Hey guys. Ive decided to return my '02 S2000 to stock, and trade it in on a more "practical" car. Ive been saving to purchase a 2nd vehicle as I was planning on keeping the S2k, but with me also trying to save for a house and other things, Im stretching my finances way too thin to live comfortably, and decided just having 1 car would be the best bet right now. Anywhoo.. after looking for a while, I think Ive decided that im going to look for an '02+ A4 or pre-03 S4. Needs to be quattro and a manual trans. Anyway, I know the 1.8Ts are decent engines, but not too familiar with the rest of the car, or the 3.0 or 2.7T if I would get one of those. It seems to be a very nice looking and comfortable car, the AWD will be great in the winter ( I kinda miss my 2.5RS), plus they are a bit more "upscale" of a car, something Ive been wanting lately.Anyway, just looking for common issues that I should look for when shopping, and also what kind of routine maintenace I should plan on if I get one. From what Ive seen, for what I want to spend Im looking at a car with ~50k miles. Ive been looking at these and BMW 330Xis, and I honestly dont really care for the BMW.

 

B6 models a4:
there are only two engines 1.8T (very mod friendly) and 3.0 (mod unfriendly).
The most common issue with 1.8T engines are some sludge problems. But if the engine has had synthetic oil - you should be ok. Plus if u got some evidence for the every regular oil change, Audi will have to change the engine for free. But this is like the major problem. Other than that maybe colipacks.
s4 is a v8, very solid engine. No huge issues. I think 2004 models had some problems though, you better ask that in s4 forum. Basically as any car, before purchasing one ask for every possible receipt/test drive it.

 

I believe the OP meant the B5 S4. The 2.7t engine is a beast. Its mod friendly but parts are budget restricted. Anything you do to a 2.7t will be in the thousands besides the chip. Mine was very reliable for 128k+ miles but others suffer from blown turbo's. Proper warming/cooling down will help with that. You'll be more satisfied with a 1.8t A4 over a 3.0 which you are limited to adding a blower. The 1.8t's mods are endless. You can be putting down from 200-450whp safely with the right Garret turbo application. Timing belts are done around 70k miles and the regular maintance you should apply with any vehicle. You won't be dissapointed in an Audi purchase!

 

The only real issue with the B5 s4 is their turbos. They are super expensive to change also, but the motor is capable of 300-400 hp no problem. The transmission is a pretty heavy 6 speed so you would have no problems with that. The b6 on a4 1.8t is probabaly your best bet if you are looking for good fuel economy but a fair amount of pep. From 04 on the a4 has a 6 speed too!
Hope this info helps you make a decision.

 

I'd go with an 04 1.8T.

Real leather
HID lights (I think)
Newer
Most B6 Bugs have been resolved (as opposed to the first B6's in 02)

 

+1 Pablo Ottawa

 

Thanks for all the info guys. The car will be my daily driver, Im not very concerned at all about upping the power. Im just going to look for the nicest one I can get with the lowest miles in my price range, whether that be a 3.0 or a 1.8T. I want a black one with black interior, manual and quattro. I know thats a bit picky for a used vehicle, but thats what I want.

 

Well it seems you're already into modding and fast cars. If thats the case and you say you dont want to up the power (and you'll stick to that), go w/ a 3.0. If you go 1.8T, you'll be going Stage 1+ before you have 1000 miles on the car. Trust me when I say that. It is THAT pathetic and needs the extra power just to make it driveable.
I was the same way when I bought my 04 1.8T. I just wanted a reliable, daily driver. The Stage 1+ is essentially trouble free and doesnt affect ANY of the factory functions.
Just some advice...

 

Not necessarily.... I've driven a 3.0 and the power gain doesn't "feel" significant enough to me. Besides, with todays gas prices a 1.8T is a better solution. it is cheaper in every way,

car
insurance
gas
repairs

Quite honestly I baby my 1.8T. I change the oil and I drive it well. By well I mean my habits put less strain on the car (no hard braking, no hard down shifting, take the apex on turns when I can to take less stress off the suspension). Yes I push her but not always and this has rewarded me tenfold with fewer repair bills, lower gas consumption and maintenance costs. I've found 6 cyls to lose their power after a few years so, yes, if you chip it you will most likely feel the same power in a 1.8T as in a 3.0


Now with all that said, if you're a crappy driver and don't take care of your cars and just want something expensive and reliable then get a Lexus or other Japanese luxury car. In my opinion, an Audi would not be for you.

 

I just bought a B6 A4 1.8t and I love it. For a daily driver its very comfy, lots of creature comforts, heated seats, sunroom. For no bose system and no navigation the system in it is still very powerful and music comes through very nice. Lots of little features on the driver display to play with when you get bored driving around. A/C is very cold. I have the tiptronic in mine and I love it but I am sure the manual version would be comparable just only a bit more pep because with manuals you get less drive train loss.

The negatives: Parts can be expensive I was just looking around at things that if they broke I would have to get new and its definatly not a cheap fix for anything on the car. Luckily mine is problem free so far. Other than that, I would try to get a car with stock navigation and bose system installed if its important to you, im looking at 1000 dollars plus to get an aftermarket unit in which sucks. The only other thing i noticed is that the switches for the windows and locks the black paint wears off easily as in my car. Kinda sucks but its ok. not too worried about it. 1.8t also has mods galore.