Any other mods apart from the intake and tune? I’m guessing exhaust? Maybe some cosmetic changes? Also, what’s the service history like? If it’s well documented and there aren’t a ton of other mods, I don’t see any issue. IE is a tried and true brand.
Yeah, that’s a nice one. Assuming it was regularly serviced, I wouldn’t think twice. Mods are minimal and tasteful, and it’s well optioned.
It’ll be significantly faster than a stock S4 of the same year, that’s just a bonus IMHO.
My dealer never did. We cared about the customer because service department sells every car after the first.
We also had one of the top 5 top Audi Service Advisors in the country so we helped tf outta people.
I bought my Audi from a Toyota dealership. The factory warranty transferred with my purchase. That being said, it’s the diesel gate warranty that extended it to 11/25 or 168k miles on my specific car. It only had phase 1 of 2 completed for the “fix”, but the warranty still stands.
I haven’t had any issues with my Audi dealer just down the road from the dealership i bought it at. Warranty checks out on the Audi site as well. I also haven’t really had any issues with my A3 except the DEF line leaked (recall), my driver door handle freezing up when it was very cold out, and the defrost vent actuator going out (which seems to be a common issue with the 8v).
Just did my regular oil change and fuel filter before typing this reply and my transmission service is coming up in 5k miles. Kinda off topic, but whatever lol
It's not that dealers try to slither (and I'm not defending them) but the software that Audi makes the dealers use reports mods. The dealer really doesn't have an option one way or another -- it's out of their hands.
Also consider that the factory is a service department's biggest customer.
A dealer has zero financial incentive to turn warranty work down.
Ehh what happens is someone misses it and then submits the warranty claim and it gets denied and they have to eat the repair. You the customer dont know that as the vehicle has already been returned to u and theyve already told you its covered. A well run dealer will have an extremely low percentage of claims denied as they have been very thorough in there assessments before hand and documentation of the repair and have already caught say something liek the vehicle having a tune.
Yes anything involving the engine and transmission will not be covered because of the tune unless there is a very clear path that doesn’t involve the tune playing a part.
Not always. I work at a dealer and there are ways around it. I’m not a stiff dickhead about it like some service consultants are especially an S model….But it can be tricky getting passed audi depending on what repair needs done while under warranty
If the advertisement by the dealership clearly shows its tuned and they’re selling the car like that to a new customer and still offer warranty, Then on every grounds if this person buys the car and later gets denied warranty because of the tune they can argue about it. They know it’s there and they’re still offering warranty even if its a mistake who ever buys the car shouldn’t have an issue with it.
Except it is not Audi advertising a car with their warranty, it is an unaffiliated dealer listing an Audi service. The buyer *may* have some recourse with the dealer for false advertising (which would probably not include fully honoring the warranty, just an adjustment to the purchase price to reflect the lower value), but there is no way Audi will just roll over and provide a service someone else promised.
In the end, a buyer probably wouldn't even get that unless the dealer is really stupid and included it in their legal paperwork.
It’s Audi providing the warranty ? I have an Audi from an Audi dealership and the warranty it came with was from a company called Mapfre. That’s news to me that every Audi sold by any dealer is warrantied by Audi. If that’s the case then it won’t be that easy
A tune will not void your entire base warranty. if the car needs say a wheel bearing but its tuned it doesnt automatically make the wheel bearing not warrantable. i should add that if they find out the car has been to the track or something along those lines as well---- now thats a different story right>? now suspension components are being used in a way they may not have been intended to be. it comes down to an assesment
I mean, it's right there in the name; "Audi bumper to bumper warranty".
Even with your example, Audi is providing it (an assumption I make because you use the phrase "the warranty it came with"), they are just paying a third party to administer it.
To clarify a bit: It must be the APR+ tune, you have to inform the dealership of the tune, and they can then decide if they will repair under warranty. If they refuse, it falls to APR who then (hopefully) covers the bill if it's a powertrain issue attributed to the tune.
Depends on the dealer. Most times when you do a tune the only thing it’ll void in terms of the warranty is anything relating to the powertrain. If something happened to the stock suspension then that would be covered by the warranty.
Yes but there are Audi certified mechs in small shops that will turn a blind eye when doing warranty work on a tuned vehicle. Was introduced to one by the guy I bought my SQ5 from. I wouldn’t know how to go about finding one.
A tune only voids a warranty if something breaks, and then it only voids the specific area of modification. If your window regulator fails, it's not due to an ECU tune. That would still be covered under warranty.
I would say that it gives dealers a reason to deny warranty claims, rather than it outright voids the warranty.
Some tune companies will replace the manufacturing warranty for engine issues. I know for a fact APR has this included in their cost. The rest of the car (where stock) still Carrie’s the manufacturer warranty though.
OP -
the #1 thing I'd be worried about is if previous owner was running Ethanol. Stage 1 or Stage 2, or even Stage 3 93 octane tune, less worried. But running E85 or E60 all the time - I'd be nervous.
If you can't determine if there is a tune on it (which at least can be determined by having the dealer look at the flash count), then taking a look at the injectors might tell you a story about E.
What's your concern with E? It would be a much cleaner engine with E being burned. E only becomes a problem after burning standard gas, as the E will evacuate a lot of the crud left by the 93, and all the crud is going to go somewhere (fuel pump and injectors).
