raj99

For the contrarian view, this reminds me to a degree of what happened with RC vehicles when lipo and brushless motors entered the scene. Within less than 5 years nitro became marginalized due to a number of factors: ease of maintenance, efficiency, reliability all related to newer tech.

It will be far easier for Tesla to ideate, develop, and produce a "refined" interior to address their current deficiencies in the luxury car segment. As opposed to Audi, who haven't the current proprietary tech to create a long-range electric vehicle. With Moore's law and the continual improvements related to battery and electric motor tech, the current range of ~280 miles will be greatly enhanced in a few years.

Don't get me wrong on the fact that I believe the S8 is a great vehicle, but it'll be overshadowed in the near future with the continual evolution of tech.

Jack88

Yes.

Yes.

Flowmacks

Headed down the same path. Can't see much benefit to buying a new one right now.

FWIW- I bought my wife a model S a year ago. I think it's a great car, and don't have anything negative to say about it.

A 8

Maybe its just me but having considered the tesla and getting over the initial thrill of accelerating from a standstill a couple of times I was left with how crazy overpriced the tesla is and as other models arrive I think the current models will depreciate hard and fast.
The sort of initial high end car feel of the tesla was quickly replaced by an odd Toyota twist to it.
I don't think the cars are even in the same league other than price and in part performance.

HouTexAudi

Again, one should not fret the residual since it is just used up front to calculate the monthly depreciation component of the lease payment and you are actually building up equity if, in fact, the true value of the car is better than the residual at the end of the lease. I always get money back on leases when I turn in the car--I had a lousy 51% residual on a 2 year lease for my '14 S8 and got a tax free check for $18,921 when I traded it on my '16 S8.

The 0.00137 money factor is pretty good--equates to 3.29% APR.

triniexr

I don't find the Tesla practical. You can't take it on long trips. Also, I find the interior materials cheap feeling, a lot of plastic is used. The seats are uncomfortable IMO.

I'd say get the S8.

Jack88

Ah, but you can take the Tesla on long trips. Below is the Tesla Supercharger network as of January 2015, more stations have been added since. You can take a trip nearly anywhere in the country, given the strategic placement of the stations. A full charge takes around 20 minutes, so a bit more than the 10 minute gas and bathroom that's normal. As far as the deficiency of luxury, I'm not sure I agree. It's more of a Volvo kind of luxury, if that makes sense. It's not as inviting as the Audi, but I don't find it objectionable by any means.

MP4.2+6.0

+2 (w/ other similar response)

Seems like a no brainer on CPO alternative. Putting aside the Plus power increase and non Plus S8 conservative stock power ratings per every test on the planet basically, including dynos, there is essentially no difference from 2015 forward. You get the mid life refresh and you get the cylinder on demand (for S8's specifically) that picked up another 1-2 MPG over earlier years. You can't get the S8 Plus Black Arras red interior stitching and one new silver in a 2015 (or early 2016 pre-Plus) CPO, but you can get the other Exclusive interior packages and any other goodies. Supposedly 2015 has a sport exhaust option too (probably sold order only), but I haven't seen one offered in any used ones on the market.

On warranty, you get balance of 4/50, plus CPO. Stacking them, on a typical 2015 you basically get another 6 to 18 months of coverage GREATER than a new one. One of the weird anomalies of Audi CPO coupled to 4/50. Had same benefit on my D3 W12 CPO where I kept it under warranty for about 5 ½ years after I bought it in total and almost 80K miles.

Then for the topper, I have already found several where the sales price after just a little poking and no final negotiation is about 30% off sticker, in at least one case the proverbial driven once a week on Sundays to church less than 5K miles on the car now and really clean.

Be careful BTW, likewise just yesterday I looked at a local "CPO" bought by dealer at auction that had a slightly loose front bumper, ACC warning light that came on during my test drive, and missing bumper cover screws at fender liner, let alone peeling paint on wheels from probably a crap curb refinish job. Looked like either dislocated cover or accident damage where some amateur at an auction place or something played with it. Should bnever have been CPO'ed. Reinforced to me a car that has stayed local with the dealer with an honest sales team is a better bet--what I'm looking at now, and my D3 W12 in past with a known history. Assuming a clean car, stack all the incentives and negotiation you want and can't come close to a 30% off sticker for a fabulously equipped car where first owner took the first and biggest depreciation bath. Per my other posts, various of the new vehicle incentives like owner loyalty have dried up too. Gotta pay for the TDI debacle somehow from marketing dollars I guess.

The S8 Pluses will probably head the same way (or worse with a D5 intro), but it will be another 18 months or so for those to start showing up in some volume as good CPOs. Sure as the sun rises, that will come to pass too along with more stiff depreciation for any of them/these.

visualguy

I think the Tesla is practical-enough for most. I agree about the interior feeling cheap, and also about the seats being uncomfortable. I would get an S8 or even an S6 or 550i instead of a Tesla.

LeicaNut

Test drive both and see which one you like the the best.

The A8 or S8 is really a luxury drive. The interior of the Tesla has not changed since its introduction and really does not compare to the opulence of the A8/S8, Mercedes S550/S63 or BMW 7 series. For me, my RS7 gives a visceral edge over the Tesla.