Audi S4 and S4 Cabriolet

rjlaero · April 2005

The Cabriolet is a seperate production line and will not get any new grill or body changes until the 2007 model year. The 06 is basically carrying on unchanged.

I wish the new 2.0 & 3.2 engines were going in the 06 Cab's, but they will have to make due with the old 1.8 and 3.0 engines.

mabod · April 2005

I just came from the dealer. e said AUDI will stop production of S4 cab until 2006 model comes out with the new front grill to match all other new audi. I want the old style grill som am looking to buy soon before their aren't available. Someone here said in May "something will change" with the cab. Now I'm confused. Any help out there ?

thanks

rjlaero · April 2005

To my knowledge, you will be able to order a 2006 S4 Cabriolet, and they will have the old style grill.

They changed the cupholders on the cab's, and mid year 05's were available with the new MMI Nav screen. That's about it for changes, except for some colors & maybe different wheels.

In terms of "stopping production", Audi shuts down plants for a bit between models years, so that may what your dealer may have been talking about.

You might not be able to order an 05 anymore, and have to wait for 06's, which will arrrive around September.

mabod · April 2005

Thanks BUT !!!!

I just called my Audi dealer . He said 2006 S$ cab will be the new grill. PERIOD !

where do you get your info ??

rjlaero · April 2005

I don't think that makes sense. The A4 Cabs are a totally different production line.

Why would they put the new grill on the S4 and leave the 1.8 & 3.0 the same?

I work for an Audi dealer & the corporate high ups told us it would be 2 summers until we got the new grills & body style on the convertibles, which means 2007 model year.

We'll see as one of us is wrong. It could be me as I'm going on what Audi reps are telling us.

bmwccc · May 2005

rkb

I am assuming because it is a 2005.5 it does not have bluetooth. Do you know what other options are going to be included on the 2006 vs. the 2005.5?

Also, the 52k, before taxes right? What did your car and options invoice at and then what $ amount was the dealer profit on top of the invoice cost? I am trying to find out how much they are dealing right now on the 2005.5.

Also, you made a comparison of the seats being more comfortable than the 330i sport seats. Were those the 2006 330i sport seats or your 2002Ci sport seats?

Thanks

esf · May 2005

I just bought a 2005 S4 Cabriolet, so I know more about that, but I can still answer your questions. No, there is no new scheduled body style until all the A4s are redesigned in 2007. The reason for this is that the Cabriolet is newer than the sedan/wagon was, and they didn't think it was old enough yet. The interior will be essentially the same- it'll probably have new colors, though.

I think the '05 is pretty enough already.

rkb · May 2005

bmwccc:

Correct, no Bluetooth - sorry don't know what the new options for 2006 will be.
Total invoice was almost identical to invoice as per edmunds.com "New 2005 Audi S4 listing" and the dealer "made" ~$1200 over invoice. This was the first 2005.5 S4 sold at my dealership, the car was traded for from another dealership. Good luck with negotiations, I had several other connections to this dealership and I had done my research in depth - for example, I initially did not want the wheel upgrade, but the car "came" with it, I countered with an offer of cost on the wheels and they immediately accepted. So either, invoice is actually not what we are getting from edmunds.com and kbb.com, or I got "taken" in some other aspect. Funny thing was that the dealer, when I was getting ready to sign papers asked how I knew that the wheels cost $410?
The seats are compared to a 2002 330CiC with Sport, Premium, and Cold pkgs.

At 500 miles I am even happier with the car! Easy to drive, fun, spirited when you want it to be. Excellent choice for me for my daily driver with 60 miles of highway per day. It's nicely "stealth" with a real muscular feel / look. AC works fast (good thing with the Ebony interior) - just haven't determined if the auto dimming rear view makes any difference at all.
The controls are really ergonomically excellent - better even than the 2002 BMW.
Only oddity is the "road feel" that is present in the accelerator. Feels to me like something is grinding, or the brake is on, or just something weird is going on. Never had this feel in a car before - so it'll take some getting used to.

