Turning the S4 into a second car?

**Senseless** · 11-13-2016 10:00 AM

I'm racking up a lot of miles on a '12 S4 and was thinking of preserving it by leasing a hybrid sedan for workday stuff. The lease cost, if they are to be believed, would only be about $350 per month total. The gas mileage savings would pay for the added insurance cost and I would be able to keep my beloved S4 for many more years with little expense. Does this add up?

**Jay@JXB** · 11-13-2016 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Senseless

I'm racking up a lot of miles on a '12 S4 and was thinking of preserving it by leasing a hybrid sedan for workday stuff. The lease cost, if they are to be believed, would only be about $350 per month total. The gas mileage savings would pay for the added insurance cost and I would be able to keep my beloved S4 for many more years with little expense. Does this add up?

Depending on your insurance company, you may even save money by picking up the 2nd car. If your company (like GEICO) tracks mileage distribution, not dailying the S4 can reduce your premium. I saved $15/mo adding a Forester to my fleet.

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**eightamrock** · 11-13-2016 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Senseless

I'm racking up a lot of miles on a '12 S4 and was thinking of preserving it by leasing a hybrid sedan for workday stuff. The lease cost, if they are to be believed, would only be about $350 per month total. The gas mileage savings would pay for the added insurance cost and I would be able to keep my beloved S4 for many more years with little expense. Does this add up?

This is completely anecdotal, but I've seen more issues with un-driven S4s than with those used as a daily driver. There is a lot of science behind why this could be, things like fluid recirculation, etc. Cars are meant to be driven, not to sit.

That said, I only drive about 7k miles a year on my S4, and I want to pick up something else as a daily because I love this car and hate to see it age. So I'm with you. Just make sure you half all the maintenance on it. Get oil changes every 3k, and make sure to bring it up to operating temps at least a few times a week.

As for the cost/offset. Hybrids are cheaper all the way around. I'm not surprised by the figures. You'll also get a tax break.

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**Victor Newman** · 11-13-2016 11:39 AM

i work dd a prius and my s4 is for nights and weekends

**mmm def** · 11-13-2016 12:05 PM

I bought an old boat ls400 as my dd and keep the s4 for nice days and weekends. Word

**HeymyAudi** · 11-15-2016 09:22 AM

I have a Mini Cooper S as my daily and its fun and cheap! It also keeps my maintenance down on the Audi.

**bhvrdr** · 11-15-2016 03:41 PM

Sounds like a great idea. We toyed with getting the new Chevy Volt for an around town car. The dealership let us keep it for the weekend. It really was a great car. We went a diff route but I liked it alot. 50 miles of electric only and then it drives like a Prius. You can get a $7500 tax credit on it too.

Mike

**Pyromatic177** · 11-15-2016 04:51 PM

I use a Subaru legacy as my dd. Then S4 for when I wanna play around.

**Works2shoot** · 11-15-2016 05:41 PM

If I'm going to spend a lot of time in a car, I want it to be a car that I want to spend time in. You guys go buy beaters, I'll take my mass-produced mid-range (of the brand) sedan and commute in it every day - and enjoy every minute of it.

**Dubious** · 11-15-2016 06:16 PM

Do it. Its great having a DD to use for crappy weather, long commutes etc. my daily gets less MPGs but is fun and comfortable and I don't care about putting miles on it.

**circle** · 11-16-2016 09:53 AM

I'd rather drive the S4 in bad weather, in traffic, in long drives... yep 100% of the time in an awesome car = winning.

Besides how awesome it is and how junky most other cars and all SUVs are, I don't get how owning a second car could be cheaper than just driving it.

Your monthly costs of additional insurance and 350 lease is actually less than the S4? Seems crazy to me. Even at the very core are you really spending over $4200 more on the S4 M-F?

**bknewtype** · 11-16-2016 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Works2shoot

If I'm going to spend a lot of time in a car, I want it to be a car that I want to spend time in. You guys go buy beaters, I'll take my mass-produced mid-range (of the brand) sedan and commute in it every day - and enjoy every minute of it.

lol this is how I feel. everytime I open my garage door, I see my r8, or g35 coupe beater. you better believe I wanna drive the r8 every time!

**Works2shoot** · 11-16-2016 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by bknewtype

lol this is how I feel. everytime I open my garage door, I see my r8, or g35 coupe beater. you better believe I wanna drive the r8 every time!

