Am I mad? Toying with the idea of moving on from the S4 to a Merc?

Russboy

Russboy

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So originally I was looking at maybe going to an RS4 but they seem to have a lot of problems, plus are seriously holding their value. Need to have the space for 2 kids and 2 German Shepherds but still want to keep some decent power under my right foot so it needs to be a powerful estate.

I got looking on Autotrader, as you do, and for around £26k to £30k you can get a fairly modern looking (in comparison to the S4) Mercedes CLA45 AMG Shooting Brake. Under 40k miles, 350bhp, pan roof, more modern looking dash (?), better on fuel, marginally cheaper on tax and much newer than the S4. Insurance is almost the same as the S4, although the value is nearly twice as much. Need to have the space for 2 kids and 2 German Shepherds but still want to keep some decent power under my right foot

I'm sure they have their problems, like all cars do.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...ur Wheel Drive&keywords=shooting brake&page=1

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Just wonder if I am going mad!!
 
You need reasons, you're asking the world to decide for you bud, do you see you've already got your answer ;)
 
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As a starting point, don't think about what car to buy. Instead, think about the reasons for changing at all. What is it you're looking for from your car that the current one doesn't provide? Lower running costs rarely justify a change because they'll probably be exceeded by the expense of changing.
 
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NHN said:
You need reasons, you're asking the world to decide for you bud, do you see you've already got your answer ;)
Click to expand...

Ok, so I guess the question should be, what are the opinions on the AMG?

My reasons for even thinking about a change:

With the S4 i'm fed up of having the fear of a major bill with the weak gearbox (mines a 2010)
Feel it might be time to get something newer but still with low miles. We only do around 5k a year so it would remain low mileage

Having trawled Autotrader there doesn't seem a lot else out there that also delivers the balance of power and practicality. Driving back from Littlehamptom to home in Epsom tomorrow and passing a garage that has one so will pop in. Need to know if the boot is even big enough for my needs, if it isn't then it's out. If it does then float my boat i'll keep a casual eye out for the right car, in no hurry to sell the S4 at all.
 
Stronic gearbox issues on an S4?

Really, multitronic choc box yes, not heard of any serious stronic issues, but do tell if so.
 
jdp1962 said:
As a starting point, don't think about what car to buy. Instead, think about the reasons for changing at all. What is it you're looking for from your car that the current one doesn't provide? Lower running costs rarely justify a change because they'll probably be exceeded by the expense of changing.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's what I did to lead me to my decisions of what to feed into Autotrader, the Merc was the outcome of those choices.

Under 50k miles
Less than 5 years old
Estate or similar
Petrol only
Power of 300+bhp
Pano roof
Under £30k
 
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NHN said:
Stronic gearbox issues on an S4?

Really, multitronic choc box yes, not heard of any serious stronic issues, but do tell if so.
Click to expand...

This forum alone has plenty of threads of people having issues due to failed mechatronic units and i'm led to believe that's thousands to correct. Actually what got me looking was someone on here saying they have just got past the 6 months of driving thinking 'what was that noise, what will it cost me!', I realised I've been doing the same. My cars only just about to hit 50k miles but it still gets me worried.
 
The boot looks pretty small but other than that it looks a lovely car.
Then again our lurcher gets spoiled, she refuses to go in my A4 and will only travel about in the missus' Sharan.
 
Owyn said:
The boot looks pretty small but other than that it looks a lovely car.
Then again our lurcher gets spoiled, she refuses to go in my A4 and will only travel about in the missus' Sharan.
Click to expand...

That's what i thought on the boot. Autotrader says 495 litres of boot space with the seats up in the Merc but doesn't show the figure for the S4! For a standard 2010 A4 it does say 490 litres so nothing in it, just may be a different shape.

My dogs jump in the S4 as soon as the boot is open, whenever the boot is open!
 
I think the headline number is pretty similar, that's just up to the bottom of the windows though. Your poor pooches might be a bit cramped with that sloping roof line.
 
Generally the only time they go in the car is for the 45 mile drive from Epsom to our house in Littlehampton, they tend to lie down on that.

If I stop and look at this car tomorrow I might ask if one of the dogs can sit in it!!
 
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Remember though the S-Tronic is a numbers game. Yes there are threads about the issues but people don't come to the forums to post "mine is fine". Forums are populated by a few enthusiasts and people looking for help. Take a look at any number of the recent "help please" threads and note also they say "new member" in a lot of cases.

Only Audi know the real numbers. I rest easier knowing there are more repairers out there now rather than Audi's solution of order a new box.
 
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scotty76 said:
Remember though the S-Tronic is a numbers game. Yes there are threads about the issues but people don't come to the forums to post "mine is fine". Forums are populated by a few enthusiasts and people looking for help. Take a look at any number of the recent "help please" threads and note also they say "new member" in a lot of cases.
Click to expand...

As perfectly illustrated here @scotty76 :).
 
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As I’ve learnt in the past forums do at times have lots of scaremongering posts which send people into a needless panic (me included) all cars have faults no matter what you buy there’s always a chance something major could break! Anyway onto the Merc I’m a massive fan of them a very cool looking estate I can imagine the boot will be slightly smaller with the sloping roof design but I’m sure you will squeeze them dogs in :)
 
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Them mercs....
Hmmmm.
I like the front end up until just past the grill, then they just look a bit fugly and Nissanish.
(Google Nissan primera estate)
Keep the S4 and cherish it
 
Before i got my current Audi i was considering a C class...

