1997 Q45 vs 1997 Audi A8

[viktor]

Hello everyone,

I am having a hard time to choose between 1997 Q45 and 1997 Audi A8. I need your opinion, pros/cons.

Thanks,Victor

[911/Q45]

Repair costs and maintenance for the Q would be far less, as would the purchase price I imagine. I believe the interior of the Q is larger. The A8 has the all wheel drive, probably a big deal in Canada. The Audi is a little more performance oriented, the Q quieter and more comfortable. Better gas mileage with the Q. A nice menu to choose from!

[BadQ45t]

I drove the A8 and found it to be a great drive, but I wasn't that happy with the way I fit into the seat. Overall you are looking at more $$$ for the A8 so keep in mind the price difference and wonder if you'll get that much more.

Cannot go wrong either way.

[Q45tech]

Except for the availability of spare parts, check with dealers many must be ordered from Germany.....If it breaks don't expect 1 day repairs.Consider the cost of a replacement transmission carefully!

[greg_atlanta]

A8 would be way cool if you can stomach the repair costs and have a spare car (or a generous loaner policy at Audi dealer or repair place).

If money is an issue, stick with the Q45.

If money were not an issue for me, I'd love to have an A8 or S8.

[tkd_q45]

A8 actually gets better MPG than our Qs. I've heard many owners state that this is something they like about there cars. BUT - German cars tend to be a RPITA! All kinds of stupid things (electircal problems especially) go out. An A8 is a really cool car and if I could afford the repairs I'd have one.

A well taken care of 1st Gen Q is hard to beat.

[tkd_q45]

Check out this forum for more info on the A8

http://www.audi-tt.org/forum/a8.html

[maxnix]

Here is a guide to buying a used A8 or S8.

Would be a nice car to have, especially in inclement weather . After reading the service and repair costs, I will be firmly committed to Infiniti. Funny how the Germans can't get the manufacturing of electronics right.

[viktor]

Thanks very much to everyone for the info.

[BadQ45t]

So make sure you come back and tell us what you do one way or the other.....

[Dave 88 LSC]

A8 all the way, car has personality at least.

[maxnix]

A8 all the way, car has personality at least.

In perusing the board that tkd_q45 provided, I learned that A8/S8 transmissions fail between 40K and 110K miles, a total service by the dealer of the transmission is $425, and a complete replacement is north of $8K, when done by a dealer.

Oh, and the heated steering wheels and power headrests almost always break, and one or two other elctronic failures is considered normal. The seals on the rear differential and front differential tend to leak and cost about $400 in labor to replace (must drop rear differential).

Most on that board love their cars and consider an 1998 A8 with 60K miles a fair deal at $29K.

I love my Qs. Both of them. I feel really blessed.

:icesangel

[greg_atlanta]

NYTimes had article on 2/3/03 (Sunday auto page, back of sports section) about ignition coils failing on a wide variety of 2000 & 2001 VWs and Audis, upwards of 500,000 cars. Since they use an individual coil for each cylinder when one fails the cylinder fails, still runs but very bad. Lots of VWs & Audis on the side of the road. Of course parts are backordered and they'll only replace the coil that fails, not all of them.

It's little stories like that -- on almost BRAND NEW cars -- that make me glad I've gone Japanese!!

[Dave 88 LSC]

If I had to choose I would go for A8, I personally dont like 2nd gen Q45's for various reasons.A8 is more interesting, rare to say the least.

[Chaz98Q45t]

What are the various reasons you don't like the 2nd gen Q's. I've had mine almost a year now and I still get excited every time I crank it up - just curious what other people don't like about the car??

[eQlipse]

The only issue I have with my '97 Q is that I can't drive it 24/7.

I'm also curious as to what reasons Dave has for frowning upon the 2nd Gen Q.

[VimyJ]

A8 all the way, car has personality at least.

I think Dave has been getting the "Japanese cars have no personality" line from A8 sources.

