Opinions/Advice Needed, possible Avant purchase

[rockbeau25]

Came across an S4 Avant for sale kind of by chance. The car is a 2001, brilliant black, nogaro interior, manual, 154k miles, $4500. The only mods are Miltek exhaust, H&R springs/Bilstein struts, and some big break kit. The owner claims to not be in a huge hurry to sell, and because of this the car is not listed anywhere (met him in person through a friend). The only problems the owner said it has is mild cosmetic flaws (cracked front bumper, personally I am not too concerned about this), and a mild stutter around 2000-3000 rpm, which he claimed to be a boost leak. Also, there are minimal service records, other than the owner did the timing belt and water pump 20,000 miles ago. I would have to sell my current car to pursue the S4.

My current car is a 1999 A4 Avant. As follows:
-5spd
-145xxx
-Airlift with Accuair Elevel
-Volcano Black Mica
-Reflect Tuning stage 1 (18 psi, emissions delete)
-034 High Flow Cat
-all new front control arms
-new tie rods
-soon to be ICM delete, cluster repair, alignment
-interior is 9/10 (no seat tears, carpet is mint, mats are mint, but headliner sags)
-exterior is 7.5/10 (front has some rock chips, one door moulding could use replacing/remounting)
-17x8 ET35 Sparco Tarmacs with half tread
-OEM swings with winter tires (1 winter)
-new alternator/battery
-new air suspension compressors (dual 444c)
-new brakes
-Zender Concept hatch spoiler
-other maintenance (coolant flange, front axle, wheel bearing, ABS module and sensors, speakers)
-no coolant/oil leaks
-heat/AC/heated seats work

Bad:
-headliner
-trim piece
-broke the handle to fold the back seats down, probably can epoxy it back on

These are my options as I see them. Considering the owner is not in a hurry, I would like to look at the S4 before deciding whether I even want to try to sell my own car. Maybe I go look at it and there's a major problem or it's just a pile. However, assuming the car checks out, I would have two options.

Sell my car as is (with bags) for ideally more than $6k, and use the extra as a cushion
Sell my car on stock suspension for the asking price of the S4 and keep the bags for the S4

I know this is probably going to get hate because "I'll never get $6k for an A4" or stance *** or something like that but please just be polite and honest with me.

Finally, what stuff should I look for when I go to see the car? My biggest concern is the boost leak, and I am also worried about turbos. Anything else?

Thanks!

[88ninety9]

As far as the bags go, that would be a personal choice. Imho bags aren't for the s4 but that's just me.

Plan on spending a decent chunk on maintenance items, regardless.

Stutter could be from a multitude of things. Does it have any cel? I'd find values listed on the forum, run some logs, and compare. Assuming you have vagcom.

Expect to be lowballed on the a4. I also had a volcano sedan, had pretty much everything you had done besides air ride (coilovers), and it sold for next to nothing. Plus, the headliner was done.

S4 ownership is some serious work. Maintenance will keep you on your toes (both time and on the wallet).

That being said, seems like a good price for a 6mt avant, with the goodies on it. BBK aren't cheap. Plus the timing components changed.

[rockbeau25]

As far as the bags go, that would be a personal choice. Imho bags aren't for the s4 but that's just me.

Plan on spending a decent chunk on maintenance items, regardless.

Stutter could be from a multitude of things. Does it have any cel? I'd find values listed on the forum, run some logs, and compare. Assuming you have vagcom.

Expect to be lowballed on the a4. I also had a volcano sedan, had pretty much everything you had done besides air ride (coilovers), and it sold for next to nothing. Plus, the headliner was done.

S4 ownership is some serious work. Maintenance will keep you on your toes (both time and on the wallet).

That being said, seems like a good price for a 6mt avant, with the goodies on it. BBK aren't cheap. Plus the timing components changed.

Thanks for the response. Regarding your A4, I think it is fair to expect a little more for mine being an Avant and bagged, how much? I don't know. If I need to I can do the headliner before I sell. The way I see it, my best choice (aside from keeping the A4) is to sell mine as is and have a cushion.

[88ninety9]

Absolutely being avant and bagged is a premium. I would advise doing the headliner pre sale. I guess the point with the a4 was that sadly, as a clean example with almost identical work as yours it sold for much less than I'd hoped. There's a narrow market for these cars so i'd say your best bet is to list it on the enthusiast sites for whatever you feel comfortable and go from there.

[616_S4]

why does everybody keep finding avants cheap after i bought my sedan!

[rockbeau25]

Absolutely being avant and bagged is a premium. I would advise doing the headliner pre sale. I guess the point with the a4 was that sadly, as a clean example with almost identical work as yours it sold for much less than I'd hoped. There's a narrow market for these cars so i'd say your best bet is to list it on the enthusiast sites for whatever you feel comfortable and go from there.

Do you mind me asking what you sold yours for? If you prefer to PM thats cool. If you dont want to tell me thats also cool.

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why does everybody keep finding avants cheap after i bought my sedan!

Luck (maybe)

[88ninety9]

Do you mind me asking what you sold yours for? If you prefer to PM thats cool. If you dont want to tell me thats also cool.

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Luck (maybe)

I don't mind. I started by listing it at 4k obo. Got alot of interest but it was tiptragic. Had 3 sets of wheels/tires, lots of interior work, all maintnance. K04, some motor stuffs, etc. Really was a nice car. When i found my avant had to hurry up and sell befpre someone bought it so i took 2700. Did the same thing you're doing, sold my a4 to buy my avant.


Have changed phones, so this is the only decent reference pic I have of it. Winter mode

[FlyboyS4]

Why do you want to make the change from A4 to S4?

[rockbeau25]

Why do you want to make the change from A4 to S4?

Getting to the point with my own car that I don't have much more to do without spending large amounts of money, power, S4 body looks better than A4 IMO, like the nogaro interior, etc