The WORST Parts of Owning an Audi S4 

Since I have seen way too many comments about bluetooth audio streaming thing, I am going to clarify it here. As I stated in the video, the B8 DOES NOT offer bluetooth media, my B8.5 does come with bluetooth. I use it every single time I drive the car, bluetooth + spotify immediately!

So long story short there’s no actual problems with this car

number 1 worst part of owning an Audi S4 (personal experience): -it's not an RS4

There are no downsides.

Eddie: "I'm not replacing this anytime soon!" 5mo later: "I'm selling the S4!"

so... a 2014 MMI interface seems dated in 2018? Shocking. This car is amazing.

When I used to work for Audi as a tech, I remember a lot of complaints, specifically about the S4/S5 brakes. There were no major changes in what Audi did other that coat the rotors with a “noise resistant” material. I’ve heard going aftermarket is way better to keep the noise away.

Hi Eddie, I am looking at used s4s and was wondering if you know what to look for when buying and what type of issues/maintaince to expect

completely agree as a b8.5 owner as well. Including being 6'4... its really hard sometimes to find that perfect driving position especially on long trips.

Hey man what do you edit video with, you’ve got all 3 cameras synced up perfectly. Love the content man can’t wait to get myself an Audi as well. Cheers!

Plan to upgrade in April. Love the b8.5, but also am starting to like the new S3. Any thoughts to consider between the two? We currently have a b9 A4 that we love

Doesn't sound too bad. I can handle squeaky brakes and the MMI system does nothing for me. more often than not, I prefer the sound of the engine. I'm looking for S4s and S5s right now. Trying to find a deal so looking in the 2008-2012 range. Any suggestions or things to look out for? I've heard timing chain can be an issue. What's your experience so far in terms of maintenance costs? I watched your video about the $200 oil change. Any other expensive issues?

As a B8 S5 owner, the MMI and the brakes I 100% agree with. Can't comment on the size as I bought a 2 door lol. Have had it less than a year and although I do enjoy the car I may be replacing her with something different this year (used as my daily/winter beater). Great vid.

Would have loved it if this was just a 10 seconds black screen video, cause having an Audi S4 has no downsides at all :D

I don't understand why people say the wheel goes the wrong way. When you rotate it to the right, AKA clockwise, the image on the MMI rotates to the right AKA clockwise. If you rotate it to the left, AKA counter clockwise, the images on the MMI screen rotate counter clockwise. It only looks a little strange when the selector is on the bottom. However, it rotates the same direction its turned! just strange that that bothered people!

Excellent video so thank you. I'm currently looking for a s4 supercharged v6. Are their any major differences beside the mmi between the b8 vs b8.5? The cars in looking at have around 40-50k miles on it and both are a b8 and 8.5 in great condition so I'm wondering if i should save some $ and go the earlier version? Planning on getting either a revo or apr flash but keeping a quiet or stock exhaust on it

Have you or will you be tuning it? I am considering getting a Q5, and the S4 has the same Powertrain.

are you going to do any modifications? for example straight pipe?

great video, short concise and to the point!

Eventually, everything feels dated.

you mentioned the audi rs7 , so why dont you look at early audi A7s with the same engine they are really a steal for a great daily. maybe even an early s7

I really like your channel. I had a b 8.5 s4 and loved it. When I was looking for a car, I cross shopped s4, c450, and 335i. It will be insteresting to see a video of how you would choose among the three.

Does the sports diff help at all with daily driving, along with possible doing a stage2+ tune? And how does the steering differ from having the dynamic steering? I drove an s4 with DS and i loved the precision, quickness, and weight of the steering

Any transmission issues/complaints w this car? From what I can see on videos tuned s tronic 8.5's slip on full throttle upshifts quite often. Have you noticed anything in stock form? Drivability/slipping/jerks?

The brake squeal and brake dust on my 2015 B8.5 S4 finally got to be too much for me this winter. I replaced the pads with EBC YellowStuff. The dust and squeal both reduced by 95%. I still get a tiny squeak every now and again, but it's a whole lot better.

Hi I’m from CT and im thinking of buying an S4 but it would be used and more than likely around the 100,000 mile range. Would you recommend buying this car if I’m coming from an A6 (totaled in an accident, not my fault) and want a slightly faster, compact Audi or should I keep shopping around for A6s (cheaper for the same mileage and still fast for daily drives with the 3.0 supercharged)?

