Anyone here have an S4 | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Anyone here have an S4

I haven't had a chance to drive the B8 S4, however I had the chance to take a 4.2 AllRoad V8 for a good rip and enjoy being a passenger in it, the car was awesome. Great handling, acceleration, top speed, and interior. It might have had some minor, minor upgrades/changes to it. ;) Can't speak for the 3.0T at all though.
 
Roomie said:
I haven't driven a present s4 but personally given the choice I'd still go back to the older v8 models.
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Only if you like the sound of the v8, though. Even stock, the V6 has more go and nicer power delivery. The RS4 is another story.

That said even the new a4 with an apr tune will dish out 260ish hp and 320 ft lbs. The s4 has more power for sure but it's not like it's astronomically different.
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Actually, it is. The stock S4 manual pushes somewhere around 360hp/330tq and a tuned one perhaps 460hp/390tq. I think those numbers are actually a bit low, because it's an estimate based on drivetrain loss below 20%. It's probably more like 480hp, but I'm going to go with conservative numbers that others are comfortable with.

This is what a Stage 2 setup looks like:

b8_30tfsi_s0_vs_s2+_100_cb_in_p_cw.gif


Bear in mind that their exhaust adds no value to the performance, and there are better (cheaper) intakes for making power.

My negative with the new one is the interior with the red seats *barf* but that's personal taste.
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Mine doesn't have red seats. I like them, but didn't want the boy-racer look. My car is mostly invisible to police and the public, just the way I like it. ;) There are at least three seat designs you can get, AFAIK.

Or just buy a BMW M3 which comes properly tuned right from the factory with no extra BS required and warranty hassles.
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Sure. You do know that's going to cost tens of thousands of dollars more, right? You also know that you'll have to buy new, because that car just came out last fall... right? (my friend John just got his pre-ordered car in January) Also, the interior isn't as nice and the ride is pretty harsh in the M3. Myself, I wouldn't buy one unless I planned to do plenty of track days in it. That said, if you're cross-shopping BMW at S4 pricing, the car to do it with is the 335i.
 
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Shaman said:
A X pipe isn't a bad idea, but don't expect additional performance from it. And sonny is talking out his sphincter. A stage 2 S4 is going to run mid-11s at near 120mph in the 1/4 mile, and 0-60mph in a hair under 4 seconds. It has a 40:60 torque split drivetrain that can vary up to 20% either way and a torque-vectoring differential. At that level, it's not so far off (but not fully equivalent) to the everyday performance of a gen-1 GT-R. It won't work on a race track as well without some work, but it's a lot nicer car to drive, day to day. Not that it's really a comparison I'd make, other than to say that you can accelerate with that kind of urgency, which was my point.

It is definitely *not* a tarted up A4. The entire drivetrain is different, the brakes are different, wheels are different, the seats are different, most suspension pieces are different. The front clip is different, there's a rear air diffuser... A tarted-up A4 is the S-Line model.

Here's a guy who claims to have a "world record" with his S4. Did this shortly after GIAC released a new tune revision.

[video=youtube;EBVwHWooa3Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBVwHWooa3Q[/video]

These cars do not respond to exhaust mods, and his intake is the same I've bought, which does have a small effect on power (10hp, perhaps but more consistency which makes it worthwhile). In other words, it's not a remarkable car. Next year with the new Stage 2 tune available and the 7-speed DSG tune, I expect them to be in the low 11.4s with the DSG version of the car and perhaps an intake. Set the world on fire? No. Make for a hell of a quick daily driver? Oh yes. And with the quattro drivetrain, you can use all of it, pretty much any time you want.

BTW, if you go searching for videos or data on the tuned cars, disregard anything before about October last year. The tune companies have refined and improved their tunes for these cars a good deal in the past few months. I'd rate the GIAC, Revo and Unitronic tunes as being the strongest right now, with the nod going to GIAC for overall performance, and Revo for overall features. Unitronic and EPl are both "young" tunes in their early revisions, but EPl's tune is flash-at-home so you can flash back to stock for a dealership visit if you have a warranty... Unitronic's will soon follow, and the current state of the tune itself is very good.