[tkd_q45]

Wish we had armrests like this!

http://www.audipages.com/upgrades/armrest.html

About the 2nd Gen. I can say for myself that I would probalbly like it more if it hadn't followed the 1st Gen. The 2nd Gen is a Nissan Cima (am I correct?). Anyhow it was an existing (old) model that Nissan re-badged as an Infiniti. I know that the i30 is such a car but I think for the top of the line something more is needed. I also didn't care for the the glaringly obvious fake wood as well as plastic door handles. I feel that the interior feels "cheaper" than the 1st Gen both in design and materials. Now these are my SUBJECTIVE opinions! I do not mean to offend you 2nd Gen owners. My boss used to have a 2nd Gen and he let me dirve it. It drives nicely, feels a bit "lighter on its feet" and is more quiet than my 92Q. But I also like the shape of the 1st Gen more. Again, this is subjective.

[jrifter j]

dori dori touge Nomu-ken arogata Teiichi Tsuchia

[jrifter j]

umm...............i meant Keiichi

[PalmerWMD]

What are the various reasons you don't like the 2nd gen Q's. I've had mine almost a year now and I still get excited every time I crank it up - just curious what other people don't like about the car??

There is nothing to not like about them they are great cars!

This is coming from someone who has owned 2 91's a 92 Q and is buying a 94.

The 97-01 generation of Q (which I still like to call 3rd gen as the 94-96 were sufficiently different to justify calling them the 2nd gen), is reliable great handlers, look real sharp too.

I remember drooling about these new cars in 99 when I had my 92.

I also think it looks good all around.

The only area I give the first gen an edge, is interior looks, which I prefer over the 97-01 and power.But the 97-01 Is by no means under powered..

Fred...

[Dave 88 LSC]

It's just my opinion, that the 2nd gen Q's design is weak. The 1st genereation Q looked like no other car on the road, it was one of the kind and thats why I like it. 97-up models look like they have a personality crisis. No doubt they are good cars, but there are many good cars out there, it's just some stand out and some don't.

[PalmerWMD]

Dave:

I respectfully disagree.The 97-01 cars are outstanding automobiles.They may not be based as closely on the older famous Q's but they are very good cars in their own right.

Every generation and model on Infinit is unique and outstanding in its own way.We all have different flavors of the same great marque.

Fred..:thumbup

[Dave 88 LSC]

I absolutely agree that they are great cars. It just looks like the breed was lost somewhere along the drawing board.You can spot a MB of any year, BMW,RR or Audi and know what it is just by their classic lines. I just think that 2nd gen Q is not a worthy successor to the 1st (in design department).

[PalmerWMD]

It was also a bit less expensive when new and more reliable, for many PPL that's a winning combination.Also they are a great deal on the used car market almost as much as our older Q's are.

When I was looking a replacment for my recently crashed 91 I was considering 97-01's

Fred..

[Q45tech]

When the 94-96Q got up to $54,000 MSRP [inflation], they had to do something [downgrade and rebadge the next lower model] to get something they could sell.

Ever tried removing 20% of cost from something YOUR job makes and sells.........every single component of the product has to get cheaper.......Plus what do you delete to pay for all those extra air bags and seat belt tensioners.........metal becomes plastic thick leather becomes thin and the glass quality/thickness gets downgraded...........and those plastic headlight covers........thinner paint and a $1500 less expensive engine...............even the carpet gets thinner and the mats..............saving 200 pounds means you can use a 20 HP less powerful engine.

[PalmerWMD]

And the Cima was already less than the president, so no redesign needed and the rersult the 97-01 Q45 was still upmarket from most other cars.

Fred...

[Dave 88 LSC]

Q45TEch....my point exactly.

[Q45tech]

Kind of like GM dropping the Caddy and telling you a Parisenne [old Candian name for Pontiac] was a new Caddy..............since you never saw a Parisenne before, you assumed it really was a Caddy. They wouldn't lie to you would they.

I am impressed how trouble free the 97 Cima are but the 94-96 were almost as good.

As the Cima are just 7 years old now the next few years will tell.........but my 1990 Q really didn't start failing until 1997 but looking at the few 97 with 200k shows a very good trend.Same with the 1994 with 250k.