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R8 as your only car?

10K views 46 replies 30 participants last post by  GT#298 
#1 ·
So I am contemplating making the move to an R8. It would be my only car. I don't commute to work, although my wife occassionally does. She has to park in a relatively tight underground garage. We make the occassional weekend road trip. We would use the R8 to grocery shop etc. I live in a big city with bad roads and lots of traffic.

I had a cayman S as my only car for several years and that worked fine.

How many have an R8 as your only car? How liveable is it in an urban environment with traffic, bad roads and tight parking situations?
 
#2 ·
I think using a R8 in your circumstances would be a "triumph of hope over experience". Bad roads, tight parking and grocery shopping aren't the natural habitats of the R8, buy the R8 but include in your budget a cheap daily driver for these chores.
 
#4 · (Edited)
living in a condo with one parking spot (and no availability for an additional spot) makes the additional car option pretty much undoable...but I fear you may be right about the R8 being unworkable in my circumstances...the 911 is an obvious option that would work, but having done the porsche thing for 4 years I really want a change and a naturally aspirated v10!
 
#3 ·
Good advice from Dave. I also ran a Cayman S as my daily for nearly 6 years without any real problems. When I purchased my R8 I too used it as my daily but after the first year I decided it just wasn't really doing the car or me any favours. It's quite a bit wider than a Cayman, has much less storage space and uses considerably more fuel. I now have a cheapish BMW 320 as my daily and keep the R8 for drive outs, high days and holidays. It also means the R8 isn't getting exposed to road salt every winter any longer.
 
#6 ·
I suppose a house move is out of the question ? When I bought mine we were moving apartments, so the first things I checked were the number of parking spaces, nearest power source,illumination and the inclination of the access ramps, rejecting any that didn't suit my car (much to the wife's irritation).
 
#8 ·
you've got your priorities straight :)

we actually might be moving...but finding a property with 2 parking spots in central toronto can be a challenge

I am getting the sense that I should just hold off on the R8 dream until I am in situation where 2 cars is possible.
 
#7 ·
That sounds like a nightmare to me. :)

You'd probably be torturing the suspension - a set of magnetic ride shocks (which tend to leak) will run $8k in parts alone. Control arms are also several thousand. I wouldn't torture an R8 by driving it regularly in an urban environment.

As others have said, it's also low and wide. Doors are big, so tight spaces won't work well. The low ride height means it also doesn't work well with ramps and curbs in many situations.

Trunk space? You won't get much in there - it's small. But beyond that, it's also like an oven thanks to the fact that radiators surround it. You'll cook your groceries if they're in there for more than 10 minutes. Likewise, while you can do a weekend for two if you pack reasonably, that's about it - no week long trips where the wife wants a different pair of shoes for each day.

And if you live anywhere that gets snow, forget it - the story only gets worse from there. :)

The R8 is a great car, but despite the illusion that it's an "everyday supercar," it's a very poor daily driver for MOST people - and I think it's highly impractical to be a single car.
 
#11 ·
All depends on the road conditions in your area and the population of other vehicles on your roads.
-Jam packed parking lots frequented by people who drive beaters will not have respect for your aluminum doors.
-Potholes will ruin your bushings and or shocks in a couple months time.
-Stop and go traffic or bumper to bumper rush hours will ruin your clutch, release bearing and flywheel.
If you will be driving the car in an area with none of the above, then it will be wonderful. The quattro will make winter a more pleasant driving experience as long as you have some all-seaon tires that kick snow off of the treads.
 
#12 ·
So. . .have we talked you out of it?
The R8 is the least cumbersome supercar, but it's still impractical as a daily driver. Remember, being impractical in that manner is one of the check-boxes that define a supercar. I love mine, but I wouldn't daily it for several reasons:

1. It's completely impractical to haul anything. They say you can fit a golf bag behind the seat. . .maybe if you're a midget. (Is that not PC?)
2. Maintenance and upkeep - once a year is plenty for me.
3. Specialty - By not driving it daily, it's more special each time I do.

