S4 (B5) or an A4 3.0 Quattro Sport (B6)

j033y

j033y

Registered User
Joined
Jan 29, 2008
Messages
199
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
NULL
Hi Guys

I am in the market for a new car, but was struggling between 3 cars S4 (B5) A4 3.0 Quattro (B6) or BMW 330i Sport (E46)

Pretty much ruled out the BMW although they are lovely cars, there just not an Audi.

I currently have a chipped Golf Gti Turbo (Mk4) And wondered what peoples opinions are on comparing the S4 (B5) and A4 3.0 Quattro (B6)

I have read review after review, looked at many pictures, read many posts but still unsure.

MPG although not important to me, seems similar, i love the look of the B6, but i love the rawness and sleeper look of the S4!

If only i could afford an S4 in the B6 varient, I would not have to think so much!!

Any help would be great guys... from people who have owned 1 or both etc etc, think i will post this in the B5 sections too....

Cheers
 
Depends what it's for:

I was borderline on the B5/B6 (albeit TDI's), but most of my usage was going to be for lugging people up and down motorways, so the bigger, newer B6's safety rating and newer engines made it the more obvious choice (the quattro was just my "luxury" for not going for an E46 :) )

If you're after a track-toy or even if it's just needs to be "chuckable" on a country road and you're not AS concerned about the safety rating then the 2.7TT is going to be a lot quicker, especially since it's a smaller, lighter car! I'm sure sombody will pipe up with their experiences of both.

If you want somehting that's very tunable, consider the B6 1.8TQS: remap it to >200bhp (for about £250) and then over time, spend some cash on modifying that and you're looking at 250bhp fairly easilly and I believe 300bhp is also achievable with a "modest" budget.... 400bhp+ is possible , but that's expensive stuff... both getting and staying there ;)

edit: the additional appeal of the B6 was that it shares the same chassis (and most of the parts-bin) with the B7's and B8's, so not only is that a vote of confidence from Audi in the chassis and build, but there's a lot of really nice stuff to retrofit very easilly (Aero wipers, steering wheels, sat navs, etc).
 
Yes, the only thing really putting me off the s4 is the dated look. I love the interior of the b6. My reasons for the 3.0 over the 1.8t... two fold reallly, i have the 1.8t tuned to 200bhp... and it just aint quick enough for my liking! granted the heavy **** 3.0 will prob slower but this comes to my 2nd reason.... the sound, they sound awesome.

But i would look at the 1.8t it HAS to be quattro, and has to be 300bhp minimum.

I was one day looking at supercharging... but in all honesty, thats a pipe dream. I worry that the b6 form 3.0 just ain't going to do the job, BUT that sound!!! haha.

It would be easier if i had not got bored of 3 door cars, as the s3 would suit me well... but i love saloon cars.... :rock:
 
lostbok said:
edit: the additional appeal of the B6 was that it shares the same chassis (and most of the parts-bin) with the B7's and B8's,
Click to expand...

B7 yes .... B8 no. B8 shares it's platform/chassis with the A5 which is Audi's totally new modular platform for it's larger cars.
 
If you are looking for Silly speeds with 300+ bhp then the S4 Bi turbo is your car, Cheap to buy and just a remap will take it over 300Bhp. Mate of mine has one and its around the 330bhp mark and its just silly Fast - but I say silly as in "yeeeaaaahhh" major Torque aswell BUT like you say they look too dated IMO and i wouldnt have B5 unless we're talking about the RS4 ;)...

Id rule the 3ltr out as by sounds of it you are looking for the BHP and without a super charger on the 3ltr then it wont give you the smile factor.

You mentioned the B6 Quattro 1.8T, ive had 2 and out the 3/4 you mentioned that would be my choice. Uprate the turbo to a Gt28rs or something like that and tweak/change a few bits n bobs and you'll achieve your 300bhp + mark after £2000 - £3000. You'll have yourself a right beast if you go for a set up like this Here...

...and you'll have alot more Torque than the B6 S4 you mentioned.

 
also depends if you want a car with power straight out the box, with less hassle and much cheaper insurance...Are you on about the S4 V8 haha if so i know exactly what you mean ;)
 
Isn't the S4 V8 similar to the current RS4's? If so, it won't take a s'charger as well as the 3.0 V6.... so if you are after lots of bhp and more than 4 cylinders... then 3.0 V6 and supercharg it, but the 1.8T (quattro!) with a few tweaks is path more frequently taken!
 
