Audi S4 (C4), Any Experience With One?

"WhatDaFunk" (WhatDaFunk)
12/19/2013 at 18:14 • Filed to: Audi S4

Looking at potentially buying a '92 S4, 5-speed manual, 240K mi. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with them. Are they nightmares to own?

DISCUSSION (20)

A3R0 > WhatDaFunk
12/19/2013 at 19:15

I currently own a very similar car, and have known people with Urs4s/s6s. From what I've heard, they're fantastic cars to drive, and really reliable, but once they get up there they can easily start to eat through parts, which are obviously expensive.

They're like the ultimate sleeper though.

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > A3R0
12/19/2013 at 19:16

Whoops, posted this from my brother's account. That comment was supposed to come from me.

93C4S4 > WhatDaFunk
12/19/2013 at 19:31

I'm usually just a lurker, but I own a 93 S4 so I figured I might have something worth while to add. With an S4 with that many miles, it better have a good service history because little things will add up quickly. There is also a large fan base for the UrS4 and there are a few forums for it. The UrS4 fun car and I'd recommend it as long as you have the financial means to fix the problems that will occasionally pop up.

Manuél Ferrari > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
12/19/2013 at 20:00

How much can you buy it for?

I guess if you get it really cheap you can create a monthly budget for parts and repairs.

WhatDaFunk > Manuél Ferrari
12/19/2013 at 20:54

He's asking $3,800 for the car, so that's not much of a burden for me. I currently own an E34 535i that I would sell if I were to buy this, so that would offset the cost some. I spent about $3,000 on maintenance over the last 3 years of owning the 535, so if the S4 is inline or a bit higher than that I'd be OK with that.

I work from home too, so if the S4 breaks down it's more of an inconvenience than a hardship, so that definitely gives me a lot of flexibility on the type of car I own.

Manuél Ferrari > WhatDaFunk
12/19/2013 at 20:57

Hmm

I know the Audi is an S model and the bimmer is not an M. But do you think the Audi will really be that much better? An E34 535i seems like a pretty good car to me. It would kind of suck to let it go after investing $3000 into it over the last few years.

WhatDaFunk > 93C4S4
12/19/2013 at 20:59

Thanks for the feedback. I don't know the status of service records, but will definitely look into that. If I'm serious about buying the car after a test drive I'll take it to my mechanic first to make sure I'm not getting in over my head.

I almost bought a B5 S4 avant last year, it was a good price but it need like $10K in maintenance so I decided not to.

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > Manuél Ferrari
12/19/2013 at 21:22

Yes. Nothing prepares you for the 5 cylinder, especially with added turbo. Plus they're comfy and handle really well.

Manuél Ferrari > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH
12/19/2013 at 21:33

Dat turbo 5 cylinder is probably pretty cool

It probably won't out handle the bimmer though. Especially if you spent a little bit on suspension upgrades.

I just have such a soft spot for the E34 535i. It was such a good looking 5er and I think it was the final evolution of the legendary 3.5L I6

WhatDaFunk > Manuél Ferrari
12/19/2013 at 21:36

I'm not sure how much better the S4 is going to be then my current 535. On paper they don't seem that dissimilar, honestly. The 535 has less horsepower but is also lighter, the S4 is .8 seconds quicker to 60. I'm definitely happy with my bimmer, it does everything I want and it does it well, but my car ADD is acting up. Also, I have to admit, the rarity of the UrS4 is kind of appealing to me.

I tend to vacillate between really wanting to buy another car (but looking at something old and cheap 'cause I don't have a ton of money), then I go to thinking I've got a pretty good car now, why am I going to go through the hassle, expense and risk of buying something that might really be a lateral move.

You make a good point about the maintenance, most of that cost came in the first 2 years, and the last year has been pretty maintenance free, so going forward it could be cheaper, at least for the next couple of years.

Manuél Ferrari > WhatDaFunk
12/19/2013 at 22:14

I looked up the weight for the S4 and it was more than I expected. I wonder how much understeer it has when you try to push it into a corner rather quickly. The rarity of the S4 is a catch 22. It's what makes it appealing, but it's what makes the parts so expensive. It's more exciting than the bimmer because of the rarity, but it's the rarity that will make it tough to own.

