[ChargedGarage]

Life works in mysterious ways and often it surprises in ways that you absolutely could not expect. One such incident happened to me last year when I first visited GT Tunerz in Delhi to fix an issue with my Skoda Laura TSI. While there, Akshay, who owns and operates GT Tunerz, showed me his A6 with the 3.0 Supercharged engine and then happened to turn the car on for me. Now his car was equipped with a full exhaust including downpipes and wow what a sound it was, the 3.0L Supercharged V6 can really get rowdy if allowed to, with a proper exhaust. Till then I was quite happy with the Skoda Laura TSI and its power output but his simple action planted a bug in me that day to acquire a 6 cylinder car of my own.

To be completely honest, I hadn’t really experienced a 6 cylinder car before then, I had read stories of how amazing the 530D can be and it was likely going to be my next upgrade when it came to it, but listening to a petrol V6 and that too without any restrictions was something else.

I evaluated whether it would be a wise decision? My entire business had been acquired by another group during late COVID and I wouldn’t really be needing to commute to work anymore. I could possibly search for a car and then use it just on the weekends.

That night, curiosity had bugged me enough for me to visit OLX and start searching with the search terms “V6” and “V8” and then listing the price by low to high to see if there were any affordable options nearby. After around 2 hours of browsing, I happened to see an Audi S4 listed in my birth town at a price I could potentially afford. I spent the next 5-6 hours learning everything that I could about the Audi S4 from the TeamBHP forum, when it was launched, how many, etc. There was limited knowledge available on the forum so I moved on to Interwebs next and pretty much completed an Internet PhD in the model overnight.

There was a certain excitement in me which was preventing me from sleeping but I somehow managed to sleep at 4am that night. The next day my father could tell that something was off and asked me what it was, I explained the situation to him and expected him to say, “Don’t be stupid and start thinking about what you’re going to do next” but not sure why he said “Yeah, sure you should look into it”.

I spent the next week asking everyone I knew in that town to message the owner and go check the car. Managed to find someone who was willing and was able to confirm that the car was still available for sale.

Drove 600kms as fast as I could to look at the car. Car looked good at first sight but I believe in getting PPI always and hence scheduled one for the next weekend. I was unsure if the Audi outlet in the town was still working as it was showing permanently closed on Google but I was able to get in touch somehow and turns out it was just some misinformation due to Covid closures.

Audi Service gave the full thumbs up but it felt slightly fishy since the Service Advisor knew the owner but anyhow I took them at their word and paid the full amount for the car. The owner insisted on giving me possession of the car only after transfer of registration so I started full speed ahead with that process where I learned a peculiar discrepancy in the way that cars are transferred within Rajasthan.

Registration in Rajasthan

It was supposed to be a RJ14 to RJ14 transfer and I have done such a used car purchased in Delhi before where it only cost me Rs 3000 to transfer the car to my name but as I learned Rajasthan had a different rule where even if the car is being transferred within the same RTO, it costs 25% of the original road tax paid to transfer the car to the new owner. This brought the transfer tax to almost 1.2L for the car. Now I understood why the owner was so insistent on transferring the car before delivery as many used car buyers try to skimp on the name change and keep using the car so that they can skimp on paying the transfer charges.

That said, somewhere around mid Sept 2020, I was able to complete all the formalities and take possession of the car.

Bringing it upto Spec

Tires

The car came equipped with 245/40R18 Pirelli tires and the rear two tires had bubbled out. I knew this was an issue but learned the reason very quickly after taking delivery as to why. The owner was following the factory recommended pressure of 40 psi on all tires for 2 passengers but that is simply too high for Indian roads. I was able to lower it 33 psi when taking delivery and get home safely. I was trying to hold out till Michelin PS4 came back in stock but somewhere around December 2020, one of the bubbled tires finally gave out overnight while the car was parked. I decided to find a permanent solution to the issue as 245/40R18 has quite a small sidewall and would definitely be prone to bubbling again. I tried to find a solution online but everyone was mostly trying to find something wider and grippier as even in stock form and with AWD, full power is not available in 1st gear with traction control on. I made some calculations and finally visited a tire shop to try 245/45R18 which is the stock tire for the Audi A6 and it cleared the wheel well perfectly and was actually filling out the wheel well better than the stock tire.

