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S4 Avant Buyers guide?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:11 pm
by scorcher
Hello

Just added a dog to our family, so only fair it gets room to travel in style and at speed

Hence the need for a 2003ish S4 Avant.

Other than the usual checks for any car of that era, what do I specifically have to check on an S4? I'm presuming tyres and brakes are eaten regularly, but belts, chains, anything else scarily expensive that I need to ensure has been done / or will need doping?

Have had 8 BMWs in the last 15 years, so know what to look for in that marque, but it'll be my first Audi, so it's all new to me!

All advice grateful received :)

Re: S4 Avant Buyers guide?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:36 pm
by 1781cc
welcome to the forum.

A quick search will reveal a lot of answers to common questions as all saloon issues apply.

Quick pointers:

- Clutch and Dual Mass Flywheel
- Auxiliary Rads
- Rattles on cold-starts
- Sticking exhaust valves
- non-matchiing tyres
- sticking inlet manifold air-flap
-
Thats about all I can think of as generic issues

Re: S4 Avant Buyers guide?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:56 pm
by scorcher
Great, so no Avant specific issues then :)

I'll get reading up!

Re: S4 Avant Buyers guide?

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 2:33 pm
by marv
The only Avant specific thing I can think of is to make sure that the rear windscreen wiper motor and washer spray work correctly. It's not uncommon for the washer fluid pipes to pop off somewhere on their route from front to back. Often the weak point is at the wiper motor, which sometimes results in a dead motor.

Re: S4 Avant Buyers guide?

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 3:05 pm
by scorcher
Great - cheers!

Re: S4 Avant Buyers guide?

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:05 pm
by sushisushi
you'll love it! Don't worry too much they're pretty bullet proof. Worst I've had is 2 faulty park sensors and an air con sensor. Currently 146,000 mile on a B7.

:)

Re: S4 Avant Buyers guide?

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 2:31 pm
by Ian_C
Fecking hell! That ain't bad!! :thumbs:

Re: S4 Avant Buyers guide?

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 11:37 pm
by sushisushi
cheers, look after it and it'll do 500k. If you can afford all that juice!

Re: S4 Avant Buyers guide?

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 12:42 am
by scorcher
It's only going to be for weekends and fun driving - wife has a Qashqai and I've got a Transit for everyday driving