Using an S4 as an everyday car

[Milo]

[ QUOTE ]

That just doesn't make sense!

[/ QUOTE ]

Re-reading it, it does sound like a load of bollox

I get 15p/mile for a 2.0T but would get 26p/mile for a 4.2

Even with the poorer mpg of the 4.2, I would still be better off because the reimbursement rate is so much higher.

[Merlot]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

It's got a big V8 - no turbo required with that level of torque. With certain notable exceptions (i.e. RS6, big Merc's) turbo's are normally fitted to small 4 pot engines to give bigger performance, with better economy!! Only it doesn't seem to work too well as my mate's Impreza goes like my S4 and drinks like it too!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeh, but an Impreza will do 30mpg+ if you really back off whereas the S4 will struggle to get above 26mpg.

[/ QUOTE ]

nonense - http://www.tyresmoke.net/attachments/830467-picture.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

You are ill

[Ian_C]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

That just doesn't make sense!

[/ QUOTE ]

Re-reading it, it does sound like a load of bollox

[/ QUOTE ]

No, lol, sorry. Milo, you made perfect sense - it is your company's fuel reimbursement rate that doesn't make sense!

Ian

[gizze]

[ QUOTE ]

I get 15p/mile for a 2.0T but would get 26p/mile for a 4.2

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't get that, what sort of scheme are you on?

You can claim 40p a mile for the first 10k miles and 25p after that, and the company has nothing to gain lowering this amount. Unless they pay for all your servicing etc. too?

[Milo]

It's really a company car; I opted out of their scheme and take a monthly cash payment from which I have to buy and maintain my car. What I claim is meant to be fair reimbursement for fuel costs, the same way I would if I were in a company car.

Ours is a good scheme in that it recognises the larger the engine, the more fuel it uses hence you can claim more. A lot of companies just have a flat rate regardless of engine size.

[P_G]

Do you think I could join your company with my car Milo? 16p per mile currently just about covers things if I do a trip down to Birmingham via Landsend without necessarily visiting there if you know what I mean?!?

[Sparky]

Hi guys, another question:

Are the brakes on the S4 somewhat more powerful than that found on the A4's, or is that an area that might need an upgrade?

[UBM]

Depends if the footrest is underneath the pedal or not....

[Sparky]

True!

[Durrsaku]

So SUK, after 16 pages and 160 posts what is the verdict?

Are you buying or not?

[Sparky]

I've seen one I want, just speaking to Audi Finance at the moment.

[J_C]

[ QUOTE ]

Are the brakes on the S4 somewhat more powerful than that found on the A4's, or is that an area that might need an upgrade?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know the exact specs etc. without looking them up but yes, the S4 brakes are substantially bigger/beefier than the standard ones, although IIRC one or two S4 owners who regularly track their cars have felt the need to upgrade them further still.

Yesterday A_S and I took the S4 up to GTI International, a round trip of 310 miles on exactly one tank of fuel.

The journey up consisted of a 'hasty' drive out to Smitten's house, followed by a steady 80-90 (km/h, obviously ) on the motorways - with the exception of that bit of the M42 which has more cameras than my local Jessops - and finished with a little 'B' road blast to the venue after meeting up with the others. The average mpg for that journey was just under 21 IIRC.

On the return journey we took it steady on the whole, staying under 80 on the motorways for the most part although there were one or two blasts towards the end. On the way home from Smitten's I took it very steady as according to the DIS I didn't have quite enough fuel left to get home ( ) and it's amazing how slow 55mph feels in that car! Safely home I refuelled for the second time that day with Optimax, and I can't remember the last time I spent £120 on fuel in a single day!

The DIS read as follows after I got home:

And this was the predicted range after my sedate last few miles - somehow I don't think I'll be getting that!

[JasonP]

Go for it. After a bad day at the office theres nothing like the sound of the V8 to cheer you up.

I used to change my car every 6 months but have had the S4 for nearly a year and am not thinking of changing (unless I win the lottery).

[UBM]

[ QUOTE ]

I've seen one I want, just speaking to Audi Finance at the moment.

[/ QUOTE ]

And.....

[Phantom]

Still waiting

[UBM]

[Durrsaku]

Quite long chat hey....

[UBM]

Are they engaged...

[JamesB]

He had to sell his PC to fund the car.

[P_G]

The brakes are 355mm front and 315mm rears, I think standard A4 front disks are 315mm, so a fair bit bigger.

If you are thinking of taking your car on track then a brake upgrade is advisable from Movit or Brembo, otherwise don't worry about it too much (don't use ECS, ScoTTy can explain why if you really want to know why).

The pedal has decent feel, the only thing I am thinking of changing now after consider ing a full front and rear upgrade disk / calipers / pads upgrade is installing steel braided brake lines which will give the pedal more firmness as the lines don't expand as much as traditional reinforced rubber ones.

[P_G]

[ QUOTE ]

I can't remember the last time I spent £120 on fuel in a single day!

[/ QUOTE ]

That's expensive Optimax you have in your area JC, briming mine from empty only takes £55. Although I have spent £150 in Optimax in one day on a £750 mile trip, and my Shell Visa card even stopped the third transaction as they were concerned my card had been stolen with the amount of fuel I had been buying!

[J_C]

Yeah, tell me about it - 102.9p a litre yesterday

The only saving grace is that the filling station is less than two miles from my house. All fuel is 3-4p a litre cheaper in the town where I work, but for various reasons I rarely if ever take the S4 to work.

at your card story!

[J_C]

[ QUOTE ]

He had to sell his PC to fund the car.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Durrsaku]

Is he buying a B5 then?

[P_G]

I think the last was that it was a B6?