KJK

Very favorable comments to the A8. Kind of nice to see such unbiased writing in a BMW club magazine. If any of you also have BMW's you should join BMWCCA just for this magazine. Overall, they liked both cars but thought the A8 was a bit more nimble. However, they felt the BMW was bit better when pushed in feedback to the driver.

KJK 91 M5

KJK

My mistake. They came at the same time and confused me (along with C&D and R&T) nt

CharlesA

Just a few facts:
70MPH - 0 MPH
2000 A8 202ft.
2000 740il 168ft.

Skidpad (g)
2000 A8 .77
2000 740il .83

Emergency lane change MPH
2000 A8 55.7MPH
2000 740iL 60MPH

Stops better, handles better and it's more agile (source C&D November 1999 tested: 2000 A8 Q, 2000 740iL, 2000 Benz S430, Jag etc....)

I expected at least better figured on the skidpad because the A8 is lighter (300lbs lighter), has AWD... and it's wider.

Better suspensions and Yokohama's AVS could help quite a bit.

Don't mean to burst your bubble.


Charles

bartlane

Who cares, everybody drives a BMW. Plus the 7 series looks like it was designed in the 80's. They need to update it badly so it looks like the beautiful other BMW's. It is currently their ugliest car by a long shot, the A8 and S8 are infinetly more attractive to look at. Plus, I put Porsche brakes, and kick *** tires on my car for just a few thousand dollars so it will perform equally or better. I can honestly say I would be embarassed to drive a BMW just because you see so many of them every single day, as much as Hondas it seems like.

Plus, you can expect positive Audi comments here. You are in an Audi forum, you do realize that right? I know you can find about 5 million other people to praise BMWs with you, we aren't here to hear about BMW's, you get that everywhere else so keep your BMW pride among them. Every person here has their reasons for buying the A8 over the 7 series, we don't care why anybody thinks the 7 series is better. I hope you cease your BMW campaign here and now, this is not the place and if you persist I will share with everyone here about your history so they know you are not a serious man and should not be taken seriously.

I am sorry to everybody else for this but this person has a very, very bad history on the Internet for absolutely destroying public forums and I am willing to get quite nasty to keep him from doing his work on this one.

CharlesA

Dear Bart:

You see... I didn't start the comparison BS. I own both cars and I posted FACTS. You must live in a VERY rich town to state that everybody has a 7 series. I own an A8 as well and I can tell you that there is NO COMPARISON. I love the BMW styling... beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It doesn't help me one bit to put the A8 down because... after all I OWN one too. (Forest green over ecru).

Now, please accept the fact that as a BMW owner I wanted to express my opinion as well. If everybody is allowed to say whatever they feel without interaction, that is not a FORUM.

As an Audi A8 (S8ish) owner I can also understand the advantages of this car but... I expressed MY OPINION. Respect that and don't bring it to a personal level. Bottom line:

The 7 brakes better, handles better and is much more fun to drive. The main difference between me and you is that I don't mess with perfection, take the A8 for what it is and the 7er for what it is.

They are 2 different cars for different people. I even have Yokohamas, MTech suspensions, Dinan engine mods and more on my 7er... I sure can afford both as I have them but the 7er suits my needs while the A8 is good for my wife (she also has an M3 Convertible...). Unless you can bring NUMBERS that differ with the ones I posted, my post was totally accurate and objective.

Charles

bartlane

Charles,

His post was not insultive to the 7 series at all. It was complimentary to both cars, I did not see that article or any post here, other than mine, insult any car.

My point is this, any A8 owner could have purchased a 7 series or S class. Everybody here has already finished the debate of which to buy and enjoy. This forum is for A8 owners to enjoy the cars they already have. BMW owners get mighty defensive at the notion that anybody might think a car is better than theirs and lash out and that sucks.

I am in Florida right now. Today I saw 6 7 series BMW's and not a single A8 the whole time I have been here or even on the drive here from Seattle. I don't know numbers but I would estimate that there are at least 30 times as many 7 series running around than A8's, at least from what I see. I drove both the Benze and the BMW, The Audi and BMW are both more fun than the MB but both the Audi and the BMW are a total blast to drive. People choose the Audi for a reason and it is a better choice than the BMW for people who bought one. Get over it and quit being a typical BMW owner that there is no other car as good. It is silly for you to tout the goodness of the BMW here, we already know and we already made our choice.

