Used S4 or new A4 or G35

---8 and some folks seemed to think that Quattro should not be the deciding

I'll leave the discussion about engine type to others. Having the

1,8 TS (180hp) myself, there's not so much to say except that I love that engine and it's almost enough for how I drive.

As far as fwd vs. quattro goes, I'll start trolling a bit by pointing out that in those regions known for lots of snow (e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland) there are *not* proportionately as many quattros as one might expect. Cost is hardly a factor here either, since it's not so expensive to get quattro. Two reasons could be 1) the high price of fuel and the 5-10% increase in fuel consumption with quattro compared with fwd; 2) Nordic people tend to be so good at getting cars into motion in winter conditions - without traction control - that they don't need quattro.

That said, once you've used quattro, it's easy to be hooked. But I'd dare say there are *relatively* few situations where its absence would be regretted, apart from its sheer entertainment value. But you know that already ;-)

IOW, if you can get a good deal on a fwd A4, don't pass it up just because it doesn't have quattro (just my 2 cents' worth).

As far as snow tyres go (and forget about all-seasons on a higher performance car, summer or winter - they're garbage), they're a good cheap sensible insurance and offer lots of fun winter driving. Studless or studded will do, on their own steel rims.

Driving in temperatures under about +3C / +38F causes summer tyres to lose

grip alarmingly, even if no snow. Using higher profile snows (e.g.

195/65-15) gives enough sidewall flex so you don't break grip so often and allows the tyre to reach pavement in slushy weather.

For a 2wd, get snows. For a quattro, get snows.

/Robert (01 A4 Av 1,8TS, no quattro, studless snows, in Sweden)

I am in the same situation, I have a 1997 A4 Quattro the 2.6 12v and am thinking of changing, as I have a new Higher paid job. I am looking at either an Audi S4 2001, seen a load for around £14k thats about $18k, or a new A4, I have seen some amazing looking ones with full kit etc, but I think the S4 will win the day, as the new A4's are a bit too rounded and dont stand out unless you kit them up and put some big wheels on.

The only car IMO that comes close to the the older B5 S4 is the new S6, If I could afford the payments on it then I would have one.

I wouldnt touch another car unless it was quattro, it's not for the snow as it never frigging snows here in england, but for the rain, we get tons of rain, and the roads get so slippery, this is where perm 4wd is at its best i mo.

Go for the S4 its Damn fast, it looks the part and it has all the toys, I will post pics when I get mine hopefully in a couple of months :)

I am after a Nogaro Blue one btw..

Ronny

btw we dotn get the infiniti G35 over here, but looking at that Coupé I would be straight down the nissan dealer, its like OMG

What a great looking car, $31k is like £24k over here, that would get you just a top spec 1.8T, Would like to see the Nissan IRL.

Ron

That angle is about the only complementary one...

Very intelligent reply to the original poster. ASSUME he's from the U.S. Then derive that all women living in the U.S. cannot drive a manual trans car. Most women I know prefer manual gearboxes when not driving in traffic. I LEARNED how to drive a manual trans from a woman. Three of my six vehicles are manual trans.

Is there ANYTHING you DON'T do better than everyone else? Or is that just a very large chip on your shoulder?

Since 1978 my wife and I have driven various Audis (5000S, 4000CS, 90S) and VWs (Scirocco, Rabbit, Passat) that were all FWD, 5-speeds, except for the Passat. However, with my wife's RSI problems we decided that her next car would be an auto. We test drove a '02 A4 3.0 CVT and it was great. Problem: the stock was limited and the dealer wouldn't deal. We settled on a '02 325I with auto. The wife loves it and is very happy. Later, I purchased a 2003.5 G35 with sport suspension and gave the Passat to my son. The G35 is a tremendous car. There is no play in the steering, suspension, or brakes. Lots of power, and on a winding road the handling is almost telepathic. You seemingly turn your head toward the corner and the car follows. Great recover in the wet (heh, heh).

