Buying a new S4

[Brett Dikeman]

At 11:23 AM -0600 3/6/02, Sue Kraft wrote:
>I am about to purchase a new 2002 S4 and would appreciate any feedback
>on the car before I take the plunge.  Any problems that I should be
>aware of?  Also, any info on the aftermarket performance chips that are
>available would be helpful.  Thanks!

Sue,

Audi is supposedly being very aggressive about going after S4 owners
who chip their cars; Audi Client Relations supposedly told one
owner(who had broken turbos) that they were "going to make an example
out of him."

   I have it from a good friend that a customer of Ira Audi was told
never to come back for service after they found an aftermarket air
filter and chip installed(the failure was unrelated; the transmission
lost all its oil over the course of a cross-country trip, naturally
annoying the bejezus out of the owner, who was then less than pleased
at being told to go away.  The dealership did repair the damage, as
they must by law.  At least there are plenty of dealerships in the
area happy to take the business.)

As for feedback in general, the turbo bypass valves are becoming
infamous failure items on almost all the turbo engines(they always
have been, but it seems particularly bad in the newer cars.)  Some
suspect this is what eventually causes turbo failure even in
unmodified cars.  It is somewhat of a rare failure, so I wouldn't
worry too much.

Last is somewhat of a warning about depreciation; since the '99 model
it has been consistently been given a "poor" rating for depreciation.
99 models are currently going for the mid-high 20's to very low 30's.
Some have been spied at the bottom of the 20's if they have higher
mileage.  Don't expect your car to have some astronomical resale
value in a few years...

That said, it is a car that has consistently received praise from the
automotive press, has very good build quality and finish(save for
that atrocious blue interior; looks horrible)...and is considered an
excellent value in terms of what it is(small, luxury sports sedan)
and a very practical one at that(with the fold-down seats for hauling
an impressive amount of stuff even in the sedan, and all wheel drive
for messy weather.)

My suggestion is to enjoy the car as is for now; they're plenty quick
enough and fun to drive for just about any taste.  If you really want
to enjoy your car, sign up for the quattro club of America and attend
a few driver education events; they're held on tracks, with very good
instruction, never timed, so the emphasis is on learning and having
fun.  I've heard a lot of stories from Audifans and QCUSA members
about near-accidents that start out "thanks to what I learned at the
drivers schools..."

Lastly, IMHO you shouldn't pay MSRP on an S4; dealers may make a fuss
and say the cars are selling like hotcakes; it's not entirely BS, but
it is close.  The S4s, particularly the wagons, aren't really the hot
sellers dealers would like them to be and its not like if you don't
buy the car, someone else will the next day.  There should be plenty
of room for negotiation on the price; look to get about 5% or
slightly more, above -dealer invoice-.  Oh, and when you do purchase,
don't take delivery of the car at night; you might want to pick it up
in the morning, and go over it with a fine tooth comb.  Make sure all
body panels line up, paint looks consistent and perfect, no
dents/dings/scratches/whatever, interior including leather is in
-perfect- shape, etc...for roughly $40k, you should be getting a
-perfect- car in all regards.

Brett
--
----
"They that give up essential liberty to obtain temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Ben Franklin
http://www.users.cloud9.net/~brett/