Coming from a B5 S4 background, this is classic 1999-2008 Audi engineering. And is why I don't own one anymore. Great cars but nothing can overcome the insanely inefficient maintenance needed.
You have never had to deal with a ford diesel truck, or even a super duty. I find taken the front end off an Audi is easier then doing a timing belt or chain in a gti. Trying doing the up pipes on a powerstroke, you need to lift the cab off. Same thing doing the sparkplugs on v10 Ford or the fuel pump relay being apart of the fuse box. It's all relative. I find b5 easier to work on then a b8. I prefer 1997 -2008 manual Audis to the newer heavy Audis. What inefficient maintenance? 2 turbos, the control arms,wheel bearings, all the basic same thing as newer ones, the eletric steering and direct injection of newer cars is where the pain in the ass comes in. Not that I wouldn't have b8 manual s4 for the wife's daily , it's just limited to around 500hp in a 4000lbs car, not that exciting.
@@freecanadaplease I love taking the fronts off of the older ones. The thing I hate with a few of newer ones is the stupid bolts on the sides for the fender to bumper. Besides that they just pop off. Only if the radiator could have been a separate piece rather then having to sit in front of the core support and forcing you to drain the coolant.
I had a first year B7 Avant with the 2.0 and manual, kept it for just over 15 years. I still miss that car and I think if I were to do it over again I'd have kept it still. What an absolute beast in the snow with the Torsen center diff and blizzaks. I have a 2019 Golf R manual now but still.
Crazy rare find, it's great they dont keep it hidden away and actually drive it and enjoy it. Also, it is not a Haldex, general rule of thumb is if the engine sits sideways in the engine bay it's a haldex, if it sits forward/backward, it's not a haldex.
I was driving my s4 one night on i84 in eastern Oregon and decided to floor it and got it up to 153 mph before letting off. It felt extremely planted im sure it could do 165-170. The fastest I ever went though was 160 on a 91 audi 200. It definitely felt a lot sketchier lol but still an amazing experience
Describing this motor as "needy" sounds about right. But when they run good, they run sooooo good I love the 4.2s; I knew two S4s when new as my dad's friend who raced SCCA had a B6 manual sedan and he drove it like he stole it, and my friend had a B7 auto sedan and while he wasn't as good of a driver he was quite the leadfoot and liked S more than D on the transmission so the V8 got plenty of exercise. They're sewing machine smooth all the way to 7000, they have a large displacement muscley sound but it's more refined, a broad powerband...smooth, classy, but still sporting and exciting. Salute to anyone who keeps these up nice!
Having worked as a multi-brand master tech and then on the other side as an automotive engineer, there is very little difference in manufacturers reliability and issues. The difference is manly the owner demographic which ties into specific models as well… Toyota/Lexus, Mercedes etc don’t us forums as much as the likes of BMW, Audi, Subaru etc, especially the sports car manufacturers and models will likely be on forums where a Pirus or multi-van owner probably not. This skews forum bias and is perpetuated by TH-cam, most as click bate. Timing chains and guides suffer similar wear/failure rates across manufacturers, same for Di carbon build up etc etc. This may be another reason or just a youtube bias but servicing cars in the US seems to be lacking by owners and quality or knowledge in US workshops isn’t always where it needs to be so cars suffer badly. There is little difference now between reliability of US built car and a European or Japanese marque. Most people (or as it appears on TH-cam) don’t realise that Audi made the front of cars like this A4 and other models from this age quickly and simply unbolt with just a few bolts and swing out the way with out dropping fluids or AC gas,to give great access to the front of the engine, also engine/gearbox drops is fairly simple and quick so only an issue if you are trying to do it with out a ramp.
I’m a regular guy with no auto mechanical background and I’ve owned 3 2.0t’s, 2.5 5cyl, 24v VR6, 2.5t 5cyl, 4.2 V8 (chain replaced) and a 3.0 supercharged with no issues ever. And besides the TTRS and the VR6 all of them went through brutal Buffalo winters. People want the car, they don’t want what it takes to own and maintain the car. I’ve owned too many VW/Audi’s that were amazing for it to be luck, more so my willingness to maintain them consistently at a reputable shop. If I can’t afford to own it, don’t buy it.
This cameraman is the BEST! He doesn't the stand there staring at your face while you're talkin about the car he's looking at all the attractive points I haven't seen any video on TH-cam that does this I LOVE IT!
I had an ‘04 B6 S4 from brand new and drove it 165K miles before the timing chain started really rattling on cold starts. Sold it after that and got a B7 RS4 which also had a timing chain without that same guide problem.
When I fully tooled up and had the time/slashed money I really enjoyed working on my Audis. Never had a V8 tho but I got efficient at taking the front end off on my 1.8Ts
I love my dolphin gray 06 b7 s4 Avant 6mt more than any other physical object I’ve encountered in my life. Every mile I drive it is a bittersweet reminder of life’s pleasures and impermanence.
As long as a German car is maintained and doing 5k or less oil changes their rock solid. It’s no Toyota but the diving experience is unmatched. And the money I’m willing to blow just on that is so worth it to me. I haven’t had a Toyota since high school and I’d not know if I want to go back Mabe a Lexus but….wagons
Great looking example. I just finished refreshing my 2006 Avant in Moro blue. Definitely have the the oil check valves replaced if not already for some preventative maintenance. Also, with 150k on mine there were some coolant and power steering lines that were reaching the point of failure. Specifically the heater core supply line at the back of the engine and the PS supply line from the reservoir to the supply pipe. Love seeing more people hanging on to these gems.
Hey Dustin!!! I have a imola yellow 04 s4 b6 avant here in canada at 305,000km with the grey alcantara recaros and silver trim pieces. It's been through a bunch of owners so documentation on whether the chain guides have been done has been spotty so I'm planning on swapping in a younger motor along with a new clutch in the summer. I guess luck or unlucky depending on how you look at it the salt rust has been really minor with it. I'm currently looking for body panels from the dry southern states so that I can get rust free and then keep the body as nice as possible. If youre ever in Atlantic Canada come hit me up!
