Audi S4
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mantis
Posts: 17,056
Hello all,
My son has been driving a Audi A4 which was a beautiful car, excellent in the snow, fun to drive and a well balanced all around pleasure of a vehicle. BUT he always felt that it was fast enough, didn't have enough power and wanted more( Just like his dad LOL)
So for the last few weeks we have been looking at the used market and trying to find a clean low mileage well taken care of S4. Yesterday we found one. It was older then he wanted, we where looking at 2013-2016 models but found a stupidly clean low mileage 2010. It has 38k on it, 2 owner which the first owner only had it for a few months, the 2nd owner was a women who garage kept it and basically took it to the store and local when needed.
The interior is a 2 tone black and some kind of Orange, red Tanish looking cool for the S4 seats that really just look incredible. The outside strangely enough is the same Silver/ Gray color his A4 was.
WOW what a fast ride, this thing is a rocket. With the v6 supercharged engine and all wheel drive you can launch the car as hard as you want and rifle out of the hole like a bat out of hell. It's amazing how damn throttle responsive a supercharger is over a Turbo style car.Man He was thinking about an exhaust, tune cold air intake and going down that rabbit hole of high performance mods but after feeling the stock power, it's WAY plenty to satisfy most people forever.
I had a 11 second Grand National back in the late 80's early 90's and I think I much prefer the way this car pulls. It's so fun and comfortable when just driving around town or on the freeway yet press the throttle and it rockets into action.
This might change my mind in getting a SRT, I may rethink my next fun ride with a Audi RS5 which I totally love except the damn sunroof. It doesn't open. Maybe I'll grab a S4 a newer one and get a cool color. Its so fun to have a fast car. Now my Durango R/T feels slow.
My son has been driving a Audi A4 which was a beautiful car, excellent in the snow, fun to drive and a well balanced all around pleasure of a vehicle. BUT he always felt that it was fast enough, didn't have enough power and wanted more( Just like his dad LOL)
So for the last few weeks we have been looking at the used market and trying to find a clean low mileage well taken care of S4. Yesterday we found one. It was older then he wanted, we where looking at 2013-2016 models but found a stupidly clean low mileage 2010. It has 38k on it, 2 owner which the first owner only had it for a few months, the 2nd owner was a women who garage kept it and basically took it to the store and local when needed.
The interior is a 2 tone black and some kind of Orange, red Tanish looking cool for the S4 seats that really just look incredible. The outside strangely enough is the same Silver/ Gray color his A4 was.
WOW what a fast ride, this thing is a rocket. With the v6 supercharged engine and all wheel drive you can launch the car as hard as you want and rifle out of the hole like a bat out of hell. It's amazing how damn throttle responsive a supercharger is over a Turbo style car.Man He was thinking about an exhaust, tune cold air intake and going down that rabbit hole of high performance mods but after feeling the stock power, it's WAY plenty to satisfy most people forever.
I had a 11 second Grand National back in the late 80's early 90's and I think I much prefer the way this car pulls. It's so fun and comfortable when just driving around town or on the freeway yet press the throttle and it rockets into action.
This might change my mind in getting a SRT, I may rethink my next fun ride with a Audi RS5 which I totally love except the damn sunroof. It doesn't open. Maybe I'll grab a S4 a newer one and get a cool color. Its so fun to have a fast car. Now my Durango R/T feels slow.
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
Comments
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Really nice car. A friend of mine has one and did the APR stage 2(pulley/tune) and said it’s a huge jump.
Dad picked up an 18 model a little while back and I have to say the turbo version screams. I’d love to have one for a daily.Lexicon RT-10, Parasound P5, McCormack DNA 0.5, Polk SDA CRS+, SVS Sub
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There is the perception that all Audis are "money pits" as they get older which helps when buying the reliable used models for a good price. Depreciation is savage on most Audi models. A 2016 Audi S4 which may have sold for $60K when new can be found for $30K. The 3.0 V6 supercharged engine was a very solid engine and highly tunable too. For most people, boosting the engine is not needed. Focus on the rims/tires. Audis really benefit from having summer tires on in the summer and all season or winter tires in the winter.
I have the supercharged V6 in an Audi SQ5 from 2016. Audi has moved to a twin turbo V6 for fuel economy reasons on their S models, but the S5 sportback is a great looking car. It is true that the supercharged engine is more responsive in traffic, but the turbo engine has a lot more torque at lower revs than the supercharged engine. The problem is that type of on-off power is not all that usable on public roads. I think Audi still has a supercharged 3.0 V6 in their Q7, but it's detuned from what the S models got.
