Doody

greetings.

i'm looking to replace the family sedan and have narrowed things down to a 2003 S 4MATIC (430 or 500 - not determined yet) versus a 2004 Audi A8 L. it snows here :-).

i'd very much appreciate any commentary owners might have on X vs Y.

the S clearly has ALL the bells and whistles, which is nice. many of them aren't and perhaps won't ever be available on the A8 (self-closing doors, keyless go, etc. etc.).

the A8 is a first model year - i've been burned before on first model year cars, so that's a bit of a concern.

a similarly equipped S500 is about 25% more expensive than the A8, but dealers have stock and are discounting them, so the difference shouldn't be quite that painful (though notable).

the MB nav system on CD is annoying - that should have been updated years ago. but other than that, i don't have a whole lot to complain about in the features department. the 2X cost for the same damn phone ($1K -vs- $2K) is silly too, i guess. the sport package is ridiculously overpriced, but quite attractive.

the S is clearly designed to "feel big". the A8 is clearly designed to not feel as as big as it is (it is in fact an inch longer, six inches wider, and a touch heavier than the S!). my wife prefers the Audi for this reason. i generally prefer the S.

S 4MATICs are plentiful. i can buy one off the lot nearly to my specs; or i can apparently get one exactly to my specs in six weeks - maybe even less than four if the boat timing works optimally.

as best i can tell, the A8s aren't really in full production yet. everybody says it's three months to get a spec'd car. the dealers aren't ordering interesting configurations (imo) for stock cars, so that's pretty much right out.

same warranties. same maintenance. same dealership amenities. basically the same power and application thereof.

i don't know what sort of financial deals each is or isn't doing yet - i'm guessing the MB guys will work to get their lease number down while the Audi guys have little incentive to deal. since it'll probably be a lease, the issue of the new S coming out soon isn't a big deal for resale (well, unless they gin up a useless residual).

obviously there are likely to be some strong W220 opinions here :-), but i'd still love to hear any feedback or thoughts folks have.

doody.

mercsd

I got my S based on following main criterium (vs 7 series).

a)Well proven and debugged
b)Safety ahead of the pack
c)Resale in 6-7 years time.

The S was a winner in every single criteria.

I suppose if resale is not an issue for you and its a family sedan then think safety. Havent done much research in Audi A8 but can it really boast what S has to offer? As you predicted S will be strongly supported here. Try Audi boards as well for a balance view.

vraa

I haven't had much experiance with the Audi nor a W220 with 4Matic, but if you asked me, what else are you looking for? Pure comfort also and such things like that?

In the choices you have offered I would go for the W220 because of exhibit A that mercsd presented. Numerous family and friends around my area and in my life have chosen the W220 because of the power and that it's not going to go down easily in a fight. What I mean is the car feel rigid and is rigid.

Jaeger

I'd say the Audi Quatro system is well-tested and unsurpassed. The Audi interior is more luxurious and modern, using better leather and sporty aluminum accents. You might want to inquire where you will need to send the car if the aluminum body requires a repair. I'll bet the difference in msrp is much smaller if you consider the eventual resale/trade-in value of the MB will be higher. Bottom line: do you want the better car for less money, or do you want a Mercedes? Most people seem to choose the latter.

apricotscrub

the 2003's come with a much nicer nav system than pre-2003's, its much more precise and almost as good as the competitors.

boltonblue

doody your right about the delivery time,
i took my 430 from inventory about a month ago. although if you want to order to configuratioin at this time of year you are probably be into the '04 my and the fall. this probably means the new 7 spd tranny. personally I might avoid that one for a year.
So far my only complaint has been getting my wife to let me take it.

FInality

I didn't think the 7 speed tranny is available for 4Matic just yet? In any case my vote is for the S class.

Why not run the numbers through the two respective dealerships tell them it will come what your choices are and ulitmately it will come down to price. Should give them incentive to iron out the best deal for you.

The S is a proven platform and is undeniabely the safest car on the block bar NONE.

I haven't really taken a look at the new A8 though.... Perhaps the S8 would be a better comparison?

Doody

wow - stellar feedback and thoughts, guys. many thanks!

my next step is to absolutely get the numbers run. i've traded emails with an acquaintaince in another geography who is an Audi salesman. he says the MB guys are probably going to be willing to do a much better deal given the A8 scarcities and lead times. we'll see.

if the W220 holds value so well, then the residual should reflect that and this'll be a slam-dunk for MB. that's how it works in theory at least, right? :-)

"well proven and debugged" is definitely important. my wife will beat me with a bat if she has to fight with computer bugs and other idiocy.

interesting point on the aluminum frame repairs! hadn't even thought of that.

good news to hear that the nav system got an update for 2003!

no S8 yet. it'll be built on the short (or rather, regular) wheelbase version, which apparently Audi claims they may not import into the US. just like last time 'round. the rumor mill says maybe in 2005. regardless, i want a long-wheelbase car so i can get adults in the back ultra-comfortably.

let's see what the numbers look like.......

doody!

mercsd

Here's a pic to wet your appetite:

boltonblue

hey doody,
Today's Boston Globe has a review of the A8 which is only available as a long in the states.

S55inPA

hey doody,

my local audi dealer has 2 new A8's on his lot. very nice looking auto with a nice interior. is it nice in appearance than the S...i would say almost equal in it's attractiveness.
keep in mind that if you bang your car up it will have to be shipped to 1 of 7 repair facilities nationwide because of the aluminum. if i had to choose between the two i would take the benz. mainly because the audi is a new model and most likely will have more than it's share problems in first year production. i'm not sure about this but if you could get a 4matic with the sport package that would seal the deal for me!! good luck.

BritguyUSA85

I don't really have much experience with the Audi A8 L, besides seeing a couple of them around my town recently, but I can definitely vouch for the S-class... we used to have a 2000 S430 with the sport package which was brilliant, but nothing in comaprison to our new S500 4Matic... the 4-wheel drive system is great, and even when i drive taking full turns fast its never lost traction... co-incidentally my dad's actually thinking abot getting an A8 L or RS6 as well, just b/c he likes 4-wheel drive cars so much now from the S500....