Looking at B6 S4 cabs - advice welcome

[a6khu]

Hi guys,

I moved from a b5 S4 to a Z4 3.0i but after the winter we've just had and the number of times i've seen my esp light flash, I've decided to go back to a 4wd car. Only cab in my budget is a B6 S4 so looking at the ones on autotrader , pistonheads etc... .
My main question is, what are the differences between gearboxes other than performance/economy? Is the manual very easy to live with (my b5's standard shift wasn't great) ? What's the tip like? Do the manual changes swap reasonably fast? Hopefully both will be faster than the Z!

Opinions welcome but i'm gonna have to make a decision this week as the Z4 has been sold!

Cheers.

[HYFR]

I had an S4 cab tiptronic

I like the tip, not as sporty as a manual, but got on with it better than similar in RS 6

Shifts are pretty quick, from a standing start, can shift all the way up to 6th in no time

[a6khu]

Thanks David. What was the fuel consumption like? 22-25 on average?
I wanted to go for a tip as well as i thought it would suit the character of the car better.

[quattrokid1]

we got 32 mpg on our holiday last year, with a light foot you should see high 20's to the gallon going up on a steady motorway run, around town.... aw gawd!! thinking of selling mine,

04 plate, 56k miles still under dealer warranty until June, tip box, leather grey seats, no cruise but was going to get it fitted but not got round to it yet, not heated seats, alloy wing mirrors,

red/ black roof

milltec cat back exhausts fitted last year

CHECK ANY car you look at for leaking aux radiators, these were prone to leaking on early cars, theyre up behind the headlights.

has timing chains not timing belts so good for at least 100k miles then get tensioners replaced BUT its an engine out job to do.

[HYFR]

32MPG!!! were you going downhill?!

average MPG will be 22mpg, if your lucky

its heavy

[a6khu]

Thanks guys.
Quattro kid, yours would have suited fine but I'm looking for something lower miles. Only seen one on autotrader of interest.
Will watch out for the aux rads.

[HYFR]

i wouldnt worry about miles...the B6 is fairly bullet proof

[quattrokid1]

32MPG!!! were you going downhill?!

average MPG will be 22mpg, if your lucky

its heavy

we filled up in Calais then trundled down to Parafuegell in Spain at 75 mph with the trip computer reset when we filled up, showed 32 mpg for most of the tank with a 360 mile range, so yea down hill to Spain


normally mid 20's sounds about right similar to the B5 RS4 as well.

56k miles... just about bedded in

[Bigsidavies]

I bought an S4 B6 cab last year and it is fantastic. Enough room in the back to get 4 in (just about) and looks and drives great. I have the tiptronic box which suits me just fine as i do a fair bit of town driving. You can use the paddles to over-ride the box even in normal Drive. In sport it gets much more responsive and becomes 5 speed instead of 6 and seems to change gear quicker also.

TBH i never use it in the +/- manual mode as the sport mode and the paddles fly you along. They love petrol 15-18 round town and up to 30 on a run. I went to Brugges last year and averaged about 30mpg which was fine. I refuse to let this government prevent me from enjoying myself. Remember.....every 5p increase in fuel only puts the price of a tankfull up by about £2.70 and i've got £2.70 so the car stays.

Buy one you'll love it.

[a6khu]

i have today! left a deposit this morning. Watch this space as i'll put some pics as soon as i get it and drive back from London.
thanks for all your help.