How unreliable are B5 S4's? Most problematic car audi ever made

[2007black2.0t]

How unreliable are B5 S4's? I have heard they are the most problematic car audi ever made........How often does something go bad?

[Slavchob]

All depends on how you maintain it, and how it's been maintained. Yeah things will break, but it's not a new car either. It's just the nature of the beast. I've owned 5 2.7t's so far, and haven't had any serious issues as of yet.... I just hope I didn't jinx myself. *knock on wood* Basically what I'm saying is that I'd do it all over again. For the fun anyway Besides. What fun is it having a car you can't wrench on anyway?

[00SantorinS4]

until every window regulator shits out 3 months at a time! bahaha stupid plastic pullys/clips..

[AudiSportB5S4]

I haven't touched my car besides oil changes and simple things since 2007.

In short, making 500 HP on an engine originally rolling out of Audi making 250, may not be as "reliable". Actually, the engine is super reliable, the parts around it will be replaced at some point or another. Being around these cars for some time now, being a reseller, I sell the SAME SHIT to each and every single customer I have. You'll replace most of the electronics around your engine, but when you do, it'll be very reliable for some time. My car has been nothing but joy since the turbos went in December 2007..

In response to the last question you asked, there is no answer for that. There is no B5 S4 equation that will yield you an answer to how frequently things go bad. If you want to buy a car and let it sit, don't bother. If you want to buy a car and continually put work into it before letting something go bad, buy away.

[Scotty@Advanced]

How unreliable are B5 S4's? I have heard they are the most problematic car audi ever made........How often does something go bad?

Not true, not even close to being true. Our Dodge truck has left us on the side of the road more times then all the Audi's I've ever owned. IMHO the most unreliable Audi I've owned was my 1981 Audi 5000 turbo.

If you get a properly maintained B5 S4 it is as reliable as any other car in it's category.

[Capt. Obvious]

From my experience, these cars are really reliable in that they will start every morning and will never leave you sitting on the side of the road. BUT, there is always something that needs to be checked/tweaked/replaced/repaired. It's usually small stuff like sensors or hoses or whatever since these cars are 10+ years old now.

[2007black2.0t]

I enjoy fixing and modifying cars, period, the hard work and the satisfying end results are what drive me. This car will NOT be sitting, it will be driven. I have just researched over time and being a past owner of audi but also a BMW owner there are pro's and con's to both but I wanted to make a plunge to build a fun car which was either a B5 s4 or an e36 m3, two total different worlds, 4 wheel drive, single turbo, twin turbo.....etc. I guess I just wanted to hear peoples opinions and pose a possible topic to talk about, nothing more, nothing less.

[Kruat]

I hate the stigma of the B5S4's not being reliable. Like said above, if its not been taken care of, then ya its gonna have problems. Any car will have problems, even Honda and Toyota.

It's the people who get on here, right after they picked up a S4 for 4k, and complain about all the problems. Well no shit you have problems, that's why it was only 4k....

[Capt. Obvious]

B5 s4 or an e36 m3

I've had both (well, my e36 was actually an M Roadster, but same drivetrain), and I like my S4 more.

[bgzs4]

Any car can be problematic if you treat it like shit. Any car can be reliable if you take care of it, even a b5s4.

[DRA4]

I hate the stigma of the B5S4's not being reliable. Like said above, if its not been taken care of, then ya its gonna have problems. Any car will have problems, even Honda and Toyota.

It's the people who get on here, right after they picked up a S4 for 4k, and complain about all the problems. Well no shit you have problems, that's why it was only 4k....

Right on brother, exactly my thoughts.

[getslideways]

As everyone else has said, the car will be as good to you as you are to it. Neglect it and beat on it, chances are things will break, and usually when they do things arnt always cheap.

I think the golden rule for B5 S3 ownership is this: Money, Knowledge, Time, as long as you have at least 2 of the 3 on that list you are good to go

[SEXICÄN]

I have 3 S4's and I hate B5 S4's now, they are slow as shit, look crappy, and handle like poo!

[MikeyB3]

My car has never left me stranded or has broken down to the point of not being able to drive it. Even when the turbo went.

That said, I'm without a car atm, because it's in the shop getting 770'd.

