Is it still possible and realistic to get a new S4 engine?

[deansep]

I have the opportunity to spend $7k and get a b6 s4 with 152k miles. The timing chains should have been replaced (still waiting to see the receipts) 10k miles ago and the previous owners seem to have taken good care of the vehicle as the carfax shows. But is this a decent investment? Its a huge chunk of the money I have and I don't want to get it, 3 years down the road the engine craps out and not be able to get another engine to put in. OR find an engine but end up spending more than I payed. Im just toying with the idea of if this is worth it or not. Does anyone have any advice?

[Mr.Wrong]

New BHFs are very hard to find and the cost is more than what you'll pay for your entire S4. You're better off finding a used motor in good condition, refreshing it and fiting in your car. Investment is not a word I'd use when it comes to most cars including these, as you'll end up loosing money whether it's depreciation or maintenance or both.

[Mr. Corey]

I have the opportunity to spend $7k and get a b6 s4 with 152k miles. The timing chains should have been replaced (still waiting to see the receipts) 10k miles ago and the previous owners seem to have taken good care of the vehicle as the carfax shows. But is this a decent investment? Its a huge chunk of the money I have and I don't want to get it, 3 years down the road the engine craps out and not be able to get another engine to put in. OR find an engine but end up spending more than I payed. Im just toying with the idea of if this is worth it or not. Does anyone have any advice?

Not to sound like a dick but if 7k is a lot of money for you for a car and it going to be your daily driver given the 150k it has on it.... its not going to last you 3 years without spending another 10k to maintain it. You have to remember this was a 50-60k car back in 04-05 maintenance costs can be pricey even if your doing your own work. My engine rebuild bill was double the cost of the car your looking at ......just to put it into perspective and that doesn't even included the price of headers lol.

[mace115]

Agreeing with Mr.Corey it does seem a bit pricey given the milage. Check on KBB and NADA to see what they say it's worth.
Definitely make sure timing has been done. Know the common things to look for on the car (obviously timing being done is a priority).
Get a compression/leakdown test done, make sure there is no more than a 20psi difference between cylinders.
As i'm sure you know, try to work them down on price as much as possible

Personally I'd say if you want an s4, with the lovely v8 motor, to keep looking. Better deals can be had with lower miles. Good luck!

[deansep]

Not to sound like a dick but if 7k is a lot of money for you for a car and it going to be your daily driver given the 150k it has on it.... its not going to last you 3 years without spending another 10k to maintain it. You have to remember this was a 50-60k car back in 04-05 maintenance costs can be pricey even if your doing your own work. My engine rebuild bill was double the cost of the car your looking at ......just to put it into perspective and that doesn't even included the price of headers lol.

Agreeing with Mr.Corey it does seem a bit pricey given the milage. Check on KBB and NADA to see what they say it's worth.
Definitely make sure timing has been done. Know the common things to look for on the car (obviously timing being done is a priority).
Get a compression/leakdown test done, make sure there is no more than a 20psi difference between cylinders.
As i'm sure you know, try to work them down on price as much as possible

Personally I'd say if you want an s4, with the lovely v8 motor, to keep looking. Better deals can be had with lower miles. Good luck!

Yeah. KBB shows it going for around $5.3k in excellent condition but I don't know if KBB values in all the repairs. Like I said, supposedly the timing chains were taken care of roughly 10k miles ago but I am still waiting on proof for that. The current owner has the ad showing:

"The timing chain service was just done at 142,000. It has new milltek downpipes and a custom stainless steel exhaust with two 4 inch tips. It looks great on the car. I also just put new tailights on the car and tinted the outsides and painted the back spoiler lip black. Has hids and yellow fog lights, also has a carbon fiber front lip, and an s4gasm euro plate. Has led lights for all interior lights, looks great at night, as well as led license plate lights. Also has a new luk flywheel and fx350 clutch masters clutch. It also has a bluetooth touch screen pioneer head unit. The interior is about a 7/10 and exterior is in an 8/10.

The bad is theres a crack in the windshield in the passenger side down near the hood (pictures are in the pictures below). The glove box is also weird about when it shuts and not, and the gas light is on because of a sensor i believe, the gauge still seems to work, so i believe it is just a sensor or probe for the gas light."

