ari1856

Hey Guys (and girls). I am car NUT! I love fast cars, and am not brand loyal. Whatever is fast and fun, I want! I've owned many sports cars, and BEAT my cars merciless. Recently I have been intrigued by the S4.

All of my cars have been modified, and I consider myself too jaded to have much fun with a stoker. If fast is fun, then faster is better right? My biggest problem is that my last car was a TT rx7 that ran a best of 12.8 sec 1/4. I blew the engine (and an $8000 hole in my walet) due to bad gas. I vowed that my next car would be more reliable... and that I would never buy a rotary again (I blew 3 engines in three cars) %*^$^$!

Don't get me wrong, I'm no idiot, just a die hard perfomance fanatic. My next cars MUST be reliable....hopefully with a warranty.

Here are my questions:

How reliable is the engine of a chipped, fltered and exhausted S4?

Is there a more reliable chip maker?

Have you guys heard of any detonation issues (detonation is the quick way to the shop)?

Are there many engine failures?

I used to read a lot about modified all-wheel drive eclipses busting axles and center differetials on really hard launces, is this an issue with the S4?

Any weak points in the car?

I plan on driving hard and getting to the strip and track about once a year, any suggestions on questions I might not have asked?

Thanks in advance!

Spdgeek

--How reliable is the engine of a chipped, fltered and exhausted S4?

Overall a chipped exhausted S4 will be fairly reliable, however if you mod the car and if fails it will be expensive to fix.

--Is there a more reliable chip maker?

Yes and no. Any of the major players would likely to be reliable these include but are not limited to - GIAC, APR, ABT, AMS, MTM

--Have you guys heard of any detonation issues (detonation is the quick way to the shop)?

The computers in S4s even chipped seem to be extremely good about pulling the timing if needed, I have not read about an engine being grenaged by detonation.

--Are there many engine failures?

I haven't heard of "engine" failures but there has been some turbo failures. The top and bottom end of the engine seems fairly bulletproof. For example the RS4 and S4 champion use the same bottom end and produce much more power then a stock or chipped S4.

--I used to read a lot about modified all-wheel drive eclipses busting axles and center differetials on really hard launces, is this an issue with the S4?

Never heard of issue like this.

--Any weak points in the car?

Well, maybe. There have been turbo failures, throttle body boot failures, bypass valve failures, and some transmission issues. Audi changed the turbos 2 times and has updated the BPV and TBB but if you are going to chip the car is still seems to be recommended to update the BPVs and the TBB. The trans issues seem to be a little more troubling and I cannot say I have heard anything about audi updating them, on the flip side audi does seem to be fixing most of them under warranty.

If you really want a sports car the S4 isn't it. IT IS a very sporty sedan but it will never be an S2000 or a Vette. If you want a fantastic daily driver that can run very well they are a great car, but if you want a true sports car you probably should look elsewhere. I love my S4 it is extremely civilized when you want it to be and very fast when you want it to be, it all depends on what you are looking for. In comparison to an RX7 the S4 is the lap of luxury and they are not as fickle as the RX7s are but they are not as sporty either.

These are my opinions and I believe them to be correct based on the information I have found on the forum. If I am incorrect anywhere someone please correct me.

S4inSoFla

These turbos blow with track use if you're not careful. You should probably steer clear of turbocharged cars. You could supercharge a new M3 and probably have what you're after with a little more reliability.

System_S4k

If your THAT hard on cars, nothing is going to be reliable.

ari1856

Even the stock ones blow engines!

Scott W

Go Z06. 405Hp. That would be more than wouldn't it.

ari1856

I would be happy with a STOCK M3! I was on the waiting list fo 18 months, and am giving up.

I agree with you on the S4 not being a "sports car", but I have my first child on the way and think that a 4 door S4 might fit my needs

Would the dealer be able to tell a car is chipped? I am considering buying an auxiliary computer and swapping it out when I take it in.

That would not allow for exhaust, but a drop in K&N might be ok. if my reasearch is correct, I should expect about 300-310 hp, and a 13.5 1/4?

How rae Audi dealers with warranties? pretty easy to deal with?

Again....thanks!

ari1856

sure...but with the fit and finish of a vette!

Hal_TT::CBP

Chipping seems to accelerate wear but there have been other non-chip, non-track failures documented here ie foreign material in the intake track/impeller ingestion stuff.

The S4 is a very robust car overall, but it is no sport car(3600+lbs GVW says that in a nutshell).

Quattro is virtually indestructible, the 2.7tt is a 6-bolt main design and is *very* strong and WAY OVERBUILT for the measily 250-265HP Audi gives us from the factory. Chassis stiffness is good but overall weight is the main detriment.

The turbos, well most are OK and so far are living decent lives(50K + miles) based on the long-timers here. There have been failures, chipped and not - most of us believe that this is due to Audi manufacturing differences and failures in other areas of the intake tract(BPVs, hoses, locknuts becoming unseated). Most if not all chip tuners run the turbos at the KKK rated boost pressure so draw your own conclusions here.

The biggest problem with the S4 is getting crazy with power mods and then expecting Audi to warranty parts if someting breaks. If you go into the mod business knwoing this and accepting risk you'll be OK. If you chip and it breaks make sure you have the green to fix it. Like the Mazda, these things are expensive if you grenade something(although nothing is as spectacular as a rotor comming out at 7K rpms and taking the whole front quarter with it - wheel and all... grew up beside a Mazda dealer... now *that* is grenading!)

Now the M3 - Great car but that engine also has its faults(seen a few punch holes in early stage testing in the Carolinas - the block was to be aluminum, remember the shipping delays, the as-shipped version now has an iron block). Seems like all German cars have a few pimples but both are fun and excellent pieces of work - in different ways of course. We'll have to wait to see what pressurizing the new M3 yields. I personally don't think you'll see the Karl/AA 50%+ HP lift as on the E36 models. Time will tell.

There are S4 daily driven people in the 12s now with lower times to come. I certanly enjoy mine...

Scott W

I'd take one. I'll still keep my S4, buy I'd like one. Better display of power...lesser finish.