D2 S8 or D3 4.2 A8?

[Sir WIll]

Having owned both I can say I much prefer the D2 S8.

The D3 4.2 was a lovely car but I just had too many problems with mine and spent far to much money fixing electrical headaches and the heating.

Performance is not much different, the auto is six speeds in the D3 so the 0-60 is a little better. But on the road the D2 S8 is a little quicker when wound up, though not much between them.

Suspension is Air on the D3 so rides better but feels less connected, MMI and Stereo in the D3 is better too.

D2 is a classic and better made, D3 is more modern but you just cannot love it as much. Also D3 prices are still on the way down, good D2s will not lose much now if anything.

[andycaca]

Originally Posted by Phil303

That's not my postcode. Where (vaguely) are you located?

The D3 4.2 is quicker than the D2 S8?

I'm just across the road from where my car is parked, when you saw it that time

[The_Laird]

You'll get some very biased opinions now that you've asked!

I've fleetingly considered a D3, but the D2 does it for me every time. And, although the D2s do have 'fragile' gearboxes, the early D3s seem to have a poor reputation for electrical gremlins.

And this particular D3 doesn't do it for me at all. Black in and out (yawn! Sorry Brian!), dustbin lid wheels, very high miles and as for "fully loaded" - don't get me started.

But, as we often note on here, it's a good job we all have minds of our own! Do what makes you happy, not what we say!

[Phil303]

Originally Posted by andycaca

I'm just across the road from where my car is parked, when you saw it that time

Ah, apologies, I've been getting you and MattyLondon mixed up.

So yours is the dark blue S8 in the car park? In which case mine's parked no more than 5 minutes away.

[andycaca]

Originally Posted by Phil303

Ah, apologies, I've been getting you and MattyLondon mixed up.

So yours is the dark blue S8 in the car park? In which case mine's parked no more than 5 minutes away.

yes, thats its favourite spot (read: one of the few it fits in nicely). makes working on it a bugger tho. finish paying off the mortgage then we will be moving slightly out of the centre and to a much larger house with garage and carport etc

so have you decided to keep the D2 now?

[Phil303]

I see - I thought it was a works car-park, I didn't realise it was residential. It does sort of dominate the car park a little. Well, a lot.

So you're close; I'm a few minutes away near Sewell College.

When I bought mine we had a double garage but it still didn't fit - it was a fraction too long. I'd under-estimated exactly how big these things really are.

We were in the middle of buying a house with enough parking space for it and if the sale had fallen through the S8 would have been sold. I said to Mrs Phil (who hated the car at the time) that I'd only keep it if I had space to park it.

As for the D2 vs D3, a lot of the comments have reaffirmed what I was feeling. The D3 is, on paper, a slightly newer, fresher-looking, better spec'ed car, but the D2 has a certain something about it, despite it's age and known issues. if you can live with those then it's something special.

I wasn't eager to get rid but for a while now I've been thinking about what would fill the gap when/if the D2 goes, hence the question about how D3's compare.

It would have to be another A8 - I can't think of anything else within my budget that offers anything comparable.