Repairs can be expensive out of warranty if something does go wrong though, but that can be true for any car. The car I have is the best built I've ever had. I will say that mine still looks brand new. -
Nice ride. My brother has owned 2 Audi S4's. Both were spectacularly fast and comfortable. The first a 2001 S4 was the first gen twin turbo V6. He chipped it and put an exhaust on and that thing was scary fast. He sold it to buy his first house.
The second one was a 2008 V8. That car was superb at everything and very lux. He started having all sort of little issues with it mostly annoying electrical things, etc. The last straw was when the wiper motor went out on him in a torrential rain storm. The part was $800 and $400 to install.
Because the S4 was a rare bird and different enough from the A4 it's expensive to maintain. We have always been and continue to be a VW/Audi family, but that was an expensive car for him to drive and maintain. It goes with the territory of being a high performance German car. They cost $$$ to maintain.
Hopefully your son won't have any expensive issues. Being a long time VW/Audi owner it's imperative to keep up on maintenance. That said they are built like tanks and really are world class and I like they are under stated.
H9
P.s. I'd really like to pick up a used RS3 in a few years to replace my current 2017 GTi. 400 hp turbo in-line 5. Heavenly sound and 0-60 in 3.5!!"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul! -
I have BMW 535 X Drive 2012 and One of the reasons I bought it was because of finding a great independant german car mechanic. So far, has saved me a bomb. However, he hates BMW now, saying they penny pinch by replacing quality parts with plastic versions. No doubt, due to in-built design failure.
However, out of the all german companies he favours the Audis. Sure, all part of the VAG group, but quality engines and very solid engineering. I had 5 Audis in my lifetime, the only reason I went to BMW was because they are the better value brand hear in the Vancouver, BC region. Audi is the go-to car and commands top $ on the resale market.
Wish I got an Audi and my fav is the S4. Jealous of son-of-Mantis. HahaAudio Room
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My Son did the Stage 1 tune from APR on his A4 and it made a huge difference in how it performed.Really nice car. A friend of mine has one and did the APR stage 2(pulley/tune) and said it’s a huge jump.
Dad picked up an 18 model a little while back and I have to say the turbo version screams. I’d love to have one for a daily.
Down the road knowing my Son he will at least Stage 1 the S4. Which for daily driving is totally not needed. This thing is such a rocket. Smooth continuous power with no end.
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
His A4 was a 2008 and clocked in at 99k on it. Never had any issues with the car at all and it runs like a dream. It was in tip to condition and the dealer wanted to buy it from him.There is the perception that all Audis are "money pits" as they get older which helps when buying the reliable used models for a good price. Depreciation is savage on most Audi models. A 2016 Audi S4 which may have sold for $60K when new can be found for $30K. The 3.0 V6 supercharged engine was a very solid engine and highly tunable too. For most people, boosting the engine is not needed. Focus on the rims/tires. Audis really benefit from having summer tires on in the summer and all season or winter tires in the winter.
I have the supercharged V6 in an Audi SQ5 from 2016. Audi has moved to a twin turbo V6 for fuel economy reasons on their S models, but the S5 sportback is a great looking car. It is true that the supercharged engine is more responsive in traffic, but the turbo engine has a lot more torque at lower revs than the supercharged engine. The problem is that type of on-off power is not all that usable on public roads. I think Audi still has a supercharged 3.0 V6 in their Q7, but it's detuned from what the S models got.
Repairs can be expensive out of warranty if something does go wrong though, but that can be true for any car. The car I have is the best built I've ever had. I will say that mine still looks brand new.
From everything we read the 3.0 Supercharged engine is one of Audi's best ever built. The way my son is with his cars it will stay tip tone it''s intire life. What is also very good is he purchased a lifetime powertrain warranty. I felt it was a very good move even with a car with only 38k on it.
The engine and most of the car looks brand new.
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
He purchased the lifetime power train warranty. And with low mileage and well maintained I think he should be good for at least a few years before needing any repair. Maintenance he's always on top of that. He only takes it to the Audi dealer for oil changes brakes and such. He doesn't trust anyone else to work on his car. He has a great relationship with his Audi dealer and they are such nice people to work with.Nice ride. My brother has owned 2 Audi S4's. Both were spectacularly fast and comfortable. The first a 2001 S4 was the first gen twin turbo V6. He chipped it and put an exhaust on and that thing was scary fast. He sold it to buy his first house.
