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      07-15-2011, 07:08 PM   #23
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I drove my friend's B8 S4 and its nice but its a sloppy, floppy, comfort cruiser.. the M3 feels so aggressive to drive.. the S4 is soft.... fast... but soft.. steering is soft... seats are not great.. interior is very messy.. didn't like it all...
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      07-16-2011, 09:41 AM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelinIsRich08 View Post
Don't mean to jack the thread but is the Evo a fun and reliable car?
yes, yes, I had a 2003 Evo for 7 years, and 95k miles, with no power mods and some major suspension mods. The only thing that went out was a bad idle air control valve at 80k miles. Better than the M3 when our valve goes out at 18k...lol
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      07-16-2011, 11:47 AM   #25
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Originally Posted by radiantm3 View Post
I'd bet my M3 that the Evo is a ton more fun to drive than the S4.
+1 to that. Also.. AFAIK Evo's are indeed quite reliable.. They have something like a 6 year warranty too don't they?
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      07-16-2011, 11:50 AM   #26
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If you want a sporty car DO NOT get the S4. I also don't like how similar the A4 and S4 look.
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      07-16-2011, 12:25 PM   #27
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I drove it again and again was impressed. The car handles good in my opinion. The steering is a little lighter than the m but is nice and tight. Car stays nice and flat in the turns and powers out of them like crazy. Car seems very solid. Throttle response is phenomenal and it pulls really hard. Stereo is very good also. My biggest thing is I know how good the m is, and I don't know how I will feel 2 months down the road. Thanks for all the replies and also for being cool about your opinions. It's good to be able to get other views on this.
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      07-16-2011, 12:26 PM   #28
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Also depends how you plan on buying it. As previously mentioned the S4 lease rates are horrible.

That said the S4 is definitely a nice ride and can easily be tuned to near M3 HP numbers. Though in the end it's still no M.
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      07-17-2011, 03:05 AM   #29
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Originally Posted by F1 fan View Post
My lease is almost up and for fun I drove a new Audi s4 and was pretty amazed at how good it was. I drove a dsg and a manual and prefer the manual. The torque was awesome and the throttle response was amazing in almost any gear. It felt faster than my m3 in some ways. The question is if you were getting a sedan would the s4 be a option over doing a m3 sedan? I know it is a m3 forum, but that s4 was pretty nice and it is making me think about getting one.
Any unbiased input would be great. Thanks
PLEASE LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I traded my E60 M5 for a new 2011 S4 on March 14 2011. S4 options: sport diff/drive select, alum/carbon trim with 19 inch upgrade wheels + B&O and a few other minor additions. Trust me the Audi is not even close to an E90 M3. I expected it to be more edgy like the 08 RS4. I will never buy a car without testing it through the RPM range. Unfortunately no dealers had demos to drive. After break in I notice the motor hits a wall after 5k rpm. Now coming from a V10 I guess that should be expected. The only solution was a tune or getting an APR pulley. The new S4 farts when shifting to the next gear, I did not like that sound and an exhaust would only exaggerate the problem. The 2011 has a TSB out to fix leaky boots around the rear sport differential. The boots keep leaking & it took the dealer two times to fix mine. My MMI (BMW I Drive) which is the main controls for all functions died at 2100 miles. That was replaced under warrantee. Another annoying problem the S4 had two rattles the dealer could not resolve. If you go to Audizine B8/S4 you will notice people with a lot of problems. I can say for a 50 to 64k car, the B8/S4 felt like an overpriced VW that was powered by a larger motor. I know VW has been cutting corners, I never expected it to hit Audi. You can tell the window switches and the silver plastic around the interment cluster is cheep crap. My main reason for selling the S4 it was boring. I never felt connected to the car. The steering felt very light even after a few adjustments in the MMI drive select. Remember Top Gear just compared the new RS5 against the ZCP M3 and they still picked the regular M3 as the better car. I have owned over 33 cars since 2001 and my opinion the S4 is a nice car but will never be an M.

So on June 27 2011 I traded the S4 with 5011 miles for a 2011 loaded ZCP E90 M3.

Last edited by FASTTOYS; 07-17-2011 at 11:57 PM..
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      07-17-2011, 08:56 AM   #30
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33 cars since 2001?!?? Good for you!
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      07-17-2011, 09:39 AM   #31
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Originally Posted by AngelinIsRich08 View Post
33 cars since 2001?!?? Good for you!
Yea not smart I have spent a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. I will try to keep the M3 for 3 to 4 years time will tell.
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      07-17-2011, 10:10 AM   #32
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I really don't get the comparison between the S4 and the M3?

S4 = 335i | S4 < 335i
RS5 = M3 | RS5 < M3

(When Top Gear compared the M3 to the RS4 the M3 prevailed as the better car then as well)
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      07-17-2011, 10:23 AM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewk View Post
I really don't get the comparison between the S4 and the M3?