Ford Explorer 4.0 V6, same issue :) Two chains front and back... but you don't have to take the front body off. Otherwise pretty reliable if you replace the guides.
I purchased mine five years ago and I’m still in love with it. If you’re not into these DO NOT buy one. It’s maintenance heavy but if kept properly, you’ll love it.
Use to own a 2007.5 Silver S4 Wagon Avant 6MT. Bought it used with 60k, dropped the engine at 69k, to replace the timing chains. It was also my opportunity to go full JHM bolt-ons. Total cost from independent German mechanic shop, 8k. At 75k, the car started to burn oil every 300 miles. Independent German mechanic diagnosed issue as scored cylinder walls. Cut my loses, traded the car in for new Audi A4 Allroad at the dealership. Audi mechanics knew it was my S4 and told me the car was bought fairly quick and shipped to the east coast. Loved the car, but definitely a money pit. Would only recommend it to adults with deep pockets and not a college student or worse a high school student.
I have a bs s4 and have had for 10 years! My daily and I love the v8 and AWD. Great in Minnesota winters with blizzaks a beast in the snow. 155,000 miles and still strong
I had a S4 b6 avant and the main problem is the engine runs hot and the cramp engine bay cook all rubber hoses. If you have one check your power steering hose ( they will blow because of heat) valve cover will leak and suspension arm will have to be change regurlarly. The valley oil gasket is destroyed at 60 000 miles and change oil return valve. Change the oil often because it cooks it pretty bad. If you keep an eye on potential problem this car is actually really good. It is a highway rocket and super comfortable. I had a 3 inch cat back y pipe no resonator and magnaflow silencer, the sound was exceptionnal , people were stopping me to listen to it. Missed it so much but it was a service heavy car. It woun’t leave you straded but you will learn mechanic.
Don't understand why there Is no hype about the B8 S4, that One is bomb proof (specially with the manual trans) and has an Amazing Power delivery with the Supercharged V6 (also sounding super nice not being a turbo)... Is also capable of well over 400hp Just with a chip tune (333 stock) and has a Better chassis... But they are still relatively cheap and people goes Crazy for the b7... Misteries 😂👍 Said that this b7 Is in Amazing specs and still a great car... And a V8 wagon, so, sweet...
I love it! Even if you had to pay $2k for the service when you first get it I would say its worth it. Same with the BMW E46 M3. If you don’t know the history you have to get a $2k rod bearing job done. Worth it on two special cars that they will never make again.
Yeah agree ... While my timing chains cost a lot more than 2k 😂. But like you say it part of ownership of both the e46 and b7 if that's the experience you're looking for in a car
I had a supercharged 2005 s4 6 speed with crazy loud Miltech exhaust that would wake the neighbors.. it WAILED but it’s a heavy car whose leather interior can fall apart if not cared for amongst engine things. I had the nagarro blue with the blue suede seats. The dual leather suede seats hold up longer. Replaced the coils with aftermarket, had a jbh tune stage 1. We bought a walnut blaster to clean out the valves every 2 years. Added an aftermarket short shift. Shocks went bad after 100k. Was a California car so it stayed in shape longer not being driven in winter. But it was such a fun car.. it looked sic.. it was so fun..
I own a B6 S4 sedan & a C5 allroad. My C5 has the 2.7T so it doesn't correlate with this discussion but concerning the S4, it was reliable, no cold or warm start rattle which is often more the result of oil check valves under the valley pan remaining open. @ the moment it is off the road ( 214K miles ) I need to install new driveshaft, starter motor & I'll be doing an 18Z BBK setup. Upgrading to sport springs/Koni shocks, it doesn't need coilovers since it will not be tracked. Overall I bought this S4 10 years ago & until recently it was my daily driver.. Not cheap with fuel consumption & these do go thru a set of rubber within 25K miles but my only regret is that it is a sedan versus an avant... But critical with these cars is being able to wrench them yourself for everything including when required the timing component replacement. Otherwise you do need full waillets since Indi. or Audi shops are not cheap concerning labor & parts.
They are Torsen based quattro in anything with a longitudinal mounted engine, any Audi or Vw this will apply. If the engine is horizontally mounted then it will be Haldex controlled
quattro is a torsen diff system. The manual b7 had the same 3rd gen torsen center diff as the rs4 with a 60:40 rear bias. helps hide the heavy front end.
The B7 s4 avant is an awesome car. Hands down my favorite daily, and I hope to own it for a long time. What I will say is that they are incredibly temperamental if not cared for properly; like I found out with mine when I bought it. But in all reality ownership of this car is: however you treat this car thats how she'll treat you
As a owner of a b7 s4 (100k when I bought -170k now)for over 5-6 years there’s a huge stipulation on how reliable these motors are. All of them will need timing at some point when that is is the question they can pop at 50k miles or over 200k miles. As for boosted ones there are many builds and companies now offering boost with built engines good for 800+ whp. And We did get the rs4 only 2k from 07-09.
Enjoyed the interview, nice Imola. Love my b6 s4 avant in Dolphin Gray, AT, 1 of 8 in NA. It is a Swiss army knife of a car, so versatile and enjoyable. Fantastic on snow and ice. No rattle at 101k, year around DD. Not unreliable but does get needy now and then and maintenance is pricey. Double it if you have a mod need. The car manages its front heaviness fairly well.
I have a 2004 Audi S4 with the exact same engine. It has over 150K mi. now on the ORIGINAL chains, tensioners and guides without issue. I use Mobil 1 full synthetic and change every 10,000 mi. as recommended by Audi.
@@joevarga5982 you couldn’t be more wrong. Very few make it past 155k. I do timing on these things at least 1 car a month. I have several friends who are also doing 1 a month. Myself and a friend 50 miles away have wait lists on them. It’s not blown out of proportion at all. Everyone knows these cars have timing problems. But there’s always one joker who thinks it’s not. That’s fine. I’m sure you’ll come back and update when yours blows timing, right?
