shopping for an avant

[nthusiastt]

I couldn't help myself, I just love avants so much. I got rid of my M and plan on picking up an older avant here soon and I kinda need something to get me to the mountain. Right now I'm looking at some a4 and a6's new and old. I'm not sure if I should go new or old. I really like the b6 styling and really all I think I want to do is suspension and wheels, maybe exhaust and chip if I get a turbo motor. Is there service inspections I need to be aware of? At what milage points to I need them? Any recalls? Any motors I should vear away from? I'm new to the audi world so take it easy on me... Thanks

and a couple shots of the M before I sold her....

[Matt C]

Wow - nice bimmer. Check here for tons of info on modding, common problems, etc. Maybe a wee bit premature, but welcome to the club

http://www.audizine.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=104

[SoCalS4Avant]

From an M3 to an A4 or A6? You haven't considered the S4 Avant? I'm totally biased, but I say check out an S4 Avant if you can find one that meets your specs (color, transmission, unmodded, etc.). Then throw on a cat back, coilovers, some wheels, and you'll be set!

As Eight said - welcome to the club - even prematurely.

[lookaught]

e46 M3's are a dime a dozen and practically come with a v neck sweater vest.

Good choice, avants FTMFW!

[autophiles]

e46 M3's are a dime a dozen and practically come with a v neck sweater vest.

Ha ha.. I think that's the funniest thing I've heard all day!

[JumboBlack1.8]

e46 M3's are a dime a dozen and practically come with a v neck sweater vest.

Good choice, avants FTMFW!

While that might be true....I don't even care, i STILL want one....fantastic cars

But yes, a B6 S4 avant is the way to go

[aw21]

I had a B6 S4 avant and ended up going w/ a B5 S4 avant instead. A lot funner to modify, turbo, more rare in a 6MT and a bit better mpg...

[nthusiastt]

From an M3 to an A4 or A6? You haven't considered the S4 Avant? I'm totally biased, but I say check out an S4 Avant if you can find one that meets your specs (color, transmission, unmodded, etc.). Then throw on a cat back, coilovers, some wheels, and you'll be set!

As Eight said - welcome to the club - even prematurely.

I almost pulled the trigger on a 6mt avant last night but the barrier audi was very inflexible with there pricing. 21k miles, fully loaded, Dark grey, tint. They wanted 41,999. I basically said unless you can get the price down closer to private party value I'm walking. ie 4-5k off. They gave 1,500 off. They wouldn't shut the F up about justify their pricing based on the rarity of the car. I didn't really care, I'm not willing to drive off with almost 10k negative equity immediatly. It was rather irritating but maybe I'll get a phone call and they'll change there minds.

I'm more focus'd on an a4 simply because it's more economic and I just want to be comfortable. I know if I get an S4 the mod bug will bite and bite hard. With the M I ended up spending close to 15k casually modding it. My Prelude before that I spend 35k modding. I really need to find a car I don't feel like I need to mod to love and I think an avant wagon is it. I'm not really to concerned with it because either way as long as I can shove my board in the back and drive up the pass with a little confidence I'll be happy. Whatever comes along :)

[SuperAvant]

I almost pulled the trigger on a 6mt avant last night but the barrier audi was very inflexible with there pricing. 21k miles, fully loaded, Dark grey, tint. They wanted 41,999. I basically said unless you can get the price down closer to private party value I'm walking. ie 4-5k off. They gave 1,500 off. They wouldn't shut the F up about justify their pricing based on the rarity of the car. I didn't really care, I'm not willing to drive off with almost 10k negative equity immediatly. It was rather irritating but maybe I'll get a phone call and they'll change there minds.

I'm more focus'd on an a4 simply because it's more economic and I just want to be comfortable. I know if I get an S4 the mod bug will bite and bite hard. With the M I ended up spending close to 15k casually modding it. My Prelude before that I spend 35k modding. I really need to find a car I don't feel like I need to mod to love and I think an avant wagon is it. I'm not really to concerned with it because either way as long as I can shove my board in the back and drive up the pass with a little confidence I'll be happy. Whatever comes along :)

You do know that the mod bug is a disease with no cure. In do time it returns and you will be 15K in the hole again.

Plus Im sure you will want some stank when you go to the push the go pedal - S4 Avant FTW!

[minameismud]

I'm more focus'd on an a4 simply because it's more economic and I just want to be comfortable. I know if I get an S4 the mod bug will bite and bite hard.

you think the b6 or b7 a4 mod bug won't bite you? psssh.

Chip: $500-$800
Exhaust - $600-$1100
Coilovers - $1000
Shoes - $$$$$
and if you don't already get them:
Bi-Xenons - $700-$1200
Nav - $1000
etc etc etc

you'll start small, maybe a sway bar or VAG-COM or something. it'll grow.

