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Ok So seriously considering buying an 4.2L Audi S4.


SpaceGhost

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This is what this thread looks like in my head.

http://www.fonearena.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Nexus-iPhone-Droid-Compared.jpg

 

On topic: Any fairly modern car worth owning is going to require maintenance eventually. You just have to try and find the balance of price, reliability, maintenance costs (or ease of doing it yourself) and performance that works best for your unique set of needs.

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Android fucking sucks

 

And as for the same team thing, B5 vs B6/7 S4 people like to argue about who's better even more than Audi vs BMW. So be prepared for 3rd gear jokes, your car sucks for tuning, shits slow, etc.

 

But in all seriousness. My car is suppose to be a maintenance nightmare, and its been easy...not trouble free, but nothing like what the haters might like you to believe. B6/7's are like taking a vacation compared to B5's.

 

Jones, dont make me come park my Yuppie mobile right your one and only k03

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Android fucking sucks

 

And as for the same team thing, B5 vs B6/7 S4 people like to argue about who's better even more than Audi vs BMW. So be prepared for 3rd gear jokes, your car sucks for tuning, shits slow, etc.

 

But in all seriousness. My car is suppose to be a maintenance nightmare, and its been easy...not trouble free, but nothing like what the haters might like you to believe. B6/7's are like taking a vacation compared to B5's.

 

Jones, dont make me come park my Yuppie mobile right your one and only k03

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I love the 2.7T. I've had one, but I had that "one in a million" car. By comparison, the 2.0T besides the expected issue or two, has been rock solid, and coming up on 85K miles of daily chipped, red-lined throughout the day, 25K miles a year abuse...

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Same team fellas, same team.

 

Same team = gay. Welcome to team Audi Ben. Didn't know you swung that way :D

 

Seriously, if you like the 4.2, my old boss has a nice silver on black one, 2004 with just under 80k on the Odo. Lots and lots of trips to Dayton from Westerville on his. Auto though :(

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Same team = gay. Welcome to team Audi Ben. Didn't know you swung that way :D

 

Seriously, if you like the 4.2, my old boss has a nice silver on black one, 2004 with just under 80k on the Odo. Lots and lots of trips to Dayton from Westerville on his. Auto though :(

 

Auto FTL

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2.slow jetta motor still seems alot faster then all my 1.8t's I had. But with all the VW's and Audis I had I dont think I would ever purchase one to actually keep and drive for periods of time. Seems like they have to many stupid electronics and gadgets for their own good. Little things seem to always break, dont know about the S4 but most of the inside plastics that they paint always peel and look like crap, air vents always break, the little knob for the outside mirror adjusting breaks...
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2.slow jetta motor still seems alot faster then all my 1.8t's I had. But with all the VW's and Audis I had I dont think I would ever purchase one to actually keep and drive for periods of time. Seems like they have to many stupid electronics and gadgets for their own good. Little things seem to always break, dont know about the S4 but most of the inside plastics that they paint always peel and look like crap, air vents always break, the little knob for the outside mirror adjusting breaks...

 

You need to drive something more recent buddy.....

But I see you have moved on to super awesome Toyota!

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Ben,

 

Hopefully I can add a bit of insight, without tainting it with personal opinion too much.

 

Definitely avoid the 04's if you can, they were plagued with a variety of issues from valve train to transmission. The 05 is solid, but in my mind, unless you are a huge fan of the classic Audi look, find an 05.5 (b7). It will age more gracefully as it has the "new" Audi front/rear end, and Bi-Xenon's if that matters to you. You also get quad tip exhaust (2 per side) which is a tad more aggressive sounding, and revised dampers/suspension as well. This also buys into a longer CPO warranty, which you will most definitely want!

 

07's started to get the 40/60 F/R center diff, which makes the car feel a bit sportier, but that can be added for around $400-500 IIRC later.

 

Going to start with Cons rather than pluses:

 

* Eats gas like it's it's sole purpose in life

* Expensive Oil Changes 9.x Quarts of GOOD Synthetic & Audi Filter/Ect.

* Expensive repair/maintenance costs

* IF your chain tensioners need replaced at some point, you are looking at a 5-6K job

 

That being said, there are people with 130-150k that have daily driven the shit out of them for years with no problems. Have been a handful of people who have had their tensioners go at or before 100k, and were left pissed when they found out the cost.

