1999 Audi S4 - advice needed

[macg]

Currently visiting my brother who lives in the Alps and he is looking at a 1999 Audi S4. He is not a car freak like me and needs to know roughly how expensive the experience is likely to be. The car has c.80k miles on the clock.

What are the running costs like? e.g.

Average fuel consumption if driven half sensibly...

A set of tyres...

When they need expensive work doing...


And are there any typical (and expensive) faults on the 2.7T S4?

All advice gratefully received.

I would love him to buy it but it cannot be a money pit!

[drybeer]

macg said:

Currently visiting my brother who lives in the Alps and he is looking at a 1999 Audi S4. He is not a car freak like me and needs to know roughly how expensive the experience is likely to be. The car has c.80k miles on the clock.

What are the running costs like? e.g.

Average fuel consumption if driven half sensibly...

A set of tyres...

When they need expensive work doing...


And are there any typical (and expensive) faults on the 2.7T S4?

All advice gratefully received.

I would love him to buy it but it cannot be a money pit!

Well..

BRACES ARMS WITH FINGERS LACED AND HANDS TURNED AWAY SO ALL KNUCKLES CRACK ONE AFTER ANOTHER


Average fuel driven half sensibly likely around 24mpg. 30mpg is possible when drivien very carefully.

Tyres - if it is on standard 17" alloys then should get change out of £100 per corner for good Pirellis or Continentals...

Bear in mind he'll likely HAVE to fit winter tyres from October to March if he lives in the Alps. Continental's matching winter tyre is also approx £80 - £100 per corner in this country, so that's costs.

Even driven fairly hard I would expect to get 10000 - 15000 miles on fronts, and so long as you don't abuse it, maybe more on a set.

Like all quattros, if you have to replace one tyre, but the difference in the depth of tread between what will be your new tyre and the old tyres exceeds 2mm, then you must replace them all.

ABS faults can be expensive - the ABS ECU can be repaired for around £200 usually with warranty for the repair, and ABS sensors and hub speed indicators can split, leading to expensive replacements (due to labour rate as opposed to parts) but this doesn't happen too often.

Old pipework for the inlet side can give some leaking turbocharged air intake, and sometimes this is difficult to trace,

HOWEVER,

I could not tell you anything to put your brother off this car - they are superb! 1999 is facelift dash and headlights, (Xenon std) and these will run along with much more exotic machinery still giving amazing practicality!

[nickyandsi]

I myself own a 1998 S4 2.7 Bi Turbo,and i love it.I have only had it 4 months but i got one at a bargain,£6,500 and only 79,000 miles.I have one little problem which is my Airbag light has come on,however apparently it can be a common fault on these when moving the drivers seat,(which incidentlly is what i did),but a cable tie can sort these out. If driving the car with the foot to the boards it does drink fuel,however if taking it easy it for me sometimes has a better mpg than the other halfs 1.8T Quattro Avant.The engines are fab,and very tuneable (although think mines going to be left standard).

The guy who owned the car before me had it 6yrs,and loved it.Hes never had the clutch done (and is still sound) and never had the exhaust system done,again sound. I would recommend one,for the power,looks and comfort.

Hope this helps though

[macg]

drybeer said:

macg said:

Currently visiting my brother who lives in the Alps and he is looking at a 1999 Audi S4. He is not a car freak like me and needs to know roughly how expensive the experience is likely to be. The car has c.80k miles on the clock.

What are the running costs like? e.g.

Average fuel consumption if driven half sensibly...

A set of tyres...

When they need expensive work doing...


And are there any typical (and expensive) faults on the 2.7T S4?

All advice gratefully received.

I would love him to buy it but it cannot be a money pit!

Well..

BRACES ARMS WITH FINGERS LACED AND HANDS TURNED AWAY SO ALL KNUCKLES CRACK ONE AFTER ANOTHER


Average fuel driven half sensibly likely around 24mpg. 30mpg is possible when drivien very carefully.

Tyres - if it is on standard 17" alloys then should get change out of £100 per corner for good Pirellis or Continentals...

Bear in mind he'll likely HAVE to fit winter tyres from October to March if he lives in the Alps. Continental's matching winter tyre is also approx £80 - £100 per corner in this country, so that's costs.

Even driven fairly hard I would expect to get 10000 - 15000 miles on fronts, and so long as you don't abuse it, maybe more on a set.

Like all quattros, if you have to replace one tyre, but the difference in the depth of tread between what will be your new tyre and the old tyres exceeds 2mm, then you must replace them all.

ABS faults can be expensive - the ABS ECU can be repaired for around £200 usually with warranty for the repair, and ABS sensors and hub speed indicators can split, leading to expensive replacements (due to labour rate as opposed to parts) but this doesn't happen too often.

Old pipework for the inlet side can give some leaking turbocharged air intake, and sometimes this is difficult to trace,

HOWEVER,

I could not tell you anything to put your brother off this car - they are superb! 1999 is facelift dash and headlights, (Xenon std) and these will run along with much more exotic machinery still giving amazing practicality!

That is really helpful. Many thanks. I will work on him while I am out here.