changed my opinion of the S4 a bit

[Matt82]

the other week four of us took a trip to Thorpe Park, so we took the S4

four adults on board (my two 20 year old brothers in the back) and our gear for the day in the boot

everything is absorbed easily. my youngest brother is a shade over 6ft tall, no issues fitting him in the back (behind me and im 6ft) so the "tragic rear leg room" didnt actually cause issue. the boot swallows the rest of the rubbish, so all is well in the world

also, next to the OE cig lighter there is a perfect slot for normal cig lighters, how perfect is that?

ive put a whole stack of miles on the car since. it turns in 29mpg on the motorway, 24mpg for mixed/around town driving, and the GF has fallen in love with it since i made to drive it back from cheshire as i was tired. i cant get her out the car now

crazy thing might be staying

 

[Ben_Lucas43]

I was worried when i got mine that the mrs wont like it..

She does say it's too fast for her and she doesn't like the shortshift.. But she loves being a passenger..
She loves the fact we can go food shopping with a full trolley and not have to stack it in the boot either!

Fuel is a problem for me atm.. I think my average is 17.5mpg on the dis.. but i only drive around town and thrash it on the motorway every so often.

But i absolutely love it and i dont care what she says, its staying! (she's not stood behind me is she??)

 

[Matt82]

well mine likes the speed. she liked the golf (quick ish) but vows never to have a car with less than 200bhp from now on. mine does to big fast, even without "thrashing" it and she likes going fast too.

the following day we did a last minute run to cheshire (230 miles). 29mpg for the trip and she did 100mph nearly all the way back, i did get my toe right down on the way there too.

its so competent, but its that that grates me a bit. im going to lavish it with some tlc tomorrow. ive had it 5k miles now, time for a fresh sump.

seriously, her 1.4 fiesta is more fun to hustle though

around town, to and from work, im still averaging 24mpg so i think im very well off at the moment

 

[aragorn]

The missus doesnt drive fast, but she likes a bit of power. She doesnt really like revving the engine hard though.

She drove craigs S4 one day last year when the A4 broke, and really liked it stating her car needed a remap when she got back in it because it was now slow. She does struggle a bit giving the remapped 1.8T full beans and tends to limit that to streight line stuff, but still likes the remap as it makes day to day driving more pleasant. Its one useful thing about turbocharged engines, the big spike of torque right around 3k makes it very easy to drive quickly, without revving the nuts off it. Makes it feel faster than an equivalent NA model because theres a lot more power available in the midrange.

She wanted to go up santa pod last weekend, but i didnt fancy ragging the car up the strip with a landrover axle in the back, so instead i pointed out that the M6 Toll provides a useful drag facility for only £4.50 a run . To make it even more amusing, shes all ready to smoke it off the barrier and nothing happens. We'd chucked the money in, but the barrier didnt move. Little wifey comes over and after pointing out the machine doesnt take 5p's, we finally find the correct change and get the green light. Did quite well for her first "1/4 mile", bit of a gentle start but still managed to chirp the wheels and didnt bog down or spin it up. It did take about a week to get to 80 though lol.

 

[Matt82]

i fell asleep whilst gf drove us back from cheshire. i woke up a couple times to see the speedo pointing at 100-105 (kmh obviously..)

 

[Blue_Thunder]

My girlfriend drove me home today after an afternoon spent in various beer gardens. We had two false fire alarms at work today, what's a man going to do??

A couple of times she gave the throttle a fair squeeze and her eyes lit up. She can pretend all she wants that she prefers her 1.3 Yaris, but I know that secretly deep down she loves the power.

I even forced her to keep her foot floored for 15 seconds whilst on the motorway once whilst cruising at 70. She very nearly cried when she realised what speed she was doing when I told her the 15 seconds was up!

 

[Blue_Thunder]

ps. Just noticed that Matt is closing up the gap in post count

 

[Broken Byzan]

But but but the S4 has Gay wheel drive,lol

Just kidding, it is a good sensation watching the speedclimb so easily knowing that the car can easily handle it.

