What is more reliable.

[Glennb]

domt start roasting me saying that you don't get an b5 s4 for reliability you get it for speed...I know I've heard it all before.

So what is more reliable

A stage 3 b5 s4 w/ 130000

Or

A dead stock b5 s4 w/ 130000

And yes both cars have had timing belt, water pump and pulleys done.

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Stage 3. Fresh turbos vs. 130k turbos. Everything has been refreshed if it's a well sorted stage 3.

[Glennb]

Yes there are ko4s on the stage 3
Thank you

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Yes there are ko4s on the stage 3
Thank you

Know how many miles are on them and if they've been driven hard etc?

[Glennb]

I don't know how many miles are on the ko4 turbos but the dead stock one was never abused it was just a car used for commuting so that's why I don't really know which path to take. Honestly I've never had a fast car before. I'm only 18 so I feel like the stage 3 is a little out of my league

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Hmm that's a toss up. I'd definitely ask the guy with the K04's. If they are decently low I'd probably go for that one. Saves a good amount of money down the road if you were to buy a stocker and do stage 3.

Being 18 doesn't really factor in as long as you can maintain it and afford the maintenance. I believe wagonholic is about the same age and drives a stage 3 avant. I'm 18 and mine is stage 2. If you can afford it, and know your way around cars a bit, go for it.

[Peter1.8t]

Neither of them. They are both s4's.

[KeatS4]

I've said it before, I must have gotten the only 2 B5S4s that aren't garbage. Both of them are dailys, one at 130k and one at 160k. Maybe no one else cares for them? Maybe I just jinxed myself? Maybe they're A4s in disguise?? Only part I broke was a throtle body boot and like some other little thing. Everything else has been normal wear and preventative maintenance. Granted the 160k needs new struts within this year and I think a hub is going but not anytime soon

[audi-hammer]

What he said, I have two stage 3's, one at 70k miles and one at 165k. More reliable than all my friends performance cars so far

[james 408]

they're the same. The k04's are supposed to be a better turbo, but turbos are inherently high wear items under hard use. I think driving habits and tune and how up to date maintenence is more significant. if you were to match the tune from a ko4 to ko3 power, i suspect it would be more reliable because the turbo is running lower rpms to produce the same power. But if you run more power, naturally more components will fail (boost hoses, clutch, tranny, diff, tires, brakes, overall heat buildup in all systems). So by that logic, a k04 car with more power is less reliable.

[DieselElectric]

I had a period of time after my Stage 3 setup where I was dealing with issues daily.

Now that all that's behind me, It hasn't been any different than before, just a hell of a lot faster.

Purchased in October 2014, Stage 3 in August 2015, and daily driven throughout. Only big mechanical failure was the starter, which didn't strand me because it's not an Auto.

Been reliable for me, but I spent the first 10 years of my working life honing my mechanical skill set. I would have burned it to the fucking ground if I didn't know my way around an engine.

[e30mclow]

According to Matt Farah - All 18yr olds that drive b5 S4s will crash them.



I have a stage 3 k04, and would be apprehensive selling it to an 18yr old. Maybe I'm just getting grumpy with age.

[rguil]

Id take the stock one. Prob get it for a lot cheaper and you can mod yourself properly. I bought a poorly modded stage 3 when i didnt know anything about the platform and i had to undo and fix everything the last retard did. And i mean EVERYTHING till it ran right..

The brake booster hose was attached to the manifold via duct tape for example, didnt find out till i was trying to stop from 120mph with no brake booster...
Shop wisely!

[blakemorgs]

I'm only 17 and own a stage 3 b5 s4. I was really looking for a clean well taken care of stock b5 but none in my area met those specifications so i ended up getting a pretty well sorted stage 3 and it has yet to let me down reliability wise.

[christianb5s4]

Id take the stock one. Prob get it for a lot cheaper and you can mod yourself properly. I bought a poorly modded stage 3 when i didnt know anything about the platform and i had to undo and fix everything the last retard did. And i mean EVERYTHING till it ran right..

The brake booster hose was attached to the manifold via duct tape for example, didnt find out till i was trying to stop from 120mph with no brake booster...
Shop wisely!

This. I found all kinds of janky shit the previous owners of my car did to it and it's been so much preventative maintenance and preemptive replacement of many parts along with my own mods in preparation to go stage 3 this year. Either find a well documented well sorted out stage 3 from someone like a reputable forum member or find one that's stock or close to it and know you dis it right yourself

It's amazing to think that my 299K mile B5 S4 with a fair amount of neglect and all kinds of little issues has yet to leave me stranded besides the green coolant temp sensor failing (had another on hand) and the brake booster firewall hose cracking. Otherwise, it's been dead reliable when on paper, it should be the very definition of circumstances to create the most unreliable B5 S4 of all time.

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Ditto to many of these guys. It's been the most reliable out of all my friends' cars and it starts up with no issue every time :) Sometimes I'll smell something weird like fuel or oil coming through my vents and start freaking out but its gone in a couple minutes haha. No I don't have any leaks ;)

[Wagonholic]

Hmm that's a toss up. I'd definitely ask the guy with the K04's. If they are decently low I'd probably go for that one. Saves a good amount of money down the road if you were to buy a stocker and do stage 3.

Being 18 doesn't really factor in as long as you can maintain it and afford the maintenance. I believe wagonholic is about the same age and drives a stage 3 avant. I'm 18 and mine is stage 2. If you can afford it, and know your way around cars a bit, go for it.

yup, I'm 18 and drive a stage 3 avant. hasn't really been an issue for me for the most part since I do take care of it. YouTube/Google helps lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MikeyB3]

It's amazing to think that my 299K mile B5 S4 with a fair amount of neglect and all kinds of little issues has yet to leave me stranded besides the green coolant temp sensor failing (had another on hand) and the brake booster firewall hose cracking. Otherwise, it's been dead reliable when on paper, it should be the very definition of circumstances to create the most unreliable B5 S4 of all time.

Duuuude, near-300k? Your car is in such great shape, I'd have never put it much over 120k.

[Wagonholic]

According to Matt Farah - All 18yr olds that drive b5 S4s will crash them.



I have a stage 3 k04, and would be apprehensive selling it to an 18yr old. Maybe I'm just getting grumpy with age.

when we filmed the video, I was only 17 lol.
I was only 16 when I got into stage 3. But over 2 years later, I'm still here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk