A8 Parts Forum - My motor history...

Well, mkonemans contribution was pretty interesting, so though i'd reveal what motors I've been cruising the highways in over the years.... Its a mixed bunch !

So, first significant motor - Sierra Xr 4x4. 2.8 V6 producing a pathetic 150bhp, but I was 18, and it was pretty dam good really. The 4 wheel drive made it put the power down, and I guess thats where my lurve for all wheel drive came....

I had a Vauxhall senator 3.0 as well at the time, which was more comfortable, and quicker, and with a cool LCD dash, but I couldnt offroad in the senator....

Yes, at 18, mud seemed like a good idea in the sierra, and it did remarkably well....

I had a Peugeot 306 XRDT as well at the time for 'normal' commuting...

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/xr4x4.jpg

So, fast forward through a bunch of boring company cars, vw polo, toyota corolla, rover 620, mitsubishi carisma and we arrive in scooby ville:

Company impreza sport 2.0, and my beloved RB5 Wrsport....

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/scoobies1.JPG

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/scoobies2.JPG

RB5 on the track at donnington: :love:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/rb5.jpg

Anyhoo, it was a great, great car, but after a year of ownership, I fancied something really very different:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/up...rangerover.jpg

The rangerover was of the most appauling build quality, but brute force kept it going, along with a company fuel card for the rather thirsty 4.2 V8 - It was the long wheel base with the air suspension, leather, sunroof, ABS, electric heated memory seats, Aircon.... Not a bad spec at all for 1993 - Oh and it would go anywhere you pointed it. Tested +++

This one is not strictly mine, it was the missus' choice..... For those not aware, its the uba rare Seat Ibiza Cupra R. They made about 45 for import into the UK, of which most were black and red. The concept was to take an Ibiza and 'do what it takes' to make it really sporty. The problem is that after Seat had widened the track, lowered it, upped the power to 180bhp and retrimmed it all, the price tag was £18K, which in 2001 no-one would pay for a seat ibiza. Realising this, all the Cupra R's were pre-registered at the dealers as 'demos' so they could be heavily discounted, and we were very lucky to find this '1 owner' 0 miles on the clock yellow example in perth.....

It was very *yellow*, but dont knock it. In the dry, in a straight line, it would keep up with the RB5.... Also tested +++

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/ibiza.jpg

Felt a bit of a scooby-need so bought another one. Family on the way, so dumped the seat and the missus got the sportswagen.... Thats a cracking family motor right? :p

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/scooby.jpg

So, whilst the missus has been enjoying the turbos, my 4.2 liters worth of V8 has been chewing though company fuel a little too rapidly for their liking.... So, into the VAG group I go:

I really wanted a Tdi A4 at the time, but by the time i'd specced it, it was stupid money. The skoda in contrast was awesome (I'm sure Botang will back me up here) - Leather, Sat Nav, Xenons, cruise, memory seats, rain sensitive wipers, sunroof, long wheel base with ooodles of rear room, heated seats all round etc etc.... and dont forget the brolly built into the backdoor.... 1.9Tdi, did rediculously good mpg. A tad boring though...

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/skoda.jpg

So, crunch time. David@a8parts has been tootling around in his A8 for years and loving it. He'd also bought my RB5 off me, and was enjoying that too (till it got stolen never recovered :angry4:) and I felt I needed petrol again... So, ditched the company fuel scheme and voila, my first A8....

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/a8skoda.jpg

The A8 came before the Skoda went.....

The A8 was a 2001 facelift car that I got in 2004 at 3.5 years old. Half alcantara seats, glass sunroof, bose, blinds, Nav plus, TV, Towbar. heated rear seats. It had been an ex demo and showed with the spec. I also found it was still under Audi Warranty when I got it home... Bonus +++

I did 20,000 business miles in it, but at 120,000 miles it was getting to the point where parts would be pricey if they went bang, and the gearbox was a constant concern. We, a8parts didnt exist and every trip to Audi ended in 3 figures minimum.

So parted company, and got another derv burner, brand new, under warranty, no worries etc....

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/bora.jpg

55 plate last of the line Bora highlines... Highish spec, cruise, leather, heated seats. I fitted the VW Satnav and did 27,000 miles in it......

However, my passion for the 8's was alight, and after a little pursuasion, we got a prefacelift S8 as the second car for the missus....

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/s8.jpg

This came from a well known dealer in Watford, and had a very high spec. Bose, blinds, solar roof, headlamp wash, PDC, Cruise, Half Alcantara seats, towbar, autodip mirrors and servotronic.....

The bora, got well, boring and I found a new motor for the daily fare:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/passat1.jpg

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/images/uploads/passat2.jpg

This passat was an absolute find, and to this day I kick myself for selling it. It was a 2.8 V6 4 Motion and had the highest spec i've ever seen on a passat...: Cruise, multifunction wheel, Heated full leather seats, integrated rear popup child seats, xenons, removeable towbar, headlamp wash, glass sunroof, factory privacy glass, 17" wheels, Front fogs and probably some other stuff I forget. On top of this, the previous owner fitted the passat W8 quad exhausts as you can see, and it also had a spare wheel LPG conversion to round it all off.... It cost less to run that the diesel Bora.. +++

That brings me upto April / May 2007..... I've had a couple of 8's since then, and that belongs in a different section....