Car sourcing - A8 for example

bemak

Hi all, I'm in the market for a well spec'd Audi A8 - 2013-14. Few online but nothing that I've been tempted by and they're slow enough to appear - the good ones anyway. I'm checking all the usual haunts like DD, Marketplace and Carzone etc but are there any other places where I could be keeping an eye out? When the bigger dealers get them in as trade-ins they offer them down to the smaller independent garages because they're "too old" - is there any way to get in at that point? I assume there's a much bigger trader network that us Joe Soaps can't access? I've emailed a few garages as a heads up to keep me in mind if anything suitable comes in - just curious to know if I'm missing a trick anywhere else?

Savage_Henry

Check , if there is an Irish Audi forum. You can post there, that youre looking. Forum members often have well maintained cars

Savage_Henry

Also if you see one parked, leave a note that youre looking. Who knows.

Savage_Henry

I know a garage used to buy from these guys

https://www.pjmckennacars.ie/stock.php

bemak

thanks a mil. the forums are a good shout - didn't think of that

bazz26

I'd keep an eye on the auctions too. I'd imagine A8s are in small numbers here and may go to auction over directly to the trade due to low demand. I'd also say that a few probably end up being exported to Eastern Europe. These big cars are cheaper here than at home as the likes of Poland changed the laws a few years back and now allow the importing of RHD cars so it can make sense to buy one here and bring it home there.

Of course the only thing that would concern me about going the auction route is they can be used to offload duds or money pits. You would want to know your beans regarding the A8 if looking over one at auction. Anything needing fixing on an A8 won't be cheap.

bemak

ya I'd be too wary of auctions but might be worth keeping an eye on them all the same. I think a lot of the cars that end up in smaller garages are from auctions too but at least you'd get a few months grace with them

Atlantic Dawn

You should set up alerts on Donedeal and the other classified website, cars like this might only be up for a few hours before they are snapped up so you need to move quick on the good ones and have your eyes open on the bad.

Have you checked your current insurer will cover you in the A8, I would check this on a fictional car as soon as you can, might mean you need to change insurer in the meantime, some insurers simply don't want certain models on their books and will give outlandish quotes on anything out of the ordinary.

You should do some research on what are the weak points in these cars, perhaps the gearbox or suspension and you might be able to tell from a test drive if something is on the way out or it has a good service history you might see a known issue has been recently rectified. Heres a good model guide over the years and where there was issues to watch out for...

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/audi/a8/2010/good

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121213419#Comment_121213419

thanks a mil. ya i've them well researched and have projected the cost of insurance etc as well. have loads of alerts - i usually see them early thankfully

goochy

Not a common car . only way to get as cheap as possible is private sale or auctions - have you tried up North ?

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121213778#Comment_121213778

The Nox kills the viability

User1998

I’d say a garage could source a Euro 6 one from the UK for you (2015+)

goochy

try somewhere like First choice autos in Dun laoghaire , sounds like type of car they would be used to sourcing - they had a NI in stock a while ago and source cars also

greasepalm

Try Lewis Motors in Cabinteely as they source high end cars for anybody. They also do FaceBook and Instagram to show their cars.

goochy

its not quite high end / high value enough for them me thinks - no disrespects - more First choice autos

bemak

thanks lads - will give First Choice a try. I wouldn't be suave enough for Lewis Motors I'd say!

eamonnq

Would importing one from Japan be an option?

goochy

First choice is owned by former owner of JPS motors Volvo - they sold business to Spirit . i have no connection just check out their stock regularly !

goochy

it would have to be petrol / hybrid to come from Japan

Wildly Boaring

Chance asking on this group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Autostadt

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121223071#Comment_121223071

thanks!

koutoubia

A friend of mine has an S8 ( not I'm the year you are looking) he maybe looking to offload.

You would Deffo want to check your insurance on it though!

Magown3

When you say well spec'd, what sort of features are you looking for?

Obviously the A8 should be a decent spec already.

I'm just curious.

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226893#Comment_121226893

ya as you say the A8s are nicely spec'd already but I suppose the main feature I'd be hoping for would be the upgraded seats - i've sat in both and i really liked the upgrade (I have a bad back). An extra bonus with them is that sometimes they are ventilated but that aspect wouldn't be critical. I'd also like the surround cameras, as opposed to just the reversing camera and the 3-spoke steering, think the other one is a bit old fashioned. Sunroof, adaptive cruise control and the matrix headlights would be nice (which would rule out a 2013 example as they only came in the facelift models).