[Austonwerner4]

Just maintain any car you own and you wont have problems

[AudiSportB5S4]

I hate the stigma of the B5S4's not being reliable. Like said above, if its not been taken care of, then ya its gonna have problems. Any car will have problems, even Honda and Toyota.

It's the people who get on here, right after they picked up a S4 for 4k, and complain about all the problems. Well no shit you have problems, that's why it was only 4k....

Boom.

[Austonwerner4]

I hate the stigma of the B5S4's not being reliable. Like said above, if its not been taken care of, then ya its gonna have problems. Any car will have problems, even Honda and Toyota.

It's the people who get on here, right after they picked up a S4 for 4k, and complain about all the problems. Well no shit you have problems, that's why it was only 4k....

I picked mine for almost that price and I cant complain.... Havent had to do a single thing besides small maintenance that was my own choice.

[WikiWiki]

I went through a transmission, and since the trans was out repalced clutch and flywheel- and my turbos were on there way out

but my car had 200k miles on it- besides that it was an awesome car-

now I have a 350z- different car altogether but one thing I will say is that they are a hell of a lot easier to work on and cheaper too. Plus I TOKYO DRIFT that bitch al day

[KNaudi]

definitely not the least reliable Audi ever made. if you said you owned an Audi in the early 90s, people would actually feel sorry for you.

honestly, even compared to the modern Audis, these cars are pretty reliable considering what we put them through. I mean thank god we don't have to put up with the carbon buildup issue.

[Dr. Jekyll]

From my experience, these cars are really reliable in that they will start every morning and will never leave you sitting on the side of the road. BUT, there is always something that needs to be checked/tweaked/replaced/repaired. It's usually small stuff like sensors or hoses or whatever since these cars are 10+ years old now.

Exactly. After 6 years of B5S4 ownership, my car only left me stranded twice; both for relatively minor issues. However, if you want your car to be perfect and you want to keep up with the maintenance, you will be working on it, on average, once a week. There is ALWAYS something broken or breaking on the car. And it's a never ending cycle. The car will be perfect for a week then you'll need to change the plugs or fuel filter or o2 sensor or wheel bearing and so on.

Since I sold my Audi in February I've only had to wrench on the TBSS and 996tt a combined total of 4 times (which includes a quick oil change) . It's weird having saturdays free...

The B5S4 wont leave you stranded if you take care of it, but it's definitely not a reliable car.

[S4 00 2.7]

No big problems here, just maintenance.

Just keep up with the maintenance- that goes for any car! Especially one that is 10 years old.

[b6onboost]

You'll be perfectly fine then. Just find an example in good shape with a solid service history.

I enjoy fixing and modifying cars, period, the hard work and the satisfying end results are what drive me.

[034Motorsport]

I'll just say that none of my Audi's (A4 or S4) have ever left me stranded anywhere or needed a tow. They are German import cars, so parts are more expensive then a Honda, but like every other person has said here pretty much, how reliable they are is generally dependent on how well you drive and maintain the car.

They are 10 years old, so regardless of low mileage or babying the car, some things will degrade and go bad. Heck, things just go bad sitting in a garage if the car only had 1000 miles on it.

If you are looking for a relatively problem free vehicle with some power and cheap maintenance, the S4 is probably not for you. However, the B5 S4 with a chip, downpipes, exhaust, suspension, and some brakes is probably one of the most awesome cars in the world. Cheap, reliable, nearly 300whp (enough to beat 95% of the cars on the road).

It is once you get into the big turbo stuff that you open the can of worms. Higher the power, the more wear and tear on the rest of your components. My Audi's always have one or two things wrong with them, but it isn't something that leaves me stranded or causes me to miss work; I'm just obsessive.

As I'm sure you've read and heard, the weakest link are the K03 turbos (if you abuse them). However, there are tons and tons of cars running chip's and over 150,000 miles on the original turbos. My buddy has 210k on his S4 with original K03 turbos, running a 17psi GIAC tune. So long as you are prepared for the turbo replacement endeavor at some point, the S4 is a fine car to own if you like doing the work yourself.

Besides a 335i BMW, there ain't many other luxurious twin turbo 4 door sedans out there.

