Thinking about buying S4

[rlebwohl]

Hey guys - Been a member for a while, last Audi was a B6 A4 USP....boy do I miss that car. Anyway, I have been driving a 2008 C300 Sport and am thinking about buying a 2007 S4 with just about 12k on the clock. I like the C-class but would love to get back into an Audi, one that I can do some stuff to as well.

Anything I should watch out if I purchase the car? What do you guys think of going from a 08 C to a S4... The only thing that bothers me is the mpg...I drive at least 50 miles a day.

Just was wondering what people thought.

Rob

[bloodstar57]

Do it. you will be very happy

[cellg8]

my city mpg is 15.... highway is 21? something like that...

[ginkof]

do it... it will put a smile on your face all the time

[SebringSilver]

I'm thinking of going the other way myself, ditching my B7 S4 for an '09 C63 AMG. I love the S4, especially the AWD performance, but the car's over 2 years old now...thought it's time for a change. I'm sure you'll enjoy the S4 if you're coming from a regular C-class.

Enjoy!

[Quattro06]

Go with the S4 you'll be much much happier.

[JOS4AUDI]

s4 all the way i love it.

[rlebwohl]

Thanks guys for the comments. I am going to look at it Saturday. I kept thinking about the mpg's but I only average 22-23 in my rwd C and thats with the smaller V6 in it, so It wouldn't be that big of a difference. I also think its wierd going from a 08 to a 07 even though I already have 21k on my car.

[sakimano]

personally I don't like changing cars much because our taxes up here are awful (13%) so you get killed on transaction costs. on $40,000 cars that's $5,000 each time.

what's the tax sitch like where you are?

[MOFSTEEL]

personally I don't like changing cars much because our taxes up here are awful (13%) so you get killed on transaction costs. on $40,000 cars that's $5,000 each time.

what's the tax sitch like where you are?

Yipes!!
It's 7% here and if you buy from a private seller you can always say you bought it for less.

[DuncanC]

We are 5% here and private sales are tax free. Switching cars costs next to nothing. A new plate is $50.

[Auditude2.0T]

http://www.audizine.com/classifieds/...t=3940&cat=500

[quattro.it]

As everyone has said the S4 will be much more fun than a standard C class. The only downside is the fuel economy. For the guy in BC I can understand upgrading from the S4 to the RS4 but not a C63. He must have another car to drive in the rain and snow.

[Beelzeebub]

well a couple of things to consider off the top of my head:

1. fuel consumption. (mine averages 10 mpg city and about 12-14 hwy) and i drive like a decrepit old man.

2. insurance. the S4 is considered a high performance car. i would think it would be more expensive on the insurance side as opposed to insuring the c300.

[ieatfishburitos]

http://www.audizine.com/classifieds/...t=3940&cat=500

You have a nice A4 for sale, but I believe this gentleman posted in the S4 forums looking to buy an S4, not an A4.

Heck he can get real nice S4 with lower miles for less money than you are asking!

[rlebwohl]

http://www.audizine.com/classifieds/...t=3940&cat=500

Thanks, but thats not an S4.

Thanks for all the comments. Still going to look at it but the mpg I think is going to be the killer, sadly. Well have to see how big a smile I have on my face when I drive it.

[c4racer]

Thanks, but thats not an S4.

Thanks for all the comments. Still going to look at it but the mpg I think is going to be the killer, sadly. Well have to see how big a smile I have on my face when I drive it.

MPG isn't that bad. Sure - there are more fuel efficient cars. But not too many that run mid 13sec quarter miles.

I average 18 in a mix of city and hwy driving. Mostly around the city where I live - SF Bay Area.

Comparison for basically the same type of driving in other cars I've owned:
94 Q45 - 17
98 M3 - 21
99 540 - 17-18
00 M5 - 16
05 CTSV - 17
06 Evo - 17-18
04 Z06 - 18

So other than the M3, that did exceptionally well - pretty much everything else has been in roughly the same ball park.

Only a couple of these cars got better highway mpg.
M3 got upper 20's
Z06 got mid to upper 20's

The rest pretty much were between 20-23. I get ~21 from the S4 on the highway.

Hey - oil is $60 / barrel right now and we are facing a major world wide economic slowdown. I wouldn't be too concerned over gas mileage - if you are even within 25% of the C class with the S4, who cares? Gas was 50% higher a few months ago, so you are still paying less than you would have been!!

[ARCH NME]

since you are on the market have a look......
http://www.audizine.com/classifieds/...ct=4346&cat=30

[4RingRook]

^^ Awesome car!!!

[FourRingRider]

2. insurance. the S4 is considered a high performance car. i would think it would be more expensive on the insurance side as opposed to insuring the c300.

I just purchased my B7 S4 a couple weeks ago, and surprisingly the S4 was $78 CHEAPER per month than the '09 C350 I was about to purchase... that was a final decision factor for me!