Or leave it untuned if you wish, but you are leaving a lot of performance and excitement on the ground with this car.
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you sound like a honda civic fanboy and you are dreaming here is the direct side by side audi comparison you can pick the models to compare and see its not that big a difference.
ITS A TARTED UP A4.


http://models.audi.ca/en/s4/specifications
 
You sound like a grumpy old man with a stubborn impaction. Find a hobby.
 
Shaman said:
You sound like a grumpy old man with a stubborn impaction. Find a hobby.
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I will as soon as you admit your tarted up soccer mom 4 door ain't a formula 1 car. Look at the audi site comparison and stop dreaming.
 
Shaman said:
A X pipe isn't a bad idea, but don't expect additional performance from it. And sonny is talking out his sphincter. A stage 2 S4 is going to run mid-11s at near 120mph in the 1/4 mile, and 0-60mph in a hair under 4 seconds. It has a 40:60 torque split drivetrain that can vary up to 20% either way and a torque-vectoring differential. At that level, it's not so far off (but not fully equivalent) to the everyday performance of a gen-1 GT-R. It won't work on a race track as well without some work, but it's a lot nicer car to drive, day to day. Not that it's really a comparison I'd make, other than to say that you can accelerate with that kind of urgency, which was my point.

It is definitely *not* a tarted up A4. The entire drivetrain is different, the brakes are different, wheels are different, the seats are different, most suspension pieces are different. The front clip is different, there's a rear air diffuser... A tarted-up A4 is the S-Line model.

Here's a guy who claims to have a "world record" with his S4. Did this shortly after GIAC released a new tune revision.

[video=youtube;EBVwHWooa3Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBVwHWooa3Q[/video]

These cars do not respond to exhaust mods, and his intake is the same I've bought, which does have a small effect on power (10hp, perhaps but more consistency which makes it worthwhile). In other words, it's not a remarkable car. Next year with the new Stage 2 tune available and the 7-speed DSG tune, I expect them to be in the low 11.4s with the DSG version of the car and perhaps an intake. Set the world on fire? No. Make for a hell of a quick daily driver? Oh yes. And with the quattro drivetrain, you can use all of it, pretty much any time you want.

BTW, if you go searching for videos or data on the tuned cars, disregard anything before about October last year. The tune companies have refined and improved their tunes for these cars a good deal in the past few months. I'd rate the GIAC, Revo and Unitronic tunes as being the strongest right now, with the nod going to GIAC for overall performance, and Revo for overall features. Unitronic and EPl are both "young" tunes in their early revisions, but EPl's tune is flash-at-home so you can flash back to stock for a dealership visit if you have a warranty... Unitronic's will soon follow, and the current state of the tune itself is very good.

Or leave it untuned if you wish, but you are leaving a lot of performance and excitement on the ground with this car.
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Thanks alot!
 
SunnY S said:
Or just buy a BMW M3 which comes properly tuned right from the factory with no extra BS required and warranty hassles.

The M3s 425hp stock is plenty enough for anybody. The Audi's 333hp certainly isn't impressive when you consider, as an example that my Japanese SUV normally aspirated V6 pushes 300hp stock. Audi's 'super special' model needs a supercharger to squeeze out a few more? lame....
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M3 was my initial choice (fav car) but the v6 just came out and is out of my price range. I dont like the bmw interiors all that much also.
 
Hahahaha an m3. Why not a nsx? I mean they're not even the same class of car but let's compare anyways. **** why not throw a 458 Italia in the comparison too? :rolleyes:

Shaman I know there's interior choices. Just seems like every time I've seen one for sale it's got the red seats. Impressive numbers for the s4 for sure but you nailed it. The sound of the older 4.2 does it for me and the power isn't that far off in that instance.
 