Well there are exceptions to the rule for more limited-production models like your R8, a prancing horse, or one of those brash exotics made by the old tractor company

**Vanimal** · 11-16-2016 11:49 AM

I always thought the B8 S4 is the Swiss Army knife of cars. Once it has wheels and lowered its a damn looking car. AWD, very nice interior, it's a lot of car you get for the price and is practical with 4 doors for those who have kids. In the future I'm looking to move from my B8 S5 to a B8.5 S4 probably. Love the roar of the V8 in my S5 but a 3.0T will be a better red light to red light car by far with the instant low end power of the V6T.

Kicking around the idea of a SQ5 but ehhhhh still heavily with the S4. If I didn't live in PA and snow wasn't a problem I'd probably "maybe" look into getting a 4 door door M3.

I used to have a clean B5 S4 that I used as a so called "beater". But I always wanted to drive my S5 so I just sold the B5 S4, not to mention they aren't the worlds most reliable Audi. You can make those things little rockets, but that's when shit starts breaking lol.

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**Vanimal** · 11-16-2016 11:50 AM

Dup post.......

**vwblackb5** · 11-16-2016 04:37 PM

Lol i daily my '16 B8.5 and couldn't care less if fuel economy is 15mpg #becauseracecar

But yes, it is nice driving a beater sometimes as way of escaping the mental prison of worrying someone will ding your car. Fortunate to have a low mile round trip commute, otherwise I'd probably alternate driving the B5 and B8.5 just to spice things up on a weekly basis.

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**eightamrock** · 11-16-2016 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by vwblackb5

Lol i daily my '16 B8.5 and couldn't care less if fuel economy is 15mpg #becauseracecar

But yes, it is nice driving a beater sometimes as way of escaping the mental prison of worrying someone will ding your car. Fortunate to have a low mile round trip commute, otherwise I'd probably alternate driving the B5 and B8.5 just to spice things up on a weekly basis.

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This.

I have a short commute to the train, but I hate parking there. Even if I park in the back of the lot and it's empty, the one person who pulls in will inevitably park 6" from my door and has 5 people in the car who all compete in a game of who can swing their door open the hardest.

Same with grocery stores. Soccer moms with SUVs full of kids who have no concept of respect for other peoples property.

I have 2 kids, and I routinely tell them to wait for me to open the door. Especially if I know I've parked too close to a car that they might hit. Any car, even a beater, I respect it's not mine and do my part to make sure I don't damage it. It's not that hard.

My wife's Q7 looks like someone hates her, but no.... every dent on that car has happened in the wegmans parking lot.

So yeah. It would be nice to have a beater just to go to these 2 places and not constantly be mentally freaking out about it.

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**eightamrock** · 11-18-2016 11:56 AM

Exhibit A. How do you own that car, and park like this at the mall? I feel worse for the poor RS7 than I do our Q7. You know the guy that takes my spot after I leave is totally going to hit this car.

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**vwblackb5** · 11-18-2016 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by eightamrock

Exhibit A. How do you own that car, and park like this at the mall? I feel worse for the poor RS7 than I do our Q7. You know the guy that takes my spot after I leave is totally going to hit this car.

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Can't tell if red car is parked super close hence why RS7 hugged the corner.. in any case might as well cross post this in the Park like an A-hole thread lol

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**Vanimal** · 11-18-2016 08:40 PM

Lmao I'm laughing so hard at these close parking replies. Because I'm SUPER OCD with it. And I just have a 2010 B8 S5 currently. It's deep sea blue and not a single ding on either side. If I did it would be easy to see and drive me insane. I always park far, and yes there's always that one guy who wants to join the party even though I'm a mile down the lot lol.

I spend a lot of time upkeep my her that's all. It's not so much what the car is worth. It's the time we put into up keeping them to look nice I wish people would respect more in the parking lots of hell. Trust nobody!

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**Senseless** · 11-19-2016 06:08 PM

I test drove a Honda Civic tonight and it wasn't bad for an inexpensive compact. Handled securely, reasonably comfortable and quiet. But seriously slow compared to our cars. The salesman thought I would be impressed by the power; ha.

**Low Orbit** · 11-20-2016 01:57 PM

To be fair, the RS7 owner probably parked to the left since he calculated the likelihood of a passenger on the car to his left is low enough and provides more space for the driver on his right to open their door. I also have OCD so I park far away --- it's part of my daily exercise routine!