Trem

iTrader: (3)

Very tempted to get one of these cars. The bi-turbo model. Any of you lads been in one?

What they like? Quick? Nice drive?

khany

Yeah they are quick, very smooth power....standard suspension is a bit on the soft side. Rather un-involving to drive I found.

Boarder1

Test drove one about 10 months ago, power delivery is very smooth and hardly (if any) turbo lag, the twin turbo engine is sweet and apparently reliable. The handling is good for a standard car, so you should definitly not be expecting a car that rails. It was designed to driven in all circumstances. Its a more luxurious drive than the Impreza (not difficult) but it definitly needs s quick shift on the gear stick!

It is way better than an S3!!

Mark

teknobod

I had one prior to buying my Scooby.

They are quick and more torquey than a Scooby due to the V6 turbo. Mine was also chipped giving 310 bhp and 383lbs/ft torque. Most people who like to drive them 'enthusiastically' change the springs/shocks and a favourite upgrade is to fit RS4 springs and shocks which does transform the handling as well as lowering the ride height very slightly.

If you need more info check out www.rs246.com, and there is an excellent buyers guide at http://www.s4-mtm.com/images/Audi%20...01.09.2004.pdf

Andy

misty

I think you have to be careful of the exhaust manifold cracking around the 70k mark.Quite an expensive repair I think!

dave

Trem

iTrader: (3)

Thanks fellas. I was really close to buying one on Ebay just now, I didn't but it went for 8300 for an S reg.

Deffo still want one.

messiah

Don't tell my mate that - he still owes £17k on the finance for his...

Jeff Wiltshire

I have a Audi S4 with the AmD K04 conversion.....your best asking any questions over on www.rs246.com

Never heard of a S4 with the manifold cracking.....the pre-facelift models had an issue with rattles in the manifold because a weld fails on the heatshields.

265BHP standard

Stage 1: Re-map/Chip Expected BHP range 310-315
Stage 2: Re-map/Chip + Complete Exhaust Expected BHP range 330-340
Stage 3: Stage 2 + K04s Expected BHP range 350-360
Stage 4: Stage 3 + Injectors & Fuel Pump Expected BHP range 380
Stage 5: Stage 4 + MAF, Intercoolers, Air box etc Expected BHP range 420 - 435

That gives you an idea....

Facelift was Oct/Nov 1999

foz01

I just bought one, needed something more fun than my current 406td athat had the abilty to tow my track car around- used to have a TT and like audi's so ended up with an S4

Will be fettling it to no doubt

Have just registered on RS246 too btw!


The funniest thing for me though- insurance was half that of a UK turbo

Jeff Wiltshire

Not when you start tuning it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

foz01

Wont be going as mad as you though- i have something a lot more fun for my track thrills

Suspension, ARB, Exhaust and a remap will do me fine

Jeff Wiltshire

You'll want brakes as well.....trust me.....

foz01

Thought they had 4 pots as std?

Jeff Wiltshire

Well, yes they are but they are marginal on the standard car, start pushing with remaps and suspension then you really need to look at replacements.

Trem

iTrader: (3)

The thing thats concerning me most is this - will I be pissed off I got rid of my Impreza to get one? Will I be let down by the power?

I am seriously looking for one now and emailing places to see about part exchange, I have been offered £4000 so far on my car against a same year S4(1999). £4000 on a part ex is a joke.

Will it be truly worth my while actually swapping?

My car is Tek 3 remapped, VF30 turbo and other stuff so its fairly quick(around 290 bhp I guess).

You guys who have driven an Impreza turbo and also an S4 were you impressed by the Audi compared to the Scoob?

Thanks for your replies so far, this is really helping me on what will be the most expensive car I have ever bought(or ever will).

foz01

you need to go and drive one= most things might seem underpowereed compared the scoob, but it's a very different car- the buid quality and interior materials are several lightyears ahead of the scoob for a start.

you cant compare modd'd and standard cars imo!

Jeff Wiltshire

You need to drive one....In standard form a S4 will not be in the same ball-park performance wise as your Scooby but it's probable a match for standard MY00 UK Impreza from a standing start and will leave one if you where doing 3K rpm 3rd gear roll-on. But the quality of the interior and the general 'feel' of the car is on a different planet compared with a Subaru, much more 'grown-up' as you would expect from a £42K car (when new).

People will bang on about Audi S4s being 'uninvolving' and will say that a Impreza will leave it on the 'twisty bits' (TM Scoobynet) and they might have a point. However I never thought my MY00 UK Impreza 'handled' very well (I came from a Porsche 944 Turbo to the Impreza) and I don't think the S4 handles any worse than a UK Impreza.

Trem

iTrader: (3)

Can you put prices next to the tuning stages you posted please Jeff.

Or give me a link to where it tells you prices.

I drove an Audi TT and whilst I thought it wasn't quick I thought it was very relaxing and a lovely drive, infact I didn't want to go quick in it I just wanted to trundle around listening to Mozart.

Am I officially grown up now?

