Another S4 questions - Oil consumption

[jeznewsome]

Looking to buy an S4 B8.

The first car I looked at had oil residue on the nearside cylinder bank, as if there had been clumsy oil top ups. The car had not been valetted so at least the evidence was visible.

I am probably going to look at one at an audi dealer tomorrow, which will no doubt have been valetted within an inch of it's life, but I note from the photos on the website that there is an orange oil caption on one of the photos.

Is there a problem with oil consumptionon these engines. I know audis view will probably be that 1l/1000miles is acceptable........but to me it isn't.

Any experience or advice from owners welcomed.

[Longdog]

I've had mine, from new, since may and have used just over half of a litre in 8000 miles. My b7 S4 and previous Skoda Octavia vrs used probably twice as much.

[troc]

Indeed, mine seems to use very little oil - I've never had to top it up between servicing.

I do drive mine quite hard on occasion and it's not handled with kid gloves or anything - plenty of irritating short trips with a cold engine etc.

Either I'm lucky or my fairly short, sharp run-in period bedded the seals in better than average.

[jeznewsome]

Thanks for the swift responses fellas. Hopefully the one I look at will not be an oil burner.......though I'll have to buy it to find out.

On another subject I note from troc's signature that he has the Drive select option. The car I am looking at does not have this 'sought after' extra. I am going to miss not having it? I drive swiftly on the road but am unlilkey to take it on a track day. My B6 S4 understeered on occassion (as they did) but I got over that. My assumption is that the B8 S4 will be better than my old one without the addition of the Drie select option.......I am in the right ballpark or should I be searching out a drive select option car?

[Longdog]

Mine also has drive select but if you are concerned about understeer then you'll need the sports diff, which I also have, this transforms the cars handling and you can even get the back end out - especially if the roads a bit damp. Both options are, IMHO, the must haves on the S4.

[Zenerdiode]

I'll just very gingerly put my hand in the air and say that although I don't have an S4, I do have a quattro with normal rear differential. However for the B8 they utilised quattro generation V which changed the centre differential from the normal 50:50 split to 60:40 bias to the rear. This makes my car extremely well ballanced with a tendancy to oversteer - rather than understeer.

[jeznewsome]

Well I enjoyed the drive, certainly plenty of go with more sure footed feeeling than my B6 was. Though I haven't driven a Drive Select car I am still pleased with the handling of the B8 so a deposit has been placed.

Let's just hope the long term ownership doesn't come with any nasties.

Thanks for all the comments