bmw 730d or audi a8 should i buy

reillypadraig

hey guys, iv been looking at both above named cars. i used to own an audi a6 and loved it but have since sold it on and bought a 2006 peugeot 407, and hate the bloody thing, had few engine problems and other suspension issues such as swivel joints and others and just want rid of it. heater box went(which from what i hear is a common issue)has been since fixed so its getting gate.
i want to get back into a big car, always had bigish cars. love the comfort.

im 24 and not a big power maniac, so i love these cars for their comfortable cruising ability.
i understand the costs involved with these beasts, like the a8 has air suspension problems as well as a big issue with electrics, and not over sure about the beemer.

would only get a diesel in either, dont mind the tax and had a car before that was even thirstyer than these so i dont mind that end of it either. but i mainly use back roads, nearly never on motorways.....so wondering what there like on roughish roads. fixing suspension issues or mechanical probs wont be a problem as i do all work and servicing myself.

also have never driven an automatic, so just wondering what there like to live with as an everyday car.

looking at a 2003 730d and a 2004 a8

thanks for looking!!!!! and any advice would be much appreciated

enviro

The BMW for me, head over to www.BMW-Driver.net it is an Irish forum and start a new thread there as well, I'm sure some of the existing owners of 7's on the site would be happy to fill you in on the advantages and disadvantages of ownership as well as what to look out for when you are considering buying one.

As soon as I seen rough roads in your op, I thought X5.

Good luck with the hunt.

pcardin

enviro wrote: »

As soon as I seen rough roads in your op, I thought X5.

As soon as I seen back roads in op, I thought no motor tax will be needed

Matt Simis

My lowered 1998 S8 is great on back roads (it is quattro afterall). A newer (2003+) model A8 can be got with Air Suspension which is even better as you can lift it to go over bad patches (my VW Phaeton was great in this manner too).
The BMW is going to be a more fun car to drive, though the (2002+) E65 is horrendous looking compared to the E38 that came before it. Any A/S8 from original D2 like my chassis to D4 looks so much better.

I think the BMW is cheaper to buy used in Ireland in this class than the big Audi's, which is unusual for BMW vs Audi.

Compton

I'd go for the A8, although of that vintage you will be getting problems with both cars.

ShadowHearth

Weren't early e65 plagued with huge problems? I would just better go for e38 and save a lot of money op. that money you save on car can be put in to lovely 4.4 V8 tax.

Stainless_Steel

BMW for me. I think the E65 looks the mutts nuts.

Matt Simis

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Weren't early e65 plagued with huge problems? I would just better go for e38 and save a lot of money op. that money you save on car can be put in to lovely 4.4 V8 tax.

Dont forget that the 3.0 diesel models are already paying the same 4.4 V8 motortax! If he is paying that anyhow, unless he really does the miles there is no point in going for the entry spec engines.

Padraig Mor

Matt Simis wrote: »

Dont forget that the 3.0 diesel models are already paying the same 4.4 V8 motortax! If he is paying that anyhow, unless he really does the miles there is no point in going for the entry spec engines.

They're on the <3000 cc rate no? €1390 vs €1683?

Matt Simis

Padraig Mor wrote: »

They're on the <3000 cc rate no? €1390 vs €1683?

Yeah perhaps, BMW tend to flip flop on the exact CC per model and year. But still such a small difference.... V8!

166man

Matt Simis wrote: »

Yeah perhaps, BMW tend to flip flop on the exact CC per model and year. But still such a small difference.... V8!

Think the BMW is a 2.9 and qualifies for the lower tax rate. I think....:D

Idbatterim

Model Model Year Engine Power E65

730d 2002–2004 M57TUD30 I6 214 bhp (160 kW; 217 PS) ✓
730d 2005–2008 M57TU2D30 I6 227 bhp (169 kW; 230 PS) ✓

according to dms after remap...

std hp dms hp std tq dms tq

E65 730d 218 260 369 413
E65 730d 231 273 383 435

have you considered the S class OP?

just checked them out there,

saw the below on carzone...

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/S-Class/SPORT-32/5613310524877310/advert?channel=CARS

the 3.2 Litre Diesel only puts out 197bhp though, that hp in an auto that heavy would be positively pedestrian, plus you are fleeced on the tax... 730d on paper would be the more sensible buy...

mickdw

Id get an 03 onwards A8. Still very fresh looking. Miles ahead of early E65 bmw on looks and even though the A8 would be far from trouble free, Id bet it might give less headaches than an early 730d

Eric Cartman

if your going for the A8 has to be quattro

but Id choose the bmw

dahamsta

Early E65s are best avoided. Another recommendation for the A8 here, or an earlier or later 7.