 

[Matt82]

hmmmm im liking the car even more. ive not driven the golf for a few weeks!

the audi is capable of obsurd pace. ive always said it was miles faster than the golf down a b road, but lately ive really had my eyes opened to how capable this car is. with the GF driving, she made a monkey out of a VXR astra, i mean completely had the astra's trousers down, run rings round it, gave it the embarrasment of a lifetime.

the audi can do quiet and comfortable too. finally its starting to really grow on me

 

[Lee Goodall]

:icon_thumright:

 

[Blue_Thunder]

I thought the problem in your eyes was that it wasn't a drivers car?

Maybe you're getting old and are coming around to the realisation that your shoulders don't need to be pulled out of the sockets by the steering feedback when going round a corner quickly in a capable car...

 

[Matt82]

its definately not a driver's car. you dont really do much "driving", just pointing and shooting. it is impressive though. the pace is impressive, the "that caravan up ahead could hold me up, to be honest it looks like there is plenty of space to pass him despite him being 100m ahead and the next corner shortly after that. im in 5th though, lets go for it"

so youre already pretty deep into 5th, down a familiar b road, in a sedate looking, quiet and comfortable ESTATE car, you then open the taps again and surge off to plain silly speeds. overtake will miles of space to spare, get on the anchors, bring the speed down and tip it into the corner. i find its actually pretty damn agile.

driving the golf in a similar way gives you the sort of buzz you get from leaning back too far on your chair at school.

the audi still leaves me very cold in the "enjoyment" sense, but eff me that pace has to be hard to match

 

[voteforpedro]

I think you're becoming a man, Matt. It was your birthday recently? - how old, 55?

Sell the Golf and invest in a pipe and some slippers.

Seriously though, glad you like it... I could tell from a "previous post" that you weren't too happy with it. I love my A4 and could only dream of owning an S4... swap?

 

[Broken Byzan]

Only a true man can appologise and own up to making mistakes, it may not be the most engaging drive in the world, but it does what it's supposed to very well. Possibly too well hence the insulation you tend to feel.

I am glad she is growing on you mate

 

[AndyC]

my mrs is used to fast clios..... but find the s4 with the map on scary......... she wont put her foot down hard!!!!!

 

[S4twiggy]

i love my S4 more than life itself lol i fall more and more in love with it the more i look at it never mind drive it. best car ive ever owned and ive owned a few seeing im only 25, funniest car i had was my grandads old audi 80 2.0 when turning the steering wheel and putting my foot down the car actually went in a straight line, always makes me laugh to this day how ***** it was, old, crap but full on engine, no electronics to stop things. only a 2.0 but felt quick when your 18 and going straight on bends lmao

my mrs loves my car, she actually pays me(petrol money) to take her out in it to brecon every weekend so she can escape her peggit 206 ***** box:icon_thumright:

 

[AudiMaz]

The ol S4, it is a great car. Matt mate... you are not driving it properly...... drivers car it def can be. I've had mine in 4 wheel drifts at (cough cough 90+) and the tingling sensation is brilliant, then just point the ol girl in the right direction, put your foot down a we bit more and away she goes, can't ask for more. Brings huge grins to my face everytime (and scares the odd scooby which try to give chase) lol. really glad you are enjoying it more now. :icon_thumright:

 

[Matt82]

maz, no way could i do that on public roads. the levels of grip in this car, on eagle F1s is plain silly. the grip is boarderline infinity. id never go that far tbh

when i bought the car i "knew" its what i needed in my life, it all made sense but the real life experience didnt live up to my hopes

the current tank has just done 320 miles and the light has just come on asking for more fuel... now tell me thats not bad for "320bhp"

 

[audinary]

I need to start driving my car properly!!!

Before I got the Audi I was used to quicker stuff, BMWs mainly, all company cars, 330d's, 335i, Z4 3.0 etc, and I actually found it quite relaxing knowing that the performance I was used to just isn't there, there's no point in traffic light grand prix 'cos I WILL be beaten.

That said, across country, if I keep it on the boil, over 3200rpm and in the turbo zone, it absolutely flies! I'd say the midrange on an ordinary 1.8T feels the equal to a 325i at least, maybe more.

If my car was remapped and lowered it would be pretty much the perfect car for me.

I really don't give a toss about new cars any more.

 

[aragorn]

Thats one of the big advantages of turbocharging engines with low boost like they've done on the 1.8T.

It doesnt really increase the headline figure all that much compared with a slightly hotter N/A engine, but in the midrange, it will drive like a much bigger engined car.