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I'm now the proud owner of a 2006 Audi S4. I live in Northern California and I wanted to know what sort of mods should be on the list to start things off.(The car is already lowered about 2 inches)
Congrats! Nice choice... In Northern Cali you should really enjoy the cars speed and Freeway skills.
The gas mileage isn't great but it's easy to overlook when you slide into those Recaros and step on the gas!
The car really doesn't need many mods. The naturally aspirated engine doesn't really lend itself to mods too well and at 340hp from the factory isn't hurting for power.
The suspension is the area to target. If yours has coilovers you're lucky. If it only has lowering springs on the stock dampers you might want to upgrade there. Go with a reputable brand of coilover without breaking the bank and your driving experience should be enhanced. The car weighs near 4000 pounds so managing that weight is paramount.
That 4000 pounds would be a great place to start modding to shed a few pounds but again, isn't an easy task with this vehicle.
SO mods are usually primarily aesthetic with this car. Suspension drops...Maybe wheels and tires... Some spacers perhaps to push the wheels out flush with the fenders...tasteful small tail on the trunk possibly? Addition of a subwoofer to upgrade the Bose system?
Whatever you do, enjoy the car. It's a pretty classic vehicle...
The suspension is the area to target. If yours has coilovers you're lucky. If it only has lowering springs on the stock dampers you might want to upgrade there. Go with a reputable brand of coilover without breaking the bank and your driving experience should be enhanced. The car weighs near 4000 pounds so managing that weight is paramount.
I haven't hand the chance to get the wheels off as college is starting up soon and I'm swamped with work but by the way it drives it either has stock springs that were cut it has lowering springs on stock dampers. As far as suspension I was looking at possibly K-Sport coil over kit ( http://www.carid.com/2006-audi-s4-suspension-systems/ksport-kontrol-pro-coilover-kit-14873287.html ) because it give me the option of 2 inch for the summer and 0.5inch for the winter without costing 1500 bucks. I have looked around the forums to see if anyone is talking about K-sports but to no avail. Opinion?
I haven't hand the chance to get the wheels off as college is starting up soon and I'm swamped with work but by the way it drives it either has stock springs that were cut it has lowering springs on stock dampers. As far as suspension I was looking at possibly K-Sport coil over kit ( KSport® CAU220-KP - Audi S4 B7 Body Code 2006 Kontrol Pro Front and Rear Lowering Coilovers ) because it give me the option of 2 inch for the summer and 0.5inch for the winter without costing 1500 bucks. I have looked around the forums to see if anyone is talking about K-sports but to no avail. Opinion?
Unfortunately there isn't a lot of Forum activity for the Audi cars compared to VW, BMW, and a few other marquees out there, so our resources for info can be slim.
As for the setup on your car, if they are stock springs that have just been cut, shortened, or modified, you'll likely see a major improvement in ride quality regardless of what you do. If this is what you have, you should be bouncing up and down pretty good on even the slightest of road irregularities.
If they're they stock dampers with some aftermarket lowering springs of a reputable brand, it's likely that they feel pretty decent as is, without a ton of bouncing, and there is probably about a 3/4 to half in. gap between the rubber and the fender. If this is what you have, you could ride it out until it gets uncomfortable and begins to sag once the springs break down, or upgrade to new springs/dampers or coilovers soon and enjoy an improved ride and longer tire wear.
As for the K Sports, I looked into those a bit too recently. Seem to be a pretty quality looking set of coilovers with 36 way adjustability...They are priced nice too, no doubt... Which honestly makes me a little leery... And looks can kinda be deceiving with suspension components...
I think they're engineered in the US but are made in China or Japan. The leaders in the suspension world aren't the Asians or the Americans. It's the Germans and the Dutch. H&R, Bilstein, KW, ST, Vogtland, and Boge, who is the leading manufacturer of OE European dampers, are all from Germany. ANd one of the worlds leaders in aftermarket damper production, Koni is from Holland. Holland also has a number of other companies like Intraxx and V-Maxx, so I'd look to something from one of those countries first and foremost. Germany preferably...
I purchased my car with a a set of Tein coilovers which were pretty decent. Japanese made and acceptable quality... Fully adjustable, but they were only adjusted once, when they were installed by the original owner and never again even though I was the 3rd owner. After they had about 45,000 miles on them I decided to change them out as I'd just sprung for some new Michelins and wanted to get the longest wear possible out of them, and found some inexpensive VMaxx's I wanted to try.
The V Maxx brand is made just down the road from Koni so I figured they'd be decent for the price and they were fully adjustable which seemed to be a bonus as well.
