Tstealth32

I purchased mine with 115k miles. 1 owner. It now has 145k after 2 years. With oil changes, suspension parts, 1 used air strut, crankshaft position sensor, low pressure fuel pump, and new spare tire, I've spent $900 in maintenance. I've done the work myself, I can't imagine what that would cost if I took it to the dealership. Im very happy with the car and cost to maintain so far.

ltooz_a6_a8_q7

When people say A8 in their price range, normally because they can get a lot of car for much less than other cars. There must be many reasons, the main reason is costly to own if owners don't do work on their cars and the car is over engineered that dealers can't diagnose and fix the problems correctly, and people try independent shops and many can't even read the manual to learn about the car to fix... rolling the dice again.
If truly you buy A8 D3 and can't get anything newer than 06, you can't afford owning it.
A8s are reliable and great cars to own if you get a right one and know how to work on them.
In 4 years and 50k miles owning my 06, besides tires, I only spent less than $500 to fix things and maintenance, unbelievable. You can check my signature to see the history of an A8L from 73k to 120k miles.
Why are A8s D3 so cheap? Because NOT many people can afford driving them, not buying them.
Cheers,
Louis

Mister Bally

So, you are saying I should/must sell my '04 that I've had for over eleven years and put over 200,000 miles on?

I didn't realize that I can't afford to own it.

doktorekny

I want to thank everybody for the feedback. VERY GOOD and insightful info.
I will chew on it for a little bit.
Im kind of thinking of going with a Lexus LS, Cadillac DTS or D3. All different cars - I know. Im trying to stay under $9000 for a car with quiet interior and smooth ride and I want to see what I will be dealing with.
All info helps.
So it seems that D3 issue is mainly timing belt (05-06) and timing guides on the (07-up) ones. It seems that everything else is typical maintenance. Great.

mishar

I am afraid you got it all wrong. Engines and transmission are bulletproof. Belt is just maintenance, chains very occasional. Everything else can and will be problem. At the top of the list is suspension than electronics, leaks...

TSHong

+1.

Jack88

The driveline is pretty bulletproof with only basic maintenance required. The timing belt job is very important to do, but given it can be pushed to once nearly every 100k miles, it's cost is comparable to regular oil changes and isn't a big deal as long as you plan for it. A D3 will lose a strut or two eventually, but again it's few and far between.

Buy the Lexus if your concern is low cost of ownership, they are bulletproof inside and out, but don't offer the driving experience of the D3.

I've had a DTS, and I recommend avoiding them. Mine had a torque converter issue that would have been very costly to fix, and an oil pan gasket leak that required removing the motor to fix. If you're going to have a car that will occasionally require some money thrown at it, might as well have the Audi which is worlds nicer.

My brother had a cheap D3 for while before trading it for Misha's meticulously maintained example, and it didn't have any real issues. It needed a new transmission pan gasket, timing belt, and exhaust flex pipes. All told, $700 to do DIY. He then sold it for $2k more than he paid for it, in perfect working order. Over the past 18 months he's had the current one, not a single issue has come up. It's been as reliable as a Camry.

Be aware, once you get used to the levels of comfort they offer, nothing else will ever feel up to snuff. Even an older A8 is still a joy to drive.

doktorekny

MISHAR - why do you say that its hard to sell these cars? Just wondering.

Also, can anybody tells me how much INDY shop would charge to change the timing belt? I found 2006 with 130K with belt not changed yet. What do you thing its worth on average? Trying to see if I can grab it for cheap.

What are the signs of timing belt change? loss of power or no start? I have no clue.

Thanks.

doktorekny

Yes, the all DTS leak like pigs. All have the same issue no matter the year - oil pan leak besides the valve cover gasket leaks and tranny gasket etc. As you said, if I have to throw money at it - may as well get an Audi.

Jack88

Indy shop rates will vary, if you pay someone to do it, figure on $1500 for a complete and proper job, although I've seen people having paid anywhere from $1200 up to almost $2000.

There are often no signs whatsoever of impending failure, although you can take the covers off and physically check the condition of the belt and make sure the water pump shows no signs of weeping. I did one at 115k on my brother's first A8 and it was in dire need of being done, with failure being apparently imminent, but this was only obvious after taking everything apart.

The value of one of these cars varies quite a lot depending on condition. I'd happily pay $12000 for a mint condition, fully maintained, low mileage, well optioned example. For the one you describe, I'd pay $5000-8000, depending on options and it's condition. A pretty rough estimate, but it's really hard to say without the car in front of me. I also stress the importance of a scan to look for other signs of trouble, often no others symptoms are immediately obvious for a wide variety of potential issues, particularly with the suspension.