Tag: BBK

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2004 Audi S4 Avant

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To me, if you’re going to go through the effort to get into a B6 and pay a lot of money as you would with the 2004 A4 3.0 quattro Avant Ultrasport I just looked at, why would you not consider the S4 Avant? Not only is it a lot more powerful, you could get them in splashy colors, and with a 6-speed manual to boot. Add in better seats, better looking wheels, and…well, better stuff, there’s only one real reason to not consider the S4 over the A4 – and that’s the engine’s incomprehensible chain system.

But let’s say that the chain repair upgrade was already done, for argument’s sake…

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2004 Audi S4 Avant on eBay

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Paul’s Own Unicorn: Ex-Newman 2005 Audi S4 Avant in Aquamarine Blue Metallic

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Update 2/25/19: It appears this car’s exact connection to Paul Newman is quite a bit more loose than indicated by the seller. Thanks, Jason!

Lately I’ve had my eye on Audi B6 Avants as a potential replacement for my Passat down the road. The B6 carried on with Audi’s tradition of building a high-quality, all-weather capable and highly versatile package. While arguably not the prettiest products to come from Ingolstadt, the subdued styling of the B6 has grown on me over time – especially as they’ve become less prevalent with age and used B7s and B8s have flooded the market.

While I’ve been looking primarily at the 1.8T that’s both economical and familiar to me, there’s no denying the appeal of the S4. For short money you can grab a car which was effectively without peer; an all-wheel drive wagon with a 340 horsepower V8 coupled to a 6-speed manual wagon. They’re certainly not without their faults, but the cost of doing business in nearly 15 year old high-tech fast German cars is infrequently small.

Appreciation for these potent and unique packages has once again been growing. Recently, a custom supercharged Jet Blue Metallic ’08 sold on Bring a Trailer for $28,250 – indicating there’s a strong market for special examples. And today’s ’05 is quite special for two reasons – first, the special order Aquamarine Blue Metallic exterior, and second involves who ordered it – none other than Hollywood legend and motorsport enthusiast Paul Newman:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2005 Audi S4 Avant on eBay

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Perfect Timing: 2005 S4 Avant

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We usually try to give plenty of time for readership to check out the auctions we link to. However, if you click on the link below you’ll find there’s only a few hours before this auction will end. Why am I writing it up?

Well, it should be pretty obvious. I like yellow cars, I like wagons, and I like Audis. Three checks there! This is a rare package, and I like rare, too. And before you start chattering about the BBK’s propensity to eat timing chain guides, this one’s already been upgraded. So it must have a million miles? No, they’re in check, too, at 112,000. Best of all, the seller is offering the car in a no reserve auction format and for some reason, bids aren’t outrageous yet.

If you want a big, bad and bold manual wagon, ACT NOW!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2005 Audi S4 Avant on eBay

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2011 Audi S5 Exclusive

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I’ll be the first admit that I’ve never really liked the S5. It felt as though Audi could have done better and didn’t. It’s always looked fat, flat and uninspired to me, and that’s not helped by the engine selections or the color pallet. When it first emerged it immediately seemed to me that it was a direct copy of the E92 BMW, but with much less exciting engines. Don’t get me wrong – the E92 isn’t my favorite BMW design, either. But it somehow managed to have more presence than the A5/S5 duo in pretty much any iteration – especially so when it came to the vibrant M3. It was almost primed to take on the E46 M3, but when the 414 horsepower V8-laden E9x emerged, the S5 was immediately second fiddle. It’s sole trump card over the M3 was that they came standard with all-wheel drive. That’s about it.

So what’s one doing here? Well, occasionally in the sea of gray, dark gray, light gray, black, dark black, silver, light silver or white S5s, a really pretty one emerges for sale. Case in point: this Audi Exclusive Glut Orange example. Suddenly the S5 makes a lot more sense – why didn’t they sell them ALL in this color?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2011 Audi S5 Exclusive on eBay

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Double Take – Sprint Two: 2007 Audi S4 and S6

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For a few reasons, I found yesterday’s S4 Avant a bit lacking. The B7 S4 Avant isn’t my favorite of the S Avants to begin with, and truth told I think I’d take a S-Line 2.0T Titanium before I jumped into a S4. The high price these have retained also is a bit of a turnoff; you can get the same car, for nearly all intents and purposes, in the B6 for a lot less. But the killer, at least for me, was the color. I just find newer silver and gray Audis predictable, cliche, and boring in general. They lack imagination. And when Audi had such brilliant colors available in the color pallet, I don’t look upon the more conservative and prevalent with envy.

