B8 S4 Ownership

[FUBAR]

Annoys the crap out of me that the front (and rear) washer tubes both my 8 and 8.5 would/do freeze up, no matter if it was Shell premix, dealer mix or strong(ish) concentrate.

[catso]

bungle said:

Fair point. I've never personally topped it up (as it's never ran out), so I assume the dealer does tops it up when serviced.

How many miles do you do between service/dealer visits?

Because I usually top up washer fluids at least every couple of weeks in the winter (and I'm not even a high mileage driver) and my car will probably only do the one visit a year to the garage so, unless I just live in a dirtier part of the country you can't be using the washers much?

[bungle]

I guess I don't use washers much!! Car serviced every year / 8k miles, I just don't very often use the washers.

Still spraying water (at the front anyway ), and the last service was in March (6k miles ago).

[theboyfold]

My washers have sprung a leak and need filling up every other day at the moment

[Rich_W]

theboyfold said:

My washers have sprung a leak and need filling up every other day at the moment

Headlight washer jets leaking I would guess.

If it is send £20 in a jiffy bag

[theboyfold]

Rich_W said:

theboyfold said:

My washers have sprung a leak and need filling up every other day at the moment

Headlight washer jets leaking I would guess.

If it is send £20 in a jiffy bag

The leak is behind the front wheel, on the passenger side. I think the bottle itself is cracked. No idea how though.

[VeegasRS6]

Geo22 said:

Hi All, so I am very much considering buying a B8 S4 but I have a couple of questions so I thought who better to ask than fellow PHers who actually own the cars.

Firstly the seems to not be many cars on the used market(at my price range 20K max) that have the Drive Select option on them I just wondered how much difference this actually makes I've been doing some reading and nearly all reviews have been done on cars with the option so I don't really know if its a must or not.

Secondly the 2 cars that are fairly local to me have a big difference in price I can not seem to work out why?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

The first car is younger 2012 but has more miles and less options but is 3k more expensive. Is this just that the first car is overpriced or does the age make a big difference for the S4, did something change between those years?

Any advice or input is very welcome. Over to you.
Thanks

The option that when I was searching recently, that I decided I couldn't do without was the sports differential, even over the drive select.

I tried cars in all permutations (none, just sports diff, drive select, both) and the ones with the sports diff were noticeably better on the roads than without. I lucked with the one that had both in the end.

[Adrian E]

Just to be clear, sports diff is a only available with ads. Other kit that gets you the button(s) is adaptive steering and damping. Button equals at least one of those but not necessarily the full set

[Geo22]

To follow up on my earlier post looking for guidance on the 2 cars. The red one had sold so that was out. So I popped along to have a look at the blue car.
What the picture didn't really show is how clean and straight the car is I was really impressed with it. However the price was rather high for the spec but as this is a dealer I've dealt with before they were up for a deal so after some haggling...etc. I ignored all car buying advice and bought the first car I'd seen, Oops!

Picking it up this evening, I will report back after a proper drive

[daveydees]

I've had that a couple of times in the past. Once when the key got wet in the rain. Pulling it out, giving it a wipe and trying again sorted it. Another time I managed to accidentally jam one of the rings on my keyring into the edge of the hole when I inserted the key into the dash. Again, removing it and trying again solved the problem. Does it say something like this before it shows the symbol: "key lock defective..." ?

Bluesmurff09 said:

Hi,

Had this key fault symbol come up on the dash this afternoon, any idea what it means?

Edited by Bluesmurff09 on Thursday 29th December 20:53

[silentbrown]

Adrian E said:

Button equals at least one of those

I think it was possible to order Drive Select on it's own, so you weren't stuck with the bizarre "auto" mode where the gearbox, steering weight and engine switch from Comfort to Dynamic and back at hopelessly stupid times.

[Adrian E]

silentbrown said:

I think it was possible to order Drive Select on it's own, so you weren't stuck with the bizarre "auto" mode where the gearbox, steering weight and engine switch from Comfort to Dynamic and back at hopelessly stupid times.

You might be right at certain points, although the 2 brochures I have dated 2009 both have variations on the theme that they have to go together.

One says ADS (must be combined with dynamic steering and/or damper control and/or sports diff) then lists prices for steering/dampers/diff below

the other brochure lists prices for ADS + steering, or ADS + dampers, or full package (steering and dampers) with diff still separate.

[silentbrown]

Adrian E said:

You might be right at certain points, although the 2 brochures I have dated 2009 both have variations on the theme that they have to go together.

2015 Brochure said:

Audi drive select. Changes your car’s handling and responses at the touch of a button to suit
the way you want to drive. Enables the driver to alter the throttle response, the shift point
of the automatic transmission and the power steering feel between the four pre-set modes
(comfort, dynamic, auto and efficiency). Efficiency mode also adjusts the climate control
and the cruise control for consumption improvement. In combination with MMI Navigation
systems, individual mode is also available, allowing even more fine tuning

Bizarrely it's shown as standard on 2015 A4 Allroad Sport Nav (the runout model) which can't have sports diff or dynamic suspension!

It's also shown as an option on SE models, which according to the brochure can't be ordered with either dynamic steering,suspension or sports diff.

[Adrian E]

silentbrown said:

Could be a facelift thing then, although I've seen plenty of facelift S4s and S5s without the Drive Select button? Or it's been added to the standard spec for the runouts?

[silentbrown]

Adrian E said:

Could be a facelift thing then, although I've seen plenty of facelift S4s and S5s without the Drive Select button? Or it's been added to the standard spec for the runouts?

Possibly a facelift change, but it was still an cost option on runout S4s. A4 Allroad "Sport Nav" is the only model variant I've seen that claims to have it as standard.

[apreading]

silentbrown said:

Bizarrely it's shown as standard on 2015 A4 Allroad Sport Nav (the runout model) which can't have sports diff or dynamic suspension!

It's also shown as an option on SE models, which according to the brochure can't be ordered with either dynamic steering,suspension or sports diff.

I think it has always been standard on the Allroad, hasnt it? Changes ride height etc for different terrain I thought?

[Bluesmurff09]

What's the opinion on break upgrades for the B8 S4?

The rs5 set up looks smart but is it worth the money?

Mat

[Cupramax]

Brakes Q5 3.0tdi calipers which are Brembo four pots are a direct bolt on replacement, A lot less than RS calipers.

[silentbrown]

apreading said:

I think it has always been standard on the Allroad, hasnt it? Changes ride height etc for different terrain I thought?

No. A4 Allroads don't even have uppy-downy suspension.

[apreading]

silentbrown said:

apreading said:

I think it has always been standard on the Allroad, hasnt it? Changes ride height etc for different terrain I thought?

No. A4 Allroads don't even have uppy-downy suspension.

I was sure I had read it in a review - is that an A6 allroad thing then? I read so many reviews I probably just got them jumbled up...