The R8 is a wonderful car, but most everyone that does daily drive it, has another car for getting groceries, etc.
 
#15 ·
I have a supercharged V10 and would struggle to consider that a daily option. I’ve owned multiple GT-R’s and could say they work great as a daily driver. Huge trunk and performance that is tough to match. Yes, not the most aesthetically pleasing vehicle but has to be one of the best bang for the buck vehicles out there for performance and practicality. My two cents....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#16 ·
I used to daily drive my Mr2 turbo in my 20's and that was a little bit of a pain in the the butt. The R8 is 8 inches wider, lower than the Mr2 by two inches. Exotic looking so along with the right attention, you'll get some unwanted attention by the wrong crowd. My Mr2 had a decent trunk in the rear and a small one in the front whereas the R8 only has a small one in the front. I would get a daily beater if I was you....just my 2 cents
 
#21 ·
I daily mine with commuting usually 4 days a week or less. Garage is available where I park for work as well, but there's no issues with cramped spaces. In fact, parking in general near my area doesn't have tight spots, so I use it for groceries and errands as well. If your spots are quite narrow, I would advise against it because it's a bit of a challenge to get in and out of the car without the doors open enough.
 
#22 ·
Many valid points here, but from a person living rurally in a house with many vehicles, I say no way. Unless you are OK with the car getting beat up like any other DD, then it may work for you. I go in and out of Manhattan once per week and would never take the R8 there. I only park in garages, but it doesn't matter. You can only be so careful with the vehicle. You can expect suspension issues, small chips and dings, windshield chips/cracks, just as a part of daily driving. If you can live with that and it's your only choice, only you can decide if it's right for you. When I first bought an S5 a while back, it was my DD. It is not an R8, but I was not used to abusing my vehicles like that and it was a really nice car. I had to suck it up and drive it. I enjoyed the heck out of the car, but it did take a lot of abuse. After two years, the final straw was when a metal 5 gallon bucket came off of a truck and was bouncing towards me while I'm going around 70 mph, I had no choice but to run it over, causing $3500 of damage to the S5 and I was lucky it didn't really do any body damage. Tough decision on your part; Good Luck!
 
#23 ·
+1

Look, you can daily drive a Bugatti Chiron in NYC if you like - it's all about accepting the consequences. No laws of nature will stop you from doing it.

Driving a supercar in an urban environment is abusive, plain and simple. These cars weren't designed for what you're putting them through. A supercar was designed to be used on wide open roads in relatively good condition. In most urban environments, the suspension is going to be tortured - control arms, bushings, struts/shocks. The rims are going to take a pounding. The chassis, and everything bolted to it, is going to take a pounding. Get in a NYC taxi - at two years old they're rattling like a 200 year old stage coach - every interior trim piece is jostling loose.

I'm a stickler for using products as they were intended. It's the engineer in me, I suppose, that understands that products were designed against a set of use cases, and if you choose to use them in another fashion, there's a high probability you'll break them. You can wear a tuxedo to the gym. You can sleep on a desk. You can house fish in your swimming pool. And yes, you can daily drive a supercar in the city. They're all POSSIBLE, but common sense should tell you they're not designed to be used that way. If you really insist, that's your choice - freedom is a wonderful thing! Just understand and expect the adverse consequences.

Now... I'm off to dry my clothes in the microwave. :)
 
#26 ·
Based on your question, I am assuming your wife has her own car and have answered the question from that perspective.

I used to drive my R8 as a daily driver while my daughter was borrowing my car. I can tell you that if you are a larger person, like me, it will be difficult to park in the city. Yes, the car is wider than many and the doors are very long. It is impossible for me to get in and out of the car in a regular parking space like those in a parking structure or lot. If you can find parallel parking on the street you will be in good shape.