But what about something wild, like LZ5F Sprint Blue Pearl Effect? Yeah, that gets the blood boiling and draws the eyes in pretty much every situation. But today I didn’t have a SBPE Avant; instead, to make up for that, I’ve got two examples of the color on S sedans from the same dealer. Strange? Even more strange is that this is the same dealer that I previously looked at a special order Sprint Blue A4. Does this dealer have some special source of smurf blue Audis?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2007 Audi S4 on eBay

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Unicorn Patrol: 2006 Audi S4 Avant

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I’ve previously made fun to the term “Unicorn” as it relates to selling…well, pretty much any of the cars we feature on these pages. Truth told, as special as you think your car is, it’s really just one of probably a fairly large number of cars just like it out in the wild. Yet that doesn’t stop the P.T. Barnum’s of the used-car market from touting how unusual it is to see their particular circus attraction. In fact, many times it seems to be considered the main selling point:

Salesman: Now that you’ve selected all your other options, I’m going to tell you about one final “dealer special” option we can offer you – but it’s only for select, and discerning customers!
Rich Plebian: Uh, okay, what is it?
S: It’s the not offered to public “Unicorn” option
RP: “Unicorn”? Like, horned mythological beast?
S: Yes, exactly. The Unicorn Package is option code 785.
RP: Okay, what does it get me?
S: You get to tell everyone how unique your mass-produced car is.
RP: Wait, it gives me special powers?
S: No, you just get to say that your car is more special than the other cars that are exactly like it.
RP: Well, people have always told me how special I am, so sign me up!

So here we are again. In the sales pitch for this 2006 Audi S4 Avant, “Unicorns are real” appears. The question is – is this really something you never see, and is it the horned mythological beast you’ve been looking for?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2006 Audi S4 Avant on eBay

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Ending Soon: What We’re Watching

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Last week’s What We’re Watching post seemed to be a hit, so I’ve lined up another group of auctions. This time, they’re all affordable no reserve classics (or soon to be?). Care to wager on what each will sell at? Let’s start with a 5-speed Euro Porsche 928.

Click for Details: 1981 Porsche 928

It’s far from perfect, but here’s a 1981 Porsche 928 5-speed in Euro trim. The BBS wheels might look more at home on an early E39 540i, the paint is tired and the engine hasn’t run in some time (and what the heck is up with that shifter surround???) but hey, at time of writing the whole package can you yours for $3,000. Certainly it’s worth at least that in parts?

Click for Details: 1960 Volkswagen Bus

I said “affordable”, right? Well, with VIN tags of 23 Window Sambas selling for upwards of $11,000, this no reserve auction on a lovely restored ’60 seems like a deal. The color combination and condition are spot on, and it will be interesting to see where it ends.

Click for Details: 1993 BMW 740iL

Back to great values, and this 1993 BMW 740iL seems ready to please. It’s got lower mileage, the great E32 shape, a nice color combination and very good overall condition. Usually the big money has been reserved for the follow-up E38, so I think someone will get a great deal on this very nice ’93.

Click for Details: 1988 BMW M5

There’s been a lot of speculation on the 80s BMW M market, so seeing a no reserve auction on an M5 is both rare and offers us the chance to litmus test the market. Usually the cars that come up in no reserve format aren’t the nicest ones out there, but this one generally looks great. It’s a southern, claimed rust-free example with disclosed maintenance in mostly original condition. At time of writing, bidding is only at $15,000, so there’s still plenty of value with two days to go.

Click for Details: 2008 BMW 328i Coupe

A little more modern, but this 2008 BMW 328i Coupe offers you a lot of style for a budget-minded commuter. This one avoids higher pricing by forgoing the manual, sport options and X-drive, but at the end of the day it’s still a nice color combination, a pretty design and a reliable option that’s affordable to run. Bidding is only at $5,000 with a few days to go on the no reserve auction.

Click for Details: 2005 Audi S4

Debate still rages over which generation of S4 was “best”, but the appeal of the 3rd generation model is understandable. You got a 340 horsepower V8, available with a 6-speed manual, and great form-fitting Recaro seats. In fact the whole package is quite attractive, but the big drawback is the BBK 4.2 is known to suffer chain problems. This one is claimed to have a lot of chain noise, but it’s otherwise in great shape and appears ready to undertake the engine-out service. While it’s not for the faint of heart (or wallet), the bidding on this car is only around $3,000 – perhaps making the endeavor worth it for a mechanically inclined individual.