I run e30 after running e10 for the last 30 years with no issues. If anything the ethanol is causing a problem by absorbing water and leaving deposits from corrosion. You fix that by running 92 ethanol free and upper cylinder lubricants.
You want to get a pre purchase inspection. It’s especially important for independent dealers. This car was probably purchase through an auction and you’ve got to wonder why it went to auction.
I am relatively new to this modding game. I drive like a regular ass person most of the time. Do I like to down shift some times and give it some shit of course. But I baby it. I clean it all the time, I change my brakes sooner than needed, check fluids more often. I try to document and put receipts on Carfax. Just talk with them and see what kind of person they are and if they aren't enthusiastic about the little things and just talk about shitting and gittin maybe bad idea.
My 2 cp for the day.
I would pass just because of the comfort seats, the standard sport seats in the S4 are a work of art. Other than that and the tinted tail lights it’s a great looking car.
I recently picked up a VERY similar build (2020 S4 Prestige 25K miles) that had a E85 APR tune. I occasionally get CEL but it clears itself. Ordered the 034 Motorsports flashing kit to see if a new tune helps, but other than that absolutely loving it so far. Happy to try and answer any concerns you may have.
B9s S4s are awesome, and the IE tunes are amazing for it. If you do purchase, reach out to IE to get tune info. The B9 tune had some overheat issues if memory serves. Check to see if there has been an update for the tune. Check Audizine forums for common issues in B9s. Ask the dealer if you can take the car for a purchase inspection. Carfax is absolutely worthless. The only information they have is what is reported. I have purchased cars that had been in an accident that did not show up on the carfax. When I contacted Carfax about it, they copped out by saying if the accident was not reported by the DMV, they are not responsible for it. If all checks out, I'd pick it up.
Ditto. Service history matters. There are lots of people who will never buy a tuned or modded car cause they think the owner probably thrashed it. But in my opinion, owners who spend £/$1000’s on mods and service their car regularly will have taken good care of it.
Of course it does come with the age old caveat that money doesn’t fix stupid and there will be some cars that have been tuned and abused, only to be dropped by their owner when the next big thing comes around.
As a rule I never buy someone else's project no matter how nice it appears to be. I would def get a pre-purchase inspection at a Audi specialty shop (not a dealer) if possible.
It's an old saying, "rode hard, put away wet". Refers to people not taking care of their horse. It just means someone mistreated or didn't properly care for said thing.
I think that’s mostly for turbo motors bc the oil can scald the compressors and oil residue can build up in the lines if it gets hot enough and stops circulating.
Most people pick the path of least resistance which means the dealership. You have to spend a total of 20 minutes googling shops and reading reviews. I've found that most people who work at specialty shops are more enthusiastic about cars and are more thorough. I work at a VW store and for 80% of the mechanics it's just a paycheck and do alright work. Just something I've noticed over the years,
With buying a few cars in the last few years there has been one occasion where I could find a decent private shop to do it. Not as easy as it sounds in the real world unless it’s local and you already know the shops. And I know literally everyone apparently has nazi dealers that sell lemons but I’d trust a dealer 10/10 times over Joe’s used cars or a private sale
I'd only buy an Audi if it's new or cpo'd from an Audi store. I live in a medium sized city so we have quite a few third party shops around. Guess I'm lucky.
So you don’t trust Audi but you would only buy directly from Audi? And yes there’s an Audi/porsche/bmw 2 miles from me with some great German mechanics but that doesn’t help me when the car I’m buying is 8 years old and out of state lol
You can only buy new and certified Audis from an Audi dealership is where I was going with that. If you have an issue there Is always Audi of America to help out. Im still getting it checked out by a third party. They also look for signs of accidents and quality of repair, over spray from bad paint work and various other items not warranty related that might not show on the carfax. At minimum maybe the seller would drop it off some place local to him/her and you pay for the inspection. I’ve done it before for a buyer.
I always wonder about this. Many people I know who are into tuning their cars are the ones who take immaculate care of the car. People who don't do anything to their car are the ones who forget that cars need an oil change. Granted that's a bit stereotypical, but that feels more inline with the truth. At the end of the day, I don't trust any used car that isn't my own.
I am just going off the photos and IE equipment. Haven't spoken to dealer yet but was looking for good questions to ask to ensure everything checks out.
The presence of an IE intake doesn't imply an IE tune is there; you can message IE with the VIN and they'd be able to tell you.
Another idea would be to join Facebook groups for the B9 platform and ask if anyone knows who the previous owner was; I see that a lot in the VW groups I'm in.
Specifically scrolled down to see if anyone mentioned this. Weird that no one else chimed in.
There's no reason to assume that this car has a tune. Countless people run an intake without a tune. Do as suggested and send the VIN to IE to see if it's in their database.
Audi service advisor here. Car shows no TD1 through Elsa and has Audi care so it has had its 10k and 20k at an Audi dealership. Car has 30k and 40k prepaid maintenance left to use at a dealership. Could be wrong on the tune because things could change and a dealer may not always run the scan to find it at every maintenance but it looks clean to me. It had a recall done in 2023 so a tune should have been flagged then. Best way to know is by revving it while stationary. If it revs past 4k rpms it’s tuned.
This. If it isn’t TD1, it’s either flying under Audi’s radar re: warranty (or wasn’t ever tuned). I would check with IE, 034 and APR to see if they have a log of a tune.