@@Heartbeat1991 "you couldn’t be more wrong." There's no right or wrong here UNTIL IT FAILS. "Very few make it past 155k." Many CARS don't make it to 155K, period. "I do timing on these things at least 1 car a month. I have several friends who are also doing 1 a month." And you're doing them on cars where the chain system HASN'T failed yet. "Myself and a friend 50 miles away have wait lists on them." Do you want a medal? "It’s not blown out of proportion at all." Yes, it is. That's why you've got people all freaked out and lining up to get it done. "Everyone knows these cars have timing problems." It happens to a few cars and then everybody freaks out because it's an expensive job. Here YOU are profiting from the frenzy you're whipping up. "But there’s always one joker who thinks it’s not. That’s fine. I’m sure you’ll come back and update when yours blows timing, right?" I already got my money's worth out of this car. Keep trying to scare people into thinking that they need to hire you right away, mechanic.
@@joevarga5982 wrong again. Like I said , they all fail. I’ve only ever done timing on one that hadn’t already failed. You clearly have no clue what you’re talking about. Very few cars live to 155k? Very few cars don’t make it to 250k. Wtf are you talking about? No worries. You’ll find out you were wrong soon enough.
I believe most of the bad reputation comes from the engine. The 4.2 engines had a reputation for being unreliable and very difficult to work on, especially when they were in the S4.
The 4.2 was very reliable engine. It just had a few issues and if you know about them and fix them on time, its bulletproof. Much more reliable than the later FSI version and the V8s from BMW.
The B6 / B7 S4 & the C5 allroad's ( same motor ) 4.2 V8 is a much more reliable motor than urban legend says.. Problem with used S4's is previous owners who never realized German luxury performance cars are not budget friendly cars. One must be fastidious with service schedule & if something breaks pay attention & repair immediately.. Knowing that, they are very reliable & @ 80K miles you must pull the motor & replace the chain guides & tensioners with the B7 RS4's V8 motor timing components... Upgraded metal guides which then will not need replacement for a much longer time span.
When the guy took the crossroads and i heard that bump, those where pure stock shocks. Tip: Billstein, the ones that can be adjusted in height and stiffness. I owned them for under my B5 RS4 and its a day and night issue. You cant imagine how hard you can cross a bump with even 80kmph without feeling a bit. The shocks of audi are set to too comfort rather then "Sporty". Great car tho..
Nice one in yellow! My 07 manual avant just rolled 173k. Daily driven in Colorado 4 seasons since new from prestige audi. Original chain and clutch but on its 3rd set of door blades. What's that tell ya?
Hey I noticed the jdrf plate! i live in colorado and Im a type one diabetic and I’m putting one of those plates on my b8 s4. Just cool to see another jdrf plate on the road in boulder!
Jeez I thought it was bad when I bought a bmw e46. At least I only have 1 bank of cylinders to work with and my chain is at the front. I'm a wagon guy too. Love em
LOOK HOW FAR FORWARD THAT MOTOR IS!!! THATS LIKE A FRONT-FRONT ENGINE.(there ain't no "tucking" it into any corner) HOLY SMOKES! Why didn't you drive Tommy?
This man is living in la la land with his confidence in the car. Having owned multiples, there are so many things that are just waiting in the wings. Forget the guides, that's the easy part. Cam adjusters, bore scoring, broken intake manifolds, vibrating driveshafts, power steering rack location and expensive lines, cats clogging, 2nd gear detent/grind issue, overall expensive parts costs ... there is so much. If parts were priced like a domestic, great, but they're not. If you don't buy a good one it'll ruin your fun very quickly.
If you let the car to be stock and add no usa modifications you guys all do there is no problem, the horror starts when changing parts. If audi doesn't know how to build the car. 😂
i.m the ,,proud, owner of a 2005 b7 Audi S4 Quattro avant tiptronic i.m the 3rd owner and done abot 90000 miles best car i ever driven, can,t beat that v8 sound, sorry ur Tesla-boyzz 😢
I have a B7 05 plate ( which if you're in the uk is cheaper road tax 06 to 09 you get hit with highest tax ban ) in a saloon black with red interior looks great they are good cars if they have been look after but that gose for any car. I do use mine as a daily drive fuel is what you expect its going to be terrible but the sound makes up for that small price from the V8 love of the fuel pumps. ( if the car was a person you be sending them to a AA meeting every week ) Issues so far not much just some suspension work with age really apart from the last owner lower the car which destroyed the ride so had to buy from the dealer new springs at cost ££££££ a new window cable and boot lock which was covered by the warranty i had apart from that there are reliable vehicles aslong as you keep up with the maintenance. Mine is currently on summer tyres no problem in the snow you point it it will go there. But unfortunately mine is the automatic not the manual 😢 because the wife only has a automatic licence. They are great cars with a love and hate relationship love them when they working really hate them when you're fixing them they can be a pain.
I've never heard of the 4.2l motors with timing belts having any issues. Change the belt between 80-100k and you're fine. Oh, and do it right, don't fuck the timing up....
I have a picture on my phone of the blue s4avant wagon I just don't know how to upload to TH-cam. I work construction and would see it everyday. Canada plates
Could you guys do a video about the B7 Audi A4 DTM Edition? If i'm not mistaken, there's only about 500 of them made and It was produced 2005-2007. Not very many people seem to know about it and there isn't that many videos, where people talk about it either.
You mean the Normal 2.0T A4 with a Bodykit that everyone and their mothers cat and dogs sister, keeps posting on Facebook marketplace with 150k miles and asking $20,000 xD
@@3n3ly7m9 I guess? But yes the car i am talking about is a 2.0l TFSI that has a bodykit which is rather similar to the RS4 one. So i guess we're talking about the same car.
@@lepi800 Besides the design and styling cues, it wasn't much more. No widebody or anything. Now the other car they had as well was the S4 25quattro and there was only 250 of them only for the US. Specific seats, all of them were manual with 1-250 plaque shift number same Torsen T3 as the Rs4 or S4, not sure.
