Went to look at an S4 - WTF do some people do to their cars?!

scotty76

scotty76

Registered User
Joined
Nov 9, 2011
Messages
3,826
Reaction score
2,829
Points
113
Location
Berkshire
I so wanted to like it but was disappointing. Looked neglected. '11 plate. 3 out of 4 wheels had been curbed and repaired. Back bumper had a ding out of it badly repaired. Bonnet panel gap was way out on one side (shunt repair?). Stone chips on the bonnet badly repaired. Local Audi dealer want £24,995 for this. Dream on! I don't know WTF some people do to their cars. I mean it must have been £45-50k new. Why would you not look after it?!
 
Link?

Audi usually refurb cars and fix the kerbed wheels and any bodywork blemishes before its actually sold.
 
Will find a link later. However if you saw a car in that state wouldn't you worry what else might be wrong? It clearly hasn't been loved. Rather pass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TahirS
As said company car or just too much money to bother! I always think it is shame though a great piece of engineering that many would give their right arm for.
 
desertstorm said:
This one ?

Vehicle View - Audi S4 3.0 T FSI V6 quattro - Newbury
Click to expand...

Yep, that's the one. No photos up yet. I don't think they'll be doing many deals either, the place was mobbed today and the earliest they could do a test drive was next week! It's a manual so the £475 road tax vs. the £280 for the auto is vaguely scary.

As a slight aside, can anyone tell me what sort of servicing the S4 needs? Do they have a cambelt or a chain and if so when is it due? Any other major service items?
 
I looked at this car this afternoon. I went to look at a black RS5 that was parked right behind it. Did look a bit rough round the edges for its age. Which salesman showed you round it?
 
Hey Warren. Saw the RS5, looked cool. Also liked both the blue S5s, so did daughter no.2 but a bit out of budget. :) The £79k RS6 seemed to be out on a test drive when I got there. One day. :)

Louise was who I spoke to though in fairness I did turn up without an appointment.
 
Actually I missed another snag. The windscreen had a large chip on the drivers side which looked like a potential MOT fail given where it was. Noticed the car had the sensor for the wipers and headlights. I wondered if this meant it needed a more expensive windscreen replacement or whether the sensor bit is just stuck on?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Djdenzil
No photos means the car is being prepared to 'Approved' standards. Ie everything is in the process of being fixed.
 
audi upgrades
Interesting, I have an insider contact at the dealership so I'll try and get some intel on the car (honest) as I thought it looked ropey.

The RS5 was such a good price I had to have a look (was walking from our house into john Lewis at home in town and thought I'd drop by). Looked very nice. RS6 by the entrance (red) was back by the time we walked home. Was immense. Also lovely RS5 convertible in grey in the corner.

S4 is a lovely car, keep looking, there are regularly new ones turning up in there.
 
Thanks for that Warren. And thanks for the info on the fact that S4s turn up regularly. I keep an eye on the website but have seen very few listed. Oxford seem to get them quite often, they have a red one at the moment, but not many in Newbury. Reading only ever seem to list their ex-demonstrators.

Got my current car from Newbury. Salesman was a guy called Mark who seemed fine. Never been back for servicing as use local indie (Jantech - ex master tech from Newbury SEAT) as had very average service from in group Ridgeway VW and never quite forgot it.
 
scotty76 said:
Thanks for that Warren. And thanks for the info on the fact that S4s turn up regularly. I keep an eye on the website but have seen very few listed. Oxford seem to get them quite often, they have a red one at the moment, but not many in Newbury. Reading only ever seem to list their ex-demonstrators.

Got my current car from Newbury. Salesman was a guy called Mark who seemed fine. Never been back for servicing as use local indie (Jantech - ex master tech from Newbury SEAT) as had very average service from in group Ridgeway VW and never quite forgot it.
Click to expand...

I've always found the after sales at Newbury Audi to be hit and miss. The good intention is there, but then executed like people who've never experienced proper empathy driven customer service (all very scripted).

Sometimes if you provide a loose spec and you're prepared to be a bit flexible they can keep an eye on ex Audi UK cars, but anything that comes in as trade is luck of the draw.
 
