V8 S4 - off to see some

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Discussion

CaptainSensib1e

1,432 posts

220 months

Tuesday 26th August 2014
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Fort Jefferson said:
Stick with one registered before 23rd march 2006, only £280 or £500 after that date.
Mine was registered on 20 March 2006, very fortunate indeed!

lilwashu said:
I thought the auto box suited my old B7 S4 pretty well for what it's worth.
This is the first auto I've ever driven and as pretty skeptical about getting one. However when the car I bought came up it was perfect in every way other than gearbox type so I went for it. Initially I drove it everywhwre and D or S and hated it. It just seemd to have a mind if its own and was often in a different gear to what I wanted.

I now drive using the paddles and am really enjoying it. You have the control of a manual with reasonably slick gear changes. You get lovely re-matched downshifts and if you are stuck traffic you cna just pop it into auto and forget about it.

I'd still prefer a manual, but am more than happy with the auto and as said above it really does suit the car. I wouldn't discount a car purely on the basis of it being an auto, at least until you've tried it.

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

169 months

Tuesday 26th August 2014
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The tiptronic box also adapts on the fly to your driving style, and then reverts to 'eco mode' when you next start it up.

The main reason for the 'wrong gear for what i want' is that its trying to be economical --- and for bloody good reason too biggrin

However, in sport or just manual its great.

It does take a little getting used to though, even in normal driving.

marctwo

3,666 posts

259 months

Tuesday 26th August 2014
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I think the tiptronic works very well for the car. It's more of a cruiser anyway and first gear on the manual is supposed to be almost useless. The tip also gets better MPG as it has a taller 6th gear.

Hoddo

Original Poster:

3,797 posts

214 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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I am off to see another one this coming week, B6 this time.

The car in question has a full Audi service history but has been on the long life schedule so only 5 stamps in the book since 2004.

Should I be concerned or should I just make sure everything stacks up and if I am to buy it, book it in for a full service and oil change ASAP.

Hoddo

Original Poster:

3,797 posts

214 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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Here is a Link to the car in question. What do we think? I'm still not well educated in this market, how does the price look?


Adrian E

3,248 posts

175 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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Hiya

Looks a nice example - good make of tyre always a reasonable indicator of care in previous ownership. Drivers seat looks in good order for the mileage. RNS-E is nice to have - phone prep pretty useless now unless it has bluetooth as well, in which case consider removing the handset holder.

Longlife isn't ideal over such a long period, particularly as it's unlikely the car will have gone 2 years without bleating for an oil service if the annual mileage has been that low - you usually only get the maximum time interval under very specific usage not suited to low miles. Either way I'd be checking the stamps for intervals in terms of time and mileage. I'd imagine 14-18 month intervals on longlife are more likely. It's probably due another now, I suspect.

Usual camchain rattle checks aside buy on condition and if it drives well.

Price seems a bit strong for a B6, but I've not followed the market for these for a while. There's not much else about in estate terms, especially if you wanted to avoid pale leather.

Hoddo

Original Poster:

3,797 posts

214 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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Adrian E said:
Longlife isn't ideal over such a long period, particularly as it's unlikely the car will have gone 2 years without bleating for an oil service if the annual mileage has been that low - you usually only get the maximum time interval under very specific usage not suited to low miles. Either way I'd be checking the stamps for intervals in terms of time and mileage. I'd imagine 14-18 month intervals on longlife are more likely. It's probably due another now, I suspect.
Not ideal therefore avoid or not ideal but give it an oil change and switch to an annual plan and you'll be in a better place?

Apparently there are 5 stamps in the book. Therefore an average of 1 stamp for every 23 months. Car showing next service due in March 2015.....no way I'd wait that long.


Adrian E

3,248 posts

175 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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Hoddo said:
Not ideal therefore avoid or not ideal but give it an oil change and switch to an annual plan and you'll be in a better place?

