Might be picking up 2010 S4 6S this weekend...What to look out for?

[amusante]

Hey Everyone,

I've owned a B5 S4 for about 5 years now, and the maintenance bills are starting to pile up, and the lack of new features is starting to wear on me. I found a very nice 2010 S4 in my beloved Imola yellow with 65K on the odometer. What are the things I should look for when checking out the car, and what are some of the things I can do to the car immediately to ensure longevity and durability?

Thanks guys

[LittleDozer]

The 2010 may have had a fuel rail recall for leaking fuel. Check into that and make sure it's been done if 2010 was affected.

The mechatronics unit can go out on the earlier year B8s resulting in a ridiculously expensive transmission repair. Look into which years are prone to that as I think 2010 is in that bucket. If it is I would recommend an extended warranty.

In terms of things to do right away, not much. These car's are much less needy than a B5. As recommended with any purchased car, change the oil.

[jsh139]

You say "6S". You mean 6-speed manual, I'm assuming. If so, there's not much to check other than what you would check on any used car. Look for signs of abuse, accidents, etc. Check the condition of the clutch while you drive it. Check the maintenance history. It will likely have had its thermostat and water pump replaced, but if not, budget for that. Plugs should have been changed at 55K. S/C belt needs to be changed at 75K. That's all I can really think of at the moment. These cars are pretty reliable if maintained properly.

[mr shickadance]

You say "6S". You mean 6-speed manual, I'm assuming. If so, there's not much to check other than what you would check on any used car. Look for signs of abuse, accidents, etc. Check the condition of the clutch while you drive it. Check the maintenance history. It will likely have had its thermostat and water pump replaced, but if not, budget for that. Plugs should have been changed at 55K. S/C belt needs to be changed at 75K. That's all I can really think of at the moment. These cars are pretty reliable if maintained properly.

this says it all.

other things I would note would be:

- at 65k you should look for all your standard medium mileage things, like the suspension, bushings, brakepad life, rotor life etc.

outside of that, the engine is solid, very little goes wrong with these cars.

[amusante]

You say "6S". You mean 6-speed manual, I'm assuming. If so, there's not much to check other than what you would check on any used car. Look for signs of abuse, accidents, etc. Check the condition of the clutch while you drive it. Check the maintenance history. It will likely have had its thermostat and water pump replaced, but if not, budget for that. Plugs should have been changed at 55K. S/C belt needs to be changed at 75K. That's all I can really think of at the moment. These cars are pretty reliable if maintained properly.

You are correct, I should have said 6MT instead. Thank you for the heads up

[jsh139]

You are correct, I should have said 6MT instead. Thank you for the heads up

No problem. Good luck and post up some pics or the ad. We can help identify some things (as best as possible over the Internet) before you get it checked out.

[MrFunk]

Clutch condition. Check this as best you can. I would get it in a high gear going slow (4th perhaps at 20mph) and go WOT to make sure it holds. I personally would not buy one of these with that many miles. But several have and not had issues... your biggest potential cost is the clutch. Ive seen several ppl buy used s4's and had clutch issues immediately after purchase. Its a weak point. Ppl abuse these cars. Ppl get rid of them as soon as the clutch acts up.

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[SportVier]

Clutch condition.

+1.

[amusante]

No problem. Good luck and post up some pics or the ad. We can help identify some things (as best as possible over the Internet) before you get it checked out.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...2854/overview/

The car seems priced a bit high, so I will have to haggle that down when I get there. Obviously, coming from an Imola B5, I would love an Imola B8, so that's where my interest piqued with this example. The interior seems to be holding up very well, and the carfax seems to indicate all major mileage services done, so hopefully the mechanical's are good.

Clutch condition. Check this as best you can. I would get it in a high gear going slow (4th perhaps at 20mph) and go WOT to make sure it holds. I personally would not buy one of these with that many miles. But several have and not had issues... your biggest potential cost is the clutch. Ive seen several ppl buy used s4's and had clutch issues immediately after purchase. Its a weak point. Ppl abuse these cars. Ppl get rid of them as soon as the clutch acts up.

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I will definitely do that. Thank you for that info.

[mr shickadance]

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...2854/overview/

The car seems priced a bit high, so I will have to haggle that down when I get there. Obviously, coming from an Imola B5, I would love an Imola B8, so that's where my interest piqued with this example. The interior seems to be holding up very well, and the carfax seems to indicate all major mileage services done, so hopefully the mechanical's are good.




I will definitely do that. Thank you for that info.

