Exhaust tip corrosion is severe
 

I started to notice after 12 months, but now at 30 months the tips are corroded through the chrome on about 50% of the lip area. I haven't seen this kind of degradation in past Audi.

I just had my detailer spend 2 days on the paint, so the tips really stand out now as ugly in contrast.

You guys must be seeing the same thing?

Here is a picture of a different Audi on the web, showing tips cleaned of the black carbon, exposing the chrome damage/bare metal. It's not from abrasion, this happens from just washing.

The tips on all my A6's and now the A8 have been and are stainless steel. Mine get black from carbon, but a little elbow grease and a scotchbright pad and there clean and silver again. Hard to imagine the tips on the S8 are not stainless, that's a rip.

They are Chrome. And the chrome revealed the stainless.

Regular (weekly) maintenance is the only way to keep the tips in top shape.

If they are stainless at least they can be cleaned/polished up without rusting. Not sure why Audi would have chromed over a piece of perfectly good stainless, crazy if they did!

If it were me, I'd find a way to get that chrome off and get the stainless to show thru, then use a scotch brite pad pad to scuff up the stainless to a nice silver finish. At least it will be silver instead of splotchy shiny ugly chrome.

What does the dealer say about this?

High heat black paint seems to be a popular choice too.

my a8l has the bumper mounted silver box thing with the actual tail pipes within the bumper. The silver surround box thing is corroding. Oh well!

What happened to the Audi corrosion protection warranty?

I'll ask about it the next time I'm in for service. I think it's for paint.

Yes, and only if the rust corrodes thru a panel.

my 2013 S8 suffer from carbon build up does this mean the engine runs rich ? why the carbon keep building up

i got few cars with chrome tips but never build as fast as the S8

Runs rich when on the boost, (people comment they can smell it burning rich from behind if I punch it on the highway). Also uses a bit of oil due between changes. I'm down 1 litre in 15k Kms. Pretty normal on turbo engines.

Chip tune might get rid of excessive rich areas.

If it were mine I would look into the excessively rich issue during boost. To me that usually means a leak between the turbo and intercooler or between the intercooler and the engine. Sometimes the only way to find a leaky hose is to remove it and inspect it.

Excessively rich during boost was a common symptom of a leaky hose on the Audi 20 valve turbo engines. In almost every case, the intercooler to intake hose cracked and was leaking under boost causing the too rich condition.

Another way to verify is to install a boost gauge at least temporarily. If you cannot attain proper boost levels, then it is time to find out why.

my car is only 13,000 KM on odometer so i do not think their will be any leak on an engine with not a lot of milage

L0U, any specific chip tune you recommend ?

I don't have a 8-Series...
 

... but eight other Audi's have passed through my garage. I too, like the exhaust tips to be shiny and do them every time I clean the wheels or detail the car. I have found the "chrome" finish to be frustratingly fragile. However, if you wipe them every few days, the black soot stays pretty much on the surface and removes easily. I spray the tips with Griot's Speed Shine or waterless car wash (when they are cool!) and then wipe clean. I don't wipe them with a dry towel as they will scratch or just wear off.

I used to have Saab Aero's with Remus exhausts and polished tips - they were bombproof - but, that was aftermarket. If you look at other premium cars, the polished tips are usually filthy - so I suppose we are in a minority.

Good luck

Eric

I am leaning towards the giac tune since it is a plug and play type. apr has a version 2 out, but I am not going to go to a dealer every time I want to add or remove the tune. With giac you have the actual tool that's used.

Obd2 port cable.

I clean up the exhaust tips every couple of weeks. There is some permanent corrosion, but it's not obvious unless you get close. I just aim to minimize it for the future, seems to be working.