The second one was a 2008 V8. That car was superb at everything and very lux. He started having all sort of little issues with it mostly annoying electrical things, etc. The last straw was when the wiper motor went out on him in a torrential rain storm. The part was $800 and $400 to install.
Because the S4 was a rare bird and different enough from the A4 it's expensive to maintain. We have always been and continue to be a VW/Audi family, but that was an expensive car for him to drive and maintain. It goes with the territory of being a high performance German car. They cost $$$ to maintain.
Hopefully your son won't have any expensive issues. Being a long time VW/Audi owner it's imperative to keep up on maintenance. That said they are built like tanks and really are world class and I like they are under stated.
H9
P.s. I'd really like to pick up a used RS3 in a few years to replace my current 2017 GTi. 400 hp turbo in-line 5. Heavenly sound and 0-60 in 3.5!!
The RS3 is killer. If you get one post some awesome pic's. The 3 series is such a cool car.
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
BMW's are so nice. I owned a 328i back in 2000 which I loved. My uncle currently still has his 2003 BMW 540i with a full M package in white which he will not get rid of. He's had it since new and it's not a daily driver, he only takes it out on nice weekends. It's a 5 speed manual with some Dinan performance work. I think he did the exhaust chip and cold air intake. It's a sweet ride and I love driving it.DoneandGone wrote: »I have BMW 535 X Drive 2012 and One of the reasons I bought it was because of finding a great independant german car mechanic. So far, has saved me a bomb. However, he hates BMW now, saying they penny pinch by replacing quality parts with plastic versions. No doubt, due to in-built design failure.
However, out of the all german companies he favours the Audis. Sure, all part of the VAG group, but quality engines and very solid engineering. I had 5 Audis in my lifetime, the only reason I went to BMW was because they are the better value brand hear in the Vancouver, BC region. Audi is the go-to car and commands top $ on the resale market.
Wish I got an Audi and my fav is the S4. Jealous of son-of-Mantis. Haha
We looked at a M series 435Xi which was in that electric Blue and it was a coupe model. What a nice car but my son is a Audi guy and prefer's the look feel and ride of a Audi.
I think the pleasure of owning a German sports car is worth the high cost of repair. The S4 is such a road car I can see a long drive down the coast or a long tour with no where to go and all day to get there. Touring is a strong part of this style car. It's so comfortable to drive I want one.Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
I had a 2012 S4 for a couple years (had to sell to get an SUV when I bought a house with a giant yard) and still miss that car. As you said, the supercharger really kicks in quickly and the ride is incredibly comfortable. Their interiors are nice and I also love that it's a bit of a sleeper. If someone doesn't know to look for the S badge, it looks just like any other A4.
I'm selling a house and cleaning up debt right now. Looking at an RS3 in a couple of years as I do still miss the fast ride. Nearly 400hp in that tiny car!2007 Club Polk Football Pool Champ
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Man the A7, S7, RS7, S5 sportback all make my mouth salivate and get my adrenaline going! If I were a car designer these cars are the shape and build quality that I would design. i just love the sportback design!
Maybe some day but I'm not too confident I can afford to maintain a used one. A friend had an older A6 twin turbo and that thing was a money pit.2.2 Office Setup | LG 29UB55 21:9 UltraWide | HP Probook 630 G8 | Dell Latitude | Cabasse Stream Amp 100 | Boston Acoustics VS 240 | AUDIORAX Desk Stands | Mirage Omni S8 sub1 | Mirage Omni S8 Sub2 -
S4 sitting on Pirelli P-ZEROs. Lotsa fun.
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Don't have an S4 but how about his and hers TT's
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Just saw this thread. The S4's nicely engineered. If I remember correctly, this is the model I took a few sets of front calipers from and adapted them to some high-powered track-duty Porsches. They were essentially Brembo brakes on the S4.Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
They are very good, the first time I drove it I was surprised how good they work. The pedal feels is awesome. It's like you think how you want to stop and it does exactly that.Just saw this thread. The S4's nicely engineered. If I remember correctly, this is the model I took a few sets of front calipers from and adapted them to some high-powered track-duty Porsches. They were essentially Brembo brakes on the S4.
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