If you are moving soon, I recommend you wait until you know what your new circumstances will be.
 
#31 ·
The R8 is an 'Every Sunny Day' Supercar.

Don't get me wrong, she drive real well in the rain with my Michelin Pilot Sport 4S - Even accelerating in turns she hugs and is a lot of fun. :D

While I have made lots of Costco runs for staples - Eggs, Bread, cheese, rotisserie chicken, etc.. you won't be putting the TP or paper towels in the frunk if you know what I mean.

Also won't be towing the boat with her. Not that she couldn't. Not sure what the towing capacity would be on the aluminum frame. :eek:

Since I have multiple SUVs and this is my only car, other than the wife's, I just don't think I could just have an R8 for my everyday activities or hobbies - Welding, Woodworking, Off-Roading, etc...

When we have storm's or snow I just keep the R8 in the garage with the boats and other SUVs.

It just woudn't work for my lifestyle but It's definitely comfortable enough to be a daily driver
 
#32 ·
T

Also won't be towing the boat with her. Not that she couldn't. Not sure what the towing capacity would be on the aluminum frame. :eek:
I reckon your biggest problem would be fitting a tow hitch to it. ;)
 
#34 ·
I guess I'm late to this thread, but just from a different perspective, I DD my R8 (V10 6MT) here in Houston. In rush hour, it's about 45-60 mins each way, so lots of gear changing going on. Despite that, it's great just enjoying the R8 experience, even when sitting still. The ride is (relatively) soft, certainly better than one of my previous commuters (MB CLK63 Black Series). Having said that, there are some surface streets here where I'm going 20MPH because they are so beat up. I avoid them when I can, and when I can't I just try to stay to the center of the street where it's less bumpy and let everyone pass me on the right :).

I agree that the long doors can be a hassle when parking, so I sometimes have to squeeze out the door, but since I have 100% PPF on it I have thus far avoided any major door dings. My wife does most of the grocery shopping, but between the front trunk and the passenger seat I've managed to fit an entire cart's worth of stuff in the car. No ice cream in the front trunk though or it will be melted by the time I get home.
 
#37 ·
I drove my R8 4 days in a row a few weeks ago. For the first day and a half I was pumped. By the end of the 2nd day, I was pissed that the R8 was losing it's unique nature and by the 3rd day of getting in it for the morning commute I was over it.

I put it back in the garage for 4 days and was excited to drive it again on the 5th day.

Too much of anything is never a good idea. :) and eventually your R8 will feel like a regular car if you're never driving anything else to balance and re-calibrate the polarity in driving sensations.
 
#42 ·
I'm late to the conversation but I've been driving the R8 as my nearly daily for almost two years now and I find it a very easy car to live with.

Here's some comments I put on another thread after a year of ownership, and they remain as valid today (~19 months in).

No problems as a daily driver
For a wide, low supercar/sports car it remains an easy daily driver. Visibility is good, there is no scraping over bumps/ramps/inclines if taken at sensible speeds. I had more issues getting a MK1 TTR over bumps than I have had with the R8 – the front splitter gives great clearance for this type of car, and none of the horror stories I’ve heard around Gallardos and the need for front-lift for speed bumps, car parks and driveways. Manoeuvrable at low speeds, and easy to place when parking. Rear parking camera superb. Go easy on the peddle and it feels more like 200BHP than 430BHP, and power delivery is smooth however heavy you are on the peddle, making it a civilised car to drive when you need it to be. It’s wide, and the doors are wide, and I’m pretty wide too – so you do have to think a little about parking spaces, but it has never stopped me from going somewhere or being able to park once I got there.

The front boot is deep and square and more than capable of swallowing a decent amount of shopping. If you’re riding alone then the car would easily sink a weekly supermarket shop in the boot and passenger footwell.

It is thirsty though. Especially if you keep it a gear or two lower than it needs to be, to keep it in its peak power range and to get a howl from the engine. I’ve maybe averaged mid-teens. So get used to filling it up.