If its an outright purchase I found that Mercedes dont seem to hold there resale value aswell an Audi and the interiors to be a bit bland an plain really.

My neighbour has a C250 and couldnt get out of our culdesac when it snowed.
 
CDI ?
Well they are rear wheel drive like BM's.

B8 Avant dash Vs S204 , I know which one I'd rather look at .
 
So I stopped off to view the car.

Allegedly they can't get them in quick enough to sell, but then why was this one parked out back with the brakes seized on? They said it'd been parked up a week, worrying if the brakes seized up that quick.

Made an awful noise when I twice went into reverse, third time was ok, possibly just where it had been sitting again.

Got the feeling that this was a base model, manual seats were a clue .

Firstly I really like the look of the car, looks so modern. Secondly the seats are so nice, they are a figure hugging Recaro. Boot space was actually ok, opening a little narrow but then I only allow the dogs in one at a time so they don't scratch the paint anyway.

After that, well it was a bit of a let down.

Interior felt far cheaper than the S4, thin plastic everywhere. Definitely not as spacious inside as the S4 and that's not exactly roomy. Wife hated the screen just plonked on the dashboard and questioned why in this day and age it has such a massive border as well.

There is NO exhaust note at all on idle and revving it, ok it's a 2L turbo not a supercharged V6 but I expected something being the top of the range of that model.

Didn't drive it, didn't have time with the dogs in the S4, plus kids were in tow as well. I might still drive one at some point, but for today I just left their forecourt letting the induction kit echo the supercharger as I flew up the road.

Keeping the S4 ....... for now. Unless something jumps out and screams at me (wife wants a Range Rover, now there's a money pit!!) I suspect I might stay as I am for another year and look at my options again. Only sensible option I can see at the moment would be to upgrade to a newer S4, no point doing that for now.
 
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Fair play, guessing it was a manual you tried? Quite a few people slate manual gearboxes in Merc's. Better the devil you know and all that jazz, if you need to burn some cash I might need a new car soon too due to my city's silly emission laws coming in.
 
audi upgrades
DieselJake said:
Fair play, guessing it was a manual you tried? Quite a few people slate manual gearboxes in Merc's. Better the devil you know and all that jazz, if you need to burn some cash I might need a new car soon too due to my city's silly emission laws coming in.
Click to expand...

No it was an auto with paddles, think all the AMG ones are.

Just need B9 S4's to come down in price now :)
 
Felt guilty so gave it a quick wash, tyre gel and thorough clean inside, ****** kids!

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33322984238_57b01f5cfe_b.jpg
 
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My mate as a CLA45. I like Mercs and will quite possibly buy one next so am certainly not an Audi fanboy. The CLA is quite nice on the outside but inside... that dash is horrific. I couldn’t live with the interior and that media system is seriously dung.

Hence why the new model has been so comprehensively revamped inside.

Having said all that, they sound great and are quite quick. They’re seriously dated already though.
 
Deo said:
How much was the diffuser and where was it from? Looks good
Click to expand...

I bought it 2nd hand for £70, but I believe new it was £300, maybe even a little more.
 
Evil Derboy said:
My mate as a CLA45. I like Mercs and will quite possibly buy one next so am certainly not an Audi fanboy. The CLA is quite nice on the outside but inside... that dash is horrific. I couldn’t live with the interior and that media system is seriously dung.

Hence why the new model has been so comprehensively revamped inside.

Having said all that, they sound great and are quite quick. They’re seriously dated already though.
Click to expand...

The 2L turbo with 355bhp I tried sounded so quiet it was untrue. Maybe it was because it hadn't warmed up when I revved it and I didn't actually drive it but in comparison to the S4 it was deadly quiet.

The 6.3L however does sound great. Someone was taking one out for a test drive when I was looking at the CLA45 and the noise it made was amazing! Having said that the MPG is said to be even worse than the S4, something I didn't think was possible!
 
I think being concerned about the s-tronic problems on a 2010 S4 is understandable, but they are not all going bad. Turbo failure was a worry for me on my B5 S4, but at least I had the option of upgrading to K04s if the K03s died. But I had that car stage 2 for 13 years and over 100K and the turbos were fine. On the forums when new folks asked about getting a used B5, we always used to advise them to be ready to pay £3-4K to replace the turbos (engine out), because that was the worst that could happen. With the B8 the risk does seem to be the gearbox, but I don't think its a case of finding the money for a new one any more - some owners have had repairs for a few grand?

I haven't driven the CLA45 but lets face it all 2.0L turbos are the same when it comes to that sort of power - the full boost is great but the lag before is not. The beauty of the supercharged engine is the instant torque we get.
 
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Car is in for a service in a month and going to ask my local independent garage if they'll drain the box, drop the sump, clean the sump (no point replacing for £150) and change the syphon in the box. New seal for the sump and fresh oil in there. Mate at Audi said my box is sealed for life but did say the syphon could be considered as a serviceable part. Having watched you tube video it pops out easy enough, just hope the garage are up for doing it.

Will cost between £200 and £300 but hopefully gives me that piece if mind I'm craving.
 
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