dave_uk Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 Hi All, I currently have a TT coupe 3.2 DSG but with 2 kids growing up fast I am looking for a change and have been considering an S4 cab. My only dilemma is that my heart says buy one with a manual gearbox, but having looked around probably 80% of those for sale are with the auto box / tiptronic ( is auto / tiptronic the same?). What are your opinions on here as to what is best to go for and how will my choice effect future resale values? I have never really been into auto boxes before but I must say I have been very pleased with DSG on the TT, although I do tend to drive it manual mode most of the time! Is the V8 well suited to an auto box and am I worrying unnecessarily? Thanks for your advice dave_uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPLiiX Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 I wish I bought an Auto (DSG). However if I had bought an Auto I may have wanted a Manual My mother has an A3 2.0T DSG and it is a screem to drive. An S4 Must be epic! Tuff choice but Auto for me and for down south I would have thought Auto would sell better? Whatever you get it will be a lovely machine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 Mine was a tiptronic and the only time I wished I had a manual was on a couple of track days I did. The rest of the time the tiptronic was excellent. When I sold mine the dealer said the tips were more desirable then the manuals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S4teve Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 The S4 Tip is very good but the auto box is not as responsive as your TT's. It is not DSG (and nor is one available). All S4's whether called auto or tip are all the same and all have the steering wheel paddles to change gear. Being a big V8 the power is always there and you won't sruggle even if you are in the wrong gear. You will notice that kick-down is not as good as the DSG box for sure. I have done a track day and I was surprised at how good the tip box was. I do find myself leaving it in drive for the majority of time and using sport mode when I want to play. Sport mode really holds on to the gears and gets most out of the revs. My one niggle would be that even in 'manual' mode the car will decide to change gear when approaching the red line. In a manual S4 you can easily take the engine to the line (7000rpm) but the tip won't let you do this. Would I change for a manual - not on your life. On balance I prefer the benefits of auto. IMO the V8 and auto box is a really good match. However if I were doing more Track Days and less touring I would go for manual maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quattrophenia Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 My advise is go with the 6 speed manual - is really good. The S4 has a stonking great V8 with bags of torque so you will not have to change gear nearly as often as you might think and then when you get on an A or B road you can drive the car instead of being a passenger! S4s pull from 25 mph in 6th gear.... however, if you live in a city and rarely venture out - stick with the auto. I've had a tip in an A8 4.2q and it was without doubt the right gearbox for that car - the S4 is a sports car and should rightly have a manual box IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleyadam Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Dave I've always driven manual but if you test drive both models you will see that the S4 (Can only quote for Cab)seems far more suited to Tip than manual and will certainly help come resale time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PeterPiper Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 I've had both a manual, and now a tip. For me, it's a no contest, the tip is perfectly quick enough, and uses less petrol. Now I am getting old........................... And of course, when I sold the first one, the stealers all said 'Oh it's a manual, we could sell the auto a lot easier' No doubt I will hear that the opposite way round when I get to change again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDiAvant Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 When I was looking around for an S4, I was think about the tip box as I was unable to find a B7 S4 Avant in manual, but having test drove a tip box I waited until I found one with a manual box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P_G Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Another vote for manual, however it does depend like said on where you are driving it. If around town I may have considered a Tip box but wiht the driving I do manual every time. Now if it were S-Tronic....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetrolDave Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 With the torque of the V8 I've never regretted having a manual even though in live in the South. I've never had a dealer say anything to me about a Tip being easier to sell - and I've traded in 2 S4s. Having said that driving an RS6 with paddles was an absolute hoot, but I never felt that I was 100% in control of which gear it was in and I couldn't live with that long term. In an S4 6th gear is good to below 20mph, you can shuffle along in a traffic queue in 2nd, and I almost never used all 6 gears my normal shift pattern was 1st-3rd-6th. Couple that with a clutch that is light enough for my wife never to complain, even when driving in central London, and I would always choose a manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabGirl Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 I've got a tiptronic and I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will22 Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 I've got both and love the tip in town and manual in the country If I had to go for one then it would be........ tip ............thinking about it, it would be manual Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabGirl Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 I can't be bothering with all those gear changes. And a manual is a nightmare for shoe wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coddy Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Like the majority of people, i always said i would never have an automatic car. Then i bought the S4 Tip. Would buy one 100% again over a manual. Go every where in drive, occasionaly in Sport, and hardly ever use the paddles. I thought i would all the time, but no real need. Couldnt be bothered with a manual again. Next car, probably an M5 thankfully is auto (SMG) but dont think the BMW system (Automatic manual) is as good as the Audi one (Torque Convertors). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will22 Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 What I find good about the S4 tip is that when you use the tip mode when the car is in drive then you have 6 gears but when you use it in sport mode you have 5 and much more responce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S4teve Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Also most S4 cabs are specced with tip from new so finding the car you want should be easier. Looking at the Audi Used Car Locator over 75% of cars available are tip. This I suppose would support the resale theory as clearly there is a bigger market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabGirl Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 I never think of resale when I spec a car - I think of what I want from the car for the time I own it. I already I know I'm going to get flamed if I order a blue 911 cabriolet but who cares! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamD Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 [ QUOTE ] I already I know I'm going to get flamed if I order a blue 911 cabriolet but who cares! [/ QUOTE ] Not by me, that would be my choice - well the coupe would be, but blue all the same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDiAvant Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Also most S4 cabs are specced with tip from new so finding the car you want should be easier. Looking at the Audi Used Car Locator over 75% of cars available are tip. This I suppose would support the resale theory as clearly there is a bigger market. [/ QUOTE ] What I figure is that it's going to be harder to get discount on the manual than the Auto version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssFour Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Manual spaniel, tip flip the only important thing to be aware of is that the Black S4's are faster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_uk Posted March 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Thanks everyone for your advice, I guess I will see what comes along in my price range / colour choice and not be so hung-up on if its a manual or tiptronic. Am I guessing from what Peterpiper is saying that the auto is more economic than the manual as this is the opposite to what I would have thought? dave_uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabGirl Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] I already I know I'm going to get flamed if I order a blue 911 cabriolet but who cares! [/ QUOTE ] Not by me, that would be my choice - well the coupe would be, but blue all the same [/ QUOTE ] I'm not mad on the wheels but there's a blue one at Cambridge... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S4teve Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Am I guessing from what Peterpiper is saying that the auto is more economic than the manual as this is the opposite to what I would have thought? [/ QUOTE ] Although this is true it's only by 1 MPG I think Modern autos are slightly more efficient - don't let econony decide between the 2. Given there are plenty around, go to your nearest Audi dealer and test drive a tip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJ Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Drive both. I did and bought the tip. I drove an RS4 cab last weekend and loved it ... but I love laid-back auto on a hot day with the roof down. The tip is fun round the lanes to - though it takes a bit of work to get it right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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