thesyn

I finally got around to buying a new car. I know it will not be to everyone's taste and it is not what I was originally looking for.
Was looking for 6 months but couldn't find a 2005 black manual S4 with less than 20 thousand miles.
pressure was on as the wife said if I didn't get one sharpish she would go and buy one I found this one privately close by.
Never owned a soft top or powerful auto before but have discovered that V8 sound better with the roof down and the auto box seems to suit the car.
My driving is mostly commuting to work in stop go traffic so auto makes life very easy and it has all the toys ( was originally bought by a footballer so all options were ticked although I haven't yet found how to activate the heated steering wheel!).
I've had it for 3 weeks now so first impressions; extremely well put together and very comfortable, scuttle shake is very pronounced over none smooth surfaces. Steering typically audi quite vague at slow speeds but I was pleasantly surprised at how much more communicative it is as you press on.
The brakes are great, powerful and progressive, I haven't done anything that would cause them to fade yet!
The V8 is absolutely amazing, torque from no revs in almost any gear and in sport mode it genuinely takes off. The tiptronic paddles also allow an almost manual experience, I think I've managed some engine braking a couple of times.
The mpg really is something else, I managed 13mpg in town over 130 miles Don't mind though perversely I am interested to see how low I can make it go. Probably worse than the saloon and avant due to the extra weight of being a convertible.
All in all I am very happy with it, definitely not a sports car more of a luxury cruiser with a superb V8 soundtrack, suits the driving I do.
Sorry the photos are a bit ropey, all from phone.

Alex

beef-on-the-bone

iTrader: (5)

think they look quite tasty!!!

thesyn

cheers, it's grown on me, it is quite a sleeper as there are so many 1.8T convertibles around.

hodgy0_2

i thought Audi was one car maker that had addressed scuttle shake in thier convertibles

would put me off a bit spending "mucho dinero" on a car only to feel it bend a bit

but looks lovely anyway

yoza

60 views and two replies....thats bad manners. ;(



I like your car, I hope you are happy with it, it looks very smart.....


Hand over mouth {short, back and sides please}....opps, sorry, did I say that out loud.

ScoobyJawa

Looks great I'm thinking of one of these for my next car (auto cab version), sooooo much car for the cash, only thing is the mpg. Whats it like out of town?

Scott W

Neil - Noooooo don't beat me to it!

Seriously nice car though and a great choice IMO.

Dream Weaver

Also thinking of one of these (or a 335 cab) for my next motor now I appear to be growing up and getting out of the modded/turbo nutter/loud car phase.

How are they in the back, does it look like a child seat could fit behind the passenger seat, or does anyone know who has had one? Only for ocassional ferrying about of my son but a requirement none the less.

dpb

Seems to be the car of choice for posing in

im sure its very comfortable

EddScott

I would no more buy a convertible then chew my own leg off.

Still, seats look comfy.

thesyn

Thanks for the kind words guys.

I do agree with the convertible comment, I never thought that I would buy one but driving down A roads with the top down a new and surprisingly pleasant experience for me.

To the comment about audi having sorted out scuttle shake in soft tops, this one quivers over uneven surfaces at low speed but when I took it quickly over the same stretch today hardly noticed it. I can't explain that.

paulwrxboro

I like the roof down when its hot, your missing out if you never own one

Dream Weaver

I never thought about convertables until back in 2006 when BMW gave us a Mini Cabriolet for a month while they fitted the new engine in our 320 and it was one of the best stint of motoring I've had.

I loved driving it about with no roof when sunny and it really was superb, hence why I have a hankering for another soft top, just not sure which one yet.

Stryder

I like that alot!!

Best colour combo aswell and the better alloys!!

Nice

thesyn

Thanks for that, I'm thinking about the RS6 19 inch alloys but I suspect that I might have to drop it a little to make them totally fill the arches.
I'm trying to find pictures of one which has them on.

bighead

iTrader: (1)

may i suggest the new bmw Z4 with the twin turbo 3.5i, best convertable on the road by far (none of this softtop rubbish...it has a hardtop, great interior ).
test drive one when my m5 was in to dealer (servicing).
put a deposite down on the spot...............got home had second thoughts, because its would of been a "step" down from my M5, so cancelled my order (bought the wife a 116i M-sport instead ) .
but great car never the less , beat Audi TT/mercedes hands down in every department,
only rival is the porsche boxster .

Simon K

bighead, Im not a fan of the new z4, and I dont like BMW dealers. I much prefer Audi and find the build quality much better ( Ive got an M3 and an Audi Allroad ).

I like this car, reckon it looks good. I love the combination of the ragtop roof / auto box, as my M3 conv is a manual. Also, my m3 shakes aswell, and unless the car has been designed to be a convertible from the outset, then coupes converted / resdesigned for drop tops always shake.

I like ! How much sterling did you pass over for that then ?

SBK

thesyn

Some people are totally committed to open top motoring. The guy I bought this car from showed me some pictures of his previous weekend toy, an orange lamborghini gallardo ...another convertible, now that did look good.

As a gallardo owner lamborghini try to encourage the upgrade step to the murcielago. This is done with day out to Millbrook with laps on the handling circuit and passenger rides in a veyron ( he descibed these as "quick" )

He had the gallardo for 18 months and 5k miles, told me he was fortunate to sell it one month before Bearing bank collapsed so "only" dropped 17 grand on the purchase price which I guess at that level is quite reasonable. He said he didn't want to think about what could have happened if he'd tried to sell a month or two later.

Here's the kicker, he's self made in the financial world and only 30, top bloke so good luck to him.

bighead

iTrader: (1)

New z4 is a very good drive, you need to test drive it , and the the interior is the best so far from bmw..it just oooozzz quailty all over
only thing against its is the hair dresser image

Simon, the car i specced came to £41K !!!, know what you mean regarding the dealers, but some audi dealers are just the same if not worse in my experience , this one is right next door to my work place and the sales manager is a customer of ours , all in all they treated us quite well ( service was much better than the ford dealer that we dealt with earlier this year )
only complaints was the discount on the new car ....said as much on their customer servey !!

gallois

my dad has the diesel convertible a4, and it's such a smooth ride, nice solid car, doesn't have the hairdresser image imo, not like the mx5 anyway. nice car.

RichB

Very nice I have a red 3.2quattro A4 cab, couldn't stretch to the S4 really plus didn't want the even worse mpg

thesyn

It's getting worse, went for a briskish drive last night and the optimistic computer told I had managed 12.1mpg.
The takeoff from low speed and the sound of the V8 are so addictive, you just want to experience it one more time.........Worth every penny IMO

Dream Weaver

You must have missed my earlier post as above.

Would quite like a Z4 but not sure I could fit a childseat in it!

bighead

iTrader: (1)

yes to can attach the childseat on the passenger side front seat

Dream Weaver

And put the Mrs in the boot or on the bonnet?

ScoobyJawa

Well mate, there was just enough room in my old shape Z4 in the boot for the missus so theres your answer

Dream Weaver

ScoobyJawa

Whats actually quite funny is there was one point it was suffering from a leak into the boot. BMW couldn't trace it so to try and get to the bottom of it they actually shoved the smallest mechanic monkey boy they had in it, shut the lid and then drenched the car He still couldn't find it!!!! PMSL!!