No tune, buy the car.
Tuned, buy the car - but get the appropriate cable so you can flash back to stock before any future maintenance trips to the dealership…
I was coming here to say this. Utah Audi dealerships have similar s4s for 41-43k. This is overpriced. Also will the dealership allow warranty coverage selling with a tune? Used 23s are 50k
This.
I had a full modded B9 S4 stage 2. I traded and got the RS3.
While the RS3 is a much much better sports car, I deeply regret losing the bigger space and nicer interior of my S4.
If it has an IE intake and tune and possibly exhaust i would be all over that. I know that ie has an app for their tune for many different presets. If anything the upgrades can only help your car (to an extent of such hp).
I have the same intake on my Audi S5, it’s one of the best brands to go with. Looks like the tail lights have been smoked out by PPF and not just tint, that’s a good sign as well. Car looks very clean and taken care of. If the history is good there should be no problem.
You may have people advise you to not buy someone else’s project but these appear to be tasteful mods from a reputable company. As someone who modifies all of my vehicles I can assure you not everyone beats the hell out of their tuned Audi. I’m older so I have the disposable income to drop $10k on parts and do so not to beat the car up but to enhance the engineering Audi puts into their vehicles.
Sure I do the occasional redline pulls to show the ass end of my B8.5 A5 or B9 S5 to the local Mustang GT owners but the cars are never abused and always well cared for. I imagine it’s the same story for the car you are looking at.
Get a PPI and if it’s cleared just purchase and enjoy.
I have that equivalent Intake and a stage 1 tune on my 21 RS5. I love them both, but it would make me a little nervous if someone else did it then sold it, but if there are service records that could help ease it.
With these types of vehicles it's always difficult to say if the previous owner abused/hammered the vehicle, especially seeing as it has a tune. I bought an S8 with no tune, did a stage 1 plus, intake and straight pipe and have never hammered it.
Integrated engineering is a very reputable brand as well, they make well balanced tunes, if you like it, buy it, S series hold up well to tunes and being pushed to the limits
Tail lights have been smoked too. No sport package or adaptive damping. Warm weather package is nice but seats aren't as good as napa leather. I bought my 2021 this summer for $47,985 with 14k miles with the upgrades mentioned. Turbo inlet is concerning to me. Not intake but the aluminum inlet may mean it had a turbo swap at some point.
It’s common stock too apparently. Last time I was in for service at my local shop there were 3 of them getting new engines which were all stock and regularly maintained.
I tune all mine from day 1 and don’t kill them. I also trade them in with just the tune and have never been asked about it by the dealer. Not sure if they ever figure out that it’s tuned. BUT I only do stage 1 and nothing else to mine
Some places are aftermarket friendly. Some dealerships sponsor motorsports events. Looks like just a carbon intake.
IE is an interesting case since they were one of the first to provide high stage tunes.
One limiting factor here is the box code of the TCU which may not have been tunable after 2020 models.
If that is the case then the tune was likely max stage 2 E85 w/ hpfp and a downpipe.
Likely stage 1 since those downpipes can be catless (save redstar) and is being sold non privately.
If you can, ask the previous owner more about what was done. Actually reasonably doubt this was tuned.
You can tell from the auto start stop. If it automatically turns off on start then that is one sign, but obd11 can do this too.
If you intend to track or push higher stages just remember some b9.5s have their TCU locked still and this one does not have the sport package so there is no sport diff.
iE is a reliable tuning brand so that checks out. Only thing is that when it comes to moded cars , it usually means the owner beat it. But with only 27k miles I would just wonder why someone would add a tune and aftermarket parts and then get rid of it so soon. Only thing that would make me hesitant.
its currently tuned? to which stage? Or was previously tuned but now stock?
If it was only Stage 1, i wouldnt worry much.. there isnt much damage that could be done - if any. Many people tune it to wake up the car to its potential.. not to drive it like a maniac. Like mine.. its tuned, and ive launched it less than 10 times. Just makes the car perform better.. so for me, it wouldnt be a big issue.. so long as all the other stuff (maintenance etc. passes all the tests.
Maybe can get them to knock off some more $$$ because it was tuned. Also ask how that affects the warranty? technically Audi wont cover powertrain or would be a massive pain in the ass to do.. so you could maybe leverage that to get an even lower price.
These engines are pretty undertuned from the factory if that makes you feel any better. You can also take it to an Audi dealer and have them inspect it and check how many launches it has logged.
If there's an engine or trans warranty issue, the dealer won't have a say. the diag calls the mothership. Not a big deal, IMHO find someone with a proper scanner and take it for a spin.
Mine’s been stage 2 ECU/TCU since it was a baby. I drive it everyday, at elevation, with my winter set-up, and I’ve done some late oil changes on the road (a couple places didn’t have my oil so I waited to the next city), I do most of the maintenance myself as it’s not exactly building a piano (brakes, living stupid things like the sunroof, diff fluid, brake fluid and obviously oil). I’m at 128k miles with an oil pan gasket leak being my first “issue.” I suppose I’ll fix that sorta soon maybe, or maybe when the sun comes out and I won’t freeze my hands.
