Ming Blues

Has anyone transplanted a set of A6 - S6 sport seats into their A8? Just wondering if the wiring for the heaters, airbags and power adjustments would hook up properly? I understand sport seats are an option for A8's in England.

A8-Germany

In Germany it's also possible to get sport seats for the A8! I think it's easier to organize original A8-sport seats than to transplant A6 seats.

Ming Blues

Anyone else interested? Group purchase?

KjellA

Sports seats are an option in europe, and a part of the sports package. The seats are the same as the S8 has, made by Recaro.

Some detail pictures from my car:
http://home.c2i.net/kas/sete-1.jpg
http://home.c2i.net/kas/interi-6.jpg

They should be able to get as a spare part, and I'm quite sure they will have the same base and wiring as the standard seats.

Might even be able to get them from a salvaged european car. I can do a little investigation here if there is any interrest. Maybe "A8-Germany" could do a little checking down there?


Best regards,
Kjell A.
Oslo, Norway

Ming Blues

Yes please look! Also, is there a source for manuel transmissions for A8's. Would be interesting to see if a stick shift conversion were feasible as there seems to be a lot of interest for it here in the US. Feel free to email me personally at: fred50fred@email.msn.com

bartlane

I only dream of one day having an A8 with a stick. I can't imagine a better car.

KjellA

Really?

I can't imagine why you would want a stick shift, but I'm curious to hear bout it!
:-)

I've even done track days and club competitions with great success with my A8. No problem keeping up with S3's, UrS4's and S4's that have stick, even on the track. Yes, I would have been marginally faster and had marginally better control with a stick. On track that is. On the road? Never.

The first model year of the S8, 1997, only came with the 6-speed manual. Big mistake from Audi, it did not sell very good. So from model year 1998 it had the tiptronic as an option. Most of the S8's are sold with tiptronic. You can find used ones with 6-speed in Germany for prices way beyond the tiptronic ones. Very hard to get rid of the used 6-speed versions. They are priced on par and even lower than a normal A8 tiptronic. You can pick up a nice '97-'98 6-speed S8 for less than 40K DEM, or less than $20K (excl. german VAT).


Best regards,
Kjell A
Oslo, Norway
'97 A8 4,2 sport

KjellA

Just checked a couple of sources for used parts over here.

They were quite certain that the S6 sport seats would fit the A8. They didn't have any A8/S8 sport seats available at the moment, but would be able to get them from time to time. The price for a complete set (front and rear) would be in the range of $4000-4500, excl. tax (you get the a tax refund when exported). I do believe this would be easier and cheaper from Germany.

An 6-speed manual box from a S8 would be about $2000.

The price for new sports seats are rediculous. It would be cheaper to buy a salvaged S8 from Germany, ship it to the US and use the parts you need in the A8. Which means converting it to a S8 I guess. :-)

You can find german used and salvage cars at this URL:
http://www.mobile.de/cgi-bin/search.pl?sprache=2&bereich=pkw

The price for a salvaged S8 would be from about $15.000 excl. tax, shipping about $1500. All depends of degree of damage and condition of course.


Best regards,
Kjell A
Oslo, Norway
'97 A8 4,2 sport<ul><li><a href="http://www.mobile.de/cgi-bin/search.pl?sprache=2&bereich=pkw">Mobile.de - used cars:</a></li></ul>

bartlane

Personally I enjoy it more. Driving through curvy mountain roads is much more enjoyable to me when I get to change gears myself. Just a personal preference for me. Sticks are more fun.

KjellA

I totaly agree, but what is wrong with manual changing of a tiptronic?
I find it as much fun as a real manual, and believe me, I'm not a cruising kind of guy!
:-)


Best regards,
Kjell A
Oslo, Norway
'97 A8 4,2 sport