Thoughts on S4 B9 Petrol Replacements?

[Skatman]

Hi everyone.

Got my B9 S4 Avant in Feb 2018 and, honestly, its as close to as perfect of a car as I've ever had. I love it.

My replacement path was going to be clear. Buy a new S4 B9. Then Audi went and threw a spanner in the works by sticking a diesel engine in them.

Now, I'm sure there are going to be some members here that have the diesel S4 and are more than happy with it. I'm not. I test drove one and it's just not the same. While it's definitely a very capable car, and I'm sure it chews through the miles with ease, it doesn't *feel* as fast, it certainly isn't anywhere near as fun to drive (subjective opinion based), it sounds terrible - it's just a loud diesel engine, fake exhausts annoy me, etc. etc. Basically, I just do not want one.

With that been said, myself and the missus are both very happy with Audi. We've had far fewer problems than we did with the Merc C Class it replaced. We love the interior. The Quattro. Basically everything about it.

So, my question is, what are you lot that are in a similar position to me thinking? I know I'm not the only one because the decision to change to diesel is, erm, controversial; and there are obviously still a lot of people wanting Audis.

The obvious decision would be go for an RS4. My only problem here is cost - I can afford it, but I'd rather not spend more than I currently am if possible.

Another option is the A6 Avant 3.0 TSi. Yeah, it's a bit slower than the S4 - mainly due to the size. Also doesn't have the exhaust character. So it replicates some of the reasons why I don't want a diesel. But it could be the 'next best thing'.

I think other than these two, I'll perhaps be looking at the BMW 340M Touring or the C43 Estate. Such a shame as we both love the Audi. Another option is to hold on to the current S4 for another year and hope that Audi come to their senses and change the S4 back to a Petrol again.

Thoughts?

 

[Terminator x]

O/T but Audi keep shooting themselves in the foot, look at all the Audi lovers (myself included) that have reluctantly jumped ship.

TX.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk

 

[Skatman]

O/T but Audi keep shooting themselves in the foot, look at all the Audi lovers (myself included) that have reluctantly jumped ship.

TX.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk

I honestly mean this from the bottom of my heart. I hope the S4 TDI fails miserably. I'm sure that's going to upset a lot of S4 TDI owners. But I really, really dislike it and I dislike the idea as much as the actual car itself. I feel this way about SUVs/Crossovers too so, knowing my luck, it'll sell blindingly well and we'll never see a petrol S4 again...

 

[RGBARGEE]

Hi everyone.

Got my B9 S4 Avant in Feb 2018 and, honestly, its as close to as perfect of a car as I've ever had. I love it.

My replacement path was going to be clear. Buy a new S4 B9. Then Audi went and threw a spanner in the works by sticking a diesel engine in them.

Now, I'm sure there are going to be some members here that have the diesel S4 and are more than happy with it. I'm not. I test drove one and it's just not the same. While it's definitely a very capable car, and I'm sure it chews through the miles with ease, it doesn't *feel* as fast, it certainly isn't anywhere near as fun to drive (subjective opinion based), it sounds terrible - it's just a loud diesel engine, fake exhausts annoy me, etc. etc. Basically, I just do not want one.

With that been said, myself and the missus are both very happy with Audi. We've had far fewer problems than we did with the Merc C Class it replaced. We love the interior. The Quattro. Basically everything about it.

So, my question is, what are you lot that are in a similar position to me thinking? I know I'm not the only one because the decision to change to diesel is, erm, controversial; and there are obviously still a lot of people wanting Audis.

The obvious decision would be go for an RS4. My only problem here is cost - I can afford it, but I'd rather not spend more than I currently am if possible.

Another option is the A6 Avant 3.0 TSi. Yeah, it's a bit slower than the S4 - mainly due to the size. Also doesn't have the exhaust character. So it replicates some of the reasons why I don't want a diesel. But it could be the 'next best thing'.

I think other than these two, I'll perhaps be looking at the BMW 340M Touring or the C43 Estate. Such a shame as we both love the Audi. Another option is to hold on to the current S4 for another year and hope that Audi come to their senses and change the S4 back to a Petrol again.

