A review of all my major modifications for the B6/B7 Audi S4

B6/7 S4/RS4
#8

KW v3 Coilovers http://kw-suspension.com/us/kw_variant_3.php
Performance gains: No acceleration performance but increased track performance from better handling
Cost: I bought them new from some US website for $2,000
Installation Difficulty: Medium
Installation time: less than a day

These are common coilovers for our S4s. KW only sells the V3 for the S4 (The V1 might be available under their subsidiary company but I don’t remember
the name or if that’s even accurate). These are 3 way adjustable (damping, rebound and height) which is nice as I’ve changed the settings a few times to the point where I like it
best. However, changing the settings is not that simple and once you like the setting, you’re going to want to leave it as is. Don’t kid yourself and
think that you can easily change the settings just before a track day and change them back to a street like setting when you’re done, especially the top setting (don’t remember which is which but there’s one at the top and one at the bottom of the shocks. The bottom one is relatively easy to get to but the top is near impossible without taking things apart).

They’re stainless and shouldn’t rust and don’t need yearly rebuilds. They do feel better than the stock suspension from a comfort level when set to a regular firmness. I find I can corner a lot better with these but I have to admit that sometimes I feel like they’re going to be too loose when taking a hard turn but then they just work. A little misleading at times but they’ve never let me down.

A few things to note though, they do creak in cold temps which can be slightly annoying, especially on a luxury car (creaking is more pronounced the lower you go). Then they creaked even more when I
installed my Adjustable Front Upper Control Arms and tightened everything even more. The creaking doesn’t impact performance though. That’s pretty much my only beef with them. I live in a cold climate and in the dead of winter, if I have passengers and they hear that, they start wondering if something’s wrong with the car.

This year though, I decided to raise them half an inch for the winter (I was plowing snow a little too much last year). It seems to have helped reduce the creaking a bit.

Summary: Great handling mod and highly recommended. Good “goldilocks” price point but if you live in a cold winter climate, expect some creaking noises.

#9

JHM “Trio” Short Shifter http://jhmotorsports.com/shop/catalog/jhm-trio-package-shifter-linkage-bushing-for-b6b7-s4rs4-p-539.html
Performance gains: No direct acceleration performance but faster and more precise shifting so possible better acceleration times
Cost: $480
Installation Difficulty: Easy for the shifter on its own. Somewhere between fairly easy to medium for the linkage and bushing.
Installation time: Approx. 2-3 hours with fine tweaking (again, assuming the shop knows what its doing. If your shop has never installed these parts before, add an extra 1-3 hours depending on whether they’ve spent the 20 minutes viewing the installation video).

I believe this was one of the first (if not THE original) part JHM made. It’s probably the best in the business (I say probably because I haven’t tried others, heck, I don’t even know if other brands are available but I haven’t ever read of anyone complaining once it’s adjusted properly).

For me, a short shifter has always been the first mod I’ve installed on any car I’ve owned. Even shitboxes. I hate sloppy long throws. So it’s only normal I got JHM’s trio package. The “Trio” is the short shifter itself, the linkage and a bushing. The parts can be bought separately but you save a few bucks by buying all three together.

The installation of the linkage and bushing does require the downpipe to be removed for accessibility so I recommend doing this mod along with your downpipe upgrade (be it piggies or a brand new catless downpipe).
The shifter on its own can be installed without any other parts needing to be removed.
I also believe the linkage install needs you to shave a small piece of metal for clearance but JHM would be able to provide more insight on that so you should really ask them directly.

As for the feel, assuming it’s adjusted properly, it’s just fantastic. A few people sometimes complain about this part but every time, it’s simply been a matter of adjustment. It can be tricky and requires patience to get it just right (some will say it’s super easy but I’ve read enough people asking for help on how to adjust it that it might be a little challenging for some people). However, with enough patience, it’ll finally get adjusted properly and you’ll be laughing. With all three pieces working together, you really feel the metallic precision over the stock sloppy feel.

