B6 S4 2004 Buyers Advice

[martinhnilsson]

Hey!

Im considering buying a 2004 b6 avant tiptronic with 200 k km.

What should I look / look out for?

[Terry.Reese]

Timing service, proof, compression test, leak down test. leaks.. leaks and look for more leaks.

[Kambesama]

Timing service, proof, compression test, leak down test. leaks.. leaks and look for more leaks.

All the above.

[justinperkins]

And if the S4 is from an area where salt was used in the winter, don't bother.

[martinhnilsson]

Thank you all!

[VinnysS4]

Oil consumption and timing service. Probably the most important things to look for

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[jhoward]

Look for a manual. These V8's are super fun to drive. Not the fastest by any means but very enjoyable, and the Manual gearbox is 70% of the fun (the sound is 20% and the amazing seats are 10) Unless you live and commute in a lot of stop and go traffic, I'd hold out for an MT6. At least find a manual sedan of the same vintage to test drive. The b6 and b7 avants are the last of a dying generation of cars that will most likely never come back - the pinnacle of stick (I think the wagon body helps balance out the V8)


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[Gosser]

And if the S4 is from an area where salt was used in the winter, don't bother.

Why? I think its hit or miss. I've seen some B5 driven daily in the salty winter, hit 200,000km and still looks near mint. But I've seen some B6s just get annihilated by salt.

[justinperkins]

I've seen some B5 driven daily in the salty winter, hit 200,000km and still looks near mint.

I don't see how that's possible unless the entire vehicle was dipped in a vinegar solution after every day on a salty road.

Seriously though, what's the secret? My B6 has plenty of signs of the salt and I've done corrosion treatments, thorough underbody cleaning etc. My WRX (06) that has spent its entire life in VT is a complete disaster. The salt gets into *everything* when you're flying down the highway in salty/wet conditions.

There's just so many great cars available in non-salty climates, I personally wouldn't bother risking it.

[caliizaktiv]

And if the S4 is from an area where salt was used in the winter, don't bother.

why?

[stevemiller333]

I don't see how that's possible unless the entire vehicle was dipped in a vinegar solution after every day on a salty road.

Seriously though, what's the secret? My B6 has plenty of signs of the salt and I've done corrosion treatments, thorough underbody cleaning etc. My WRX (06) that has spent its entire life in VT is a complete disaster. The salt gets into *everything* when you're flying down the highway in salty/wet conditions.

There's just so many great cars available in non-salty climates, I personally wouldn't bother risking it.

I don't know. I am in Rochester NY, a ton of salt used everywhere all winter. I am the second owner of the car, just turned 100k, and it's been in this area it's entire life. There is not a single bubble of rust on the body of the car. It is basically brand new looking, the paint job was so high quality.

The undercarriage is rusty in the area in front of the rear wheels and also on the subframe welds. I treated it and painted it when I got the car. Now I oil it with Krown every year and it looks like new! These cars are so well made.

[stevemiller333]

There's just so many great cars available in non-salty climates, I personally wouldn't bother risking it.

I agree, If had was looking all over the country for a car I would pick one from the south so I could start with a brand new undercarriage and try to keep it that way.

[justinperkins]

There is not a single bubble of rust on the body of the car. It is basically brand new looking, the paint job was so high quality.

I agree, paint quality is great. It holds up well. But I've seen enough rust on suspension hardware, door blade hardware, and subframes alone to make me think twice about grabbing another new england car that I actually would care about.

I should take a pic of the inside area around the sunroof on my subie. It's gnarly. Those cars are not made to withstand winter.

[Gosser]

I don't see how that's possible unless the entire vehicle was dipped in a vinegar solution after every day on a salty road.

Seriously though, what's the secret? My B6 has plenty of signs of the salt and I've done corrosion treatments, thorough underbody cleaning etc. My WRX (06) that has spent its entire life in VT is a complete disaster. The salt gets into *everything* when you're flying down the highway in salty/wet conditions.

There's just so many great cars available in non-salty climates, I personally wouldn't bother risking it.

I hear you and would do the same now. But it all depends on budget and expected ownership duration. I was lucky to find my never winter driven S4 locally, and have kept it that way. Would I have gone south looking, probably not. It wasnt in the cards then. But I am glad I found it, everything looks new underneath which is satisfying for a 14 year old car. My brother just picked up a 2001 S4 with 190,000km. One owner, and it saw every winter.
Its so clean that I'll have to grab a picture of the bottom doors, because they are clean enough to eat off. The owner said they never parked it in the garage either, and it was left outside all throughout the winter. Which might actually be better than storing it in a garage over night, where a freeze thaw cycle repeats its self a lot more causing stress on the paint? Kind of a wild guess really.

[justinperkins]

As somebody who flew to vermont to drive an s4 back to Texas, I get it.

I’ve used enough pb blaster and dremmeled enough nuts and bolts since then, I’m good on the salt cars.

[Gosser]

Alright, so my brother stopped today and gave me the opportunity to snap a few photos of his recent acquire. This car has 118,xxx miles and has seen every winter since 2001. He is no longer going to drive it in the winter because he doesnt believe the one owner even drove it in the winter:







I have no idea how this stood up to the excessive salt that is used on our roads. I should elaborate that being the capital of the nation, there is EXCESSIVE use given that a high percentage of the population is government. Anyways, all this to say, there are some clean examples even in slat riddled regions.