Phaeton anyone?
 

Apart from the Wikipedia cut and paste description, looks nice, anybody any experience of these?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volkswagen...#ht_3241wt_986

I think that's a LWB Brian, but difficult to tell with the cut and paste advert text where they've not even bothered to list the options fitted to the car!

Looks to have facelift spec with later nav unit (good thing as the old one was horrid)

Things to check - is it a 4 or 5 seater (4 seater worth less)?
Is it LWB?
Is it a Passat in a short skirt?!

I quite like them, but that colour kills it - looks like an overblown Passat from front or rear and the colour seems to show it worse for some reason. Probably because half of all Passats are that colour!

Apart from the electric air vents that close themselves when you switch off it's all a bit dull and predictable - depends on requirements I guess? Would make a great private hire car!

The 5.0 diesel is best avoided - too many horror stories of unreliability and major bills when something spurious breaks. Virtually no petrol models about and not much choice in the engine range

A mate of mine that used to have a D2 A8 preferred his D2 by far to his current 3.0 Diesel Phaeton. He described the Phaeton as "a tad boring" as a car and said his A8 had much more personality and was much better to drive +++

Are you thinking of a change Brian?

No not at all, just curious:)

The previous Phaeton was a 'good' car.. The newer one is better, but not an '8 by any means, even with the same engines. Still, at 10k less, it's an interesting buy, but I'd chance a dealer cost first at that price.

NO
plastic 4 wheel drive
plastic gearbox's
buy an 8

Plastic four wheel drive, plastic gearboxes? Explain...

I'd bet money the four wheel drive system is the same Torisen based one in the '8, and probably the same ZF box too?

ive seen loads advertised with gearbox problems
im betting its the same as 4 motion
not audi permanent 4 wheel drive

The Phaeton uses VW 4motion 4-wheel drive system. For what its worth Wikipedia states:

4motion is a registered trademark of Volkswagen AG, used exclusively on Volkswagen-branded automobiles with four-wheel drive (4WD) systems. Volkswagen has previously used the term "Syncro" for its 4WD models.[1]

Of the Volkswagen Group's other marques, the "quattro" nomenclature is used for 4WD Audi cars. Sister companies Škoda simply uses the nomenclature "4x4" after the model name, whereas SEAT merely uses "4".[2]

None of the above trademarks are specific to any particular 4WD system or technology being employed. Generally, Volkswagen would use Haldex Traction clutch system on their "4motion" transverse engined cars. For longitudinal engined cars, they would use a Torsen differential-based 4WD system or lockable centre differential instead.[3]