They were decent for a while, maybe 3 years, or 20,000 miles for me, but really never were much better than the Teins I'd taken off, despite the mileage. It made me believe that in suspension you tend to get what you pay for.
I've experienced the same in the past with VW's and BMW's. Going cheap usually costs you more in the long run with springs and shocks/struts.
I also have come to understand that damper adjustabilty is over rated for most people. 90 some percent of us will set it and never touch it again while the adjustment valve corrodes out over time anyway. Unless you take your car to the track, damper adjustments ain't happening... So don't put too much stock into that.
Go with brand names that run the industry. H&R and Bilstein would be smart choices for every application. Something like these which come in right around a grand or $1100 and will likely be one of my choices in the near future...
Good luck. There are so many options and so many price points it can make your head spin! That's why I'm going for the tried and true next time around...
Wow, awesome information and description mate, thank you!
Originally Posted by 4Warner
Unfortunately there isn't a lot of Forum activity for the Audi cars compared to VW, BMW, and a few other marquees out there, so our resources for info can be slim.
As for the setup on your car, if they are stock springs that have just been cut, shortened, or modified, you'll likely see a major improvement in ride quality regardless of what you do. If this is what you have, you should be bouncing up and down pretty good on even the slightest of road irregularities.
If they're they stock dampers with some aftermarket lowering springs of a reputable brand, it's likely that they feel pretty decent as is, without a ton of bouncing, and there is probably about a 3/4 to half in. gap between the rubber and the fender. If this is what you have, you could ride it out until it gets uncomfortable and begins to sag once the springs break down, or upgrade to new springs/dampers or coilovers soon and enjoy an improved ride and longer tire wear.
As for the K Sports, I looked into those a bit too recently. Seem to be a pretty quality looking set of coilovers with 36 way adjustability...They are priced nice too, no doubt... Which honestly makes me a little leery... And looks can kinda be deceiving with suspension components...
I think they're engineered in the US but are made in China or Japan. The leaders in the suspension world aren't the Asians or the Americans. It's the Germans and the Dutch. H&R, Bilstein, KW, ST, Vogtland, and Boge, who is the leading manufacturer of OE European dampers, are all from Germany. ANd one of the worlds leaders in aftermarket damper production, Koni is from Holland. Holland also has a number of other companies like Intraxx and V-Maxx, so I'd look to something from one of those countries first and foremost. Germany preferably...
I purchased my car with a a set of Tein coilovers which were pretty decent. Japanese made and acceptable quality... Fully adjustable, but they were only adjusted once, when they were installed by the original owner and never again even though I was the 3rd owner. After they had about 45,000 miles on them I decided to change them out as I'd just sprung for some new Michelins and wanted to get the longest wear possible out of them, and found some inexpensive VMaxx's I wanted to try.
The V Maxx brand is made just down the road from Koni so I figured they'd be decent for the price and they were fully adjustable which seemed to be a bonus as well.
They were decent for a while, maybe 3 years, or 20,000 miles for me, but really never were much better than the Teins I'd taken off, despite the mileage. It made me believe that in suspension you tend to get what you pay for.
I've experienced the same in the past with VW's and BMW's. Going cheap usually costs you more in the long run with springs and shocks/struts.
I also have come to understand that damper adjustabilty is over rated for most people. 90 some percent of us will set it and never touch it again while the adjustment valve corrodes out over time anyway. Unless you take your car to the track, damper adjustments ain't happening... So don't put too much stock into that.
Go with brand names that run the industry. H&R and Bilstein would be smart choices for every application. Something like these which come in right around a grand or $1100 and will likely be one of my choices in the near future...
Good luck. There are so many options and so many price points it can make your head spin! That's why I'm going for the tried and true next time around...
Alhwin, that's a nice piece of machinery you've got there! I think she's perfect just the way she is! But if you want a little more...? Oh yeah, what is it that you want?
When I think about an Audi S4, I think quality, luxury, power, performance, safety and style. I have probably left a few things out! So you want to mods to increase/decrease/enhance...?
I think you question adds a level of difficulty when you put a dollar cap on it! Where do you start? When do you stop? Wheels, tires, engine, lighting, seats, window-tinting, aerodynamics?
She's beautiful! Make sure the scheduled maintenance is current and enjoy the road ahead!
Great info on the suspension, I'm new to the audi platform as well and also got a 06 s4, in black, currentlyrics attacking a decent oil leaking at the front part of the engine making its way all over the belly pan, hoping the valve cover gaskets do the trick.
07-28-2016, 10:03 AM
Just bought a 2006 Audi S4
