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Centre box on my 97 A8 Quattro needs replacing. Audi only part apparantly, numerous exhaust outlets cannot get supply, so ordered the part myself for one of them to fit. £350 for just the centre section and sleeves -- outrageous. Why is the part not copied like 90% of the other car makers?
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 22/12/2007 at 18:06
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Low demand;Not worthwhile if low turnover.
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Been quoted similar prices for Citroen Xantia Hdi - but that included the cat and pattern parts were available.
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If you are going to buy a big expensive luxury car you big expensive luxury bills. Thats life - Happy xmas.
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< Ulla>
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£350 is less than I would have expected to be honest. Audi parts can be extremely expensive (usually the bits not shared with VW's) Some years ago I got quoted £1200 for an Audi catalyst. Obviously they are bringing prices down!
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Why not see if a stainless steel exhaust fabricator can make up a part. It could be cheaper and would last much longer. Can't help with a specific supplier but I'm sure Googling would give you some ideas.
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Thanks doctorchris - done that already, sadly only throwing up used parts from breakers or similar. Shelf life would be short. Besides, new part now on order from Audi.
Thanks too to Altea Ego for his contribution. Bah Humbug back at you. Was just waiting for someone to crow on about running a luxury car when I should have gone for something more mainstream.
Local zorst place will fit for £50 so I'm not too fussed now.
Edited by Cheeky on 22/12/2007 at 14:26
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Why is the part not copied like 90% of the other car makers?
It's worth bearing in mind that pattern part exhausts usually don't silence as well or last as long. You get what you pay for.
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So pleased not to disapoint you Cheeky.
Its a bit steep tho to complain about "extortion"! I mean really what did you expect? exotic motors means exotic prices to keep it running.
Edited by Altea Ego on 22/12/2007 at 15:34
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exotic motors means exotic prices to keep it running.
Can I be cheeky too and add that if you are running a 97 Audi A8 Quattro, it is naive not to expect to have to pay high prices for parts. I agree with Aprilia that £350 is actually quite a bargain. Expect to pay even more in the future as all steel is gobbled up by China in the coming years.
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The cost of the steel is but a tiny fraction of the retail price.
The part probably costs £50 - having at available, and with an Audi sticker on it, accounts for the other £300! Its the way of the motor industry I'm afraid..
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Precisely my point Aprilia - we know the cost of the part is only a fraction of what is charged to the public. As has been said though, due to small demand, other parts companies do not replicate which is why it is dealer only.
Well worth spending some money on though - the 4.2 Quattro is still a beautiful car - amazing after 11 years and 110k miles. Everything still works as it should (except the exhaust..!!) and that includes more elcetrical goodies than I've ever seen before (sunblinds, rear heated seats, electric headrests, heated steering wheel(!) -- the lot...!)
Edited by Cheeky on 22/12/2007 at 17:11
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heated steering wheel(!)
A heated steering wheel. Hmmm, wouldn't mind one of those. Makes the small fortune you'll be spending on parts well worth it.
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Exhausts CAN'T be copied - infringement of intellectual property.
Even at exhaust manufacturers producing OE parts the cheaper non-OE versions have to be reverse engineered without copying.
Audi A8, not quite as common as a Focus/Astra/Golf where OE exhausts last 8 years plus so it's not a big deal, given the original price of an A8.
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11 years use for £350 - bargain when compared to more run of the mill motors which go through an exhaust every 5 years or so.
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You've bought it so doesn't matter, but I echo this comment, a fabricator , given the old box ( so long as you were able to do without the car for a few days ) should have made something appropriate for a lot less . Had a mild steel system made up for my yank truck a few years back. It didn't fit Ist time , but they did it again and it was perfect , about £80 for 5 feet including a box and a round - the - axle bend ,
It's all to do with what your time costs . This is precisely why a car selling at say £50 k new will be worth £10k after 4 - 5 years - it's all in the running costs .
I found a handy trick too ,when searching parts for my old Benz : getting the OE part number from the manufacturer ( dealers are loathe to give it ) , then Googling it - found the parts for a third of the price in the States .
Edited by motorprop on 22/12/2007 at 21:18
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I experience this thing quite a lot through work where prices for big old cars like A8, 7 series beemers etc have come down to very low prices and they get bought by people who want to appear flash for not a lot of cash. What they don't realise is that whilst the car costs relatively little the parts for said car are not cheap.
