Audi R8 - Attainable Supercar?

I'm seeing low mileage 2009 models in the $60k range. This thing seems like supercar performance, daily driver comfort, and (somewhat) affordability, all rolled into one. Are they maintenance nightmares like other Audis?

 

My colleague in Germany has one and loves it. It is not his daily driver but seems reliable. I'd look for a v10 model if i were shopping for one.

 

A: it's 10 years old
B: it's an Audi
C: run

 

If it were something like an A4 I'd totally agree, but surely they put better engineering into their Halo Car.

 

You think they designed a supercar for longevity and ease of maintenance?

 

Relatively, yes. R8 is supposed to be similar to a 911 or an NSX in that you can drive one more like an Accord instead of needing a chase car full of spare parts and mechanics like you would with a Ferrari or a Lambo.

 

I've heard they are more generally reliable. Some parts are crazy ass priced though. Like the mag ride shocks are $2k each or some shit. Lots of people just replaced with 4 coilovers for the cost of 1-2 OEM shocks.
Also the earlier models have a bad frame area where the front shock mount is. It can crack. Audi doesn't have an approved fix if it's already cracked. They fo have a reinforcement plate that should be added. One guy bought one at auction that was totaled due to this. He spent a couple grand fixing and welding it. It's on youtube.

 

A good friend of mine has a V10 model with a supercharger. He has an impressive supercar collection and says the Audi is the most reliable and cheapest to keep on the road.

It's a sample group of one, so who knows if that's normal, but it's something.

 

I reached out...here's the answer

 

A stable of supercars...methinks "cheapest" might be a relative term

 

That sounds like the late model Corvette I read about. Less than 5000 miles, it hit something in the road and cracked the frame near the rear axle. Car was written off because GM doesn't have an approved repair and the piece is not available from GM.

 

I've told it before but must not have sunk in. As y'all know my daughter sells Porsche's but next door is the sister Audi dealership. She was looking for a car and asked the top Audi mechanic which one of the used Audi's he would recommend.

The answer was none of them

 

Actually the R8 is the same engine as the Lambo.

 

Gallardo has the same engine as the R8. Audi designed and built nearly that whole car, which is why it was the first Lambo ever to not be a total pile of shit.

 

Lamborghini still found a way to make it unreliable with their own electronics and transmission. FML.

The Gallardo and R8 are attainable and can be maintained for an attainable number as well, but it takes a lot of research as you can't just pick up a Haynes manual or the like. Take them into the shop and you'll be paying a small fortune for everything. Don't expect normal car price parts either. Also need to be handy with a computer to work on it yourself. Some maintenance tasks require configuring in the computer.

An example of research: fuel gauge goes out. There's a $450 Audi gauge you need to replace with part number XXXXXXX4e. However, there's another Audi guage (from a4) that is the same except for a stick on faceplate, available used on eBay for $30, with part number XXXXXXX1d.

VAGCOM should work for R8, Gallardo needs $10k computer from Lamborghini (or hack the ECU yourself (HUGE pain in the butt, even for a software developer).

 

Yes, they totally suck as do all Audi's. Buy ours. Manual trans. http://www.plazamotorsaz.com/web/used/Audi-R8-2012-Tempe-Arizona/2213439/

 

Um, was there even a 1999 R8 made? 2009.....

 

Oh shit. D'oh!

 

How about tree fiddy?

 

I’d prefer a Porsche