Now it was an adventure in itself to find some tires and the Govt had confused everybody with a ban on tire imports. I’m a Michelin man through and through but was unable to source Michelin PS4 in either stock or uprated size through all my contacts. I evaluated all the available tires and was finally able to source Continental SportContact5 which seemed to be a close second in overall performance compared to Michelin. Now with 245/45R18 tires, the car rides beautifully over bad roads and is a lot more usable without the worry of a tire bubbling.

Mechanical Repairs

I brought the car to GT Tunerz to get it evaluated and do any repairs as required. As it turned out, the owner was hand in glove with the Audi showroom to hide a few issues but in the end the car was already mine so I could do nothing more than to fix all the issues. We found that there was a slight fuel leak and that the intercooler cores inside the Supercharger were leaking, so we ordered all the parts and waited almost 2 months for the parts to arrive. During my research I learned that the Intercooler Cores do end up leaking with age and have to be replaced once every 60,000kms. Other than that, I learned that the Supercharged V6 is a very reliable platform and there are many people who have driven their cars for lakhs of kms without any issues. There was a Mechatronic update that was required to be performed but I ensured that it was done as part of the service history.

New PCV Valve


New Supercharger Intercooler Cores


Various Gaskets that have to be changed every time the Supercharger is opened

1 Year Ownership Review

Engine and Gearbox

The 3.0L Supercharged V6 was introduced in the Audi Lineup quite early but came into the S4 with the B8 generation. It can also be found in the A6, A7 and A8 as well as Q5 and Q7 abroad. The supercharged nature of the engine means that power is available instantly at any RPM, no waiting for boost to build. Pairing this with the DL500 7-speed gearbox and AWD means it launches harder and feels quicker than cars with more power.

Usually I would advocate for installing an exhaust and intake on most cars, but due to it being an S-line product, the exhaust and intake and the feel of the car from the factory itself is really good and I’m not sure if these mods are required for enjoyment purpose. Definitely needed though if you want more performance out of the car. Decat downpipe is a must if you’re planning to go to Stage 1 because the catalytic convertors can melt with heat and block the entire exhaust flow.

I have since driven the latest M340i as well and to be completely honest, just in the engine department, the S4 *feels* quicker at launch just because for someone who has just exited an S4, the 1 second lag it takes for boost to build in the turbos just becomes really apparent and at that point there is just a huge disconnect between hitting the accelerator and going ahead at full steam. I’m sure that even if measured using proper GPS tools, the M340i might be actually quicker but I’m just talking about seat of the pants dyno.

Here is a pic of my test drive of the M340i with TeamBHPian agambhandari

Ride and Handling

Ride of the S4 being an S-Line product is supposed to be on the stiffer side and if you follow the factory recommendation of 40psi pressure on 245/40R18 tires then it will handle on rails but that is not conducive to Indian road conditions. Thanks to the 245/45R18 tires that I keep at 33-35psi, it is extremely compliant even on bad roads and has even given it a slight increase in ride height which allows the car to be used everywhere instead of being restricted. There is some additional body roll that has been introduced due to the bigger sidewall but I am sure it can be countered using stiffer anti roll bars but even that is only necessary if you are planning to regularly track the car which I’m not.

Features and interiors

The interior feels sporty which is in line with the intentions of the car. The whole interior is mostly covered in black leather and grey alcantara which is my favourite. I am not a fan of beige color in car interiors. The steering feels small and thick enough to grip and inspire confidence on twisty roads. The audio interface feels a little dated with no Bluetooth even but does have 3.5mm jack and I have a phone with a 3.5mm jack (OnePlus 6) so that is not an issue. There are swappable units available which have Carplay built in, but to be honest, I didn’t buy the car for its infotainment system so I don’t really feel the need to upgrade. If you’re bored, you can always open the windows, drop down to the lowest gear and hear the glorious sound of the Supercharged V6.

What the DTE looks like when driven lightly and with a full tank of XP95

Audio

This was one department where I was pleasantly surprised. Although I bought the car for its mechanical prowess, the car comes equipped with a 14 speaker 505W Bang and Olufsen Premium Sound System and WOW, it is one of the best music systems I have heard period. Everything sounds balanced and crisp. I have heard much more expensive custom audio setups as well and I’m not sure anything comes close.