S4 = 335i | S4 < 335i
RS5 = M3 | RS5 < M3

(When Top Gear compared the M3 to the RS4 the M3 prevailed as the better car then as well)
well basically people are comparing HP... the S4 with a tune will pull harder than a M3 .. but... .. I drove the B8 S4.. IMO it felt very mushy and soft... I track my M3 now .. and my feeling is that the M3 feels like an aggressive, muscular track car.. the S4 is soft and fluffy... with power.. but otherwise not great at all... for folks looking for a comfortable sedan that pulls hard.. then the S4 is for them... but its no M3..
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      07-17-2011, 12:37 PM   #34
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Originally Posted by FASTTOYS View Post
Yea not smart I have spent a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. I will try to keep the M3 for 3 to 4 years time will tell.
Good lord you sound exactly like me. That's what I keep telling people too. Let's make it our personal goal.. 3 years at least! After all the alternative is turbocharged, right? Might make it easier?
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      07-17-2011, 01:21 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by w00tw00t View Post
well basically people are comparing HP... the S4 with a tune will pull harder than a M3 .. but... .. I drove the B8 S4.. IMO it felt very mushy and soft... I track my M3 now .. and my feeling is that the M3 feels like an aggressive, muscular track car.. the S4 is soft and fluffy... with power.. but otherwise not great at all... for folks looking for a comfortable sedan that pulls hard.. then the S4 is for them... but its no M3..
I don't really agree with the x-car + tune is better than y-car argument.. If that's the case then M3 = ESS SC is better than an S4 (or most everything else) with a tune.. Apples to apples comparison the M3 and the 335i stock is better than the RS4 or S4...

My only point is that comparing the M3 with the S4 is a ludicrous comparison. Audi makes a car that's in the same class, the RS5 and you wouldn't do a RS5 vs. S4/S5 comparison...
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      07-17-2011, 01:57 PM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stefan View Post
Good lord you sound exactly like me. That's what I keep telling people too. Let's make it our personal goal.. 3 years at least! After all the alternative is turbocharged, right? Might make it easier?
Count me part of this "club." Have kept cars as little as 8 months thanks to getting the itch. Does it cost a lot of $$$? Yep, but it's fun trying out different cars and to me the chase of finding a new one is part of the fun. Besides, if you've got the money, do it. You only live once and I've seen too many guys, particularly in my profession, hoard their money only to kick off and not have indulged themselves in a lot of things they wanted. Just my .02.

To the OP, I cannot comment on the S4 but we are about to change from an Audi to BMW. We have a '10 Q5 and with the AWD it's hard to maneuver at slow speeds and its turn radius is horrible. Yesterday, I took my wife to the local BMW dealer and she drove both a 335i and M3. Let's just say that an M3 order will probably be placed tomorrow. She told me after she drove the car that going into the test drive she did not want to like the M3 (because of the extra cost over the 335i). But the way the M3 drove won her over. We both felt the M3's power delivery and the way it drove was much better than the 335i (no offense to 335i owners). She even asked that if we bought the M3 about taking it out to the track so she could use the car to more of its potential. She could tell on the test drive what lied beneath. I told her the car was a wolf in sheep's clothing. She agreed and now we are building her M3 on BMW USA and again will probably order tomorrow. Audi builds a nice car but, to me, their AWD system doesn't have the fun factor of BMW's rear drive cars--especially an M3. Good Luck in decision, we've made ours.
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      07-17-2011, 02:30 PM   #37
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I test drove S4, E90 M3 and 2008 M5 before ordering E90. All with dct/dsg/smg. While there was a debate in my head between M3 and M5, S4 was clearly out of the picture. Dynamics and transmission in Audi simply can't compare with BMW, at least to my taste. It was funny that even my wife was advocating for M3 over S4 and she is the reason I'm going from 6 speed e46 M3 to four doors dct car...
Now, I think it compares well to 335. A friend of mine had one that I got to drive on occasion and S4 compares to it favorably in may ways.
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      07-17-2011, 04:04 PM   #38
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I personally love my S4 as my daily driver and my modded M3 as my weekend and track day car.

I have come across a stock B8S4 on the track and as much as it doesn't feel as sporty as the M3 it really does perform very good.

I'm actually thinking of bringing it to the track the next time I go to see how I personally do vs my M3.

As far as looks of the S4 over the A4 ... It stands out a hell of a lot more than the 335 over the other 3's ...

Only way I can tell a 335 over another 3 series is if I can see the exhaust although it does share the dual exhaust of the 335d.

The S4 has quite a few differences over the A4.
-silver mirrors
-silver lower front spoiler
-silver rear lower spoiler(whatever it's called)
-2 double exhaust tips like the M3
-front calipers that say S4
-V6t on both left and right fenders (I changed mine to the "supercharged" badge. No idea why they put V6T.

The S4 shouldn't even be compared the M3 since it's a direct competitor to the 335.

I guess people do because the V6 supercharged S4 performs about as good as the outgoing RS4 which used to be compared the current M3.