...not that any of this is a bad thing

[nthusiastt]

you think the b6 or b7 a4 mod bug won't bite you? psssh.

Chip: $500-$800
Exhaust - $600-$1100
Coilovers - $1000
Shoes - $$$$$
and if you don't already get them:
Bi-Xenons - $700-$1200
Nav - $1000
etc etc etc

you'll start small, maybe a sway bar or VAG-COM or something. it'll grow.

...not that any of this is a bad thing

I'm expecting some mild modifications, maybe 10k worth.

The M3 off the top of my head....
Rezax's 4,700$
ps2's 1,600$
kw v2's 2,200$
Kriesieg valvetronic 5,500$
CSL Headers, 2,200$
Strass lip, 1,200$ + molding 600$
other miscelanous mods roughly 2k$

The prelude was quite a bit more... off the top of my head:
Aem EMS 2k
volk gtu's 2,500
status kevlar buckets 3k
takata's 1k
custom f2 coils 1k+
Custom turbokit with fuel management and clutch 7,500$
oem lip 2,500$
full custom 3" uncatted to apex n1 800$
custom autopower cage 500$
defi bf gauges 700$
Custo e55 retrofit 1,500$
Sustec bars 500$
and a whole bunch of other random stuff.

[nthusiastt]

went and looked at this one today...
A6 avant:
2006 auto, fully loaded. 44k miles warranty for another year priced at 27,999$.

[ewuzh]

I think the B6 Avant (especially the USP model) is the best looking, but I went with a B5 for the twin turbo powwaaa. Not to knock on the 1.8T but even chipped/modded it just wasn't quick enough for me.

The only thing that sucks about Audi's is the spendy timing belt job that needs to be done every 75K or so. I almost went with an e46/e39 wagon for the sake of the timing chain. If only they weren't so lacking in the power department.

[CARTEL]

Buy my car! Faster than your M3 with mega grocery getting capabilities!

[SoCalS4Avant]

VERY NICE - I've considered one of those for my second Avant..

went and looked at this one today...
A6 avant:
2006 auto, fully loaded. 44k miles warranty for another year priced at 27,999$.

[Matt C]

Buy my car! Faster than your M3 with mega grocery getting capabilities!

Why would you sell this car? Man, it is perfect, well sorted, and nicer than the new Audis. You should keep it.

[Mtn. Mike]

http://www.audizine.com/classifieds/...t=3303&cat=500
Northern Colorado, 3 liter V6, quattro, 2 sets of wheels/tires pretty good deal!

[Myallroad]

Buy a allroad, can get great deals on them right now, can get them in 6 speeds, and they are comfy as hell. just buy a warrenty on it.

[Eteled]

B6 S4 Avant is not the way to get to the mountain. I bought mine two years ago with that exact plan.

Honestly, as soon as I move back to Oregon, I'm looking at buying a second car dedicated to driving to Meadows. Something along the lines of a used subaru.

The B6/B7 interior is too small for easy body movement (once you get in one, you'll understand) and I'm 5'10", 155 lbs. Then the S4 interior is too nice and easily damaged (the result of soft touch plastics). The paint will get destroyed by the roads. Esp. if you put a nicer front bumper on there.

And the final killer... the car gets terrible gas millage going up hill. Yeah it gets bad gas millage in general, but they are heavy beasts and uphill really kills the gas millage. You should expect maybe to get 8 mpg going up hill. And thats if you stay conservative on the throttle.

If you plan on going Saturdays and Sundays, a second car will probably break even for you after three seasons. No joke man. I had a 97' Subaru outback when I was an instructor. Lots of room, not too bad on gas and I didn't really care what happened to the body. That is the way to go.

But buy an S4 for your other car.

[nthusiastt]

And the final killer... the car gets terrible gas millage going up hill. Yeah it gets bad gas millage in general, but they are heavy beasts and uphill really kills the gas millage. You should expect maybe to get 8 mpg going up hill. And thats if you stay conservative on the throttle.

Can anyone else confirm this? Was that the 1.8t motor or the v6? Is this the same for an a6? My friends S4 wasn't less than 15mpg going up the pass.

3m clear bra protects the paint pretty well. Worse case I can do a flat black vinyl wrap.

[ewytt]

S4 is a V8, i believe him.

I got a 1.8T B6 and it slays in the snow. (just a little slow)

[SoCalS4Avant]

He's saying B6 S4 - B5 was V6TT.

I'll confirm that the B6 S4 does poorly with gas mileage when I'm hauling ass up the mountains...even "conservative" as he says, isn't much better. You make it all back up though, when you go down! lol

I don't think you'll have any problems in the snow with the Avant. Will a Subaru do better? Debatable. I like Subarus...in fact, I'm debating a second Avant or an Outback (although I'd really like an STi - but a I don't need performance).