hunterp27

Gang,

I have been trolling here for a few weeks prior to purchasing my 2007 S8. I looked long and hard for the right car and settled on a Black exterior with two-tone black/silver interior with full leather, carbon fiber and B&O. The car is a one owner car and was bought new at Coral Springs Audi in FL. Furthermore, it was serviced (all service records printed for me while I waited) there for the entire 7 years and traded in for a new S8. The car was so nice that they actually kept it in their pre-owned inventory even with it being 7 years old. They started off asking mid 30's and ended up getting it for 29K. The car has exactly 70K miles....so roughly 10K miles a year. Yes, I know there are a handful of small differences between the 07 and 08/09 cars but condition was my main concern. So a little over a week ago I pulled the trigger and flew to Ft. Lauderdale and drove it back to Dallas. On the trip back I obviously had plenty of time to get familiar with the car looking for things that I didn't see in pictures or when I looked the car over when picking it up. So far here is what I have discovered and these are the things I am looking for help with. By the way, this is my first Audi after owning (5) M5's (1) e55 (1) s55 (2) Porsche Twin Turbos. I would be extremely appreciative if a few of you wise D3 S8 owners would weigh-in on these few things I have discovered and let me know what I am looking at:

- Drivers side sun shade droops down and doesn't pop shut and stay flush with the headliner like the passenger side.
- I have one speaker (unidentified location yet) thats vibrating at mid volume.
- Biggest issue is this: When I turn into a parking space at very low speed I hear a groaning/grinding like sound. I happens both directions and it doesn't matter whether I moving forward or backing up. I took it to the Audi dealer on Saturday (didn't have time to leave it) and they topped off the mineral oil based power steering fluid but that only seemed to have a minimal improvement. I understand AWD cars have a different trace such as my wife's Escalade which can cause some shuddering when completely turned to lock, but this seems excessive. What am I looking at here?
- slight delaminating of the leather dash right around the hump of the instrument cluster. Its not shrinking or pulling.....its more like the glue has let go and its bubbling. I am thinking a high end interior/upholstery shop can solve this. Its just the perfectionist in me that doesn't like this small imperfection.
-last question involves the MMI. what level of MMI do I likely have? Is it likely at a level that I can simply purchase and install the AMI?
Other than these things, the car is absolutely flawless with the exception of a self inflicted wound to the rear bumper during its second night in my garage. I didn't pull in far enough and the wife hit the garage door button and the door came down and put a nice 3 inch vertical scrape on the bumper. Arrrggghhhh !!!!
Thank you in advance to any and all that take the time to reply to this newbie. I will pay it forward for the board when I become educated from you guys (and gals)

Hunter
469-766-2667

Petahs

Welcome! Post pics when you get a chance. For the AMI I think you need at least ver 3360 someone will correct me if I am wrong. To find out version Hit Car->Setup->Settings->Version latest for the US is 4610 I am running that version and have an AMI installed. I'm also in Dallas if you ever need to do a VCDS scan on your car.

Panelhead

The techs here are top notch.

mishar

Welcome and congratulations. Don't post any pictures before you do something unique to her.

- Find a sunshade on eBay and replace it.

- Groaning/grinding like sound wise, if you hear it when turning sharp slowly it is common to Quattro. This added to all three differentials would help.

- I believe you can install AMI without MMI software upgrade, but if you have to upgrade it it is not problem at all.

Fix that garage door. It should have security sensors positioned at the bumper level. Next time it can end on top of your roof. Or kill your dog.

AutohausAZ-Mike

Congrats and welcome to the forum!
Good to have you here.

hunterp27

Huge thanks to those that have replied thus far. I really appreciate it......If I can solve this groaning noise while turning I will feel much better. Maybe its just that way with Audis and its something I will get used to

MP4.2+6.0

Hi there!

On your open issue/question, let me try something else. The P/S fluid check and top up makes sense. On S8's (and W12's), it is a pain in the butt to check because it is buried by the drivers side air filter box.

Since that is checked off, I would look at a few front end components. Specifically look at the upper front control arms, the lower sway bar links (the U shaped links that tie from the sway bar to the lower front control arm), and the sway bar main bushings. On the first one (front upper control arms), about every D3 on the planet seems to need these done--a "when not if" issue that is due to an under design spec. that fundamentally needs to be replaced almost periodically. By 70K miles, yours are already right in the sweet spot of when they often act up. Look at the inner upper bushings and see if they are distorted and cracked. At least put the car in jack mode to see them with a good flashlight, but you may have to jack it up or take the wheel off to get a good look see. A little cracking is normal, but if they are torn out and certainly if the bolt up point has distorted to where it is now off center they are shot. The issue often manifests itself as noise initially.

Next up are the lower links on the sway/roll bar. See if the rubber bushings are badly distorted and tearing out there. Some distortion is expected, but of course not tearing out. Last, the sway bar bushings: you can check the first two parts just by jacking up each wheel area, but you have to take off the belly (noise) pan to see the sway bar bolt up area bushings where they attach to the motor cradle/subframe. Those bushings are probably more likely to cause noise issues than the U links at the ends or the front upper control arms, but any could. If the main bar bushing are starting to tear out or sloppy, they need replacement. Unfortunately they are not sold separately, but are molded onto the bar itself--thus if worn, you have to replace the whole bar, bushings and all. A simple diagnostic on these, especially the sway bar stuff, is to give it a good silicon spray. If the noise drops off, that is likely the fault area. The spray won't last, but helps i.d. the location.

If these are not it, you are likely back to the steering rack, or maybe the pump. High probability though it is one or multiple of these suspension and bushing areas. The groaning stuff is often reported more in the winter, but could be at any time. Probably the most common known weak spots of the entire D3, especially the front upper arms. Fortunately all are replaceable, many shops (or owners) can do them, and they don't cost a fortune bigger picture.

Crash Craddock

Usually that groaning noise while turning is bad control arm bushings, at least that's been my experience. I ordered new bushings from Arlington Audi, VA, they are about 40.00 each. Upper bushing P/N 4EO407515D. You can do all the work yourself, it's pretty easy. Just have them pressed at a local shop. When removing the lower control arms use tool #3287. You can find the tools here. ZDMAK BMW tools Mercedes tools Volkswagen tools Volvo tools Porsche Audi special tools for imported exotic cars
If you are near Frisco, go to Dallas Precision Imports, if not the best Audi guy in town is Steve Zink at Zink Autohaus

Crash Craddock

Here's another helpful resource
Audi Resource - index

halik

Wow great price!