Audi love? Learn me S4: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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July 11, 2011 10:48 p.m. lesabre400 New Reader

I generally don't see much Audi love, beyond fully-prepped rally quattros and the like. I can't be the only one who lusts after early S4s. I know they're fat and complicated but they're also quick, cheap (to purchase) and I dig the don't-look-at-me-officer styling. That said, I had a Passat VR6 that ate my wallet a few years ago and I'm not in a hurry to repeat the experience. Is a VAG a VAG?

I ask because of this: http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1993-Audi-S4-URS4-Quattro-Sed...
July 12, 2011 12:26 a.m. mtn SuperDork

lesabre400 wrote:

Is a VAG a VAG?

Short answer is yes.
July 12, 2011 6:22 a.m. snipes Reader

In reply to mtn:

Ya but, you will be much happier sharing your wallet with the S4.
July 12, 2011 6:30 a.m. wagonfanatic New Reader

B5 S4 is where its at. Even though the KO3 turbos are known to go, the car is so incredibly fast. Wagon is even cooler. Its easy to boost them to 400 hp with K04 turbos

6-speed manual and AWD= Win
July 12, 2011 6:43 a.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

Mmmmmmm delicious twin turbo S4. I don't care what they do to a wallet, i'm 110% convinced that it would be worth it.
July 12, 2011 7:23 a.m. RossD SuperDork

I had the fatter twin of that S4, a 2000 A6 Biturbo with a 6 speed manual. I had a blast.

Things to look for are a torn throttle body boot between where the two intakes come back together and the throttle body. The boot likes to blow out or at least crack on higher mileage cars. Same thing with the diaphram diverter valves. Thoses you have to remove to check though. Both are easily replaceable with upgrade aftermarket parts.

I also had the secondary coolant pump go out. Audi put the little electric pump in the 'V' at the back of the engine, so you have to take the intake manifold and all the plastic stuff off to get to it.

Mine had some little electrical gremlins and finally had an incurable Check Engine Light which I took as a faulty cat or coils. By that point, I had my fun with windows going down on there own and not going back up, little switches not working... ya know the usual stuff for a 8-9 year old car. I got rid it.

But boy, would that cruise down the highway. Passing was as simple as stomping on it; down shifting when you wanted to make it effortless.

Edit: You're looking at an older one. You can forget what I said.
July 12, 2011 8:39 a.m. docwyte Reader

The car you pictured is the 1st gen S4, made from '92-'94, they then made the exact same car until '97 but called it an S6.

I own a '92 S4. 5 cylinder, 20 valve, turbocharged motor that's bomb proof. You can run a big turbo at 30psi on it with no internal changes.

Driveline is incredibly stout, tranny and diffs will take all the abuse. Beginning to get hard to find the S4 specific parts, like front bumper covers are almost unobtanium.

Typical Audi electrics, expect issues with bulbs being burned out, etc.

This gen S4 is far more reliable than the B5 bi turbo S4's, but those are more modern and arguably easier to live with. I owned 2 of the bi turbo S4 wagons, great cars, but expensive and they like to break.