Click for Details: 2006 Audi A8L

Rather have your Audi turn-key? Here’s a D3 Audi A8L that’s come to market in a no reserve format. Again the color is black outside, but matched with a lovely nougat-colored interior. Miles are higher and these A8s certainly aren’t the most simple car on the block, but they also offer you a lot of car for the money. Current bidding is below $5,000, making the luxury liner a compelling option.

-Carter

Signature Color Face-Off: 2004 v. 2007 Audi S4 Avants

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The S4 Avant is no stranger to these pages, offering enthusiasts a “have-your-cake-and-throw-it-squarely-at-that-M3-owner’s-face-too” package which combined functionality and sport in a very discrete wrapper. Well, for the most part they were discrete; most were ordered in shades of gray because a fair amount of people ponying up new were conservative with everything but the money they were paying for this small executive wagon. Lightly optioned, an S4 Avant was north of $50,000 in 2004, a price today that would having you knocking on the A7 and S6’s base price. That sticker shock masks that the B6 and B7 represented a huge price increase over the B5 generation; out the door, the cost on average about 20% – 30% more only 3 years later – but then, they offered a full 90 horsepower advantage over the twin-turbocharged V6 with that awesome 4.2 V8, which of course could still be combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Subtle though the exterior colors may be, the performance on tap was anything but.

But some enterprising individuals chose the vivid colors which had become the signature of the model in B5 form. Nogaro Blue Pearl Effect was, of course, the go-to for all things fast Audi since it was originally called RS Blue on the original super Avant RS2. But a nearly equal amount were requested in Imola Yellow, a staggering, retina-burning banana-toned shade that seems initially out of character with a family wagon, yet raises the cool-bus level to 11. Though Nogaro was replaced in the B7 chassis refresh with Sprint Blue Pearl Effect, Imola carried over for the end of the V8s.

Today, I have one of each – so which is your style?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2004 Audi S4 Avant on eBay

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2004 Audi S4 Avant

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1I always thought of the B6 as the compact executive sedan for people a little too quirky to buy a 3-series or a C-class (a bit like a Saab). The handsome, turn-of-the-millennium design has aged well and continues to exude a note of well-heeled class even today. While humdrum four and six cylinder examples can be picked up very cheaply for everyday commuting duties, it’s the high-performance S4 version that really gets the pulse racing. Wearing some sporting exterior upgrades – door blades, redesigned bumpers, chromed wing mirror covers and, usually, 18″ Avus wheels – it remains a rather understated car in outward appearance. But squeezed under the hood is a thumping 4.2 liter V8, good for nearly 340 hp and 155 MPH on the Autobahn. Rev it hard and this thing pulls like a freight train. While the drawback of the B6 was always its questionable reliability and build quality, that motor, combined here with a six speed manual gearbox in a wagon bodystyle, might just be enough to make up for it.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2004 Audi S4 Avant on eBay

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Feature Listing: 2007 Audi S4 Avant

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Our own Paul has recently spent a few posts outlining some gripes he has with the current Volkswagen/Audi lineup, and in all honesty I have to echo him. With the exceptions of the TT-RS and Golf R, VAG has really left our market wanting. For some time, it was the niche-ness of Audi that made it so appealing. Where else would you get a turbocharged, all-wheel drive manual wagon? Ironically, it’s most recently been rival BMW that has offered that package in the 535xi Touring as Audi has steadfastly removed the fast 5-doors from North America. Okay, we get the beautiful A7/S7/RS7 lineup, but they’re exceptionally tech-heavy and….well, just plain heavy, as well as being (like nearly all of the Audi lineup) automatic only. Now, if I’m honest some automatics aren’t that bad and I think even Paul admitted the most recent generation of BMW autos were pretty impressive. The same goes for recent turbo motors that manage to produce both stellar fuel economy and outrageous power (for how long, I’m tempted to wonder as I saw yet another 2.0T apart on a bench today). But the synergy of naturally aspriated mechanical noise, three pedal engagement and a weighted lever to mesh them together is something enthusiasts will always want. That combo, when coupled with the equally sought fast wagons from Audi, creates a legendary package that has really few equals and a presence second to none. Last offered in the B7 chassis, the raucous BBK-code 4.2 V8 coupled 11:1 compression with variable valve timing for a screaming 7,200 rpm redline and 340 horsepower. The numbers were close to the S54 in the E46 M3, but the delivery is completely different. While the M3 is a high-revving race feel, the Audi positively comes across like a freight train when you’re behind it. Mash the throttle and there isn’t an explosion of speed – indeed, you might be disappointed at first. But keep watching that needle, because that silky smooth V8 has already propelled you past legal speeds and is showing no sign of slowing down:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2007 Audi S4 Avant on Denver Craigslist

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