I have a 2007 S4 Cabriolet with 184k miles on it, half of which I put there. The engine, DCT, and mag ride suspension are still original without being opened other than for routine maintenance. TC changed once. Other than being a bit expensive on upkeep and the Quattro burning up tires on corners, it's never left me stranded or disappointed. If you have a 4.2, get the TC done at least every 100k, and keep an ear out for the timing clicks from the passenger side front wheel well. Also, change the oil every 10k, not 20, and my biggest pet peeve about the car is the front bumper clip. If you back out of a driveway and scrape, it will rip the front clip and cost about $6k US to fix.
@@Heartbeat1991 Magnetic Ride Control is used by Audi, Ferrari, GM, and even Ford. It is on my B7 S4 and since I own it and you dont, I would know. Go look it up instead of making assumptions 🤣
@@Heartbeat1991"I've had dozens of them." 🤣🤣😂😂🤦♂put the Forza controller down kid. Have you gone to a web search, typed in "2007 Audi S4 Suspension" realized it didn't mean it was floating around on magnets, kicked your zim/zerb cat, popped your hormone blocker, plugged in your EV, and gone off to troll another comment section?
I owned a B7 S4 Avant. Moro Blue Pearl with Silver leather. Had it serviced religiously at a VW/Bentley dealer with a family discount on the labor rate of $37 per labor hour billed, and whatever discount on parts. It would been cheaper for me to service/maintain a McLaren than this car.
This V8 is actually really reliable as long as you replace the chain guides with the RS ones and your service it on the button.
While that’s a good idea, that’s not the one that causes it to blow.
@@Heartbeat1991 what makes them blow?
@@christopherbell7561 the bank 1 chain guide. The plastic rail breaks off the aluminum guide and jumps the timing. Never makes a rattle, no warnings.
@@Heartbeat1991 ahhh well all changed so no worries for another 160k for me then
@@christopherbell7561 not sure how that math works. lol.
We have owned our 2008 B7 S4 Avant for more than 13 years and never ever had any issues. Most fantastic car we've ever had!
13 years how😮
Coming from a B5 S4 background, this is classic 1999-2008 Audi engineering. And is why I don't own one anymore. Great cars but nothing can overcome the insanely inefficient maintenance needed.
You have never had to deal with a ford diesel truck, or even a super duty. I find taken the front end off an Audi is easier then doing a timing belt or chain in a gti. Trying doing the up pipes on a powerstroke, you need to lift the cab off. Same thing doing the sparkplugs on v10 Ford or the fuel pump relay being apart of the fuse box. It's all relative. I find b5 easier to work on then a b8. I prefer 1997 -2008 manual Audis to the newer heavy Audis. What inefficient maintenance? 2 turbos, the control arms,wheel bearings, all the basic same thing as newer ones, the eletric steering and direct injection of newer cars is where the pain in the ass comes in. Not that I wouldn't have b8 manual s4 for the wife's daily , it's just limited to around 500hp in a 4000lbs car, not that exciting.
@@freecanadaplease yea every brand has crap engines to work on lol
Coming from a C5 Allroad thank you for exiting the Audi world they don't deserve you 😂
Nothing makes you prove you are rich quite like driving a old german car
@@freecanadaplease I love taking the fronts off of the older ones. The thing I hate with a few of newer ones is the stupid bolts on the sides for the fender to bumper. Besides that they just pop off. Only if the radiator could have been a separate piece rather then having to sit in front of the core support and forcing you to drain the coolant.
I have a B7 S4 6MT sedan in Imola yellow. Chain guides replaced with RS4 guides. 115k miles. Love the car!!
I had a first year B7 Avant with the 2.0 and manual, kept it for just over 15 years. I still miss that car and I think if I were to do it over again I'd have kept it still. What an absolute beast in the snow with the Torsen center diff and blizzaks. I have a 2019 Golf R manual now but still.
Ayyy I have a 6mt ‘19r too!
@@jerryx2000 What do you think? It became a money pit, just like all euro crap cars...
@@jerryx2000how long are you supposed to keep a car you like? Isn’t 15 years long enough?
@@jerryx2000 how can you fault someone for selling it and moving on after 15 years? Again, how long should he keep it to be ok in your book?
Absolutely love my B7 S4, there’s been a quite a bit of maintenance. But so hard to find a naturally aspirated V8 car with all wheel drive!
New ones? Sure. My RWD-biased AWD NA 3.7 is a blast in the snow, quite a bit more reliable than this and was easy to find. Oh well.
@@jacquesc3166 I meant one with a V8 haha!
Crazy rare find, it's great they dont keep it hidden away and actually drive it and enjoy it. Also, it is not a Haldex, general rule of thumb is if the engine sits sideways in the engine bay it's a haldex, if it sits forward/backward, it's not a haldex.
It's Torsen system.
Torsen
I was driving my s4 one night on i84 in eastern Oregon and decided to floor it and got it up to 153 mph before letting off. It felt extremely planted im sure it could do 165-170. The fastest I ever went though was 160 on a 91 audi 200. It definitely felt a lot sketchier lol but still an amazing experience
Describing this motor as "needy" sounds about right. But when they run good, they run sooooo good I love the 4.2s; I knew two S4s when new as my dad's friend who raced SCCA had a B6 manual sedan and he drove it like he stole it, and my friend had a B7 auto sedan and while he wasn't as good of a driver he was quite the leadfoot and liked S more than D on the transmission so the V8 got plenty of exercise. They're sewing machine smooth all the way to 7000, they have a large displacement muscley sound but it's more refined, a broad powerband...smooth, classy, but still sporting and exciting. Salute to anyone who keeps these up nice!
Having worked as a multi-brand master tech and then on the other side as an automotive engineer, there is very little difference in manufacturers reliability and issues. The difference is manly the owner demographic which ties into specific models as well… Toyota/Lexus, Mercedes etc don’t us forums as much as the likes of BMW, Audi, Subaru etc, especially the sports car manufacturers and models will likely be on forums where a Pirus or multi-van owner probably not.
