S4 B7 - Time Is Coming or Time Has Gone
Discussion
So I still have my lovely (bit biased) S4 B7. N/A 4.2 V8. One of the last built, running on an '08 UK plate. Well spec'd cabriolet, bought from Audi dealer in 2012 with 30K on the clock, but enjoyed a lot and now running 132K on the clock. Chains all done by Keith and the excellent Dialynx team. Internet tells me this car is worth £6-7K. Surely old school cars with proper engines are worth more than this...
I'd say neither, by virtue of their simply being very niche.
They have a certain appeal, but can't see their every going up in value beyond perhaps a minty low-miles, low-owners car.
Boss has a near-flawless 2007 Cab in sprint blue as his summer car. 24k miles. Might such a thing make high-teens? 20k? Don't know.
I know Seymour Pope only just took a deposit on a yellow Avant with 37k miles at £16,000.
They have a certain appeal, but can't see their every going up in value beyond perhaps a minty low-miles, low-owners car.
Boss has a near-flawless 2007 Cab in sprint blue as his summer car. 24k miles. Might such a thing make high-teens? 20k? Don't know.
I know Seymour Pope only just took a deposit on a yellow Avant with 37k miles at £16,000.
Dr G said:
I know Seymour Pope only just took a deposit on a yellow Avant with 37k miles at £16,000.
That's rather fine. https://www.seymourpope.com/vehicle-details/used-a...The apparent wear on the ESP button is a little disconcerting!
AJS77 said:
My head knows you're right and it's always been a fabulous engine with a car attached - but my heart has lived with it too long to just abandon it now...
No, he's not. 
Swapping out that V8 for a 4 banger turbo would completely alter the character of the car. Not for the better. So what if the 2.0T can be mapped to produce similar or even more performance. It doesn't matter. People buy a V8 because they want a V8.
And since you already own one rather than choosing between them, keeping the V8 is the only choice!
AJS77 said:
My head knows you're right and it's always been a fabulous engine with a car attached - but my heart has lived with it too long to just abandon it now...
As you've had the chains done, and the cab is a nice cruiser, I'd keep it. But I wouldn't take a chance on a leggy S4 still on it's original chains/tensioners. As I've read that pulling the engine to do the chains cost big bucks.RSstuff said:
Is that worth all the expense, compared to a mapped B7 2.0 quattro for a third of the money?
Is a cheeseburger and a beer worth more than a plastic bottle full of Huell slop?That's a chalk and cheese comparison that's been made since they were new. It's never been relevant.
OP, out of curiosity, what colour is it, silver with a red roof perhaps? Sprint blue? Manual/auto?
My ol' man has a B7 saloon, black with red leather, manual. Even as a fan, on the rare occasion I get in it now, it does show its age (ok it's on 108k miles) but the V8 still sounds great.
My ol' man has a B7 saloon, black with red leather, manual. Even as a fan, on the rare occasion I get in it now, it does show its age (ok it's on 108k miles) but the V8 still sounds great.
The B7 platform as a second hand punt is arguably a victim of its own success, or perhaps more accurately, of the mid-2000's excess on offer.
Just from memory, there were the following petrol options available - most in saloon, avant or cabrio and with or without Quattro too:
1.6
1.8
1.8T
2.0
2.0T
3.2 V6
4.2 V8 (S4)
4.2 V8 (RS4)
This veritable plethora allowed consumers from many walks to enjoy the B7 in some format. Many still do.
Realistically, even a lowly 1.6 FWD non-Quattro B7 saloon with low mileage in good nick could be considered a curio worth a chunky premium.
As you scale the ranks, that'll continue exponentially I guess.
The S4, as with the S6, offer a slightly more sedate option to the top rung at a more palatable pricepoint - but because that gap can be incredibly small or much wider as markets fluctuate, it seems appropriate that all but the very best examples are 'past their prime' now. This is probably exacerbatet by the newer models which drop every couple of years.
