B8.5 S4 Power for Daily Driving

[HardHitter]

Current daily driver is a 2012 Mazdaspeed3. Enjoy the car and the versatility of having the hatch, but I am looking to get out of a manual car. I'm looking for something that will be comfortable to cruise it, but fun to drive when I want to be engaged/run through the twisties.

Was originally only considering a 2016+ S6/ 2014 RS7 because of the stupid HP/TQ numbers, but after reading more into their turbo issues, I explored and test drove a 2013 S4. Although it is severely under powered, it seemed to be more "peppy" of a car and more connected to the road.

If I'm wanting to get more power out of the car (low end torque) what is the typical mod map and cost? Will the mods severely hurt reliability and are there any mods that would be not smog legal in CA? For example, it seems as though most of the work are pulleys which I don't see how the tech would flag that.

My brother-in-law has a 2015 as his daily driver and seems to be going well.

[Sick S4]

I would highly suggest you read through the forums to make a decision for yourself. Every car is different and some will share horror stories while others will give the car nothing but praise. It comes with the territory of you had to know you may be paying to play.

My 2 cents is the car is a great DD in DP form. I have had my issues but I’m willing to read how to fix it myself or worst comes to worst I know I may have to pay for a more expensive solution (ie if and when my cats go out).

To be DP with the right mods (not including any suspension or handling or braking upgrades which are must), you are looking at near $3-4K on top of the purchase of the car. Be forewarn as I’m sure you know this already but once the mod bug bites you prepare to continue spending money on the next upgrade as the platform continues to get support from the aftermarket and something new is coming out every 6 months.

Good luck with making a decision. Again, I insist you read the forums and make your own educated decision.


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[Morritse]

Intake Stage 1 stage 2 TCU tune Cooling system dual pulley e40 (hpfp)
~ $3000 so severe reliability factor. You're in in CA until your cats shit themselves which might happen.

[Audi_Andrew19]

Current daily driver is a 2012 Mazdaspeed3. Enjoy the car and the versatility of having the hatch, but I am looking to get out of a manual car. I'm looking for something that will be comfortable to cruise it, but fun to drive when I want to be engaged/run through the twisties.

Was originally only considering a 2016+ S6/ 2014 RS7 because of the stupid HP/TQ numbers, but after reading more into their turbo issues, I explored and test drove a 2013 S4. Although it is severely under powered, it seemed to be more "peppy" of a car and more connected to the road.

If I'm wanting to get more power out of the car (low end torque) what is the typical mod map and cost? Will the mods severely hurt reliability and are there any mods that would be not smog legal in CA? For example, it seems as though most of the work are pulleys which I don't see how the tech would flag that.

My brother-in-law has a 2015 as his daily driver and seems to be going well.

I was in your same situation. I had a 2010 Speed3 for 5 years before the S4 and I wanted to get out of it for all the same reasons. I was getting tired of the manual for the commute and I wanted to try something different. Plus, I was getting up there in miles and combined with the mods on it (bolt ons, exhaust, etc) long-term reliability started to creep into the picture. I really loved my Speed and it had a ton of character but it was time to move on.

The S4 is one of the best daily drivers money can buy. It can do everything so well. When I first drove a stock S4 it definitely didn’t feel slow by any means, but it was a different experience than the Speed3 (even though mine was modded). It definitely had a much more linear power delivery than the boosty engine of the speed3 so it wasn’t as initially exhilarating. Handling was on a different level too compared to the somewhat unpredictable Mazda. Much better balance overall.

Once I got a simple stage 1 tune on the S4 it was game over for the Speed3. It was simply a quicker, more useable car. I’m not in CA so I can’t speak for smog and the like. I will give the Mazda creds for being much cheaper to mod, however, but that comes with the territory of the Audi. The Audi isn’t ludicrously expensive to mod but it isn’t cheap either.

Feel free to DM me if you have any more questions.

[HardHitter]

I was in your same situation. I had a 2010 Speed3 for 5 years before the S4 and I wanted to get out of it for all the same reasons. I was getting tired of the manual for the commute and I wanted to try something different. Plus, I was getting up there in miles and combined with the mods on it (bolt ons, exhaust, etc) long-term reliability started to creep into the picture. I really loved my Speed and it had a ton of character but it was time to move on.

The S4 is one of the best daily drivers money can buy. It can do everything so well. When I first drove a stock S4 it definitely didn’t feel slow by any means, but it was a different experience than the Speed3 (even though mine was modded). It definitely had a much more linear power delivery than the boosty engine of the speed3 so it wasn’t as initially exhilarating. Handling was on a different level too compared to the somewhat unpredictable Mazda. Much better balance overall.

Once I got a simple stage 1 tune on the S4 it was game over for the Speed3. It was simply a quicker, more useable car. I’m not in CA so I can’t speak for smog and the like. I will give the Mazda creds for being much cheaper to mod, however, but that comes with the territory of the Audi. The Audi isn’t ludicrously expensive to mod but it isn’t cheap either.

Feel free to DM me if you have any more questions.

This is a great response. Glad to see another Speed owner and their experience going to the S4.

I liked how the S4 steering felt vs the Mazda. Took a easy 180 on-ramp to get onto a freeway and I wasn't pushing the car at all, but in my Mazda, I would be leaning where in the S4, I was flat the entire time, felt great.