The kit also comes with 3 springs for the reverse (depending on how much push back you want). I haven’t read a single person mention they’re using the softest one (some have tried it and then switched to the medium one). I think the soft one is seriously too soft (I mean, if you want a harder, stronger shifter, you’re probably not going to go with a softer spring for reverse). I think I’m on the medium one and it’s perfect. Just enough pushback not to accidentally go into reverse but not so much that it’s difficult.

Summary: Strongly recommended. You’ll love driving stick all over again. At first, you might find it’s quite short but you’ll get used to it in 2-3 days. Honestly, after a few years, I’d actually want an even shorter one at this point. I’m probably not the norm though so it’s probably not worth it for JHM to try something even shorter.

#10

Trexturk Downpipes (Send Trexturk a PM)
Performance gains: Approx. 20whp with a 2.5" catback. Approx. 30-40whp with a 2.5" catback AND JHM tune I’d say.
Cost: $500
Installaton Difficulty: Fairly easy
Installation time: 2-3 hours depending on bolt conditions.

It’s a catless downpipe. It’s 2.5". It simply works. Fitment is perfect. I haven’t read of a single person that’s complained of fitment other than people who didn’t order exactly how they should have ordered. Trexturk asks how you want it to mate to the catback (i.e. whether you have a 2.5" catback or still using the OEM size or somewhere in between).
They’re made out of aluminized steel instead of stainless steel I believe and I haven’t seen any rust issues (and I live in snowy Canada and I’m lowered) after 2+ years.

You can’t really go wrong with this downpipe and there’s a reason why he’s sold so many. I don’t know if he’s still making them (I think he is). All you need to do is send him a PM. He doesn’t advertise them so you need to seek him out yourself. Also, I think he mostly does these to help other S4 owners out. Don’t expect him to have all this inventory. You might need to wait a little bit.
You also need to tell him if you have a 6MT or Auto as believe they’re slightly different.

#11

Magnaflow Catback http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopexd.asp?zone=all&id=10842
http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopexd.asp?zone=all&id=10826
Performance gains: Approx 20whp with 2.5" catless downpipes
Cost: Just under $700 with Performance Peddler AUDIPIPES coupon for S4, $1100 or so for the RS4 (AUDIPIPES coupon doesn’t work for the RS4 version)

This is a stainless steel, 2.5" catback exhaust. I initially bought the S4 version (the main difference being the tips I think) due to the great pricing from Performance Peddler and the fact that I actually love the Magnaflow sound (slightly deeper note than the Fast Intentions sound). It has an X-Pipe (better for performance than an H-Pipe). The S4 version has single 4" single tips on either side and it’s really for the B6 S4, not so much for the B7 S4.
Also, the S4 version comes with resonators, the RS4 version does not. And finally, the RS4 version comes with two 3" tips on either side (quad tips).

So I installed them and then over the course of a couple months, decided I didn’t like the single 4" tips in conjunction with my stock B7 rear valence (which is really cut-out for an OEM quad tip look).
I didn’t know what to do. I looked at just changing the tips but that wasn’t proving to be too easy. I considered replacing the mufflers and tips but then that would make the original price not such a great deal anymore.

Then, someone local to me that I knew decided to sell his RS4 Magnaflow Catback (he was bringing his RS4 back to stock).
I therefore bought it from him (the full catback, all three portions), took my S4 muffler/tips portion out and replaced it with the RS4 one (kept the other two portions as is).

So ultimately, I ended up with the X-Pipe piece from the S4 version, the resonated middle piece from the S4 version and the muffler/quad tips portion from the RS4 version. For me, it was exactly what I wanted (why can’t Magnaflow sell it like that for the B7, I really don’t know). And now I love it.

Summary: This is a tough one if you own a B7 S4. On one hand, the price is great with the coupon but you’re left with the single tips on either side dilema. If you have a B6 S4, no worries, the 4" single tips will work perfectly. You can go with the RS4 version for the B7 S4 but then you lose the resonators and you’re now in the same price point as most other catbacks (and if you’re looking at catbacks in the 1500+ price range, well, good for you for having all that extra dough).