Jeff Wiltshire

Stage 1: Re-map/Chip Expected BHP range 310-315 £500
Stage 2: Re-map/Chip + Complete Exhaust Expected BHP range 330-340 £2000
Stage 3: Stage 2 + K04s Expected BHP range 350-360 £4500
Stage 4: Stage 3 + Injectors & Fuel Pump Expected BHP range 380 £5500
Stage 5: Stage 4 + MAF, Intercoolers, Air box etc Expected BHP range 420 - 435 £6500

All prices are approx and will include the workshop time. To change the turbos in a S4 you have to take the motor out (takes about 4 days start to finish to do the K04 conversion). The Stage 2 involves fitting a full (including racing cats) stainless steel Milltek exhaust.

Mine is mean't to kick out 395BHP & 476 lb/ft torque.

There is a guy on rs246.com who is building a 550BHP S4 and there cars in the States which claim to have 420BHP at the wheels.

Have a look at

www.auto-amd.com
www.qstuning.com
www.ecstuning.com
www.goapr.com
www.awe-tuning.com
www.stoptech.com

for starters

Cupramax

It might be if you put every option in the book on it. The standard old shape S4 was £36k for ther saloon...

Jeff Wiltshire

I have a receipt for mine that says 42K in Nov 1999....

Cupramax

Lol, I have the brochure that says its £36

Jeff Wiltshire

Well, I didn't pay that much so I don't really care.....My orginal point was that the car cost twice (ish) as much as a UK Impreza when it was new.

john banks

You might have grown up because some days I want to do that and other days I want to be a hooligan. Perhaps you are grown up and I'm just unstable.

My problem was comparing a standard RS4 to a heavily modded Scooby, although it was a decent length of drive in roads I know really well and love to bits. I don't think either of them handle well in the sense that even a modern sportyish Ford does. Both can be made to make straight line acceleration, the Scooby has the edge though on this because of tuning parts and community in the UK - eg turbo and engine choices, weight, and similarly on body control even on standard suspension (I've not tried an RS4 on modified suspension, but there is a lot of weight in front of the front axle, and like a lot of VAG motors the brakes are tricky to modulate at least to start with as they are over-servoed), but the older Scoobies like yours and mine need a lot more done to them to get 400+ BHP which the S4/RS4 can do comfortably on standard engine and gearbox with just bolt ons. New age Subarus can, but then they are heavier and won't have the power band of a similar powered S4/RS4 as the engine is 2/3 of a litre smaller. For refinement and interior quality/image the RS4 was fantastic, the brakes were strong but not smooth, body control was borderline dangerous for the power of the car and it was arriving at corners about 20 mph slower than the Scooby with the same driver and feeling less composed under braking or going round them. But for 90% of driving I would have to say I'd take the RS4, although not the servicing/running costs.

If you are looking for an AWD motor that has turbo(s) your options are a bit limited though!

Jeff Wiltshire

Brakes and suspension are easily changed (at a price).....if my memory serves my Impreza didn't have the greatest brakes and suspension in the world either....

john banks

Certainly doesn't, but the RS4 sent me more "back off" signals than a lot of other cars I've driven, "sporty" ones at least. It felt like it had too much power for the chassis, and that wasn't because it had too much power. It had quite worrying vertical body motions and was easy to wrong foot over crests and undulations. The geometry had just been done by the same guy who set my geometry up superbly, suspension and tyres were in good condition, and his opinion (as a suspension expert) was that when the suspension was changed on the RS4 it still was not a back road basher in the way that even a standard Scooby/Evo is. However, I would like to see how a suspension modified S4/RS4 would tackle a good back road, as perhaps I am unfair as these really play to the rally replicas strengths, but my local area is awash with roads like this But they are built for different things. There are comparative reviews across the web between Scooby, Evo and S4 which Trem may find interesting. The S4/RS4 seemed like a natural next step car for me before driving it. The RS4 seemed to breath well at the top end I noticed and was quite smooth, although not in the league of a BMW six.

Jeff Wiltshire

I agree that they are not 'back-road' bashers as you put it but I would suggest that the standard UK Impreza isn't either.....contrary to the Scoobynet mantra

I spend the vast majority of my road time on Motorways and A roads and I now which car I'd rather be in, horses for courses.

john banks

Agree re the standard UK Impreza, though a P1 (with a Prodrive brake upgrade) as standard cars go is a weapon in these cicumstances IMHO. Some feel it has the compliance that some Evos don't in these circumstances.

Think you're right in terms of a sensible Mway/A road car. Don't think one car can ever be everything though.

Don't get me wrong, I have no false Subaru loyalty at all, would change in a minute if I found something else that did it better for me.

foz01

If your looking for ultimate point to point pace then you already have what you want- whats next up the line, a 996 Twin turbo or is that too slow


For me i want a car thats a nice place to be, quick enogh to put a smile on my face, i harldy hit the limits on my commute to work and my on the limit driving is contained to Knockhill and the other UK circuits in something ma lot more Fun than any audi or scoob, well not having driven a works rally car but i imagine it would be a laugh

Trem

iTrader: (3)

Same here. I will drive an S4, if I like it I will buy it. The Impreza, while I still love it dearly, has had its day for me. It isn't big enough for my height(6 foot 4), what I mean by this is that my legs are starting to hurt after even half an hour driving.

I DO love the Impreza but I want to feel a little more grown up, I am in no way slagging it off or even comparing it to anything, I just want a change and the chances are I will go back one day.

Jesus, I'm only 32 and I'm moaning about my dodgy leg already