Reliability 8v vs 8p??

[Mojave96]

Hey all,

How reliable are your 8v's compared to 8p's? My 8p is coming up at 90k miles at 11 years now...I'll be upgrading to an 8v soon but I keep thinking, has audi preserved the reliability as well as their 8p counterparts?

I can see a lot of S3's breaking down in the first couple of months...

I can speak extremelly highly regarding the reliability of my 8p, like most owners on this forum from what I've seen...just shame I can't easily upgrade it as far as the technology is concerned.

 

[h5djr]

I've owned four 8P 2.0 TDI models and now have a 8V 2.0TDI-184 s-tronic quattro and none of them have given me any trouble at all apart from a noisy driver door on my current 8V which was sorted by my dealer. I had each of the 8P models around 35-38k and have done 26k in my existing 8V. When I come to change I will almost certainly be buying another 8V.

 

[traindweller]

We have had our 8P 2.0 FSI SB since 54 when that model cameout, it has done just over 75k and never been any trouble, still on the same exhaust and clutch although I have had to change the rear wiper motor like most people. The car drives really well and looking over the service record it has only had to have a couple of sensors and one new cv gaiter apart from the normal belts, water pumps and tyres. I hope our 8V A3 is just as good over the years.

 

[RO65ERS]

its a case of, every car / make / model will have their faults.
most people complain of a squeaking drivers seat when its adjusted low - new seat base under warranty will solve it.
some people will complain of window rattle - common on other models, not 8V specific.
and the water pump club...which is the ore so common "break down" cause.

i was never a fan of the 8L - in fact i hated them with a passion.
the 8P, never really caught my attention, during that stage i had a MK ii Leon 2.0 tfsi, revo stg1. loved it.

and now the 8v model really tickles my fancy.
engine wise, I've had no issues in 10k. in fact its been great. 2k of that with a DTUK box.

highly rate the model personally.

 

[Simon L]

its a case of, every car / make / model will have their faults.
most people complain of a squeaking drivers seat when its adjusted low - new seat base under warranty will solve it.
some people will complain of window rattle - common on other models, not 8V specific.
and the water pump club...which is the ore so common "break down" cause.

i was never a fan of the 8L - in fact i hated them with a passion.
the 8P, never really caught my attention, during that stage i had a MK ii Leon 2.0 tfsi, revo stg1. loved it.

and now the 8v model really tickles my fancy.
engine wise, I've had no issues in 10k. in fact its been great. 2k of that with a DTUK box.

highly rate the model personally.

^^^ THIS ^^^

The main reliability issues appear to have been ironed out a long time ago and only seen a handful of fresh reports since I took delivery of mine. 9 months on, everything tickedy-boo not a squeak, not a rattle or a roll

I've topped up the windscreen wiper fluid and that's it.

 

[RO65ERS]

I've topped up the windscreen wiper fluid and that's it.

what about your indicator fluid? . . .

 

[Rob2k68]

I had a 1.8 TFSI 8P Sportback for two years that I remapped with Superchips bluefin then a gap between Audis where I had an Alfa Romeo Guilietta and a Seat Leon FR.

Now really enjoying my 8V no issues 15k miles other than a creased seat bolster and rusty hubs.

 

[Simonb1975]

Had plenty of issues though it might we worth considering that the facelift might bring a raft of 'under the radar' fixes that have been complied since the 8V was launched. Small things like rattles in the door linings and crackling Stereos (I'm sure the fix has something to do with Apple carplay). The bumf on the FL A3 mentioned something about the S3 and driving dynamics, maybe the bouncy castle fix !

 

[Mojave96]

Thanks for your input guys, much appreciated. Makes for a very interesting read indeed.

 

[RO65ERS]

Had plenty of issues though it might we worth considering that the facelift might bring a raft of 'under the radar' fixes that have been complied since the 8V was launched. Small things like rattles in the door linings and crackling Stereos (I'm sure the fix has something to do with Apple carplay). The bumf on the FL A3 mentioned something about the S3 and driving dynamics, maybe the bouncy castle fix !

an overhaul of the rear suspension and steering geometry would be a nice touch, heck, sharper brakes too...
but where would that leave the golf R? would be interesting to see what they do with it.

