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Firstly, I actually see one every day - mine

However, a friend of mine is looking for one, and asked me to go along to have a look.

It was mostly fine, but there were a couple of things that seemed odd to me, that I'm not sure I can diagnose the cause of:

1. When he first started it, turning the ignition on brought all the lights on etc, but turning the key further to start it came with a pause of 1-2 seconds, and then the starter kicked in and the engine fired. The starter didn't spin for longer than usual, so any idea what would cause this pause? A dying battery perhaps? After a test drive he stopped the engine, then restarted it and it fired straight away.

2. At low revs there was a sound a bit like a rattle that seemed to be coming from the bottom, back of the engine. Not at idle, just when pulling away gently under load. It disappeared with a few revs, so I wonder if it might be a clutch bearing or similar? Can't recall hearing it when stationary.
Otherwise it seemed like a decent car and was in good nick. Under 80k miles on the clock and a decent price, so if these two things aren't issues to worry about, then I think he'd be tempted to go for it.

for number 1 I'd say if you had an RS4 it would be the clutch switch... I would epect the car to start without holding the key.
Worth testing if the cruise control (if fitted) works.

number 2 sounds like a chain tensioner - I'm guessing its a b7 S4 so a v8?

Cruise control worked fine. You didn't have to hold the key once it started cranking, but when you did turn it to start the engine literally nothing happened for around a second.

It's a B6, so yes a V8. A chain tensioner, as in, an engine-out-to-replace tensioner?

So, a bit more digging on t'internet suggests that the rattle could be down to a cat being knackered, something loose (heatshield, exhaust clamp etc) or clutch chatter.

Any thoughts on this, chaps?

I get the odd rattle which seems to be a 'tinny' rattle from under the car, once warm it doesn't seem as obvious but I did discover my new milltek exhaust hanger is touching the propshaft slightly when turning sharp right so its new exhaust mounts and that may be it.