Yeah, it will be a tough choice for you. Especially if you wait for the 2004 or

2005 models. I understand that the S4 will have a lighter version of the 4.2V8 and the G35 may be upgraded to 330HP.

FWD vs. AWD? I guess its is personal taste. Wev'e driven our cars to visit friends in the Sierras in the winter and have had no problems with the stock Michelin M+S tires. Usually when we have had to stop to put on chains, the CHP wanted everyone to have chains.

Good luck with your decisi> I'm having a hard time making up my mind. I love my '01 A4 1.8TQ very

Haha - I like it. Well said Inger.

I got my 2000 S4 in February, and I love it. In the US, we get that nice Audi Assured warranty. Although it isn't as extensive as the new car warranty, it should cover any fears about large repair bills (i.e. if a turbo goes south on a non-chipped engine). Reasons to get the S4:

1. A used S4 is about -30k USD, while a new A4 3.0 is easily over k. I got mine loaded for .5k. Depending on what you put down on the A4 and what other options it had, your payments may stay about the same.
2. If you keep it stock, the S4 has more "go" than the A4 3.0. For about 0, you can chip the S4 and slap the happy pants off of the A4

3.0.

I sold my A4 1.8T when I got the S4. What an upgrade...=)

Elroy

2000 S4 - Wheeeeeeeeeeeee

One thing to bear in mind is the area that you are going to have the most interaction with day in and day out. The Interior. Running an auto- body repair shop, I am in and out of all makes of cars on a daily basis. Nissan interiors are among the worst made. The materials are cheap and shoddy. I see 2 year old nissans coming in and the interiors look worn and old. Audi is often acclaimed as having the best interiors arond.

As to the issue of tires, YES, tires make a huge difference. I drive an '01 S4, and with the 100+ inches of snow we got in upstate NY this past winter, I can safely testify that the stock tires (in my cast bridgestone re040's) are terrible in the snow. My wife's front drive volvo wagon was better in the snow with her all season continentals than my quattro was. I just put michelin pilot sport a/s's on my car and hope that it will be better in the snow.

Mitch Ware Albany NY

2001 Audi S4 2001 Volvo V4 1974 Jensen Healey

Running re040's (or my current S03's) in winter on an S4 verges on a death wish...

/daytripper '00 s4 6spd. And a 12 year old rusty Pathfinder for winter.

We in the U.S. have only one kind of license avaliable to us. It permits you to drive cars or "light" trucks equipped with manual or automatic transmissions. The test can be taken in a car with either type of transmission. Heavy trucks and motorcycles require a different class of license. The *vast* majority of cars here are automatics, especially in large cities such as Los Angeles, where near-constant heavy traffic both on surface streets and highways makes some people shy away from manual transmissions. I myself drive a stick, but I'm somewhat of a rarity.

Yes, true, sadly, and you are right to be stunned.

Also true. I think the UK licensing system is far better. At least in the US one must get a specific license to drive motorcycles. I have both licenses, and my family cars have manual transmissions and have been exclusively so for 15+ years.

In article , Steve Grauman writes

Thanks for the reply.

So you *can* take a test in an auto, then drive a manual? I find that amazing. Here, if you take your test in an auto, you can only drive an auto.

But that's only in the last 40, or so, years. My mum took her car test in an auto (in 1959?), and obtained a full driving licence. Hehe, she took her motorbike test on a 30cc moped (in around 1952) and obtained an unrestricted bike licence!

Ned,

I had an '03 A4 3.0 Convertable with the chain drive automatic transmission for a week while my '01 A6 2.7TQ was in the shop. The power is up to 225hp and the car moves like a rocket sled.

The chain drive quattro should be available soon. That is how I would go.

it's 220 hp.... that's the max rating on the multitronic-- I know-- I have an A4 3.0... and who the hell needs quattro anyway?? that's a waste, isn't it?

transmission

transmissions.

You are forgetting also the varying definitions of the word "test". It varies from actually measuring whether you can drive a car properly (call me old fashioned) to testing if you know whether to sit in the front or the back ;-)

Chip.