Sleeper Nature

The Audi S4 is what I call the definition of a sleeper. It looks 95% identical to the plethora of A4 on Indian roads and no one will ever know what you have under the hood. Considering the amount of people who will install fake V6 and S4 badges on their cars, most people will think that you too have put fake badges I too have been accused a dozen times by people, which is when I usually pop the hood and show them the engine. One A4 owner was angry with me since he had purchased the top model and didn't have a V6 but I was claiming to have one. Hahaha.

Here is one such car, can you tell what tells it apart from a S4? See twin exhaust instead of quad and beige interior instead of black/alcantara.

Upgrades?

The car comes with 333hp from the factory but just to show how much of the potential is untapped, just a Stage 1 remap without any hardware upgrades takes the car to 430hp. An exhaust and intake could be nice if you like your rowdy.

http://www.goapr.co.uk/products/ecu_...tfsi_b8s4.html

If you’re willing to spend, 034 Motorsports is coming out with a swap kit which will allow for an easy swap of the 4.0 Twin Turbo V8 from the S6/S7 into the S4 since the gearbox is shared. They have completed the swap in their test car and now are working on commercializing the kit and making it available for the public at large.

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...1#post14586576

What’s next?

Call it maturing or call it stupidity, but I have realized that even though it is so easy to increase the power, more power is not what I really want. The car is already too quick and can close any gap in traffic in the blink of an eye. What I really miss is the engagement of a manual gearbox. Now many of my friends and fellow BHPians have tried to make me realize that it is a first world problem to claim that a 333hp AWD Automatic car isn’t engaging enough but after experiencing cars which are twice as fast even, I am sure that more straight line speed is not what I’m looking for. I would prefer to have a slower car but where at least I’m doing something.

Now I am able to be in such favour of owning a manual only because my current job is Work-From-Home and because of that the car has only been driven 4k kms since I purchased it. If you remove the kms in bringing the car home and one Delhi-Jaipur-Delhi run, I have probably been able to drive only 2000-2500 kms which is weekend meets and the odd coffee run. I understand that if you’re driving daily in traffic then an automatic is absolutely the way to go but since I mostly drive only for pleasure, it’s gotten a little boring for me. It almost feels like a point and shoot bullet, since all that is required of the driver now is to point it in a direction and go foot to the floor on the accelerator.

Which brings me to my decision to now put the car on sale. *stupid* . My friends and father are right to say that I’m being a little stupid to first fix all the flaws in the car and spend money to make the car perfect for some use and then putting it on sale but if I’m not having all the fun I can have with a weekend car then what is the point in retaining it for longer?

https://classifieds.team-bhp.com/buy.../Audi/S4.html/

Replacements

I would really appreciate it if fellow members could give me suggestions on what to get as a replacement. I am thinking of cars on a 40L budget which have a manual and a minimum of 6 cylinders. Some options could be a 981 Cayman in manual or a R8 V8 manual (only 5 in the country as far as I know). I am told that there might be a few older Japanese cars that might fit my criteria too. I would really appreciate some suggestions

Pictures

The Estoril Blue color looks striking with a proper detail and changes shades according to the amount of light.

Funny Stuff

I happened to find a TopGear magazine while cleaning my house which coincidentally had the S4 review in it. I found it a little funny that the writer did not do his research properly and then claims that there is no sign of turbo lag

[agambhandari]

Fantastic Log!!
I still believe you are mental to let such a car go so early, this is more than enough power one will ever need and that too in a very practical car. The supercharger pulls like crazy in the first 2 gears and is fast enough to stop your mind from working for that fraction of a second. All that coupled with Quattro and Faaast DSG. Impeccable combo

Can't imagine what the replacement would be like.

[dhruvritzed]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

Fantastic Log!!
I still believe you are mental to let such a car go so early, this is more than enough power one will ever need and that too in a very practical car. The supercharger pulls like crazy in the first 2 gears and is fast enough to stop your mind from working for that fraction of a second. All that coupled with Quattro and Faaast DSG. Impeccable combo

Can't imagine what the replacement would be like.