Thoughts?

Have you thought about a B9 RS4 .. ownership costs are probably very similar. You could buy a 69 plate like mine with Roof, B&O etc 8k miles for about £55k with a warranty. One of the most competent cars I have ever owned.and according to classic car magazine ‘a future classic’

 

[RGBARGEE]

Have you thought about a B9 RS4 .. ownership costs are probably very similar. You could buy a 69 plate like mine with Roof, B&O etc 8k miles for about £55k with a warranty. One of the most competent cars I have ever owned.and according to classic car magazine ‘a future classic’

I reckon if you buy and sell an RS 4 carefully the real ownership costs will not be hugely different to a petrol S4 @Skatman. My first in 03/18 was £60k got nearly £55k px ( plus road tax refund) in 09/69 for a sport edition also just over £60k with discount. 30mpg is regularly achieved on trips. 25 local stuff. The B9 is a great car and I wouldn’t even contemplate swapping for a M-B ( Mainly bling) or a BMW and definitely no SUVs here either!!

 

[Keef]

I have a 17 plate S4 fully loaded including sports diff - I’ve been through the exact same dilemma but after toying with the idea of an SQ5 I’ve decided to stick with my S4, only done 22.5k miles and still have extended warranty until April. Although I have been looking at 19 plate RS4’s and @RGBARGEE has the perfect colour & wheels for me

 

[JohnNW]

BMW M340i X-Drive is an obvious (although slightly more expensive) alternative and according to some Youtube videos, as quick off the line as an RS4.

Personally, I don't have an issue with a diesel in the S4 (or the M340d) and it makes a great long distance (touring) car, but what currently puts me off is the lack of adaptive suspension as an option on non-Vorsprung models. Also, BMW appear to have made quite a step forward in interior design and quality and that eats into one of Audi's long standing benefits.

It's a tough choice, but a nice place to be.

 

[RGBARGEE]

I have a 17 plate S4 fully loaded including sports diff - I’ve been through the exact same dilemma but after toying with the idea of an SQ5 I’ve decided to stick with my S4, only done 22.5k miles and still have extended warranty until April. Although I have been looking at 19 plate RS4’s and @RGBARGEE has the perfect colour & wheels for me

I should be selling her at some point as I have too many cars and £55k is a lot to be tied up. Always happy to discuss a deal!! .. was thinking of buying a 3/4 year old A4/S4 for the few times we need more seats and luggage capacity so px may be possible. PM if interested. BMW are improving but I'm still not convinced. Neighbour has a less than 2 year old 440i M Sport and has had no end of issues, Corroded wheels, leaks, music issues.. Customer care is poor.

 

[Nham68]

Hi everyone.

Got my B9 S4 Avant in Feb 2018 and, honestly, its as close to as perfect of a car as I've ever had. I love it.

My replacement path was going to be clear. Buy a new S4 B9. Then Audi went and threw a spanner in the works by sticking a diesel engine in them.

Now, I'm sure there are going to be some members here that have the diesel S4 and are more than happy with it. I'm not. I test drove one and it's just not the same. While it's definitely a very capable car, and I'm sure it chews through the miles with ease, it doesn't *feel* as fast, it certainly isn't anywhere near as fun to drive (subjective opinion based), it sounds terrible - it's just a loud diesel engine, fake exhausts annoy me, etc. etc. Basically, I just do not want one.

With that been said, myself and the missus are both very happy with Audi. We've had far fewer problems than we did with the Merc C Class it replaced. We love the interior. The Quattro. Basically everything about it.

So, my question is, what are you lot that are in a similar position to me thinking? I know I'm not the only one because the decision to change to diesel is, erm, controversial; and there are obviously still a lot of people wanting Audis.

The obvious decision would be go for an RS4. My only problem here is cost - I can afford it, but I'd rather not spend more than I currently am if possible.