IMO, that car seems pretty overpriced, save for color, here is a similar S4 with less miles for a few dollars more. https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...8221/overview/

if you get it for $27 it would be a fair deal, but it's right on the cusp of a lot of miles for a sports car, and it's not exactly well-optioned either.

[amusante]

IMO, that car seems pretty overpriced, save for color, here is a similar S4 with less miles for a few dollars more. https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...8221/overview/

if you get it for $27 it would be a fair deal, but it's right on the cusp of a lot of miles for a sports car, and it's not exactly well-optioned either.

I saw that one, but since it's a private seller I wouldn't be able to finance. I agree, so I'm hoping I can get it down in price. Also, what options is it missing in your eyes?

[jmac122]

Just wanted to let you know that I just bought a 2010 Audi S4 Prestige with all upgrades except ACC, for 29.5 drive out after TTL; with 62,000 miles on it. So you can for sure get this for cheaper since it's only premium plus.

[jmac122]

Just wanted to let you know amusante that I'm in Houston and just purchased a 2010 S4 Prestige with 62k miles and all upgrades besides ACC for 29.5 drive out AFTER TTL. You can definitely get this lower.

[SportVier]

Once more, jmac122. This time with feeling!

[amusante]

Just wanted to let you know amusante that I'm in Houston and just purchased a 2010 S4 Prestige with 62k miles and all upgrades besides ACC for 29.5 drive out AFTER TTL. You can definitely get this lower.

Man, hopefully, I can get it down a lot lower then or else I appear to be getting ripped off

[mr shickadance]

I saw that one, but since it's a private seller I wouldn't be able to finance. I agree, so I'm hoping I can get it down in price. Also, what options is it missing in your eyes?

to be honest, i am not 100% on the intricacies between years, but I believe you have the absolute bare-bones MMI system, no nave, red dot matrix dash where in the upgraded version it's a color screen inbetween the tach and speedo, the button layout is not on the dash but in the center column.

Also your interior is stock (some like it, personally I think it's too much alcantara and the seats look fat) base 18'' wheels, no driver mode selection.

If you wait, I think you will be able to find a better optioned car, for a better price.

[jsh139]

Yeah, that's definitely a bare-bones car. Way over-priced, too. For reference, I bought my 2010 S4 with 53,000 miles last year for $30K. Mine is a 6MT Prestige with every option except full leather and the dynamic suspension/steering.

I feel like they're pricing it high because of the color and 6MT. When, in reality, it should probably be about $5,000 cheaper.

[amusante]

Yeah, that's definitely a bare-bones car. Way over-priced, too. For reference, I bought my 2010 S4 with 53,000 miles last year for $30K. Mine is a 6MT Prestige with every option except full leather and the dynamic suspension/steering.

I feel like they're pricing it high because of the color and 6MT. When, in reality, it should probably be about $5,000 cheaper.

Damn, guess I'll pass on this car unless they really drop the price. Thanks for the heads up guys. Just really started looking into these cars in the last couple weeks, so I feel like a noob after spending the last 5 years in the B5 world.

[jsh139]

I saw that one, but since it's a private seller I wouldn't be able to finance. I agree, so I'm hoping I can get it down in price. Also, what options is it missing in your eyes?

You would still be able to finance. Just call up your bank or credit union. They can get you a loan (usually with better rates than a dealer, anyway).

As far as desirable options, for a 2010 you would ideally want the Prestige package (which gets you navigation, seat memory, auto dimming mirrors, advanced key/push button start, and color driver info screen, among other things). Sports differential is another one that is big. There's also other little things like blind spot monitoring, rear parking assist, full nappa leather seats, and carbon fiber inlays that are nice to have.

[jsh139]

IMO, that car seems pretty overpriced, save for color, here is a similar S4 with less miles for a few dollars more. https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...8221/overview/

This one is a really nice car. Has all the good options (Prestige, sports diff, driver-assist, etc) and has low miles. I would definitely check it out if you aren't dead-set on Imola Yellow.

[b6onboost]

An Imola 6MT is a unicorn.

If you love that combination, go in, negotiate, and buy it. You'll never find another and you'll kick yourself for letting it go over trying to save a few grand.

[amusante]

An Imola 6MT is a unicorn.

If you love that combination, go in, negotiate, and buy it. You'll never find another and you'll kick yourself for letting it go over trying to save a few grand.

Just got my approved loan application. With 4K down and a 60 month term, it's about $600/month at the 8.9% interest rate they got me. Not sure I wanna do that. I did let him know I didn't realize the negotiation phase was over. I merely asked what I could bring with me to speed things along if it did go well.

