2001 Audi S8 Purchase advice needed

[7200redline]

Hi group,

I am thinking about buying a 2001 S8 with 150,000 miles on it. The interior and exterior appears to be in good cosmetic condition. I have not taken the car for a test drive yet.

I am a current owner of a C4 S6 and A6 and do my own routine maintenance such as oil, plugs, brakes, etc. but know nothing about the reliability, typical problem areas and things to look out for when
purchasing an S8. I know parts and service for the S8 are expensive.

Can anybody who has had a 2001 S8 for more than 150,000 miles please advise me what I should look out for when I do my own Pre-Purchase Inspection? Typical mechanical/electrical gremlins inherent to
this model year S8 and/or general comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Nollywood]

^^^ I have a 2001 S8, though with 102,000 miles on the odometer. I did own a 1998 model, with 153,000 miles on her.

I had no issues on either, though the '98 had a bad crank sensor, which I replaced. Service items are not really expensive, if you do your own wrenching, you'll save on labor too.

The timing belt and associated tensioners / rollers are however not cheap, and replacement along with the water pump requires the obligatory Audi front end tear down. Oil grade is important, it's essential changes have been regular, the oil pump will suffer as a result. Listen for prolonged rattling and tapping when cold. A five second rattle from the tappets is acceptable.

Rattling from stretched camshaft chains, faulty tensioners, worn chain guides are small niggles, but major irritants. Bust chains are not common, but they can happen. Replacement requires camshafts lifted, and timing belt removed.

Electrical issues are rare, and mostly directly related to the transmission. The ZF tranny is the weak link, and documented failures are not uncommon. Most faults are internal, and a rebuild is the only option. Budget the USD equivalent of £2500.

I would certainly test drive the car you've found, and if possible, VAG-COM it, some sellers have been known to disable warning lights, or fudge them to extinguish with other working systems. Make sure the aircon compressor clutch works properly, replacement is costly.

[7200redline]

Thanks for the info Nollywood and good luck with the 6 speed conversion. I wish that a 6 speed manual equipped S8 was available on this side of the pond.

[Nollywood]

Thanks for the info Nollywood and good luck with the 6 speed conversion. I wish that a 6 speed manual equipped S8 was available on this side of the pond.

Actually, no 6-speed equipped S8's were ever available in the UK. I know there were none sold in the US as well, but in Europe, manual S8's are common. It's therefore easier to convert a US-spec S8, as the only cars to ever have a manual option were LHD models.

['01-S8]

I have -01 S8 with 175k on it....

electrical issues seems to be biggest pest... also maintenance...timing chain and tensioners and pump and such....

people talk about the transmissions but ive heard many mixed views....

i was at Shokan parts on Friday and talked with those guys for about 20 minutes. The A8 has major trans problems... the S8 is a bit different and is built a bit stronger according to the folks who take them apart and sell them EVERYDAY.

he said his dad has a 01 S8 iwth 300k on it...his wife ith an 02 with 225K+ on it....said he has sold (1) D2 S8 trans in the past 15 years and it was last week coincidentally.....

A8? hes sold a bunch

[7200redline]

I have -01 S8 with 175k on it....

electrical issues seems to be biggest pest... also maintenance...timing chain and tensioners and pump and such....

people talk about the transmissions but ive heard many mixed views....

i was at Shokan parts on Friday and talked with those guys for about 20 minutes. The A8 has major trans problems... the S8 is a bit different and is built a bit stronger according to the folks who take them apart and sell them EVERYDAY.

he said his dad has a 01 S8 iwth 300k on it...his wife ith an 02 with 225K+ on it....said he has sold (1) D2 S8 trans in the past 15 years and it was last week coincidentally.....

A8? hes sold a bunch

That is another reason for me to buy an S8. Thanks for the response.

[Adjuster]

I had a 1998 A8, and the transmission was failing, but would work fine if I shifted it manually. It really failed when going abotu 40mph, and it was trying to shift into 5th and get the best gas mileage... slip/skip/hunt city.

I'm reading that the S8 transmission while the same basic unit, has ratios that keep the engine spinning better down in the first 4 gears, so that should help with wear, but not fuel economy. Interesting to hear that the failure rate of the non S version is much higher than the S8 version of the same basic ZF tranny.

I'm looking at buying a local A8 here with just over 100k on it, or an S8 in a city where I'll have to drive it home after flying out to see it/buy it... with 150k on the odom too... But this has me thinking that the S8 would be a better deal all things being equal, if the transmisison is more robust than the A8.(Besides, the local car has not had it's timing belt/water pump changed yet, and the other one has.)

Hmm... Not having a car payment will be nice, but going from a 35,000 mile 2004 A8L to a 100k, or 150k A8 or S8 is not how most folks do it! LOL

[TozoM8]

The A8 and S8 uses the same transmission. Audi sold 40 times more A8 than S8 so that's why you see it as more A8 failure.

[Adjuster]

Interesting. It's the final drive ratio that is different on the S8, not the transmission at all.

Same tourqe converter, and all parts? Seems like my 98 transmission was THE weak link on that car, and even now, in my 2004, it does weird things from time to time. (Like coming up to a stop quick, and then fast back on the gas, it thumps, and pauses a second before going again, and I don't think it's the throttle, but it could be. (Since we really do not drive these cars anymore, but only suggest input via sensors.) Even the steering is less than direct anymore it seems.

Tozo, do you reccomend any particular transmission rebuild, or go with the ZF unit/parts? Also a twin turbo S8 sounds like my kind of vehicle! I doubt however that the automatic would hold up well to that kind of power, sort of like how they fail in the RS6 when hooked up to the 4.2 and turbo power.

Last, is the brakes. I read on the CarFax reports for most of the S8's I'm looking at have had their brake rotors and calipers replaced under warrenty. What's up with that? Just over use, or was there a problem with the rotors? Pads? Calipers? They are Brembo calipers, so nothing that's not used on many other vehicles, and I'd think the rotors should not be a problem either, yet I read report after report of replacement under warrenty, and brake checks etc.

Thanks in advance, I'm not excited to to an older, car, but I am excited to get out of payments, and into a car I own outright again, and the 2003 or older S8 is a great car.