A rare six-speed stick and unique paint scheme make today’s Nice Price or No Dice R8 Quattro stand out from the crowd. Let’s see if its price has us giving it a standing ovation.
In his 1650 work “The Court and Character of King James,” English author Anthony Weldon describes an Italian proverb that teaches, “He that deceives me once, it’s his fault. He that deceives me twice, it’s my fault.” Today, we know this better as, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”
We can’t really say that the used car dealer selling the 2004 Subaru WRX STi we looked at yesterday was trying to fool us. Still, by obfuscating some of the car’s details and burying others, it certainly felt like there was an attempt. Not undertaking the due diligence required to uncover that intel on our own, however, would have been wholly on us. But, find it we did, and that bad news (a sub-optimal transmission replacement and some mechanical malfeasance) clouded our opinion on the car’s $9,995 price tag. Ultimately, those clouds parted to reveal an 84% No Dice loss
Quirks and features
The ad for today’s 2008 Audi R8 V8 Quattro happily doesn’t seem to be dancing around any of the car’s details and gives us a bit of backstory that even has a bit of a familial connection. Per the ad, the present owner has been in possession of this R8 for somewhere around three years. They say to have bought it off of Nick Roshon, who they claim is an associate of our buddy Doug Demuro and has contributed to the shorts-loving YouTuber’s Cars & Bids podcast.
Demuro himself seems to be a big fan of the R8. Over the years, he has discussed the model more than four times on his YouTube channel, most recently lamenting the end of the V10 line just two years back. This specific R8, which is a 4.2-liter V8 model, never participated in Doug’s doings, but being a special color and featuring the rare gated six-speed stick, it would have fit right in. Perhaps even more so than the orange automatic we looked at a few weeks back.
The blue of the night
According to the seller, this car’s special color is “Night Blue Pearl Effect,” and is not an off-the-shelf hue for the model. Instead, it’s an Audi Exclusive color—not Audio Exclusive, as the ad says—and that makes it a one-of-a-kind car. In addition to the exterior color, this R8 sports a cabin that is fully trimmed in sliver Napa leather, an Alcantara headliner, and, on the outside, gunmetal gray factory alloy wheels. It’s also optioned to the gills. Among those are add-ons like a cold weather package, Bang & Olufsen sound system, double-DIN factory stereo with backup camera and navigation, and that sweet gated six-speed.
The car is described as being in excellent condition and appears well-kept based on the description and the pictures. However, it does not have its original engine. According to the seller, that was replaced in 2014 under an extended warranty. At that time, the car had just 39K on the clock. It now has 83,200 miles under its belt and enjoyed a new clutch at 60K.
Back up blades
Other updates include newer Michelin meats, what the seller describes as “premium” coilovers, and an aftermarket exhaust. On the poseur side of things, the V8’s silver side blades have been supplanted by the scoopier V10 editions. Thankfully, all of the stock parts—blades, shocks, exhaust—will come with the car. That will probably require a chase vehicle or multiple trips as cargo capacity in an R8 is severely limited.
All that work is laudable, but it doesn’t mean that prospective buyers shouldn’t exercise their due diligence. Considering the complexity and, surprisingly, age (yes, this is a nearly 20-year-old car), a pre-purchase inspection is warranted. These early cars had a habit of cracking their aluminum frame right at the front suspension mounting points, something that’s both dangerous and expensive to repair. Knowing whether this car is so afflicted or if it has any other hidden boogers will be important in negotiating its sale price.
Rating the R8
The starting point for that negotiation is the seller’s set price of $68,000. In the car’s corner, the ad notes that it has a clean title, a gold star on its smog test, and describes it as running flawlessly. The ad also notes $38,000 in receipts for the engine swap, although that must be hypothetical since the work was done under warranty and, hence, shouldn’t have cost the then-owner a dime.
What’s your take on this unique, needs-nothing R8 and that $68,000 asking price? Does that feel like a special deal? Or does that make it a car that’s going to get very few bids?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
San Francisco Bay Area, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Don R. for the hookup!
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