S4 questions

[quattro_fan]

Given that these are now very reasonably priced i have started to consider one especially an avant.

Can people give me a rough indication of running costs?

Average mpg, motorway/town

Service intervals how long are they?Average independant servicing cost?

Cambelt or chain driven? When should they be replaced.


My budget stretches to a car on or approaching 100k miles. I presume 100k on an S4 is nothing?

Any parts that are likely to need renewing to freshen it up?

 

[SonicDeathmonkey]

I was driving along when a light came on the dashboard. My friend was in the passenger seat and is also an Audi owner. I asked him to get the manual out and tell me what the light meant. he replied "£800 quid. Any time a light comes on, £800 quid".

That's about the way it goes. They are expensive to keep in top form.

The major service is a killer. Cost of that varies between £500 and £800 and it's every 40K.

Tyres are £70 quid for "ditchfinders" or £150 for decent ones.

I get between 22 and 24 mpg on mine, with M-Way and local driving.

 

[quattro_fan]

£500 - £800 every 40k sounds quite low tbh

Thats about £175 every 10k

You pay more than that on a fiesta at a dealers!

 

[aragorn]

500quid is only if your mad enough to take the car to a main dealer...

You should look at using an independant specialist for an older car like this, which will significantly reduce the running costs.

quattrofan: the point is that the 40k service would be on top of the 10k services...

 

[Fraser]

full service is about £350 from an independent!

you need to do your homework on these cars - if they have been neglected then they certainly can get expensive quickly.

a good standard S4 will cost in the region of 6k (sub 80k miles with cambelt and all the parts that should changed at the same time waterpump, tensioner, aux and aircon belts, termostat)

check out this site, www.audisrs.com and ww.rs246.com more specialised site for the s and rs cars

also worth looking at getting vag.com if you are serious about an s car. that and knowing a good independent who can check any car out properly

i.e. Unit20 on the wirral or MRC in Banbury

 

[quattro_fan]

Ive got vag-com from when i had a seat ibiza cupra

Midland VW are very local to me you heard of them?

http://www.midlandvw.co.uk/

 

[Fraser]

i have seen your post over on srs - good place to ask

sorry not heard of those guys.

 

[Nez]

Do your study and wait until you find a nice S4 and if you lucky like me then you could get one for £4450 or less

 

[SonicDeathmonkey]

The 40K service, complete with water pump, tensioners etc...

If anyone can get this done sub-500 quid, let me know where! Seriously, the kit alone (belts, tensioners, pump etc) is a few hundred quid, isnt it? plus 5 or 6 hours labour?

Things that go wrong:
MAF (70 quid)
Manifold rattle on earlier cars (expensive)
Cats (get a stainless replacement)
Throttle Body Boot (cheap)
Disc/Pads (few hundred quid)
Standard radio (it's *****, with volume problems)
Rear speakers often get chewed by dogs in the boot (seriously...)

 

[Nez]

The 40K service, complete with water pump, tensioners etc...

If anyone can get this done sub-500 quid, let me know where! Seriously, the kit alone (belts, tensioners, pump etc) is a few hundred quid, isnt it? plus 5 or 6 hours labour?

Things that go wrong:
MAF (70 quid)
Manifold rattle on earlier cars (expensive)
Cats (get a stainless replacement)
Throttle Body Boot (cheap)
Disc/Pads (few hundred quid)
Standard radio (it's *****, with volume problems)
Rear speakers often get chewed by dogs in the boot (seriously...)

Is the 40k Service incl the Timing belt change?

 

[SonicDeathmonkey]

Yep. all the belts, tensioners etc. Plus you really want to get the water pump changed at the same time, for the sake of an extra 50 quid.

 

[aragorn]

you change the timing belt every 40k?

in that case i guess the £500 price tag isnt so bad, but i doubt the belt needs done quite that frequently. The intervals for those belts are usually 60-80k.

The aux drive belt, i'd be changing with the timing belt too, unless it was showing signs of deterioration after 40k.

 

[Nilz]

Ive got vag-com from when i had a seat ibiza cupra

Midland VW are very local to me you heard of them?

http://www.midlandvw.co.uk/

Cant go wrong with Midland VW, they are tops and very very good and come HIGHLY recomennded.

 

[PW-Motorsport]

Belt change is normally at 40k for the RS4, 80k for the S4.