Help Please Stupid question from a stupid kid on transmission converts

[ThePoorDKW]

What the title says. There's a kickass *heavily* modded A4 S4 '08 Quattro for 6k I'm very much considering. But I'm 19 and still can't drive manual? (Laugh now).
Would it be completely out of the question insane to convert to an automatic? Whether for practical, logical, monetary or a combination of all three reasons?
Also I'm anticipating several thousand, but I really can't seem to find a good metric for how much I'd have to pay for such an outlandish request.

 

[NHN]

I wouldn't, it could easily spiral.

Find a nice stronic supercharged one, alternatively if you go for the 2.0 tfsi which is much cheaper to tune, then be wary of the piston ring oil loss issues, fixable but several k.

 

[B5NUT]

Would be quicker, cheaper, and more fun to learn to drive a manual. Problem with conversion is your not just taking about a simple mechanical change. There is the wiring harness that would either need to be modified for the Autobox or you would need to buy a new engine bay wiring harness as the gearbox wiring are all part of the engine bay wiring. There is also all the software on the car that needs to know it's been converted to an Auto. Also the interior around the gearbox comes through will need to be changed along with the pedals. Finally you also need to change the front subframe and mounts as they are different.

If you cannot do any of the above work yourself then you looking at many thousands of pounds in labour alone (If you can find a garage that would take the job on) You would also be looking a good few grand in parts. Over all not worth it, just learn to drive a manual.

 

[NHN]

As he said lol, it is a huge amount of work.

 

[quattrogone]

Learn to drive a manual or add the thousands you save to one with an auto box in it!

 

[spartacus68]

19 year old (assume male) and a heavily modded S4. Your insurance will cost more than the car!
Out of interest have you had a quote via insurance sites? I’d have thought they’d want you on telemetrics black box as still under 20 which is harder than it looks trying to drive like Miss Daisy.

 

[jdp1962]

Don’t build a car you can buy.

 

[g00se]

I'm a bit confused by the "kickass *heavily* modded A4 S4 '08 Quattro for 6k"

2008 S4 would be the B7 4.2 V8.... so i can only assume (from the 4cyl pic) you are referring to a 2008 A4 (S4 replica) 2.0 TFSI with bolt-on's and a tune?!?

Like the others said, best to learn to drive manual.

goose

 

[NWHighlander]

As an retired DSA driving Instr, I'd strongly recommend you get a manual licence, if you pass only an auto then you cannot drive a manual and one day you may have to. If I was you spend a bit more time looking around, the S4 may look appetising but there are more or better around the corner. Insurance has been touched on, I would not be surprised if it could cost 50% of the value of the car, I mean 3rd party, if someone is prepared to offer a quote !

Probably you don't want to read this bit, but I'd get a banger and learn to drive, that's when learning to drive really begins, the driving test is not real life it proves the sq root of FA. You've got many driving years ahead of you so build some NCD with a low value car and save your cash for the best car you can afford, not the first one that grabs your attention. No apologies for the lecture, just my years of experience of seeing it go wrong.

Mike

 

[SiPie]

19 year old (assume male) and a heavily modded S4. Your insurance will cost more than the car!
Out of interest have you had a quote via insurance sites? I’d have thought they’d want you on telemetrics black box as still under 20 which is harder than it looks trying to drive like Miss Daisy.

He or she is from Maine, US insurance costs not such an issue

 

[ninjag]

Not sure about used, if you would even trust one, but isn't a new s-tronic transmission like $10k+ just for the unit?