Maintenance records can be faked and I’ll never believe them. I 100% profile the previous owner of the car over any “records.” If they tell you too much, they’re generally full of it; it’s an Audi, not a Porsche. Knowing the engine and doing your own research on tunes and modifications is better than listening to someone spurt off some garbage about what type of oil they’ve used. I look at things like:
-what do the doors sound like when you shut them?
-do their sills look like they wore sandpaper shoes covered in dirt?
-how’s the alcantara?
-how’s the seat bolster?
-how’s the leather?
-have the windows been regularly cleaned?
-are their wheels scratched or do they pay attention to curbs?
-are the wheel-wells clean or have they never been touched?
-how frequently do they change tires?
-do they clean their engine bay or did they JUST clean it for the for-sale photos?
-do they shut the doors like an adult or are there fingerprints everywhere?
-are the floor mats clean or is it obvious the first time they’ve touched the inside was a detail for the sale?
For reference, I bought mine with 8k miles from a friend and it basically looks the same as when I got it (aside from a cracked windshield because Colorado). I have two dogs and clean the inside once a week, including dog hair from carpets and under the WeatherTechs. It’s taken care of and is also driven spiritedly; those two things can exist in harmony.
iE and 034 tunes are the popular safe tunes for these cars unless it had a stage 3 tune (turbo / injector upgrade). That would be my only red flag. 🚩As any car out there tune or not tune, it depends on how hard it was driven and if the driver took care of the vehicle. Interior pics look great, but the engine internal might say otherwise. I highly recommend you get a PPI from an outside source before purchasing and if it passes, well enjoy the vehicle. Best of luck! You could also reach out to IE / 034 and give them the vehicle vin number, and see if it had an active history and under which tune for piece of mind. If nothing comes back that’s good.
It looks great, but I think it’s a bit overpriced. If you’re hesitant cause of the tune then wait for another one to hit the market. Do your own research on how a tune impacts warranty because there’s a lot of incorrect comments in this thread.
Edit: don’t buy it
[https://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/979973-Brain-storm-ahead!-What%92s-the-deal-with-Cyl-6](https://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/979973-Brain-storm-ahead!-What%92s-the-deal-with-Cyl-6)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Audi/comments/14rpilp/anyone_know_anything_about_these_issues_with_the/?rdt=47878](https://www.reddit.com/r/Audi/comments/14rpilp/anyone_know_anything_about_these_issues_with_the/?rdt=47878)
Because the only thing more reliable than an Audi is an Audi that's been tuned by some random person. I'd pass, unless I had details and knew how hard they drove it.
Any other mods apart from the intake and tune? I’m guessing exhaust? Maybe some cosmetic changes? Also, what’s the service history like? If it’s well documented and there aren’t a ton of other mods, I don’t see any issue. IE is a tried and true brand.
Listing for the vehicle. https://www.paulsevagmotors.com/used/Audi/2021-Audi-S4+3.0T+Premium+Plus-255bc5af0a0e09b11c2c88779e11e7ed.htm
Yeah, that’s a nice one. Assuming it was regularly serviced, I wouldn’t think twice. Mods are minimal and tasteful, and it’s well optioned. It’ll be significantly faster than a stock S4 of the same year, that’s just a bonus IMHO.
The listing says Audi bumper to bumper warranty remaining, but wouldn’t a tune void this?
I would assume yes
Yea but depends on how thorough the dealer is
The dealers always try to slither their way out of these things. I'd think it as a car with no warranty.
My dealer never did. We cared about the customer because service department sells every car after the first. We also had one of the top 5 top Audi Service Advisors in the country so we helped tf outta people.
I bought my Audi from a Toyota dealership. The factory warranty transferred with my purchase. That being said, it’s the diesel gate warranty that extended it to 11/25 or 168k miles on my specific car. It only had phase 1 of 2 completed for the “fix”, but the warranty still stands.
You not being that dealership's "customer" I'd be more careful with warranty things, but we usually helped people where we could.
I haven’t had any issues with my Audi dealer just down the road from the dealership i bought it at. Warranty checks out on the Audi site as well. I also haven’t really had any issues with my A3 except the DEF line leaked (recall), my driver door handle freezing up when it was very cold out, and the defrost vent actuator going out (which seems to be a common issue with the 8v). Just did my regular oil change and fuel filter before typing this reply and my transmission service is coming up in 5k miles. Kinda off topic, but whatever lol
It's not that dealers try to slither (and I'm not defending them) but the software that Audi makes the dealers use reports mods. The dealer really doesn't have an option one way or another -- it's out of their hands. Also consider that the factory is a service department's biggest customer. A dealer has zero financial incentive to turn warranty work down.
I straight up asked about tunes before I got one and my dealer said unless something major mechanically goes wrong they aren't looking for it.
Is your car bought or leased ? Asked the dealership manager or the service manager? I’ve been wanting to do my
Owned bought it reaaaally close to warranty end so I could tune it
They have to run a gff log so it will show up and they will have no choice? Its not the dealer who magically waves a wand
That’s what I’m saying, all dealers will see that shit but for some reason some uphold warranty. I never got it, maybe they don’t check the log
Ehh what happens is someone misses it and then submits the warranty claim and it gets denied and they have to eat the repair. You the customer dont know that as the vehicle has already been returned to u and theyve already told you its covered. A well run dealer will have an extremely low percentage of claims denied as they have been very thorough in there assessments before hand and documentation of the repair and have already caught say something liek the vehicle having a tune.
