[ba] A8

Thu May 11 20:28:15 EDT 2006

well im glad that shop isn't working on my bugatti.. =)  i DEFINITELY 
remember reading about the 'steel contaminating aluminum' issue and im 
almost positive it was from audi on an audi site in regard to the a8.

a quick google search:

http://www.sme.org/cgi-bin/get-press.pl?&&20032117&TE&&SME&

Body shops need separate areas where only aluminum is repaired and perhaps 
$10,000 in tools exclusive to aluminum.

Otherwise, contamination from steel--even dust from steel repairs 
nearby--begins corroding the aluminum.

''For years and years, shops, including my own, would straighten 
(conventional) cars in one bay and right next to it, straighten aluminum 
cars. People would come back with paint problems, little spots the size of a 
pinhead popping off the aluminum,'' says Lou DiLisio Jr., president of 
Automotive Industry Consulting, chairman of the Society of Collision Repair 
Specialists and a body-shop operator in Westchester County, NY, until 1994.

form another link:

And then there's aluminum. At least five cars come with all-aluminum bodies 
and frames, including the Audi A8, Acura NSX, Honda Insight, Mercedes CL, 
and the new Jaguar XJ8. So far, few body shops are authorized to fix these 
cars. For example, only 13 body shops nationwide can do repairs on the XJ8. 
So if you wreck one in a remote area, insurance companies will factor in the 
cost of shipping it to an authorized shop.

Body shops that deal with aluminum have to wall off separate work areas and 
buy tools separate from those used on steel cars. That's because steel 
shavings can contaminate aluminum.

Because aluminum is difficult to weld, most parts are "bonded" (glued) and 
riveted together. A riveting tool to replace aluminum parts costs $10,000. 
Another tool to remove rivets runs $9,000. The total investment in training 
and tools to run an aluminum-body repair shop can run as much as $200,000.

>From: Chris Maresca <ckm at crust.net>
>To: no1of consequence <iin10ded at hotmail.com>
>CC: Steven.Buchholz at kla-tencor.com, ba-group at audifans.com
>Subject: Re: [ba] A8
>Date: Thu, 11 May 2006 17:16:40 -0700
>
>
>
>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.
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Audifans ba-group mailing list
>>>Send posts to: mailto:ba-group at www.audifans.com
>>>Manage your list connection: 
>>>http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/ba-group
>>>Have an Audi question?  Check the Audifans Knowledgebase!
>>>http://www.audifans.com/twiki/bin/view/Audi/WebHome
>>>Have an Audi answer? ... Please help others by adding to the KB ... all 
>>>contributions welcome!
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Audifans ba-group mailing list
>>Send posts to: mailto:ba-group at www.audifans.com
>>Manage your list connection: 
>>http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/ba-group
>>Have an Audi question?  Check the Audifans Knowledgebase!
>>http://www.audifans.com/twiki/bin/view/Audi/WebHome
>>Have an Audi answer? ... Please help others by adding to the KB ... all 
>>contributions welcome!