S4 Longevity & Reliability

[awdlyfe]

Hello all;

New to the forum, but have been reading on here for quite some time, great forum.

I have decided to get a B8 S4 for my next vehicle, and had some questions pertaining high mileage & reliability .

As some back ground, I have owned many Japanese cars & American diesel trucks, and all in all have been quite reliable.

Having said this, how reliable are the B8 S4's when approaching higher mileage (Higher mileage being 200,000 kilometres plus) ? I would be keeping the car for a while, as it seems to be the perfect daily driver here in Canada.

To also note, I would be buying a stock S4, manual transmission, with proof of maintenance records.

"common" things to look out for seems to be: thermostat, water pump, possibly pcv valve.

I appreciate the replies, and anything else to look for when buying.

[waxxonMTL]

they are good and can take almost double their HP without too much problem so IMO they are well built, but if your worried about '' reliability'' and plans on keeping it '' for awhile'', I would rather go for a 100,000 kms ( or even better, one with audi extended warranty to 160,000km) and drive worry free.

Although reliable, any cars pass 200,000 km can be problematic obviously. IMO, i still think a car, any cars, over 200,000km is a tickling bomb. Anything that happens can't be blamed on the car. it is bond to happens.

[Dr GP]

Don't expect it to be as reliable as a Lexus. BUT It has really exceeded most owners expectations. Better than most German cars! . Expect that you will have to replace the Clutch(mine now has 80k miles) , The thermostat will definitely crap out,usually between 70k-80k miles. But replacing it means removing the supercharger. Wise to replace the water pump while it is off and change the oil in the Supercharger, That what I just did as well as replacing the PCV valve since I was experiencing some oil consumption. Cost was $1500. Wheel bearings have been an issue for some. BUT I am now without warranty and feel buying an extended warranty is a waste of money. I wasted $2700 on one already and had no claims. Having done those repairs, I plan on keeping it. My other alternative would be to buy a newer B8.5 S4 (that would be my 4th one) .But makes no sense since I would have to replace all those things again.

[saxon]

like you stated some common problems are:
water pump leaking
thermostat failing
pcv failing
engine mounts ripping
control arms wearing out

once those are all done it should be a very reliable car (maybe common vag problems like broken door handles)

[waxxonMTL]

Don't expect it to be as reliable as a Lexus. BUT It has really exceeded most owners expectations. Better than most German cars! . Expect that you will have to replace the Clutch(mine now has 80k miles) , The thermostat will definitely crap out,usually between 70k-80k miles. But replacing it means removing the supercharger. Wise to replace the water pump while it is off and change the oil in the Supercharger, That what I just did as well as replacing the PCV valve since I was experiencing some oil consumption. Cost was $1500. Wheel bearings have been an issue for some. BUT I am now without warranty and feel buying an extended warranty is a waste of money. I wasted $2700 on one already and had no claims. Having done those repairs, I plan on keeping it. My other alternative would be to buy a newer B8.5 S4 (that would be my 4th one) .But makes no sense since I would have to replace all those things again.

me 2.. 2700$ down the drain. didnt make any claim in 2 yrs.

[awdlyfe]

Don't expect it to be as reliable as a Lexus. BUT It has really exceeded most owners expectations. Better than most German cars! . Expect that you will have to replace the Clutch(mine now has 80k miles) , The thermostat will definitely crap out,usually between 70k-80k miles. But replacing it means removing the supercharger. Wise to replace the water pump while it is off and change the oil in the Supercharger, That what I just did as well as replacing the PCV valve since I was experiencing some oil consumption. Cost was $1500. Wheel bearings have been an issue for some. BUT I am now without warranty and feel buying an extended warranty is a waste of money. I wasted $2700 on one already and had no claims. Having done those repairs, I plan on keeping it. My other alternative would be to buy a newer B8.5 S4 (that would be my 4th one) .But makes no sense since I would have to replace all those things again.

Thanks for the response, that is helpful.

[awdlyfe]

like you stated some common problems are:
water pump leaking
thermostat failing
pcv failing
engine mounts ripping
control arms wearing out

once those are all done it should be a very reliable car (maybe common vag problems like broken door handles)

Thanks for the response. I can handle that list. My main concern is if this engine at stock power, can go the distance of 250k plus with regular maintenance. I am not expecting a car which is as "cheap" to maintain as a Japanese vehicle.

