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Had a couple of hours in an S4 saloon from Wakefiled Audi at the weekend, and despite being convinced that I would love the car, and that taking it for a test drive was just going through the motions before signing on the dotted line, it just didn't do it for me (shock, horror!).

I think the car in itself is great - a great ride with the best sounding exhaust I've heard (better even than those TVR's), although I haven't had the opportunity to hear an RS6, so that may be better. Handling and grip were exceptional (compared to my usual ride), although I did have the ESP fighting my corner when coming off a roundabout at speed.

I can't really put my hand on why I won't buy one now, but I think it's partly due to the fact that when I arrived outside our house in it, my wife thought I'd come back in my own car 'cos it was the same(ish) color and looks - as you all know - very similar from the outside. Not sure I can justify £41k for something which looks like my car, even though it does go significantly better.

So now I'm confused as to what to do.

I think the B5 is losing its looks now, and I seriously prefer the looks of the B6. Would prefer 4wd too.

So, I'm thinking:
a) Alpina B3 (used)
b) C32 AMG or CLK55 AMG (used)
c) ML55 AMG (used)
d) A4 3.0 (new) - yeah, I know
e) RS4 (used)
f) B6 S4 (used in 6-9 months time)

Budget's around £35

I think I must be getting old 'cos I was absolutely convinced the S4 was for me, but as my wife put it so well: it just didn't ring my bells, but in that case, what will ?

HELP!!

I must agree with you, it looks, sounds and handles great but just doesn't have enough grunt.

I am used to driving a B5 with 500Nm of torque, the new B6 certainly needs more guts

Budget's around £35

and you won't get a lot of car for that money [img]images/graemlins/biggrin3.gif[/img]

Ah, I see my little error there.

Obviously, should be £35k [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I would go BMW Z4 (which looks great from the reports comming in) or FQ Evo..

or follow me into a V6 TT?
Dave [img]images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Blimey Trev,

Understated looks are as much an S car feature as four wheel drive and not likely to change anytime soon.

I'd say used RS4 if you can find a good one.

Nice RS4!!! [img]images/graemlins/greyrs4.gif[/img]

Understated looks are as much an S car feature as four wheel drive and not likely to change anytime soon.

Yep, and I've been one of the biggest defenders of the stealth looks of the car against people on here and tyresmoke knocking it for looks.

The point wasn't really that the looks are understated, but that the car didn't ring my bell. Believe me that I'm deeply disappointed because I've spent the past 4 years wanting an S4 only to find I don't want one (well, don't want to spend £40K on a new one, anyway).

I'd say used RS4 if you can find a good one.

I'm thinking about it now the prices are starting to come down to the mid £30's, and seeing Chris' car last night made me appreciate again just how beautiful they really are.

Might just hang on to the tractor for another year and see if an S4 Coupé comes down the pipe, but I think I may try to test-drive the AMG Merc's just for a laugh 'cos my son is desperate for me to get a Merc [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Think my driving needs 4wd though 'cos I'm a bit of a pillock. [img]images/graemlins/nodder.gif[/img]

I would go BMW Z4 (which looks great from the reports comming in) or FQ Evo..

or follow me into a V6 TT?

The thing is Dave, that I need a family car for holidays as the missus only has a Golf, which doesn't have anywhere near the room we need for her shoes when we go away [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Still contemplating what to do....

.. which probably means I'll do nothing at all - as usual, then I'll impulse buy something [img]images/graemlins/062802beat_prv.gif[/img]

Trev,

Surely it's got to be the RS4. Fantastic performance, equally fantastic looks, very practical and above all it's an Audi. [img]images/graemlins/bowdown.gif[/img]

What a nice choice to have to make though. [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Christian

I note that the M3 is not on your list. Why?

I had an altercation with a couple on the French autoroutes and they are very quick indeed to 140 - not sure if these had been fettled or not though.

£35k would definatley fit your bill.

Ah yes, I knew someone would ask this.

I haven't driven an M3, but from what I've read/heard, they:

a) Need revving hard to get the best out of them.

b) Are not great as a long-distance family cruiser. Although we only do long distance drives a few times a year, that's when it's really important to have a comfortable car. That's why I mentioned the Alpina rather than M3.

Of course, I may be wrong on both of these points, so I'm ready to be corrected by those of you who've lived with an M3 (and transported family in them).

I did wonder about an M5 though, although when I test drove one a couple of years ago round some twisty country lanes with my wife in the back, she made me swear never to have one [img]images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] Think the neck-snapping acceleration and braking together with rolling all over the place in the back got to her [img]images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

Even though I am extremly biassed on this one. The RS4 would give you the practicallity as well as the performance. And £35k would get you 1.

But make sure that the CAM belts etc have been done as you don't want to have to fork out for them replacing as soon as you have bought it.

[img]images/graemlins/biggrin3.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/greyrs4.gif[/img]

You need to seriously decide what's important for you in your car as there will always be a compromise.

I suggest that you make a list of all attributes from cost, depreciation, looks, sound, etc. and then come up with a reasonable scoring system (1-3 for low-high may suffice) and a weighting system (one feature normalised at 1, others which are twice as important as 2, etc). Score each car you can think of (new and used) and multiply by the weightings, then add them up and compare (highest wins).

Once you have done this you'll probably have to go back to the weightings and review them (when you realise that the sound of the exhaust is not really as important as you first thought) and recalculate.

I have experience of 3 of the cars you mention - the last car I had before buying the S6 3 weeks ago was a 2002 M5. Fantastic machine, powerfull, practical and fast, it had to go to raise some cash quickly. However, the car didnt quite do it for me although definately better than the M3. Before that I had a new M3 (2002) that I had waited 12 months for.It was fully loaded and looked fantastic. However, when started cold it would rattle and fart for the first few minutes (common & known "feature") and as I work very close to home the noise was with me most of the journey. The performance was excellent but needed to be revved to get the best out of it. After 7 weeks I could not put up with the cold rattles and sold it! The M3 was sold last August and I bought a C320 in between whislt trying to decide what to buy. Whilst deciding I borrowed a C32 AMG - seriously fast - lots of intervention from the ESP, not as raw/revvy as the M3 and if they had been cheap enough at the time would have bought one. Although early days, I am very pleased with the S6 and probably now would not buy another manual car (prob an age thing)

I have owned both a C43 AMG and a C36 AMG and was pleased with both.

Good luck anyway.