s4Audacious

- I was looking for some common issues as a sort of what to look out for guide and i found this.

- I took the liberty of cutting out all the BS in the article, take a look



B7 Audi Buyers Guide: 2005.5-2008 Audi A4, S4, RS4 ? Nick's Car Blog

The A4 itself is a reliable and easy to find car. It gets great gas mileage, is surprisingly peppy, looks great, and has a wonderful interior. For the price, it is probably one of the best buys of any German sedan right now. Given it is the most affordable trim level of the bunch, it will be owned by a diverse crowd, some of which will inevitably take better care of their cars than others. The biggest issues with this car is:

Cam Follower – this $30 part wears out and will eventually destroy the engine. Ideally it should be replaced every 50k miles, but can probably go up to 100k miles without being too risky. Make sure it has been replaced or at least inspected if you’re buying an A4, as a bad one can mean a new high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) and a bunch of internal engine work that can run several thousand bucks.
Diverter Valve & Coil Packs – both were recalled and revised, but if there is a boost leak or the car doesn’t feel powerful enough, these are the two most likely culprits
CVT Transmission – in America these only came in FWD cars, and this transmission is extremely expensive ($7-8k) to replace and prone to breaking. If the car has a CVT and >100,000 miles, your transmission may be a ticking time bomb. Proceed with caution. Truly I’d avoid this transmission at all costs, as the only thing it’s good for is gas mileage but if you want good gas mileage you’re better off buying something else – it is simply not a driver’s transmission.
Boost Leaks – check all of the hoses for boost leaks or leaking noises when idling.
2.0T vs 3.2 V6 – the A4 has two engine options, the 2.0 Liter turbo engine (four cylinder) and the 3.2 Liter V6 engine which is naturally aspirated. The 3.2L V6 model is technically the upgraded, more expensive engine, but in practice the 2.0T engine was largely preferred by all types of consumers – for enthusiasts, the 2.0T is easier to modify and get more power out of it thanks to the turbo setup (and the 3.2 is virtually un-moddable as no one really makes parts for it), and for the average consumer the 2.0T gets better gas mileage and is plenty peppy enough. I recommend the 2.0T over the 3.2L engine for those reasons, but nothing wrong with the 3.2…
S-Line Package – this option gives the exterior upgraded bumpers and side skirts to look like an S4, and really makes the car look sharp. In 2006-2007 this also included interior upgrades and sport suspension, although in 2008 it mostly just consisted of the exterior upgrades. Regardless, I highly recommend looking for an S-Line over the non S-line as it makes the car look much newer and nicer.


The B7 S4 (2006-2008) doesn’t have many of the turbo related issues of the A4 since it is naturally aspirated, but there are still has a few items you should look out for. From a high level, be prepared that the S4 isn’t *that* much faster than the A4 – while it definitely has a much better lower end and is all around quicker, the difference isn’t as night and day as you might think. Drive both if you’re on the verge, and read my A4 vs S4 advice if you’re not sure if you want the S4.

Timing Chains / Chain Rattle – the big thing to watch out for is any rattle noises at startup. Known as chain rattle, this is a sign that the your timing chains need replaced soon – a job that will cost well over $1k in parts and much more in labor, as it requires an engine pull. Stay away!
Power Steering Pump – I don’t know why, but these have a tendency to go bad. Listen for noises when turning the wheel, inspect the fluid reservoir and hoses for cracks, and make sure it hasn’t been sitting dormant for a while.
Oil Changes & Oil Consumption – the S4 takes a lot of oil (9.5 Qts) and some burn oil really quick and need topped up between oil change intervals, known as excessive consumption – this might be a sign of a bad head gasket or compression issue, so avoid any cars that have red flags for burning oil or service related to oil consumption issues. These are incredibly difficult to diagnose and replace! If you’re not sure, a compression & leakdown test is a good idea.
Transmission – the manual transmission is a much more fun car to drive. If you’re an enthusiast, I highly recommend looking for a manual (only) as it makes the car so much more fun to drive. They’re hard to find, but worth it. When you do find a manual, look for all of the typical symptoms of a bad clutch as that can be a costly repair as well.
Body Style – the B6 version and B7 version are very similar but the B7 looks much nicer and also has some powertrain improvements. If you can, save up a little extra and splurge for the B7…likewise, the DTM or 25th Anniversary appearance package is a nice plus.



The RS4 is the creme de la creme, and is typically enthusiast owned and well cared for – the buyers have the money to afford maintenance and the knowledge and passion to understand why it’s important – they may also be the most likely to track their cars, so take it for what it’s worth. It’s definitely a fantastic and rare car, but if you’re shopping for one then you probably already know that. Here are a few RS4 specific items to look out for:

DRC Suspension – the Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) was/is prone to failure, and has been recalled. Make sure the owner had it recalled and replaced, otherwise you’ll be looking to replace the suspension…which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as there are a lot of good aftermarket options out there.
Brakes – the 2 piece rotors are pretty expensive to replace ($1000 per set) so check the rotor thickness and if they’re getting thin, haggle this into the price. Also, the OEM pads should be dumped immediately as they use brass rivets in the pad construction which eat a nice groove into the rotor surface, ruining them effectively. Audi thought the rivets (which start appearing about 1/2 way through the pad’s life) would wear at the same rate as the pad material and not harm the rotor, but that isn’t the case. A lot of people opt for either Stoptech pads or Carbotech 1521 (Bobcat).
Carbon Cleaning / Power – the FSI engine leaves carbon deposits in the engine no matter how well the previous owner(s) take care of the car, and every 40,000 miles or so it is a good idea to have the engine cleaned – doing so has proven to free up a lot of lost horsepower and make the car drive noticeably quicker and smoother. If the car has a lot of miles and never had a carbon cleaning, budget at least $1,000 to have this done by a shop with experience in this procedure.
Clutch – The RS4 only came to the US as a manual, and some drivers may have bought this car not knowing how to drive a stick well…so make sure the clutch feels right and the clutch pedal is nice and firm, otherwise budget some funds to replace the clutch in the near future, too.


- This wonderful information was written by Nick Roshon.

- Hope someone found this useful, Zane "s4audacious"
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