ultradub-uk

Here is the previous Poll and formerly "ultradub".<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a8/msgs/24042.phtml">https://forums.audiworld.com/a8/msgs/24042.phtml</a</li></ul>

Plano-4.2

Other than you're dealing with the D3 issues that weren't present for the original.

ultradub-uk

Well certainly awareness of the Audi Brand in general seems to have increased in the States. The A8 has enjoyed a venerable reputation in Europe for years. Essentially, it has been regarded as the luxury car for those "in the know". The only contentious issue seems to be the MMI system. Whilst BWM's iDrive certainly garners more disdain, the MMI seems to have put some people off, yet certainly not to the point to abandon the car, as some have with the 7 Series.

Yet the overall issues remain the same, reliability and Dealer Service. Although I did not address those particular issues in the first survey, they have persisted throughout the discussions on this forum and certainly relfected in the numbers on the survey.

Cheers.

Plano-4.2

I guess the folks who resist it want to go back to the dozens of buttons and dozens of *****. Yes the spillage on the MMI buttons can be a problem, but overall this is a great solution.

I wonder if there is a age/computer literacy factor for those who dislike the interface. I do user interaces for the tools my company supplies and I find the layout very good. Sure there are a few tweaks I'd like to do, like having rearranging some of the menu items. But it's not something that detracts from the enjoyment of my car.

greenie

I agree! Ive had my share of MMI issues but I like the system.

Emauss

...I find it quite intuitive, and after a very short learning curve, I find it *very* good. The one improvement I would really like is more of a tactile differentiation on all the buttons. But this is something that, over the long haul, I will adjust to...and have a "blind feel" for where things are simply by repetative action.

Mister Bally

I have no problem or dislikes with the MMI. Until I picked up my car, I had never used one. Even at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show where the car was introduced, the MMI had a special area along with some "demo stations". I was almosed forced to try it, I finally walked away from the over zealous booth employee and told him: I'll learn to use it when I buy one. This is exactly what I did almost three years later!

I did not get an owners manual or any paperwork with the car as I bought it used. A week later, the paperwork I ordered came in so I used it to figure out some the navigation system advanced stuff and how to program the HomeLink etc. But, I had at least 80% of the MMI figured out by then.

ultradub-uk

Well, since I am pre-MMI, I can only attest to my experience at the dealers, and I found it rather intuitive and logically laid-out. I even found the iDrive managable, while it is not as logical and intuitive as Audi's GUI adaptation. Regardless, you may be correct in your assertions that there may be a technology or generational gap.

Yet I find the same issues in my line of work. Some very skilled professionals (pilots) that have years of experience with complicated electronics, detest the idea of menus and "search and hunt" functions for what they believe should be readily available to them. Yet providing dedicated switches for every function would not be cost and space effective.

Either way, it is a superb vehicle and my personal belief is that Audi has done a wonderful job.

ttuling

Neither MMI nor the mess of buttons which preceded it can do that. Some older cars do however let you discern the temperature and air distribution settings simply by touching the *****. So much more could be done in this vein without resorting to "dozens of buttons and dozens of *****". How about one audio source selector **** to replace seven buttons on the 1998-2001 radio? How about left and right air distribution joysticks operating in triangular openings whose vertices correspond to windshield, face, feet? When it comes to secondary controls, I want to let my fingers do the seeing. However, something MMI-like may be good for navigation, pre-trip configuration, and diagnostics.

My computer literacy is such that I'd be happy to write the software to make such things work.

Tom

ultradub-uk

It certainly sounds brilliant!