I have a 13 S4 n im starting to love it more then my TT a little

I feel you bro, I love my 2013 S5, but I hate the laggy MMI, and also steering is not as precise as I expected

Howdy Eddie! Im curious about the 2014 Audi Allroad Premium Plus. Ive never owned an upscale German car before and Im in the market for a newer pre-owned car. Im not wealthy by any means but i want something solid, reliable, easy and affordable to own and sportier than a camry or altima. I found this car with 80,000 miles on it and theyre asking price is $15,200.00. Any advice? Is the maintenance on audis expensive?

Hi Eddie, i chanced upon your video while researching for my next ride. I was looking to choose between Audi S4 B8 and BMW F30 335i. what are the common and major problems for the ride (e.g mechatronic unit dying) and what should I be looking out for when looking for one? if you have experience with BMW F30 335i, how does it compare to that? Sorry to comment on an old video.

There's a 2016 s4 premium+ with 92k miles in my price range but haven't seen much on higher mileage versions, what would be the general things to look out for before buying? This would be my first car that I'll be owning with over 100k miles. Good informative video!

Great review 🔥

I am considering a b8 s4 at some point. Do you know if there are updates available for the mmi systems?

Totally agree with you. Plus also the notchy steering feel. I had a 2015 s4, and i ended up trading it in for a 2013 S7. No regrets.

@Eddiex where is the car small for a taller individual? Is it the roof height, depth of footwell, or knee support (short seat length)?

Hey I’m considering the 2018 Audi s4 automatic any suggestions over the Manual models ?

Great video! I'm looking at purchasing a 2012 S4 b8 and asked the owner of it has Bluetooth connectivity. He said it did for calls and music - his car is %100 stock. In the video you made it seem like there is no Bluetooth connectivity for music. Can you clarify this for me?

My 2014 S4 B8.5s brakes used to squeek also. I switched to the 2 piece rotors and ceramic brake pads and haven't had any issues since then.

i’m looking into a b8.5 with a manual transmission and i was wondering what is a good price to get it at? and i’m planning on getting a higher mileage one but under 80k miles

I"m looking into a 2013 S4 with about 98,000 miles which makes it about my price range. What mechanical issues do i have to worry about around the that mileage? The car looks really clean and taken care of but i want to get an idea of maintenance cost. I've never owned an audi before

Owner of a 2011 6MT S4 here. Like you said, arguably best car in price point and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! Nonetheless, things I'm not a fan of are: -rear legroom. I am 6' and generally whoever sits behind my driver seat is not going to be super comfortable -mpg. On a good tank I'll get 23 mpg and I drive conservatively! -stock exhaust is very muted, and in the B8.5 is flat out artificial (Audi Soundaktor). AWE has helped me fix this :DD -not having bluetooth in MMI is really lame. Tune2Air bluetooth adapter fixes this, but you shouldn't have to pay for an $80 adapter...

I'm looking to buy a manual one, what are some things that I need to look for that can cause me problems? What is a good mileage/price range

Where do you get maintenance and how much does it cost? I’m also in southeast Michigan and am looking to buy a B8.5

Do you have any issues with your daytime running light? I do. It was white when I bought the car,but it looks like yellowish white now Mine is 2014 B8.5

I'm looking into purchasing an S4 from across the US. It currently has 133,000 miles on it. How much longer would the car last me if it were well maintained and serviced regularly?

The last point about size and comfort is the really only downside I find with my GTI. I'm a bigger guy too (6'3 200 lbs) and while I fit fine, it's just a little small when you get multiple people in there

I spin the MMI knob the wrong way every day in my B8.5 S4

My 2013 335i brakes squeak in the winter too. You Audi guys aren’t alone ;)

Hey Eddie, fan here from Connecticut with 2012 S4. Well had, just leased a '18 GTI Autobahn, the only thing I miss is the rocket boost from that sweet V6 Supercharged. You're absolutely right about the brakes squealing in the winter. It's actually kind of embarrassing to be honest when you pull up on a stoplight and your brakes squeal like crazy. Anyway, would you recommend to others looking into a Golf R vs a S3/S4? On the VW vortex forums it's a heated debate that usually leads people asking the question more indecisive than when they started.

I must be weird then, haha. The MMI rotation to me is common sense in my B8.5 and I love the tap left/right of tracks on the volume knob. If you're like me and rest your arm on the center console while driving, the volume/track button actually makes sense. I drive a DSG now, but when I had the 6MT it was super nice since my hand was always on the shift lever, so a short distance to change tracks/radio/volume vs. going backwards to the MMI which is only switch tracks/radio and no volume. Oh, and brake squeal? Totally got it. Super annoying! Love the initial bite, though.

looking at getting a b8 but from my research the early year dsg's can fail. tho after watching ignitiontubes recent video he reports that his 8.5 also has a older gen trans so i guess b8 or 8.5 early years can have these issues. have you noticed anything with your trans? I think you said yours was a 2014.