This skews forum bias and is perpetuated by TH-cam, most as click bate.
Timing chains and guides suffer similar wear/failure rates across manufacturers, same for Di carbon build up etc etc.
This may be another reason or just a youtube bias but servicing cars in the US seems to be lacking by owners and quality or knowledge in US workshops isn’t always where it needs to be so cars suffer badly.
There is little difference now between reliability of US built car and a European or Japanese marque.
Most people (or as it appears on TH-cam) don’t realise that Audi made the front of cars like this A4 and other models from this age quickly and simply unbolt with just a few bolts and swing out the way with out dropping fluids or AC gas,to give great access to the front of the engine, also engine/gearbox drops is fairly simple and quick so only an issue if you are trying to do it with out a ramp.
I’m a regular guy with no auto mechanical background and I’ve owned 3 2.0t’s, 2.5 5cyl, 24v VR6, 2.5t 5cyl, 4.2 V8 (chain replaced) and a 3.0 supercharged with no issues ever. And besides the TTRS and the VR6 all of them went through brutal Buffalo winters. People want the car, they don’t want what it takes to own and maintain the car. I’ve owned too many VW/Audi’s that were amazing for it to be luck, more so my willingness to maintain them consistently at a reputable shop. If I can’t afford to own it, don’t buy it.
This cameraman is the BEST! He doesn't the stand there staring at your face while you're talkin about the car he's looking at all the attractive points
I haven't seen any video on TH-cam that does this I LOVE IT!
I had an ‘04 B6 S4 from brand new and drove it 165K miles before the timing chain started really rattling on cold starts. Sold it after that and got a B7 RS4 which also had a timing chain without that same guide problem.
did you do the dirty warming up the engine before selling it? lol
@@DutchDukeMan lol, hope you sold it at a reasonable price haha.
When I fully tooled up and had the time/slashed money I really enjoyed working on my Audis. Never had a V8 tho but I got efficient at taking the front end off on my 1.8Ts
I love my dolphin gray 06 b7 s4 Avant 6mt more than any other physical object I’ve encountered in my life. Every mile I drive it is a bittersweet reminder of life’s pleasures and impermanence.
As long as a German car is maintained and doing 5k or less oil changes their rock solid. It’s no Toyota but the diving experience is unmatched. And the money I’m willing to blow just on that is so worth it to me. I haven’t had a Toyota since high school and I’d not know if I want to go back Mabe a Lexus but….wagons
It's a regular maintenance item... it lasts a long time but you Have to do it if you want to safely do long miles
Great looking example. I just finished refreshing my 2006 Avant in Moro blue. Definitely have the the oil check valves replaced if not already for some preventative maintenance. Also, with 150k on mine there were some coolant and power steering lines that were reaching the point of failure. Specifically the heater core supply line at the back of the engine and the PS supply line from the reservoir to the supply pipe. Love seeing more people hanging on to these gems.
Hey Dustin!!! I have a imola yellow 04 s4 b6 avant here in canada at 305,000km with the grey alcantara recaros and silver trim pieces. It's been through a bunch of owners so documentation on whether the chain guides have been done has been spotty so I'm planning on swapping in a younger motor along with a new clutch in the summer. I guess luck or unlucky depending on how you look at it the salt rust has been really minor with it. I'm currently looking for body panels from the dry southern states so that I can get rust free and then keep the body as nice as possible. If youre ever in Atlantic Canada come hit me up!
Hey man. I just got a b6 1.8 avant. I'm Canadian too. Are you in the GTA? Lol mine is black😊
Loved my B6 S4. I didn’t buy a well-maintained one but after some work, had 3 fun-filled years of driving it
I've had 15 years and counting.
Service mode (front clip removed) isnt that big of a deal. 16 screws wnd it comes off in one piece after removing bumper cover.
Ford Explorer 4.0 V6, same issue :) Two chains front and back... but you don't have to take the front body off. Otherwise pretty reliable if you replace the guides.
The chain, the damn chain - that's the problem.
Had a 2007 s4 avant and put $30k into it. Had to sell it for $9000 a couple years back. What shame, wish myself still had it. It was amazing
I purchased mine five years ago and I’m still in love with it. If you’re not into these DO NOT buy one. It’s maintenance heavy but if kept properly, you’ll love it.
Use to own a 2007.5 Silver S4 Wagon Avant 6MT. Bought it used with 60k, dropped the engine at 69k, to replace the timing chains. It was also my opportunity to go full JHM bolt-ons. Total cost from independent German mechanic shop, 8k. At 75k, the car started to burn oil every 300 miles. Independent German mechanic diagnosed issue as scored cylinder walls. Cut my loses, traded the car in for new Audi A4 Allroad at the dealership. Audi mechanics knew it was my S4 and told me the car was bought fairly quick and shipped to the east coast. Loved the car, but definitely a money pit. Would only recommend it to adults with deep pockets and not a college student or worse a high school student.
BUSTED! Not an Audi guy if he can’t distinguish between real quattro and faux quattro. 😂😊😮
We had a Sprint blue 2007 with auto trans. Nice car, bought it with 60k miles and sold it with about 115k miles.
Mines in England, 2005, Avanti in dark blue. Miltek exhaust. Had it about 9 years now. Absolutely luv it.
This car has a true Audi Quattro system. No Haldex.
A true Audi guy would know that!😊
I have a bs s4 and have had for 10 years! My daily and I love the v8 and AWD. Great in Minnesota winters with blizzaks a beast in the snow. 155,000 miles and still strong
I had a S4 b6 avant and the main problem is the engine runs hot and the cramp engine bay cook all rubber hoses. If you have one check your power steering hose ( they will blow because of heat) valve cover will leak and suspension arm will have to be change regurlarly. The valley oil gasket is destroyed at 60 000 miles and change oil return valve. Change the oil often because it cooks it pretty bad. If you keep an eye on potential problem this car is actually really good. It is a highway rocket and super comfortable. I had a 3 inch cat back y pipe no resonator and magnaflow silencer, the sound was exceptionnal , people were stopping me to listen to it. Missed it so much but it was a service heavy car. It woun’t leave you straded but you will learn mechanic.
