Audi S4 question

[Doggiedog]

A buddy of mine is looking at this car but heard some negative things about it.

He was told this car was terrible in snow because of it's larger tires as compared to a regular A4. Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of its performance characteristics in snow. No hearsay please.

 

[natto fire]

I thought it had Quattro? If it does then it would be better than any rear or front driver irregardless of the size of tire, that is if it has a good set of either all-weather or snow tires on it. May I reccomend Bridgestone Blizzaks?

 

[flot]

Hearsay: Just FYI it *does* have larger tires, and having larger (wider) tires WILL probably make it handle worse in the snow. Also I'd guess that the S4 comes with more "performance-oriented" tires, which again will be worse in the snow.

No first hand knowledge. My gf just bought one, but we live in S. Florida, not a lot of snow here. ;-)

 

[ObiWanCornobi]

I have a 2000 S4 and with the stock tires it most definately *does* suck in the snow.

While quattro does help you go, those tires are strictly warm weather tires, you won't be stopping or turning in the white stuff very well with them--I almost sh!t a brick or two the first time I took it out in the snow after I bought it.

The stock tires (either the Bridgestone RE040 or the Pirelli's) have a hard compound and shallow but large tread blocks--very very bad for snow.

I got a set of winter wheels and tires (cost about $650 total, not too expensive) and it's better in the snow than my previous truck - Ford Expedition. IMHO winter tires are a requirement for any vehicle with performance tires.

 

[kpxgq]

well then its just bad tires.... just change em out and sell the old ones on ebay, easy, the s4 kicks ass

 

[ObiWanCornobi]

I definately wouldn't go that route kpxgq. Tires that handle good in the snow generally don't perform well in the dry. It would be a sin to put "all-season" tires on an S4.

The stock tires do what they are intended, and do it well. They just aren't meant for snow. The S4 is a high performance car with high performance tires. A simple wheel/tire change in the winter means you've got better than most SUV's winter traction, and the rest of the year you've got a mean as hell pavement burner.

 

[Doggiedog]

Thanks ObiWanCornobi. I'll pass it along. Awesome car by the way.

 

[yakko]

<< I definately wouldn't go that route kpxgq. Tires that handle good in the snow generally don't perform well in the dry. It would be a sin to put "all-season" tires on an S4.

The stock tires do what they are intended, and do it well. They just aren't meant for snow. The S4 is a high performance car with high performance tires. A simple wheel/tire change in the winter means you've got better than most SUV's winter traction, and the rest of the year you've got a mean as hell pavement burner. >>

A junior member and he speaks with knowledge. Nice job.

 

[Doggiedog]

I just stopped by the Audi dealership during lunch since it's a block away and checked out the S4, new A4 and new A6.

I don't think the S4 will be ok for my buddy since he is 6'4". It'll be a tight squeeze for him.

The new A4 was nice but very overpriced. It was pretty close in price to the BMW 330. The trunk was small too. I don't think it would fit my golf clubs in there unless I took down the rear seat. The interior was very nice and refined and the stereo was very good.

They just made a few minor changes on the A6 I noticed. They added a little bit of orange in the taillamps and it looks a bit different but I can't nail down exactly where.

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

All I know is that I want an Audi.

 

[Triumph]

<< The new A4 was nice but very overpriced. It was pretty close in price to the BMW 330. >>



How do you figure it's over-priced? It's not as fast as the 330i, but does the 330 have quattro? everything else is pretty close to equal, tho. styling, quality, attention to detail.

 

[arcain]

<< The new A4 was nice but very overpriced. It was pretty close in price to the BMW 330. The trunk was small too. I don't think it would fit my golf clubs in there unless I took down the rear seat. The interior was very nice and refined and the stereo was very good. >>



Did not realize the new A4's trunk would be so much smaller. Because on my friend's S4 the trunk is huge. Much much larger than his old C Class, and even then we were able to fit at least 3 soft bags in there (and the seats didn't fold).

 

[arcain]

<<

<< The new A4 was nice but very overpriced. It was pretty close in price to the BMW 330. >>



How do you figure it's over-priced? It's not as fast as the 330i, but does the 330 have quattro? everything else is pretty close to equal, tho. styling, quality, attention to detail. >>



Actually I just went through and priced a fully loaded A4 3.0 with a 6 speed and Quattro, and it was only a few thousand less than a 330xi, manual, fully loaded. And the 330xi is AWD.

There is always the 1.8T.

 

[Mister T]

I wonder what faster, a chipped 1.8T or a 3.0

 

[Emos]

<< I wonder what faster, a chipped 1.8T or a 3.0 >>



A chipped 1.8T has 207 hp and the new '02 3.0 has 220 hp. Since the 1.8T is lighter it should be a rather close race.
Oh, for the price of a fully loaded '02 A4 3.0 you might as well spend the extra grand and get the S4!

 

[Doggiedog]

How do you figure it's over-priced? It's not as fast as the 330i, but does the 330 have quattro? everything else is pretty close to equal, tho. styling, quality, attention to detail.

Sorry, over-priced was a wrong word to use. What I meant was expensive in respect to how much cheaper Audis were historically compared to BMWs. When the A4 first came out it was so much cheaper than the 3 series but now it is almost the same price.