  • Like
Reactions: scotty76
scotty76 said:
Yep, that's the one. No photos up yet. I don't think they'll be doing many deals either, the place was mobbed today and the earliest they could do a test drive was next week! It's a manual so the £475 road tax vs. the £280 for the auto is vaguely scary.

As a slight aside, can anyone tell me what sort of servicing the S4 needs? Do they have a cambelt or a chain and if so when is it due? Any other major service items?
Click to expand...

Really??? That much difference in tax between the auto and the Manueline? Don't know what as autos have worse mpg!
 
scotty76 said:
Yep, that's the one. No photos up yet. I don't think they'll be doing many deals either, the place was mobbed today and the earliest they could do a test drive was next week! It's a manual so the £475 road tax vs. the £280 for the auto is vaguely scary.

As a slight aside, can anyone tell me what sort of servicing the S4 needs? Do they have a cambelt or a chain and if so when is it due? Any other major service items?
Click to expand...

Really??? That much difference in tax between the auto and the Manual? Don't know what as autos have worse mpg!
 
Afraid so. Manual is VED band L. Auto is K. I discovered that a while back as I noticed that the manuals are always quite a bit cheaper in Autotrader. So went looking for the reason.
 
scotty76 said:
Yep, that's the one. No photos up yet. I don't think they'll be doing many deals either, the place was mobbed today and the earliest they could do a test drive was next week! It's a manual so the £475 road tax vs. the £280 for the auto is vaguely scary.

As a slight aside, can anyone tell me what sort of servicing the S4 needs? Do they have a cambelt or a chain and if so when is it due? Any other major service items?
Click to expand...


Engine has a chain, I have not paid to get it serviced yet, but will have done in the summer at 3+ years old and only 15+K miles! Should not be anything too fancy, using Audi main dealer will mean getting shafted but I probably will do for this year at least.
 
  • Like
Reactions: scotty76
So as a follow up I went back today and took it for a test drive. What an engine! The previous owner had set the speed warning at 80mph and I can see why. It binged at me a few times and I kept thinking "really, but I just pressed the pedal a little bit?!". :) My current B7 is no slouch, 240bhp with the remap but this was just a different league. I wasn't sure whether it would suit the manual box or whether the s-tronic would be a better match, but it was fine. It's a shame the tax is so bad on the manual.

I discussed the state of the car with the sales guy (Jeremy) and he said all the issues would be fixed (as a6-chris predicted) and he was aware it needed a new windscreen.

In the end I kept my cool as Slough Audi have an S4 with a much better spec, 15k less miles and £100 less sticker price. I just reminded myself at my regret in rushing into my current A4. It is the meanest spec in the country, no nothing. No trip computer only "miles 'til empty" and no options whatsoever. It's still a lot of fun which is why I bought it but I probably could have got more toys with a bit more patience.

So an enlightening day. The engine was a peach and that was the main takeaway (along with a fear of losing my license) but I'll probably keep looking.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TahirS
Funnily enough I walked past the car again today as Jeremy was backing it up down the side of the dealers. You can't have long took it back. (We'd just been in to town for lunch). I think your doing well to hold off and wait and see what comes up. I regularly see any cars that sit for a bit have some money taken off the screen price, so if you hold off and it was to sit you could save a couple of g's.

The engine is a peach, but I find it doesn't feel as quick as you'd expect until you look at the speedo. It's such linear grunt that it's disarmingly stealthy power. A real easy licence loser! Good luck with the search!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Snake Pliskin
Cheers Warren. I noticed most of the legal bit of the speedo is in about the first 1/4!
 
  • Like
Reactions: TahirS
dpaz you're right. It's just finding one nearby that's the issue! Family life means I have to juggle my time.
 
Try the S5 they have, I'm sure the blue one is STronic. I know it's not the same car, but it will give you a fair reflection. All MY2012 S5's (onward) are STronic only.
 
  • Like
Reactions: scotty76
warren_S3 said:
Funnily enough I walked past the car again today as Jeremy was backing it up down the side of the dealers. You can't have long took it back. (We'd just been in to town for lunch). I think your doing well to hold off and wait and see what comes up. I regularly see any cars that sit for a bit have some money taken off the screen price, so if you hold off and it was to sit you could save a couple of g's.