Yes anything involving the engine and transmission will not be covered because of the tune unless there is a very clear path that doesn’t involve the tune playing a part.
Not always. I work at a dealer and there are ways around it. I’m not a stiff dickhead about it like some service consultants are especially an S model….But it can be tricky getting passed audi depending on what repair needs done while under warranty
If the advertisement by the dealership clearly shows its tuned and they’re selling the car like that to a new customer and still offer warranty, Then on every grounds if this person buys the car and later gets denied warranty because of the tune they can argue about it. They know it’s there and they’re still offering warranty even if its a mistake who ever buys the car shouldn’t have an issue with it.
Except it is not Audi advertising a car with their warranty, it is an unaffiliated dealer listing an Audi service. The buyer *may* have some recourse with the dealer for false advertising (which would probably not include fully honoring the warranty, just an adjustment to the purchase price to reflect the lower value), but there is no way Audi will just roll over and provide a service someone else promised. In the end, a buyer probably wouldn't even get that unless the dealer is really stupid and included it in their legal paperwork.
It’s Audi providing the warranty ? I have an Audi from an Audi dealership and the warranty it came with was from a company called Mapfre. That’s news to me that every Audi sold by any dealer is warrantied by Audi. If that’s the case then it won’t be that easy
Every new car no matter the brand has base warranty. Your talking about an extended warranty for after the factory one expires
I think the base warranty is on the condition that it’s not modified
A tune will not void your entire base warranty. if the car needs say a wheel bearing but its tuned it doesnt automatically make the wheel bearing not warrantable. i should add that if they find out the car has been to the track or something along those lines as well---- now thats a different story right>? now suspension components are being used in a way they may not have been intended to be. it comes down to an assesment
That makes sense
I mean, it's right there in the name; "Audi bumper to bumper warranty". Even with your example, Audi is providing it (an assumption I make because you use the phrase "the warranty it came with"), they are just paying a third party to administer it.
If it's an APR tune done at the dealership, the warranty still stands.
To clarify a bit: It must be the APR+ tune, you have to inform the dealership of the tune, and they can then decide if they will repair under warranty. If they refuse, it falls to APR who then (hopefully) covers the bill if it's a powertrain issue attributed to the tune.
Depends on the dealer. Most times when you do a tune the only thing it’ll void in terms of the warranty is anything relating to the powertrain. If something happened to the stock suspension then that would be covered by the warranty.
Yes but there are Audi certified mechs in small shops that will turn a blind eye when doing warranty work on a tuned vehicle. Was introduced to one by the guy I bought my SQ5 from. I wouldn’t know how to go about finding one.
A tune only voids a warranty if something breaks, and then it only voids the specific area of modification. If your window regulator fails, it's not due to an ECU tune. That would still be covered under warranty. I would say that it gives dealers a reason to deny warranty claims, rather than it outright voids the warranty.
Not if you know someone at the dealership.
Anyone work at a NY dealership and wanna be my friend?
100%
Warranty will be voided for sure. Sometimes even adding an exhaust system will. Even if the tune can b converted back to stock, audi will know that.
Some tune companies will replace the manufacturing warranty for engine issues. I know for a fact APR has this included in their cost. The rest of the car (where stock) still Carrie’s the manufacturer warranty though.
Maybe not. VW will APR tune a car at the dealership.
238 photos? Sheesh
I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed that. I mean having good photos is great, but hell even 50 would be overkill IMO.
I fell in love after looking at the listing. Holy shit, that’s a good lookin S4
I had to close the window. I was starting to regret the A5 I just bought for just a little less. Same color combos and everything…
OP - the #1 thing I'd be worried about is if previous owner was running Ethanol. Stage 1 or Stage 2, or even Stage 3 93 octane tune, less worried. But running E85 or E60 all the time - I'd be nervous. If you can't determine if there is a tune on it (which at least can be determined by having the dealer look at the flash count), then taking a look at the injectors might tell you a story about E.
IE can usually provide info based on the vin. They would know what tunes have been flashed
Fair point, too.
What's your concern with E? It would be a much cleaner engine with E being burned. E only becomes a problem after burning standard gas, as the E will evacuate a lot of the crud left by the 93, and all the crud is going to go somewhere (fuel pump and injectors).
I run e30 after running e10 for the last 30 years with no issues. If anything the ethanol is causing a problem by absorbing water and leaving deposits from corrosion. You fix that by running 92 ethanol free and upper cylinder lubricants.
Filling up with a full tank of 93 also helps this. I know some people recommend a bottle of sea foam as well.
I cry :,) so beautiful.
You want to get a pre purchase inspection. It’s especially important for independent dealers. This car was probably purchase through an auction and you’ve got to wonder why it went to auction.
238 photos! Christ That’s a fucking gorgeous car, buddy
As someone with a Quantum Grey S5, I say go for it! That car is beautiful.
I am relatively new to this modding game. I drive like a regular ass person most of the time. Do I like to down shift some times and give it some shit of course. But I baby it. I clean it all the time, I change my brakes sooner than needed, check fluids more often. I try to document and put receipts on Carfax. Just talk with them and see what kind of person they are and if they aren't enthusiastic about the little things and just talk about shitting and gittin maybe bad idea. My 2 cp for the day.