AugustusMinimus

Eric Cartman wrote: »

if your going for the A8 has to be quattro

but Id choose the bmw

On the basis that all Audis with at least a 3L engine have Quattro and on the basis that all A8s have a minimum 3L engine, then all A8s have Quattro as standard ?

Eric Cartman

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

On the basis that all Audis with at least a 3L engine have Quattro and on the basis that all A8s have a minimum 3L engine, then all A8s have Quattro as standard ?

your probably correct, Im not very well up on my audi's , but Id hate to think a car that size existed in FWD

-Corkie-

mickdw wrote: »

Id get an 03 onwards A8. Still very fresh looking. Miles ahead of early E65 bmw on looks and even though the A8 would be far from trouble free, Id bet it might give less headaches than an early 730d

Actually the 05 facelift model was a much more trouble free car. In any case expect big bills if something goes wrong and I mean that. The oil must be changed in the gearbox every 60k kms. I found this out the hard way..

Padraig Mor

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

On the basis that all Audis with at least a 3L engine have Quattro and on the basis that all A8s have a minimum 3L engine, then all A8s have Quattro as standard ?

Theres a 2.8 fwd A8 as well in that generation.

reillypadraig

-Corkie- wrote: »

mickdw wrote: »

Id get an 03 onwards A8. Still very fresh looking. Miles ahead of early E65 bmw on looks and even though the A8 would be far from trouble free, Id bet it might give less headaches than an early 730d

Actually the 05 facelift model was a much more trouble free car. In any case expect big bills if something goes wrong and I mean that. The oil must be changed in the gearbox every 60k kms. I found this out the hard way..

Thanks for that, but I was looking at 05 and 06 730ds and there double the price of a 03 and 04, basically there's shag all around to choose from if im completely honest, and even more so a diesel a8, also iv never heard of a 2wheel drive a8 even the a6 when the engine size of the old model went above 2.5 it was Quattro. And iv only seen one pheaton in my whole life and it's the only one on donedeal.

But had anyone gone from only ever driving a manual car to an auto one? And whats it like in snow???

-Corkie-

-Corkie- wrote: »

Actually the 05 facelift model was a much more trouble free car. In any case expect big bills if something goes wrong and I mean that. The oil must be changed in the gearbox every 60k kms. I found this out the hard way..

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/member.php?u=287565

Matt Simis

reillypadraig wrote: »

But had anyone gone from only ever driving a manual car to an auto one? And whats it like in snow???

Obviously nearly everyone that has an Auto at some point had a manual.. so anything you already read about Autos already answers your question as you have described 99% of Auto drivers (people that once drove a manual).

Quattros tend to be very good in the Snow, assuming the tyres have any grip... :pac:

PS: The 3.2l Phaeton on DD is FWD too. All other Phaetons are quattro (though branded 4Motion).

I found the ZT grand in snow, in snow mode it rolls off in 2nd I believe, the auto was handy for a drive across a soggy field lately too.

mickdw

RoverJames wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/member.php?u=287565

What happened there then?

L-M

Not for discussion here lads, he'll be back!

reillypadraig

Matt Simis wrote: »

reillypadraig wrote: »

But had anyone gone from only ever driving a manual car to an auto one? And whats it like in snow???

Obviously nearly everyone that has an Auto at some point had a manual.. so anything you already read about Autos already answers your question as you have described 99% of Auto drivers (people that once drove a manual).

Quattros tend to be very good in the Snow, assuming the tyres have any grip... :pac:

PS: The 3.2l Phaeton on DD is FWD too. All other Phaetons are quattro (though branded 4Motion).

So the Beemer will be a nightmare in the snow? Think that phaeton I seen on Dd is gone now. But thats the prob, bearly any around? Has everyone just gone to England to buy there a8s and 7series aswel? Because very few are for sale here, and only ones for sale seem to be all petrol

-Corkie-

reillypadraig wrote: »

So the Beemer will be a nightmare in the snow? Think that phaeton I seen on Dd is gone now. But thats the prob, bearly any around? Has everyone just gone to England to buy there a8s and 7series aswel? Because very few are for sale here, and only ones for sale seem to be all petrol

The beemer will be fine in the snow with winter tyres allthough quattro with winter tyres is better obviously. There is a good choice across the water but a lot of them have mega mileage.