esf · May 2005

I'm just guessing- you have an S4 Sedan? Well, my Cabriolet already had a problem. I feel bad to rag on Audi, and this S4 is the best car I've ever owned. Anyway, I've owned it for a little less than two weeks. I haven't needed the A/C or heat yet, because the weather's been pretty perfect here (suburb of Chicago) for the past few days. But, yesterday, it got a bit hotter, so I tried the A/C. Of course, it didn't work. So, I brought the beast to my local Audi dealership to get it fixed, and they give me the most beautiful car: 2002 purple Pontiac Grand Am, for a loaner. It's pathetic- even my 23 year-old daughter said that. I'm embarrassed to drive it, so the only drive I'm planning on doing besides bringing it home is bringing it back to the dealership. I'm currently driving my son's '98 A4 sedan 1.8T. Can't wait to get my convertible back...

mav1 · May 2005

have been on the market for a new S4. The dealership I leased my last car from has an S4 that I would like to buy. Invoice price for this car is $49,340
(with options) they want $51,506 this price includes a charge of $506.00 for prep (cleaning etc.)of car and a Document processing fee, that I have never heard of before! and is not on the agreement as a separate item.
they also would like me to buy an extended warranty. I am not sure what to do.
Is this $506.00 charge for preping the car legitimate? and is $51,000 a good price.
Please help! buying cars has really stressed me out. I have not been able to sleep much.

rjlaero · May 2005

$506.00 prep is just a dealer add on.......it doesn't come from the factory.

Buying an extended warranty on a S4 is not a bad idea if you plan to keep the car for more than 4 years / 50 k miles. But don't be pressured into it.

S4's are out there, but it's a limited production car and dealers are not going to give them away. If you can get $750-1000 off MSRP, it's not a bad deal. You might get a little more (older body) beacuse the new body style w/ the larger grill just came out. But both cars are still 2005's on the window sticker and it might not matter that much.

esf · May 2005

Sorry, I was wrong on my last reply to you. Actually, it's a secret I think, but the Cabriolet is being updated in winter this year, or spring next year. It's going to have similar-but-better-looking headlights than the sedan, and will retain its flowing body. I'm pretty sure the A4 Cabriolet will get the 2.0T engine standard, and the 3.2 optional. The S4's engine will be unchanged, but the outside will probably have new wheels and possibly a more aggresive bodykit.

ilight4u · June 2005

I just bought a 2004 A4 Cab, and would like to add a "perimeter sensor" or "field disturbance sensor" to the factory alarm system to activate the alarm when someone reaches inside the car, or is too close to it. Has anyone found a way to add these sensors, or to integrate a Viper aftermarket alarm system with those features into the Audi A4 and have it controled by the Audi key-fob / factory alarm system?
ilight4u

aec11 · June 2005

I took delivery of a 2005.5 S4 on April 1, and have already had a serious problem with the tire pressure monitoring system. It had already acted up the first week I had the car, and then a few weeks later it went out completely. It's been in the shop for over a week now, and my dealer is replacing the whole system. I understand Audi has had lots of problems with this system over the last two years or so. Anyone have any information on this?

png · June 2005

Just got an s4 avant 2005.5 with the new navigation system. First off I love this car but the whole stereo navigation display is a bit beat. The color shemes for the music are prtty ugly.

The mp3 cards work great see song info title etc, but when I use the cd changer no cd information or track info. It just states cd1 cd2 etc and then track 01 track 02, no specefic cd or track info. Am I doing something wrong or is this just the way it is. Thanks for any feed back

esf · June 2005

I have the '05.5 S4 Cabriolet, and have the same MMI-like system as you. Yes, that's how it's supposed to be. The system isn't a CD/MP3-reader. Mine does that, too. I love the car, though- it's gorgeous!

esf · June 2005

My outgoing car was a leased '00 Audi A6 2.7t. So, after that car, I was a performance driver. I drove three S4s (two were sedans, one convertible) and a new A6 4.2. My son likes cars as much as I do, and he almost fell asleep in the A6! It must've been the gray interior, but that car has lost some excitement. Sounds like the new 5 Series? Well, I fell in love with the S4 Cabriolet. As you've probably read, I have a Sprint Blue one in my garage right now! That car is just beautiful... everyone looks at it! And, one of the best parts, I dusted a blue M3 convertible from two stoplights the other day! And it was the new one, like the '04-05! That made me happy... well, this is the best, nicest, [most expensive] and fastest car I've ever had.