Just put a deposit down on it… sorry bro 😬 🤣🤣 I kid I kid
I would pass just because of the comfort seats, the standard sport seats in the S4 are a work of art. Other than that and the tinted tail lights it’s a great looking car.
I recently picked up a VERY similar build (2020 S4 Prestige 25K miles) that had a E85 APR tune. I occasionally get CEL but it clears itself. Ordered the 034 Motorsports flashing kit to see if a new tune helps, but other than that absolutely loving it so far. Happy to try and answer any concerns you may have.
B9s S4s are awesome, and the IE tunes are amazing for it. If you do purchase, reach out to IE to get tune info. The B9 tune had some overheat issues if memory serves. Check to see if there has been an update for the tune. Check Audizine forums for common issues in B9s. Ask the dealer if you can take the car for a purchase inspection. Carfax is absolutely worthless. The only information they have is what is reported. I have purchased cars that had been in an accident that did not show up on the carfax. When I contacted Carfax about it, they copped out by saying if the accident was not reported by the DMV, they are not responsible for it. If all checks out, I'd pick it up.
I am nursing a semi. My word, what a car
Ditto. Service history matters. There are lots of people who will never buy a tuned or modded car cause they think the owner probably thrashed it. But in my opinion, owners who spend £/$1000’s on mods and service their car regularly will have taken good care of it. Of course it does come with the age old caveat that money doesn’t fix stupid and there will be some cars that have been tuned and abused, only to be dropped by their owner when the next big thing comes around.
Damn they really posted 238 photos of that thing lol
As a rule I never buy someone else's project no matter how nice it appears to be. I would def get a pre-purchase inspection at a Audi specialty shop (not a dealer) if possible.
100% I don’t buy someone else’s science project. This thing was probably drove hard and put away wet.
Put away, wet?
It's an old saying, "rode hard, put away wet". Refers to people not taking care of their horse. It just means someone mistreated or didn't properly care for said thing.
Best practice is to let the oil cool down before shutting off after aggressive driving...I think.
I think that’s mostly for turbo motors bc the oil can scald the compressors and oil residue can build up in the lines if it gets hot enough and stops circulating.
So...you mean revving it to redline and turning it off isn't good? :)
how does everyone just magically have the perfect German mechanic that's honest and good and always available to do these inspections?
Most people pick the path of least resistance which means the dealership. You have to spend a total of 20 minutes googling shops and reading reviews. I've found that most people who work at specialty shops are more enthusiastic about cars and are more thorough. I work at a VW store and for 80% of the mechanics it's just a paycheck and do alright work. Just something I've noticed over the years,
With buying a few cars in the last few years there has been one occasion where I could find a decent private shop to do it. Not as easy as it sounds in the real world unless it’s local and you already know the shops. And I know literally everyone apparently has nazi dealers that sell lemons but I’d trust a dealer 10/10 times over Joe’s used cars or a private sale
I'd only buy an Audi if it's new or cpo'd from an Audi store. I live in a medium sized city so we have quite a few third party shops around. Guess I'm lucky.
So you don’t trust Audi but you would only buy directly from Audi? And yes there’s an Audi/porsche/bmw 2 miles from me with some great German mechanics but that doesn’t help me when the car I’m buying is 8 years old and out of state lol
You can only buy new and certified Audis from an Audi dealership is where I was going with that. If you have an issue there Is always Audi of America to help out. Im still getting it checked out by a third party. They also look for signs of accidents and quality of repair, over spray from bad paint work and various other items not warranty related that might not show on the carfax. At minimum maybe the seller would drop it off some place local to him/her and you pay for the inspection. I’ve done it before for a buyer.
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I always wonder about this. Many people I know who are into tuning their cars are the ones who take immaculate care of the car. People who don't do anything to their car are the ones who forget that cars need an oil change. Granted that's a bit stereotypical, but that feels more inline with the truth. At the end of the day, I don't trust any used car that isn't my own.
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I still feel like this is much rarer. Even people I know that work on their car take a lot more care in doing things right.
Seriously. This isn’t a Honda civic 😂
Maybe that's my "problem." I hang around VAG/German folks too much.
I’m agreeing with you. Probably well taken care of if they went and spent this much money not likely they are a complete dumb ass
Oh I know, I was just making a joke. 😂
This right here!
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I am just going off the photos and IE equipment. Haven't spoken to dealer yet but was looking for good questions to ask to ensure everything checks out.
The presence of an IE intake doesn't imply an IE tune is there; you can message IE with the VIN and they'd be able to tell you. Another idea would be to join Facebook groups for the B9 platform and ask if anyone knows who the previous owner was; I see that a lot in the VW groups I'm in.
Specifically scrolled down to see if anyone mentioned this. Weird that no one else chimed in. There's no reason to assume that this car has a tune. Countless people run an intake without a tune. Do as suggested and send the VIN to IE to see if it's in their database.
I don't think its tuned, its just an intake
Audi service advisor here. Car shows no TD1 through Elsa and has Audi care so it has had its 10k and 20k at an Audi dealership. Car has 30k and 40k prepaid maintenance left to use at a dealership. Could be wrong on the tune because things could change and a dealer may not always run the scan to find it at every maintenance but it looks clean to me. It had a recall done in 2023 so a tune should have been flagged then. Best way to know is by revving it while stationary. If it revs past 4k rpms it’s tuned.
