Q8s at Dealers
11-01-2018, 10:08 AM
#41
AudiWorld Super User
Yes. My next available one isn’t due for a few weeks - dragon orange,/black year one, driver assist, MSRP of low $80’s. feel free to pm t oset up an appointment to see it on arrival.
11-01-2018, 10:09 AM
#42
AudiWorld Super User
11-01-2018, 10:16 AM
#43
AudiWorld Super User
Unfortunately I've also seen one and have to agree. I'm hoping the new E Tron will look better in person than the Q8. Most mod sized SUVs right now are rather boring even the 'coupe' styled ones. The Q8 does look better than a X6 or GLE Coupe for what it's worth but certainly isn't appealing to me .the ETron and new X5 look better overall especially if you're paying $90k+ I'd rather have the 4.4L TT V8 than a V6 in that price range. I'm actually looking to get a slightly bigger SUV in the next year which is why I looked at the Q8. Something of that size needs a better powertrain especially since the Coupe styled SUVs are supposed to be sporty.
nothing launches with all powertrains nowadays, it’s not cost effective. I personally don’t see much market for these, regardless of engine, at $90k+. But where we built ours, having looked at
the other brands (RR, BMW, MB) nothing in the class comes close, and the competitors are significantly more $ comparably equipped, and the Q8 benefits from much more rear room than the GLE and X6.
Haven’t driven a new X5 yet, will do so when they are released.
11-03-2018, 12:04 PM
#44
AudiWorld Member
Saw a black/black prestige in person today; I am underwhelmed 
I wanted to be blown away but I wasn't. It is a good looking car, but not exciting. The interior is nice, not great. I sold my 2018 Q7 [passing it through the dealer to a friend] and I am kind of worried right now. I am crossing my fingers that the Navarra blue / Year one / Sarder brown combination make make it a bit more exciting to look at. Right now i am wondering if i made a mistake and should have switched to the MB AMG GLE 43 coupe
I wanted to be blown away but I wasn't. It is a good looking car, but not exciting. The interior is nice, not great. I sold my 2018 Q7 [passing it through the dealer to a friend] and I am kind of worried right now. I am crossing my fingers that the Navarra blue / Year one / Sarder brown combination make make it a bit more exciting to look at. Right now i am wondering if i made a mistake and should have switched to the MB AMG GLE 43 coupe
11-03-2018, 01:08 PM
#45
AudiWorld Member
Took the Q7 in for routine service today and our dealer has several Q8s - checked out a Daytona Grey Prestige. Frameless windows are not as much of a concern as I thought - looked substantial, and the double-pane should reduce noise. Fingerprints will definitely be a "thing," so cleaning cloths handy are a must; cleaner looking dash, particularly with the now non-retractable screen in the Q7. Cargo storage actually looked on par with the Q7, but just eyeballed and didn't really measure to compare. The center console storage is tiny, and mostly occupied by the wireless charging pad, but my Galaxy Note 9 in an Otterbox Defender case fit - just - and there is an additional box alongside the charger that would be just adequate for a couple of ball-point pens. I did like the single piece armrest, adjustable up or down as in the Q7. Door storage looked the same or similar as the Q7. Had some sort of flat finish dark wood trim that really looked plastic and sort of tacky; I don't think it would grow on me. Year one package looked good with red calipers, and was impressed with the 22" tires and rims. My impression is front and rear seat legroom were as good as in the Q7; still a lot of plastic on door and dash, and sticker was $90k+. Still missing the auto hill-hold button on US models, with a dummy below the electronic park button, and of course no AI button in US models, and no automatic parking control that I could find. General impression was of a modest but not orders-of-magnitude upgrade to the Q7, mostly on the interior controls, and maybe not enough to justify the $5-10k premium difference; exterior styling is in the eye of the beholder I suppose. And if you need a third row seat, choice is a no-brainer - none available in the Q8. Might schedule a test drive, but I'm not seriously shopping right now - I will check out the new X5 just down the road when I get a chance
11-03-2018, 03:43 PM
#46
AudiWorld Senior Member
I never understood the need for a Q8 with a lesser expensive superior alternative in Q7 available. The Q8 is also smaller than the Q7. Not sure what was the rational behind this. After the early adopters diminish, this model will struggle to sell.
11-03-2018, 03:56 PM
#47
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Can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m shopping for sporty yet roomy, mid-sized, upscale SUVs that don’t give off a mini-van vibe. There are very limited options in this space. I know you all love your Q7’s, but I don’t have kids, and I wouldn’t be caught dead in anything with three rows. Q7 is also too long for city driving and parking. I actually wish that the Q8 were a few inches shorter. The Q5 is simply too small for my needs (and my 6-foot+ frame). I’m cross-shopping the new X5, the higher trim Jeep Grand Cherokee’s, and a few others.
11-03-2018, 04:19 PM
#48
AudiWorld Senior Member
Can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m shopping for sporty yet roomy, mid-sized, upscale SUVs that don’t give off a mini-van vibe. There are very limited options in this space. I know you all love your Q7’s, but I don’t have kids, and I wouldn’t be caught dead in anything with three rows. Q7 is also too long for city driving and parking. I actually wish that the Q8 were a few inches shorter. The Q5 is simply too small for my needs (and my 6-foot+ frame). I’m cross-shopping the new X5, the higher trim Jeep Grand Cherokee’s, and a few others.
11-05-2018, 04:23 AM
#50
We drove a high spec Q8 P+ with First Edition, Driver Assist, Cold Weather, Towing Pkg, black on black. We currently have our second SQ5 and we have a top-spec SQ5 Prestige with sport on order (12/5 delivery date).