I think sir has various options that we haven't even thought about, yes the car is berserk, but more is always better right?
I think S6, M5 F10 and E63 are good options for sir to explore, but then with the itch for a manual, I think an Audi R8 gated manual would best satisfy it.

Cheers

[karanddd]

Even though I have never driven this car, I know what you mean re. manuals. I am tired of driving automatics. I don't know what other people feel, but to me even 150 bhp feels adequate in India. I have to yet experience any road in India with long, looping corners, where such a fast car could actually flex its muscles. Most curvy roads that we have are t-i-g-h-t, and there is almost never enough room to step on the gas of even a moderately fast car. And for me there is no joy in going around curves with 10% throttle and no box to row. A manual R8 sounds great though, even if you wouldn't really be able to wring its neck anywhere but a track.

[akshay4587]

Originally Posted by dhruvritzed

I think sir has various options that we haven't even thought about, yes the car is berserk, but more is always better right?
I think S6, M5 F10 and E63 are good options for sir to explore, but then with the itch for a manual, I think an Audi R8 gated manual would best satisfy it.

Cheers

It may be slightly older, but how about a E92 M3 Manual?

[dhruvritzed]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

It may be slightly older, but how about a E92 M3 Manual?

Wouldn't it be very hard to get hold of?Also most I've seen for sale quote an absurd asking price, also I really doubt the support for that particular car, though I don't really know of its reliability over say the age.

Curious.

[androdev]

I don't think you should change the car for the sake of getting a manual transmission. I don't know this car that well but if you have a DSG with paddle shifters, you must spend some time driving the car in manual model by taking full control of gear shifts. At least spend a month driving exclusively in manual mode with paddles. Manual transmission does give a feeling of nostalgia and classic old school vibes but dual clutch with paddle shifters are equally engaging and as much fun as MT. People who think otherwise have probably not experienced/exploited modern sporty ATs in manual mode. Nostalgia/old-school should not be confused with engagement and fun. Maybe you are looking for a car that's not a sleeper and need sporty looking coupe etc?

[IshaanIan]

Completely understand where you're coming from. Great car but if one is driving occasionally, it isn't much of an occasion. An E90 M3 with a manual ought to be the most apt car. I believe that was the last generation with Hydraulic Power steering and an epic V8 to thwart down the rising AMG Mercs. An R8 V8 has always remained a life goal of mine as well they seem to be going for reasonable prices but finding a manual is tough. It might be easier to do a manual swap but not sure about the legality since I figured I'd only have to cross that bridge when I came to it (being able to afford a used R8 V8). Besides that, an MX-5 or an MR2 may not seem posh or fancy or fast enough, but they'd certainly keep you grinning on those weekend drives. A cheap option could also be a regular E90 330i into which you could perhaps plonk a rear LSD and manual gearbox?

[ChargedGarage]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

It may be slightly older, but how about a E92 M3 Manual?

E92 M3 manual would also be a dream but there are very few examples in India and simply tough to find. The E92 V8 also suffers from rod bearing failure so something to watch out for.

Originally Posted by androdev

I don't think you should change the car for the sake of getting a manual transmission. I don't know this car that well but if you have a DSG with paddle shifters, you must spend some time driving the car in manual model by taking full control of gear shifts. At least spend a month driving exclusively in manual mode with paddles. Manual transmission does give a feeling of nostalgia and classic old school vibes but dual clutch with paddle shifters are equally engaging and as much fun as MT. People who think otherwise have probably not experienced/exploited modern sporty ATs in manual mode. Nostalgia/old-school should not be confused with engagement and fun. Maybe you are looking for a car that's not a sleeper and need sporty looking coupe etc?

Since I use the car exclusively on the weekends, I have driven the car mostly in S mode with manual gearbox control for the past year and use the paddle shifters to downshift. I allow the car to auto upshift as it makes best sounds at the highest rev range and accelerate the fastest it can. I don't think it is nostalgia or old school vibes, since I'm not too old myself, but I tried driving manual again and happened to enjoy it more so even at slow speeds.