As my grandad would say - champagne taste on brown ale money!
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£350 sounds about right. I'd be most disappointed if I'd bought an expensive car and found that the manufacturer had specified a cheap exhaust. I expect all parts of a car to be of a quality commensurate with the price of the car.
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Ah yes, image is everything isn't it Blue Haddock? Not quite. This car has been in the family for a while now - and was bought not to appear flash, but because we wanted a large, luxury car which was built to a high standard and that was going to last and be supremely reliable. It has done that without missing a beat for 10 years. A Scorpio or Senator just didn't cut the mustard, sorry. I do wish a significant minority here would refrain from implyling there is badge snobbery attributed where there most certainly isn't. I have owned a variety of cars from Audi, BMW, Lexus and Jaguar, to Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Rover. Never once has badge snobbery been an issue. What has been an issue however, is how much I feel inclined to spend on a vehicle at any one time. Just like some would look down their noses or imply disdain at families who wish to send their children to independent schools rather than put them through state education, I can't help feeling people passing comment on the so called luxury marques are either jealous or just blinkered.
My thanks to those who have contributed usefully. Happy Christmas all.
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Ah Cheeky
You have spotted it as well, the unbearable smugness of being that that has overcome some of the posters to the Backroom.
Many of the posters no longer offer advice just embittered opinion or predjudice.
The wiser one ones such as Aprillia, Screwloose, BFE and so do not rise to this, but there are those that do.
I have been here for 6 years plus and see this as a major minus for this forum.
hence the infrequent posts
as always
Mark
Edited by mark on 23/12/2007 at 22:36
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I had a BMW once, I miss the memory and heated leather seats more than I miss the badge :-(
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Don't worry PU. The memory loss is just a sign of getting old - you'll soon forget about it.
Kevin...
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In this case its nothing to do with badge snobery. The Audi in question is a fine bit of kit, and a very understated way to spend a wedge of money to get a fine motor. Its a very non snobbish choice of car.
you cant however have any complaint when something goes wrong 10 years down the line, and this part costs about 1% of the purchase price.
Well you can complain if it makes you feel better, but its not justified.
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< Ulla>
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Modern exhaust manufacturers make exhaust boxes out of pressings, with deep draw dies and seal the edges together by rolling them after filling wih mineral fibre , wool, why.
Replacement manufacturers tend not to use presses- costs , design etc.. and use cylinders made from steel plates rolled into a cyclinder and then welded and the filler stuffed in, end plates added etc. Far more labour intensive but much less capital intensive .. and more things (eg welds) to go wrong.
madf
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For your infomation i am not a badge snob nor indeed am i jealous - what i was actually doing is giving my personal experiences as a car parts supplier.
For example you can now pick up an E38 7 Series for less than 2 grand, which is a lot of car for not much money however people seem to forget that they won't be able to buy a new door mirror for it for a tenner or a new backbox for £30. This is precisely why a lot of older prestige cars often get neglected when it comes to servicie time.
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Catalyst for Citroen despatch hdi £1300 fitted
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Thanks for the perspective !
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Take a look at :
tinyurl.com/24ad9n
for a saga about some bits of plastic for a VW Phaeton. That's scary money. It does go to explain their depreciation though.......
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draco2700
Any VAG owner would do well to look up the above ebay seller and add him to their favourite sellers, genuine VAG parts at a fraction of their costs over the counter.
HTH
merry Xmas
;o)
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Ah Cheeky You have spotted it as well the unbearable smugness of being that that has overcome some of the posters to the Backroom.
That wasn't how I read the post you're referring to at all.
I do think that if someone runs a car that originally cost £50K (or whatever) then it shouldn't be a surprise that repair costs are still £50K related.
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Unfortunately this is quite a rare (but good) car, and the pattern parts people find it un-economic to make the part .
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It makes quite a difference, doesn't it, how OP acquired the car.
I imagined that he'd paid a couple of grand for it recently, which would have made 20% of purchase price for a new centre box quite a lot.
But if he's owned it from new, then it looks much more reasonable. Unless he has it welded up and sells the car - but if he enjoys driving a luxury car, then why would he?
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No it doesn't matter if he bought it cheaply, recently.
You can buy a Bentley Mulsanne, in good condition, for £8,000 but you wouldn't expect anything other than Bentley running costs would you.
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