We are "this close" to pulling the trigger on the $79K Q8 it was so impressive. This Q8 is quieter than a 2018 A8L and didn't even have the dual pane glass. We were in no traffic position to exceed 90MPH. But, at that speed the interior was virtually silent with respect to both wind and road noise.
The 22" wheels were, before the test drive, a probable deal breaker. But, the tires are 40 series -- which passes the "pothole" test. My 2018 S4 (and my 2014 S4) both had 40 series tires never a problem. My 2009 A4 Prestige with 19" wheels -- and, my 2012 Acura TL Advance SH-AWD also had the 19"s -- the ultra-low profile tires on some of these cars will not, virtually cannot, survive in SW Ohio, tires blow, wheels bend, alignments come with alarming frequency. But the Q8's 40 series tires (on 22") wheels provided remarkable turn-in and it took a lot to induce too much understeer. And, the width of the tires at 285 makes the very large car feel close enough to an SQ5 to not be an issue. The S4 might out corner it, probably would, but the thing is, we don't track our cars, the car is for my wife's daily round-trip commute of 60+ miles and her monthly miles of close to 2K; the chances she ever go faster than 80-85 are pretty slim and insofar as handling is concerned, she'd rarely need cornering limits in excess of what this Q8 offers.
This is a combination of an SQ5 and an A8 rolled into one -- and the interior is a HUGE improvement -- fingerprints mean we'll be carrying a bottle of eyeglass cleaner (from Lenscrafters) and a soft cloth.
After almost 3 dozen Audis, this one blows me away in terms of the mix of luxury and performance. One other car comes to mind -- my first S6 with a manual transmission -- back in the 90's. This Q8 was the most impressive vehicle, including my long test-drive recently of an RS5, Audi has released that costs less than 100K.
They got four in a few days ago -- they're all gone (we got one of them -- we're telling them when our rep comes in after his days off -- it is marked sold in fact). They have another half-dozen "already spoken for" coming in and one inventory car coming in. Then they're dry for nearly 60 days. This car, will be the "it" car for Audi for at least another 6-12 months, I predict.
To "sell" my wife, the dealer knowing we wanted to take a 200 mile trip gave us a 2018 Q7 prestige optioned to 78K -- we were interested in the ease of ingress/egress for my 95 year old mother in law. We drove the Q7 to Columbus to test the MIL's reaction to the entry into the back seat (compared to the SQ5 my MIL has been used to getting in). The Q7 is very close to the ground clearance of the Q8 and the dealer suggested we let my MIL get into the Q7 without mentioning its ride height differences. Mom didn't even flinch -- and she thought the back seat of the Q7 was very plush. The Q8 is even more so.
We are "this close" to pulling the trigger on the $79K Q8 it was so impressive. This Q8 is quieter than a 2018 A8L and didn't even have the dual pane glass. We were in no traffic position to exceed 90MPH. But, at that speed the interior was virtually silent with respect to both wind and road noise.
The 22" wheels were, before the test drive, a probable deal breaker. But, the tires are 40 series -- which passes the "pothole" test. My 2018 S4 (and my 2014 S4) both had 40 series tires never a problem. My 2009 A4 Prestige with 19" wheels -- and, my 2012 Acura TL Advance SH-AWD also had the 19"s -- the ultra-low profile tires on some of these cars will not, virtually cannot, survive in SW Ohio, tires blow, wheels bend, alignments come with alarming frequency. But the Q8's 40 series tires (on 22") wheels provided remarkable turn-in and it took a lot to induce too much understeer. And, the width of the tires at 285 makes the very large car feel close enough to an SQ5 to not be an issue. The S4 might out corner it, probably would, but the thing is, we don't track our cars, the car is for my wife's daily round-trip commute of 60+ miles and her monthly miles of close to 2K; the chances she ever go faster than 80-85 are pretty slim and insofar as handling is concerned, she'd rarely need cornering limits in excess of what this Q8 offers.
This is a combination of an SQ5 and an A8 rolled into one -- and the interior is a HUGE improvement -- fingerprints mean we'll be carrying a bottle of eyeglass cleaner (from Lenscrafters) and a soft cloth.
After almost 3 dozen Audis, this one blows me away in terms of the mix of luxury and performance. One other car comes to mind -- my first S6 with a manual transmission -- back in the 90's. This Q8 was the most impressive vehicle, including my long test-drive recently of an RS5, Audi has released that costs less than 100K.
They got four in a few days ago -- they're all gone (we got one of them -- we're telling them when our rep comes in after his days off -- it is marked sold in fact). They have another half-dozen "already spoken for" coming in and one inventory car coming in. Then they're dry for nearly 60 days. This car, will be the "it" car for Audi for at least another 6-12 months, I predict.
To "sell" my wife, the dealer knowing we wanted to take a 200 mile trip gave us a 2018 Q7 prestige optioned to 78K -- we were interested in the ease of ingress/egress for my 95 year old mother in law. We drove the Q7 to Columbus to test the MIL's reaction to the entry into the back seat (compared to the SQ5 my MIL has been used to getting in). The Q7 is very close to the ground clearance of the Q8 and the dealer suggested we let my MIL get into the Q7 without mentioning its ride height differences. Mom didn't even flinch -- and she thought the back seat of the Q7 was very plush. The Q8 is even more so.
Last edited by markcincinnati; 11-05-2018 at 04:28 AM.