As for coming to the shape. I don't think it is that I want the looks of sporty coupe, I am quite happy with a sleeper. Since I will mostly be sitting inside the car, the outside looks are mostly for others and I care little about that. My fellow local teambhpians can confirm that for the longest time I wanted to even debadge the S4 so it goes complete sleeper but then decided keeping the badges at least helps spark the conversation when an actual enthusiast notices the car, else it literally looks like a kitted up A4 and I would be made fun of even more so

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Completely understand where you're coming from. Great car but if one is driving occasionally, it isn't much of an occasion. An E90 M3 with a manual ought to be the most apt car. I believe that was the last generation with Hydraulic Power steering and an epic V8 to thwart down the rising AMG Mercs. An R8 V8 has always remained a life goal of mine as well they seem to be going for reasonable prices but finding a manual is tough. It might be easier to do a manual swap but not sure about the legality since I figured I'd only have to cross that bridge when I came to it (being able to afford a used R8 V8). Besides that, an MX-5 or an MR2 may not seem posh or fancy or fast enough, but they'd certainly keep you grinning on those weekend drives. A cheap option could also be a regular E90 330i into which you could perhaps plonk a rear LSD and manual gearbox?

E90 would be the sedan version of the M3 which never came to India but I understand you're referring to the E92, but they can become quite problematic with age.

Yes all first gen R8s can be converted to manual with around 30k USD in parts but if you're going to go so far, one might as well look into buying a V10 and own the only V10 manual in India. It is a more expensive project and not one I am willing to undertake just yet. Hope I can find an existing manual R8 V8 for now.

I don't know much about the MR2 but please do share if you spot any MX5s for sale. As for the E90 330i, I am not sure if it will be worth the expense and effort to convert it to manual. If I wanted to go so deep into mods, even the S4 is available abroad as a manual but I think its best to keep close to stock in powertrain matters.

[Manualpurist]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv2tSWM2VRA

I think this is exactly what you wanted and how I would have had my car configured. North Americans do get lucky when it comes to high performance manual cars (the only region to get manual e60 M5). Correct me if I'm wrong but i think there is not a single BMW M2 (considered as the best BMW on sale) with manual transmission in India and that disappoints me to the core.

[Jabberwocky]

First post here. While regrettable, your problem is quite understandable. Irrespective of all it's power, the car isn't engaging enough for you. Especially as a weekend fun car it fails to excite you. Under such circumstances, forcibly keeping the vehicle will only bring resentment and you may end up neglecting it. Better to move on with fond memories.
As for your choices, as others have rightfully pointed out, older Beemers, maybe an R8 or a Porsche? Or how about looking around for some JDM imports like an MX-5?
Another possibility you could look into would be a Mini Cooper. Fun car, should fit around your budget.

[bhargav2015]

God's and elders' blessings that I was able to afford the same engine on the A6 but in a lower state of tune (290hp & 420Nm) and the lazier although slightly less worrisome gearbox (Tiptronic) last year during Lockdown ver.1 (I graduated from a Superb with 7speed DSG whose Mechatronics failed after I sold it).
I've driven the A6 on three 1000km drives thrice (4th one coming soon) and a total of 11,000 km after purchase in 19 months and I must admit it is a GREAT tourer. Being a person with medical conditions causing back pains, this keeps me tire-free after each of these 1000km drives.
I have one small request to you: try putting it in MANUAL instead of Sport, switch OFF traction control and see if it improves the overall experience for you.
Because it is going to be bloody difficult to find a car that gives you the same exhilarating + accelerating experience.
If you're still persistent on a change, see if you can get 911s, if not, the older E63 AMG to satiate your appetite. After an S4, I don't think a 340i/ M2 can do what this doesn't, for you.

PS: would be really helpful if you could give me some leads on sourcing reliable OE parts.
Happy motoring!

[ChargedGarage]

Originally Posted by Manualpurist

North Americans do get lucky when it comes to high performance manual cars

100% agreed. Will be giving GRE exam in a month or two and then applying for Masters in US/UK. Fingers crossed to get into a good school. If this works out, my next car could be in the US.

