I'm looking to spend around $12-$14k on a manual Avant. I've found a '02 1.8T with 85k on it for $11.5k or I could get an 01 S4 Avant with 99k on it for $12.5k.

Which would be more reliable, if both cars have been taken care of and are in similar condition? I'm worried about turbo problems and large maintenance costs with the S4, plus I like the B6 body better. Just wondered if there were any major improvements from B5 to B6 in general?

The think is I'm a speed junkie and the easily mod-able S4 is really appeals to me, plus the decent mpg. My daily drive now is an '03 Z06 Corvette with 420hp, so everything else seems slow! lol

 

You're going to be disappointed going from a Z06 to an A4...you'll even be disappointed going to a stock S4 from a Z06. If it were me, I'd buy the S4, but, I'm a little biased...I own one

If you're willing to do your own work, they are not that expensive to own. If you're planning on taking it to the dealer for your services, it could rack up a nasty bill. Parts are not cheap the way they are for American cars, definitely a downside of owning an import.

My advice, buy an S4, buy a chip, get some down pipes, then enjoy your car that hauls ***.

Then replace the turbos when they die and make some serious power.

 

s4 for sure i had a b6 1.8t and its just way to slow had for about a year then i realized how stupid i was for getting talked into getting it so traded it in for the amazing S4

 

i agree..if you plan on modifying...get the S4. It was made for that kinda stuff. 1.8ts NOT MADE for that. I probably spent close to 30k if not more in upgrades and labor on my old B6 I had. Not worth it.

 

Are you keeping the Z06?

If no, your Z06 is worth alot more than and you should look into a B5 with less miles to mod. Even a decent k04 kit would smoke the C5 z06 and handle alot better. Not to mention you can still drive it in the snow.

If yes, it depends what you want. The s4 will be great to mod but will not be relyable. If your just looking for something relyable with good MPG's get the B6 A4. Maybe not that one, but you still have the z06 for your speed fix.

 

Thanks for responses, yes I'll be keeping the Z06 and driving the Audi in the winter time, I have worked on cars for close to 15 yrs so I would be doing all my own work. Chipping it would be done as soon as the car was in my driveway, to either one. The 1.8T sounds like it would get better mpg, but not be as fast, but perhaps close? It's tough to pass on a car that could make 360hp with just a chip....but I don't want to dump thousands in new turbos. And it sounds like the 1.8T B6 might be easier to work on...

 

I've got both a stage 2+ B5 S4 and stage 1+ B6 1.8t. The B5 is hands down tons faster, but more issues to deal with. I haven't had to do much maintenance to my B6 at all, but if you're doing your own work then get the S4. They get similar gas mileage for me. I do like the daily drivability of the B6 better (interior, suspension, height, though I do have H&R coilovers on the B5). My two cents

 

The B5 will have a bit more maintainence issues, and also I think you should try searching for a car with lower miles around the same price, but it will be more fun in the end. If you don't want to spend money on the car and really use it as a DD I'd get an A4 with some kinda aftermarket warrenty.

 

Maintenance failures will probably be similar with the two platforms, for what I've seen, the S4 is going to be more expensive mostly because it has twice as many common failure points (eg. S4 has TWO turbos, it has FOUR O2 sensors, it has TWO EGT sensors etc... whereas the A4 has half of those components.)

The engine itself is virtually bomb proof. Very rarely do you hear of mechanical failures on the 2.7 -- even when they're modded. Same applies to the 6 spd MT (with the exception of maybe the 1-2 synchros) so, stuff is twice as likely to break or you'll have to buy two parts instead of just one.

I must say though, the S4 is very rewarding. If you're doing your own work, I wouldn't even think twice about it -- buy the S4. Parts are expensive, but you can engineer ways to make repairs that aren't that expensive.

 

You - $$ = S4 (just replace parts with performance, and it wont break down again)
(@Stage 3 you wont want to drive a Z06)
(There were 10's of thousands more Z06's made than S4's)
Not enough could be said -

If you want to save $$ get a Toyoda!