alexs4 · June 2005

I love my new 2005 S4. Even though I've already had to take it in for some sensor problems. I jumped a hill going about 90MPH and scraped up the bottom. Now I have an oil leak, like a week later. Do you think it's related? And how should I deal with it? Take it to the dealer or someplace else? It's on lease, are they going to be mad about the scrapes, etc?

wallabyguy · July 2005

I just bought a 2005.5 S4 Cabriolet (premium, heated seats, tiptronic, sirius, nav., silver w/ ebony). My wife always wanted an A4 cabriolet since she saw her first one back in 2001. I had a 2005 Elise which was totalled by an Econovan with a driver on a cell phone back in November. The docs said no lotus for another year or so while I heal so my wife got her car (with a V8 which she didn't expect).

The car is a wonderful balance between sport and luxury. It doesn't depend on lots of electronic gadgetry to obtain impressive ride, handling and performance. I love the quattro but expected it since I've owned several Audis in the past. I fought my wife on the Nav system. She thought it was 2k better spent elsewhere but I put my foot down. 1 week into ownership (and 1200 mile later) she loves it. Not only does it tell you where the closest gas station is when the pump light comes on, but it also will list the closest restaurant and their telephone number. The top is a thing of beauty, performing it's duties without fuss (if a bit slow). When in the up position, the Cab is quieter than many sedans I've ridden in latey.

Obviously this is not an Elise. It's not as nimble noir as quick. But it has many luxuries the Lotus wouldn't even consider having and the 4.2 and tip w/ paddles is a wonderful combo. I actually like the fact it retains much of the look of the 1.8 and 3.0 models such that it doesn't attract too much attention compared to the Elise (or my Elite) which caused traffic jams. People also usually guess the car cost less than it did which helps to belay the fears of clients who think they might be paying me too much. However, those that "know" cars do appreciate the car and comment to me about how impressive the cars is when we meet.

I'll have another Elise in 12-18 months, no question. But the S4 cabriolet will sit proudly next to my Lotuses in the garage as my daily driver for years to come.

dreward · July 2005

I have just been told that my 2006 Audi S4 cabriolet has arrived on US Soil I should have it next week, can't wait.

trout818 · July 2005

I have a 2005 S4 cabriolet. I took delivery in January of 2005 and have about 7000 miles on it. In that time, I have had two flat tires on the OEM Continentals. I have also found that they constantly need air.

Does anyone have any suggestions about good replacement tires. The car is an everyday driver and is driven in all weather, including light snow. I would like to keep the price reasonable and someone suggested Kumho Ecsta ASX.

Anyone have a suggestion on tires?

wallabyguy · July 2005

We now have 4,500 miles and no problem with the tires. i would have rather had Michelins but thus far I seem to be OK. Do you maybe have a balancing issue?

trout818 · July 2005

I think that's part of it but I'm still not thrilled with the tires and would like to move on.

wallabyguy · July 2005

I thought it was interesting that the S4 cab evidently comes with several different possible tire specs. Speaking with my sales contact, he didn't know what kind of tires would be on my car till it got there. I know the 3.0 S-Line I looked before I bought the S4 had the CH rims (same size as the Avus ones on our car) and Michilens. That's the route I'd go. I've always had luck with them.

dreward · July 2005

I have just received my 2006 S4 Cabriolet (Silver with red leather seats) and so far it is great. The driving has been smooth with a slight edge and I can honestly say I have never had so much fun behind the wheel of a car. It has the bluetooth prep which works well but does not transfer the phone book or control the phone directly this is in my view a bug and needs to be corrected. If phone book transfer directly from the phone is tough why not at least allow phone book transfer from the SD card? The sound system is stellar even my wife (who is notoriously picky and sensitive to volume) tells me to crank it up

. Does anyone have any good advice on what to use on the leather to keep it in pristine condition?

dreward · August 2005

Ever since reciept of new car (see above) I am now gripped by the continual urge to find excuses to use it. :surprise:

pat · August 2005

LOL! Well enjoy it!