Personally I would take a B6 over a B5 as it's just a more modern car. I think I would take a 3.0 over a 1.8T too, just as it's a bit more individual. As you say the only real problem is that you are restricted in tuning options with it being an NA engine, even a remap, blueprinted head, improved breathing etc is probably only going to release 20-30 extra bhp I imagine.

Supercharging would be your ultimate, very expensive, but very unique which would appeal to me too, hence my preference for the 3.0 - I tend to prefer larger NA engines anyway, I do love 6 cylinders! I bet if you did a search in the US based forums it wouldn't take long to find some supercharger builds.
 
Buy an Alfa GTA, they are huge fun to drive and rare as rocking horse plops! They are going for about the £6500 - £8000 for really good ones.
 
I was on about the B5 S4 - The Twin turbo model.
B5 shape is a defo NoNo unless like I say its the RS4.....then id settle for the B5 Shape any day:eyebrows:!!!!!!!!

Sounds like you need to be choosing a turbo'd car though whichever you get as it sounds like you want the Boost with BiG BhP.
 
I dont see where the looks are coming in
where the b5 is old looking compared to the b6
i dont see it my self
and having owned both
the interior is loads more durable on the b5 than the b6 .

s4003.jpg

s4006.jpg

s4004.jpg


Also a slightly played with one will eat a v8 B6 for dinner
its the fastest car i have ever owned and not bad on juice for the power either.:s4addict:
 
what about mtm supercharged V8 haha ;)
 
....is what I said in the first place....if he's after silly speeds and torque then the B5 S4 is the car out the Lot. DOnt forget folks he said he cant afford the B6 S4 so we're not comparing them - its between his choices he mentioned...

The B5 does look very dated, this is my Own opinion!
 
Just my opinion and since looks are entirely subjective, that's all it can be:

I think they're about evens on the front: the B6 headlights look a bit sharper and more modern, but the colour coded standard skirts are boring (and the grey ones are crimiinal) especially when compared to any S4! A nicely S-Lined/kitted B6 is the dog's danglies as far as the front goes...once you get around the back, the B5 has it - the tail lights jsut wrap aournf to the top of the boot a bit too much for comfort... should have stopped where the equalent A6 stopped, or had the B5's moulded "lip" :(

Interior-wise, there I will admit that there are a few pretty ropey A4 B6 interiors, but most I've seen will beat the S4 B5 hands down and if you're comparing B5 A4's, then it's no contest! Sharper, more modern both to touch and look at and although the alcantera can wear badly, the other leathers are very hardy. S4 interior was definitely fantastic at the time, but things have moved on.

Paul20V - any interior pics to convince us otherwise?
 
Wow thanks for the replys guys.

I love the idea of the B5 S4, the power the big engine.. it does it for me. guess i really need to try them both out.

The car to me wont be used daily so MPG is not huge, but ideally would not want anything less than 20-25mpg average, my current golf is doing about 30mpg.

I think i like the idea of a b6 3.0 due to it being more modern and having what i love... a big engine.

I have had the 1.8t engine now for a while now, and although an engineering masterpiece and the power you get out of them is amazing, in my eyes, it's still a small engine.

If a lovely looking B6 came along with a 1.8t i would not turn it down. But it would need to be tuned, as i don't really want to go backwards in power. As i imagine A4's are a bit more hefty than a Golf.

S4's seem to be rare, mind you after looking on many websites (ebay/autotrader/pistonheads) if it's to be a B6, i think its got to have the GMBH or something kit on it? not sure if this was standard, but man they look the dogs bits with that kit on!!

Thanks again, and keep the chat coming, your a very friendly forum, real glad i asked the question, most forums would say use the search button!!
 
No probs matey, we're all here to help and offer opinions which sometimes others dont agree with but hey if we were all the same, it would be a boring Forum!!;)

You mentioned the dated look of the B5 S4 - But if you dont completely rule it out and still want to "out the Box" power then the S4 is the one you need to be choosing...with the Whiplash Torque and the potential of reaching 350bhp without a massive Wallet bashing then thats your car.