Apparently there are 5 stamps in the book. Therefore an average of 1 stamp for every 23 months. Car showing next service due in March 2015.....no way I'd wait that long.
Depends on condition and cold start behaviour really - if it rattles badly walk away. If it's the usual 1 second rattle on cold start then switch to annual servicing.

The car is 10 years old so 5 stamps is really stretching the service intervals - when I was looking for a B6 I was shocked at the number with services missed by miles, even on longlife timescales! Not unusual to find one that didn't have its first oil change till 3 years old :/ If you're travelling a distance to view I would ask the garage to detail dates, mileages and who has serviced it. If the dates are regularly 2 years or more or 20k miles apart then I'd probably give it a miss as no longlife service will ever be that far apart. When we bought our A6 it was on longlife and with typical short commute and occasional long journeys it required a service in 14 months/11k miles anyway. Ring main dealers if they've done it and verify services are genuine and if they've logged if they were overdue when done. If local garages just check with them to see if they think it's a good one and whether they've used the right oils.


caiss4

1,865 posts

196 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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I wouldn't get too hung up about the long-life servicing.

Typically after a service the car would indicate around 17k miles/2 yrs before the next service was due. Of course that mileage will adjust to the driving style but for this example with 5 stamps then, in theory, it could cover 85k miles.

As Adrian E suggests get the servicing detail to make sure that there were no service big misses.

For comparison my B6 is now coming up to 11 years old, 5 services on long-life and 46k miles. No chain rattle - but 3 aux radiators and new clutch/DMF!

Hoddo

Original Poster:

3,797 posts

214 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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At 77k and 5 stamps one would assume it has been serviced approx every 15k. The car is a long distance away, however I happen to be that area this weekend so I will pop by to take a look.

I have read around the tensioner issue so much I have gotten the 'internet horror story fear' about S4's and it is annoying me. The value they represent is fantastic and I need to get over it.

How many people do we actually know who's tensioners have actually broken?

Can anyone point me in the direction of a reliable YouTube clip that clearly demonstrates the engine start rattle?

Adrian E

3,248 posts

175 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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Mate works for an indy specialist and for years he did nothing but remove S4 engines to replace all the chains and tensioners on the back of the engine. All sorts of mileages and usage - it's definitely not folklore. Earliest failures seemed to be due to aggressive driving from cold, so that's unlikely to be an issue now.

Oil spec seems to be key - if it's run with horrid old oil or it's too thin it seems to be more likely to give trouble. Lot of people go up in grade to a 5w40 rather than a 5w30 to give a bit more protection when hot. Fuchs Pro Race S isn't Audi approved but seems to quieten the chains down - you can get Castrol Edge in the same grade too.

It's worth a look if you're passing for sure - like any used car the pics and description don't give the whole story and until you see it and judge if it's a good 'un the service history and service gaps will either give you reassurance or cause to walk away!

If you find yourself nit-picking with it take a step back and consider if it's the right car

p1tse

1,375 posts

191 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
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Mine was similar long life but when I picked it up out decent oil in in fuchs titanium pro s with ester

nixon1

216 posts

159 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
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if you like the noise and want some more, try to find one with a milltek on the back biggrin

I decided that after a couple of years of ownership that a Revo remap, RS4 rear sway bar, some lighter wheels and some semi-slick tyres were in need (oh and a non-res milltek). Its made the car better (for me at least). Yet, come winter time, the winter tyres go on in hope that soon I'll get to see what is possible if the snow ever comes.

The tip about the Fuchs oil is spot on. Mine has been on this for a while and somehow she seems happier. Fuel-wise it doesnt grumble on 95RON, but 99 obviously gives the perception of additional grunt.

So far the S4 has been awesome!

The only items I'd additionally flag up to check for when buying is how much meat is left on the discs. I had to replace all 4 and it was quite expensive. And check that the windows go up and down as the mechanism likes to break occasionally.

Edited by nixon1 on Tuesday 2nd September 22:56

p1tse

1,375 posts

191 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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i want a milltek but can't justify the cost of them new