AudiWorld Forums - Trying to decide on my next car

Hello Q7 Owners!

I posted the same in the D4 (A8/S8) forum because i wanted to get both sides' opinion on my "dilemma".

Sorry for the long rant in advance! I am really torn on this decision.

I am currently an Audi S4 B8 owner who is looking for a bigger car. Reason - 3 growing kids and the rear seat in the S4 is useless, both for legroom and width. S4 is aging and not meeting family needs - it has to go.

Since I will be going to a larger car/SUV daily driver and i won't be getting the performance/fun of the S4, and i drive a lot (15-18k mi/yr) i decided that i want to buy a USED turbo diesel car.
I also want some decent luxury and comfort too. The S4 was never luxurious enough for me but the "fun factor" was very high so i was somehow able to ignore the lack of nice amenities and quiet/plush interior.

My Audi diesel options are very few:

'14 Audi A8L TDI with 45k miles - not fully loaded, but has decent options - driver assist pkg, top view camera, panorama roof, all black (no warranty, except emissions)
14' Audi A8L TDI with 61k miles - fully loaded with B&O, Luxury pkg, rear seat luxury pkg, etc, etc - Black on brown. Same price as the above A8L but with 61k miles vs 45k miles (no warranty, except emissions)
14' Audi Q7 TDI Premium Plus (a couple different options) - almost fully loaded - $3-5k more expensive than the A8L but Q7s are Audi certified (warranty + emissions wrty)

Let me state that i am a DIY guy who is not afraid to work on cars. I have done plenty of work on my S4 and other cars - Lexus, Toyota, etc. I am willing to do all of my own maintenance and small to mid-size repairs. Not afraid to get my hand dirty.
However, i have never owned or touched an A8 or Q7.

The reason i am so torn between the Q7 and the A8L is because they are two very different cars and i like them both for different reasons:

A8L
- It will be the nicest, most luxurious car that i ever owned, yet it will come with great MPG rating and seems decently fun to drive/fast, especially given the size.
- My commute to work will be a true joy in this car - smooth, quiet, comfy and efficient.
- Car is Almost too big for one guy sitting in SF Bay Area traffic when i don't have the kids and simply commute to work.
- A8/S8 has always been my dream car and now i can get one with TDI and drive it without worrying about the high gas cost of a V8
- It is a LARGE car (longer than Q7), yet the rear seat is ideal for 2 passengers, not 3. I question how comfy the middle seat will be on a 2-3 hour trip for a 8yr old kid?!?!
- It is large, yet the trunk is not impressive
- I wonder how easy is to drive/park such large car on a day to day errands basis?! Dropping off kids at school? Buying groceries a Costco? I know many of you here use the A8 as a daily driver, but has the size ever been an issue?
- It is a complex car. Seems a lot more complex than the Q7, ...but is it better built than the Q7??? Will it have lots of issues just because it has all the extra gadgets?
- Both A8L options are black exterior - not my favorite color and i am not sure if i want to keep a black car clean all the time. It will be a major effort.

Q7
- This is the practical "smart" choice, at least on paper. It can fit all the kids and their gear on any trip and i will still get mid 20s MPG.
- I can commute with a full size German SUV to work and not worry about MPG
- Reading on forums, i get the impression the Q7 is a very reliable SUV, with no major expensive issues to worry about. I can't get the same feedback on the A8s, but there is nothing horrible on them either.
- I don't necessarily need the 3rd row seating but it is "nice to have", especially as the kids grow up. We do have another aging 3 row SUV, so the use of 3rd row in the Q7 will be not very frequent, UNLESS the middle seat in the 2nd row turns out to be very uncomfortable.
- I am not sure the middle seat in the A8L is better or worse than the Q7 middle seat. The back padding in the middle feels very hard in both cars. https://www.audiworld.com/forums/ima...lies/frown.gif https://www.audiworld.com/forums/ima...lies/frown.gif
- I am afraid that the Q7 may be the "boring" choice for me too, since it's a large heavy SUV, not really fast and the interior of the Q7 is pretty dated. It feels/looks like my S4 inside, just larger.
- The Q7 does not feel fast off the line but once moving, it is pretty decent with the TDI. ... i may be able to get used to it.
- We have a cabin the mountains and go skiing often during the winter. The Q7 and A8L are both AWD but i am sure the Q7 will take the snowy roads much better. Yet, getting to the mountains (4 hr trip) in the A8L may be much more relaxing than the in the Q7.
- The Q7 is white exterior and comes with nice beige interior. I hate the Q7 interior in black, but in beige it looks much warmer and somehow more upscale.

So, based on the above would you recommend i go with the A8L or the Q7?

I know the Q7 is much more practical than the A8L. I guess two main challenges with the the A8L are that it has a large but limited rear seat, ...and reliability vs Q7 long term?
However, i would love to drive the A8L every day to work and back. The interior and feel are simply on a very different level.

Thank you for any feedback!