I'm at a point in my life where it might make more sense for my project car to be a good weekend/road trip/people hauler car instead of a canyon carver type vehicle. I've always loved the way the B5 S4 looks, and selling my E36 M3 should give me enough money to find a nice Avant or Stage 3 car. I'm also pretty familiar with the infamous Audi 'service position' having DD'd a UrS6 through most of college (I miss that stupid car so much). How crazy am I for considering this?
There are 3 cars I regret selling most. 1) My 85 Mustang SVO. 2) My Santorin blue B5 S4. and 3) My white 94 Miata R.
I almost bought an E36 M3 when I got the S4.
Goid luck either way.
Do eet.
If you DD'd an UrS6 then a B5 isn't going to be anything super scary -- do it.
...just don't take it to the track without some significant brake upgrades. I did that to mine when it was 6 months old and it set the brakes on fire. :)
Go for it. You have a good understanding of what it takes to have the car. Audi gets a bad rap when Corolla owners get one and expect Toyota service and Maintence.
I'd much rather have a W8 Passat over an S4.
W8 cons: Harder to find, engine-specific parts availability is thin. V8 sounds bad compared to a V6 (subjective)
W8 pros: Same chassis/brakes as S4, looks less like a boy-ricer car (subjective), doesn't leak oil like the Exxon Valdez all over a pair of turbos, far more likely to find one that has not been modified
Having owned a 2.7TT Allroad, a 4.2 Phaeton, and now a 3.6 VR6 Passat wagon.
Time improved the breed and the VR6 is the best of the bunch. Simpler, faster, and more robust. B6 Generation Passat is the droid you want.
In reply to KyAllroad :
I would MUCH rather have a longitudinal chassis than transverse. They handle better and are far easier to work on if you have to.
In reply to KyAllroad :
If newer Audis are on the table, then B8 S4 is the answer.
In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :
I didn't realize how cheap those were. I'm finding them in the $22k range even in the current climate. That's cheaper than an S3.
Of course, the S3 is better because it's smaller, but, y'know.
RS3 update: Starting to drop below $50k again. Still not near $30k like a year ago.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
You'd think so. And normally you'd be correct. But working on a 2.7TT makes you want to hang yourself. The VR6 is simple by comparison. And it handles pretty well for a big girl. 4,000 lbs is tough to tame but it monsters highway drives. More of a superspeedway car than an autocrosser.
I've owned two b5 s4's and two allroads. You're buying the seller more than the car, make sure they maintained the car properly and have the records to prove it.
the S4 bakes everything in the engine bay, so all the plastic and rubber needs to be replaced if it already hasn't. I wouldn't even look at any cars with the stock turbos.
they're fun cars but I wouldn't own another one....
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
S4's come in manual, S3's don't.
I suggest you drive an S4 if you haven’t already. I was cross shopping with an E36 M3 at the time. The S4 was very meh in my opinion. Numb feeling, balky shifter, more cruiser than driver’s car compared to the M3.
And by now, I imagine it’s going to hard to find a nice one. I rarely see them anymore.
In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :
And? 
Audi twin clutch transmissions work so well that I wouldn't want to bother with the hassle of a stir stick, especially with German pedal layouts that favor people with hooves and not size 12 flippers. (Far too much travel, engagement at the bottom of the stroke, and the pedals are way too close to the floorboards)
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Fine, S4's have the nearly bulletproof 3.0 supercharged that's a tune away from 450 HP reliably. S3's have the problematic 2.0T that will eat oil like meth-crazed fury road castoff and then break the timing chain as a reward for your ownership.
In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :
But the S3 is smaller, you can fix engines but you can't smallify a car.
Everyone's got their own priorities, you know? Plus I have had a lot of bad experiences with the supercharged V6. It's almost as oil-leaky as the 2.7t and is more of a pain to work on.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Then go RS3 or go home.
The only 2.0T ones worth considering are the B7 A4's from before the oil consumption issues. It's also smaller than the B8 and about the size of an S3.
Though if size is really an issue, why not a TT?
I'm definitely surprised by the mostly positive feedback for the B5 so far.
Just to answer a few questions-
I know that there's no way it could match my M3 in terms of handling and driver feedback, but I know from experience with my UrS6 and my '12 Passat TDI how a set of good tires, brake pads, struts and springs (my go to for VAG cars has been Bilstein B8's and H&R sport springs) and a thicker rear sway bar can make them more competent in the corners.
I doubt I'll ever track it either. I bought the M3 to bring it to the track, but with my work schedule and other life events, I've never been able to make it happen. Now, with a 6 month old at home, it seems even less likely, at least in the immediate future. My thought was that a project car that I could haul strollers and car seats in would let me use it more, and maybe get my daughter into cars eventually too lol
I love the M3 and I'm struggling with the thought of selling it, especially now that e36's seem to finally be getting the recognition they deserve, but it seems to make sense.
In reply to KyAllroad :
I looked all over for a 3.6 VR6 Wagon, but I couldn't find one anywhere close and was on a time crunch, so I settled for a '12 TDI SEL instead.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Yeah I hate pretty much all German clutches. A clutch stop helps, but you drive a Miata and it’s a revelation.
In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :
Depends on the year S3. 2015 up are fine. My Golf R has a 2.0 motor and it's totally reliable.
There's a huge difference between what the OP is shopping for (b5) and the b8 you're talking about.
op, like I said, the b5 is a good car but they're very maintenance intensive if you don't buy one that's been taken care of. The UrS is a more bullet proof car drivetrain wise in comparison
Saw one of these today at the local Rallycross. It looked like fun!
I have heard nothing but bad things about the TT 2.7. I have not seen one on the road for a really long time.
In reply to dean1484 :
It is a high maintenance piece for certain, but they are mean for 2.7L.
You'll need to log in to post.