Car, BMW, Honda & Driver magazine always loves the BMW cars. Automobile Magazine prefers the A8. Who is right? Both. But don't expect people here to like BMW's better, this is an Audi forum. You can find ten times as many sites out there for BMW's. Go to those to talk about 7 series.

bartlane

One other thing. On my way out here I stopped to visit some friends in Mt. View California. At a local car speedy car detailing joint a man came up to me who had a lowered 540 and introduced himself as Steve Dinan. He said he loved the A8 and liked my car with the Porsche brakes very much. He asked a lot of questions about the brake upgrade and was a very nice man and totally complimentary to the Audi. Not a typical "Mine is best and you better ****ing know it" BMW owner at all, just a guy who likes good cars and realizes that many companies make fine automobiles. As I have said on many occasions, I have no problems with BMW's just BMW owners. I was terrified to become one.

CharlesA

Bart:

You get a bit too difensive. I didn't put the A8 down in any way (especially when due to the bad wetaher it was my only reliable way to get to work at decent speeds). My argument is that it's a totally stupid comparison. They are for different people. I like the "ultimate tech toy" that the A8 is, I like the fact that it's very innovative, but I hate the fact that no matter it's reduced weight, the braking capabilities and handling are poor. Audi doesn't need much to fit the Porsche calipers and 18" wheels on the car standard. They have them in house... When I consider that in 16K miles the Audi has had:

3 sets of front rotors
Valve cover gasket (twice)
Water pump
Alternator
Climate control head unit (twice)
Heated steering wheel
I front driver seat cover (the leather skin)
Battery
... now the windshield
replaced, while the 7er at 18+K miles had just 2 sets of brake pads, front rotors and a shifter rattle... You know what I believe the problem is...

When I drive the A8 there are also a lot of people asking all type of silly questions... While with the BMW they ask if it has a V12 and how fast it is. The ones that know what BMW stands for, ask how well it hugs the road. Overall, I buy the car for my satisfaction and not to attract attention nor to turn it into a showpiece.
I don't care about how other BMW owners are, I also know several Audi owner that had to come and brag about how well their car goes into the snow... While that is true, the fact that BMW are sportier driving is also true. Take the A8 for what it is! It's a very nice couch on wheels, drives anywhere, it's quite and very safe.

bartlane

I only get defensive because of your history and it's justifiable.

BMW owners get very upset when they think somebody believes another car is better than a BMW. Well you need to know that everybody who participates in this group thinks the A8 is a much better car than the 7 series. We all do and that is why we bought one over the 7. I could afford a 7 very easily but the Audi A8 is a much better car, it wasn't even a close decision for me and I haven't looked longingly at a 7 since. You have to expect that opinion in an Audi only forum and if you don't like it then leave because that's what people here believe, AUDI MAKES BETTER CARS THAN BMW. Besides, you'll get bored of your BMW when the next trendy car comes along anyway. I will be working towards getting an S8 here.

CharlesA

Bart:

Trendy was the S class... I don't care about trend, I care about the car that makes my ride enjoyable. If the C5 had 4 seats, that will be far better than the 7.

You are criticizing BMW owners because you believe that they are stuck up and think that they owne the best car. Instead you just make a statement that the A8 is far better... Something is wrong in this picture. I limited myself in stating that they are both very good cars but each one excles in different fields. If you can live with that, you can turn it into a constructive discussion. And one more thing... I drive my 7 just like I drive my C5. The A8 can't withstand that much abuse, it is not designed to be operated that way. The S Class is the same, the XJR I briefly had before the 7 was the same thing. These, along with the A8 are for people that seek uncompromised comfort, and a pretty fast car. The 7 is far more involving yet some people don't like that. The A8 is a very forgiving car, the 7 is not. I will need more that 2 hands to count how many times the A8 saved my *** while pushing it. The BMW did it too in it's way (the stupid DSC), but with the A8 is seamless. My mother for example, will rather walk than take the 7, she complains that it feels heavy (that's true), it's too big (subjective), rides to harsh (subjective), too flashy (subjective)... And she ends up using the A8 when she needs a loaner car (delaer doesn't have loaners).

Live with the fact that I am very happy with my 7 and I do appreciate the A8 for what it is. I never bashed the A8, while you did bash the 7er.

Charles