That would be the jist of what I'd be looking for. Anything more is a bonus but thats kinda my baseline

Jesper

I'm actually looking for an A5 Sportsback (5 door) at the moment. It can be imported for regular VRT and NOx and no customs if it's registered int he north before 2021. So I'm keeping an eye on

Usedcarsni and Autotrader (use a NI postal code). Autotrader is the main trader for UK/NI.

I've bought a car from Prestigue Margue before https://www.prestigemarques.net/used-cars/search-results?page=2&make=AUDI&vehicleType=cars. There great and I'm very happy with my purchase. I've given them 2 weeks to see if they can source an A5 for me.

_Kaiser_

Still keeping an eye for an A8 myself :) but most of the ones of that age are fairly high mileage - and like you, I would rather the matrix lights.

I'm tempted to give this one a call, but the spec vs even my A7 looks a bit lacking in some areas

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/audi-a8-2013-3-0-tdi-260-bhp-new-nct-6-24/35248887

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121227060#Comment_121227060

i had seen that one too - looks lovely to be fair

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121227080#Comment_121227080

I wonder what he'd give me for my A7 which has 100k less km on it and different extras... hmmm!

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121227046#Comment_121227046

thanks for the tip! i had a look before for a 2015 A8 and did a quick calc on the Nox and the whole cost of importing was coming back at €10k or something crazy

bazz26

Here you go lads:

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2015-audi-a8l-3-0-tdi-lwb-quattro-massive-spec/31890475

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121227393#Comment_121227393

ya i've seen that one but the mileage is too high for me personally

bazz26

I think you have to expect that, these cars are expensive new so they are generally bought to be driven. Of course the more mileage on them the more chance of big maintenance bills but I'd be suspect of one with tiny mileage unless there is a detailed service history to back it up.

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121227442#Comment_121227442

absolutely - i'm looking for a rare beast. having said that though I have a lead on two, both 2014's with 75k miles. FSH too. But I'll need to see them. Bit over budget as well but it might be worth stretching for the right car as there would be a lot left in them

goochy

i can normally spot different models very easily but current A8 is so subtle / looks smaller than it is that i struggle to spot difference between it and an A6 unless close to it

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121227753#Comment_121227753

that's particularly the case for the pre-facelift - back lights look like slightly larger versions of the A4.

User1998

@bemak I saw this on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/290681740285971/

greasepalm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121222140#Comment_121222140

Lewis Motors will help anyone in need , try giving them a phone call as you never know with the amount of cars coming and going and buyers come back for more when happy.

I got chatting to Lewis Motors and diesels are expensive and cost too much to import them might be why they are rare to find.

goochy

yes just enquire about a Focus diesel and see how you get on , its older car than they normally stock - you dont see many older cars in their stock .

As said its more First choice autos stock

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121259378#Comment_121259378

Ya I know of that one. It's pre-facelift though

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121259434#Comment_121259434

Will try them. No harm

Rowley Birkin QC

If you end up going to Lewis Motors they have this which is built on the same platform as the A8.

Might be worth a look 😋

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121262283#Comment_121262283

😂

what a yoke though!

goochy

that would be based on current A8 i imagine

goochy

any update op ?

bemak

oh ya! I agreed to buy one at the weekend. collecting it next weekend hopefully. I originally thought I wanted a LWB but after having seen a few SWBs lately I was happy that the rear was big enough so in the end that's what I got. It's missing a few things that I was looking for; doesn't have a sunroof, or cooled seats - BUT it only has 75k miles and 9 service stamps with a main dealer - so it was too good to refuse. It has the surround cameras and the upgraded leather seats - so it is nicely spec'd. The compromise is right I think. Had it been a LWB I'd have been looking for a lot more toys

goochy

well wear , you buy from dealer ? did they source for you ?

pics please when u get it !!

bemak

Thanks! It was a private sale. hoping to collect it this weekend - if I do I'll put up a few pics. Might get it detailed first though!

galwaytt

a bit late I know, but I see Cameron Cars in Dublin has 2 for sale, an 05 and and 11 reg.

www.cameroncars.ie

_Kaiser_

Still looking myself but I would need a trade-in on mine and preferably the face-lift 2014 on model..... but Xmas is coming and all the bills that come with that, so I'll probably hold on till the new year.

Ideally I'd trade my own high spec but relatively low mileage (170k km) 2012 A7 for one with little extra cost to change given that most of the A8s are significantly more mileage and probably harder to sell?

bemak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121340864#Comment_121340864

sorry for the delay. delighted wit

goochy

Looks good . Like the wheels and rear tinted glass