[ba] A8

[Chris Maresca]

no1of consequence wrote:
> what i read [forget where] is that a body shop requires totally separate 
> facilities, tools, etc for alum and steel, because if any steel shavings, 
> dust, etc get onto bare alum  it will corrode the metal. aka if a sander is 
> used on steel it can not be used on aluminum. 

That's completely untrue.  I just spent the weekend in a shop that 
restores Bugatti's (yes, those Bugatti's, including the first one ever 
made) working with aluminum, taking it from flat sheet to body panels 
and welding it.  Aluminum is very, very easy to work with, much easier 
than steel, but you do have to know what you are doing (it's very easy 
to anneal and work harden) and have the right tools.

As far as aluminum corroding, that pretty much happens the instant bare 
aluminum is exposed to air, steel or no steel has little to do with it.

I think that the reason that they require separate shops is because of 
paint prep (aluminum is much more fiddly) and the structural epoxies 
that are often used would have issues if steel fillings got in them.

> that said the 8 is a KILLER used deal.  =)

Totally agree, although there are few others out there, here's my short 
list:

Audi A8 1998-2000
Audi A6 4.2
Jaguar 1999-2000 XJ8/XJR
Jaguar 1996-97 XJR
Jaguar X-type (A4 alternative)
Lincoln LS (not everyone's cup of tea, but a great car that's pretty cheap)
Mazda RX8 (these fairly new cars seem to be depreciating fast)

At the higher end of the scale, I've see Maserati Coupe's (the new 
model) for around $35k.  Not bad for a car with a Ferrari engine.

I just bought an XJR as a replacement for an Alfa 164 sedan.  It going 
alongside the CQ (which is a bit beat) as a daily driver, with the Alfa 
up for sale soon.

Chris.


> jr
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> From: "Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz at kla-tencor.com>
>> To: "BA quattro" <ba-group at audifans.com>
>> Subject: Re: [ba] A8
>> Date: Thu, 11 May 2006 16:50:16 -0700
>>
>> ... and they would only need to get involved if the *space frame* was
>> damaged ... this would be for repair of the "ASF" parts.  I thought that
>> today Audi had built more cars that made use of the ASF.
>>
>> Steve B
>> San Jose, CA (USA)
>>> one thing to note, i THINK that there are 15 or so Audi approved body
>> shops
>>> to fix the A8.  But, what about Rovers?  I bet that there are a lot
>>> "approved" shops for these rigs meaning why could they not fix an A8?
>> In
>>> terms of reliability, I have looked at several A8s in the past and
>> found the
>>> ones to buy is the "series 2" A8s.  I think they were released in 2000
>>> (maybe 2001).  The major update being a new transmission.  I have
>> "heard"
>>> these series 2 A8s are much more reliable then the original A8.
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> 
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