I also wanted to add to all , that a recent indy shop that specializes Audi only, is right down the road from me. I would not be taking the car to the dealership for the most part.

[awdlyfe]

Any members who currently have a higher mileage b8 or b8.5 ? Thanks

[saxon]

Any members who currently have a higher mileage b8 or b8.5 ? Thanks

i just bought a 2010 with 110k miles
already performed:
water pump
thermostat
pcv
supercharger oil
serp belt
superbelt
engine mounts
lower control arms

doing dsg fluid as well as mechatronic fix in next couple of weeks

[Dr GP]

Not sure I would expect it to go to 250k miles without issues. Many other cars either. 150k maybe 200k.

[Senseless]

200,000 km=124,000 miles. Canadian, ay? Mine has 83,000 miles (134,000km). No repairs until 66,000 miles. 66,000 to 83,000 miles racked up $1200 in repairs. Wheel bearing, motor mount, clutch slave.

[theweebabyseamus]

I have 111k and bought it at 73k. Since I bought it I’ve done (maintenance and repairs) engine mounts, spark plugs, brakes in a couple of weeks, control arm bushings shortly after that, and trans/engine/rear diff/coolant fluids.

[NotQuickEnough]

This is the most reliable car Audi have ever made. So not like you have another choice unless you're looking at other brands as well.

[MrFunk]

Most modern vehicles have a high degree of "reliability" vs cars from 10 to 20 years ago.
The B8 S4 has proven to be the most reliable yet.

But - take that with a grain of salt. If you don't take care of it you will have issues. If you have back luck you may have some issues. If you buy a used vehicle with high miles that has not been well cared for then ya you may have issues.
I've had mine since new for 6.5 years with very little issues. It's never left me stranded or cold. The only issues I've had have been related to mods I've installed myself. Self-inflicted wounds LOL.

Some Honda's or Toyotas have an uncanny virtue of going and going and going after years of neglect. I had a friend dailying his Corola for weeks on a quart of oil and had no idea it was that low. The thing just kept going. Don't ask me how.
An S4 is going to be higher maintenance than that... but worth it given what they return in driving pleasure.

[engineerjet]

One thing to consider also is how you drive it. I've had two A4's and I finally got an S4 a few weeks ago (still in love by the way).

I drove my first a4 very conservatively. It was a 2.8 V6 with tiptronic and I honestly didnt have many issues with it for a long time. Sadly I never got to see how far she'd go because I got into a hit and run accident that totalled the car. I believe it was around 120k miles and didnt show any signs of giving up.
My second A4 is a 2007 6MT that I threw a bunch of APR stuff into it and it was really fun to drive. Needless to say I drove pretty aggressively for a while. Got it with 26k miles and now currently sitting at 154k miles. The only expensive repair I needed done was when my cam follower went and shit hit the fan. It is still currently in good shape and I consider myself lucky seeing how hard I drove this car.

Ive read a lot of good things about this engine (3.0 supercharged). I'm sure if you take care of it, it should last a while. If you plan on driving everywhere like youre outrunning death, maybe not so much.

[TFSI]

Mine's 2013 manual and has been great so far, 62k miles currently. However I'm expecting to replace clutch before 100k. Audi updated waterpump/thermostat since facelifted models, but I'd probably replace those and supercharger oil. Also, planning to replace all gear fluids. As everyone said, maintaining is the key to keep this car for a long period of time.

Last Audi I had was 2006 A4 2.0T and it ran fine until torque converter went bad at 130k mi.

[VtotheJ]

Any members who currently have a higher mileage b8 or b8.5 ? Thanks

I bought my 2011 with 85K, now almost at 95K. I opted out of the extended warranty because I have read reports of them finding every reason to deny your claim.

So, in the past 10K I have done: thermostat, pcv valve, water pump, blower motor. Not cheap repairs. The clutch slips occasionally but still OK. I have yet to find another fun DD, you will be hard pressed to find another which combines luxury and manual with AWD. My car is stock, and I can still hear the whine of the sc which def adds to the fun factor. I wanted AWD and manual. If I wanted auto I would have chosen another brand. Nonetheless I am happy with my choice. In my opinion higher mileage Audis are not the most reliable, but I believe it is a small price to pay given the potential of these cars and fun factor.