SOunds like you put the b6 1.8t to the back of the selection so it balls down to the B5 S4 or the b6 3ltr V6.....you know which one makes sense for what you are after Buddy!!!:superman:

The B6 1.8t is tuneable but you'll need to throw down some hefty cash to reach the figure you want power wise.

Big engine on the 3ltr V6 but not a great car to tune to your desire unless like I say you Supercharge it = "Mega dollars"!!!

Lostbok is right with the back end of the B5, looks well blended and dont get me wrong the front end looks Ok but just my opinion that they do look kinda old now as they are. The RS4 is a diff story because of the more agressive beffy look to it makes it stand out from any B5 S4/1.8se/1.8t etc
 
Oh in that case then B5 S4 wins hands down, still a superb design, S status will always keep the value....i dont think there is any comparison TBH....these are collectors cars if you know what i mean lol
 
I hate that 3.0 engine, it's so gutless. It has nothing on the S4s 2.7 but the interior on the B6 is better. I can see your predicament but i'd have to go with the S4. If you can find a nice example with sensible miles on it then, for me, the S4 is the better choice.
 
The Slug said:
wont average 340bhp either ;)
Click to expand...
Trust me my B5 was more than quick enough with 340bhp :)
the V8 sounds nice thou ,
but the v6 sounds very nice especially as i only had a single box system :)
But none sound as good as a 5 pot turbo on full chat :yahoo:
 
Owned my B6 S4 since Spetember '08 and I have to say in comparisson to my old remapped B5 S4 (330bhp) I'm not keen. Yes the V8 sounds fantastic but there's only so much you do do it to achieve minimal perfomance gains. EG: I paid around £1k to get my B5 custom mapped with a few other mods which pushed it from 265bhp to the 330bhp. It pulled like a horse and made me smile everytime I got near it. For the same money I'd probably gain about 30bhp in the B6. I really miss the turbos but also be aware of the maintenance costs of the B5!! Cam Belt, Water Pump etc are engine out jobs and costs plenty. None of those worries with the B6. What is your budget??
To summarise I love both cars for different reasons but once you've had the remapped bi-turbo experience you won't want anything less.
My next car will be either B5 RS4 or C5 RS6.

Good luck mate.
 
Just to throw a spanner in the works, what about a C5 S6? you get the 340bhp V8 but for the price of an B5 S4.. fully loaded and cheap as chips to buy too.. they are bigger, more practical than an S4 and fully loaded with recaro's etc as standard.. Click the link below my pic for more photos..
 
No offence but how do they drive? The S4's a big old lump in my opinion, how does the 6 compare?
Great thought though.
 
The only thing that would put me off the S6 (Or the A6 4.2) is they only fit it with a stupid auto box in the UK.

With a manual it would be a seriously awesome car, but the auto turns me right off it.

Its an S Car, and IMO that means it should have a manual. S cars are supposed to be about the driving experience, and lets face it, without a proper gearbox a lot of that experience goes down the drain.

The S4 is definitely the better car out of the two options. Also, cam belt and water pump is NOT an engine out job, so i dunno where that one came from. Turbos are engine out though, which is a bit silly.
 
Why should an 'S' have a manual box? Are you saying the RS6 isn't a great car to drive with a Tiptronic box? I sort of know what you mean about manually changing gears but you can do that in sequential mode on the auto, just no leg ache from a heavy clutch.
 
aragorn said:
The only thing that would put me off the S6 (Or the A6 4.2) is they only fit it with a stupid auto box in the UK.
Click to expand...

When in tip mode the S6 will rev until redline and then change gear itself, also you can change up or down gears when you like. The S6 V8 doesn't need the engine out to do the t/belt either..

Just another option as they are better specced and a have a lot more room than an S4, also a good bit cheaper too.
 
I have the tip S4 and in 'S' mode it will change gear itself. In sequential mode + - it doesn't. Completely manual other than changing down for example if I'm in 6th and stop at a junction it will go down through the gears.
I am looking at a remap from MRC for the gearbox which I believe enables everything to change manually only so you can hit the limiter.

Happy days.
 
I know that with the S6 from 2002 on you can change the software coding in vag-com so that the + & - work even while in D mode.. I don't have S mode on mine.. Worth a shot, if won't accept a wrong code, so you could have a go..
 