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

Irrespective of all it's power, the car isn't engaging enough for you. Especially as a weekend fun car it fails to excite you. Under such circumstances, forcibly keeping the vehicle will only bring resentment and you may end up neglecting it. Better to move on with fond memories.
As for your choices, as others have rightfully pointed out, older Beemers, maybe an R8 or a Porsche? Or how about looking around for some JDM imports like an MX-5?
Another possibility you could look into would be a Mini Cooper. Fun car, should fit around your budget.

100% agreed, I have realized that additional power does not make me happy, I would rather have a lighter, nimbler and more engaging car. I think this was one lesson that I would have had to learn through experience alone. Because otherwise more power = more fun is the enthusiast motto. For replacement, I'm open to any brand, do share if you see any for sale. Mini Coopers are mostly automatic and none have a 6 cylinder so not under consideration.

Originally Posted by bhargav2015

God's and elders' blessings that I was able to afford the same engine on the A6 but in a lower state of tune (290hp & 420Nm) and the lazier although slightly less worrisome gearbox (Tiptronic) last year during Lockdown ver.1 (I graduated from a Superb with 7speed DSG whose Mechatronics failed after I sold it).
I've driven the A6 on three 1000km drives thrice (4th one coming soon) and a total of 11,000 km after purchase in 19 months and I must admit it is a GREAT tourer. Being a person with medical conditions causing back pains, this keeps me tire-free after each of these 1000km drives.
I have one small request to you: try putting it in MANUAL instead of Sport, switch OFF traction control and see if it improves the overall experience for you.
Because it is going to be bloody difficult to find a car that gives you the same exhilarating + accelerating experience.
If you're still persistent on a change, see if you can get 911s, if not, the older E63 AMG to satiate your appetite. After an S4, I don't think a 340i/ M2 can do what this doesn't, for you.

PS: would be really helpful if you could give me some leads on sourcing reliable OE parts.
Happy motoring!

Congrats on your purchase. The engine is super reliable and will serve you well for a long time with timely maintenance. The DSG gearbox found in the S4 is actually quite bulletproof as the same gearbox is paired with the turbo V8 in the S6/S7 which has closer to 550hp and much higher torque.

Manual mode is automatically engaged as soon as I use paddles so that is exactly what I meant but I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to drive with the traction control turned off

For the replacement, I'm looking for something lighter, nimbler with RWD and manual I guess. I am quite sure that I don't want a car larger than the S4 so the E63/S6/M5 etc are all ruled out.

[bhargav2015]

Originally Posted by ChargedGarage

Manual mode is automatically engaged as soon as I use paddles so that is exactly what I meant but I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to drive with the traction control turned off

For the replacement, I'm looking for something lighter, nimbler with RWD and manual I guess. I am quite sure that I don't want a car larger than the S4 so the E63/S6/M5 etc are all ruled out.

I meant using the gear shifter in Manual mode, but knowing yours is a newer car, I don't know if you have the option of putting it into Drive, pushing it aside into Manual and tipping it north (+) or south (-). Guess mine is truly an OLD car

In that case, looks like you're in the market for a Porsche. I know it's hard to find but maybe a well kept Nissan 370Z? There's a Yellow Boxster with low miles on sale in Nashik on teambhp, last I read.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by ChargedGarage

Manual mode is automatically engaged as soon as I use paddles so that is exactly what I meant but I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to drive with the traction control turned off
.

In the above scenario, manual mode is disengaged as soon as revs go out of range. You should try full on manual mode where the computer doesn't shift at all. You will use paddles instead of clutch+lever and everything remains in your control just as in an MT. From what you have written (point and shoot) I suspect you haven't fully exploited the DSG. I sometimes try to listen to the song that's playing in my car and the gear shifting requires so much of my attention that I can't focus on anything else. The experience is identical to MT using a different input - it takes some getting used to but you will soon realise how it is no different from MT.

There can be many reasons to replace this car but MT shouldn't be one. Don't mean to offend anyone but modern sporty ATs have come a long way and take nothing away from, in fact enhance, an engaging drive. Those who disagree may not have experienced modern sporty ATs at their full potential. Modern MTs already offer automatic rev matching and few other tricks taking away the need to do anything overly skilled.

Get MT if you want exclusivity, future classic, longevity, reliable, cheaper to own/repair, etc. There is a lot of outdated info on MT vs AT from tiptronic days.