2008 Audi R8: Please Don't Steal Me

Ahh yes the beauty of Audis. As much as I love the R8 and feel that Audi's interiors are world-class I would never again own one. In the two years my wife owned her A6 the door locks malfunctioned, both front power windows refused to rise (twice), the moonroof stopped working altogether, and the power passenger seat would recline under power but then wouldn't come back up. We didn't have a single mechanical issue, but the shear volume of eletrical issues (all of which were infuriatingly minor) more than made up for that. It was a great car to drive, though.

I'd like to see long-term test data that puts entries like this into their proper perspective. Is the key fob issue - and the litany of bugs described by the previous commenter, come to think of it - indicative of a broader trend? Are Audis more susceptible to these kind of gremlins than other high-end marques?

At what cost, exclusivity?

It's still ahead of the Nissan.

It is a little disappointing to find something I take for granted on my econo car to be an issue on something so beautiful and expensive as the R8. Maybe it's a random fluke?

I have a tough time understanding how any automaker can't make a reliable door lock system. I mean, cars have had remote lock/unlock for what? 20 years now?

Also, what did your friend drive that made you take his car instead of the R8? A Rolls Drophead?

I don't think I would leave my car unlocked ever dude. First it is a workplace car & secondly it is a freakin 150k supercar. I would have headed back home or parked in an area where I could keep an eye on it.

German electrical issues strike again! What is it with European cars & electrical issues??

Remove the wheels and put it on cinder
blocks and no one will steal it. That sign reminds me of "Please don't kick me" signs taped on someone's back.

"Guess what Magrath's going to be busy with this week?"

Driving a newly acquired R8 to Mexico?

"And really, who randomly walks up to cars to see if they're unlocked?"

One night, I think my car didn't lock properly. To my surprise, all of my CD's were missing the next time I went driving. I believe people still do that. Either that, or they did a hell of a good job breaking in without a trace.

Seriously, the R8 is a SUPERCAR...you wouln't be complaining about the door locks on a Lamborghini, now would you? Honestly, if this is the first electrical problem you've had with an Audi, count yourselves lucky.

Ahhh, those German wundercars :-)

Sadly, I keep reading about Audis with dashes going on the fritz and other electronic gremlins one rarely sees in Toyotas, Hondas or other vehicles high on the reliability list.

Then again, a car is one of the harshest environments for electronics. My days at GM showed mil-spec components would fail during routine vehicle testing - extra precautions had to be taken.

"German electrical issues strike again! What is it with European cars & electrical issues??"

I think that a lot of the blame can be put on Bosch and the remainder put on the manufacturers themselves for engineering ridiculous electrical systems when they know that they have recurring reliability issues. I fail to understand it from a cultural perspective considering that Germans tend to keep their personal cars a lot longer (10+ years based on what I've seen in driveways in Germany) and use them under more severe conditions (100+ mph Autobahn runs, luxury cars pulling campers, etc.) during that time.

German Engineering? Maybe they should have had Dodge make this one form them too.

Oh come on. I'm just having fun.

The R8 looks good in the pic, very aggressive. I've never had a door lock fail on me, but I am sure it'd be a huge pain. Apparently the door opening arrangement in my MINI throws people off.

Could it just by the battery in the fob?

Could it just be the battery in the fob?

^Whoa...sorry about the double post there.

sabastian, now it's a triple post.

It's not the battery if they couldn't lock it with the key or by pushing buttons in the car.

"who randomly walks up to cars to see if they're unlocked?"

it happens quite frequently, actually, depending on where you live.

i can tell crime is not a big issue where you reside.

I think Audi uses a vacuum system for power locks. maybe there is a leak or faulty valve in the system

Ugh... It's what happens when the Germans start building to a price rather than building the car and setting the price.

BTW- Audi Owners really need to be eternal optimists (preferably restoring a boat on a beach in Zihuatanejo):

I believe that the power windows will come up.

I believe the door locks with lock and unlock.

I believe my friend will come with jumper cables.

I believe the HVAC system will be fixed after $1200.

I believe...

sorry - my folks had matching Audis... never again.

Yes, people do try the doors to see if they are locked or not, especially if you have something tempting in plain sight. I remember when I first moved to my current condo building, some of the older kids in the neighborhood could be seen trying door handles in the parking lot late at night. Of course, if they were locked, you were okay. We only had a smash-and-grab once, when someone left their briefcase on the front seat.

+1 on people frequently testing doors for lockage. I've seen it with my own eyes.

German cars have a lot of electronics, therefore a lot of chances for there to be bugs. These bugs usually get worked out after a while and the resulting car is perfectly reliable.

"who randomly walks up to cars to see if they're unlocked?"

Wow -- don't be so naive. Someone did a snatch-and-grab right in front of my house. I've seen kids prowling cars at apartment complexes. I've chased kids away before, especially when I had my A2 GTI, which were notoriously easy to break into.

Gated community or not, criminals exist in every economic strata.

I agree with mbtech, who can't engineer reliable power door locks. And why wouldn't at least one lock be mechanically linked so the doors could be opened with the key. My 09 Acura is filled to the roof with electronics but the driver's lock is mechanically connected to the keyhole in the driver's door. C'mon every car will have a dead battery one day, if every thing is power operated how do you get in the car. And to lock the car it has old fashioned lock tabs that you push in with your hands.