I've owned by B8 S4 for a year also and have to say it's so much fun to drive. Not having streaming bluetooth audio was a quick $60 fix which was well worth the money. All you do is plug a device into the port in the glove box and just leave it in there. I live up here in snowy, cold Minnesota and with over 100k miles on my car I have not once experienced break squeak. My taller friends say that they fit great in the front and feel like they have enough room. However, it is pretty damn tight in the back for them.

I thought the MMI knob was backwards, until one day I noticed the display often has a circle-like theme, on the left and/or right. If you look at that and turn the knob, it makes sense. It kinda blew my mind.

Love the interior on this! Wish I had it in my RS

I got a bitchin 2001 b5 a4 with a 2.8 V6 and a hefty 250,000 miles. Kept in good condition and motor redone recently. How long do you think this puppy will last ?

Thanks for sharing! I live in Troy MI, ‘16 S4 manual. Now I know why my brakes squeak too!!! Cheers bro! I need new summer tires, any recommendations?

@EddieX, you still driving this car? Curious what your experience was around 30k - 60k miles, if you made it that far.

Wgatyears do theB8, and B8.5 start? Was looking at a 2013 Audi S4 3.0 Quattro. Going to be my first. What should i be looking for before i pull the trigger. It has 41,971 k

B8.5 S4 owner here, also a friend at work has the same car in my spec except with the DCT. Can confirm we both get the brake squeaking in the cold. For me it's really minor, I barely notice it other than light braking at low speeds.

I found with mine that the salt brine pre treat they spray on the roads seems to cause the loud squeal. I actually got pulled over by my town cops for the noise with the cop saying my brakes were bad. Had to inform him no, the pads were 4000 miles old and everything was in working order. My complaint with the car is the seats. I ended up getting a pad for the seats as they are so uncomfortable for long distances. My previous Audi A4 the seat was so comfortable I could drive 1/3 of the way across the country in a day with no issues at all. I also hate that to change the radio or adjust the air you have to go through two steps. In the end for me the cockpit sucks but I enjoy everything else about the car.

Not sure if the brakes are the same on the S5 as they are on the S4, but I haven't had any squeaking issues so far this winter

I had the same issue with the brakes. I switched to a high quality ceramic pad and it has reduced if not eliminated the cold brake squeal. It also cut down the brake dust by 90%. Just and FYI

My B8.5 Audi A4 brakes squeaks loudly as well when it’s cold outside.

I have a 2008 BMW 335i FBO w/ JB4 tune, I love her but I am thinking to upgrade to a 2012 S4 stage 2 APR w/ bolt ons and sport diff. Any thoughts on comparison? Maintenance costs? Should I stay BMW, I love the pull of the RWD but I cant afford the newer M3. My roomate loves audi so I am thinking to make the switch.

The brakes! Holy crap yes. I thought it was just mine.

Any recommendations for bluetooth while taking out the adapter for the Audi b8 that doesn't have bluetooth and a broken adapter dock

What are you talking about I stream music from my phone through Bluetooth on my mmi B8.5. the volume toggle is badass I love using it you could put the volume up and down and skip tracks readily how could you hate it???

You say you’re on the taller side but how tall exactly cause I’m 6’4” and I can still fit pretty well in smaller coupes like the mx5 and I currently daily a 3rd gen eclipse so if it’s roomier then that I’ll be happy

Love my S4!! But when it needs work...the pockets hurt lol

I’m looking to buy my neighbors 2010 sprint blue s4 with the alcantara seats. It has 85k miles. What should I beware of or make sure he receipts for?

I've had a B8.5 S4 for 6 months now. The brakes squealing is the annoying bit for me. The MMI knob scroll direction got me for like the first day or so, but I very quickly got used to the direction. I don't use it for bluetooth audio. I thought the skip buttons were unexpected, but made sense. My hand rests near the knob anyway, so I can skip around without looking for a button.

I have the same gripes mentioned on my 2014 S4. Correct if I’m wrong, I don’t think I can toggle music forward/backward on the steering wheel when I’m connect via Bluetooth.

Eddie I found a 2014 Nogaro Blue edition S4 with 24k miles on it. Straight unicorn status, should I jump on it?

If size is an issue wouldn't the s6 be more that speed or the s8?

I really wish more people knew about your channel

I was looking to buy a 2012 s4 does it have an aux outlet as far as music goes?

