Audi S4: PH Fleet
Chris's gearbox woes finally come to a (costly) head
Kept clean in its days as a press car!
First, but actually for the umpteenth time I tried to locate a specialist who could work on the gearbox, and found no one. VW has done a fine job of restricting extra-dealership meddling with this DSG/S Tronic component. The parts costs a mint and the most common solution appears to either be a new control unit or a replacement 'box. Given the number of VW products using these 'boxes, it's remarkable someone isn't trying to work on them, especially so given specialists like Litchfield are now masters in repairing Nissan GT-R DCT transmissions.
So I hunted and failed and then thought I might just try another oil change, but it had only covered 8,000 miles since the last one, so that seemed pointless. Equally, the level of technical knowledge beyond 'just fit a new gearbox' at dealer level was as you'd expect - zero. So in the full knowledge that I'd modified the car, I phoned Audi UK and asked it their technical bods could look at it and tell me what the best course of action was. They said they would.
Grotty S4 meets nice new gearbox
The technician's report read as follows:
"I confirmed the customer's complaint of clunking gear shift when coming to a stop. This is more apparent when the engine and transmission have reached full operating temperature. I carried out a clutch adaption reset on the transmission and retested for around 30 miles. The clunking reoccurred. I then checked transmission oil level and quality which was OK. I attempted to recalibrate the clutch bite point parameters, however the transmission would not allow this due to a fault with the input shaft. In cases like this, we usually recommend replacement of the dual clutch pack and mechatronics unit (valve body and electronic control unit ) together, however, in this instance I would advise a replacement complete transmission unit to be fitted to avoid the possibility of any further problems arising from this issue."
"Can you smell dog?"
So that was the deal. The car's probably worth £13K in the trade, if I'm lucky - so you can work out the percentage of the total value yourself. It's a salutary lesson in the expense of complicated components in modern vehicles, but then I always knew the 'box would present a bill at some point.
And I've had quite a deal here. Hands-up, I'm not sure every S4 owner would receive the same treatment, but equally, they would stand a much better chance of cloaking the engine upgrade and seeking the aforementioned goodwill because there wouldn't be a Youtube video of their car, er, drag-racing an RS4.
However, I still view this as a very, very big bill.
It took a while to fit mind. Audi had the car for several weeks, during which time I suspect they either sent it back to Ingolstadt to show just how much appalling neglect an S4 can handle, or they had a good root around the engine ECU to understand what Revo has done to release so much extra performance. If I was them, I'd have done both!
New 'box cost a big portion of S4's value
Now it's back, shifting crisply and the motor remains startlingly strong. The rest of the car is in a right old state. I want to renew the suspension and completely re-bush it and the Revo chaps have kindly provided a new set of front discs and pads. I like exterior shabbiness, I hate mechanical shabbiness and the car is currently feeling a little tired in the chassis department.
When that's done, I have to decide if we keep it or not. I can't think of a better all-round camera car/holdall for the money, but Neil has aspirations for a full-on camera supporting chase machine, and that inevitable has me looking east.
Despite the cost, this is still the best small, fast estate car around.
FACT SHEET
Car: Audi S4 Avant
Run by: Chris Harris
Bought: March 2013
Mileage: over 70,000 now, not many recently
Purchase price: £15,000
Last month at a glance: Box swap success and the S4 is fighting fit again
Previous reports:
Harris takes on a family cast-off, starts fiddling immediately
Industrial cleaning vs. dog hair - who wins?
Tuned S4 vs RS4 vid
Harris in 'Audi possibly better than AMG' shocker!
My DSG was faultless along with many friends who have also had DSG cars but I know again of the odd fellow having issues (seatcupra.net)
A DSG box wouldn't put me off. The fact he bought it when it didn't feel right shows in the long run it was knackered in the first place.
Would be a good test though me thinks.I am pretty sure they know exactly how much power that engine can produce but they (like porsche) are only concerned with marketing and keeping all the relevant models and sub models on the right rung of the ladder power wise and in the correct order.
I would describe the B8 Avant as large boarding on huge given how much it has grown over the RS2
regardless of what you have spent Mr Monkey, your costs still are less than what you would have lost in depreciation on an new RS4
Ask anyone, anyone at all in the trade ( or any owner ) about the CVT multitronic transmission fitted to front wheel drive, non Quattro Audi's. It is a bloody awful box and there are many, many, many disgruntled Audi dealers around the world testifying what a piece of crap it is.
Vorsprung durk Technik, my arse.
There is a software update relating to abrupt 2 > 1 changes.
There are people working on mechatronic units but not yet the longitudinal versions.
I agree that it doesn't appear to be the power per se causing the problems, there are S4s around running even bigger numbers quite happily.
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