 

[Scottyg]

9.5k into my first Audi ownership. 1.6TDI Sport S-Tronic. Great car. Only a little squeak off seat base but will get that sorted when I can. Apart from that it's been a superb car. 47 mpg average with mostly urban and extra urban driving and I don't drive like Miss Daisy. I've had 70+ on a motorway run so can't complain. It's the best built car I've owned and that's comparing to 2 5 series, 3 series, LR, VX, VW, and MINI. Most cars these days are reliable. Not all as well put together as others but few have any major faults.
Would I buy another one? Most definitely. Can't be without my S-Tronic!

 

[Simonb1975]

an overhaul of the rear suspension and steering geometry would be a nice touch, heck, sharper brakes too...
but where would that leave the golf R? would be interesting to see what they do with it.

Guess they could leave the R as an estate Wouldn't mind one for the extra space

 

[cuke2u]

Can't speak forthe 8p but I wouldn't say that a car that needs a new dmf and wing mirror after only 5k miles is reliable...

 

[dzankizakon]

How reliable are your 8v's compared to 8p's? My 8p is coming up at 90k miles at 11 years now...I'll be upgrading to an 8v soon but I keep thinking, has audi preserved the reliability as well as their 8p counterparts?

I've had an 8P for about 6 or 7 years and now 8V for 2.5 years.

With 8P I had one problem, probably caused by me when I reversed up an extremely steep hill. Something loudly snapped in the gearbox and the reverse gear stopped working. This happened in France so it was quite an adventure going back home without a reverse gear working - simple parking required detailed planning. ;-) When I got back the dealer fixed it for free although the car was out of warranty. That was the only problem I ever had with this 8P car.

With my 8V I had numerous small problems. Rattle in the passenger door (fixed), squealing brakes that were never fixed despite the car going to the dealer at least 10 times. Squeaky shock absorbers which I have not yet fixed due to lack of time. Occasional very strange sound when s-tronic switches from D2 to D3 (again, not checked due to lack of time).

Someone before mentioned 'creased seat bolster and rusty hubs' - I have those too, but I didn't consider them important, but it still bothers me a bit. There's probably a few other smaller niggles that I can't remember now. The car was pretty expensive, I could have gotten a bare bones A6 for the same amount.

So, yes, in my experience 8V is quite a lot less reliable than 8P. In all honesty, I love the car but I'm not sure I would buy an Audi again.

 

[Tony1982]

Never owned let alone driven an 8p, Had my 8v for 12 months now and done just under 15k miles, not had a single issue

 

[veeeight]

Broken Haldex twice (2 replacement pumps)
Drinking coolant
Turbo wastegate rod rattle
ACC fault, new sensor
Variable camshaft assembly fault, new camshaft assembly
MMI crashes
MMI screen gets stuck
Interior creaks and rattles from headlining, centre console and driver knee panel
More rattles than mothercare throughout the car
Noisy/whiny gearbox
2 Wheel bearings gone
Pitted exhaust tips
Gearbox overheat warnings, but dealer can't find fault
Lurchy drivetrain, now with transmission play akin to a SII Land-Rover
+ more that I can't recall just at the moment


That was my first 18 months of Audi S3 8V ownership experience

 

[Simon L]

Well there you go Mojave, pick the bones out of this lot!!

In fairness nothing you wouldn't expect to see on any other manufacturer's forum.................

 

[Simonb1975]

true, but a lot of others wont charge the same amount for the pleasure

 

[Simonb1975]

At the end of the day Audi are selling more and need to knock them out quicker and at higher rates, Audi's BMW's Merc's just not exclusive anymore.

 

[Simon L]

true, but a lot of others wont charge the same amount for the pleasure

......ahh, but this is Audi..........money isn't an issue surely??

