Wanted - A8 LPG

[IT]

Originally Posted by chan110

Can I ask about the A8 reliability.

I get a sense most are saying it is very reliable.
But, IT has pointed out NEW 3.0TDI is less so, and 4.0TDI is even more problematic.

Does this mean for Audi's, whereas in general diesels last forever (200k+), this is not the case and it is the bigger petrol (4.2 or is it just the D2 4.2) that can last and last?

The 4.2 petrol is bulletproof, as seems to be the 4.2 Tdi. The Diesels (4.0 in particular) have a plastic intake manifold part which fractures and gets sucked into the engine I believe. The 3.0 seems repairable by all accounts, where the 4.0 seems to be more of a right off.

That said, we've got a Q7 3.0 tdi on 165000 miles and seems fine and dandy to me....

[sarg]

Originally Posted by chan110

Just watching how much this is gonna fetch:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...ht_1084wt_1037

That is possibly the worst example of a car advert I've ever read!

Anyhow, if I were you, I'd forget about the whole LPG thing and focus on getting a well sorted car first.

Budget £1500 ish - buy A8pilot's car

Budget £3000 ish - buy daviesbike's car (I know I said the 'worth' is probably only 2k, but it's worth paying the extra for buying a well looked after car)

Budget £6000 ish - buy Psyche's car

As for fuel economy, LPG will not improve the economy, if anything it will be slightly worse. Sure the fuel might be cheaper to buy today, but the gap will close for sure, and there's the inconvenience of finding somewhere that sells it, the additional maintenance, the additional insurance cost because it's modified, you won't be able to take it on the Chunnel, or in some underground car parks and maybe an additional fire risk?

What you will get fuel wise:

D2 4.2 quattro - will average around 21-22mpg according to the on board computer, but these are notoriously optimistic, 18-19 mpg is more realistic.

D3 4.2 quattro - probably 3-4 mpg better

D3 TDI - I don't know for sure, but if Ian is getting 44mpg from his mostly long runs, for the average Joe, I reckon 35-37 mpg is more realistic.

Generally speaking, you can take the official fuel economy figures, then knock off a bit, because these figures are obtained by a robot, driving with no lights, no AC, no music etc, and the newer the car, the more optimistic the figures will be as their robots got cleverer in order to beat the company car tax regime.

How Ian is getting over 40mpg from his I don't know, the official combined is about 33-34mpg, and you'd usually struggle to match the official figures.

I've been doing calculations to work out the costs of my next purchase over the next 4-5 years, and was playing with the price of fuel. Now, I only do about 9k per year, but even putting petrol at £2 per litre was only adding about 2-300 over the next 4 years, so saving the odd 5-6 mpg here and there is less relevant to me than finding the right spec, looked after car. Even been toying with the idea of a W12, though not sure even I can stomach the thought of 15mpg and the likelihood of the catalysts going **** up.

Buying an abused example will cost you far more than worrying about a bit of fuel, think gearbox or steering rack, both common, expensive failures - for a D2, £2200 for a replacement gearbox, steering rack best part of £1,000 including labour, and that's at indy prices, not main dealers. Just ask Mannyo (sp?) if you need more evidence of this.

Anyway, you pays your money, you makes your choice, the best 3 cars for your money are up there.

[sarg]

Or;

I know somebody with a well cared for, sorted, Boxster, summer's almost here

[PsYcHe]

Does that 3.0 repaired come with a translation into English?

Only 1 feedback on ebay... Could be legit though (says the man that paid 13k for a car without touching it).

Was it not only the 4.0 that had the 'plastic bits of doom' in it?

4.2 petrol and diesel are pretty solid. Especially the engine in the one I'm selling (hint, hint). Pulls like a train to at least *ahem* 140+ 'kph' in 4th*ahem* Need to get Mrs P to test the 4.2 petrol and diesels side by side from the lights before I sell it

I only bought this 4.2tdi because it was a bargain and had exactly the spec I needed, the only thing that would have made it 'perfect' was B&O, and given how ear-bleedingly good the Bose is, it's not that much of a necessity, honestly was about to keep it for a good bit longer, but got a bit overexcited on Sunday.

[IT]

Yes, LPG will worsen the economy, but fuel is about half the cost.

I've not known an insurer add any premium for a car with a conversion certificate and its quite readily available now. Most, if not all motorway service areas have it, most morrisons, and many more local garages, so I do have to object to those arguements......

It did ought to have an annual service, and its still a good wad of cash to install. Its tough to find the perfect car 2nd hand, with the options and history you want, in the colour you want, for the money you want, pre converted. As long as you're willing to comprimise on at least one of those elements anything is possible.

I've had a number of LPG cars, and seen the benefit of cheap motoring far outweigh the implied inconvenience of having to 'find' an LPG station.

My 'dream car' right now would probablly be a very high spec D3 S8 with one of the new Prins V10 direct injection LPG conversions on it, but even though that fixes the cost of fuel, there is still the conversion cost, and the band M tax disc to consider and the fact that I'll struggle to get > 250 miles between fuel stops.....

I'm doing a lot of motorway miles at the moment. My overall average since buying it is 39.1 mpg. I've been giving it a but more stick on the last two tanks, and its still returning way in excesss of 35 mpg with > 600 miles in a tank easily.

[PsYcHe]

While I was havering sarg typed his post (use google to understand havering, also helps with the famous Proclaimers song)

Doing 70ish on the motorway, I was getting at least high 20's from the 4.2 petrol D3 and a couple more from my PF D2 (40HP down). The 4.2Tdi gave me 33 at 85 *theoretically* the other night.

[IT]

Originally Posted by PsYcHe

the only thing that would have made it 'perfect' was B&O

There are downsides to B&O.

Nearly had to pull over on the way home tonight as I was convinced a banging noise in the back was something loose in the boot.

Fixed it by turning down the volume, turns out it was a baseline I'd never heard before on that track....

Seriously.

[IT]

Originally Posted by PsYcHe

The 4.2Tdi gave me 33 at 85 *theoretically* the other night.

*Theoretically*, I'd be knocking on the door of 40mpg at that speed. ah hem, but I wouldnt have anything like the poke you've got if I floored it....

[HPsauce]

Not driven a 4.2TDi but had a 4.0TDi D3 for several months.
It was faster (or felt faster) than my D2 S8 and was about half the fuel consumption driven "similarly".
Note that "about" is subjective, but was definitely between 30mpg and 40mpg and nearer the high number. S8 was then almost spot on 20mpg; I've calmed down a bit since - realistically the fast roads are busier so I've given up!

[daviesbike]

I get 25mpg out of my d2 ! and thats mixed driving, and also if you get a D2 i would really recomend the Facelift, facelift has more toys and sat nav ect more power and the lines are smoother,