UK Newbie here, wanting advice!!

[VidaMusic]

Hi guys, just introducing myself..

My name is Rich, i'm the lead singer/guitarist songwriter of UK band VIDA.
i have had 2 M3's and loved them dearly, and am a long standing member on a well known UK M3 Forum..

i sold the ///M in Autumn last yr, and am now in the market to buy an R8!

i want an Ibis white one w/ carbon blades, and all options, inc R Tronic (as both my M3's have been SMG) i have driven both R Tronic and Manual, and prefer the R Tronic. I test drove a couple at the weekend for round the £70k mark.

are there many UK members on here, and what advice can you guys give me re the beauty that is the R8??


thanks in advance !!

(feels weird being a 'new' member of a forum since i have been on the M3 on for sooooo long!!

[randombloke]

there are a lot of uk r8 owners here so you should get plenty of relevant advice given there are quite a few differences in the aftersales side eg servicing, recommended oils etc.

I'd check out any car your thinking of buying in case it has been a press car at some point in its lifespan.

They don't have break in services in the UK like the m's do (and us r8's do) and in theory a Uk car can run up to the 20k mark before they need their first service via the computer determined service schedule (vs the 10k/12mth r8 servicing option).

If you're into your tunes then I'd check out the B & O from the outset as it's not going to be an easy retrofit if you don't like the standard stereo (which is fine for me, but I'm no audiophile and prefer engine noise to music).

the reversing camera of the parking advanced option is a useful one too.

[VidaMusic]

yeah i defo want the B&O, also, what EXACTLY is the lighting package??? cheers Random, my old china ;-)

[randombloke]

led's in the engine bay and footwell - but the lights in the engine bay are linked to the coming/leaving lights where the headlights light up the path for a set duration so they only show when the lights are activated for that rather than a way to showcase the engine to any great effect. I've only ever used it once to make sure I'd got what I paid for - I wouldn't spec it again.

[VidaMusic]

oh right?" iwas hopin it was like a night time running thing? like they'd light the engine bay at night - sh1t.... oh well, i'm sure it still looks ace. i never used that feature on the M either, great sig pic btw mate, the ass on the R8 is so nice... how long have you owned for??

[randombloke]

got it end of march 08 so just over a year now and it still plants a massive grin on my chops every time I drive it how it was meant to be driven

[VidaMusic]

i see you were an M owner too.... hopw do you cmpare the 2?? from my experience (only from test drives of the R8) the M doesn't come close????

[harrison]

I am going to pop in a Prodigy C.D. and sit in traffic for a while,At least I am sitting in traffic in an R 8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.My way back home should be insane with NO traffic.I have been too busy to drive her since her good washing.I better take some evening shots before the wheels turn black ,,,again. C-YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

[randombloke]

i see you were an M owner too.... hopw do you cmpare the 2?? from my experience (only from test drives of the R8) the M doesn't come close????

they're just totally different cars. I'm sure you've seen the rampant abuse of "corners on rails" but the r8 really really does. and then there's the fact it's just such a special shape whereas the m3 was based on a common car shape. and if you like engine noise, the v8 is as sweet as it gets over 4k revs.

the r8 is an experience in every sense.

that's not to say I still don't have a soft spot for bmw's - I still don't class myself as an "audi man" even though my last 3 cars have been audi's - but bmw don't have anything that comes close right now.

[VidaMusic]

how much to a tank of fuel and how many miles does it last - car being 'driven'?? My M3 was about £70 to fill and lasted 200 mile, maybe a touch more..

i did a road trip from my house in the Midlands, UK, down to St. Tropez in the South of France and then coastline all the way down to my place in Murcia in Spain, via Valencia, Barcelona etc, it was a very awesome trip, and i will most def do again in the R8 this summer. i clocked just under 4000 miles, and filled her up with Super high octane the whole way, and only spent about £750 on fuel - i was well happy, as i'd calculated it to be round the £1200 mark...

some pics of the road trip in the M3...



this is in St. Tropez




and washing all the sh*t off it! The sun in the South of France had baked the uk crappy weather onto my car!





at one of the MANY petrol stations, this one in Valencia... love the mountains in the background



outside my place in Spain..




and one of my ugly mug! check the awesome scenery! was upto 43c!!