Out with the old and in with the new!

A sad day indeed in the Wedgi household as the lovely RS4 has been returned to those f..kwits at Mazars - although I am pleased that a fellow partner there also wants to experience the joys and costs of owning one of Audi's finest ever cars. In 13 months and 19,000 odd miles total repairs and servicing including tyres was around £5,200 with the same again on super unleaded juice. Then there was nearly £8,000 in depreciation making the total cost (were I to be paying) around 94 pence per mile! Alot but less per mile than that infamous yellow Mini.

To replace the RS4 and mitigate my grief on parting I have succumbed to the charms of... another 4.2 v8 Quattro Audi! This time it is a 2000 fully loaded A8 long wheelbase uber barge and it is indeed huge and opulent, like the interior of a Sheik's palace. The boot is large enough to accommodate a family of Albanian refugees and their worldly possessions. Surprisingly although being significantly larger than the RS4 it weighs a little less thanks to the all aluminium body.

The car was around £76k when new and being an Audi everything inside (including the TV!) still works as it should. The double glazed privacy windows ensure you are whisked along almost silently too. Very bling as the unimpressed family have told me in no uncertain terms! SWMBO even more forthright in her view, but then she has not sunk her still cute posterior into the six way electric passenger armchair. With 95% of the depreciation already accounted for, it should be a cheaper bet to run too despite the 90 litre tank.