RE: Audi S4 (B5): Spotted

[Calza]

Randomthoughts said:

It's not. Genuine K04s aren't (or weren't!) £500 each. Closer to £1k each from memory. Part of me thinks it was even more than that.

By the time you haul the engine out, change the belts and gaskets you pull off etc, you're still staring at £2.5k of parts bill.

Then there's mapping.

Cheap K04s have failed many a folk, when mine was being done there was someone there who couldn't understand why his boost was all over the place. One look at the play in the compressor wheel and the state of some of the casting and it was obvious why...

Why would you need to remap if you replace turbo(s)? Surely that would only be if you upgrade, and that's a different game if we're throwing numbers around!

[Randomthoughts]

Calza said:

Why would you need to remap if you replace turbo(s)? Surely that would only be if you upgrade, and that's a different game if we're throwing numbers around!

Sorry, the post I quoted was replying (in quote, if not intentionally) to one where someone had mentioned K04s.

Yes, K03s are going to be relatively cheap and no remap necessary. Still, you're staring down the guts of a £2k job if you're wanting to hand it over to someone and pick it up again when it's all better.

[MacD1]

Correct above, you do get some money back for old turbo's but not much. once engine taken out you can bet that you will need to replace flywheel and clutch, you might aswell do it rather than revisit again in 2 years. also once engine taken out a whole host of other things which weren't visible like hoses etc will need changing also....it will soon be a 4K job

[TorqueDirty]

I had one of these, the saloon version in Negaro Blue. It was expertly remapped to deliver 330bhp, bags of torque and yet it retained an astonishing controlled power delivery.

Far in a way the best all round car I have ever had. One of the turbos went at 95k and when faced with a hefty bill that was about the same as the car's value I bottled it and bought a nearly new M3 instead. Worst car decision I ever made.

To this day I mourn the loss of thas car. Numpty!

[blade7]

TorqueDirty said:

Far in a way the best all round car I have ever had. One of the turbos went at 95k and when faced with a hefty bill that was about the same as the car's value I bottled it and bought a nearly new M3 instead. Worst car decision I ever made.

Which model M3 ?

[WojaWabbit]

TejinderR32 said:

"Eight Cars on the driveway..."

I'm the seller. I'm not a trader, I'm a true enthusiast. I'm only selling this Audi S4 because I have a turbo kit on my R32 to pay for.

If I was a trader I wouldn't have sent the log book off months ago or had all this extra maintenance work done.

Thanks for the all the positive comments guys and thanks to Pistonheads for the feature!

Like I said....

WojaWabbit said:

Eight cars on the drive in a private sale.... either there are fibs being told, or the seller is a top bloke!

....the seller is a top bloke

[TorqueDirty]

blade7 said:

TorqueDirty said:

Far in a way the best all round car I have ever had. One of the turbos went at 95k and when faced with a hefty bill that was about the same as the car's value I bottled it and bought a nearly new M3 instead. Worst car decision I ever made.

Which model M3 ?

E46 - unfortunately a very overrated car. It tried to excel at too many things and only managed to be reasonably good at each - which for me was not good enough! Don't get me wrong, it was a very competent car, but it certainly did not match the hype. Steering not direct enough, hideous cartilaginous feeling gear shift, suspension not firm enough, stupidly mapped sports mode, not enough torque, crap brakes (faded quickly) and it was unbelievably unreliable and therefore ruinously expensive to run.

Put another way the whole was definitely not greater than the sum of the parts, quite the opposite.

Other than that it was a peach!

[blade7]

I would have thought an E46 M3 would run rings around a V6 S4 in the dry.

[y2blade]

blade7 said:

I would have thought an E46 M3 would run rings around a V6 S4 in the dry.

lol...mine (Stage 2+) runs rings around E46 M3s and E39 M5s
It's funny what people "think" about these "boring old Audi".

[blade7]

y2blade said:

blade7 said:

I would have thought an E46 M3 would run rings around a V6 S4 in the dry.

lol...mine (Stage 2+) runs rings around E46 M3s and E39 M5s
It's funny what people "think" about these "boring old Audi".

A standard E46 M3 has around 340 bhp, what turbo's and intercoolers do you have fitted to run rings around that ? As your car is modified it's only fair the M3 is too, how about a M3 CSL, could your S4 run rings around that too ? I don't "think" S4's are a "boring old Audi" I had a 2.6 V6 80 Avant years ago, it was a great car.

[TorqueDirty]

blade7 said:

I would have thought an E46 M3 would run rings around a V6 S4 in the dry.

It probably could, but that does not make it a better road car. In fairness I should have been more specific in that the S4 was the better road car. It would not have fared at all well in track, but given that it never went on track in the 80k miles I had it then this was not an issue.

