Want an M340d or S4 Avant (tdi)

[jwilliamsm3]

Currently have a M235i gran coupe as a daily driver, great car fantastic on fuel on a long trip, but its getting a bit tiresome doing shorter trips and its a bit small for us when we go on holiday etc.

Always wanted a fast estate, and really liking the current M340d touring and the S4 avant (B9) tdi.

I know BMW's quite well so understand the specs of them, but im edging more to the S4 as the inteior of the 340 is almost identical to my M235, and fancy something different.

The S4 comes in 3 trim levels, the normal S4, the black edition and the Vorsprung.

Cant find a brochure of the years im looking at, 2021-2023 - am i right in saying the Vorsprung models come pretty much with all extras ticked?

I'm really picky when it comes to spec, bought a crap spec golf R a few years ago and regretted it ever since.

Opinions on either are welcome, havent driven either yet, cheers

[FMOB]

Get the BMW.

[Tindersticks]

Does it have to be a diesel?

[jwilliamsm3]

Tindersticks said:

Does it have to be a diesel?

ideally, already have an F80 M3

[Tindersticks]

jwilliamsm3 said:

ideally, already have an F80 M3

Ah ok. I’d take a look at the M340i though. They can be very frugal on a long drive.

[jwilliamsm3]

Tindersticks said:

Ah ok. I’d take a look at the M340i though. They can be very frugal on a long drive.

Would defeat the object of me changing the 235 then.

Only interested in the 2 I mentioned at the moment

[Robscim]

That's the choice I had a few weeks ago.

Picked up the S4 last Saturday.

Awesome!

As I have one I may be biased but the S4 is wonderful!

Rob

[missing the VR6]

Can't help too much, but we had a TT Vorsprung and it didn't want for much in the way of spec. The only things I'd have liked were a sunroof and ACC, both weren't options Audi offered.

[ninjag]

Seeing as you already have an M3, then the S4 would be more of a change.

[jwilliamsm3]

can someone help me out with what the vorpsrung model comes with as standard?

[FMOB]

jwilliamsm3 said:

can someone help me out with what the vorpsrung model comes with as standard?

You will get the laggy gearbox, never there when you need it and roundabouts will never be the same again.

[jwilliamsm3]

FMOB said:

jwilliamsm3 said:

can someone help me out with what the vorpsrung model comes with as standard?

You will get the laggy gearbox, never there when you need it and roundabouts will never be the same again.

Guessing the black edition has a faster gearbox then?

[FMOB]

jwilliamsm3 said:

FMOB said:

jwilliamsm3 said:

can someone help me out with what the vorpsrung model comes with as standard?

You will get the laggy gearbox, never there when you need it and roundabouts will never be the same again.

Guessing the black edition has a faster gearbox then?

No, their all crap.

Suggest you google audi gearbox lag, definitely affects diesel engined vehicles, can't comment on petrol versions.

Don't forget these gearboxes allegedly 'learn' your driving style so seem okay after a fresh reset but quickly fall back into laggy behaviour. Had mine reset by the dealer, was fine at first but 400 miles later was back to how it was before the reset.

Edited by FMOB on Sunday 29th September 13:01

[missing the VR6]

FMOB said:

You will get the laggy gearbox, never there when you need it and roundabouts will never be the same again.

Assuming it's a DSG box in the S4, that is somewhat of an overstatement, yes there can be the odd instance of it being a bit laggy at a roundabout, but it's certainly not the norm. Full disclosure I've probably less than 100 miles of driving experience with the DSG and a 3.0 engine, but have at least 200,000 miles of driving on the 1.4/1.5TSI, 2.0TSI, 1.6TDI and 2.0TDI all of various power outputs over a 10 year period, various things from Octavia 1.6TDI to Golf R and GTD, to the twin charged Fabia vRS.

There seems to be a very specific situation where the lag occurs and I've found dropping the box into Sport as you are nearly at a standstill at a roundabout really helps.

[Lotobear]

missing the VR6 said:

FMOB said:

You will get the laggy gearbox, never there when you need it and roundabouts will never be the same again.

Assuming it's a DSG box in the S4, that is somewhat of an overstatement, yes there can be the odd instance of it being a bit laggy at a roundabout, but it's certainly not the norm. Full disclosure I've probably less than 100 miles of driving experience with the DSG and a 3.0 engine, but have at least 200,000 miles of driving on the 1.4/1.5TSI, 2.0TSI, 1.6TDI and 2.0TDI all of various power outputs over a 10 year period, various things from Octavia 1.6TDI to Golf R and GTD, to the twin charged Fabia vRS.

