Dieselgate Audi
The second generation V-6 TDI is a fabulous car. Such a shame that VW/Audi felt they had to cheat on the emissions tests, because the repairs done to meet spec had virtually no impact on the car's operation. About all they did was set the shift points at a higher RPM. But because of the cheating, diesel cars are probably dead in the US market. One can make a good case that the emission standards are ridiculously high, but that's not the point. The problem is that VW/Audi cheated to get around them...and they wouldn't have had to. Because of all this, the value of these cars has fallen through the floor. But if you can get one for a song, you won't be disappointed. The car has plenty of power, handles beautifully, rides very comfortably, and gets amazing fuel economy for its size. I have easily hit mid-40 mpg on freeway trips (at least according to the computer). The only thing that falls down is the navigation system. The voice activation is poor. It often can't find a specific address. It is slow. Audi connect, which overlays Google Earth on the map, is a neat toy, but it is too expensive for what it is. My other gripe is repair costs. Once the warranty expires, this baby is going to be expensive. It uses odd size tires...and goes through them quickly. I think I paid about $1600 for a set of four new Michelins. At least they are good tires. The Pirellis that were original were horrible. Very noisy. And the brakes don't last very long either. New front pads and rotors at around 30K...one independent shop quoted $1200...got them done at another for around $800. Can't imagine what the dealer would get. Dealer gets $100 for a set of wiper blades, for Pete's sake. Once the Audi Care expires, routine maintenance goes to an independent. Dealer prices are beyond belief. But the Audi A8 diesel is truly a great car, better than the several BMW and Mercedes I've had in the past. No regrets whatever about buying this car!
- Performance
Fuel Sipper
This is a great automobile. The Lane control is excellent and the adaptive cruise works great in stop and go traffic. The technology is almost to the point where one could read a book while traveling on the interstate. I am getting over 40 mpg on the highway traveling at about 77 mph.