What to watch for when buying

[04lss]

Hi all,

I am going to test drive a b8 s4 tomorrow night. Ive already got financing and pricing worked out, so if the test drive goes well, it comes home with me.

I wanted to check with folks and see what i should look out for during the test drive specific to s4 or audi issues.

[Iwantyourcar]

Maintenance


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[Iwantyourcar]

Maintenance


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And by this I mean records. If you aren’t getting a PPI and don’t have the cars maintenance history I’d recommend having 3-5k in the bank ready.


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[04lss]

And by this I mean records. If you aren’t getting a PPI and don’t have the cars maintenance history I’d recommend having 3-5k in the bank ready.


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What would the 3k be for specifically ?

[04lss]

its going to be a 2nd car, probably driven 5k a year or so. when it warms up i plan to do a DSG fluid change (and associated maint) Run amsoil, and probably change out the coolant.

[sacandagaD]

As mentioned above, maintenance is key, especially with B8 generation cars and DSG in particular.

[Iwantyourcar]

Money set aside for the common issues that plague a B8 DSG. Mechatronics repair seems to be almost inevitable. When I purchased mine I needed control arms, struts. etc. Thermostat, PCV, water pump are common if they haven't been replaced. Carbon cleaning is a common need. I'd put more value on a car that has record of having alot of this stuff done and on time. My car went through 3 thermostat's before I picked it up.

Most of this stuff won't show up on your test drive. My biggest concern would be the transmission. Make sure it shifts and has been well maintained. (A little clunkiness from 2 to 1 is noted as common).

[DriveBikeRun]

At the end of the day, there’s always a certain amount of risk involved when buying a used car out of warranty. But just ask questions and research to a level that makes you comfortable with the risk and potential maintenance costs.

I think most would agree that the DSG is the biggest risk and potential cost to fix, so pay most attention to that. I got lucky on mine and found out by calling the servicing dealer that it had the gearbox selector lever issue repaired much earlier in its life.

But no matter what you find out, the DSG’s reliability will probably always be in the back of your mind a little bit. Look for harsh upshifts and downshifts, 2-1 clunk that many have had, play with it in D, S and manual modes to see how it performs in each. Again, there is always risk involved, so get yourself sufficiently comfortable with it and be prepared for a several thousand dollar cash outlay at any time. And enjoy driving it [emoji2]! Best of luck on the test drive!


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[omgContra]

Or just ease your mind from DSG issues and get a manual 😁

[04lss]

Or just ease your mind from DSG issues and get a manual 😁

I cant find a manual in my price range within 150 miles :(

[04lss]

Looks like this would be a good bet to prevent mechatronic issues? https://www.ecstuning.com/b-assembled-by-ecs-parts/complete-mechatronics-unit-service-kit/0b5398009ekt1/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA0fr_BRDaARIsAABw4EuevUUgJl05NDt1Llg MuB7xgEqmsR31EW7Q7diLpapT_njxCmVfEAYaAgVtEALw_wcB

[sacandagaD]

Looks like this would be a good bet to prevent mechatronic issues? https://www.ecstuning.com/b-assembled-by-ecs-parts/complete-mechatronics-unit-service-kit/0b5398009ekt1/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA0fr_BRDaARIsAABw4EuevUUgJl05NDt1Llg MuB7xgEqmsR31EW7Q7diLpapT_njxCmVfEAYaAgVtEALw_wcB

Unfortunately maintenance alone does not absolve the early Gen DSG trannys from premature failure. My '11 B8 mech was starting to go at 72k when I traded it in, after being serviced by the book. YMMV.