[zakario]

I enjoy fixing and modifying cars, period, the hard work and the satisfying end results are what drive me. This car will NOT be sitting, it will be driven. I have just researched over time and being a past owner of audi but also a BMW owner there are pro's and con's to both but I wanted to make a plunge to build a fun car which was either a B5 s4 or an e36 m3, two total different worlds, 4 wheel drive, single turbo, twin turbo.....etc. I guess I just wanted to hear peoples opinions and pose a possible topic to talk about, nothing more, nothing less.

I have both. The e36 M3 is a beautiful machine and is incredibly simple and well built whereas the S4 was over engineered in comparison. I'm in the process of building both cars right now and the M3 is amazing since it is incredibly reliable and has much more potential to make big power. That being said, I beat my S4 to death on a regular basis like I stole it and I haven't had a single problem with it. I have launched more than 50 times in two months and I do freeway pulls all the time and it takes it like a champ. The M3 is still a better sports car and especially with a big turbo.

[bps4]

[gfro1234]

I have 3 S4's and I hate B5 S4's now, they are slow as shit, look crappy, and handle like poo!

Thems fightin words

j/k, OP: Like everybody else has said, these cars are reliable if maintained properly. However, expect to shell out a lot of money to keep them properly maintained, especially if it's high mileage like mine.

[Leflerej]

I have had an E36 M3 and a B5 S4. I have the S4 now. I think that the M3 was my favorite drive of the two. The S4 just does not compare to the e36 in terms of handling. I also blew two heads off of my M3. I now have the S4 for the all wheel drive, the thing is a beast in the snow. I will never own a daily driver that is not all wheel drive from here on out. Also, i love having a car with turbos, yes the M3 is a beast with a turbo, but i would think there a very few turbocharged m3's for sale that are reliable.

[ggg20t]

This is funny that you bring this image up. I just sold my 2.0T b7 a4 and and purchasing a very clean b5 this weekend. My brother showed me the same old consumer report graph from 00-01. From the hundreds of threads i've read on this forum and others with regards to reliablity, I am actually inclined to say that these cars are reliable. If you go onto autotrader, cars.com or ebay youll se ones with upwards of 150+K miles on them. It all depends on how you treat your car. The b5 i just bought has had a lot of preventative maintenance done and it sits at 85,000 miles and i will continue to maintain it, baby it, and someday if i decide to build it, I will do it right.

The guys who complain about things breaking constantly are the ones who cut corners, buy cheap used parts, or have makeshift fixes. The guys who don't complain, don't beat the living SHIT out of these cars. I plan on having a nice spirited drive every now and then, but i will always let the turbo's cool properly, change its oil, and probably take it to my buddies shop once every few months for little checkups.

[bps4]

This is funny that you bring this image up. I just sold my 2.0T b7 a4 and and purchasing a very clean b5 this weekend. My brother showed me the same old consumer report graph from 00-01. From the hundreds of threads i've read on this forum and others with regards to reliablity, I am actually inclined to say that these cars are reliable. If you go onto autotrader, cars.com or ebay youll se ones with upwards of 150+K miles on them. It all depends on how you treat your car. The b5 i just bought has had a lot of preventative maintenance done and it sits at 85,000 miles and i will continue to maintain it, baby it, and someday if i decide to build it, I will do it right.

The guys who complain about things breaking constantly are the ones who cut corners, buy cheap used parts, or have makeshift fixes. The guys who don't complain, don't beat the living SHIT out of these cars. I plan on having a nice spirited drive every now and then, but i will always let the turbo's cool properly, change its oil, and probably take it to my buddies shop once every few months for little checkups.

people buy with their hearts not their heads

[2380S4]

people buy with their hearts not their heads

This is some times true, but not always. Do these cars have issues yes they do, do they have week spots yes they do. All cars do in some manor.

I've had my S4 since 06 and 68k on it, it now has 138k and of course I've put money into maintenance items biggest being a clutch. It's a car you've got to spend on it. Of course i also take it in almost once a month to have little things checked out. My mechanics owned 2 or 3 S4's and Checks things out for me. It's never left stranded on the side of the road as stated by most above it'll keep going to get you where you need to be. To me it's been more reliable then my 94 integra I had for dd back in the day, it left me stranded 5 different times.

I say it's pretty reliable, but it's all about taking care of it.

[Dr. Jekyll]

The guys who complain about things breaking constantly are the ones who cut corners, buy cheap used parts, or have makeshift fixes. The guys who don't complain, don't beat the living SHIT out of these cars. I plan on having a nice spirited drive every now and then, but i will always let the turbo's cool properly, change its oil, and probably take it to my buddies shop once every few months for little checkups.