FYI im 23 yrs old with no moving violations in the last 3 years, insurance company was GEICO.

[pogiFRESH]

personally I don't like changing cars much because our taxes up here are awful (13%) so you get killed on transaction costs. on $40,000 cars that's $5,000 each time.

what's the tax sitch like where you are?

i thought my tax was high 8.75%, but u guys are provided medical care right? we dont get sh*t and here in nor cal they cant even use it to fix the roads... haha

[rlebwohl]

Just came back from driving the car...in the rain, but thats what quattro is for.....i loved the car....its a great car in great condition...only thing it will need would be tires in half a year.

Monday, I am calling my insurance for the cost and I will see how much my c-class is worth.

Thanks again for all the comments...hopefully I will be posting here soon with some pics.

[SebringSilver]

Just came back from driving the car...in the rain, but thats what quattro is for.....i loved the car....its a great car in great condition...only thing it will need would be tires in half a year.

Monday, I am calling my insurance for the cost and I will see how much my c-class is worth.

Thanks again for all the comments...hopefully I will be posting here soon with some pics.

You'll be very happy with the S4. Personally, I've decided not to get rid of the S4. We like the car so much that we're going to get rid of my wife's A3 instead, and she'll then drive my S4, while I will move into the C63.

[sakimano]

very true. Income tax is super high too...about 40% if you're making $150,000 here in Ontario. Any dollar after $125,000 is taxed at 46%.

Canada is the best place in the world to live if you're poor, middle class or upper middle class.

If you're wealthy, it's still great, but just be prepared to be funding a fkload of people's welfare and medical coverage. I'd never move, but I love to vacation in California!

i thought my tax was high 8.75%, but u guys are provided medical care right? we dont get sh*t and here in nor cal they cant even use it to fix the roads... haha

[mitchholmstrom]

Grab the b6 s4's coming off lease right now, you can pick up a 2005 b6 with under 30k miles for well under 30k

[_Delaware]

Hey Mitch, define under 30k. I am shopping this weekend for a used 05.5 S4 with 18k miles. What should I be looking to pay?

[cotmfk]

well a couple of things to consider off the top of my head:

1. fuel consumption. (mine averages 10 mpg city and about 12-14 hwy) and i drive like a decrepit old man.

2. insurance. the S4 is considered a high performance car. i would think it would be more expensive on the insurance side as opposed to insuring the c300.

That fuel consumption seems really low... I get somewhere around 16-17 in town and 21-23 on the highway. Maybe time for some new spark plugs/oilchange/air in tires,etc?

[rlebwohl]

Well, sadly for now I have to pass on the car. When I looked up how much my 08 C is worth....well, it wasn't to good with how much I drive it. Hopefully there will another one down the road.

[RobSo]

Were you looking at the silver S4 at Paul Miller by any chance?

[rlebwohl]

Were you looking at the silver S4 at Paul Miller by any chance?

No, it was not at that dealer. They still have the car and I am still thinking about....

[charliemike]

My fuel consumption on 18s was as high as 24 on the highway (checked against miles driven/gals used) but on my 19s it's about 20.

Dunno why but there it is.

[rlebwohl]

Yea right now its not the mpg's that stopping me. It just the matter of a few dollars...well see....still trying to work on it.....

[CruzS4]

Yipes!!
It's 7% here and if you buy from a private seller you can always say you bought it for less.

true, but if you declare you bought it for less than 80% of the kbb price they make an adjustment, just happened to me last week. they nail you coming and going

[MOFSTEEL]

true, but if you declare you bought it for less than 80% of the kbb price they make an adjustment, just happened to me last week. they nail you coming and going

You still end up paying less in the long run.

[CruzS4]

You still end up paying less in the long run.

oh yea, absolutely

[Hamann]

well a couple of things to consider off the top of my head:

1. fuel consumption. (mine averages 10 mpg city and about 12-14 hwy) and i drive like a decrepit old man.

2. insurance. the S4 is considered a high performance car. i would think it would be more expensive on the insurance side as opposed to insuring the c300.

My RS4 gets a combined 18mpg. I just filled up again..205 miles and 11.2 gallons consumed...18.3 mpg...and I don't drive like a decrepit old man.

Also, my insurance went up $9.00 a month from a VW GTI.

If the S4 is a high performance car, certainly the RS4 is...

[StillclaimngDP]

My 05.5 S4 is for sale, going back to a 335i.

2005.5 S4, 51k miles, Paddle Shift Tiptronic, silver w/ black Leather Recaros, everything but heated seats and Navi. I'll probably sell it for less than you'll find anywhere, PM me an offer, you won't offend me I promise. Very clean other than a few commuter rock chips that have been touched up in the front bumper and 1 rim that is slightly bent from the prior owner:

[rlebwohl]

Sorry, if I end up getting one, It needs to be a 6-speed., nice car though.