Don't understand why there Is no hype about the B8 S4, that One is bomb proof (specially with the manual trans) and has an Amazing Power delivery with the Supercharged V6 (also sounding super nice not being a turbo)... Is also capable of well over 400hp Just with a chip tune (333 stock) and has a Better chassis...
But they are still relatively cheap and people goes Crazy for the b7... Misteries 😂👍
Said that this b7 Is in Amazing specs and still a great car... And a V8 wagon, so, sweet...
I have a b6 s4 Avant 6mt with the chains done. It's been fairly reliable honestly.
I love it! Even if you had to pay $2k for the service when you first get it I would say its worth it. Same with the BMW E46 M3. If you don’t know the history you have to get a $2k rod bearing job done. Worth it on two special cars that they will never make again.
That timing chain job is a lot more than $2K.
I got quoted $5k on mine.
I just bought one of these a couple months ago. My monthly service cost has been ~1000 a month so far and it is low mileage too ~65k
@@mmoore.14 my sympathies are with you
Yeah agree ... While my timing chains cost a lot more than 2k 😂. But like you say it part of ownership of both the e46 and b7 if that's the experience you're looking for in a car
I had a supercharged 2005 s4 6 speed with crazy loud Miltech exhaust that would wake the neighbors.. it WAILED but it’s a heavy car whose leather interior can fall apart if not cared for amongst engine things. I had the nagarro blue with the blue suede seats. The dual leather suede seats hold up longer. Replaced the coils with aftermarket, had a jbh tune stage 1. We bought a walnut blaster to clean out the valves every 2 years. Added an aftermarket short shift. Shocks went bad after 100k. Was a California car so it stayed in shape longer not being driven in winter. But it was such a fun car.. it looked sic.. it was so fun..
This man speaks with the wisdom gained from years of excruciating pain.
I own a B6 S4 sedan & a C5 allroad. My C5 has the 2.7T so it doesn't correlate with this discussion but concerning the S4, it was reliable, no cold or warm start rattle which is often more the result of oil check valves under the valley pan remaining open. @ the moment it is off the road ( 214K miles ) I need to install new driveshaft, starter motor & I'll be doing an 18Z BBK setup. Upgrading to sport springs/Koni shocks, it doesn't need coilovers since it will not be tracked. Overall I bought this S4 10 years ago & until recently it was my daily driver.. Not cheap with fuel consumption & these do go thru a set of rubber within 25K miles but my only regret is that it is a sedan versus an avant... But critical with these cars is being able to wrench them yourself for everything including when required the timing component replacement. Otherwise you do need full waillets since Indi. or Audi shops are not cheap concerning labor & parts.
Man, now I miss my B6 1.8t Avant.
They are Torsen based quattro in anything with a longitudinal mounted engine, any Audi or Vw this will apply. If the engine is horizontally mounted then it will be Haldex controlled
I believe the numbers are 442 Avant AT and 465 Avant MT with a total production run of 907 wagons model year 2007
quattro is a torsen diff system. The manual b7 had the same 3rd gen torsen center diff as the rs4 with a 60:40 rear bias. helps hide the heavy front end.
Not all B7s have that. Only 06-08.
@@Heartbeat1991 yep, sadly my manual b7 is an 05.5
The B7 s4 avant is an awesome car. Hands down my favorite daily, and I hope to own it for a long time.
What I will say is that they are incredibly temperamental if not cared for properly; like I found out with mine when I bought it. But in all reality ownership of this car is: however you treat this car thats how she'll treat you
I just got my hands on one the other day, any advice?
@@jakecolburn1732 get the timing done with the rs4 metal guides and jhm cam phasers. And a ecu tune from jackal Motorsports
Excellent Avant, thanks for showing. Big fan of these.
Pretty sure I've seen this car for sale at some point on Audizine. Great find of a stock 6 speed Imola.
As a owner of a b7 s4 (100k when I bought -170k now)for over 5-6 years there’s a huge stipulation on how reliable these motors are. All of them will need timing at some point when that is is the question they can pop at 50k miles or over 200k miles. As for boosted ones there are many builds and companies now offering boost with built engines good for 800+ whp. And We did get the rs4 only 2k from 07-09.
B7 had the upgraded parts. The b6 is the pos
@@sapperROSS I own a b7 they don’t have upgraded guides lol only the rs4 had metal guides.
@@sapperROSS b6/b7 are exactly the same.
They have the RS4 in the states it just isn't a wagon. Sedan only.
That was mentioned in the video.
@@durimhasangjekaj2708 Ah I only heard them say the RS4 wasn't available in the states. Must have missed that.
@@davidmcmillan1477 I heard the same thing, which is why I headed straight for the comments.
@@dqwaszx it's our duty to make sure the facts are correct! Haha
He corrected it later mentioning the sedan.
Enjoyed the interview, nice Imola. Love my b6 s4 avant in Dolphin Gray, AT, 1 of 8 in NA. It is a Swiss army knife of a car, so versatile and enjoyable. Fantastic on snow and ice. No rattle at 101k, year around DD. Not unreliable but does get needy now and then and maintenance is pricey. Double it if you have a mod need. The car manages its front heaviness fairly well.
Love these cars. One of my bucket car items have always been the 2007 Audi RS4 sedan in the blue. Beautiful car.
Skip the S4 and go straight to the RS4.
Agreed.
@@Heartbeat1991
I learned how to drive in a b7 s4 and I have a b6 a4 3.0. My dream is to get an rs4 but before that my next daily will be hopefully a DTM s4
Wasn't the B7 RS4 the only RS4 we got? No wagons but the only US imports.