dreward · August 2005

When using the SD card I discovered that certain of my MP3 files would not play after some investigation I found that the file name length was the controlling factor and after shortening the names they showed up in the list. After referring to the manual I noticed that the file name length is limited to 64 characters I have not determined whether this includes the .mp3 or not. I have noticed several people noting that some files play and some don't perhaps they need to check the file name length. :lemon:

dreward · August 2005

I have enjoyed my S4 for just one week and then a yellow engine warning light came on and the delaership has it in for repair. The loaner is an admittedly decent a4 alroad 2.7T but I want my cab back!

adanny · August 2005

I've been wondering the same thing. I am on the verge of buying a 2006 S4 sedan and have called about 6-7 dealers in NJ. The bottomline appears to be that they will not take more than ~$1k of MSRP on the 2006 but will take upto ~$2-3k off on the 2005.5

I am holding out right now to try and get ~2k off on the 2006! Does that match experiences of others, especially in the NY/NJ region? Haven't seen too many recent posts on that topic...

wallabyguy · August 2005

Well sedans are different than Cabriolets. Cabs usually sell for MSRP. They are rare and hard to come by (at least in the summer). I also waited for a 2005.5 so it was even rarer. I got about 1k off mine BUT my family is a 30+ year customer at my dealer and I've been dealing with the same sales person for the past 21 years. I also did my financing up front before I even stepped into the showroom (BTW w/ Audi Financial) so the deal was an easy one for my sales person. I saw an Audi sponsered "allowance" for 2005.5 S4 sedans which could be the money factor you mentioned. With sales exceeding last years for the new models, I doubt you'll be seeing huge discounts on 06s for 9-12 months. As far as Cabs go, wait till January but be willing to buy off the dealer's lot.

dreward · August 2005

I got mine at -2.2K

dreward · August 2005

If you have one of the newer Audis with the SD card based music system for playing MP3 files you may have noticed that some songs play and some don't. This is a result of some incompatabilites between standard MP3 file formats and the Audi. I have written a program which fixes the files so that they all play you can download the program from Audi file cleanup program enjoy!

rjlaero · August 2005

You might get that on an 05.5, but it might be tough to get 2 grand off an 06, which many dealers don't have yet. But it's not unheard of, and if you're a previous Audi customer, some dealers will take care of you with a little extra money off MSRP.

If you don't care about the new grill or MMI naviagtion, dealers are giving $4000-5000 off the old body style 05's, as Audi has some dealer money available.

diablo1 · August 2005

Questions for anyone who special ordered their S4 rather than choosing one the dealership already had: When you ordered from the factory, how long did it take between order and delivery? Also, does creating a custom order significantly reduce your bargaining power?

I'm looking for a 2005.5 or 2006 (not sure when they'll be available though) S4, probably light silver color, auto trans with nav. Thanks for your help!

wallabyguy · August 2005

Diablo,

Exactly my car.

diablo1 · August 2005

Cool... where are you located, and how do you like the car?

wallabyguy · August 2005

I'm near Philadelphia. I am overall very happy with the car. I've had 3 instances since the 5k service where the car seemed to loose acceleration for no reason (on ramps and at traffic light changes). The driver side window has had what I now know is a typical Audi issue and raises partially and then drops to the mid level point. The new switch is on order.

All that said, as a GT, the car is terrific. It's a fast car rather than a quick one. Speed piles up without fuss and you can quickly find your self at triple digits without any idea you're even close to the speed limit. The tiptronic works well and I have paddle shift which works much better than I thought it would. Highway ride is exceptional. Steering is very communicative for such a heavy car.

This makes a great daily driver BUT I miss my Elise and will be getting another next year as a weekend car to tag team with my S4. Lotus makes the best sports car in the world. Audi makes one hell of a GT.

diablo1 · September 2005

I definitely understand that the S4 doesn't feel quick compared to your Elise, but it's still pretty good for its category, isn't it? In fact, I can't think of any other awd sedans in the same price range with better 0-60 acceleration. Can you?