So yeah, I love the sound it makes. There is some slight droning in the 1800-2100 RPM range but I don’t find it to be excessive (I’ve heard way worse). But it is there and I must point it out. I don’t think

I’ve heard a single after market exhaust setup on our cars that didn’t. It just comes down to how much of it. Tough call. In the end, catbacks are quite subjective so you’re on your own on this one.

#12

Hotchkis 29mm Rear Sway Bar http://jhmotorsports.com/shop/catalog/sway-bar-rear-only-sport-hotchkis-for-b7-rs4-also-for-b6-b7-a4-s4-p-393.html
Performance gains: No acceleration gains but great handling gains. Less understeer.
Cost: $239
Installation difficulty: Easy
Installation time: Approx 30 mins to an hour

This is a fantastic and easy mod. It helps keep the back end flatter in corners and helps balance the car more (less understeer). I decided to only get the rear rather than both the front and rear. I’ve heard getting both is also great but I’ve never driven an S4 that had both. With just the rear though, I felt the change immediately and felt the car way more balanced. Now, this bar has two settings. Soft and hard. Don’t bother using the soft setting. Firstly, why go with a bigger Rear Sway Bar if you’re only going to “somewhat” use it by using the soft setting, but secondly (and more importantly), you’re probably going to end up snapping your endlinks if you use the soft setting. This is because the soft setting allows for more flex. More flex means more strain on the endlinks which means a snapped endlink. Using the hard setting reduces that amount of flex and gives your endlinks a
fighting chance. That said, your stock endlinks might still break after a little bit but the good news is that there are options to replace them with stronger ones (I think Stern and 034 have some to offer).
I snapped my OEM ones within 5 weeks and at the time, the Sterns were getting poor reviews (they since revised them) and the 034 ones didn’t exist yet so I went with one that BenSTI custom made at the time and they’ve held up great. The Stern and 034 ones look to be just as good.

Summary: Highly recommended. Cheap and easy mod and it makes the car’s handling so much better. I think this one should be a no brainer.

#13

JHM Intake Spacers http://jhmotorsports.com/shop/catalog/jhm-intake-spacers-10mm-thick-for-b6-b7-s4-c5-a6-40v-v8-p-295.htm
Performance gains: No direct gains but better heat management which affects performance so small indirect performance gain
Cost: $160
Installation difficulty: Fairly easy
Installation time: 2-3 hours

I got these to get the most out of my supercharger but they’re just as useful on stock power. Their intent is to keep things cooler and we all know this engine gets freaking hot and performance is hindered from all that heat. These aren’t suddenly going to cool everything to room temperature so make sure you have the right expectations first. However, they’re a good part of the overall puzzle.
I was able to get my best 1/4 mile time after 6 back to back runs (by back to back, I mean there was no line up at the track so zero waiting). My point being, although these add any power directly, they allowed me to keep going and still get good runs in. So I consider these more of a supporting mod.

Summary: These are pretty cheap to buy and install and help with temps. Why not get them?

#14

TT-RS Multi Function Steering Wheel
Cost: $1200 used ($1500-$1600 new? Not sure)
Installation difficulty: Easy with proper instructions
Installation time: 30 minutes

I freaking LOVE this steering wheel. It just makes the car so much more enjoyable to drive. It was one of my last mods and after getting it, I felt it should have been one of my first after all the basic bolt-on stuff.
Basically, it’s the fact that it’s thicker and smaller. I don’t really care for the flat bottom part of the steering wheel but the smaller and thicker feel of it just feels right. I since drove a stock S4 with stock steering wheel and felt I was driving a bus. Thing to note. It uses a two stage airbag and I wouldn’t recommend this for a B6 even though there are adapter rings and stuff for it. People do it all the time but I just wouldn’t feel right about it. To each their own.