Yes sir correct :-) I live in Canada and own a yum yum b7 rs4 sunny summer days only 😋 focking love her
The B7 RS4 is on my bucket list!
My dad had one of these in 2009 in black with the white recaro interior. Manual
The 2.0T is more tunable than the 3.2 V6. The B7 RS4 did come to the US, but it is a small number.
Thats pretty obvious considering any engine that's forced induction or has a counterpart or sister engine with forced induction.
Yeah the 3.2 is only good for granny duty.@@mediocreman2
I have a 2004 Audi S4 with the exact same engine. It has over 150K mi. now on the ORIGINAL chains, tensioners and guides without issue. I use Mobil 1 full synthetic and change every 10,000 mi. as recommended by Audi.
You’ll be doing chains very very soon.
@@Heartbeat1991 Nope. It's not a problem on all B6 S4's. It's been blown way out of proportion.
@@joevarga5982 you couldn’t be more wrong. Very few make it past 155k. I do timing on these things at least 1 car a month. I have several friends who are also doing 1 a month. Myself and a friend 50 miles away have wait lists on them.
It’s not blown out of proportion at all. Everyone knows these cars have timing problems. But there’s always one joker who thinks it’s not. That’s fine. I’m sure you’ll come back and update when yours blows timing, right?
@@Heartbeat1991 "you couldn’t be more wrong."
There's no right or wrong here UNTIL IT FAILS.
"Very few make it past 155k."
Many CARS don't make it to 155K, period.
"I do timing on these things at least 1 car a month. I have several friends who are also doing 1 a month."
And you're doing them on cars where the chain system HASN'T failed yet.
"Myself and a friend 50 miles away have wait lists on them."
Do you want a medal?
"It’s not blown out of proportion at all."
Yes, it is. That's why you've got people all freaked out and lining up to get it done.
"Everyone knows these cars have timing problems."
It happens to a few cars and then everybody freaks out because it's an expensive job. Here YOU are profiting from the frenzy you're whipping up.
"But there’s always one joker who thinks it’s not. That’s fine. I’m sure you’ll come back and update when yours blows timing, right?"
I already got my money's worth out of this car. Keep trying to scare people into thinking that they need to hire you right away, mechanic.
@@joevarga5982 wrong again. Like I said , they all fail. I’ve only ever done timing on one that hadn’t already failed. You clearly have no clue what you’re talking about.
Very few cars live to 155k? Very few cars don’t make it to 250k. Wtf are you talking about? No worries. You’ll find out you were wrong soon enough.
I believe most of the bad reputation comes from the engine. The 4.2 engines had a reputation for being unreliable and very difficult to work on, especially when they were in the S4.
The 4.2 was very reliable engine. It just had a few issues and if you know about them and fix them on time, its bulletproof. Much more reliable than the later FSI version and the V8s from BMW.
@@kamata93yea but not all 4.2s are the ssme
Its mostly the s4 version with the timing chain
@@2strokeFORever The B6/B7 S4s 4.2 was only 2 engines out of 35 different 4.2s made by VAG.
The B6 / B7 S4 & the C5 allroad's ( same motor ) 4.2 V8 is a much more reliable motor than urban legend says.. Problem with used S4's is previous owners who never realized German luxury performance cars are not budget friendly cars. One must be fastidious with service schedule & if something breaks pay attention & repair immediately.. Knowing that, they are very reliable & @ 80K miles you must pull the motor & replace the chain guides & tensioners with the B7 RS4's V8 motor timing components... Upgraded metal guides which then will not need replacement for a much longer time span.
Colorado is such a vibe you can be driving a family suv and it will still be fun
When the guy took the crossroads and i heard that bump, those where pure stock shocks. Tip: Billstein, the ones that can be adjusted in height and stiffness. I owned them for under my B5 RS4 and its a day and night issue. You cant imagine how hard you can cross a bump with even 80kmph without feeling a bit. The shocks of audi are set to too comfort rather then "Sporty". Great car tho..
Absolutely rare!! And underestimated. I own an ibis white 6spd 1 of 8 in US. Adore it. Unicorns 🦄. THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO
Nice one in yellow! My 07 manual avant just rolled 173k. Daily driven in Colorado 4 seasons since new from prestige audi.
Original chain and clutch but on its 3rd set of door blades. What's that tell ya?
Almost every b6-b7 s4 will need timing chain service at some point unless it's the b7 RS4 which there were about 2000 sent to the states.
"That's why we have the editing."
Well played, sir.
Hey I noticed the jdrf plate! i live in colorado and Im a type one diabetic and I’m putting one of those plates on my b8 s4. Just cool to see another jdrf plate on the road in boulder!
Nice Audi. I'm a bit of a wagon guy and those look sweet, especially in the yellow.
Manual Gray 2008 S4 Avant here in Boulder. I’ll keep an eye out for you. Haven’t seen you yet.
Jeez I thought it was bad when I bought a bmw e46. At least I only have 1 bank of cylinders to work with and my chain is at the front. I'm a wagon guy too. Love em
My b6 s4 had 138k on it when i did the timing job. Glad i did it because two of the guides were broken so i got lucky.
i was waiting for a driving review, if he's so precious find another
Don't for get about the ccm & oil filter housing seal that you have to remove the intake manifold to get to.
I love sporty wagons. My goal is to find a nice E63 or CTS-V wagon.
That value is wild!!! In the UK we can pick one up for about 5-6k
LOOK HOW FAR FORWARD THAT MOTOR IS!!! THATS LIKE A FRONT-FRONT ENGINE.(there ain't no "tucking" it into any corner) HOLY SMOKES! Why didn't you drive Tommy?
on almost every 4.2 that’s been driven in a spirited manor you’ll need engine to do timing every 100k
Mine is at 141k rn only about 1.5 sec rattle on cold start around (30 degrees)
This man is living in la la land with his confidence in the car. Having owned multiples, there are so many things that are just waiting in the wings. Forget the guides, that's the easy part. Cam adjusters, bore scoring, broken intake manifolds, vibrating driveshafts, power steering rack location and expensive lines, cats clogging, 2nd gear detent/grind issue, overall expensive parts costs ... there is so much. If parts were priced like a domestic, great, but they're not. If you don't buy a good one it'll ruin your fun very quickly.