I don't remember getting that feeling with the S6. Felt the same lean and the steering felt a little more loose.

[hilmar2k]

I, too, had a Speed3 (2008), but not immediately prior to the S4. The S4 is better in just about every way than the Mazda.

By the way, I find your description od the S4 as "severely under powered" pretty comical. Even my modded Speed3 would get smoked by my [mostly] stock S4. The only mods I have currently are handling, not power.

[killer_s4]

I had a gtx3071 speed 3 before this so I cant really say my stage 2 s4 is faster but overall I'd take the s over the speed all day. Definitely get the s4 tuned.

[Omaha_B8_S4]

Traded my 08 Speed3 in on my s4. At first I didn’t think it was much faster, but that’s because A. It was comfortable and didn’t feel like the car was approaching critical mass when I drove it fast, and B. There’s no turbo bump in the power/torque. Now that I’ve grown accustomed to the linearity, I don’t want to go back to a turbo.


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[EstorilS4]

Stage 1 tune should get you pretty damn close to the straight line performance of the S6 without sacrificing much (if any) reliability. Stage 2 also VERY reliable, but a tad more risky, imo.

I think you would be VERY happy coming from a Mazdaspeed3 to the S4, especially with a simple tune. For a reliable daily, I personally wouldn't bother going beyond stage 2 (tune with SC pulley) as you enter into diminishing marginal returns and increasing marginal reliability concerns (i.e. cats, engine cooling issues, etc).

Look around on here and you can find plenty of Stage 2 S4s running high 11's in the quarter mile.

[Morritse]

Stage 1 tune should get you pretty damn close to the straight line performance of the S6 without sacrificing much (if any) reliability. Stage 2 also VERY reliable, but a tad more risky, imo.

I think you would be VERY happy coming from a Mazdaspeed3 to the S4, especially with a simple tune. For a reliable daily, I personally wouldn't bother going beyond stage 2 (tune with SC pulley) as you enter into diminishing marginal returns and increasing marginal reliability concerns (i.e. cats, engine cooling issues, etc).

Look around on here and you can find plenty of Stage 2 S4s running high 11's in the quarter mile.

If you go single pulley do the crank instead of SC pulley. It's easier to do and the OEM crank pulley is known to fail.

[HardHitter]

Thanks for the response guys.

Is there a option list I can find for what options were offered by Audi on the S4?

EstorilS4: When you suggest not to go past stage 2, what does that consist of? I'm thinking stage 2 + dsg tune should keep me happy and just want to know what that pricing is. $5K?

[The_Bamboozler]

I also had a GTX3071 Speed 3 and the switch to the S4 is I find different, but more enjoyable in most ways. I could fit way more stuff with the hatch, but the S4 is a lot more "grown-up" and refined than the hot hatch.

[bhvrdr]

Thanks for the response guys.

Is there a option list I can find for what options were offered by Audi on the S4?

EstorilS4: When you suggest not to go past stage 2, what does that consist of? I'm thinking stage 2 + dsg tune should keep me happy and just want to know what that pricing is. $5K?

You can get stage 2 pulley ecu and tcu tune for 2 grand and youll be all good for awhile

[killer_s4]

I also had a GTX3071 Speed 3 and the switch to the S4 is I find different, but more enjoyable in most ways. I could fit way more stuff with the hatch, but the S4 is a lot more "grown-up" and refined than the hot hatch.

Who was your tuner ?

[Aiserock]

I had a 2007 WRX prior to my S4. I miss the car at times but my S4 is awesome for daily driving. I'm Stage 2 w/TCU drive 30ish miles each way for work and I don't miss the manual while in rush hour traffic. If I leave work late and avoid rush hour, I have too much fun driving the interstate home. Stock, my stage 2 WRX was faster, however, stage 2 S4 kills the WRX.

Not sure if the WRX and speed 3 are in the same class, but I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[EstorilS4]

Thanks for the response guys.

Is there a option list I can find for what options were offered by Audi on the S4?

EstorilS4: When you suggest not to go past stage 2, what does that consist of? I'm thinking stage 2 + dsg tune should keep me happy and just want to know what that pricing is. $5K?

Stage 2 ECU tune plus DSG tune (aka TCU-transmission control unit) tune is about $2,000 from EPL (may want to wait for a black Friday sale) and includes everything you need with the exception of a pulley puller/removal tool if you want to DIY.

What I meant by beyond Stage 2 would be DP (dual pulley) which would entail replacing both your crank pulley AND supercharger pulley along with a corresponding tune, APR Ultracharger (new throttle body), etc. Basically, going beyond a single pulley stage 2 tune will require you to make other mods to cool off the intake charge, which costs more $$ (i.e. https://www.amsperformance.com/cart/alpha-audi-b8-s4-supercharger-cooler.html/). Also, many cars that have gone the dual pulley or Ultracharger route have melted the internals of their catalytic converters (more $$ for new ones)...you get the picture.

[EstorilS4]

Here you go, OP.
https://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/713088-EPL-Your-source-for-Stage-1-Stage-2-TCU-Dual-Pulley-E85-100-octane-amp-more!/page22