Hello, looking to buy a late model ( 1995 ) A8 - it's in great shape and low milage - the test drives have been good with only a few questions :

while stuck in traffic, the temp climbed up to the 100 + range - sitting there, I was getting nervous about how far it would go. Once I got moving again after a good 30 minutes of stop / start, the temp went back down below 90 and more. Problem is, the summers where I am are very hot, 120 F kind of hot. Is this the normal range for this big old car?

Also, some wind noise on the driver's side window - didn't notice it on the first drive but it is obvious now - any ideas or quick fixes?

thanks,

mike

 

Where in the world are you first off, and what temp do you mean? 100 F or C?

 

at 120f, I'd say... 1st circle of Hell[sm=badbadbad.gif]

I hear at teh 7th circle, it gets RILLY, RILLY hot!!!

 

Yeah, real hot in the summer, as in 45 degrees C !! "Winters" are great but the summer can really kick your butt.

This car seems too good to be true so I'm probably going to snap it up - any warning flags about that temp though? Also, what can I do at home to give this beauty some TLC - problem is, I don't have a lot of tools and you can't buy any here, also no garage etc.... but I figure if i can change some fluids, maybe tweak something here and there, it might help.

Cheers,

mike

 

Well im gonna guess you meant teh engine gets to 100C which is normal, especially in that heat.
There won't be any warning lights for overheating usually so make sure to check it at least once everytime your driving.
As for tweaking, you need to start by buying either a Haynes or Bentley manual and see what you can do to it with the tools you have.

 

Yeah, the guy said that those temps are normal and that the fan kicks in after 90 F. For now, it's good as the weather is great - 20 -30 C even a bit chilly at night!

Well, looks like I will get the car - too good to pass on and I'll sort out the service as I go. I looked at the Bentley publishers and they don't seem to have the '95 A8 - any idea where else to get one?

I'll post some pics later if I can - it's a cool story, one of 25 given by the Sultan of Oman to his Ministers on the 25th anniversary of his rule. No numbers on the back, just an Arabic number 25 and also on the dash. Thank god gas is a bit cheaper over here cause I know that V8 is thirsty!

mike

 

Just out of curiosity, how much does gas cost a gallon or liter over there?

 

i just got back from Dubai not long ago and gas there was roughly $1.30 a gallon....probably a little bit more in Oman.

 

Sounds about right, although it's usually a bit cheaper here in Oman. Not bad ! I found out from the dealer today that there's another one of these with only 30,000 miles on it sitting in the service yard - same batch from '95 special gifts from the Sultan - the owner brought it in for service last year and hasn't bothered to pick it up!

 

Hey Omanized, I'm over here on the eighth ring in Qatar and my 97A8does the same thing. It used to worry me but so far she hasn't blown yet. It was a good deal because it was considered "old" with only 70k on it.