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It's here - WOW

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 3:48 pm
by wombat
Arrived yesterday as promised: S4 in Ebony black.

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

Preston Audi were brilliant and I have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone else trying to track down new or used models. [img]images/graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

Maybe I'm easily pleased but I'm extremely happy with the car (so far). The clutch is high, as mentioned elsewhere, but since the 2nd journey in the car I don't notice so much.

Having driven vehicles with turbos for the last 10 years it's scary to have so much immediate response to the twitching of my right foot. It will take a little while to adapt to the lack of lag.

The engine sound is just loud enough for me, no need for new pipes. My neighbours know when I'm back but I don't compete with the sub-woofers on their domestic AV surround sound systems. The V8 sounds so refined, perfectly understated.

Speaking of neighbours this is the first time next door's sons have been over to admire a new car. They mod Jap. cars and clocked the S4 as soon as I arrived home. They asked how big the engine capacity was and gasped when I opened the bonnet to show them what nestled beneath. Big grins and thumbs up from them all.

At first the progressive power assisted steering seemed intrusive compared to my old A4 but I rarely notice it now (after only 24 hours). Petrol seemed to be evaporating right out of the tank (couldn't have been my feather weight right foot [img]images/graemlins/033102bigblink_1_prv.gif[/img] ) at an alarming rate but seems to have settled down now. I'll report back on consumption after a month and see how it compares.

I had not appreciated the number of extras that Audi throw in on the S4: lights concealed under doors and seats, storage boxes, very posh head lamps with automatic washers and so on. Both headlamps have a small amount of condensation on the first centimetre of the internal glass. Is this normal?

I have a Snooper GPS system on loan to play with this weekend. It warns you where "accident black spots" are (as denoted by the erection of police traffic speed enforcement cameras). If it works well I plan to buy one next week. Does anyone favour a particular manufacturer or model?

I'm off for a spin to Southport to see a friend with a biturbo S4 shortly so I might have more to say about handling and performance after the trip.

When's the meet planned for and where will it be?

Can't stop smiling.

[img]images/graemlins/1syellow1.gif[/img]

Darren
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[img]images/graemlins/audiS4black.gif[/img]

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 4:31 pm
by DaveP
Hey matey...

Glad you're happy so far...certainly looked the business at the dealers, I'll be checking it in more detail later! [img]images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Just have to figure a way to prise the keys outta your hands now [img]images/graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

Dave.

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 4:38 pm
by Riz_RS4
Enjoy Darren...... amazing car.

Riz [img]images/graemlins/s3addict.gif[/img]

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 6:20 pm
by JamesB
Great stuff Darren,

Welcome to the club. I'm still enjoying mine immensely with nearly 10k on the clock and have very few complaints - still don't like the clutch but it sounds like that has stopped bothering you already. [img]images/graemlins/thumb.gif[/img] But overall I have to say that the pros far outweigh the cons. [img]images/graemlins/1syellow1.gif[/img]

I think you'll notice a big difference when you've got a few more miles on the clock. Mine has certainly felt faster with time, the biggest improvement coming in the 2 to 3,000 mile range (although the first 1,000 were obviously fairly restrained anyway).

And I still don't see many around so you'll have a bit of exclusivity for a while longer at least.

One last thing - further to the fuel debate in the other thread you started, I decided to run a little experiment and switched almost exclusvely to 97 RON after a garage on one of my routes to work started selling it. Having only used it sporadically beforehand, I now reckon it outshines Optimax. The car feels quicker and I seem to be getting a slight improvement on the mpg front. Of course, this is just MO, but it works for me.

Keep us posted. [img]images/graemlins/beerchug.gif[/img]

James

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 8:36 pm
by Shak
n-joy is all I can say.

had mine now for about 8 weeks or so, and it just keeps getting better.

Shak

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 7:25 pm
by S4Tony
I drove the Martin's demo (ebony Avant) last summer, and really enjoyed it.

I was going to order a new one this weekend, but I saw a 4 month old dealer demo with almost the exact specification I wanted, so I pick it up next Wednesday. Can't wait, and as it's already run in I can enjoy it from day one... [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 8:10 pm
by JamesB
Welcome aboard. [img]images/graemlins/beerchug.gif[/img]

Look forward to hearing more from Liss Tony. [img]images/graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 9:36 pm
by Gareth
Good to see some more owners here [img]images/graemlins/clap.gif[/img]

would be good to maybe have a mini S4 B6 meet maybe?

Interesting to see the comments of the 97 ron fuel as well. Have been using Optimax so far and getting about 20-22 mpg without really tanking it... [img]images/graemlins/boots.gif[/img]

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 12:59 am
by wazza
Why don't you all the locals just come down to Windsor on the 28th Jan?

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 11:03 am
by wombat
A couple of us were thinking of going along to the Northern pub meet on Jan. 19th:

http://forums.rs246.com/forums/showflat ... o=&fpart=1

Any other S4 drivers planning to go along?

Darren
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[img]images/graemlins/audiS4black.gif[/img]

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 11:18 am
by Gareth
Why don't you all the locals just come down to Windsor on the 28th Jan?



ok, not a bad idea at all [img]images/graemlins/clap.gif[/img]

Will be there [img]images/graemlins/s4addict.gif[/img]

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 7:20 am
by S4Tony
Unfortunately I can't make 28th January - do these meets take place regularly?

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 9:43 am
by wazza
Every last Wednesday of the month [img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img]

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:10 pm
by 18ME
Why don't you all the locals just come down to Windsor on the 28th Jan?



ok, not a bad idea at all [img]images/graemlins/clap.gif[/img]

Will be there [img]images/graemlins/s4addict.gif[/img]

Gareth, just noticed your avator, what wheels you got on there?
I have looked in your gallery but you haven't put the S4 in yet.
Cheers
Martin

Re: It's here - WOW

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 12:06 am
by JamesB
Why don't you all the locals just come down to Windsor on the 28th Jan?

Would love to come but have a working dinner that evening [img]images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Oh well, at least I'll get a free curry [img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img]