I have 27,000 kms on my S4 without any problems whatsoever.
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      07-17-2011, 06:13 PM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewk View Post
I don't really agree with the x-car + tune is better than y-car argument.. If that's the case then M3 = ESS SC is better than an S4 (or most everything else) with a tune.. Apples to apples comparison the M3 and the 335i stock is better than the RS4 or S4...

My only point is that comparing the M3 with the S4 is a ludicrous comparison. Audi makes a car that's in the same class, the RS5 and you wouldn't do a RS5 vs. S4/S5 comparison...
I never said that.. all I said is it S4+tune pulls harder than a M3 .. never said its better..
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      07-17-2011, 08:16 PM   #40
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Late last summer my dad purchased a 2011 S5, so I in turn went and test drove a 2011 S4, fully loaded with a manual. I loved it. I really did enjoy it, and the dealer offered me a pretty good deal for it. The car was $57K, but the dealer was giving it to me for $51K. I realized that if I was going to spend that much money, I'd rather have an M3. So this summer, I went and bought an '09 E90 M3.

In all reality, I hate the steering wheel of all the Audis, and the S4's is no better. Also, the steering is too light and not tight enough for me. However, the suspension with a limited-slip diff is fantastic! At high and low speeds, the car really drives well. Audi did one hell of a job with the new S4. However, while the engine is great, it's no V8, and it doesn't have as much feel and emotion of the M3.

So at the end of the day, for the money, I'd rather have the M3 at a year or two older for the same price, or less. I payed $47,800 for my M3, so I saved a bit of coin.
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      07-17-2011, 08:44 PM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewk View Post
I really don't get the comparison between the S4 and the M3?

S4 = 335i | S4 < 335i
RS5 = M3 | RS5 < M3

(When Top Gear compared the M3 to the RS4 the M3 prevailed as the better car then as well)
Why are u even surprised? People are comparing Caymans with M3 here...
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      07-17-2011, 09:56 PM   #42
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The car I am looking at is a used s4 with 2700 miles. I got to keep it for the weekend to make a decision. After a day with it I am leaning toward the m3. It however has made me think every time I drive it. One thing I will say about comparing is that my wife had a 335 and I have to say the s4 is the better of those two in my opinion. The m3 in my opinion again was on a totally different level than the 335 that she had. The s4 is a car that I could and would drive everyday. If you have a opportunity to drive one you should. At the end of the day I think I'm going to just buy my e92 out of the lease and not do anything right now. You guys have been a great help with this one. Thanks.
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      07-17-2011, 11:44 PM   #43
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 737Drvr View Post
Count me part of this "club." Have kept cars as little as 8 months thanks to getting the itch. Does it cost a lot of $$$? Yep, but it's fun trying out different cars and to me the chase of finding a new one is part of the fun. Besides, if you've got the money, do it. You only live once and I've seen too many guys, particularly in my profession, hoard their money only to kick off and not have indulged themselves in a lot of things they wanted. Just my .02.

To the OP, I cannot comment on the S4 but we are about to change from an Audi to BMW. We have a '10 Q5 and with the AWD it's hard to maneuver at slow speeds and its turn radius is horrible. Yesterday, I took my wife to the local BMW dealer and she drove both a 335i and M3. Let's just say that an M3 order will probably be placed tomorrow. She told me after she drove the car that going into the test drive she did not want to like the M3 (because of the extra cost over the 335i). But the way the M3 drove won her over. We both felt the M3's power delivery and the way it drove was much better than the 335i (no offense to 335i owners). She even asked that if we bought the M3 about taking it out to the track so she could use the car to more of its potential. She could tell on the test drive what lied beneath. I told her the car was a wolf in sheep's clothing. She agreed and now we are building her M3 on BMW USA and again will probably order tomorrow. Audi builds a nice car but, to me, their AWD system doesn't have the fun factor of BMW's rear drive cars--especially an M3. Good Luck in decision, we've made ours.
Good Quote 737DRVR.
You only live once and I've seen too many guys, particularly in my profession, hoard their money only to kick off and not have indulged themselves in a lot of things they wanted. Just my .02.

Yea I lost my Dad when I was 19. He saved all his money for a later day and that day never happened. I try to keep enough put a way just in case. But I have blown a lot on cars and have been fortunate that my wife is understanding. We don’t have kids so that always helps.

Last edited by FASTTOYS; 07-17-2011 at 11:59 PM..
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      07-18-2011, 01:05 AM   #44
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I drove a b8 s4 a few weeks back and a CPO e92 a few days earlier. As others have said, the s4 felt like a bigger vw. I honestly felt that the s4 was no quicker than my current vehicle (04 vw r32). With that said I loved the interior of the s4. When I test drove the e92 m3 it was the whole package that drew me to the m3 over the s4. The M is just in another ballpark. The s65 sounds sooo good, it handled great and looks menacing. Not to mention, the DCT was better than I anticipated. Overall the M3 makes me go from 6 to midnight.
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