The TT-RS and the C6 RS6 steering wheels are the same except that the TT-RS has perforated leather all around whereas the RS6 mostly has smooth leather with only a small perforated leather part. I initially wanted the RS6 one but the TT-RS came up for sell used locally so jumped on it. In the end though, I actually prefer the full perforated leather. It actually really does help with grip (more than I expected).

Summary: Surprisingly fantastic mod. Yes, it’s pricey for just a steering wheel. Yes, it feels like a total luxury (one of the reasons I left it as one of my last mods) but man, it just makes the car feel awesome. Don’t under-estimate just how much it adds to the driving experience. And think about it, when you’re driving, there’s one thing you’re ALWAYS holding. Might as well make it awesome.

#15

034 Adjustable Front Upper Control Arms http://jhmotorsports.com/shop/catalog/front-upper-control-arm-kit-adjustable-density-034-for-b5-b6-b7-a4-s4-rs4-p-640.html
Performance gains: No acceleration gains but better handling. Tighter front end.
Cost: $390
Installation difficulty: Medium
Installation time: 2-3 hours

I got these because my OEM ones were shot. I figured since I was lowered, I might as well get the adjustable ones. I got these because the adjustment isn’t in the middle of the arm and felt they would be stronger. After having them installed, the first time driving, I was really surprised just how tight my front end became. Sure, I was going from shot to brand new so that made a big difference but still, the front end felt way tighter than it had ever been. I was happily surprised. I’d note though that I heard adjusting these are tougher than typical ones (where the adjustment is in the middle). My mechanic knows an alignment shop down the street from him and called them (before I ordered these) to ensure they wouldn’t have problems adjusting them and they said they knew them well and had no problems with them so that helped. Maybe check yourself with your mechanic first. It might not be that big of a deal but still worth checking I think.

Summary: Didn’t expect such a huge difference after installing them. Highly recommended. Just make sure you have someone that’s ok with them and knows how to adjust them ahead of time.

#16

Zada-Tech gauges http://www.zada-tech.com/product/multi-gauges/audi-tt-a3-s3-rs3-a4-s4-rs4-red-lcd-multi-gauge-oem-looking
Cost: 110 British Pounds + which ever modules you want to add
Installation difficulty: Cluster section, fairly easy. Sensor section in the engine bay, medium to difficult
Installation time: Anywhere from 3 hours to days depending on which sensors you go with

I initially got the Zada-Tech gauges because I want oil temp and supercharger boost and wanted something integrated into my cluster rather than go with unsightly gauges on my A pillar or steering wheel.
I then added the oil pressure and intake temp sensors.

Overall, the sensor section was a bitch and a half to install. I’m talking custom work every where. My mechanic had to make new fittings and shit to make it all work. And in the end, I still didn’t get a proper oil temp reading because I would have had to make a hole in the underside of my oil pan (we tapped it in a different spot hoping it would work but it’s not accurate and I didn’t want to go all out).

I did get oil pressure though so that’s pretty good. Got boost, got intake temp and everything.
It also comes with a little button that acts as a joystick which is ok.
The cluster section replaces your LCD clock and although Zada-Tech claims the LCD quality is the same, it’s far from OEM quality. It’s somewhat difficult to read in the day and if I have my sunglasses on, impossible.

Summary: At the time of purchase, these gauges were the only available option I found that could be seemlessly integrated into the cluster. However, now that STE has come out with their integrated cluster gauges, the Zada-Tech gauges just aren’t refined enough and require way too much custom work with the sensor installations to make it worth while. So not really recommended and if you want proper integrated gauges, just go with the STE ones (see post below).

Here’s a video of the Zada-Tech gauges in action:

http://youtu.be/rEzIlp-gMZg

#17

STE Gauges

My original review for these gauges:

So a while back, I was PM’d about a new gauge system by a fellow AZ member that would be displayed inside the centre cluster display.
I already have the Zada-Tech gauges as most already know but I really liked the idea of having various readings displayed in the centre cluster (I don’t want big gauges sticking out of my steering wheel or in my A pillar or even my side air vents). So I expressed interest and to get back to me when they were ready.

