Looking at terms of reliability value and overall what is a better car. I know the STR wins hands down in performance, but what else?

 

I actually got rid of a 98 Audi A8 when I got my STR. Its pretty much the same car with a few styling differences. The 01 also has 5 valve per cylinder. As far as overall I'll have to say the STR. You are gonna have lots of maintnance with the A8 it needs the timing belt change pretty regularly (its an interference engine so cant let it go). It also has some transmission problems. You hear about the lurch with the S-types, the A8 has lurch and hunting issues and are in need of a rebuild within 100000 miles (not always but its probably more common then not). Go to quattroworld.com and go to the D2 messege board lots of good info there. Also try audipages.com they will have some info on stuff to look for. Also if you dont wrench on your own car the Audi will hurt your pocketbook just doing regular prevenative maintnence. More stuff to look for also, you have the oil cooler leak which is really common, the rear seal of the trans (which mine had), the control arms dont last too long (had to replace mine, did it myself and was still 500 just in parts), and I'm sure there is more that I'm missing. The good thing about the A8 is the price of them has dropped alot and you can definitly pick one up under 10000 and they are very nicely loaded lots of stuff came standard on them. Got any questions about them I'll gladly help you any way I can I had mine for about 2 years and actually made some money selling mine since I picked mine up pretty cheap.

 

Timing belt ? How hard can it be to use a proper timing chain in such a high class car ? That's notting but disappointing

 

In 03 Audi came back with the 450 hp twin turbo 4.2 A6, out gunning both the MB and Jag. Lack of a new styling cue didn't help though. Todays Audi looks very nice and more agressive.

 

Isn't that the RS6 rather than A6? Or did they call them A6 in the USA?

 

It was the RS6. I actually looked at those before getting my STR. I went on the Audi messege boards for the RS6 and they all said dont buy it. It used the same transmission thats in the A8 and would have problems at around 100000 more then likely needing a rebuild.
I have no idea why Audi didn't go with a timing chain setup. They use a timing belt on all of there cars and they all have to be done pretty regularly. I believe on the RS6 its like every 30000 miles. The A8 I believe was every 60000. Also if you dont know how to do that yourself you are gonna be in well over a 1000 to get that done. I believe parts alone are about 500 for a timing belt, this is because they recommend replacing everything in there when you do it so you dont have to worry about anything. The front end has to come off to do it so might as well replace everything you can since the timing belt has to come off for a waterpump and replace all the tensioners so you dont risk a premature belt break which will toast the engine.

 

Never heard of a car that calls for timing belt replacement at 30,000 or even 60,000 miles. That alone would prevent me from buying it....

My 1999 Dodge Ram pickup has a chain, and of course our 2005 S-Type has a chain, but our 2004 Lexus RX330 SUV has a belt. The maintenance schedule calls for a new one at 90,000 miles, but fortunately these particular belts are well-made and will easily do 120,000 to 150,000 miles if you don't abuse the vehicle. Pushing 105,000 miles on ours right now and won't consider changing it until 130,000 miles or so. Most folks who change theirs at 90,000 to 100,000 miles say that it still looks and feels brand new and they wish they hadn't. I guess different manufacturers use different-quality belts. Still can't imagine having to change one at 30,000 miles, though. Man, what a design flaw....

 

Sorry, yep...RS6 was 450 hp twin turbo 4.2

 

The Audi A8 is 95,000 miles. Here is a good write up of the procedure for the A8. If you do get an A8 this site will be your bible and quattroworld.com too.
http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articl...breplace0.html
I double checked the messege boards and for a RS6 the interval is 35,000 miles. Its cause of the power the engine produces. Its more of a prevenative thing. The RS6 is an interference engine just like all Audis which means you wait too long and put it off you may be buying a new engine cause if that belt snaps there go your pistons getting thrown into you valves. Here is a nice write up of whats involved with doing the timing belt on a RS6, the A8 isnt much different. You even have to break is down that much for a thermostat.
http://forums.quattroworld.com/rs6/msgs/1360.phtml

 

Getting back to the OP question if I was you I'd go with the STR on the A8 tranmission problems alone. If you buy an A8 for under 10000 which I wouldnt pay more then that for an 01 unless it had extremely low miles and a warranty. Once the trans goes out on it the price to get it rebuilt would make it past what you would of paid for an STR in the first place. But the end choice is up to you. Check out those sites I linked too and get the A8 looked at my a mechanic too see if it has any of those issues they will be talking about on that board. I would do the same for the STR's your looking at too.

 

Timing chains are superior to timing belts. Car manufacturers use belts for two reasons. Cost and noise. I really think with an interference engine it is short sighted to use a belt.

But these days it is MUCH more common to use a belt. In the years past before OHC engine were common all cars pretty much used chains or gears. In fact for racing gear drive conversions for the older American V-8 cam in block engines are very common. When the move to OHC started this increased the length of chain and the complexity of where it has to travel. Take a look sometime at how the S type DOHC timing chains are laid out. With primary and secondary chains and tensioners. Also Jaguar is now on the 3rd generation of tensioners for the 4.0-4.2 L engines. So for Jaguar they have spent a good bit of time and money getting the tensioners to where they are now. This 3rd generation seems to have fixed all of the earlier versions problems.
Here is a picture of what is required to replace the parts on our S Types. Pretty complicated!!
.
.
.

 

Totally agree I think it would make alot more sense to run chains in them. I bet they make a killing in the costs to replace them during maintnence intervals though. I think for an A8 its over a 1000 to replace it and all the components thats are recommended.

 

"Never heard of a car that calls for timing belt replacement at 30,000 or even 60,000 miles. That alone would prevent me from buying it...."

Mitsubushi 3000GT requires timing belt change every 60K. $1000 job at the dealer. PITA!

 

The original Lexus LS400 had a timing belt and no hydraulic valve lash adjustment (shims). But they managed to get 100K out of that setup. My 90 Infiniti Q45 had the variable valve timing, hydraulic valve lash adjustment and chains. I still ended up with a $5K bill because the morons utilized plastic chain guides! Sound familiar????

The chain nearly sawed through my oil pump on that one.

Until 2003 Ferrari utilized the cambelts and it's a SOB maintenance item on those cars. When they designed the new Maserati V8 they went to chains and they now have hydraulic valve lash adjustment that's good for 8500rpm. I believe their V12 is still using the belts though. A belt change on a Testarosa is a $10K job. Nice !

You can screw up both systems.

Belts tend to deteriorate on cars that sit a lot such as Ferrari's. Those cars also operate the belts at much higher rpms than most so you don't want to scvrew around.

Changing tensioners and guides for cam belts isn't all that expensive while you're doing the belt so I understand the Audi situation quite well.

That RS6 engine/drivetrain scares the livin' crap out of me. Noooo thanks.
I looked at one at the same place they were selling an STR that I drove. They were doing some service on it and had that swinging front end of the car apart.

They are are very beautiful cars and I know that come snow time I will miss the 4WD.

Bob S.