Go easy on the newb!

Been lurking in your forum for a while now and need some feedback on purchasing an S4.

I been a fan of the car for quite a while and it seems that they are now coming into a price range that I can seriously consider.

My predicament is this: Im in sales and drive about 600 miles a week so reliability is a concern. Assuming I purchase a well maintained car with the K04 upgrade already done, am I fooling myself hoping an S4 can fit my needs? Im a reasonable shadetree with access to a well outfitted garage and have been doing my own maintenance since I was old enough to turn a wrench.

Would my set of circumstances scare you away?

Thanks all,

Clint

 

if you can turn your own wrench you'll be fine. the cars arent horribley hard to work on but they are a tight squeeze. if you make sure the basic maintenance is caught up on the car i thnk you'll be fine. remember though it is a 10 year old car

 

If you can get one that is k04ed already AND you can turn a wrench then I would highly recommend you get an s4. These cars do very well on the highway and long trips are very easy on them.

 

Thats encouraging.

Now I know any 10 year old car with 100,xxx miles on it is subject to repairs, are there any major mechanical concerns outside of the stock k03s? No exploding diffs or blown head gaskets I should prepare for?

If I'm accepting K04s in the first place would I be ok with a pre 2001.5?

This will by no means be a track car either. K04s and a tune would keep me happy for many miles.

 

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I daily drive mine and i love it
It can be a little moody sometimes, like today when my airbag light came on but at least it keeps me occupied

Yes pre 2001.5 is fine. The upgraded oil line are a myth.

With k04s you will want to upgrade many other things like: clutch, intercoolers, fueling, and suspension/breaks for safety. I think that you will end up pulling the motor and replacing your clutch if it has not been done already.

Your average stage 3 k04 build will cost around 10k.

 

also the syncros on 1st and 2nd gear are known to go out after awhile. jhmotorsports has a fix and a video how to work on it which is cool

 

yeah man you just gotta take care of em. if you can turn a wrench, having a dealership nearby for parts would be just as important.

 

i dd mine and love it.. reliability never an issue.. only thing that these motors do bad, add too much boost with big turbos and you can break a rod. that and they have major oil leak issues, if you get one invest in valve cover gaskets, cam adjuster seals and such, they will all go bad for sure..

 

gas millage is not the best.... if you drive alot you may want to look into an A4 1.8t and upgrade the turbo.... that's why i picked up a b5 a4 and threw a ko4.... my s4 drinks gas like no other, lol