1998 Audi A8 review from North America

In 2001 I purchased a new A8L - the first year introduced in the US. By 7000 miles the transmission was faulty and rattling in doors - after three attempts to fix dealer said they didn't know what was wrong. I hired a lawyer and sued under the lemon law in CA and got all my money back - $88,000. Foolishly I purchased a 1998 A8 pre-certified from dealer with the hope it couldn't be a lemon. It his been in the shop so many times I lost track and just about everything has broken. In the past three years entire front suspension needed to be repaired, new timing belt, water pump, almost every engine seal replaced, oil cooler seal replaced twice, oh water pump broke after two years and needed to be replaced and just two months ago transmission died. Was replaced with Audi factory rebuild and it is defective (sudden, jerking downshifts) and I need to bring it back in. On top of this endless brake replacement - rotors always warp and breaks squeek constantly, new steering column, new gas tank and fuel pump, transmission output seal replaced, rear differential seals replaced, remote entry always breaks, windsheild washers stopped working, CD changer died and needed to be replaced, and much much more.

The A8 is a total piece of garbage and I have owned two. Never ever buy and Audi again. Only reason I hold onto it is all the current car designs from BMw, Mercedes and Maserati I think are ugly... waiting for a nice design like the A8 - oh, it is a blast to drive when it isn't in the shop,

Very fast, handles more like sports car than sedan. Interior beautiful and best stereo system I ever heard in a car.