I've lusted after a B5 S4 Avant for over a decade. They've remained available 'from' £5k odd.. but boy, does that £5k get you some different stuff every time I've had a deepdive.
Just from memory, there were the following petrol options available - most in saloon, avant or cabrio and with or without Quattro too:
1.6
1.8
1.8T
2.0
2.0T
3.2 V6
4.2 V8 (S4)
4.2 V8 (RS4)
This veritable plethora allowed consumers from many walks to enjoy the B7 in some format. Many still do.
Realistically, even a lowly 1.6 FWD non-Quattro B7 saloon with low mileage in good nick could be considered a curio worth a chunky premium.
As you scale the ranks, that'll continue exponentially I guess.
The S4, as with the S6, offer a slightly more sedate option to the top rung at a more palatable pricepoint - but because that gap can be incredibly small or much wider as markets fluctuate, it seems appropriate that all but the very best examples are 'past their prime' now. This is probably exacerbatet by the newer models which drop every couple of years.
I've lusted after a B5 S4 Avant for over a decade. They've remained available 'from' £5k odd.. but boy, does that £5k get you some different stuff every time I've had a deepdive.
MisanoPayments said:
OP, out of curiosity, what colour is it, silver with a red roof perhaps? Sprint blue? Manual/auto?
My ol' man has a B7 saloon, black with red leather, manual. Even as a fan, on the rare occasion I get in it now, it does show its age (ok it's on 108k miles) but the V8 still sounds great.
It's phantom black, with black interior and black roof. It was well spec'd and seems to have most options, except heated rear seats. Auto with tiptronic. I used it in its early years to commute up and down the M4, so it had an easy cruising life with the occasional weekend blat. Crazy days in retrospect given the fuel bill!My ol' man has a B7 saloon, black with red leather, manual. Even as a fan, on the rare occasion I get in it now, it does show its age (ok it's on 108k miles) but the V8 still sounds great.
I'm only the second owner despite its age and mileage. Bought as approved used from Audi Newbury. Given most of its miles has only had me in it the interior is pretty spotless in my biased opinion. Except for the central armrest which has snapped its hinges as I think a lot of them do. Glovebox still fine though, which again I understand also fails quite regularly. Still got official Audi windbreak screen and its cover. Front wheel arches starting to bubble with rust, which again I understand is the body corrosion weak spot.
Dr G said:
RSstuff said:
Is that worth all the expense, compared to a mapped B7 2.0 quattro for a third of the money?
Is a cheeseburger and a beer worth more than a plastic bottle full of Huell slop?That's a chalk and cheese comparison that's been made since they were new. It's never been relevant.
Disagree - you know a cheeseburger will make you fat and die. You want one anyway.
You buy the big stupid V8 because you want it.
Someone making a more measured purchase probably isn't interested anyway. Nothing wrong with regular A4 cab, they're decent cars. Powertrain is about as exciting as said bottle of Huell.
You buy the big stupid V8 because you want it.
Someone making a more measured purchase probably isn't interested anyway. Nothing wrong with regular A4 cab, they're decent cars. Powertrain is about as exciting as said bottle of Huell.
Dr G said:
Disagree - you know a cheeseburger will make you fat and die. You want one anyway.
You buy the big stupid V8 because you want it.
Someone making a more measured purchase probably isn't interested anyway. Nothing wrong with regular A4 cab, they're decent cars. Powertrain is about as exciting as said bottle of Huell.
A guy I worked for a few years ago had an older S4 Avant. The job was on a farm and I could hear the car coming from 5 minutes away. Anyway I quite fancied one for the noise, until I read the manual was under geared, the cost of replacing the chains could practically write the car off, and for a 4.2 V8 they weren't that fast. I'm not that keen on cheeseburgers either.You buy the big stupid V8 because you want it.
Someone making a more measured purchase probably isn't interested anyway. Nothing wrong with regular A4 cab, they're decent cars. Powertrain is about as exciting as said bottle of Huell.
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