Hmmm,
I have +/- 'D' and 'S' so can't use 'D' and +/- as they are seperate locations on the gearbox.
 
Hmmm,
I have +/- 'D' and 'S' so can't use 'D' and +/- as they are seperate locations on the gearbox.
 
Oh yeah via paddles I can but it won't hold the gears. I can use the paddles in sport or drive but not in +/-.
 
Retract that last statement. In +/- I can use either and it will hold the gears until I change.
 
depends what yr after, if you want to tune something to the max then turbo car it is, if you want something fast out the box, then NA V8 are very good...if you do go for a V8 version at least you wont have any reliability issues as it can handle the power wtih what its built for :)
 
S4 B5 :anbet:

Phenomenal car when it first came out in 1998 and still relevant today. Acceleration is blistering: it does 0-60 in 5.7 seconds in standard form. Looks great (in my opinion), sounds fantastic because of the V6 and is still a fairly practical and sedate vehicle you can use every day.

Most have been chipped so a lot will be pushing out closer to 300 bhp. The standard K03 turbo's can be replaced fairly simply to K04's for awesome power. I agree that it may look slightly dated now but it's still a handsome and sleek car. The interior has not aged as well though, it definitely feels it age. The facelift improved it somewhat though.

The B6 3.0 is a big disappointment, feels slow and lethargic and doesn't sound as nice as the old 2.7 unit in the S4. Granted, it looks nicer and is much more modern, but performance wise it's miles behind the B5.
 
Slug - The B6 S4 aint within his reach as he said, its between the B5 S4/3ltr V6/1.8T mate!:readit:

I might get slated for this but I kinda see the B5 S4 going the way the scooby went...when I got my first scooby I was 21 (9yrs ago) and you wouldnt see hardly any about and I felt like the Unique driver and everyone was always turning their heads because the fact it was a Subaru then as the years went by there was loads circulating especially young lads without insurance tearing them around and they just became common as the Ford fiesta...

My mate bought his B5 s4 8yrs ago and very very rare, hardly seen one at all but now I see loads on the road BUT that could just be here in leicester. Im not saying the B6 aint as common as **** but I still look at the B5 S4 as a kind of 2nd car you'd have for a fun car, sort of a collectors piece, one you keep dust free, tucked away in your garage until playtime!

IMO what gives the B5 the dated look is alot of people cant tell the difference between an S4 and a normal 1.8T on the road due to wannabee's sticking an S4 badge on and some alloys. I just dont think there is enough on the B5 S4 to seperate itself from a normal B5 A4 hence why I see it as dated due to the amount of Standard B5 A4's on the road...
 
Well said Mr Juss:applaus:


J7USS said:
Slug - The B6 S4 aint within his reach as he said, its between the B5 S4/3ltr V6/1.8T mate!:readit:

I might get slated for this but I kinda see the B5 S4 going the way the scooby went...when I got my first scooby I was 21 (9yrs ago) and you wouldnt see hardly any about and I felt like the Unique driver and everyone was always turning their heads because the fact it was a Subaru then as the years went by there was loads circulating especially young lads without insurance tearing them around and they just became common as the Ford fiesta...



My mate bought his B5 s4 8yrs ago and very very rare, hardly seen one at all but now I see loads on the road BUT that could just be here in leicester. Im not saying the B6 aint as common as **** but I still look at the B5 S4 as a kind of 2nd car you'd have for a fun car, sort of a collectors piece, one you keep dust free, tucked away in your garage until playtime!

IMO what gives the B5 the dated look is alot of people cant tell the difference between an S4 and a normal 1.8T on the road due to wannabee's sticking an S4 badge on and some alloys. I just dont think there is enough on the B5 S4 to seperate itself from a normal B5 A4 hence why I see it as dated due to the amount of Standard B5 A4's on the road...
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
Buying a B6 3.0 quattro sport
Replies
5
Views
4K
KevM3
K
Catcherofcarp50
Audi a4 quattro 3.0 sport
Replies
2
Views
704
Catcherofcarp50
Catcherofcarp50
M
S4/B5 Springs fitting an A4/B6
Replies
2
Views
3K
adamss24
A
Hotscar
3.0 Quattro Sport
Replies
1
Views
828
madvw
M
fullpower
b6 3.0 quattro mpg?
Replies
4
Views
796
fullpower
fullpower
Top
Back