A couple weeks ago, they did get back to me and asked me if I wanted to beta test them (for a discounted price) and I said absolutely!

Well I just installed them yesterday and thought I’d give a little review.

Installation was extremely simple. You remove the fuse cover with a flat head screw driver, you remove the cover under the steering wheel (three 8mm bolts) and you remove the cluster (two T25 torx screws).
You then unplug the two cables going into the cluster and you plug them into their black box. You then plug two new cables (provided) from the black box into the cluster. And that’s it (unless you also want a boost readout, in which case it’s a little more involved. I didn’t get around to that yet). You may also need a VAGCOM to change a parameter in the Instrument cluster settings. I plugged mine in to make the change but the setting was already there so I didn’t actually need to make any VAGCOM changes.

The entire installation (not including boost but most people here don’t have forced induction anyway) took less than 30 minutes. They have their own installation thread here.

Once it’s installed, it’s really simple to use and it just works.

The different displays are controlled by the same stack that controls the mpg, gas remaining, etc. stack on the right side of the steering wheel.

Here are some photos:

Oil Temp and Coolant Temp (everything is pulled from OBD2):

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/STE_PPD_Gauge-1.jpg

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/STE_PPD_Gauge-2.jpg

Intake air temp (and I’m assuming battery voltage. Not sure why it’s showing 0.0v in the first pic and 8.1v in the second pic). I’ll have to ask them about it.:

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/STE_PPD_Gauge-3.jpg

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/STE_PPD_Gauge-5.jpg

AFR and Boost (there’s also a boost recall screen that I didn’t take a pic of)
It also has a built in MAP sensor capable of reading vacuum and up to 44 PSI of boost:

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/STE_PPD_Gauge-7.jpg

Plus a little neat feature, it’ll use your OBD2 to calculate acceleration times. There’s 0-60mph, 60-90mph and 60-130mph. I haven’t tested it out yet as I don’t really have anywhere to test this other than a highway on-ramp at 3am (for the 0-60mph one). I’ll try and do one soon. Basically, you go to this screen and start your run. You let off the gas once you’ve hit your targetted speed (so just above 60mph if you’re doing the 0-60mph test) and it’ll display your time once it’s done. I have a feeling that for the higher speeds it might not be as accurate as a GPS based unit simply because it uses the inherent speedo in your car but the 0-60 should be fairly accurate (we all know that the higher you go in speed, the less accurate your speedo gets).

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/STE_PPD_Gauge-4.jpg

And finally, one of the whole cockpit:

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/Audi_S4_Cockpit.jpg

As you can see, the setup is completely seamless and super clean.

In conclusion, for anyone interested in having their oil temp (and other readings) displayed in their cluster, this is the perfect solution. It just works. Nothing much to it.

They have metric and non-metric versions. Although I would have preferred to see my temps in Celsius and my boost in PSI because I’m in Canada and we’re screwed up that way (we’re officially metric but half of our stuff is non-metric), I chose the non-metric version as my Zada-Tech gauges are already in celsius.

My wish list for future revisions:

  1. Ability to pick and choose which readings get displayed on which screens. There’s usually 2 readings per screen and I would have liked to have oil temp and intake temp on one screen
  2. Ability to pick a combo of metric and non-metric readings (celsius for my temps, psi for my boost).

And that’s about it for my wish list. Everything else is pretty much exactly how I wanted (and expected) it to be.

As for customer service, they were very reachable and helpful throughout the process. The package was well put together, sent by USPS with tracking and their black box and two cables supplied seem to be well built and sturdy. I mounted the box with velcro as they suggested in their installation thread.

Feel free to ask me any questions about the setup and use.

Overall highly recommended. You can also contact them directly by email at: sales@getste.com
They may seem expensive at first but they’re well worth it.

#18

Dynavin D99 Android
Cost: $800-$900
Installation difficulty: Fairly easy to medium depending on your stereo skills
Installation time: 4-8 hours depending on your stereo skills

I hated the old RNS-E (the new one is way better I hear) due to its limitations so I wanted something aftermarket that fit nicely and looked somewhat OEM and could have wifi capabilities and the Dynavin, with the Android OS provided all of this as well as the Android Marketplace.

