Copple

I've been lurking on the board for a while now soaking up whatever knowledge I can regarding the B8/8.5 S4's. The short story is my wife is pregnant with our first child and her Mini Cooper S Conv won't really cut it in the baby-hauling department. She always been a small car type of woman, so the A4/S4's are about as big as she wants to go. We did look at the Q5's, which she also likes, but they lack some of the sportiness that a sedan has. We're not in a rush to pick something up, but I tend to over analyze new/used car purchases. But that's kinda what being a car guy is all about! I should say that I have a large SUV that I use for work during the week that we can use on weekend trips where we need more room as well.

A few questions:

- Does the MMI system open up any performance options, or is it more of a navigation and audio upgrade? I know with Porsche if you're going with the PDK you need to upgrade to the Sport Crono to get the most out of the car. Part of me likes keeping things simple (less electronics to break) if possible. We both use our phones for those rare times we need nav.

- I've googled the differences between the B8 and 8.5 and have read everything I can find. But bottom line, is it worth $8-10k more to buy an 2013 vs 2011? I know mileage also plays into the price as does age of the car. But I'm ok buying a car with 40k miles as long as everything checks out.

- We'd be going with the dual clutch. This will be her primary car during the week and she wants to be able to drink coffee while heading to work without worrying about shifting a manual. Any things to look out for? I believe I've read that there were some changes the the transmission B8-8.5 as well?

Anything else that I should be asking about? We're going to test fit some baby seats before committing, but we both really like the S4. Have already found some good threads regarding child seats, but if anyone wants to throw out options I'm all ears. For reference my with is around 5'5", I'm 6'1".

Any thoughts or advice is much appreciated!

Thanks!

WHS4

If you get the sport-diff then the MMI will provide additional options. I have a non sport-diff and simply upgraded the sway bars to improve the handling (I'm just picky)...wife's car, so 95% of the time it is never pushed.

If looking at one of these pay for a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) and have them inspect DSG fluids to ensure it is not burnt, and run a diagnostic check. Make sure car has not been modified and tagged T1 by Audi (creates warranty issues).

While there have been some post 2011 DSG issues, they seem to be relatively small. remember that Audi clutches are not the strongest so even a 6spd has some limitations.

IMO, 2011 - still had some water pump issues and some lingering DSG complaints
2012 - water pump issue gone, occasional DSG issue
2013 - revised DSG (?), bevel gear dif, went to electric steering (many people complain of
inconsistent steering), cosmetic upgrades (subtle), flat bottom steering wheel.

I ended up getting a 2012 bc I don't like the "D" shaped 2013 steering wheel nor the electric steering. Frequency of 2011 DSG and water pump issues, which were mostly addressed in 2012, made this year less attractive to me...also most were nearing end of warranty.

These cars depreciate roughly $4k/yr after the first 18 months so whatever works in your budget and priority list should be your guide. There are some 2012s with under 20k mi available as CPO if that matters to you. The 2012 and 2013 are within $3k of each other depending on options, mi, CPO and prestige vs premium

Recommend options: Premium Plus over Prestige

Depending on where you live: 19" wheels/tires, 18" in harsh climates or for comfort
Keyless entry...just makes life easier
Silk leather interior, unless you live in a very cold climate

Depends on personal preference and use:

Navigation
Adjustable suspension, ride, throttle settings, shift points package
Unless you're an Audio file you don't need the B&O, although it is nice and you'll get part of $$ back at trade in
Sport Dif (if you don't need it you may get $$ back at trade in.
Backup camera and warning

Some cool options:

Titanium package (wheels, blackout trim and color matched mirrors)


Things to avoid (unnecessary):

Most of the additional items in the prestige package: smart cruise, lane change warning, etc.

Copple

Thanks for the advice. We're still a few months away from purchasing. I have a friend that can get cars at auction to save a bit of money, but the advice to check the transmission fluid has me thinking I'd be best to go private party. Would burnt DSG fluid indicate that the car had been excessively launched from a standstill?

If there are any good threads I should check out that covers some basic things to look out for please feel free to let me know. I usually use google plus the forum name to search for things.

Thanks!

WHS4

Burnt fluid just means overheated...could be Mechatronic failure or abuse. Good hunting!

Bobby Kinstle

I also chose the S4 while my wife was pregnant. Originally shopped the TTRS but was too impractical.

The S4 does work as a pretty good family car. The rear facing infant seats are freaking huge so plan on moving the passenger's seat up forward. Even my wife's giant allroad had to move up the seat a bit (Chicco Keyfit 30).

I strongly suggest getting the adaptive suspension. My wife demands comfort mode every time we drive and the difference really mattered to her towards the end of pregnancy and now with the baby.

Definitely get the sport diff, it's just so much fun. You'll also want drive select, which comes with the sport diff on most models (It's a little confusing as they scramble the options each year and also there's ADS lite which is just fine).

I opted to get the MMI with Nav and I'm generally pretty happy with it. The google maps works very well and the voice search is OK, not outstanding. Being able to look things up on the internet is cool. Plus you need the nav for Bluetooth audio streaming.

Copple

How tall are you and your wife?

PhilNotHill

I got the Prestige. If I bought the options I wanted it was cheaper. And it's the only way you can get adaptive headlights.

This may be the last year for the S4 as we know it.

Sports diff and adaptive dampers are a must. COMFORT MODE is a completely different car than DYNAMIC MODE. INDIVIDUAL MODE lets you set up the car just the way you like it. And it is easy to switch between modes on the fly.

Lane assist lets you know when someone is passing on either side or in your blind spot. I love it and with a baby on board even more so.

I love the rear camera. It shows where you are going with the wheels turned.

Did not get the adaptive cruise. Just did want to worry about whether the thing would actually work. Would rather drive the car myself. But with a baby you may be more comfortable with it.

Best

Bobby Kinstle

I'm 5'7" and she is 5"3"

PhilNotHill

Drove a couple who are houseguests to lunch 30 miles away over some twisty mountain roads.

they said they were very comfortable, plenty of room in the back seat and the ride was great.

Best