Ugur Dinch said:
[video=youtube;2KfMY96v_Gc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KfMY96v_Gc[/video]
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Great video which shows the RS4 is just a tuned S4 and therefore an S4 is just a tarted up A4.
buy an A4 save your money and if you are short in height and or in the crotch ,get a tune and tell everyone how fast your car is. Then race exotics on the 401 and post your go pro videos of how fast you are
 
msatrakkoic said:
I am looking into buying a b8 audi s4. Like to get some opinions from you guys, especially owners. Pros. Cons. Anything specific to look for. Only interested in the premium or prestige trims with a manual tranny.
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Just curious have you owned an Audi before? My personal experience (2 A6's) with that brand in terms of reliability is good. Service is expensive, sometimes absurdly relative to parts and labor at other makers. I just never felt anything emotional about them. Driving feels detached, way too electronic.. Looks across their product line are too similar (boring??) but that's just my opinion. Good luck on your search.
 
sonnythebull said:
Great video which shows the RS4 is just a tuned S4 and therefore an S4 is just a tarted up A4.
buy an A4 save your money and if you are short in height and or in the crotch ,get a tune and tell everyone how fast your car is. Then race exotics on the 401 and post your go pro videos of how fast you are
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Whats the big deal about wanting a fast daily driver? I'm sure he'd gladly buy a 458 or something if he could afford it... but us plebs gotta lower our expectations.

I think I'd buy an S4 over an A4 for the tuning ability. Same reason I'd consider a 335 or 535 BMW over the lesser models, maybe even over M cars. It's nice to be able to drop $1000 on 100hp and have a daily driver that is actually quick.
 
sonny clearly has some kind of emotional issue surrounding quick sedans

Anyway, that video of Chris' old S4 Avant versus the RS4 is very much what I was talking about when I said that you shouldn't consider older videos in reference to what's available today. A stage 2 tune delivered today is going to give you considerably more performance, as GIAC, Revo and Unitronic (also APR for the B8 but not B8.5) have really cracked the timing vs. boost vs. load formula to make the car quick. That Avant in the video is neither a Stage 2 car nor a current tune.

Also, when you go and test the car, if it has driver select (which it should), I would set it up to be "dynamic steering, dynamic sport differential, dynamic throttle/transmission and comfort suspension" for regular driving, so that you get sporty throttle response, sporty handling characteristics and bearable suspension. The dynamic suspension setting is very firm (though still not as firm as a M3!) and I find it to be too firm unless you're on smooth pavement like a racing track or recently-paved road.
 
-JERICHO- said:
Just curious have you owned an Audi before? My personal experience (2 A6's) with that brand in terms of reliability is good. Service is expensive, sometimes absurdly relative to parts and labor at other makers. I just never felt anything emotional about them. Driving feels detached, way too electronic.. Looks across their product line are too similar (boring??) but that's just my opinion. Good luck on your search.
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No offense but a6's have always been the suck. I've never enjoyed the ride of any of them (other than one friends rs6 but that's a whole different ball game)

That video was like comparing apples to bricks. Anything tuned is quick.
 
Roomie said:
That video was like comparing apples to bricks. Anything tuned is quick.
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The point is to demonstrate how little money and work it takes to get the S4 to RS4 levels of quickness. Its also important to note that you can't do that kind of tuning to the N/A RS4.
 
So going with that then a tuned a4 will give you comparable performance to the s4. So then why spend s or rs4 money ever. Two sides to every argument.
 
Roomie said:
So going with that then a tuned a4 will give you comparable performance to the s4. So then why spend s or rs4 money ever. Two sides to every argument.
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Actually an electronic tuning upgrade for the 2.0 A4 only brings it up to something like 275hp... so no you're not really even venturing into stock S4 category. Again, the point of the tuned S4 / RS4 comparison is that the tune is a thousand bucks and gets you to 420hp, and it takes 10 seconds to install.

Yeah yeah yeah tuning can get you 1000hp blah blah I get it, but its the PRICE that makes it an attractive comparison. Would I buy an S4 if I could afford an RS4? No, just a personal preference to naturally aspirated V8 awesomeness.

The same thousand dollar tune in an RS4 only nets 5-10hp.
 
Roomie said:
No offense but a6's have always been the suck. I've never enjoyed the ride of any of them (other than one friends rs6 but that's a whole different ball game)
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None taken. I wouldn't know about the A4.
 
Even apr actually brings the a4 up to 302 hp and 343 ft lbs so it's actually not that far off. Wasn't arguing. Just stating that the comparison is similar.
 
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