Any Audi owners?

[QuietChaos]

Hey guys.

I had the chance to play around with a few Audis and they've really grown on me. I've owned BMWs in the past, but never an Audi. I'm considering an older Audi like the B6 or C5.

My main question is this: which platform (between the B6 and C5) is the best for modification? Which has more potential? I'm leaning more towards the C5 2.7 turbo or 4.2 V8, but this is a whole new world to me.

Also considering the B6 1.8t.

Are there common issues to look for with these cars?

Thanks!

[dustyGTR]

I have a C4 S6 as my daily driver and really like it, it is a big heavy car but reliable and solid, have had it for around seven years only minor mods suspension, chip and Porsche Big reds. The 2.7 twin turbo is cool but the engine bay is tight. I think 1.8t is bulletproof and had lots of potential and is easy to work on. My AAN 2.2 5 cyl also easy to work on.

[QuietChaos]

Nice, I've seen a few of those around town, they always catch my eye. Any pics?

Also curious about the tranny options on these cars..I'm hearing that the tiptronic is junk. Can the autos hold up under power?

[CelicaKidd_205]

Audi customers at the shop I work at have had nothing but trouble. Maybe it's just bad luck, but IMO they are nowhere near as reliable as people claim. And they can be a PITA to work on.

If you do get one and plan to do work on it be prepared! Get a stash of 3/8" drive 6mm hex bits going, you will need both short and long ones and lots of 'em (they tend to break easily). Get your hands on a legit VAG scan tool as universal ones often can't read the manufacturer specific codes (engine control issues that turn on the MIL but don't cause the SAE mandated 1.5x increase in emissions). Do your timing belt EARLY! Had one customer with an A3 who went only 7000km over the recommended 120000km service interval and one of the dinky little idler pulleys seized up and threw the belt. I've since then done 3 more Audi timing belts all with different engines and each one has these stupid little idlers that have to spin 3x faster than the crank to keep up.

I personally don't see the appeal of the modern Audis (R8 not withstanding). They seem to me like a VW in a flashy suit. More money, same problems. Now an S1 Quattro is a different story

[MKIV]

I've owned two Volkswagen MK4's which are somewhat similar in a way. These cars, according to review, are famous for electrical issues. Drivetrain wise, I'm not sure. The 2.7T Audi motor always intrigued me. I'm personally a fan of the 2000 generation. (B5?)

Good luck with your car hunt and let us know what you get

[kengeroo]

I have a 83 Audi Ur Quattro (just google Pikes Peaks, Audi Quattro)...
....yep electrical ,,, a wonderful thing,,, everything was grounded to what looks like a pop can, it's amazing what a shitty ground can do to a car...
but just think back in the early 80's they were ahead of their time,,stock on my car was, turbo, intercooler , transmission cooler, all wheel drive, 3 diffs, you can lock the center diff to get a 50/50 split and lock the rear diff to get solid posi,,, turning corners was a chore...

In my opinion you can't go wrong with them I'd buy another one in a hearbeat.

[JosiahP]

vw and audi's alike are good cars until something goes wrong! be prepared to spend a lot of $$ when something goes wrong. my family has owned over 6 of them ( no idea why they keep going back lol ) but whenever something went wrong we had to fork out a lot to get it fixed.

[4jo3]

I have two urs4's. They are great cars. I know lots about them. They are easy to work on. Yes every car has its faults but the urs4 is pretty sweet. They are fairly cheap. My winter car is just has a chip, exhaust, and wastegate spring. My summer audi is tastefully modded. The list goes on but some of the big name parts are an '02 s4 six speed, new clutch, lightened flywheel, 2 bennett coilover suspension, GT3071r hybrid turbo with supporting ecu, injectors, and 034 rs2 cast manifold (surprisingly the cast manifold was a big dollar item), stromong exhaust, really the list goes on. I just cant remember. The car also has a set of cams in it, I forget the lift and duration. I will shoot some pics up when i get a chance. But the car rides nice, handles amazing, and its faster than most cars out there. Oh ya ... Im pushing around 30psi with hte GT3071r hybrid turbo. My head has been refreshed and has original bottom end. The car also has 422xxx km on it. My winter audi has 363xxx km on it. They last along time if you do your upkeep on them. My buddy has over 500,000km on his and its modded as well. So in short. I would be looking for a C4 S4/S6 body style. Its a 2.2L single turbo. And they work well.

[QuietChaos]

The C4s sound really solid but I've been longing for a while for a newer car, which is why I was considering the C5 and B6. I want to sell both my cars and buy one newer car that I can DD year round. I really like the styling of the C5, I'm just not sure which engine I should be going for. I'm hearing a lot of things about the 2.7t, some good some bad. The 4.2 sounds like a nasty guzzler.

[4jo3]

C4's are old. If you want something new yoy want the v8 s4. Mind you it comes with a 20k price tag. But I can tell you I have atleast that into my summer c4 s4. Oh ya I also forgot to add it has a set of porrsche brembos and apikol front mount intercooler. Its like anythhing you can sink a lot of money into it.

[QuietChaos]

Just read some reviews of the C5 2.7t from owners..hearing nothing but bad things about the engine and seemingly lots of common electrical issues. I'll have to cross off the 2.7 then. The B6 1.8t still seems somewhat promising.

[DougTaylor]

I bought a B6 S4 (4.2 V8) this year as my winter car and I'm enjoying it. Really hard on gas though - but what v8 isn't. The torque is nice compared to the GTR, but you don't get the same rush. I've done some research into mods and intake, exhaust chip etc don't get you more than another 50hp, which is only 15-20% - not much point in my opinion. But I never intended to mod this one. From what I've been reading the previous model (B5?) is way more effective to mod, since it already has all the turbo piping etc and you go from there with bigger turbos to add power - just like the GTR. I'm sure enjoying the 6 speed, Recaro leather seats and Bose Infinity sound system though! And with the one major snow fall we had here so far, the quatro was awesome!

[QuietChaos]

Yeah, I've had my kicks from driving fast flamboyant cars. I kind of just want something more understated and luxurious now. Can't even have a convo in my car on the highway due to exhaust drone, haha. Something less dated would be nice.
After hearing what owners have said about the 2.7, I've crossed it off completely. The 4.2 is too rough on gas, which leaves the 1.8TQ..which still has its own list of common issues..coil packs seem to fail very often, among other things. Nothing too major though, stuff like that will just eat away at my bank account though.
I'd still like to learn more about these Audis and play around with them. I'm also considering a G35 coupe. The BMW E39 540i has always been in the back of my mind, but again, V8 fuel consumption. I've been around enough BMWs, want to try something different.

[NismoS-tune]

Parents own an Audi S4. They bought it and shortly after, Lots of leaks (PS, heater core, Rad hoses), airbags are faulted, squeaks when going over bumps. It's a 2002 I think.

[MKIV]

What about the newer Audi's? 2010+

Anyone have experiences with those?