[s-cars] 2004 S4 Avant V8 -- Report on Test Drive

Tue May 7 11:27:57 PDT 2013

Robin,

How about looking for a  B6 S4 with engine issues and swap in an AAN?
Buy cheap and build the car you want.

Chris

>________________________________
> From: Robin Stoddard <robinstoddard at icloud.com>
>To: Keith Franchetti <skidfranc at gmail.com> 
>Cc: S-CAR list <s-car-list at audifans.com> 
>Sent: Saturday, May 4, 2013 6:36 PM
>Subject: Re: [s-cars] 2004 S4 Avant V8 -- Report on Test Drive
> 
>
>Hey Keith,
>
>I'm dealing with the same thoughts & issues as I have moved countries and sold all of my vehicles (except my 17 yr old daughters Rabbit).  Now I have no car and am struggling with what to buy.  I am also very interested in the B6 S4 but am worried about any issues (aka costs) that will eventually come up.  It's not a matter of if but when as far as I am concerned.  My thoughts are even going as far as to think that if the B6 V8 engine is prone to such big issues as the timing chain guides, then what about when the engine does let lose, pull it and install a AAN into the S4.
>Wild, yes, but I think the AAN is the best engine that I have played with / worked on to date and I do prefer the looks of the B6 S4 over the B5 S4.
>
>My favorite car to date was my 1996 UrS6, but that model is getting very old and body, suspension parts are hard to come by, hence the B6 with the AAN.  I know that if I buy another UrS4/6, that I would always be working on it rebuilding & fixing the 'next' thing that has worn out or broken.  
>
>I have been racing a B5 S4 for a while now; actually, it's currently on its way to Thunderhill right now, where I will continue to race it. While it is a fantastic car/engine, it has had it's share of issues that I'm kinda tired playing around with.
>
>Speaking of keeping ones mind open, I have been renting a 2013 Camaro SS for the last month and I have been really impressed. So much that I am thinking of forgoing the S4 and buying the new Z/28!  This way I would get the performance that I am seeking, but right from the factory.  True it's not a 4 door, but my wife wants an A3 and so that leaves the door open so to speak.  
>
>Good luck in your search and let me know what you end up with.
>
>Robin
>
>
>On 2013-05-04, at 11:12 AM, Keith Franchetti <skidfranc at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Size was more passable than I expected, but clearly smaller than the S6.  I
>> didn't get a cold start, as he'd just returned from the car wash. (If I go
>> back another day to try to get that cold start, is 2-3 hours in a parking
>> lot good enough?  Or should it be first start of the day?  Or maybe it's
>> academic:  I can probably expect that pretty massive timing chain service
>> in the next 1-3 years since I did ascertain it probably has not been done
>> yet.)  Great exhaust note--so much so that I had some concern about a
>> possible exhaust leak, but closer examination didn't turn anything up.
>> Sounded great, really.  Silver on black, wiht 114k miles.  Comfortable,
>> and all the creature comforts seem to work.  Clutch feels good. Paint is
>> probably a 7/10 overall. Sizable scuff or on rear bumper, but I didn't see
>> any damage to speak of really on the metal. Inside/underside of fenders
>> were all clean of rust.  He says he gets 17 mpg around town (mostly a 35
>> mph commute 12 miles into Burlington), and 21 on the highway. I suspect
>> this is a bit optimistic.
>> 
>> He mentioned that the good thing about the normally aspirated V8 is you
>> don't really have to put the premium gas in it.  He says he uses the medium
>> grade.  Which I take to mean he uses the cheapest stuff.  Would this cause
>> problems for the motor?  Or just degrade performance?
>> 
>> Speaking of performance:  Certainly it was a pretty quick car.  I don't
>> know that it was that much (if any) faster feeling than the defunct S6
>> (chipped) or my  A6 2.7T (also chipped).  Felt like the same ballpark,
>> though less lag in some conditions.  But I didn't find it staggeringly
>> quick or fast, though I didn't beat on it much.  Nor do I in most
>> circumstances.  I drive pretty conservatively, practically all the time.
>> 
>> He has serviced the car at the local dealership, supposedly every 5k miles
>> for the 15k miles he's owned it (year and a half).  He hasn't done any
>> control arm or suspension work.  He doesn't have any records from his own
>> time or previous owners.  Recent oil change, radiator repair, and repair of
>> rear hatch release.  I liked the owner.  He's early 30s, seems to have
>> money.  Had mild-moderate knowledge of the car.  He's moving towards a T6
>> Volvo wagon (300hp he says, but no stick, of course).
>> 
>> Comes with 2 sets of rims, but only one set of tires--pretty decent looking
>> winters, mounted on mediocre aftermarket 17s, that are straight and smooth.
>> Stock 18" rims are tireless.  He says they are straight.  Mild-moderate
>> curb rash on a couple on 3 of them.
>> 
>> To sum up:
>> 
>> Positives:
>> - Very fun and sporty and sharp 6-speed WAGON (a dying breed)
>> - Impossibly, my wife kind of loves it, and would likely go along with
>> purchasing (She hasn't shown interest in its fuel economy ratings.  Don't
>> ask, don't tell.)
>> - Along with roof rack, has the trailer hitch that allows rear mounted bike
>> rack with no paint contact
>> - I THINK it sort of has enough space for what I absolutely need.  My
>> greyhound would fit.  Though S6 size would clearly be better size.  (I
>> don't find any S6s for sale near me.  Should I wait or widen my search?
>> 6-speed available?)
>> 
>> Negatives:
>> - $12-14k for a highly used car.  How likely am I to get 5 years/120k miles
>> out of it?
>> - Gas economy. 18-20 mpg kinda sucks but I can live with it.  If it's
>> really close to the 13 around town, that's pretty awful.
>> - Realistically, I have to expect to do that timing belt service in the
>> next 1-2 years, right?  That's ANOTHER $2-4k.
>> - I imagine it's also going to need suspension work and/or fuel pump sorts
>> of shit before too long.
>> - Need summer or all seasons right out of the box
>> - Spending upwards of $12k for a car that's likely got a lot of needs
>> coming down the pike, that's no spring chicken, AND guzzles gas like a
>> 1970s land yaught.
>> 
>> My thoughts at the moment are that I want to drive a Mini Cooper (possibly
>> a newer larger AWD or extended version, and a Jetta TDI "sportswagon."
>> While I'm at the VW dealership, I'm going to have to give one of those CCs
>> a spin (2.0T, 6 speed--I think that is a pretty kick-ass looking sedan) AND
>> a Golf R (AWD).  I know!  That's getting pretty far away from my list of
>> demands, but maybe I'll end up broadening my mind.
>> 
>> Sorry if I'm sharing too many details.  I do really appreciate hearing
>> people's thoughts and experiences though.
>> 
>> Keith
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