[jimrobbington]

Clutch clutch clutch. Be prepared to replace it, and flywheel most likely. Stock clutch is made from brie cheese. And also be prepared to have no start issues with the new clutch. Lol.

[TomPaul10]

The 2010 may have had a fuel rail recall for leaking fuel. Check into that and make sure it's been done if 2010 was affected.

The mechatronics unit can go out on the earlier year B8s resulting in a ridiculously expensive transmission repair. Look into which years are prone to that as I think 2010 is in that bucket. If it is I would recommend an extended warranty.

In terms of things to do right away, not much. These car's are much less needy than a B5. As recommended with any purchased car, change the oil.

my Mech unit was replaced 4 times. go with 6sp for the B8

[TMurt]

I'd agree that the car you linked to seems overpriced for its mileage and options. This one has more options and lower mileage, albeit not convenient to you https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...2190/overview/

Regarding the clutch, only buy the car if you're ok with spending 3k sometime during ownership on the clutch and have the ability to pay on short notice. The clutch life varies entirely on the history of the car and how you drive. I picked up my car with 88k miles and now its almost to 100k on the original clutch with no signs of it beginning to fail. That is predominantly due to the previous owner mostly doing highway driving, though that means I inherited dozens of paint chips, chipped windshield, and a crack in the bumper. Given the cars mileage, I'd assume it didn't spend most of its time on the highway, but it should be easy to tell by looking at the front of the car in some cases similar to mine.

With all of that being said, only 28 2010 6MT Imola S4s made it to the US. Assuming that continued through 2011 (Not sure if they built 2012 Imolas), there are less than 60 6MT Imola Yellow S4s around. So if you love the color, I'd try hard to negotiate because your odds of coming across another one are somewhat low to say the least

[DannyDeez]

Ok what am I missing? Since when did 2010 S4's start going for $30k again?

I bought my 2012 Prestige, sport diff, blah blah, pretty much loaded 6MT for $32.7 at the beginning of this year. At that time all 2010/11's were going in the low $20's.

[Jay3.2B7]

You should be able to get a better deal. If not walk away. Many have mentioned for that price you can find a handful with more options lower miles as long as you're open to compromise on color.

[amusante]

I'd agree that the car you linked to seems overpriced for its mileage and options. This one has more options and lower mileage, albeit not convenient to you https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...2190/overview/

Regarding the clutch, only buy the car if you're ok with spending 3k sometime during ownership on the clutch and have the ability to pay on short notice. The clutch life varies entirely on the history of the car and how you drive. I picked up my car with 88k miles and now its almost to 100k on the original clutch with no signs of it beginning to fail. That is predominantly due to the previous owner mostly doing highway driving, though that means I inherited dozens of paint chips, chipped windshield, and a crack in the bumper. Given the cars mileage, I'd assume it didn't spend most of its time on the highway, but it should be easy to tell by looking at the front of the car in some cases similar to mine.

With all of that being said, only 28 2010 6MT Imola S4s made it to the US. Assuming that continued through 2011 (Not sure if they built 2012 Imolas), there are less than 60 6MT Imola Yellow S4s around. So if you love the color, I'd try hard to negotiate because your odds of coming across another one are somewhat low to say the least

Wow, didn't realize how rare they were. Hopefully, they don't have the same stats you do. I could probably afford a new clutch unexpectedly, but with a $5-600/month payment, that would be less than ideal. I'm currently working with the guy on getting the price closer to $25-26K based on prices of newer, less mileage examples. If he can't work with me, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. He already wanted me to sign the financing agreement without even driving the car and he wanted a 5% deposit, so he's pushing this thing hard.

[jsh139]

Just got my approved loan application. With 4K down and a 60 month term, it's about $600/month at the 8.9% interest rate they got me. Not sure I wanna do that. I did let him know I didn't realize the negotiation phase was over. I merely asked what I could bring with me to speed things along if it did go well.

Ouch. 8.9% interest?! Where are you getting this loan from? That is absurdly high. Not to get too personal, but do you have good credit? You should be able to get a 60 month loan for well under 4%.

[amusante]

Ouch. 8.9% interest?! Where are you getting this loan from? That is absurdly high. Not to get too personal, but do you have good credit? You should be able to get a 60 month loan for well under 4%.

Credit is about 750 and income is close to 6 figures. Seems like I'm getting effed all around here.

[mr shickadance]

Just got my approved loan application. With 4K down and a 60 month term, it's about $600/month at the 8.9% interest rate they got me. Not sure I wanna do that. I did let him know I didn't realize the negotiation phase was over. I merely asked what I could bring with me to speed things along if it did go well.

you should not buy the car and take out a loan with a 9% interest rate.

