Neosapian

Lately I've been doubting the economy of keeping my 2003 A6 2.7T tiptronic on the road much longer. It has 128k miles, needs a fair amount off maintenance, and after 32k miles of ownership I'm beginning to get annoyed with its issues and bored of the 2.7T's seemingly subdued & temperamental performance.

My first option would be a restoration project including control arms, engine mounts, sway bar linkages, ST coilovers, Exhaust, APR chip & necessary supporting mods. Who know how much longer the K03's are going to hold out though!? I couldn't justify the cost to replace them in such an old car...

Option number two is buy an older STi or modded WRX. But this isn't a Subaru forum, this is the S4 forums. So the question I have for you guys is:

Do you think the B6 S4 is a reasonable transition, or even an upgrade from the C5 2.7T platform? I am aware of some of the systemic flaws with the earlier 4.2's - Oil consumption being my biggest fear, followed by poor highway fuel economy (although I do have a Golf Tdi, for long trips).

What I really want is a bit more power, smoother delivery, more agility and better reliability without sacrificing D.I.Y. accessibility when it comes to bolt on parts & maintenance.

What are your opinions? Please advise.

DOALLAR

I'm confused! I say this because the 2.7t is highly liked by many and the after-market upgrade options are endless. It's the same scenario for the sti & wrx... Now the S4, unless you have upwards of 7-9 grand for a supercharger set up then don't even bother, because your upgrade options are limited compared to your 2.7t and other turbo options.

You have now been advised....... good luck.

Neosapian

Im not interested in endless aftermarket tuning potential. Just solid stock output. Otherwise i wouldn't be comparing an N/A V8
To a F/I V6 :]. Cant see myself doing to many power mods on a Tiptronic drivetrain with 130k miles on it. But i do get where you're coming from... I've also considered a low mileage well cared for B5... Still not of the same pedigree as the 4.2. I think im just ready for a change in character.

Cheers.