......as for exclusive doesn't mean a thing to me. Bought mine because it's the nicest looking car and the best all round package.

 

[Simonb1975]

......ahh, but this is Audi..........money isn't an issue surely??

......as for exclusive doesn't mean a thing to me. Bought mine because it's the nicest looking car and the best all round package.

Doesn't mean we shouldn't expect more for our money. Unless the badge is the only selling point, I guess it is to some.
Point is they are selling more for the badge than actual quality nowadays. Sure it looks great in the flesh (Metal/plastic) when you first get in but quite often they are no better than most in the long run.

 

[Blackwhite]

Broken Haldex twice (2 replacement pumps)
Drinking coolant
Turbo wastegate rod rattle
ACC fault, new sensor
Variable camshaft assembly fault, new camshaft assembly
MMI crashes
MMI screen gets stuck
Interior creaks and rattles from headlining, centre console and driver knee panel
More rattles than mothercare throughout the car
Noisy/whiny gearbox
2 Wheel bearings gone
Pitted exhaust tips
Gearbox overheat warnings, but dealer can't find fault
Lurchy drivetrain, now with transmission play akin to a SII Land-Rover
+ more that I can't recall just at the moment


That was my first 18 months of Audi S3 8V ownership experience

 

[Simon L]

Doesn't mean we shouldn't expect more for our money. Unless the badge is the only selling point, I guess it is to some.
Point is they are selling more for the badge than actual quality nowadays. Sure it looks great in the flesh (Metal/plastic) when you first get in but quite often they are no better than most in the long run.

That's fair enough so presumably you won't be buying one again.

Back on topic, unless anyone has any hard evidence that Audi's quality control has gone through the floor there's no reason to suspect 8V's are any less reliable than 8P's. OP can make up his own mind.............

 

[Baldyone]

Just replaced a 2014 150ps manual TDI. Thankfully faultless over 2 years of ownership and 28000 miles. Kinda what we all hope for when you buy a new car. Fingers crossed I have the same luck with my S3. No 8p ownership to comment on I'm afraid but my previous fords have all been good bar 1 leaking windscreen which caused damage to both the carpet, and a coil pack. Faulty coil caused a misfire and because I stupidly kept driving until I got it home, killed the catalyst. All replaced under warrenty.

 

[Simonb1975]

That's fair enough so presumably you won't be buying one again.

Back on topic, unless anyone has any hard evidence that Audi's quality control has gone through the floor there's no reason to suspect 8V's are any less reliable than 8P's. OP can make up his own mind.............

Well, I'm quite taken with a new A4 Avant so another bite at the cherry it is

 

[veeeight]

The 8V platform is fairly new, so there is no specific field data for the 8V as yet. However, for the brand as a whole:

From:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32332210

More:
http://www.am-online.com/news/car-m...s-most-dependable-cars-in-new-jd-power-survey
http://fleetworld.co.uk/news/2015/A...s-finds-inaugural-J-D-Power-survey/0434021046

 

[veeeight]

For those who are interested in reliability/dependibility surveys, the other UK benchmark used, especially among used/older cars 3+years, the Warranty Wise Reliability Index is useful.

JD Power, like any other survey, does have its foibles, as does Warranty Wise data, however, they remain the best data available despite this.


Based on actual breakdowns and warranty data, the Warranty Direct Reliability Index places Audi as a manufacturer for fault free motoring, 34 out of 39. The index mainly reflects cars 3+ years. Sample size 50,000+ cars.

http://blog.warrantydirect.co.uk/20...e-most-reliable-cars-in-britain/#.Vcd2wVlH2Rt

http://www.reliabilityindex.com/manufacturer



The Reliability Index score is calculated on a combination of vehicle criteria:
• Frequency of failure
• Cost of repair
• Duration of repairs
• Average age and mileage



The top 100 cars in the Reliability Index:
http://www.reliabilityindex.com/top-100


