Advice A4 vs S4 for daily (with a fun week-end car)

[Evilroot]

Hi Audi fans,

I have a question that I cannot find an answer and wish to have your personal feeling of what you would do.
Did have B7, B8, 8S, C7. Currently there is 2 candidates for a daily :

-A4 quattro manual B8
-S4 quattro manual B8.5

Difference is about 10k$. Both are in exceptional state.

Planning to get a Porsche GT3 for week-ends as fun car. I really love the 6 cylinders sound.
If you get a S4, you will have a nice daily car but it wont be as fun when you drive the GT3, as you will always remember the V6 being less than GT3 9000 RPM.
Maybe just have a nice A4 with coil-overs for daily...

I've looked hundreds of video on exhaust sounds, and all possible mods etc.
Please help me and if you would have this good choice, what would be your stance.

[B8Buckeye]

Interesting dilemma. I prefer the look of the B8 but the performance of the S4 (which is a fine daily). How many miles on each car? Has any of the major maintenance been done (oil burning, timing service, etc.)?

All things being equal between the cars relative to milage/service and presented your choice, I'd likely go with the S4. Unless you want to tune the A4 (and probably upgrade the turbo to at least a K04), the performance drop from the GT3 to the A4 would be dramatic. I wouldn't want to drive an A4 that wasn't at least tuned (along with exhaust and suspension upgrades) as a daily (knowing I could've gone with an S4) with the GT3 in the stable.

I hope this helps.

[19birel]

Having worked on a couple 3.0Ts they're a pain to work on because the engine bay is so cramped. If you're not maintaining it yourself and go through a shop, the S4 is more compelling, but $10k price difference is still a lot.

[JLAllroad]

I wouldn’t get a B8 A4 as many of the problems that Audi attempted to fix with the B8.5 were the worst during the B8 years. So for the A4 you would want to look at ‘14 and beyond, ideally’15 and ‘16 with 50k ish miles, as you move towards 100k your looking at a ton of maintenance/repairs.

As for the S4 (in a manual), so long as it hasn’t been heavily modified and beat on, the main concern in either generation is over heating (water pump, thermostat) or coolant and oil mixing via PCV seal failure. The 3.0T is the more reliable engine overall, and very capable.


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[19birel]

I wouldn’t get a B8 A4 as many of the problems that Audi attempted to fix with the B8.5 were the worst during the B8 years. So for the A4 you would want to look at ‘14 and beyond, ideally’15 and ‘16 with 50k ish miles, as you move towards 100k your looking at a ton of maintenance/repairs.

As for the S4 (in a manual), so long as it hasn’t been heavily modified and beat on, the main concern in either generation is over heating (water pump, thermostat) or coolant and oil mixing via PCV seal failure. The 3.0T is the more reliable engine overall, and very capable.


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One thing to note, it looks like OP lives in France so a B8.5 A4 2.0TFSI has the B9's EA888.3 motor and he has a range of diesels he can choose from as well.

[JLAllroad]

One thing to note, it looks like OP lives in France so a B8.5 A4 2.0TFSI has the B9's EA888.3 motor and he has a range of diesels he can choose from as well.

Didn’t look that far into it, you’re correct about the gen3, but it was towards the end of the B8.5 ‘16’s? That ROW got it.

That said, I would do a 3.0TDI every time for a daily.


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[19birel]

Didn’t look that far into it, you’re correct about the gen3, but it was towards the end of the B8.5 ‘16’s? That ROW got it.

That said, I would do a 3.0TDI every time for a daily.


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A manual 3.0TDI Avant would be my dream

I think ‘15 was the last model year for the 8.5 in Europe, so I assumed all the 8.5s got the gen3 seeing as the MK7 GTI debuted in 2012 in Europe with that engine same year as the B8.5 came out over there


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[silver_tt]

Be careful some of the engines you listed have hypereutectic Alusil blocks that can score and it's very expensive to sleeve the block with Nikasil. The non-Mezger GT3s pre-SUMEbore can suffer from bore scoring.

[Evilroot]

Thank you very much for your advises ! Very different of what I was thinking.

-The cars are about 40'000 miles.

-I would do the repairs myself, and have the same idea that the S4 engine bay is very cramped. Plus the chain tensioners that will need to be changed on the back of the engine will be a difficult.

-EA888 are not so good quality, I did have a nightmare with a 2.0 TSI. All gaskets were leaking, all plastic were warped, happy metallic filters going in oil drains etc...

-Yes, to rebore the alusil block would be at least 5000$. Do you know what years to avoid ?


Maybe it's better to accept to let go manual cars and get a DSG car more recent... but so much less fun. RS3 with DAZA engine seems a good choice.

[silver_tt]

From France if you need Porsche engine rebuild, go to Hartech in the UK. The MYs in Europe can be different but I am talking about the ones based on the 9A1 platform. Alusil blocks can be ok but these engines have extremely tight piston to cylinder clearances. Also just my two cents but the 911 GT3 is awesome, but give a look to the 718 Cayman GT 4.0 .... also naturally aspirated, mid-engine, and it is a complete monster.

Also my 2 cents but if possible I would always get a manual transmission since these can be rebuild if there is a problem. For example with Porsche if your PDK has an issue your only option is a new one, they don't rebuild them and they are pricy new.

[Evilroot]

Thank you so much your help, it is highly appreciated.

Also just my two cents but the 911 GT3 is awesome, but give a look to the 718 Cayman GT 4.0 .... also naturally aspirated, mid-engine, and it is a complete monster.

Yes a friend told me about the 718 with mid-engine, well balanced.
Honestly, a mid-engine with manual transmission and very high-reving engine is absolutely a dream. And a Porsche, wow !
But the 718 GT4 RS is only with PDK sadly here if you want a new one etc.

911 GT3 RS are much higher priced sadly. I never drove a rear wheel placed engine, it must be entertaining.

-Some says the 911 is a bad design and they do everything to do make it successful but it will never be.
-Some says the 911 is highly satisfying when the car regain grip out of a curve, which it make it very special.

May I ask your what you think about it ?

911 is timeless and have a bit of room in the back. But for a week-end fun car, you wish to have maximum performance, so best mid-engine ?
718 Cayman will depreciate faster in value, but the RS model would be more secure maybe.

[silver_tt]

911 is iconic but I agree, no matter the history and how hard they try the best place for the engine to go is in the middle. I would say drive both before you buy but with the 911 you can feel it is rear heavy in the turns but the GT3 does have slightly more power. The Cayman 4.0 is supposed to be the "little brother" of the GT3 but it costs less and performs just as well if not better.

Prices are near $100K now though even for a low mileage 2016...... thank you, inflation
https://bringatrailer.com/porsche/cayman-gt4/