I'd argue that if you're not constantly wrenching on the car or replacing parts, you're neglecting maintenance and cutting corners. If you want to keep your B5S4 in tip-top shape, especially if it's modded, you're going to spend a lot of time and money on maintenance. If you don't care that your window is held up by a water bottle and zip ties or that occasional CEL doesn't bother you, then you wont spend much time or money on your car and you'll think it's reliable.

[AudiSportB5S4]

^ Lol you have had a bitter sweet experience I feel...

I have gone since 2007 without a CEL, only thing I've done maintenance wise is oil changes, upgraded to a BBK, replaced my ICMs (not necessary, just because), did all my suspension pieces (not necessary - wheel bearings were but full control arm kit, sway links, etc weren't necessary)

It's definitely not the kind of car you can neglect and expect to be reliable.

[Dr. Jekyll]

^ Lol you have had a bitter sweet experience I feel...

I have gone since 2007 without a CEL, only thing I've done maintenance wise is oil changes, upgraded to a BBK, replaced my ICMs (not necessary, just because), did all my suspension pieces (not necessary - wheel bearings were but full control arm kit, sway links, etc weren't necessary)

It's definitely not the kind of car you can neglect and expect to be reliable.

I loved the car, don't get me wrong. That's why I've owned 2 over a 6 year period. But it's certainly not a car you can ignore and just drive. So I just don't agree that it's reliable. Because compared to other cars, it's not.

As far as your car specifically, haven't you said on multiple occassions that you don't drive the car during the week? I guess I should caviat my argument with "if you actually drive your car" you have to put a lot of time and money into maintaining it. If it's just sitting there, of course it's going to be reliable ;-)

[vagra4nt]

until every window regulator shits out 3 months at a time! bahaha stupid plastic pullys/clips..

.. that you can't purchase separately from the dealer!

[BlazinB5]

I'd argue that if you're not constantly wrenching on the car or replacing parts, you're neglecting maintenance and cutting corners. If you want to keep your B5S4 in tip-top shape, especially if it's modded, you're going to spend a lot of time and money on maintenance. If you don't care that your window is held up by a water bottle and zip ties or that occasional CEL doesn't bother you, then you wont spend much time or money on your car and you'll think it's reliable.

Hate to revive an old thread, but I just wanted to say SPOT ON.

/Puts on flame suit

[vavJETTAw36]

Smh


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[avant1987]

Hate to revive an old thread, but I just wanted to say SPOT ON.

/Puts on flame suit

Hah

[rdcyclist]

Someone had this as their sig line: "If your CEL is off while driving, it's probably burned out."

[themadscientist]

If anyone thinks these cars are inherently unreliable or particularly maintenance intensive, they have very, very little experience with "sports" cars outside of this platform. I've had customers come running back to VAG products after dipping their toe in other ponds.

[getslideways]

/\ I would agree. If you want maintenance free, buy a toyota or honda base car and leave it stock. Or buy a new car with a warranty.

The reliability thing is really more of a humerus anecdote more than it is fact IMO. I feel like a large amount of the time those who whine about it most start their stories off with "so my mechanic said...". If you don't know how to self diagnose and catch problems early, you're going to have a bad and expensive time. My car has NEVER left me stranded *knock on wood*, and I feel like there are few common issues with the B5 platform that would cause such a situation. Many of the times its because someone has done something incorrectly or halfassed somewhere prior in the car's lifetime or ownership.

Tripling the factory boost, Doubling factory power and then delaying maintenance on a 16 year old vehicle is not the car's fault.

It would be interesting if it were possible to compare several cars made in 2000, including an S4, and if they were all left 100% stock and driven in the same fashion, by the same 1 owner, what the number of parts outside of scheduled maintenance that needed replaced would be. Not price, just number of parts or incidents. The reason I say not price, is there is already a badge premium between a 2000 Saturn L-Series and a 2000 Ferrari, so if they both needed a radiator replaced, obviously the Ferrari is going to command a higher cost of repair. If you looked at "well they both needed a radiator" they would look relatively equal, but if you looked at the cost of repair, you might incorrectly assume one was more reliable because it COST less over 16 years.

Then again, who cares as this thread is 5 years old.