I have had my 07 B7 S4 since July of 2014 and have enjoyed modding it and of course driving it. However I am considering moving into a B8 model. The two main reasons for this are to move into something newer and to avoid the timing chain issue. I have enough mechanical skill to pull the engine and do the job but am debating if I shold just not save that cash, sell the B7 and put it all towards a B8. Here is the rub. I am wondering if I will never get beyond my love for that V8 and how it pulls like a rabid rhino around 300k. Have you owned a B7 and now have a B8. What are your thoughts if you have?
I have a few thoughts. First I have my b6 and still love the car. The B7 has some fresh updates but the style is just hard to pass up on. S4 wise the new S4 can be made pretty quick but I dont think it has the soul like the NA 4.2 has. i have been in a few and it just dosent do it for me. I had thought about getting into something newer but the S4 still has that feel you were talking about.
The one car I was thinking about that is a newer car but still has excitment and a real lux hotrod feel is the V10 S6. Its newer you can get them for cheap and there is now some exciting stuff coming out for them. I still have my 3.0 A4 and other then the S4 body updates its still has that style I love.
Had a manual b6 Avant (straight piped Fast Intentions exhaust), Tiptronic B7 Avant(FI catback), now i’m onto a s-tronic b8.5.
The creature comforts for me definitely make it worth the jump imo.
I ended up selling the b7 to a close friend, so I get to see the differences back to back. The b7 was easier to play with in the snow, definitely more raw, the sound is awesome… I did a host of modifications: Accuair air, FI exhaust, JHM tune, bbs wheels, porsche bbk. But for all that money I felt like the b8 was better.
I do know that my personal inclination is closer to luxury than sports car. I’d rather have a bit more of a muted feel and have it quiet and smooth.
Doesn’t touch this sound though: https://www.instagram.com/p/ojOMSQkZ-9/?taken-by=superslighty
If I had my way I’d have my red avant back and the b8 too.
If only they had b8 wagon s4’s over here…
The B8 is excellent. You can’t go wrong getting into one. I have lots of seat time in the B8 S4 and have owned a B8 A4 Avant for 7 years, and owned a B7 S4 for about 4 years before it.
The B7 S4 had more character than the B8 S4, mostly related to sound. Of all the days I’ve been driving a B8 S4, nobody has ever asked me abotu the car, whereas people regularly asked me about my B7 (probably once every 2 months or so someone would stop me to ask what was up with it).
When I was moving on from the S4, I was thinking ‘this car will need clutch, timing chain etc before long’ (it had 75,000 miles) so I decided to get an RS4. Figured that it’s an extension of the S4 character, but better in almost every conceivable way, all the way down to the engine not having the timing chain issue, or the shitty piston design that led to scored cylinders on the S4.
I still have my RS4 5 years later and love it. Can’t think of any reason to sell it. Problem is other RS4s have 70,000+ miles on them now, so it’s not as realistic to do what I did. I bought mine with 28,000 miles on it. It’s now at 82,000.
I reckon if it got stolen I’d have to make a tough decision.
Sakimono…That is exactly the problem I am running into. I began by looking into getting an RS4 since I really enjoy the B7 body style and the V8. Yes, most are becoming high milage and the one I came across in the 20,000 mile range was going for 55k. That is out of my price range. If I take the emotons out of it when thinking of my S4 and just run the numbers then it comes down to this. In order to get the most out of a non built 4.2 then it would require headers, tune, ported intake, exhaust, and the cherry on top, a blower. Using all JHM parts, then I am looking at roughly an additional 10 to 12 thousand. Add on to that the timing service and a clutch and I am looking at a total of about 15-17 thousand to up the horespower and run it beyond 100,000 miles confidently. Those numbers are conservative and include me doing all of the wrenching. Now If I sell it I can reasonably expect 16-17k,(I paid 20k originally) put another 14k into a 2010-2011 B8, another 1,200 for a GIAC tune and I am into a car in the 400 range for HP, and still ahead. Newer car, less milage, no wrenching. Now putting the emotions back into it, I am a huge fan of the B7 body style. The B8 is muted and lacks the same hint of power and aggressiveness that the B7 has. And that V8! In the end I will have go test drive the B8 and see what I think.
Hard decision
Yes, when making the decision on a financial basis, don’t forget to estimate what you can sell each option for 4 years from now. That’s something else I looked at. The RS4 has only depreciated about $20,000 since I bought it. In 4.5 years.
Good point I’ll be interested to see resale on the b8s so far it’s been decent most example are at least 20-25k even the b8 s5 with v8 and original b8 s4. Holding decent now imo. We will see how it fares long term compared to rs4