Another option is the A6 Avant 3.0 TSi. Yeah, it's a bit slower than the S4 - mainly due to the size. Also doesn't have the exhaust character. So it replicates some of the reasons why I don't want a diesel. But it could be the 'next best thing'.

I think other than these two, I'll perhaps be looking at the BMW 340M Touring or the C43 Estate. Such a shame as we both love the Audi. Another option is to hold on to the current S4 for another year and hope that Audi come to their senses and change the S4 back to a Petrol again.

Thoughts?

I took the diesel route .. trading from S4 avant to S5 sportback (launch model , fully loaded). I’m still getting used to it.
It feels faster vs S4 .. though you have to fight a bit when getting all the torque down as it tramlines a bit.
Is a superb cruiser , and a torque monster with 45mpg on a recent trip.. Engine sound is not the same, no debate .. though usually I have music on so I never buy a car to hear the exhaust .. , I really don’t miss it (sound) now I don’t have it (personal choice)...

RS4 or Rs5 I would be concerned attracts a bit too much undesired attention inc theft .. I can’t hide it away unfortunately .

having said that, it took me a long time to press the button on the diesel S5 .. not fully 100% convinced I have to say, but still it’s a great car .. and the interior and is still a cut above the 3/4 series I looked at...

hope you find what you’re looking for !

 

[RGBARGEE]

RS4 or Rs5 I would be concerned attracts a bit too much undesired attention inc theft .. I can’t hide it away unfortunately .

One of the nice things about the RS4 in my opinion is the lack of attention it gets. It's not like it's a Ferrari or a Porsche! From most angles particularly in a 'sensible' colour it looks like any other A4/S4 Avant.. Those in the know will spot what it is but generally it is a bit of a Q Car.

 

[JohnNW]

BMW M340i X-Drive is an obvious (although slightly more expensive) alternative and according to some Youtube videos, as quick off the line as an RS4.

Personally, I don't have an issue with a diesel in the S4 (or the M340d) and it makes a great long distance (touring) car, but what currently puts me off is the lack of adaptive suspension as an option on non-Vorsprung models. Also, BMW appear to have made quite a step forward in interior design and quality and that eats into one of Audi's long standing benefits.

It's a tough choice, but a nice place to be.

Just checked and M340d is over £6K more expensive than S4, a difference only partly mitigated by BMW's 2.9% apr on PCP against Audi's 4.9%.
How much difference it makes on monthly PCP payments, I'm not sure though.

 

[RGBARGEE]

Just checked and M340d is over £6K more expensive than S4, a difference only partly mitigated by BMW's 2.9% apr on PCP against Audi's 4.9%.
How much difference it makes on monthly PCP payments, I'm not sure though.

PCP rates are bit of a con I reckon. Higher % generally means a car in higher demand and likely higher residual value. If you need a loan M&S or JL rates are low.

 

[Skatman]

Have you thought about a B9 RS4 .. ownership costs are probably very similar. You could buy a 69 plate like mine with Roof, B&O etc 8k miles for about £55k with a warranty. One of the most competent cars I have ever owned.and according to classic car magazine ‘a future classic’

I have, but I like to buy my cars new. Generally find you get better interest repayments and all of the roadside assistance/warranty etc leads to better peace of mind.

It's definitely worth keeping in mind though.

 

[RGBARGEE]

I have, but I like to buy my cars new. Generally find you get better interest repayments and all of the roadside assistance/warranty etc leads to better peace of mind.

It's definitely worth keeping in mind though.

Agree to a degree but you can buy an Audi Warranty including roadside until I think 10 years 100k miles. My lad pays less than £200 a year on a 7 year old VW. Interest rates on PCP/HP are bonkers given zero inflation currently. As mentioned M&S and JL offer cheap loans and Halifax and Lloyds even do PCPs.
Given the way Audi are going with the 8Y A/S3 and the Economy, Covid and Brexit I think many folks will be wanting to hang on to their 8v and B9 Audis a bit longer.

