4mth old A5 Vs. 14yrold S8
 

I have been perambulating about in the A5 s line 3.0 tdi cabriolet that has been supplied as a courtesy car. Are all modern "premium" Interiors like this? The seats are hard and leather feels nasty. The steering wheel is titchy and very light. The gearbox is nearly as jerky and hesitant as our S8's. There is power but you have to poke it quite hard to get it to go. I would not buy one of these after a test drive.

Buttons feel nice though, handbrake is not as stupid as some I've used and I do like the electronics. very easy to use.

Those who own or have owned both modern and elderly Audis, are you of the same opinion? I was just surprised that it was a £40-50k car. I now miss my S8 more and am very surprised by how good what I believed to be a tired barge felt in comparison.

Bill

probably more accountants involved now than 14 years ago:(

I have owned new audis and sold my q7 to get back in bed with a c5 avant again.......do I regret this? NO I love her, just enough electronics to make her modern enough for every day but not so much that I am not in control ;) oh and build quality is better as well ;) just wish petrol prices were the same as when I first brought my new c6 avant as the rs6 is a lot thirstier than a 2.8 qs! :tuttut:

I figured that some of the materials are due to the need to weather proof it 'cos it's a cabrio. Did 120 miles in it today, got left hanging going for a gap out of junctions twice. Spoilt by the S i guess, NA rules, er, my homies.

My neighbour currently has a newish S5 as a courtesy car, while his well-loved Porsche is being fixed (rear-ended by a "blind" white van while turning into our road :tuttut: ). His other half is also quite a petrolhead - her "daily" is a big 20+ years old Mercedes Coupe (560 maybe?) but she drives the Porsche and they also have a Caterham.

Anyway, they don't really like the S5, saying "well it all works and has some nice toys" but "it's rather boring". :rolleyes:

Either it's massively restricted or it's crap. Turbo lag is driving me up the wall. just how heavy is this heap?

Wifey loves it, went to dinner with friends, my teetotalism continues so I drove. Top down there and back was funish but I really want the S back. Huge torques but not a driving car, much flapping of paddles if you want it on the boil.
to my shame I am enjoying driving a new car though. Was outside the resteraunt having a post dinner fag when a Couple exited and gave my oikish self a disgusted look. they vacated their parking space in their 08 plate a4 and then their mouths formed perfect "O"s when I nipped into it in the 12 plate one. pathetic I know but it gave me a chuckle. I am too poor for this car :)

Best thing so far is the indicators that flash three times if you tweak the stalk. pressing the dongle in and letting go starts the car as long as i still have my foot on the brake once the glow plugs have done their thing.
Biggest disappointment is the B&O hifi.
Wind noise from near side has me checking the windows are shut every journey. Everybody else thinks it's lovely, I am finding more little niggles as the days pass. I want my S back, if only to stop the tyre noise, sounds like a beehive on the wrong surface.

The other persons insurance company is paying about £4/500 a day for you to drive around in that car, enjoy.

Talking of old and new Audi got me thinking about it…. I don’t think a derv should ever be wearing an S badge FFS. I know I’m leaving myself wide open here for all the, how much torque derv’s can have and how much better they are these days with power, but at the end of the day it’s a derv just like a van, truck, boat and tractor. Slow revving, noisy, dirty, smelly and global dimming contributing. :D

S badges should be retained for the highest performance and best drivetrain tech (OK.. RS too).. But my sootchucker is quicker than a D2 S8 (OK the engine is years newer than the D2), so I can see some logic to that argument, but a free-revving petrol is always nicer than a diesel.