My B8.5 S4 Avant (Ibis White)

[AQuail]

I'm about a month in with my S4 Avant, and I'm really enjoying the experience so far. I'm not enjoying the fuel bills, but that was to be expected.

My previous car was an F30 335D which was a devastatingly capable all-rounder, but definitely didn't feel "special" to drive.

I flirted with the idea of an S7, which would've bankrupted me, and an E92 M3, which seemed to have some expensive-sounding issues that ultimately scared me away.

The DSG gearbox in auto mode is quite clunky, and is definitely the car's weak spot, although it's fine in manual mode with the paddles.

Pics!

[Resolutionary]

Very nice - starting to really love the S lineup (almost) more than the RS for the simple fact of understated looks with great performance.

Any plans? I hear these respond well to a tune.

[AQuail]

Resolutionary said:

Very nice - starting to really love the S lineup (almost) more than the RS for the simple fact of understated looks with great performance.

Any plans? I hear these respond well to a tune.

Thanks! Yep I'd love an RS, but this is definitely a satisfactory stop-gap. They're extremely understated if you go for a low-key colour.

Currently saving for a wedding, but when the big day passes I'd like to remap the engine and gearbox, and get a slightly stiffer rear ARB. The car pushes on tighter corners; she's a heavy girl!

[1Toomanycars]

Occasionally flirt with these myself, but while the engine's seem pretty reliable, the auto boxes don't seem to be without issues, and a bill circa £3k for repair if it detonates?

Nice looking thing though!

[Nunga]

Such a pretty pretty thing; a friend has a B8 pre-facelift A4 3.0TDi (also white), and that's a weapon. Can only imagine how much better one of these must be.

[AQuail]

1Toomanycars said:

Occasionally flirt with these myself, but while the engine's seem pretty reliable, the auto boxes don't seem to be without issues, and a bill circa £3k for repair if it detonates?

Nice looking thing though!

Thanks. I haven't come across too many DSG complaints, although I have to admit, after putting myself off the E92, I haven't looked too hard. I don't intend to keep the car for more than a couple years, and it's still young, so hopefully I won't encounter anything.

Nunga said:

Such a pretty pretty thing; a friend has a B8 pre-facelift A4 3.0TDi (also white), and that's a weapon. Can only imagine how much better one of these must be.

Thanks! I would've considered another big diesel, but was concerned with depreciation thanks to all the negative media coverage at the moment. Saying that, the amount I'm spending on petrol more than negates that. I'm really happy though; have wanted to tick off a fast Audi for a while now.

[AQuail]

A friend recently got a B9 S5, so after a sufficient run-in period, we took both cars out for a blast early one morning in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds.

My S4 is great around high speed corners, but does feel a bit cumbersome around the tighter, more technical turns. It's definitely highlighted the need for a stiffer rear ARB - this is definitely on the shopping list in the new year.

The B9 S5 (with sports diff) was devastatingly capable. You can seemingly mash your foot at any point before, during or after the corner, and it'll take it in its stride. Although there wasn't much in it in the straights, I did struggle to keep up on the twistier sections of road.

I'd be curious to see how the S5 performs without the Sports Diff - this one was very very impressive.