The crack sound may just be if the car is creeping on the handbrake till the transmission lock is hard on - mine does this on steep inclines. When you first attempt to select a gear it tends to be quite stiff to move the lever and will make a cracking sound

Update
 

Well, it's taken a while but I promised I'd give an update when I was in a position to do so.

My original post was just after I left on holiday and I'd driven my 8 after it had stood on the drive for around ten days. It was a short trip of around ten miles and during the return journey it developed a serious "shunt" when changing up, which was just like the early symptoms that tintin described before his gearbox gave up. I listened to all of your advice and decided if it was the gearbox I'd get it refurbished rather than sell or scrap the car.

Once I got back from holiday and drove it again I noticed that the "shunt" wasn't as regular, or severe, and felt more like a misfire at random times, right through the gears and rev range. At one point it spluttered at low revs taking a corner and the cat light illuminated and stayed on.This seemed to confirm it was more a fuel / electrical problem than mechanical. The car was already due a full service and MOT which I'd booked for after my holiday so in it went. The outcome was that there were 15 fault codes logged when it was hooked up and when these were cleared two kept coming back up, one being a lambda sensor and another I can't remember. The garage wanted to take it to somewhere else local for a second opinion before replacing the sensor but suggested that my troubles could be due to my infrequent use of the car, and the fact I don't really travel very far when I do take it out (they know me and the car well, so their suggestions had some foundation!;) )

So, while they were waiting for an appointment at the place with the better diagnostics I took the car back (it'd been serviced and MOT'd by now) and made a point of driving it much harder than normal, really "clearing the pipes" as it were. I also intended coming down to AITP on Sunday to give it a good run out but finances didn't permit it, especially with the work I'd had done still to pay for. I returned the car to them on Monday, reporting that it hadn't missed a beat during the time I'd had it back. They rang later to say the fault codes hadn't returned and they'd decided it wasn't necessary to get that second opinion, so maybe a good thrash had helped. who knows?

I collected it yesterday, immobiliser wire renewed (what a PITA that had evolved into, so glad it's sorted), two new rear callipers, service and MOT done as mentioned earlier. Quite a sizeable bill but only a fraction of the £3,000 bill for a gearbox that I thought I was going to have only a few weeks ago +++

We all love a happy ending! :D

Great news!

Thanks, me too Jim, I'm mightily relieved indeed! :)

Good news then.:D Given all the time, effort and beer tokens you have put into the car, you deserved a happy outcome. Lesson No 1: use it more often - it pays in the end!

That's great news - as above, the more complex the car's systems (in relative terms for its age) the more you seem to need to use them regularly to prevent issues.

My S8 threw a few wobblies when I first got it, but I knew it had been sat around for a while and not used all that frequently before that. The obligatory Italian tune up and regular use since has seen no warning lights or fault codes :)

Yes I remember you saying at AITP that Sport Mode transformed your car and that I never really used it.
So on the way home, no motorways at all mostly single-carriageway A and B roads, I used it a fair bit and it responded as it should without any complaints. :D

This is over philosophical question: to keep or to scrap. Because I love my car this in no question for me -- I will just go and fix gearbox regardless of cost. The same logic applies for other parts of the car. If you're tired of your car then scrap it, never look back and buy the car you will love.

Glad to hear you've had a less costly outcome than you'd expected!. My dear old dad used to say "cars need to be driven", and I think that certainly applies to the '8. Hopefully the gearbox won't need a major overhaul anytime soon now...

It was a debate that didn't take too long to be fair, I just couldn't scrap this car and would have repaired it at whatever cost. There just comes that point during the weighing-up thought process when you decide that the expense is not worth the outcome and it's time to spend the money elsewhere. Others who have a car only as a means of transport won't ever understand that bond you can have with an object that you've spent many pounds and hours on, they just don't get it.

I'd reckon most S8 / A8 owners have this bond with their cars, reading through this forum would show it's never a short term relationship once you own one ;)