I know this video is really old but I'm looking at B8 S4s right now. I found a 2010 with 90k miles for $14,700. Is that a good deal? It's really clean inside and out and runs fine

Had a B8.. sold it, went through a few other sports cars but I think I want one again (B8.5).. the engine was so great!

not sure where you are in MI, but my B8.5 lost a tire to this states amazing roads earlier this week. thank god I could get a new one before this snow storm hit. Great car though

How much worse is the mpg during the cold Michigan winter?

The volume knob combined with the skip/replay toggle is pretty insane. I can only imagine how many times I'd go to turn the volume up and accidentally skip to the next song, that would drive me nuts too haha.

I'm curious how tall you are? I've seen conflicting opinions on comfortable this car is for tall people.

Hey Eddie, I owned an A4 3.0 TDI of the same generation which you can see in my profile picture and sold it because of the not up-to-date MMI. You *can* listen to your music though, there's a very weird AUX-connection in the glove box. Still a great car and often times I regret selling it

I have daily driven B8 and B8.5 S4's since 2010, and the best way I can describe this car is: The S4 is a car that is pretty good at most car duties, but not great it any one category. Rear leg room is OK, trunk space is OK, MPG is OK, handling is not true sports car level. The real areas the car is exceptional are snow driving and value. With snow tires, plus sport diff, the car is a beast in the winter! Retail prices and resale value for the S4 are extremely reasonable. The lack of Bluetooth audio control is frustrating, the brakes, ehhh just brake a bit harder (don't lightly drag) and the squeal goes away. My B8 had adaptive dampers, in comfort mode the ride was much more plush, would really smooth out expansion joints. My B8 & B8.5 and 120k miles combined driving was reliability, only had the B8 in for one warranty stop, the drivers side proximity door sensor failed. Other than that nothing other than regular service and tires.

I’m looking into a b8 or b8.5 and overall from what I understand it’s a very sold car and super fun. I’m coming from a 335j which was a great fun car but a nightmare maintenance wise but I’ve hear the dct can have issues? Anyone with experience if you could let me know about this that would be great! Thanks!

I agree. I am 6'4" and feel just a little bit too tall for the back rest portion of the seat. And because it is a one piece seat, which looks great, I can't adjust the headrest to be level with my head. All in all, it's a small price to pay for such a fun daily driver. And, my daily commute doesn't have any stop and go highway driving so I got the 6 speed manual which makes the S4 far more fun and engaging to drive.

I open this to hear abt maybe timing chain or breakdowns and this guys speaking about buttons that got moved around 😂😂

Just got my 2014 S4 a few months ago and love it! My brakes also squeak in the cold lol. Love the car though.

Do you plan on getting your s4 tuned or any mods in general?

I have a 2013 S4 and I have put over 35,000 miles on it. It’s a great car. I love it for a daily and it has performance to match. I have a Stage 1 tune and it feels even better now. The brakes can be annoying but the car as a whole is the best

I’m considering a 958 Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Macan Turbo, Audi S4, and Audi RS5 at the moment to replace my current Volkswagen Passat, looking to finally upgrade! How reliable has the S4 been for you mechanically? Carbon buildup? Suspension? DSG maintenance? Looking for something to match the reliability of my Passat which has made 1 dealer visit in 3 years. 😃

Bro I absolutely love the volume switch skip control, I’m pissed they have some wierd ass Haptic Touch on the new ones

got a 2015 s4, manual, same interior as yours. really no complaints (yes breaks are annoying in the winter, but if you break pretty hard it'll get it to go away for a bit)

Is there parts you can buy to boost the reliability.

What do you think about the 2012 model?

My brakes squeak too also noticed it only in the cold. I have a '15 s4 3.0T. Same colour and interior as yours.

Do they have the timing issues like the other ones

I have a b8.5 s5. With the brake squeak try slamming on them at a good speed. I think they develop grooves which causes the noise. Dealership told me this fix. Worked great.

Could you make a cost of ownership video? Where you break down all the numbers that would be awesome!

I have the exact car as you, bought it in July, just hit 30k miles, I've had it to the dealership for warranty work 4 times already. One of the issues were the brakes (they fix the squealing if you bitch enough), steering rack needed to be replaced (notchy/ unresponsive steering (known issue), back up cam stopped working, needed to be replaced, sports diff fault code and ABS fault code along with ABS completely stopped working after sensors got snow pack during a blizzard. I love the car and would like to keep it, just feel I'm taking a major gamble once the warranty runs out in a few months.