 

If you have driven one, you are presumably aware of the most of the pro's so no need in rehashing those. I drove a B6 S4 and my B7 A4 back to back before buying. I decide that given the miles I drive (25K+ a year) the A4 would begin to pay for itself in fuel economy, and having driven turbo cars for so long, I really missed the surge of torque that the S4 doesn't have. It has a very linear pull, no sudden boost of energy, really anywhere.

 

What it does have is a very eager to rev V8 which makes your daily commute feel awesome and the sound reinforces the fun factor. Go drive a few, hell go drive a B8 A4 as well. You'd be hard pressed to think the S4 is any faster due to the amount of torque these little bastards make practically off idle.

 

If you really like the car do it, have some money aside just in case for possible repairs, by then hopefully you wont be caught off guard like most "new" Audi owners and throw a shit fit. :)

 

Let me know if I can shed light on anything else, or if you have specific questions.

 

Here is my 2 cents:

 

1. The B6 will age just as well as the B7. It was designed from the get go to look like that, not a mid cycle refresh. The b6 and b7 both look absolutely amazing.

 

2. The 40/60 split started before 2007. I think all B7 S4 MANUALS are 40/60 and the automatics picked it up for 2006. Whatever it was, it was before 07, and the autos were at least 1/2 a year behind the manuals in getting it.

 

3. The B7's do ride better and are quieter inside than the B6's. The B6's heavier steering than the B7's. The B7 feels like a more refined B6 (all it is).

 

4. My dad averaged 21mpg in his 05 manual. I can't resist that sound (AWE non res) and would get significantly worse.

 

5. The 4.2 pulls and pulls all the way to redline. It loves to rev. It has plenty of tq for 6th gear highway acceleration, and high gear acceleration without shifting.

 

Depending on what you want, Jones is right. The 2.0T chipped will give you 90% of the performance, 150% of the gas mileage, and 100% of the looks (with S-Line package or 08+) as the S4. It will get you a newer car, with much less miles and probably even a good chunk of oem warranty, or optional cpo warranty. It would also handle better with a set of coilovers because it weighs a few hundred lbs less.

 

I have had extensive seat time in my dad's B6 S4, and I owned a chipped B7 A4 and loved them both. I felt my car was easier to drive, felt lighter on its feet, and got MUCH better gas mileage.

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2.slow jetta motor still seems alot faster then all my 1.8t's I had. But with all the VW's and Audis I had I dont think I would ever purchase one to actually keep and drive for periods of time. Seems like they have to many stupid electronics and gadgets for their own good. Little things seem to always break, dont know about the S4 but most of the inside plastics that they paint always peel and look like crap, air vents always break, the little knob for the outside mirror adjusting breaks...

 

I must say that a friend of mine had a first generation A3 base model, and when I got into it, I couldnt believe it was an Audi, felt pretty cheap on the inside. One of his friends had the same generation S3, and I felt right at home :)

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I must say that a friend of mine had a first generation A3 base model, and when I got into it, I couldnt believe it was an Audi, felt pretty cheap on the inside. One of his friends had the same generation S3, and I felt right at home :)

 

What country was this?

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H

 

2. The 40/60 split started before 2007. I think all B7 S4 MANUALS are 40/60 and the automatics picked it up for 2006. Whatever it was, it was before 07, and the autos were at least 1/2 a year behind the manuals in getting it.

 

 

 

No, they really didn't... The first car to receive the updated Torsen was the RS4, which debuted in 07. The S4 got it also from that point forward. The 05.5 S4's did not get it until the RS4 came with it later. They most definitely did not start stuffing them in in 05.5 and then trickled them up to the RS4. Looks like SOME 06's got the 4:1 as well...

 

;)

 

Look it up VW Homo.

 

EDIT: Not that it is at all that important, when you can swap one in for 400-500 bucks from JHM ect.

DOUBLE EDIT: Looks like some 06's started getting the T3...gasp

TRIPLE EDIT: Doesn't matter because all of them will go down to the mighty S8

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I heard all Audi's are Junk and are always breaking.

 

My stock short block, stock turbo, stock f'ing everything except for a chip 1.8T has over 181K miles on it and it's had the same electrical issue since i got the thing. Every single week, at least once a week this loud buzzer goes off and a yellow light on the dash lights up with a picture of some gas pump. Does it every fucking week and I can't get it to go away until I put more gas in the car. Other than that my car has been trouble free. :D

 

In all seriousness, my two timing belt services (which I did myself) have been the only big $$$ I've ever had to dump into the car. As Chris stated, it's not been a completely trouble free car (Wheel bearings, a couple of coil packs, and other little things have been needed along the way) but it's not the nightmare that others make it out to be.

 

:D

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