S4 - Manual / Auto or Tip ?

[Stava]

I am considering a 2005 S4 but have yet to test drive one. Does anyone out there have any particular views on transmission?

Usually I would be manual all the way but the old man has just boughy a 535d Bimer and the auto box on that i found pretty good, and i therfore don't want to discount an auto out of hand.

I also seem to remember TT's supposedly having one of the the best tiptronic boxes when they first came out so any views or experiences of audi tip transmissions gratefully received.

[Fort Jefferson]

I have a manual, the only time I would like a tip, is for stop start traffic, but the rest of the time it's manual all the way.

[Stava]

thanks Fort, take it you are happy with the car ?

[mel]

I've got a tip' and love it to bits, 99% of the time it lives in drives, 1% in sport. I do however often use the flappy paddles to overide the box and change down quicker going into bend roundabouts etc, my only criticism would be when you brake for a roundabout, go round it and then accelerate out the box has to think about it before dropping a cog or two, hence why I overide with the paddles. It's a superb box and never lacking in being able to switch the power on, you can cruise at 120 ish floor it and the thing'll drop 2 cogs!! It's the first time I've been drawn away from a manual box and went there because I found the manual box a little lumpy and difficult to drive at low speeds, it simply had too much power and was always trying to go (in fairness this might have been me and having used to turbo cars and hence turbo lag before it) I also went for it on the info that non tiptronic cars are notoriously difficult to shift and dealers just don't want them.

[drybeer]

Hi.

In the S4, either is a good choice, although the auto (tiptronic incidentally - TTs only had tiptronic if you bought the 180ps 2wd model - the highly rated gearbox you are talking about is DSG or S-tronic as it is now known) is a bit sluggish compared to the manual, even though both are 6 speed.

Also, as an Audi dealer - and there are many opinions out there - we find tiptronic is by far and wide the most problematic to shift.

This does depend on your area. In London, Birmingham, Manchester tip will be OK, but in the countryside manuals are still much more popular - but I wouldn't have the tip as I enjoy driving too much!

This is why the RS4 only comes as a manual, and BMW M3s with "SMG" are murder to sell.

EDITED FOR SPELLING - SORRY

Edited by drybeer on Tuesday 24th July 21:55

[Ess-Phwoar]

I have a manual and admitt when it is cold it gear change can be a bit jerky and feels lumpy. But once all fluids are up to temperature the it is more of a slick gearbox with fluid shifts.

[drybeer]

Ess-Phwoar said:

I have a manual and admitt when it is cold it gear change can be a bit jerky and feels lumpy. But once all fluids are up to temperature the it is more of a slick gearbox with fluid shifts.

I'd agree with that... my own often compains about going into first for some reason when cold, although there's nothing wrong with it.

The manual shift alone is worthy of mention, as at the time of the launch it was the first gearshift to have all the patterns in the "gate" in parallel lines with the neutral shaft being perfectly perpendicular to them. Also the position of each gear in the shift pattern is the same distance from neutral in each case.

Not even a Ferrari gate was like this in 2003 when the car was launched.

It's one of the best shifts I've even used.

[Stava]

Thanks for the responses guys, very helpful.

Its interesting you say that drybeer, I am looking at 2 S4's for sale in the London area (both 30k on the clock) and the higher speced tip car is 1k cheaper. Personally i think i will go for the maunal as it would be a shame to waste any power from that V8 but I don't have any exerience of semi-auto type boxes.

Any specifc probs that I should look out for when buying one of these ? I am looking at the B7 model and budget is £ 30,000 tops. I imagine anything bought maindealer with around 30-40 k on the clock should be fine?

[drybeer]

Well 30k should buy you a mint low mileage about one year old car.

I have a one local owner Brilliant Red saloon with black leather / alcantara, manual box and only 11k on the clock at £29,999.

It is not a hugely speccy thing as the previous owner didn't want to pay for Nav etc., and curiously did trade it in for a new RS4 and again didn't go for Nav, so don't be too spec conscious.

My own current S4 doesn't have Nav, although my last S4 did, and I don't miss it at all.

Problems, not any I can think of really. If you survey forums you sometimes see the odd driver with a rattle or engine noise. I've only seen one Pistonheader on here with a fatal engine problem. There are good low mileage A7L saloons and A7A Avants (B7) on P'heads for sale too. A nice Sprint Blue car (with cloth admittedly) for around £26k, but I've seen it and it is as mint as my red one.

Basically go for it. Great car, and I love the fact that no one pays it the wrong type of attention.

[Stava]

thanks drybeer,

I am looking for one in black but am in no hurry so am happy to wait for one at the right price. Its a joint car with the missus and i'm surprised i've got her this far to be honest. Had started of on the old E46 M3 route but have steadily come round to the Audi way of thinking. Most of the driving will be A road blasts from Edinburgh to Inverness, or Edinburgh - Manchester so a nice torquey V8 is a better bet than a straight 6 that wants thrashed all the time. As you say, the S4 is a bit more discreet and alot less 'wide'.

[Ess-Phwoar]

For that money you will easily get a low miler. Mine did not come with sat nav but I had one retro fitted for £500 al in. Give the interior a bit more character and is actually a good system. IMO these standard of cars should have sat nav. But I can understand when they are not specc'd initially. £2500 for a sat nav as an optional extra is a joke.