audi's. I would still be driving a BMW. IMO, I still think BMW's drive the best, Audi's are the most well designed and MB's are more geared towards the fancy luxury... if u know what I mean.

BMW's = Drives top notch, looks a little funky now IMO
Audi's = Power Suit, no nonsense. Not too flashy, but still just right
Mercedes AMG = Love the look of the AMG's can't deny that is a bad azz design. But to each it's own. I owned BMW's and MB's all thru 98-2005. Since then, I have strayed over to Audi and lovin it

Can't go wrong any which way, get what you feel is right for your taste. Everyone is different and has different needs. If I was still 20, I would not be in my Audi. M3 for sure, would be my wet dream.

Cheers, good hunting for that perfect ride.

 

Audi's are great cars to own if:

1. You buy it new and keep it until you donate it to charity or a *automotive recycling center*. This means for 15-20 years and easily 250,000 miles and possibly a lot more.

2. Buy one used 2-3 years old so it still looks current and it will cost you half of what it cost new. Then do as in step 1 above or you can resell it a few years later for half of what you paid. Not too bad a deal. I once bought new but now feel that it is way better a value to buy a car like this off of a 2-3 year lease.

The maintenance costs can be minimized if you can do most of the work yourself. I also used to follow the maintenance schedule 100%. Now, since I have a wife & kids to support as well as other bad habits, I follow the schedule about 90%. Some stuff is unnecessary or at least can be delayed. And remember, I plan to keep my cars until they are no longer viable to use so if I need to drive across the Country tomorrow, I would have no fear of a breakdown. And, If I have a breakdown, it is nobody's fault but my own.

Then again, as others will attest, I'm an Audi demographic reject!