Wanting an s4..... advice please...

[B7B7B7]

Hey all. Just recently sold my mapped s3 to pay some debts off and maybe after a cheapish s4 (ie, 5 grand or less with not overly stupidish mileage) does any one have 1 or no any one thats selling 1?????

any advice on buying one???
ie
colour
spec
mileage
service intervals
MPG
0-60 times of a standard one compared to an mrc mapped s4??? etc...

cheers guys,

PS, 'Shineydave' your opinions would be much appriciated seen as ur an s4 god...lol.

[CliveH]

over to shiney.....

[mikeyquattro]

TBH if you're looking at spending sub 5k, then imo you're asking for trouble.
Only high mileage cars that haven't been looked after will be in that price bracket

[B7B7B7]

ok maybe 6 grand at a push.... whats that gunna be, standard s4 with over 100k, possibly full service history???

[wombar]

If you've sold your S3 to pay off some debts, doesn't seem like an S4 is going to be a good way to stay debt free Seriously though, you really do get what you pay for, and buying a cheap S4 is basically asking for trouble. There's plenty to go wrong on these cars and I'd always say spend as much as you can to get the best you can.

I've been looking for an S4 for months and I've seen both good and bad examples. By all means take the chance with a £5K S4, but you might as well budget another £3k for a turbo change in the first 18 months. There are nice ones to be had at that price, but they're few and far between. I'd say £7k is the price point to start looking at personally.

Standard Facelift S4 (very few decent standard ones around) with just over 100K is probably gonna set you back somewhere around £6k-£7k. Check out http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... ic&t=66130 as his S4 looks pretty tidy and the plus is that it's a member from this forum.

[Blue_Thunder]

Standard Facelift S4 (very few decent standard ones around) with just over 100K is probably gonna set you back somewhere around £6k-£7k. Check out http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... ic&t=66130 as his S4 looks pretty tidy and the plus is that it's a member from this forum.

Really don't understand your obsession with facelift cars Wombar. You'll find that there are plenty of decent pre-facelift examples out there, and it may just save the buyer a few £££'s.

[wombar]

I don't have an obsession with Facelift cars, that's simply what I prefer and there are a few things (like exhaust manifold problems) that I don't want to deal with on a pre facelifts. Each to their own, if someone asked me which version to buy, I'd say facelift but wouldn't really be bothered if they preferred the looks of pre-facelifts. You'll notice I wasn't saying he should definitely go for a facelift car, I was simply making a distinction between the two different versions.

[B7B7B7]

lol, facelifts are in my opionion better (i wanted the facelift s3......couldnt quite stretch so settled for a prefacelift) is there any interior or engine changes on the facelift s4???

[wombar]

Yep, the facelift S4's have a few modifications of note. They don't have the exhaust manifold problem that the prefacelifts had. Basically, the inner lining would slowly come away (which is why rattling when blipping the throttle is a good indication) and could be sucked through your turbos which is loads of fun apparently They don't necessarily all have this problem, but if it's been fixed that's always a good thing.

Some of the very late face lifts had a few modifications to the turbo system (no F Hose I think) and a few other bits and bobs. There's loads of information knocking around the forum so I shan't go into it too much here. Facelifts have a digital instead of analogue clock and a few of the buttons have been moved around as I recall.

I've got enough to buy a facelift (~£10k), so that's what I'm looking at. If I had ~£7k I'd be looking at a well looked after S4 regardless of whether it's a facelift or not. The most important thing is to buy a car that looks like it's been looked after and the owner is knowledgeable about the weak points on the car and has had them fixed.

[lemond]

Strange that exhaust manifold thing... I was told by an Audi bloke that the parts had not been changed...e.g. that Audi had not done anything.... It would be interesting to know this.

[lemond]

Facelifts have different doorhandles.... no line in the bootlid different S4 badges. Different foglights...Different headlights... different bumpers... vented rear brakes..... a little placcy trim that stops yer battery area filling with leaves (does it?)... weigh another 3 million kg and are very slow UNLESS you get a Silver one as they are made especially for people who are very discerning and they are MUCH faster either prefaclift (like mine) or facelift ................. Oh and prefacelift handbooks are out of stock at Audi!!!! etc. etc.

They can all (pre or post facelift) cost lots of money mine has been good up to press, but I have spent a bit on it now (800 quid in bits I think ) including, new std brakes (maybe a bit daft cus they are not that good) cambelt change and all related moving bits (water pump etc.) I changed all the fluids apart from gearbox oil and new filters and plugs etc... plus that EGT!....At least I know all is great, even though it had a FSH! Oh aye. I took the sump off on Friday as I heard that 1.8T blocked the oil strainers it they have been thrashed and turned off.... oil glazing onto the turbo bearing shaft and finding its way into the strainer!... I didn't know how the previous owner drove it, but it seems that either the S4 motor doesn't suffer this or I'm lucky... mine was absolutely mint!

... if you want a cheap grin buy a 1.8T A3 or similar and bolt on a big blower and map its knackers off... cost you a few grand.

When I changed my EGT on the LHS I was so frigged off with the access I took the driveshaft out to get to it..... S4 seems to be built around the engine... access is not so easy.... what was the S3 like??

Having said all that.... the torque of even a std (mine) S4 is pretty nice and encourages a non balls out driving style... or at least to me it does.

Try one first.... then you can decide!

[GardinerG]

Just out of curiosity, what's the cost difference in replacing an S3 turbo and the S4 twin turbos?

[S4TAN]

get a Silver one as they are made especially for people who are very discerning and they are MUCH faster either prefaclift (like mine) or facelift .................

2nd.

[Harper--D]

Strange that exhaust manifold thing... I was told by an Audi bloke that the parts had not been changed...e.g. that Audi had not done anything.... It would be interesting to know this.

There are a difference when you look at the outside of the manifolds, there are welds in different places for a start! There probably trying to cover their backs!

[lemond]

Ah well I guess it will be an excuse to go K04 or similar if they need doing!