 

[Skatman]

I took the diesel route .. trading from S4 avant to S5 sportback (launch model , fully loaded). I’m still getting used to it.
It feels faster vs S4 .. though you have to fight a bit when getting all the torque down as it tramlines a bit.
Is a superb cruiser , and a torque monster with 45mpg on a recent trip.. Engine sound is not the same, no debate .. though usually I have music on so I never buy a car to hear the exhaust .. , I really don’t miss it (sound) now I don’t have it (personal choice)...

RS4 or Rs5 I would be concerned attracts a bit too much undesired attention inc theft .. I can’t hide it away unfortunately .

having said that, it took me a long time to press the button on the diesel S5 .. not fully 100% convinced I have to say, but still it’s a great car .. and the interior and is still a cut above the 3/4 series I looked at...

hope you find what you’re looking for !

See, I test drove the diesel and I found it noticeably slower and a and b roads. It may not have been any slower, but it certainly *felt* slower. It just lacked in the excitement and charisma areas for me, feeling heavier and less balanced in the corners. It probably wasn't. But it just felt that way and I didn't have a timer set for my runs funnily enough. . For me, this is an important aspect of choosing a car.

I also don't do enough miles to justify a diesel. Normally I'd be at less than 10k miles, but this year I think I've been around 6k for obvious reasons.

I configured an A6 Avant and an A7 the other day and it came in at roughly the right sort of price. But I've also read that Audi are going to release a 'TFSI e' range soon which sounds interesting as it'll save a bundle on fuel and still get the performance. Whether the charisma is there remains to be seen, but it almost certainly won't match the 'S' for that. The configurator wasn't working for these when I checked, so no idea about price either. Anyone got some ideas on cost/availability?

Failing the above two, it'll likely be the 340M X-Drive. It's had really great reviews. I just hope they don't transfer that utterly hideous grille from the 'M' cars onto it.

 

[Skatman]

Agree to a degree but you can buy an Audi Warranty including roadside until I think 10 years 100k miles. My lad pays less than £200 a year on a 7 year old VW. Interest rates on PCP/HP are bonkers given zero inflation currently. As mentioned M&S and JL offer cheap loans and Halifax and Lloyds even do PCPs.
Given the way Audi are going with the 8Y A/S3 and the Economy, Covid and Brexit I think many folks will be wanting to hang on to their 8v and B9 Audis a bit longer.

I understand what you're saying, but I would have to get out a loan to cover the whole amount where as a PCP deal only covers the amount estimated lost through depreciation over 3/4 years. This means my monthly payments are lower which is key. To get the same monthly payments with a loan, I'd have to take it out over longer which then, generally speaking, pushes the interest rates up more than the PCP deal. My APR on the S4 was 2.9% if I remember rightly and I'm yet to see any loans which match that.

 

[A4B9]

Definitely give the m340i a test drive, that straight six B58 engine is one of the best out there

 

[Skatman]

Definitely give the m340i a test drive, that straight six B58 engine is one of the best out there

Definitely. If nothing else, it'll give me negotiating leverage over Audi.

I may also have a look at the new XF. It's *only* got a 300 HP 2.0 Engine for the top model though...

 

[motty225]

As said try an m340i, check out trl deals for the best price for bmw, I've gone an even stranger way and ordered a polestar 2 to replace my s4

 

[Skatman]

As said try an m340i, check out trl deals for the best price for bmw, I've gone an even stranger way and ordered a polestar 2 to replace my s4

TRL Deals?

 

[motty225]

TRL Deals?

Tony Lewis he's on the BMW forums, just Google it he'll come straight up

 

[A4B9]

You can get a sizeable discount from BMW if you or someone you know is in the army, nhs or a teacher. My mrs is the latter which meant we got a huge chunk off a new X3 M40i

https://www.bmw-ukforces.co.uk/

 

[Skatman]

You can get a sizeable discount from BMW if you or someone you know is in the army, nhs or a teacher. My mrs is the latter which meant we got a huge chunk off a new X3 M40i

https://www.bmw-ukforces.co.uk/

Does it work with veterans?