[fastboatster]

it's a bit strange we still don't have any kind of "what to look for when buying..." sticky thread. This thread sounds a bit different from what I heard a year ago when all I could hear was that 3.0T is infallible and all dsg problems can be fixed with mechatronic pcb kit, but anyways. Let's talk about some possible issues:
Engine timing chain rattle. If timing chains in the back of the engine rattle for more than 3 sec on cold startup, Audi says it will need revised upper timing chain tensioners. Somewhat expensive to do.
Secondary air passages carbon build up - somewhat rare, also will cost you a lot to get them cleaned up. I forgot DTC codes for them, but you can search for secondary air injection problems.
Melted/breaking down cats - if you don't have a visual inspection during emission testing where you live, then it's not a big problem since the old cats can be cut and removed from the car. If you do have a visual inspection then it's a bigger problem as cat replacement requires lowering engine and trans along with subframe. Although there might be a better method.
DSG - yes, mechatronic problems, yes, sometimes they can be fixed with that PCB kit you posted but not always the case. Clutch can wear out at high miles, too. One issue I want to highlight because I had it, saw it popping up a few times on this forum and saw a few CL cars sold with this issue is gear selector lever sensor malfunction. The car won't know if it's in P, D or R and will be rendered completely undriveable. Unlike on most of the normal cars, it's buried inside the trans and will require either a new trans or getting the old one completely disassembled. Not too many shops will do this for you, and pulling DSG out yourself is not recommended unless you have a lift, otherwise you can't pull it from under the car and it's a 300lbs monster which can easily kill/maim you if you drop it. 10 hrs labor to remove the trans and a few more to get that sucker replaced. Unless the sensor is completely dead, this issue will usually not manifest itself until the gear oil in the back of the trans gets hot which might require a few miles of spirited driving (one person drove the car from a dealer on a highway for a few hours(!!!) and didn't noticed it until they started to drive in stop and go traffic). Note that this trans has 2 chambers, one with mech and clutch and another with all the gears. Of course, the oil in the gear chamber is "lifetime" and almost never changed since it's not recommended by Awdi and that's where that sensor lives.
Anyways, due diligence is required when buying a B8 S4 (and maybe B8.5), unlike on many competitor cars, some repairs require twice the labor time and some jobs are a LOT more difficult to DIY (transmission). How many miles does that car have? What year is it? 2010 might not have launch control and will have trans oil filter integrated into one of the trans lines, 400$ to replace if you need to.

[04lss]

it's a bit strange we still don't have any kind of "what to look for when buying..." sticky thread. This thread sounds a bit different from what I heard a year ago when all I could hear was that 3.0T is infallible and all dsg problems can be fixed with mechatronic pcb kit, but anyways. Let's talk about some possible issues:
Engine timing chain rattle. If timing chains in the back of the engine rattle for more than 3 sec on cold startup, Audi says it will need revised upper timing chain tensioners. Somewhat expensive to do.
Secondary air passages carbon build up - somewhat rare, also will cost you a lot to get them cleaned up. I forgot DTC codes for them, but you can search for secondary air injection problems.
Melted/breaking down cats - if you don't have a visual inspection during emission testing where you live, then it's not a big problem since the old cats can be cut and removed from the car. If you do have a visual inspection then it's a bigger problem as cat replacement requires lowering engine and trans along with subframe. Although there might be a better method.
DSG - yes, mechatronic problems, yes, sometimes they can be fixed with that PCB kit you posted but not always the case. Clutch can wear out at high miles, too. One issue I want to highlight because I had it, saw it popping up a few times on this forum and saw a few CL cars sold with this issue is gear selector lever sensor malfunction. The car won't know if it's in P, D or R and will be rendered completely undriveable. Unlike on most of the normal cars, it's buried inside the trans and will require either a new trans or getting the old one completely disassembled. Not too many shops will do this for you, and pulling DSG out yourself is not recommended unless you have a lift, otherwise you can't pull it from under the car and it's a 300lbs monster which can easily kill/maim you if you drop it. 10 hrs labor to remove the trans and a few more to get that sucker replaced. Unless the sensor is completely dead, this issue will usually not manifest itself until the gear oil in the back of the trans gets hot which might require a few miles of spirited driving (one person drove the car from a dealer on a highway for a few hours(!!!) and didn't noticed it until they started to drive in stop and go traffic). Note that this trans has 2 chambers, one with mech and clutch and another with all the gears. Of course, the oil in the gear chamber is "lifetime" and almost never changed since it's not recommended by Awdi and that's where that sensor lives.
Anyways, due diligence is required when buying a B8 S4 (and maybe B8.5), unlike on many competitor cars, some repairs require twice the labor time and some jobs are a LOT more difficult to DIY (transmission). How many miles does that car have? What year is it? 2010 might not have launch control and will have trans oil filter integrated into one of the trans lines, 400$ to replace if you need to.