I know what you mean about constantly wanting to get a new car. That's how I was until recently too. As I made more money the problem only got worse. I'm trying to learn to be content with my cars for longer. Because no matter how much money you make it's wasteful to only keep cars for a few years. If they are newer then the maintenance you put in might not be too bad but the sales tax and depreciation adds up to a lot. If the car is older then you don't lose much to depreciation, but you lose the sometimes significant money you put into repairs and replacing parts that reached the end of their lifecycle. You won't get the money you put into your bimmer back. And if the next few years are like the last one then they will be cheap ones.

Do you have the garage space to have another car? If so maybe you could save up to buy another car so the money you put into the bimmer doesn't go to waste. Since you already have a decent size sedan it would be cool to buy something smaller.

McChiken116 - Patrick H. > WhatDaFunk
12/19/2013 at 22:39

DONT BUY AN OLDER AUDI. I MADE THAT MISTAKE. (Seriously, don't do it, save yourself the money)

WhatDaFunk > Manuél Ferrari
12/19/2013 at 22:44

Unfortunately I live in apartment building, and I only have 1 spot, and street parking where I live is a hassle, not to mention dangerous for the exterior of a car. So no 2nd car (I have a second car now, but it's a beater so I don't really care about leaving it on the street).

If I had a second spot I would pick up something small and fun (probably like a Miata or an MR2), but as it is I'm looking for something that has 4 doors and can comfortably seat 4 adults.

Manuél Ferrari > WhatDaFunk
12/19/2013 at 22:51

Ah, got it. Makes sense not to get any more cars then, especially since you already have a beater.

Tough choice whether to get the S4. The rarity is cool. And it accelerates a bit quicker.

Personally if I was going to buy something that had expensive parts I would want it to be seriously quick. Like an E39 M5. I know that adds a lot more cost so you'd have to save up for a while. But it probably wouldn't be any more expensive to maintain than that ultra rare S4 (maybe cheaper?). And it would be a rocket. If I was you I would probably keep the E34 and save up money for something seriously quick. Rare turbos make me really nervous...

I hope you are happy with whatever decision you make. If you get the S4 make sure to write up a review on Oppo!

WhatDaFunk > McChiken116 - Patrick H.
12/19/2013 at 22:56

If you don't mind my asking, what did you buy?

WhatDaFunk > Manuél Ferrari
12/19/2013 at 23:05

You make a good point about the E39 M5, that would be a significant step up in terms of performance, as opposed to a maybe marginal increase of the S4. RWD is more appealing to me than AWD, too. E39 M5s aren't terribly expensive, $10-15K range, so definitely an obtainable car, though I actually prefer the styling of the E34 (but by just a little). Is the maintenance of an M car significantly higher than a non-M BMW?

I've been meaning to write up a review for my E34, I've just been to lazy to take some decent pictures of it, maybe it's finally time to get off my ass.

Manuél Ferrari > WhatDaFunk
12/19/2013 at 23:16

I prefer RWD too. Not only because of how it drives, but because it's simpler. Less moving parts to go wrong... And the great thing about the E39 M5 is that it's very popular and could actually go up in value. I've heard that values are starting to inch up because there is so much demand for them. It's fast and much easier to work on than the car that replaced it.

The maintenance difficulty on the E39 is supposedly not bad. The parts are more expensive than a non M car. But the E39 parts are probably more affordable than the E34 (or earlier) M5 parts because there were more E39 cars produced. And I read that the E39 M5 had more in common with the E39 540i than the E60 car had with the regular V8 model, so that could make parts cheaper.

If you like fast German mid-size sedans then the E39 is probably the ultimate car for you. I like how the standard E34 looks much more than the standard E39. But I do like how the E39 M5 looks. While the exterior changes were subtle they really added a lot to the car IMO. I think a standard E34 car looks good while the E39 needed the M Sport package or needed to be an actual M5 to look really good.

McChiken116 - Patrick H. > WhatDaFunk
12/20/2013 at 11:56

01 A4

signintokinjalol > McChiken116 - Patrick H.
12/21/2013 at 12:31

You bought the shit model, no offense.

Older audi's, were talking about 70-90's, realaiblity isn't so bad. But from late 90's to mid 2000's, it can be pretty bad.

Honestly depends on the car, ive seen A6's from early 2000's run to 200K with just regular matience and no problems. They're sensitive cars and react very much to how they are treated. Not for the run of the mill car guy.

But expect the usual, water pump, alternator and fuel pump to go bye bye.

McChiken116 - Patrick H. > signintokinjalol
12/21/2013 at 13:37

Mine just kept pissing oil into other things. Like the turbo and such. And the electric stuff didn't work.