There seems to be a very specific situation where the lag occurs and I've found dropping the box into Sport as you are nearly at a standstill at a roundabout really helps.

+1 - engaging S mode at any junction or a roundabout has become second nature to me, it really does help

[FMOB]

Lotobear said:

missing the VR6 said:

FMOB said:

You will get the laggy gearbox, never there when you need it and roundabouts will never be the same again.

Assuming it's a DSG box in the S4, that is somewhat of an overstatement, yes there can be the odd instance of it being a bit laggy at a roundabout, but it's certainly not the norm. Full disclosure I've probably less than 100 miles of driving experience with the DSG and a 3.0 engine, but have at least 200,000 miles of driving on the 1.4/1.5TSI, 2.0TSI, 1.6TDI and 2.0TDI all of various power outputs over a 10 year period, various things from Octavia 1.6TDI to Golf R and GTD, to the twin charged Fabia vRS.

There seems to be a very specific situation where the lag occurs and I've found dropping the box into Sport as you are nearly at a standstill at a roundabout really helps.

+1 - engaging S mode at any junction or a roundabout has become second nature to me, it really does help

The diesel S4/6 use the well respected ZF8 tiptronic box, how Audi have managed to set it up so badly that it suffers with lag I do not understand. Worth noting it is not easy to get a TCU remap on the ZF8, the S-tronic/DSG box remaps are easy.

S-mode is poor and D-mode is just pathetic.

[Jobbo]

FMOB said:

The diesel S4/6 use the well respected ZF8 tiptronic box, how Audi have managed to set it up so badly that it suffers with lag I do not understand. Worth noting it is not easy to get a TCU remap on the ZF8, the S-tronic/DSG box remaps are easy.

S-mode is poor and D-mode is just pathetic.

I know you don't like your S6 but I very much like mine and don't find the gearbox a problem at all. You probably ought to change your car rather than just slagging them off whenever anyone talks about buying one

FWIW I had the 7-sp S-Tronic (DSG) in my two previous A6 Allroads and prefer the ZF in every situation. It changes gear just as quickly when you do it manually but it's vastly more refined at low speed.

[FMOB]

Jobbo said:

FMOB said:

The diesel S4/6 use the well respected ZF8 tiptronic box, how Audi have managed to set it up so badly that it suffers with lag I do not understand. Worth noting it is not easy to get a TCU remap on the ZF8, the S-tronic/DSG box remaps are easy.

S-mode is poor and D-mode is just pathetic.

I know you don't like your S6 but I very much like mine and don't find the gearbox a problem at all. You probably ought to change your car rather than just slagging them off whenever anyone talks about buying one

FWIW I had the 7-sp S-Tronic (DSG) in my two previous A6 Allroads and prefer the ZF in every situation. It changes gear just as quickly when you do it manually but it's vastly more refined at low speed.

You are correct, I don't like the S6 and the gearbox behaviour. I have driven a few automatics over the years and the S6 is the worst implementation I have experienced. Anyway the gearbox didn't cause the tailgate to randomly close whacking me in the head.

And I have bought another car which I am sorting out a few niggles on before deciding what to do with the st6.

I think it better for people to know what it is like before parting with their hard earned, if I had seen posts highlighting this I could have avoided all the grief.

Anyway, how is your BMS? Has it shat itself yet?

[Jobbo]

FMOB said:

You are correct, I don't like the S6 and the gearbox behaviour. I have driven a few automatics over the years and the S6 is the worst implementation I have experienced. Anyway the gearbox didn't cause the tailgate to randomly close whacking me in the head.

And I have bought another car which I am sorting out a few niggles on before deciding what to do with the st6.

I think it better for people to know what it is like before parting with their hard earned, if I had seen posts highlighting this I could have avoided all the grief.

Anyway, how is your BMS? Has it shat itself yet?

Mine has been great. I’m not recognising any of the issues you keep going on about. If I did have them, I’d take them up with the selling dealer not just find any tangentially relevant thread to repeat them.

[Stanley Rous]

I’ve done about 14,000m in my S4 Avant and don’t recognise the gearbox issues mentioned above. I generally find the car very good with the exception of Audi Presense which I detest. I’ve had a number of false alarms and it keeps locking the wheels on a busy junction I use on a daily basis where I have to turn right through a gap in traffic. Presense is a flawed system.