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Anyone out there own one of these? We're looking at getting one or the other in the not so distant future, but aren't sure if we want the convertible S4 or TT, or the S4 sedan. The biggest factor is the noise. We have a soft top Jeep Wrangler and the wind noise is substantial. We'll definitely go with the sedan if the noise at highway speeds is even mildly annoying.
Do you need a back seat? If not get the tt, if you do need it get the s4 sedan. I would not even consider the convertable s4(I think unless the car was designed to be a convertable it's ugly)
Are you shopping new? If so, there is no longer a S4 convertible, it was replaced by the S5 Cabriolet and the S4 is now a sedan only. Then you get into price. A S5 Cabriolet starts around $55k. The S4 sedan starts at $47k. The TT starts at $38k, but isn't comparable performance wise to the S4/5. You can step up to the Audi TTS, which starts at $47k and is offered as a coupe and convertible, but the performance isn't the same. To get the performance of the S4/5 you need to step up to the $57k Audi TT RS, but that comes as a coupe only.
In terms of wind noise, they are nowhere near what a Jeep is. With the top up they are noisier then a fixed roof car, but not by much. With the top down it depends on use of windblockers, all windows open or closed, etc. Overall, having had a Jeep in the past and currently owning an Audi TT roadster, I can tell you they are a world apart in terms of the topdown experience.
I think you need to decide what you are ultimately after. Is performance important to you? If so, how much is enough? Do you want a convertible above all else? How many seats do you realistically need? What is your price point?
Nope. On the S4, we're looking at 2003-2008. Year isn't really important if we go with the TT.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJGOAT
In terms of wind noise, they are nowhere near what a Jeep is. With the top up they are noisier then a fixed roof car, but not by much. With the top down it depends on use of windblockers, all windows open or closed, etc. Overall, having had a Jeep in the past and currently owning an Audi TT roadster, I can tell you they are a world apart in terms of the topdown experience.
That's kind of what I expected, but my experience with convertibles is limited to the Jeep, and my first car, which was a '66 MG Midget that had no top at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJGOAT
I think you need to decide what you are ultimately after. Is performance important to you? If so, how much is enough? Do you want a convertible above all else? How many seats do you realistically need? What is your price point?
It's going to replace our current Town Car. The TC is nice because we can put three kids in the back, and they all have leg room, but we also have an Astro van and a quad cab pickup, so we don't really need the passenger space. The "fun factor" is the primary reason we're looking at the S4 (instead of the A4), and of course the TT.
We were going to find a late '60s or early '70s roadster like an MG, Fiat, Austin-Healey, etc., but came across something on the S4 that sort of "wowed" us, and after doing some research into it, I only became more impressed.
The convertible factor isn't all that important. Living in Las Vegas, it's either too hot or too cold to have the top down most of the time, so it'd be up more often than not. I don't mind having the option, though, if it isn't too noisy when it's not down.
How's your car been as far as reliability and maintenance? I haven't looked much into that aspect of ownership yet. Can you take it to any ol' mechanic to have it worked on, or do you need special dealer-only equipment and dealer-only labor rates to get repairs done?
We had a new 07 sedan. Had other Audis before, this was was the best of all. Beautiful car all around, most importantly, beautiful to drive.
If you're currently driving a Town Car, which is comparatively primitive, common, and simple to work on, you may have some surprises when it comes to the cost and availability of maintenance. I've driven European cars my whole life, so it's kind of a given for me. But I do hear a lot of first time European car owners express some surprise when they have non-warranty work done.
The S4 isn't the kind of car that every place in town can service, but in a big city like Las Vegas you should be able to find a good independent or two. As you know, the S4 has all wheel drive, which increases the number of components that can wear out. Lots of drivetrain parts. Brakes are expensive. Everything is expensive. We had it for around 45k miles--before the warranty ran out. The battery was $260, IIRC. Tires were pricey (Z rated 40 series 18s or 19s, don't remember). No warranty repairs. Oil changes were expensive, and it required synthetic oil, although that's a lot more common today, than it was in 2007. I wouldn't trust the local jiffy lube to handle the car.