 

[A4B9]

Should do mate

 

[eggraces]

i'd agree with most of the above, the next car to replace my S4 Avant will be an M340i, the cabin is finally up there and the package is very compelling - plus the residuals are better (albeit the petrol S4 residuals are a rare bright spot given the rarity!)

 

[Boosted_Six]

Another BMW defector here, S4 saloon is being replaced with an M550i in March. Audi have nothing I want below RS6 money.

 

[JohnNW]

Another BMW defector here, S4 saloon is being replaced with an M550i in March. Audi have nothing I want below RS6 money.

550i is a great choice and Clarkson raved about it in a recent test. Shame it's not available as a Touring though and it's from the class above an A4/S4.
What is it with BMW and fast estates? They don't do an M5 Touring nor an M550 or even a 540d. Someone at BMW just doesn't get how attractive fast estate cars are.

 

[RGBARGEE]

BMW are definitely upping their game these days.
Big discounts are generally available to all if you talk to the right person. I recall asking about NHS discount years ago with the response ‘you don’t want to pay that much’
Neighbour has 440i and BMW Customer care have been awful, corroded alloys, leaking boot, damaged HK as a result. Although Audi CC have been absolutely useless re an Approved TTS from Brighton that most definitely wasn’t! Still not resolved.
Good luck with the move to the dark side!

 

[driver_tim]

There is a new C Class due out this year I believe?

On the 3 series, although I am yet to test drive one I have seen the odd mention in reviews of the pedals being offset in RHD versions. Wouldn’t surprise me if this is true as BMW have history in this respect...

 

[RGBARGEE]

There is a new C Class due out this year I believe?

On the 3 series, although I am yet to test drive one I have seen the odd mention in reviews of the pedals being offset in RHD versions. Wouldn’t surprise me if this is true as BMW have history in this respect...

Sadly Mercedes Benz lost the plot in the mid/late 90’s. Current models aren’t the bullet proof icon cars of yesteryear but many like the it seems @Snake Pliskin

 

[driver_tim]

Sadly Mercedes Benz lost the plot in the mid/late 90’s. Current models aren’t the bullet proof icon cars of yesteryear but many like the it seems @Snake Pliskin

Had a C on hire a couple of years ago and actually really rather liked it. I agree the iPad superglued to the dash interiors weren’t the best, but the newer models don’t have those.

 

[RGBARGEE]

Had a C on hire a couple of years ago and actually really rather liked it. I agree the iPad superglued to the dash interiors weren’t the best, but the newer models don’t have those.

Wife had a rental for a couple of weeks, seemed cheap (low rent) and bling in comparison to Audi and date I say BMW. Need to be careful what I say as my stalker on here seems to think I’m not allowed an opinion.

 

[Snake Pliskin]

Had a C on hire a couple of years ago and actually really rather liked it. I agree the iPad superglued to the dash interiors weren’t the best, but the newer models don’t have those.

As previously mentioned ... I looked at a Merc on 2 occasions previously & did not get beyond sitting in one in the showroom - that was enough to put me off.

But stepping in the new A Class last year was a real 'wow' moment. Totally upped their game - cabin fit & finish was high end & premium feeling and the tech was just way ahead of Audi. A neighbor has just taken delivery of a new C Class Coupe and that looks really cool.

Had mine a year now and no complaints at all, very impressed.

 

[ub7rm]

I'm afraid to say I'm a BMW defector as well - S4 was coming to the end of the PCP and I thought hard about just buying it, but for a variety of reasons decided to replace.

Having made that decision, I didn't want to be hit by the luxury tax, and we no longer have a need for such a 'big' car - my heart was set on a GTI. Then I saw the interior / stupid interface. At about the same time I saw that BMW had launched a GTI competitor - 128ti. Obviously it doesn't have the raw power of the S4 but my god it handles well. Not exactly a slouch either - and the instant throttle and gearbox response is a revelation.

I do miss the quattro grip and relentless acceleration from any speed of the S4 though. But unless Audi up their game I can see my next car being the M340i - though that will be a little way off.