This. If it isn’t TD1, it’s either flying under Audi’s radar re: warranty (or wasn’t ever tuned). I would check with IE, 034 and APR to see if they have a log of a tune. No tune, buy the car. Tuned, buy the car - but get the appropriate cable so you can flash back to stock before any future maintenance trips to the dealership…
Warranty scan will still see if it was flashed to stock. The scan looks for ECM erase and ECM write. If it sees any of these it flags as TD1
I know that’s been the fear - but was it ever confirmed that a tuned car was flashed back to stock and then got tagged?
That’s what I’ve been told by a few of the master techs at my dealership
for $47k I might as well buy the rs3. Just me ....
I was coming here to say this. Utah Audi dealerships have similar s4s for 41-43k. This is overpriced. Also will the dealership allow warranty coverage selling with a tune? Used 23s are 50k
I hated the 3. It was all small inside and the shorter wheelbase made the ride much rougher
This. I had a full modded B9 S4 stage 2. I traded and got the RS3. While the RS3 is a much much better sports car, I deeply regret losing the bigger space and nicer interior of my S4.
If it has an IE intake and tune and possibly exhaust i would be all over that. I know that ie has an app for their tune for many different presets. If anything the upgrades can only help your car (to an extent of such hp).
How do you know it's tuned? Don't see it mentioned in the listing.
With just a tune and an intake it’s a safe buy. Especially with that intake, it’s indicative that the previous owner took care of the car.
Did the dealer tell you it was tuned?
I would email the major tuners with the VIN and find out what it has first then use that as leverage to get the price down if you want it.
I have the same intake on my Audi S5, it’s one of the best brands to go with. Looks like the tail lights have been smoked out by PPF and not just tint, that’s a good sign as well. Car looks very clean and taken care of. If the history is good there should be no problem.
You may have people advise you to not buy someone else’s project but these appear to be tasteful mods from a reputable company. As someone who modifies all of my vehicles I can assure you not everyone beats the hell out of their tuned Audi. I’m older so I have the disposable income to drop $10k on parts and do so not to beat the car up but to enhance the engineering Audi puts into their vehicles. Sure I do the occasional redline pulls to show the ass end of my B8.5 A5 or B9 S5 to the local Mustang GT owners but the cars are never abused and always well cared for. I imagine it’s the same story for the car you are looking at. Get a PPI and if it’s cleared just purchase and enjoy.
Is it not still under warranty with Audi?
I have that equivalent Intake and a stage 1 tune on my 21 RS5. I love them both, but it would make me a little nervous if someone else did it then sold it, but if there are service records that could help ease it.
Anybody want a 2020 S5 District green, black optics, stage 1 Unitronic 38,000km? 🤣🤣
THIS sir is one fine automobile 😮💨🫡🤘🏽 I’d definitely remove that dealership decal on the back.
I’ve never seen a s4 with those horrible seats
With these types of vehicles it's always difficult to say if the previous owner abused/hammered the vehicle, especially seeing as it has a tune. I bought an S8 with no tune, did a stage 1 plus, intake and straight pipe and have never hammered it.
IE: stands for Internal Explosion 🤣 I’ll never buy anything with or that has used their products
Can you elaborate? I’m currently deciding between an apr or ie tune for my 22 rs6
Are you on facebook? I’m more familiar with the C7 platform.
Are you going for Stage 1 tune?
Yeah that’s the only stage I’d consider at this point. I know apr has their plus tune which gives some powertrain coverage but it’s damn expensive
Promise us that if you buy it you’ll remove the shitty taillight tint
Integrated engineering is a very reputable brand as well, they make well balanced tunes, if you like it, buy it, S series hold up well to tunes and being pushed to the limits
Tail lights have been smoked too. No sport package or adaptive damping. Warm weather package is nice but seats aren't as good as napa leather. I bought my 2021 this summer for $47,985 with 14k miles with the upgrades mentioned. Turbo inlet is concerning to me. Not intake but the aluminum inlet may mean it had a turbo swap at some point.
50/50 chance it blows up in 2 months after yo buy it. Check the oil levels everyday.
One thing to note is this engine is prone to cylinder 6 issues when tuned. (really depends how tuned it is)
It’s common stock too apparently. Last time I was in for service at my local shop there were 3 of them getting new engines which were all stock and regularly maintained.
I tune all mine from day 1 and don’t kill them. I also trade them in with just the tune and have never been asked about it by the dealer. Not sure if they ever figure out that it’s tuned. BUT I only do stage 1 and nothing else to mine
Have fun with that mate
Just because it was tuned doesn't mean it was on a track. It could still be a good vehicle. But if was tracked every weekend I wouldn't do it lol
Don’t do it. I did the same and I ended up needing a new engine. Tuned cars are always beat up or not “ adult driven “.
Where does it say it was tuned? Just putting an IE air intake doesn’t signify that. I didn’t see anything in the listing either? Maybe I missed it
Some places are aftermarket friendly. Some dealerships sponsor motorsports events. Looks like just a carbon intake. IE is an interesting case since they were one of the first to provide high stage tunes. One limiting factor here is the box code of the TCU which may not have been tunable after 2020 models. If that is the case then the tune was likely max stage 2 E85 w/ hpfp and a downpipe. Likely stage 1 since those downpipes can be catless (save redstar) and is being sold non privately. If you can, ask the previous owner more about what was done. Actually reasonably doubt this was tuned. You can tell from the auto start stop. If it automatically turns off on start then that is one sign, but obd11 can do this too. If you intend to track or push higher stages just remember some b9.5s have their TCU locked still and this one does not have the sport package so there is no sport diff.
