Mannyo - 2004 Audi A8 3.7 Quattro (D3) Updated pictures on page 3.

[mannyo]

Chris,

Have you had a look on here?

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/index.php

 

Thats the one, I am a member there as well.

 

I am currently battling an intermittent electrical drain gremlin at the moment. The battery is currently running low to the point that the battery management ECU has disabled all functions except central locking and the starter at which point the drain stops. it can run a fully charged battery to this point in 36 hours and its a 110ah battery thats not even 2 years old. Over the last few days I've tried a number of things, and am leaning towards the alarm siren at this particular point as the siren is a common failure point. The batteries in the siren fail, the car sees the low voltage but never stops trying to recharge them until the BCM says no, at least thats the current theory.

[mannyo]

Well here we are several months later and the battery drain fault fixed itself, still have no idea what the cause was or if it will return.

Earlier this week the car developed an annoying loud clonking sound from the NSF front suspension on rough ground. A visit to a local workshop identified the fault and the car is back to its old self. The fault of the clonk was a drop link bolt to the anti-roll bar had come loose by a small amount and was causing excessive movement. Bolt retightened and all back to normal. So glad it only cost £40 labour, including road testing and fixing rather than £200 or more.

I am sure the car is acting up because I've owned it more than 2 years and 20K miles now.

Just short of 149K miles and running well it seems.

Edited 11 December, 2015 by mannyo

[mannyo]

Another brief update,

 

The A8 is now in 151K miles, and been in my ownership for almost 2.5 years now, and will shortly be due a service, debating switching from variable to fixed intervals.

 

Apart from that no change really, I've been up and down the M3 a lot over the last six weeks and last weekend was at Thurrock Lakeside.

 

No plans to sell this car yet, I've usually had itchy feet by now but the A8 seems different somehow.

[mannyo]

Update time.

 

Had service carried out by main Audi dealer in Poole and car was given a clean bill of health.

 

New rear tyres going on tomorrow, Kumho being replaced by Dunlop £160 each fitted.

 

Now on 152K miles, she has hardly done any miles since March. So little that I need to put a charger on the battery every couple of weeks to put back in what I have taken out with short journeys.

[mannyo]

Update time.

 

Had service carried out by main Audi dealer in Poole and car was given a clean bill of health.

 

New rear tyres going on tomorrow, Kumho being replaced by Dunlop £160 each fitted.

 

Now on 152K miles, she has hardly done any miles since March. So little that I need to put a charger on the battery every couple of weeks to put back in what I have taken out with short journeys.

 

Time for another update, still on 152K miles and today she passed the MOT with just two advisories for front tyre wear. So now we are good to go until August 2017.

[mannyo]

Front tyres now replaced and full 4 wheel alignment carried out to solve the uneven tyre wear on the front.

 

Soon to be retrofitted is a DVB-T freeview tuner, this will be swapped with the current analogue one which has not worked for some years due to obsolescence.

 

So thats £500 spent in the last couple of days sorting the car.

Edited 27 July, 2016 by mannyo

[mannyo]

Retrofitted the DVB-T this evening, and it works perfectly even with the dodgy reception in Dorset.

 

 

 

Edited 2 December, 2017 by mannyo

[mannyo]

I can't believe its been 5 months since I fitted the digital TV tuner, so time for another quickie update on the Audi

 

I've now owned this car for more than 3 years, and to be honest its been a fantastic drive in all this time and its heading towards the longest owned car since the MK1 Octy vRS.

 

The Audi has now done just over 155K miles so its done just 3K miles since May, I really need to drive it more.. For example in the last 4 weeks its done about 30 miles, but I did drive it 400 miles one weekend in November, and over christmas week it will do another 500 or so.

 

Apart from that, nothing to report really, I replaced the coolant expansion reservoir as the return pipe split open but that it really.

[mannyo]

Hi all,

 

Been quiet lately, but now I've had the Audi for 4 years, yes that's 4 years its time for an update.

 

Not a lot has changed, the A8 went through it's MOT in July 2017 with no advisories on 159K miles. Thanks to Jason for polishing the headlights, much improved the light output as they had gone cloudy.

 

Now in mid November 2017 she is on 161K miles and is hardly used these days. I've done just 600 miles in the last two months, with 500 or so of those being done in a single weekend.

 

2018 is a big expenditure year for the A8, so I may well sell before we get to that point. She needs a major service with brake fluid change and yet another cambelt change which is due on time and not mileage as I've only done 30K in 4 years. The bill which is due in mid 2018 is likely to be in excess of £1K, £800 if that is the cambelt and tensioner replacement.

 

Apart from that she is still the same, some more delamination of the wheels lacquer as expected but other than that no change. 

 

Edited 18 November, 2017 by mannyo

[mannyo]

Sorry for not updating this, but I have bigger issues to worry about (not with the car)

 

Monday just gone the A8 passed it's MOT for another year, so it now expires on 1st August 2019, this highlighted several issues and some have already been fixed.

 

She now has 165K miles on the clock and i have owned her for coming up to five years, however she now needs

 

Service

Cambelt

 

I am currently unemployed and struggling along, so I may have to sell the Audi as she is to get some money so I do not find myself homeless.

Edited 17 November, 2018 by mannyo

[Chris]

Sorry to hear this. Finding work is difficult at the best of times, but right now it's really really difficult. I'm privileged to have never been out of work and am even luckier to have found myself a new job that I start in a couple of weeks. It's taken me a year to find something though! 

 

I hope something comes along that suits you soon and you can keep the A8! 

[Wardy]

That's sad to hear. Hope things pick up soon for you 

[mannyo]

Time for an update

 

I still have the Audi, I still have no permanent job and find myself in a temporary role paying just over minimum wage which ends in 6 weeks time.

 

Anyway, back to the Audi

 

Back in March the air suspension decided it would develop a fault which had a cascade effect and caused multiple component failure. It's taken several months, as it takes forever to save up to buy parts.

 

Yesterday I fitted the final part of the puzzle and she is back in action again, but I cannot afford to put any fuel in the car to actually drive it.

 

So to get it back to drivable condition the drivers front air shock was replaced, along with the air compressor. I did the compressor myself, but the shock required the assistance of two other local Briskoda members (for which I thank both of you).  They travelled to my house and worked on the car here.

 

I have only done 2000 miles since last July in the Audi which I have now owned for more than 5 1/2 years. She needs to be sold, I cannot give her the attention and service it needs as I simply have no money.

[Chris]

@mannyo so sorry to hear of your trouble with employment. If she really has to go have you tried WBAC? Not the best for money but might be worth a shot. If not try Facebook as I'm sure someone will have her. 

 

Hope things improve for you!