The cons don't seem to be too bad, easy repairs I believe but I was mostly concerned about engine and price. The owner is very adamant about the vehicle being worth more than KBB shows and he made the mistake of putting it on a facebook group where of course everyone is commenting saying the car is worth $11k and therefore the owner is being pretty stubborn on price.

I need a new vehicle as my insurance is totaling out the A4 I had and I would like to stick to audi and even upgrade to the s4 but I don't have an unlimited budget nor unlimited time to find a car either and this was one of the better ones I found floating around for now but I still have my concerns. I could go for this S4 or theres another with 130k miles for $5k with a questionable maintenance history and its an automatic where as this one is a manual. Or I would just give up on getting an audi as theres not much within budget that seems too great. Im just torn between all my decisions.

[badger.]

Does it consume oil? Leak oil? Do they have compression #s? There are a lot of common oil leak places especially at 150k+ if they haven't been addressed yet.
How old is all the suspension? Control arms are a maintenance items every 50-100k. Shocks will probably be out if they are stock, wheel bearings too.
Alternator belt and pulley? Motor mounts?


If all the normal maintenance items like the above are relatively recently done and there is no burning oil/scored cylinders, you might be OK for a while without too much trouble or cost and $7k feels worth it. But there are a LOT of things that can go and easily cost $1k+ even if you DIY. (AC, Steering rack/hoses, etc). If stuff like the above isn't really done you could easily need to drop $1-3k or more into it right away just to make it a reliable daily.

[s4auug]

Go in eyes wide open with no illusions. You need to be prepared to drop some real $$ to maintain these s4s. I'd recommend buying something within your means until you can really afford it. Don't get distracted by the shiny bits.


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[deansep]

Does it consume oil? Leak oil? Do they have compression #s? There are a lot of common oil leak places especially at 150k+ if they haven't been addressed yet.
How old is all the suspension? Control arms are a maintenance items every 50-100k. Shocks will probably be out if they are stock, wheel bearings too.
Alternator belt and pulley? Motor mounts?


If all the normal maintenance items like the above are relatively recently done and there is no burning oil/scored cylinders, you might be OK for a while without too much trouble or cost and $7k feels worth it. But there are a LOT of things that can go and easily cost $1k+ even if you DIY. (AC, Steering rack/hoses, etc). If stuff like the above isn't really done you could easily need to drop $1-3k or more into it right away just to make it a reliable daily.

Unknown if it consumes oil. The current owner traded a prior car for this one and needs money but apparently doesn't really know much of the history from the owner before him so all that could easily be questionable. The carfax doesn't mention any of that and up until the last year it has been regularly brought in and inspected at audi dealerships. The 2nd to last owner must of done everything their self as nothing is noted on the carfax and unfortunately I don't really know what was done and what wasn't done. I havn't checked out the car yet either. Still deciding if its worth the 2/3 hour drive but when I do check it out I was going to take it to a dealer and have it inspected, 'scoped to inspect the condition of the cylinders/piston head/etc, and compression+leakdown tested.

[deansep]

Go in eyes wide open with no illusions. You need to be prepared to drop some real $$ to maintain these s4s. I'd recommend buying something within your means until you can really afford it. Don't get distracted by the shiny bits.


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The more and more I look into all of this the more and more it does sound like I will be in over my head and best to put it off still. I just really liked my B6 A4 1.8T, got it for a good price timing was done, everything was all done up on it and now im stuck car shopping and there doesnt seem to be any solid deals anymore. Go figure...

[s4auug]

I get the want, just be patient. I'd keep looking.


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[neilpaku]

There were brand new BHFs for sale in CA on eBay a few months ago - there might still be one or two left. They were going for 10k - that engine, with the timing upgrades, in a clean S4 with the synchros and suspension bushings etc. done would be almost like a new one.

[IslandHydro]

Seriously if 7K is a huge amount of money, and this car appears to be overpriced, and two recent owners with little documentation, and appears to have deferred maintenance issues, and and and.... just walk away.

[ngood1]

Don't buy it.

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