If you let the car to be stock and add no usa modifications you guys all do there is no problem, the horror starts when changing parts. If audi doesn't know how to build the car. 😂
Nice interview, great car!
Love the car!! I have a rare 1/9 imola yellow RS4 cabriolet
I bought one of these in grey 2005.5, amazing car not the fastest but man does it sound good
Guy at cars and coffee has a Noggy blue Avant 6 speed with carbon fiber interior trim and the factory BBS wheels. It’s bad ass lol.
I have a early 04 black B6 S4 (November of 03 car) with currently 205k miles
I had an imola yellow b6 s4 in manual with recaros. I think they made like 95 of mine
Um, yes we did get the B7 RS4 here in the US. I owned one. Just never got the RS4 Avant.
I have a b7 passat , im curious if the seats on that s4 will fit .
Good luck finding them
Looks like the whole engine is ahead of the front axle. So much for weight distribution
I love this car, owned one for almost a year now.
i.m the ,,proud, owner of a 2005 b7 Audi S4 Quattro avant tiptronic
i.m the 3rd owner and done abot 90000 miles
best car i ever driven, can,t beat that v8 sound, sorry ur Tesla-boyzz 😢
I have a B7 05 plate ( which if you're in the uk is cheaper road tax 06 to 09 you get hit with highest tax ban ) in a saloon black with red interior looks great they are good cars if they have been look after but that gose for any car.
I do use mine as a daily drive fuel is what you expect its going to be terrible but the sound makes up for that small price from the V8 love of the fuel pumps. ( if the car was a person you be sending them to a AA meeting every week )
Issues so far not much just some suspension work with age really apart from the last owner lower the car which destroyed the ride so had to buy from the dealer new springs at cost ££££££ a new window cable and boot lock which was covered by the warranty i had apart from that there are reliable vehicles aslong as you keep up with the maintenance.
Mine is currently on summer tyres no problem in the snow you point it it will go there.
But unfortunately mine is the automatic not the manual 😢 because the wife only has a automatic licence.
They are great cars with a love and hate relationship love them when they working really hate them when you're fixing them they can be a pain.
I've never heard of the 4.2l motors with timing belts having any issues. Change the belt between 80-100k and you're fine. Oh, and do it right, don't fuck the timing up....
I had an 07 sedan manual with the DTM package and I regret selling it every day !
I daily my b7 s4. I have yet to see another one, I’ve of course seen the nasty RS4’s and love my b5 boys.
I had a imola b7 s4 manual and timming went bad all the drama - parts and labor insane
Gorgeous! My dream is an AWD, manual, wagon.
Great car, great guy! Although I keep hearing "every corvette is 1 of 1 corvette" 😂
I have a picture on my phone of the blue s4avant wagon I just don't know how to upload to TH-cam. I work construction and would see it everyday. Canada plates
Nogaro blue. Pretty.
I know that one got totaled in Traverse City, Michigan around 2002
Could you guys do a video about the B7 Audi A4 DTM Edition? If i'm not mistaken, there's only about 500 of them made and It was produced 2005-2007. Not very many people seem to know about it and there isn't that many videos, where people talk about it either.
You mean the Normal 2.0T A4 with a Bodykit that everyone and their mothers cat and dogs sister, keeps posting on Facebook marketplace with 150k miles and asking $20,000 xD
@@3n3ly7m9 I guess? But yes the car i am talking about is a 2.0l TFSI that has a bodykit which is rather similar to the RS4 one. So i guess we're talking about the same car.
@@lepi800 Besides the design and styling cues, it wasn't much more. No widebody or anything. Now the other car they had as well was the S4 25quattro and there was only 250 of them only for the US. Specific seats, all of them were manual with 1-250 plaque shift number same Torsen T3 as the Rs4 or S4, not sure.
@@3n3ly7m9 Yeah, i've heard about that S4. Not very familiar with it, but i've heard of it.
I have a 2007 S4 Cabriolet with 184k miles on it, half of which I put there. The engine, DCT, and mag ride suspension are still original without being opened other than for routine maintenance. TC changed once. Other than being a bit expensive on upkeep and the Quattro burning up tires on corners, it's never left me stranded or disappointed. If you have a 4.2, get the TC done at least every 100k, and keep an ear out for the timing clicks from the passenger side front wheel well. Also, change the oil every 10k, not 20, and my biggest pet peeve about the car is the front bumper clip. If you back out of a driveway and scrape, it will rip the front clip and cost about $6k US to fix.
There is no mag ride suspension on them.
@@Heartbeat1991 Magnetic Ride Control is used by Audi, Ferrari, GM, and even Ford. It is on my B7 S4 and since I own it and you dont, I would know. Go look it up instead of making assumptions 🤣
@@ELXABER cool story. I’ve had dozens and they don’t come with any form of mag ride at all.
@@ELXABER it’s not even an option.
@@Heartbeat1991"I've had dozens of them." 🤣🤣😂😂🤦♂put the Forza controller down kid. Have you gone to a web search, typed in "2007 Audi S4 Suspension" realized it didn't mean it was floating around on magnets, kicked your zim/zerb cat, popped your hormone blocker, plugged in your EV, and gone off to troll another comment section?
What pioneer headunit is he using?
Should have gotten an alpine
This will be non haldex i believe with a 60-40 split.
5:45 of course we get the RS-4 in the states, just limited amounts.
No we actually didn't.
I owned a B7 S4 Avant. Moro Blue Pearl with Silver leather. Had it serviced religiously at a VW/Bentley dealer with a family discount on the labor rate of $37 per labor hour billed, and whatever discount on parts. It would been cheaper for me to service/maintain a McLaren than this car.
I had no idea they made an S4 Avant, very cool!
Is that Nathan's brother lol