The last thing I would be a bit wary of, is that the car had been, let's say, "enjoyed" a bit hard. Not trying to talk you out of it, just saying, consider it. I doubt a lot of old church ladies buy them.
Finally, assuming that you find a good one, you will have a great time with it. The interior is ideal, seats are awesome, everything about it is made for driving, and not just for a few minutes. It's a good long haul rocket.
Nope. On the S4, we're looking at 2003-2008. Year isn't really important if we go with the TT.
That's kind of what I expected, but my experience with convertibles is limited to the Jeep, and my first car, which was a '66 MG Midget that had no top at all.
It's going to replace our current Town Car. The TC is nice because we can put three kids in the back, and they all have leg room, but we also have an Astro van and a quad cab pickup, so we don't really need the passenger space. The "fun factor" is the primary reason we're looking at the S4 (instead of the A4), and of course the TT.
We were going to find a late '60s or early '70s roadster like an MG, Fiat, Austin-Healey, etc., but came across something on the S4 that sort of "wowed" us, and after doing some research into it, I only became more impressed.
The convertible factor isn't all that important. Living in Las Vegas, it's either too hot or too cold to have the top down most of the time, so it'd be up more often than not. I don't mind having the option, though, if it isn't too noisy when it's not down.
How's your car been as far as reliability and maintenance? I haven't looked much into that aspect of ownership yet. Can you take it to any ol' mechanic to have it worked on, or do you need special dealer-only equipment and dealer-only labor rates to get repairs done?
I've owned a total of three Audi's. I had a 2000 A4, a 2004 A6 and now have a 2004 TT. The TT I bought specifically because I got a fantastic deal on it, but it did need a bit of work. It needed four new tires, a timing belt/water pump replacement, new brakes, tuneup, new clutch and the gauge cluster was bad (common issue on the older Audi's). I was able to do the majority of work myself and used a local independent VW/Audi shop to do things like the timing belt and clutch. I got the car for around $6k and have put another $2,000 or so into it. I plan to flip it in the next few months and should make a little money on it.
In the case of the TT they aren't so complex that you can't take them to a regular mechanic for routine work, but you would probably be much better off finding a good independent VW/Audi mechanic. Overall, they tend to be "quirky" and having someone who knows the quirks can help when it comes to fixing something. Parts are readily available and easy to come by, especially on the TT's as they share so many parts with the VW's.
The S4 is a unique car and I really like them. The issue with getting a used one is how used it is. They are pretty robust, but can get tired out pretty quick if abused. The other issue, which I guess really isn't an issue on a "fun" car is that the gas mileage is horrible. Most S4 owners are happy getting 17 or so combined and maxing out around 20 on the highway is pretty normal. In town mileage tends to be in the low-mid teens. In contrast, my TT regularly gets 30+ on the highway with the cruise on and manages low-20's around town. The S4 also has rather expensive parts as a lot of pieces on the car are unique. From brake rotors and pads to rims and tires and the large oil capacity, regular maintenance items are pretty pricey. It is also much more of a necessity to find that indie Audi mechanic that is familiar with the car.
Overall, if you are sort of looking for that '60-'70 "roadster experience", the TT is probably going to do a much better job in that department then the S4 will. The S4's are great cars, but the cost of ownership is higher all around. The TT at the end of the day is really just a glorified VW Golf, but a very good one.
I've been thinking of a 2004-2007 S4 as my next car for business(I probably do around 20,000 business miles a year), but having owned Audi's for 11 years some of the "quirks" can wear thin, the S4 has a lot of more expensive, rarer parts and the gas mileage sucks.
Of the ones I have looked at, they are either modded(not good) and ragged out or extremely well kept(of course with a price premium). As one owner said these cars may be worth around $15-30K now but it's still a $60k car when it comes to maintenance and parts.
It's definitely something I've been waffling over, which way to go, whether to get a whole different brand, a newer A4 turbo or the S4.
Synthetic oil (which I assume is what most of Audi's models) aren't cheap, unless you DIY. I am guessing it will be around 5x the cost of your Toyota (on average).
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