When I first started looking at cars, I was thinking about the Boxster S, Lotus Elise, or maybe a bigger convertible like the 330Ci with performance package... But after thinking it over, I realized I should probably get a sedan, with competent winter performance and room for more than one friend (not to mention luggage for more than a weekend). If I could have two cars, I'd love to get a sporty convertible, but as an only car for someone in the Northeast, I think awd sedan is the way to go... Which is why I've been looking at the S4, G35, 330xi, and maybe the new Lexus IS...

wale_bate1 · September 2005

Diablo: I'm in the current IS, and if you're really looking seriously at an S4, as I am (Avant for me thankyou very much!), then I doubt the new IS will really ring your chimes on the road. The power appears to be close to the same as the current car (AWD only being available with the 250), yet size and weight have increased. My car is a joy to drive, but at the same output and more heft (even moreso with AWD), the fun factor just isn't going to be there. Can't be.

At this point, I'm down to the S4 Avant or the A3 3.2 Quattro when it arrives. If BMW were bringing either a 330iT or a 130i, I'd be looking at those too.

diablo1 · September 2005

I looked at the current A3 when I went to test drive the S4. It looks really nice, and it has paddle-shifters like an S4... Once you can get the big engine with awd, that will probably be a solid choice.

I've read that BMW is also making a 335i pretty soon, which will be a turbocharged version with power similar to the S4. Haven't heard anything about a wagon, though. The new Audi Q7 looks pretty cool, but maybe too big for you... Apparently they are eventually going to make one with a Lamborghini engine.

Rumor is that a manual and an awd version of the IS 350 will be out later... But I don't feel like waiting a whole year, so the G35 and S4 are pretty much my final choices. I have a friend who can get me the G35 for below invoice, which is so tempting... It's great to drive, but it's still no S4. What to do, what to do...

dreward · September 2005

Ordered June 22 delivered July 29th (but they told me to expect Sept 1st, just lucky I guess) 2006 model Audi S4 cabrio.
Did not seem to affect bargaining was able to get 4% discount
(P.S. mine is Silver with red interior looks great)

twnmango · September 2005

dreward,

hi, i own a 2005.5 B7 S4 Avant, and also experience the problem that some MP3's won't read on my SD card. I have tried to download the audicleanup file you posted earlier....but what do I do with it after i download it? I tried to run that program and nothing happenes....is there something I done wrong?

You can email me at twnmango@hotmail.com if you wish.

Tks,
Jim

pat · September 2005

Actually, it would be a lot better if anyone who has a suggestion would post it here. That way anyone who experiences this issue could read any helpful advice.

esf · September 2005

I saw a new A4 3.2 yesterday. For a small car, it looks like a very high-class sedan. I love the way the new S4 sedan looks, and the A4 looks just as good. The A3 2.0T gets 0-60 in 6.4 secs, so I can't imagine what a slightly heavier car with fifty more horses can get!

Cars: '98 Audi A4 1.8T, '03 Honda Civic EX Coupe, '04 Lexus RX 330 AWD, '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet. The Civic and A4 are for my son and daughter.

esf · September 2005

Don't listen to what I said before. The S4 Cabriolet is being updated this year- it's either coming out at the holiday season, or very early next year. It has the exact (when I say exact, I mean EXACT) same front end as the sedan, with updated rear lights, rims, and interior trim. It also has the new engines.

wale_bate1 · September 2005

I notice they appear to have dropped the leather/alcantara package (pisses me off as I rather liked that option). Anybody know if the seats at least are still Recaro?

rjlaero · September 2005

Seats are still Recaro for the S4. The Alcantara looks great new, but it's very difficult to keep the suede clean The colors bleed off your clothes and it tends to look dingy after just a short while of everyday driving.

Don't expect to see the new body style 07 Cab's before late summer 2006. We're about a year away before you see them on dealer lots.

diablo1 · September 2005

How do you know about the colors bleeding? Does that even happen with the silver Alcantara? I'm surprised to hear you say this, because from what I can tell, Alcantara is a very high quality material, and easy to clean (that's why they used it instead of real suede - that and cost).

rjlaero · September 2005

Alcantara is a very high quality suede, but there's nothing you can do about normal wear and tear. If your wear jeans or darker colored pants, which most everybody does, it will eventually bleed off to a white colored suede and start to look a bit dingy. If you've ever worn a lighter colored suede coat, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Suede has a different texture to it than regular leather. The silk nappa leather in the S4 is an extremely high grade of leather. But the lighter silver silk nappa leather will be harder to keep clean than black leather. It's just a fuction of color and it takes a bit more looking after to keep clean.

Audi S4 and S4 Cabriolet

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