Sense of occasion
Definitely, and obviously dropped with time and familiarity with the car. But still exciting to drive, still encourages me to take the long/fun route from A to B, still makes me look back everytime I’m walking away from it. Dropping down low in to the seat feels great. The sound of the V8 remains something wonderful. More subtle, but (for me) far more special than trick exhausts on smaller engines. I love the ‘stealth’ look, in black – but will admit that pretty much any colour makes the car look more special (and better to photograph!).


Occasional reminders you’re driving something a bit unique
Struggling to source a tyre and find anywhere local outside of the dealer network able to change a tyre reminds you the car is relatively low volume and relatively unique. Halfords, Kwik-Fit, Black Circles, F1 Autocentres were all unable to help. And as far as I am aware not all Audi dealerships are set up to service the R8 (they need to be Audi Sport centres), and I struggled to find good independents familiar with the R8.


Public reaction
I don’t like standing out. So I’d no desire to own this car to say “look at me, look at me”. The car does get noticed, but only in a positive way. I’m surprised by how many non-petrolheads know what it is, when they wouldn’t have a clue what model of Ferrari had just driven past. Public reaction has only been positive – I’ve had countless conversations at petrol stations with folk wanting to know a bit about the car, and no issues in traffic or being let out at junctions.

Interestingly the car gets very little interest or enthusiasm at car meets, which I don’t mind – I’d rather spend the time looking around everyone elses cars than talking about my own, but whilst the general public seem quite interested in it (and know what it is) the car community seems less interested.

Running it alongside something else.
Practical considerations aside (i.e. the need to transport 4 people, dogs, sofas) I honestly don't know why you'd choose to run something less enjoyable as your daily. I don't ever want a mundane A to B drive. We're only on the planet once so why would I not want to enjoy every moment of something I love? In recent weeks my car has had a little work done to it and I've had a brand new A7 and Q5 as loan cars ... and I couldn't wait to hand them back. Great cars in many ways, but so dull to drive. No feel for where they were on the road, no engine/exhaust note, not steering feel at all, no thrill of all that power ... ugh!

Cost has been mentioned but I honestly don't think I'd be saving enough to make it worth the sacrifice if I had to run a second car alongside the R8 when you factor in depreciation, taxes, insurance, etc. on that second motor. I just couldn't run a 10 year old Peugeot day in day out when I'd the R8 waiting to be used. It'd crush me.

As for the cost of the R8 as a daily ...
Fuel aside it has so far cost me £250 per month to daily my R8 (over 19 months). That includes an MOT, a minor and major service, 5 new tyres (a rear got a puncture about a month after I'd replaced it :mad:), replacement central brake light, new timing belt and .... a replacement shock. And that's doing around 200 miles per week.


I can't think of a single thing I could do with £250 a month (legal or otherwise!!!) that would bring as much happiness to my life, so it seems money well spent.


Adding fuel on top bumps it up A LOT, but fuel economy isn't that much worse than lesser cars I've owned before. Perhaps 20% less efficient for a million miles more fun.

In conclusion - no regrets running it as a daily, and intention to continue to do so, and absolutely no desire to move on to anything else.
 
#44 ·
I honestly don't know why you'd choose to run something less enjoyable as your daily. I don't ever want a mundane A to B drive. We're only on the planet once so why would I not want to enjoy every moment of something I love?
The driving experience is extremely subjective. Some folks don't have a binary approach to driving that you represent in your statement above. (e.g. either I enjoy it and I'm 100% in, or I don't enjoy it and I am 100% out) - There are times I want a contrasting driving experience. I get in my Jeep Wrangler drive it to work and have a completely different emotional and physical driving experience than the R8.

You will no doubt grow tired of something if you do it/experience it enough - try shagging for 72 hours straight. :)
And if you don't completely grow tired of it, you will no doubt become slightly desensitized to the experience over time.
 
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