The engine is a peach, but I find it doesn't feel as quick as you'd expect until you look at the speedo. It's such linear grunt that it's disarmingly stealthy power. A real easy licence loser! Good luck with the search!
Click to expand...




I can concur to this.

Gave mine a good run out at the weekend and entering a motorway from a slip road I booted it and was 'alarmed' when I looked down at my speedo and saw the speed ... it did not feel anything close to the speed I was actually doing so had to put the anchors on very quickly :)

As you say Warren, the speed builds rediculously quickly and is so smooth and linear it keeps the car flat so you don't always feel how fast you are actually accelerating.

Note: If you can find a 'private road' to try it on you can cruise effortlessly at 90mph just a whisker above 2,000 rpm and virtually no noise to speak ok.
 
  • Like
Reactions: All-rod and scotty76
warren_S3 said:
Interesting, I have an insider contact at the dealership so I'll try and get some intel on the car (honest) as I thought it looked ropey.
Click to expand...

I don't suppose you have heard anything Warren? They called me back today. I asked if they'd fixed it up yet and the answer was no because "the guy has been off"! Off to Slough this weekend (joy!) to see their pair of S4s. One manual, one S-tronic. Emailed Bristol about an S-tronic they have in but got no reply. Why list an email contact if you have no intention of replying to them? :)
 
I haven't, I'll call Brian tomorrow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: scotty76
scotty76 said:
Afraid so. Manual is VED band L. Auto is K. I discovered that a while back as I noticed that the manuals are always quite a bit cheaper in Autotrader. So went looking for the reason.
Click to expand...
Road tax for manual is £280.
 
Alright Trev241... No need for handbags.

Manual S4's if correctly registered should be £475 per year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: scotty76
Trev, I never said your car cost that but all the ones I have seen do.

Tax

Tax2
 
The DVLA often make a mess of registrations and end up putting a car in a different category. I had it with an imported Nissan Skyline I owned.

Your meant to correct them but nobody does unless it's the other way around.
 
  • Like
Reactions: scotty76
dpaz said:
The DVLA often make a mess of registrations and end up putting a car in a different category. I had it with an imported Nissan Skyline I owned.

Your meant to correct them but nobody does unless it's the other way around.
Click to expand...

I had this Problem with our old R34 Skyline, was being taxed over £400 a year for it, eventually after a lot of time and phone calls it came down to about £260 a year
 
  • Like
Reactions: scotty76
scotty76 said:
Trev, I never said your car cost that but all the ones I have seen do.

View attachment 29831

View attachment 29832
Click to expand...
Carried out a bit of research for you, the S4 had emissions of 225 g/km at launch, however it seems that Audi in their wisdom made the car approx 10 kilos heavier at some point knocking it into the next tax bracket.
I do not have the exact date but I suspect this change was made sometime in 2010.
The original unladen weight was 1650 for the manual.
If you want to pay £280 road tax you need to look for an early model.
 
  • Like
Reactions: scotty76
audi upgrades
Trev241 said:
Carried out a bit of research for you, the S4 had emissions of 225 g/km at launch, however it seems that Audi in their wisdom made the car approx 10 kilos heavier at some point knocking it into the next tax bracket.
I do not have the exact date but I suspect this change was made sometime in 2010.
The original unladen weight was 1650 for the manual.
If you want to pay £280 road tax you need to look for an early model.
Click to expand...
Sorry to disagree Trev241, but scotty76 is correct.
My manual May 2009 registered S4 has the £475 applied.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Eigdoog
Looking at a S4 today! What to look out for?
Replies
0
Views
504
Eigdoog
Eigdoog
R
A4 2.0 TDI - What to do!
Replies
12
Views
2K
RainbowShooter
R
Audi Dynamik
What oil do people use ?
Replies
11
Views
2K
ScottishA4B9
ScottishA4B9
KingJMLE
New wheels, what to do next!
Replies
1
Views
521
quattrogone
quattrogone
E
Wanna do some MMI changes!
Replies
0
Views
1K
Espen
E
Top
Back