Just because a car can be drifted round a track with the rear wheels smoking and steering on full opposite lock does not make it a good road car.

The audi had far less sporty suspension, steering and chassis set up than the M3, but it was a much better road car - after the remap and engine tweaks. It was just so effortlessly fast, stable and refined. Stonking grip too from the 4wd.

TD

Edited by TorqueDirty on Saturday 22 November 08:30

[blade7]

I don't doubt over all conditions a quattro makes a better road car, my A4 2.0Tq has little problem driving away from comparable 2wd stuff in the wet.

Edited by blade7 on Saturday 22 November 13:54

[anonymous-user]

blade7 said:

I don't doubt over all conditions a quattro makes a better road car, my A4 2.0Tq has little problem driving away from comparable 2wd stuff in the wet.

Edited by blade7 on Saturday 22 November 13:54

the s4 b5 had proper quattro, your car has haldex, therefore fwd then sends power to the rear when traction goes.

[blade7]

The Spruce goose said:

blade7 said:

I don't doubt over all conditions a quattro makes a better road car, my A4 2.0Tq has little problem driving away from comparable 2wd stuff in the wet.

Edited by blade7 on Saturday 22 November 13:54

the s4 b5 had proper quattro, your car has haldex, therefore fwd then sends power to the rear when traction goes.

I suggest you do some research before posting nonsense.

[djdestiny]

Ive owned 3 B5's:

First was a totally standard pre facelift saloon S4


Second was a 500bhp facelift saloon S4 (highly modded)


Third was a lightly modded RS4


I loved them all in different ways, but the 2nd one was easily the best (putting the RS4 looks to one side!)
Running cost wise, the RS4 isn't much different to an S4 day to day, its when you need brake discs and bits unique to the RS4 that it starts getting costly.

An oil seal failed on my RS4, it cost me about £2k to sort which included rebuilt and guaranteed turbos

[y2blade]

So not £4k then?

[bigee]

as with all 'niche' cars it very much depends where you go.Find a good specialist and no more painful than most othercars on the road. AudiSRS is where its at for these cars.

[Mike Duff]

J4CKO said:

As long as the Audi is an S/RS/Interesting/5 Cylinder model/Petrol/older than ten years or an UR quattro then its ok, also it needs to not be white, a Q7 or other SUV, S-Line, Leased, diesel and it must not have DRL's. Certain old curios like the V8 and 200 quattro to prompt mild enthusiasm.

This is when I admit to being an Audi owner myself, although I'm afraid my elderly A6 3.0 TDI Quattro Avant does break several of the 'rules'. No DRLs though, I had to draw the line somewhere...

[Searider]

I have one of these. Have also had a B5 RS4 and another B5 S4 before that.

Good ones are worth the money.

Good remap gets you 325 ish hp.

Are turbos as fragile as some would say?
No real proof. My first S4 had 125k miles when I sold it. No problems
Current one has 135k miles. No problems.
Plenty of much higher mileage cars out there on original turbos.

Have researched extensively potential costs of turbo replacement if needed.
No point in replacing the original K03 turbos if one goes pop.
A pair of secondhand k04s (as fitted to RS4) including reconditioning with a warranty typically are about £1250
About £1000 for engine pull and fitting.
Lower boost pipes need changing to suit - £150?
Car will run fine without a remap - but with more lag and no more power than before. So budget £400-£500 for a remap.

Clutch? If it's ok this then falls into the "nice to do while its out" list. Mine is only 25,000 miles old - so, I wouldn't bother changing it.
New fuel pump and injectors will allow more power. But again "nice to have". Can be done later.
RS4 intercollers same. Can be done later.
So, £2500 as a minimum and the maximum is dictated by the depth of your pockets.

As with any 15 year old car there are "old car" issues to deal with.
Effortless torque and feels a really well screwed together car.

[SevenR]

I spent some time looking for a replacement for my stolen BH5 Legacy. Even tried another legacy, but after being in it, it left me cold. Been there, done that.
So all points led me to an S4, although mine is a B7 V8. I have to say I love it. The sound, the build quality and the understated looks. An RS4 says "I'm fast" but the S4 only sticks out to those in the know. It's not without its faults though.
Turn in is not full of feedback and I find myself taking 2 bites into a turn, but the punch out is immense.
Car always has lights on about something, but doesn't seem to effect the daily running.
For wet greasy roads (I live in Scotland) it is the best ever. Been kicking about in my mums New C class Diesel AMG Sport PLus yadda yadda yadda for the last week whilst my car is getting serviced etc, and I'm already pining for my S4. It's more refined.
I would recommend one to anyone.
Went to Le Mans this year. It was sublime for the distance work. Does it all, and fast enough in the right hands too.