Thanks for all the info!

I'm willing to tackle most of those issues, though the shift lever issue would probably drive me to manual swap if it ever happened. The car is a 2014 with 80k miles.
Ive looked up the process for replacing the water pump, thermostat and PCV, and im confident i can handle that considering i did the timing belt, water pump etc and engine mounts on my c5 a6. I would consider this to be preventative maint at the mileage the car has.

As of right now: what i am looking for is timing chain rattle at the back of the cylinder heads, any sign of coolant leak, and im paying extra attention to how she shifts. As to finding a car with the right service history. Id love to find one with Audi done maint every 5k miles but honestly, the selection is so limited i dont think i have that choice. My hope is that the 8.5 resolved some of the issues with the 8.

I plan to mod the car pretty extensively, stage 2+, coilovers, bbk, e40, bracing etc. (down the road) so i plan to do as much as i can to 1. start off with a good specimen and 2 to prevent any issues i can with maint.

I considered a 335i, which is cheaper to buy, but it didnt excite me like the s4.

[fastboatster]

2014 is not B8, it's a b8.5, while I said that due diligence is required, 2014 with 80kmiles is a safer buy than 2010 with 100+kmiles. You are likely to be fine with it for quite a few miles.

[Iwantyourcar]

Yes. Feel more confident in the b8.5. Especially with the transmission.


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[whts4]

Common items to inspect: 1) Dsg shifting as mentioned above, 2) clunking of suspension, especially going in and out of driveways....usually front upper/lower control arm bushings, can also be rear bushings, 3) leaky water pump or thermostat....check coolant levels and scent of antifreeze, 4) leaky or bad motor mounts....look for signs of fluid leakage around front mounts and/or ticking noise, could also throw a code, 5) tensioners...cold start rattle, 6) brake pad and rotor thickness....greater than 4mm on pads, 7) under load battery capacity check, if possible, 8) make sure radio/amp is working....B&O amp failures in higher mileage cars, 8) check for aftmkt perf engine parts ( pulley(s), air intake, etc)....may suggest it has been tuned.

Note: brake pad squeal under light braking is normal.

Besides mechanical assessment do the normal paint and body inspections....check underhood cowl ( under plastic cover) for debris and plugged drain lines.

Highly recommend ppi, which would find most of this and usually costs less than $200 at Audi dealer. They will check for codes and can indicate whether car was flagged for tune or currently has a tune.

[SForePlayin']

Check the tires so you know what to expect during the test drive. Coming from a newer GTI, I'm sure you know they make a big difference in ride quality and handling.
Brand - Michelin/Continental/Other
Type - Summer/Winter/All Season
Uneven wear/cupping
Tread depth

[oaybar007]

Great advice so far. I'll leave you with this one. Warm the car up and take a long test drive. Get everything up to temp in terms of fluids, tires, etc. Take your time with the car too. Make a checklist of things you want to check out and cross things out one by one if that works best. Anything that helps you feel comfortable and not rushed. Good luck. Hope it works out!

[agentsmith988]

Is it listed online? Post a link and people can look over it that way too. [up]

[Dippy]

A 2014 car should have the 3rd version of the s-tronic gearbox - I believe it came into production in Spring 2013. But over the years of my S5 ownership and reading these forums it still seems to be no absolute guarantee that it will be problem-free. Although there is a limit about what we can conclude from fault reports on the forums, I do believe that lack of maintenance plays a part - too many fault reports from owners who admit that the service was missed. If that 2014 car with 80K miles has never had a gearbox service then it would be enough reason to still be cautious.