Because the A3 8V isn't old enough yet to feature in this dataset, the nearest we have is the A3 8P platform. However, given that they have been making this variant since 2003, you would have hoped that they would have sorted out issues by now:

 

[Simon L]

The 8V platform is fairly new, so there is no specific field data for the 8V as yet. However, for the brand as a whole:

From:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32332210

More:
http://www.am-online.com/news/car-m...s-most-dependable-cars-in-new-jd-power-survey
http://fleetworld.co.uk/news/2015/A...s-finds-inaugural-J-D-Power-survey/0434021046

This is all well and good V8 and yes those that care primarily about reliability can buy Skodas, Kias, and Suzukis but will it guarantee them 100% reliability? No.

 

[Mojave96]

That's quite scary, I was swearing by Audi's reliability, especially since you pay such a hefty price premium...makes you wonder, is it really worth it over something a little bit less expensive.

But then again, like all "data", perception is key and it changes with every single person I suppose. For one person, an S3 is very reliable even though theres a fault to fix every year, whereas for others a car that breaks down every 5 years will be considered the reliable one.

Interesting points. Makes you think about the perception of value across the whole board.

I'd be content with my current 8p but I'm a technology person, and its slightly annoying my car is so behind lol!

 

[Bainie]

Why are skoda , seat & vw so far above when it is essentially the same car ? Strange ...

For a not so technical comparison , a friend of mine drives a recovery truck , and told me he recovers more audis than any other marque, this was just before I bought the 8p which has been a dream compared to my previous BMW & mini experiences ....

 

[Simonb1975]

Now you mention it, different makes same group different ends of the chart, that is an eye opener

 

[veeeight]

Why are skoda , seat & vw so far above when it is essentially the same car ? Strange ...

They are not quite the same car though.
For example, the S3 and Golf R use the same EA888 Gen 3 engine.
But they have different engine ECU's in terms of maps, and in some cases, hardware.
So one engine has a flat spot at say 3000rpm, the other one doesn't.

Even when the same ECU hardware is used in different marques, each brand will have different software in them, so the 5F Infotainment module has different software for each brand. Which is why you can get DAB logos on the MMI on VW, Seat, Skoda, but not Audi.

VW Golf R has a different (and better) steering rack to the S3, different springs, different dampers. Even the adaptive dampers are of differing technologies. The dampers on the Golf R aren't the same (not mag ride) as the active dampers on the S3, they are a hydraulic electromechanical control system, as opposed to magnetic control.

So yes, unfortunately, Audi can and will have worse reliability figures than its sister cars, for the factors mentioned in a previous post.

 

[Bainie]

Yeah , maybe that's why Skoda are higher as well , they are using the older proven tech in their cars a lot of the time ? Audi innovate and iron out the problems then skoda inherit it ...

 

[Mojave96]

But that being said though, S3 and Golf R are performance vehicles with totally different set ups compared to Sline, Sport or SE versions so could we argue that performance vehicles such as the ones mentioned above would have a lesser reliability rating? As compared to the lesser models/trims?

 

[Simonb1975]

Some would say the S3 is an sline with a more powerful engine, I think RS models get finished off else where and are considered a level above but not S's

 

[veeeight]

A3 S3 RS3 all come down the same production line.

All are A3 derivatives.

 

[Kugaman1]

Reliability surveys are a load of garbage.
They mean nowt, look at this below - 2015 results and the A3 gives an excellent showing when compared against 200 cars...

 

[veeeight]

It all depends what the source of the data is.


The Warranty Wise data in post #27 is from 50,000+ cars from actual faults and repairs

The Auto Express Driver Power is a driver and/or owner survey

 

[Lawrence Ellul]

Resurrecting this post... are there any specific issues with the A3 8V TDi one needs to know of? I have no experience with this make and i'd like to get some information prior to make the move

 

[Scottyg]

I've been running a 1.6TDI S-Tronic sport for just over two years without and hiccups whatsoever. Engine Management light came on last week for a day and then went off. Are you going 1.6 or 2.0?