[awdlyfe]

i just bought a 2010 with 110k miles
already performed:
water pump
thermostat
pcv
supercharger oil
serp belt
superbelt
engine mounts
lower control arms

doing dsg fluid as well as mechatronic fix in next couple of weeks

Are you planning on keeping this car for a while ? I would more thank likely get all the above replaced, unless the pervious owner did so, for peace of mind down the road. I initially wanted to get an automatic, but from researching on here, seems the manual is a better transmission for the reliability factor in the B8 model.

[awdlyfe]

200,000 km=124,000 miles. Canadian, ay? Mine has 83,000 miles (134,000km). No repairs until 66,000 miles. 66,000 to 83,000 miles racked up $1200 in repairs. Wheel bearing, motor mount, clutch slave.

Yes sir. Canadian indeed. great to hear

[awdlyfe]

This is the most reliable car Audi have ever made. So not like you have another choice unless you're looking at other brands as well.

Very reassuring to hear. I think this is an overall great daily driver, and hopefully reliable to me in the long run.

[awdlyfe]

Most modern vehicles have a high degree of "reliability" vs cars from 10 to 20 years ago.
The B8 S4 has proven to be the most reliable yet.

But - take that with a grain of salt. If you don't take care of it you will have issues. If you have back luck you may have some issues. If you buy a used vehicle with high miles that has not been well cared for then ya you may have issues.
I've had mine since new for 6.5 years with very little issues. It's never left me stranded or cold. The only issues I've had have been related to mods I've installed myself. Self-inflicted wounds LOL.

Some Honda's or Toyotas have an uncanny virtue of going and going and going after years of neglect. I had a friend dailying his Corola for weeks on a quart of oil and had no idea it was that low. The thing just kept going. Don't ask me how.
An S4 is going to be higher maintenance than that... but worth it given what they return in driving pleasure.

Thanks for the response. Yes, I do understand an s4 is going to be higher on maintenance than most japanese cars. Thats great to hear, thanks.

[awdlyfe]

I have 111k and bought it at 73k. Since I bought it I’ve done (maintenance and repairs) engine mounts, spark plugs, brakes in a couple of weeks, control arm bushings shortly after that, and trans/engine/rear diff/coolant fluids.

Thank you.

[awdlyfe]

Mine's 2013 manual and has been great so far, 62k miles currently. However I'm expecting to replace clutch before 100k. Audi updated waterpump/thermostat since facelifted models, but I'd probably replace those and supercharger oil. Also, planning to replace all gear fluids. As everyone said, maintaining is the key to keep this car for a long period of time.

Last Audi I had was 2006 A4 2.0T and it ran fine until torque converter went bad at 130k mi.

Yes, I will certainly be on top of maintenance. And vice versa, I would be buying from an individual who did the same.

[saxon]

Are you planning on keeping this car for a while ? I would more thank likely get all the above replaced, unless the pervious owner did so, for peace of mind down the road. I initially wanted to get an automatic, but from researching on here, seems the manual is a better transmission for the reliability factor in the B8 model.

i plan on keeping it for a year or two

i drive around 35-40k miles a year though

[awdlyfe]

i plan on keeping it for a year or two

i drive around 35-40k miles a year though

Ok, good to hear. Hope it serves you well.

[clAudi]

Don't expect it to be as reliable as a Lexus. BUT It has really exceeded most owners expectations. Better than most German cars! . Expect that you will have to replace the Clutch(mine now has 80k miles) , The thermostat will definitely crap out,usually between 70k-80k miles. But replacing it means removing the supercharger. Wise to replace the water pump while it is off and change the oil in the Supercharger, That what I just did as well as replacing the PCV valve since I was experiencing some oil consumption. Cost was $1500. Wheel bearings have been an issue for some. BUT I am now without warranty and feel buying an extended warranty is a waste of money. I wasted $2700 on one already and had no claims. Having done those repairs, I plan on keeping it. My other alternative would be to buy a newer B8.5 S4 (that would be my 4th one) .But makes no sense since I would have to replace all those things again.

$1500 is a great price for all of that work. What shop was this at?


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