My first time using this, I wasn’t all that impressed. It was quite buggy, kept crashing, and I ended up losing half my audio output and the wifi never worked. Great…I figured I just threw loads of money in the trash.
However, before completely giving up, I figured I’d give my warranty a chance. I therefore sent it back to the US vendor I bought it from and sent them an email with every issues I had.
5 months later (yes, 5 months! good thing I kept my RNS-E which I put back in place during that time) I finally got the unit back. I’m pleased to report that it works flawlessly now. I’ve had it for a year since I got it back and the wifi has NEVER failed me. The system has never crashed and the audio is great. Now, it’s not up to the standard of an audiophile. This isn’t a unit meant to wow you in terms of sound quality, it’s a unit designed to give you plenty of great functionality.

So in the end, I’m quite happy with it and it’s still in the car to this day.

A few things to note though. It uses an old version of Android (2.2 I believe) which is way out of date and not every Android app will run on it. Secondly, the processor and memory is nothing to write home about. Running more than two heavy apps will probably end up causing one of those apps to crash. For example, running winamp and Sygic navigation at the time same can be hit and miss. Google Maps seems to be less resource intensive though and I usually end up using that when I’m in my neck of the woods. However, I need to use my cell phone’s wifi and if I’m abroad, I’m not going to turn on my wifi and pay roaming fees so I use Sygic (off line navigation).

Also, I still haven’t found a USB hub that will allow me to have wifi and bluetooth on at the same time. Some other Dynavin users have claimed to find some but they’re usually no-name ones and they just got lucky. I would like to have wifi and bluetooth on at the same time so that I could buy a bluetooth OBD2 reader and have Torque running on the unit while retaining internet access. At this point though, it’s not the end of the world and I haven’t really kept searching.

So it does have some minor issues but overall, I’m happy with my purchase. Now, if some manufacturer (known brand, not some chinese no name) comes up with their own, more modern version of an Android based system, I might consider upgrading. Until then, I’ll stick with the D99.

Pics:

Taken with my Blackberry

Main screen 1

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin1.jpg

Main screen 2

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin2.jpg

Radio

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin3.jpg

Phone

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin4.jpg

Android side

Weather

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin5.jpg

News

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin6.jpg

Clock

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin7.jpg

Android Custom screen 1

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin8.jpg

Google Maps with live traffic

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin11.jpg

Trapster

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin12.jpg

Navigation Entry

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin13.jpg

Navigation Map/Directions

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin14.jpg

Email and Internet Browser

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin15.jpg

Music Player

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin16.jpg

Main App Menu Top

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin17.jpg

Main App Menu Bottom

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin18.jpg

Status Menu

http://www.gauntlet.net/audi/dynavin19.jpg

Obviously, there’s a lot more I can customize, install, etc. And this is only the default firmware that comes from Dynavin. Rooted firmwares have way more complex stuff.

#19

Thanks for sharing great stuff.

#20

Wow awesome thread

FYI the trexturk pipes are aluminized steel. Not aluminum. And they’re cheaper be ajar your not paying silly “because its a European car” markups.

#21

Ok, thanks for the clarification. Edited.

#22

Great write up. Must have taken awhile to type up.

#23

Mega plus karma

#24

Very nice .
Thanks.

#25

Axel great read. Really enjoyed it…great car too

#26

Thanks for the detailed review of everything Axel!

Did you have a stage 4 JHM clutch before the 5? If so what was the difference between them? I will have to upgrade my stock set up sooner than later but not quite sure what to go with.

Thanks ahead of time

#27

Yeah, stage 4 almost feels like stock after a little while and it’s really easy to drive. Stage 5 is way more aggressive and requires some getting used to/slight adjustment to your starts from a stop. Once you’re moving, it’s pretty much like a normal clutch driving wise.