D4 SE Exec. 3.0TFSI or 3.0TDI?
 

I've just taken a deposit on my W221 S320 and will be looking at getting back into the Audi fold after having a couple of V10 S6s and an Audi TT back in my younger days.

My budget is around £16k-£18k which gets me roughly a 2011 with less than 80k miles.

There are two cars on the radar at the moment. Both SE Exec, both in Ice Silver with black leather. One is diesel the other has the V6 supercharged petrol unit similar to the one in the B8 S4.

Both are the same spec except the diesel has Bose and the petrol hasn't.

I don't do that many miles, I live in Manchester City Centre and work in the centre too so fuel economy isn't really an issue which is why I'm drawn to the petrol. Also, the supercharged engine takes to tuning quite well and spending around £1500 at MRC on a Stage 2 map and revised supercharger pulley can get me to near 400bhp.

The only downside to the petrol would be upon resale. Surely a diesel A8 would be quicker to sale when compared to a petrol one?

Do any of you guys have any views?

Hi, and welcome... Great to see a detailed and well thought post +++

The 3.0 Tfsi can indeed be tuned, but its not really the sort of smooth refined engine that an A8 deserves if I'm honest. And it lacks the torque to move that big body around.

For resale, the petrol will be a problem, and if it doesn't even have Bose you're going to struggle to shift it I would expect.

The 4.2 Tdi comes out of the factory with 800nm and a 0-60 of about 5.5. If you want power, put the MRC money towards the car and get the 4.2 Tdi. It will hold its value far better, and you can enjoy the extra refinement and power, plus higher spec that it no doubt will have.

There is definitely a widening gap in the 2nd market for these things, the cheaper lower spec cars @ 15K ish, then the desirable ones seem to be up at 20K and an array of many overpriced undesirables inbetween +++

Feel free to share any links to any cars, happy to check em out and feed back +++

I've seen the gap in the market as you suggest! £15k gets you a very leggy 2010 or 2011 with base SE or SE Exec spec with no added extras.

Up to a few weeks ago, I was considering spending up to £20k but then thought again. There was a very nice 4.2tdi SE Exec in black for £19995 at a garage in Newton Le Willows but looks like it sold. When this went, it made me think again about my budget. Currently, my upper limit would be £16k - £17k. £20k is just too much to be putting into a vehicle especially when it's coming out of savings rather than financed etc.

I am still veering towards the petrol but your mention of lack of torque is concerning. I may have to test drive the both of them and see which I prefer.

Ian, I'll pm you a link to the petrol model.