Huge ask: 2003 - 2007 Audi S4 V8 owners?

[Davie]

Chaps,

Appreciate this may be a bit forward, but I'm mulling over an S4 Avant (it's that or a V70R) however, issue is aside for previously owning a 2.5 TDi A4... I've no experience of the V8.

Does anybody have or know of a friendly Pistonheader in / around the central belt who'd be willing to let me have a nose round... no driving obviously, but would be good to get a feel for one before I jump in with both feet.

Cheers

[Davie]

ModernAndy said:

I'd say they aren't the adrenaline rush that many expect them to be

That's a very interesting point... and something I was considering.

Have a chap locally with a convertible, ok not the same car but will give me an idea I think and a chance to experience how it feels.

Cheers

[Davie]

ModernAndy said:

I did a long run some years ago in a manual S4 Avant from Edinburgh to Southampton-ish. I set the cruise control to perferctly legal speeds on the motorway and I think I ended up doing something ridiculous like 23 mpg average. I filled the car up with 98/99 RON at 3 petrol stations that day (although it just made it down on 2 tanks). I believe the manual is geared much lower than the auto and on long runs the autos are significantly more economical. Perhaps something worth knowing.

That's a bit of a game changer.

The car (whatever it ends up being) would be used by me to commute daily, that's single figure distnace so urban MPG isn't a huge concern but I sort of justified a silly spec performance estate on the basis that it would also see action doing the steady motorway run to see family etc... thus, worked on the basis said performance estate should in theory settle down and return ok figures, ie my past and present Volvo T5s would do 22mpg about the doors but on said steady run if I drive with a degree of care... it'll push toward 36 / 37mpg but 23mpg on a steady cruise in an S4 seems a bit extreme.

Granted, there's the whole "344bhp / fast Audi / only live once" argument which is fine but I'm also trying to make sure several criteria are covered, one of which being that said performance estate car can also happily turn it's hand to being a relatively soft, refined, large device for transporting people but as nice as an S4 is, between the reports of somewhat underwhelming performance / not being that fast "in the real" world and if they can only scrape 23mpg on a motorway run... starting to question if a 2.0TFSi with a remap would be the more usable machine. Ok so not a V8 and all that but I knew their thirst for fuel was significant but that's a serious thirst!

70 litre tank at 23mpg gives a range of 345 miles (ish) and that's not great...

[Davie]

ModernAndy said:

I used to have an S60 T5 auto and that would do 40mpg on a long run. Had it down to southern Wales on one tank from Edinburgh quite easily actually.

As I said, the S4 autos are a lot more economical on a long run apparently but I'm really not exaggerating how bad a manual one can be and the gearing is meant to be the culprit. Apart from a bit of fun on the twisties heading towards the M74 it was all done at 70mph.

You're not going to get a big engine with around 350+ hp and 4wd without a fuel penalty though. If you can stretch to a B8 S4 with the optional sports diff then that thing is perfection and can be remapped and lightly tuned to something like 400bhp while not doing too bad mpg.

Thanks Andy,

Quite happy to take a hit on fuel economy in lieu of some performance but wasn't really prepared for the S4 to be quite so bad on a run. Granted, extended motorway runs are few and far between for me these days but it would see regular action running between Fife and Berwick so "reasonable" figures would probably make me less nervous!

As said, my T5 is currently showing 17mpg running to work and back but will push high 30's on said run to the border so something there or there about would be good. Sadly budget creep has already set in so have to reign it in a bit, baby en route and all that so have quite a few rather tight criteria to try and meet that said, situation dictates it can almost be a second car as I can walk to work and we have a 1.8 Astra for general use... but there's a limit to how much I want to spend and how much time I want to spend at the pumps!

The S4 just seemed like a very good package but some of the potential costs are looking a bit daunting (comes with the territory I know) and buying a "mint" one with history for chain kits etc, that sadly just pushes the budget too much. I'd basically rely on finding a good one with history but at the lower end of the current price range and to be honest, despite always going back to an auto... a auto S4 just doesn't appeal for some reason.

Anyways, feedback is very much appreciated... certainly food for thought.