Assuming you get it for $28,000 out the door, that means your principle owed is floating around $4,000 so in order to resale the car, you would have to get $24,000 on a trade in or sale private party just to get out of the deal break-even.

Currently, KBB tells you that the car with 66k miles on the clock, optioned as you call it is actually worth between $19-$21, so if you bought this car the way it stands, you are already underwater. Not necessarily a bad thing, but something to understand, and made even worse by an interest rate that is borderline criminal.

all im saying is it's going to be an uphill battle to get out from being underwater on that loan with 9% interest ticking away vs the car's depcriation, which takes a big hit when your odometer crosses 85k for some reason, which is about two years of light driving from 66k.

i would walk from this deal for a lot of reason, i would run because of the 9% 5 year loan on a car made 6 years ago.

[tgsweat]

Credit is about 750 and income is close to 6 figures. Seems like I'm getting effed all around here.

Shop around some credit unions. I'm sure you can get less than 8.9 with a 750 score.

[amusante]

you should not buy the car and take out a loan with a 9% interest rate.

Assuming you get it for $28,000 out the door, that means your principle owed is floating around $4,000 so in order to resale the car, you would have to get $24,000 on a trade in or sale private party just to get out of the deal break-even.

Currently, KBB tells you that the car with 66k miles on the clock, optioned as you call it is actually worth between $19-$21, so if you bought this car the way it stands, you are already underwater. Not necessarily a bad thing, but something to understand, and made even worse by an interest rate that is borderline criminal.

all im saying is it's going to be an uphill battle to get out from being underwater on that loan with 9% interest ticking away vs the car's depcriation, which takes a big hit when your odometer crosses 85k for some reason, which is about two years of light driving from 66k.

i would walk from this deal for a lot of reason, i would run because of the 9% 5 year loan on a car made 6 years ago.

You're making a lot of sense, thank you for the logic talk.

[mr shickadance]

Also, consider a 2012 6speed, better optioned grey s4 WITH CPO warranty (gets you coverage until 2018 or 100,000 whichever comes first) For $31,800 listed (may prolly close on $30,000)

So for an extra $2k ($29.9 vs $31.9) you are getting a better car, WITH warranty.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...0002/overview/

located in Mass.

still, you are getting dicked with a 9% interest rate.

[TMurt]

I didn't see the 9% rate before but yeah that is absurd. 750 credit and solid income should get you around 4% or less on a loan. Also, I'm not sure on the KBB values listed. It shows my 2010 being worth a bit over 20k and it has 97k miles. Last time I checked, all the B8 S4s for sale for under $20k with less than 100k miles didn't have a clean record. Though the estimated values have a huge range on various sites. Edmunds suggested private sale of mine at 17k and black book put it at 22k, so if you're using those sites to get an idea make sure you look at all of them not just one

I agree that the deal is garabage with that loan rate and price though. I'd say the car you're looking at is probably worth 25k. And yes it is rare, but a lot of people, even enthusiasts on this site wouldn't buy a yellow car because it's too flashy. The rareness is only worth extra to a certain buyer. There's a chance it sits on the lot for a while because of it too

[b6onboost]

8.9% is the dealer marked-up rate. They get a financial kickback from the bank/lender by getting you to agree to a high rate. You can always get your own financing at a much lower rate, either before buying or right after buying through a re-finance. They also are 'asking' $29k for the car, doesn't mean you can't negotiate that down.

You can always 'find a better deal or car'. For some people that's getting a better optioned S4 in a more common color like Grey or Black, for others options matter less and 6MT and a hot color like Imola/Sprint/Red matters more. You just have to pick what works for you.

[amusante]

8.9% is the dealer marked-up rate. They get a financial kickback from the bank/lender by getting you to agree to a high rate. You can always get your own financing at a much lower rate, either before buying or right after buying through a re-finance. They also are 'asking' $29k for the car, doesn't mean you can't negotiate that down.

You can always 'find a better deal or car'. For some people that's getting a better optioned S4 in a more common color like Grey or Black, for others options matter less and 6MT and a hot color like Imola/Sprint/Red matters more. You just have to pick what works for you.

Ah, that makes sense then. Maybe I can negotiate on the rate too, but I will start looking at my own loans. I figured I would be able to negotiate, but they sent me the loan agreement before I had even gone there in person to look at the car. I've sent them multiple examples of other cars, at their request, in an attempt to show them how it is overpriced. I have yet to hear back from them. For me, the color is important. I love Imola, but I would definitely look into other options if they really caught my eye.

[RLB6]

You can get a facelift S4 for that price these days with less miles