Help Please Potential purchase of 2009 S4 Avant

mk4gtiturbo

mk4gtiturbo

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Hi Guys and Gals,

I currently have a 2014 Octavia vRS estate diesel DSG, I have had it from new. I really like the car but about 18 months ago I changed jobs and I'm now not doing the miles I used to. My brother has a RS5 and I really like it however I'll never be able to afford to run one but I do like the idea of a supercharged V6 S4 Avant. There is one for sale locally to me and it seems like a good car with a few nice options. What are the things I need to look for when I view it and drive it?

Also I hear scare stories of the S-Tronic box. This car is a 2009 on 81k. Is it still an issue or is this one likely to have been replaced?

Any help much appreciated, I don't want to end up buying a dog.

Ta.
 
sorry it was buggin me as Audis website says a different figure so had to hunt for it, you can ask the current owner to see the reciepts :)

https://www.audi.co.uk/owners-area/servicing-maintenance-mot/regular-maintenance.html
Transmission fluid
Your Audi's transmission fluid acts as both a lubricant and coolant to your transmission system. Wear and tear breaks down the viscosity of transmission fluid, making it less effective and potentially causing damage to other components.

To make sure your gear changes remain seamless, your transmission fluid should be changed according to your service schedule every 38,000 miles.
 
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audi upgrades
Thank you, it's 40k miles on my current DSG so worth knowing about the shortened interval. I'll definitely be asking for evidence. It's at a trader so I think I'll try to get them to throw in a warranty as well.

Any other issues I should be aware of?
 
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Start up from cold and listen for any rattling at the rear of the engine bay - this could be a sign of lack of chain tension, a known problem
Check the central locking and powered windows - another problem area
Check for any unusual behaviour of the temp gauge or cooling fans - early water pumps could fail

Also some engines have high oil usage (often need PCV replacing), but I don't know how you would check this
 
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Any S4 owners local to you? It's 2009, so no spring chicken! Drive it and go with a gut instinct is the usual advice. As a back up take someone along with access to VCDS to do a scan after a test drive. Garage warranties aren't worth the paper they are written on, unless it's comprehensive and underwritten by reputable company.

At this kind if mileage, you want receipts and plenty if them. Suspension might be tired, so head for speed bumps and listen for tell tale clunks. If it were me, I'd replace the entire suspension with Meyle HD kit at 100k miles, drop the rear diff and transmission gear oil too.
 
I've got a 2010 with just over 90k on the clock. Make sure the gearbox has regular oil changes. Just check it like you would any other car of that age. As someone else said, a warranty isn't worth much. If you buy from a trader, I believe you have to have at least 3 months warranty anyway. Had mine since July and love it, but not the small fuel tank

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for the info so far. I have found out that the car has had some work done on the gearbox a couple of years ago, but I'm trying to find out what it was. Audi think the Mechtronic unit was changed. Does this solve the issue? Is it a revised part or is it likely to fail again?
 
I think that would entirely depend on whether it has been maintained to the proper service schedule since, even the newer ones are not immune to failures, just less reported with each revision.
was it Audi who did it?
 
Portsmouth Audi said they can see on their system it has had work but suggested I called Shrewsbury Audi who actually did the work. I can't get through at the moment, presumable due to the snow.
 
mk4gtiturbo said:
Portsmouth Audi said they can see on their system it has had work but suggested I called Shrewsbury Audi who actually did the work. I can't get through at the moment, presumable due to the snow.
Click to expand...
Ask them if there is a warranty on their work and for how long? :p
And if you are speaking to Audi already, they can tell you the electronic service history so you will know if it has been maintained to schedule since the work. Dont let them fob you off, seems all the newer Audi's have an electronic service book, not a paper one, and if its done by them they can tell you what was done. I tried getting the history this way on my new car and audi Southampton claimed they only see their own on site history, not the wider audi.. spoke to another dealer and they confirmed it had full audi history.. first dealer was being nonsensically difficult for no reason.. weird
 
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Portsmouth Audi tried telling me they could not give me any details for the vehicle because of data protection. When I questioned them further and explained that the data protection act only cover personal information they gave me the details I asked for!
 
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OK, Shrewsbury Audi have confirmed that it had the PCB in the Mechtronic unit changed in 2012 at 50k miles. Would it have had the fluid changed at the same time? Can they fail more than once? Is this likely to be ok?
 
i would be surprised if it hadnt been flushed and replaced with Audi changing bits, but only they could confirm, I would just make sure it gets one 38k after which based on that is only 7k away from (if it was done at 50 with the work). if it didnt get new fluids and filters with the work, it should of had its second transmission service 6k ago.
you must be sick of reading about/ chasing up on this gearbox!
Anything can fail more than once, but its reassuring knowing its new parts and done by the main dealer just 30k ago.
 
Maybe I should explain why I was asking if its a redesigned part. On my vRS the water pump went at 48k and was replaced under warranty with a different part as VAG know that this is a weak point which fixes the issue. Hoping it's similar on the S4 gearboxes!!

Thanks for all the advise so far, and sorry to be a pain but I actually quite that S4!!
 
OK, little update, test drove the S4 at lunchtime. It's drives really well, no clonks on speed bumps, changes gear smoothly, appears at face value to be a decent car ... until I got it up on a ramp. Multiple oil leaks from the engine, gearbox is also leaking fluid and there is evidence of poor damage repair.

Oh well, I'm sure there is one out there for me!!
 
Good job that you managed to get it up in the air to take a good look underneath, reinforces the importance of a thorough inspection prior to parting with hard-earned !!
 
I went to see one last weekend and it had oil in the expansion tank (lots of it) the dealer hadn’t even noticed.

It was due to a failed oil cooler, the dealer replaced the oil cooler and expansion tank then flushed the coolant, all good. But then they have point blank refused to change the contaminated oil, I feel for whoever ends up with that car because it is high spec and looks great. Without knowing the history and due to the lack of dipstick they’ll not know about what’s in the oil until it could be too late.
 
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