Just got my s4 and it is all problems

[euga6]

Hello just bought a 2004 nogaro bule s4 auto and it has 55000 on the clock and bought from a Audi dealer here are my problems so far.timing chain rattle even it left for a hour dash display is faulty and the suspestion is very stiff you fell every bump on the road.I own my own garage and we do mostly VAG cars but not to many S4 cars so we checked the car over and found the two lower arms were worn but nothing more. Can not see this making the car feel so hard on the road.The dealer i bought the car from has said that all the work will be fixed under waranty.but i think that the car should have never been sold like this.Also i have driven other S4s and mine seems slow compared to others.What i would like to know from other S4 drivers is does the suspestion normally be very hard and is the auto slower than the manuals.Any help or input on this would be great.Thanks
Euga6

[Pete.S]

One of the main criticisms levelled at the B6 S4 when it was released was it's fidgety ride, which was why the B7 RS4 was such a revelation. I got used to it quickly & it doesn't bother me at all now. I've also had the lower arms replaced - a common wear & tear item on all B6 A4s - all that did IMO was sharpen the handling slightly rather than improve the ride.

And yes the tip is slower, but only marginally (0.1 sec difference to 60 IIRC). Have you done any timed runs in it? The S4 is very cosseted, often not feeling that fast, but in reality...

[BlingBling]

Agree with Pete 100%. The ride is a bit harsh but over time I too have got used to it. Performance wise: What fuel are you using? 95 will do nothing for you. It has to be V-Power to get the maximum performance. With it having a V8 it also needs to be in the right power band and gear to fully appreciate its performance. The engine will happily rev to +7000rpm.Read through this thread and try the trick on the 2nd page.

http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... 9&start=15

[euga6]

Thanks guys for your help.Euga6

[ShaneyB]

Has the suspension been replaced / lowered to give the harsher ride?
To be honest I found my B6 felt loads slower compared to my remapped B5 at first but that was because of the way I got used to using the turbo's on the B5. You do have to rev the B6 to get the most out of it. I've had a couple of little sprints away from the lights against manual B6's and B5's and I find my tip a little quicker. Maybe because I don't have to worry about clutch control.
My opinion only...

[tweek]

When I read your post I thought you had bought my old S4 but that was a manual..

The timing chain rattle is difficult to get fixed, Audi do not seem interested, as for the suspension the ride is quite firm but you will get used to it. I had a A4 1.8T quattro sport (B5) and this had firm suspension not too different from the S4. The tiptronic will be a little slower but will give smoother gearchanges, the experience Shagga describes maybe lack of finesse with a manual box by his victims than actually quicker.

You will find it runs much better on V-Power and you do need to give it some revs to get the best out of it, the rev limiter kicks in a 7500rpm which is high for a V8 but sounds awesome. The variable valve timing kicks in around 3-4k rpm and you will notice it. I doubt if the car is slow, just check how quickly cars in the rear view mirror become small and disappear .

Personally I think the S4 is the better car in the range, discrete and quick. A real wolf in sheep's clothing, not many B6/7 S4's posted about in the spotters forum.

Enjoy.