Buying an S4 - What should I look out for

[duncansaunders]

Afternoon All,

My first post!

Am looking to buy an S4 Avant to replace a much loved Corrado VR6.
I need more space - family getting bigger and 4 wheel drive to occasionally tow a boat - the 20 year old Range Rover is expected to die soon.

Are there any common problems to look out for?

At what mileages do the big services come up (I have been lucky that the Corrado has a timing chain rather than a belt).

Any advice or help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Cheers

Duncan

What sort of MPG should I expect? I do about 15000 to 20000 miles per year - normally fairly gently on the motorway.

 

[Olly__K]

timing belt needs to be done at around 80k or so they say, got mine done at 90k with no real signs of wear on the original.
Turbos are another thing, again they say they tend to go at 80k, i have had mine chipped to 320bhp and 92k they are still OK.
MPG wise i dont really know, all i know is that i put roughly 50quid of opti in and get between 220 - 270 depending on how I drive it.
I also came from a shricked VR6, shrick cams, vsr, the works. The S4 is the only natural step up in my opinion. You will miss the noise of your vr6 though if you had a filter on it !

 

[curtis11]

yea i hear you m8, i had a vr with a piperx cone on it .
nothing sounds better , it sucks when you hear this noise coming up the road and nearly break ur neck to see what it is,
u think DOH

 

[duncansaunders]

Cheers Olly,

What's involved in getting the car up to 320hp? Expensive?

Have got a K&N Panel filter in the VR6 and it does sound a bit "Fruity"

Does the V6 not sound good?

£50 for 200 - 220 miles thats about 18-23 MPG eek! Are you always in a hurry - or are they all that thirsty?

Drove a friends 2.8 a while ago and was very underwhelmed - very quiet as well.

Thanks for the tips - my research has begun!

 

[Kevint]

AMD offer various options for 300BHP+

Kev.

 

[duncansaunders]

Hi Kevin,

I've had a look at the AMD site - they look very expensive?
Are they worth it?

40hp from a remap and rolling road session costing £750 seems expensive?

Anyway - need to buy the car first before worrying about modifying it!

So, I need to look out for cambelt replacement and possible turbo problems at 80-90K?
And it looks like it might like a drink, or two!

Anything else chaps?

 

[RichA3Turbo]

A remap is certainly worth the money, but you dont see it until after its been done. Figures mean nothing as it does transform the car! The S4 makes a lovely sound when you put a milltek on it and maybe a BMC CDA. Turbo cars generally are much quiete on induction as the filter is so much further away from the throttle body.

Rich

 

[duncansaunders]

What's a BMC CDA?

 

[Olly__K]

its basically an air filter covered in carbon to stop heat getting into it.
im my experience, putting an air filter on the S4 isnt a good idea, I had one for about 2 months and while you could hear turbo noise (air being sucked in, DV's going off) i went through 3 MAFS !

put the original airbox back on and now problems. no difference in power either. recorded 312 at amd with a REVO chip and air filter and 320bhp with standard airbox and AmD remap.

I know the AmD remap is expensive, but it's so worth it. Their map is so progressive, so smooth. No one works on my car now expect AmD !

 

[duncansaunders]

Ah,

320hp with a remap - that sounds a bit more like it! I guess that AMD may promise less than they actually deliver /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm a bit sceptical about cone filters - if they produced the gains that some claim then surely they'd be fitted as standard? Standard airbox for me - perhaps with a K&N inside.

So, noone has a bad word about the S4 other than to look out for cam belt changes and possibility of turbo problems. How would I tell if the turbos are on their way out? Smoke? Whistling?

Is the four wheel drive system reliable?

Anyone had a tow bar fitted?

 

[Olly__K]

listen for sounds of a dentists drill (whatever that sounds like !) from the turbos which would mean they have gone or are going soon.
The s4 produces 265bhp as standard.
Four wheel drive system is the proper torsen diff system not the haldex crap found on TT's (and i think s3's ?)
AmD have said they can play with my map to get even more power, maybe up to about 330-340 but i dont want to loose my turbos just yet !
still dreaming about the rs4 turbo upgrade which will give the s4 around 400bhp.

Suspension a bit boaty, got H&R coilovers on mine and they sort the ride out without compromising ride quality !

 

[duncansaunders]

Suspension - on the 2.8 i drove (p reg with 60K) it too felt very slack at the front.

Still, I expect dampers to only last for 50-60k or so.
Time to replace them AGAIN on the Corrado soon.

I take it that the suspension on the S4 is conventional, ie. no electronic dampers etc?

 

[jonnya]

For S4 questions go to www.rs246.com

For a remap - mrctuning are the ones to go to at the moment (IMHO). They tune the car
on the road in real time. Speak to s2tuner on rs246.com (they are also significantly
cheaper than other tuners).

I believe that AMD now do a re-chip service rather than a re-map. You should enquire
with them (and get in writing) exactly what it is you are paying for.

I know a lot of people love AMD - it's your money, your choice after all - but my opinion is
that they are very expensive.

 

[madvw]

aghh! dont do it! you'll miss your vr too much /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif i know i did.. nothing i have driven so far has matched the steering, handling or the raw sound of the v6..

a sad loss /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Olly__K]

AmD are expensive, no question about it. But i prefer to spend a little bit more and take it to somewhere where i know is good, the work is good, the people are good, etc.

the s4 doesnt feel fast. its so refined and progressive. you ride the wave of 390lbs of torque to get you up and running. the eninge never stops pulling, its fantastic. its amazing how many people try and have a go but a little prod of the loud pedal and soon enough they dissapear from the rear view mirror !

AmD will put your car on the rollers before they do any work. they record the results. Then they put a base map on your car and then tweak it to match your car perfectly on the rolling road.
This is how i think they do it, not 100% sure.

 

[duncansaunders]

[ QUOTE ]
aghh! dont do it! you'll miss your vr too much /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif i know i did.. nothing i have driven so far has matched the steering, handling or the raw sound of the v6..

a sad loss /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I know what you mean. I think that the Corrado VR6 is a very under rated car. Replacing it is going to be hard.

However, I don't yet have the money ready to go for the next car so shall still have the VR to enjoy for a while.

I was even considering a 2.5TDi quattro A4 Avant when I have my sensible head on!

 

[imported_mc119856]

jonnya,
i noticed you work for Sun Microsystems too. I'm a field engineer in the City. I'll look out for your S4 next time i'm at GMP.