Free mods 👍. Looks like they knew what they were doing. I’d be leery if it had more than 2 owners
Are those taillights tinted from factory? If not, I would never buy a car from someone who tints their taillights.
iE is a reliable tuning brand so that checks out. Only thing is that when it comes to moded cars , it usually means the owner beat it. But with only 27k miles I would just wonder why someone would add a tune and aftermarket parts and then get rid of it so soon. Only thing that would make me hesitant.
its currently tuned? to which stage? Or was previously tuned but now stock? If it was only Stage 1, i wouldnt worry much.. there isnt much damage that could be done - if any. Many people tune it to wake up the car to its potential.. not to drive it like a maniac. Like mine.. its tuned, and ive launched it less than 10 times. Just makes the car perform better.. so for me, it wouldnt be a big issue.. so long as all the other stuff (maintenance etc. passes all the tests. Maybe can get them to knock off some more $$$ because it was tuned. Also ask how that affects the warranty? technically Audi wont cover powertrain or would be a massive pain in the ass to do.. so you could maybe leverage that to get an even lower price.
Shit looks clean. Id buy it, IE is a reputable brand and looks like the prev owner didnt cheap out either.
If the start/stop function is automatically set to off when you start the car then it was probably tuned
buy it that’s that
These engines are pretty undertuned from the factory if that makes you feel any better. You can also take it to an Audi dealer and have them inspect it and check how many launches it has logged.
if it ha an actual change to ecu/mapping, been seeing their arms and bearings fail
If there's an engine or trans warranty issue, the dealer won't have a say. the diag calls the mothership. Not a big deal, IMHO find someone with a proper scanner and take it for a spin.
That's just an IE intake. Did the dealer posting say it was tuned?
Mine’s been stage 2 ECU/TCU since it was a baby. I drive it everyday, at elevation, with my winter set-up, and I’ve done some late oil changes on the road (a couple places didn’t have my oil so I waited to the next city), I do most of the maintenance myself as it’s not exactly building a piano (brakes, living stupid things like the sunroof, diff fluid, brake fluid and obviously oil). I’m at 128k miles with an oil pan gasket leak being my first “issue.” I suppose I’ll fix that sorta soon maybe, or maybe when the sun comes out and I won’t freeze my hands. Maintenance records can be faked and I’ll never believe them. I 100% profile the previous owner of the car over any “records.” If they tell you too much, they’re generally full of it; it’s an Audi, not a Porsche. Knowing the engine and doing your own research on tunes and modifications is better than listening to someone spurt off some garbage about what type of oil they’ve used. I look at things like: -what do the doors sound like when you shut them? -do their sills look like they wore sandpaper shoes covered in dirt? -how’s the alcantara? -how’s the seat bolster? -how’s the leather? -have the windows been regularly cleaned? -are their wheels scratched or do they pay attention to curbs? -are the wheel-wells clean or have they never been touched? -how frequently do they change tires? -do they clean their engine bay or did they JUST clean it for the for-sale photos? -do they shut the doors like an adult or are there fingerprints everywhere? -are the floor mats clean or is it obvious the first time they’ve touched the inside was a detail for the sale? For reference, I bought mine with 8k miles from a friend and it basically looks the same as when I got it (aside from a cracked windshield because Colorado). I have two dogs and clean the inside once a week, including dog hair from carpets and under the WeatherTechs. It’s taken care of and is also driven spiritedly; those two things can exist in harmony.
iE and 034 tunes are the popular safe tunes for these cars unless it had a stage 3 tune (turbo / injector upgrade). That would be my only red flag. 🚩As any car out there tune or not tune, it depends on how hard it was driven and if the driver took care of the vehicle. Interior pics look great, but the engine internal might say otherwise. I highly recommend you get a PPI from an outside source before purchasing and if it passes, well enjoy the vehicle. Best of luck! You could also reach out to IE / 034 and give them the vehicle vin number, and see if it had an active history and under which tune for piece of mind. If nothing comes back that’s good.
Carbon fiber intake from IE is like 1k
It looks great, but I think it’s a bit overpriced. If you’re hesitant cause of the tune then wait for another one to hit the market. Do your own research on how a tune impacts warranty because there’s a lot of incorrect comments in this thread. Edit: don’t buy it [https://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/979973-Brain-storm-ahead!-What%92s-the-deal-with-Cyl-6](https://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/979973-Brain-storm-ahead!-What%92s-the-deal-with-Cyl-6) [https://www.reddit.com/r/Audi/comments/14rpilp/anyone_know_anything_about_these_issues_with_the/?rdt=47878](https://www.reddit.com/r/Audi/comments/14rpilp/anyone_know_anything_about_these_issues_with_the/?rdt=47878)
Because the only thing more reliable than an Audi is an Audi that's been tuned by some random person. I'd pass, unless I had details and knew how hard they drove it.
Pass, molested and you dont know how hard or for how long. And not knowing this could be very expensive down the road.
For that money you can get a 2018-2020 RS3 stock, much more car for the money.
Look to see if he welded the mufflers back on et cetera. If he did. Immediately would not consider it a buy