s4 v8 b6/7

[fourringsrus]

I am currently contemplating buying an s4 v8 avant b6 or b7, I would like to hear from owners, what kind of mpg they get in the real world, either manual or auto trans.
The car will be a weekend and occasional use car and mostly driven like an old codger, not ragged everywhere, so what should I expect realistically
Many thanks

Stuart

[Crasher]

Sounds nice, drinks like I do and can be fragile with parts prices that can make a grown man cry.

[fourringsrus]

Hopefully find one with the cam chain/tensioner and clutch issue dealt with, but are these v8 cars known for any other peculiarities

[Crasher]

A peculiar propensity for the poly V belt idler pulley bracket to snap off, £55 for the bit but a complete front end strip down to get at and the part always seems to be on back order, it was so bad once I have to get a local machine shop to make one! Throttle body (£1.4K!!!!) and inlet manifold flap (£2k!!!) problems also common. Sump sludge not unknown, coil packs should have been done by now under campaign 28E9. The suspension joints/bushes front and rear plus the brakes take a hammering and rear discs inner face corrosion, underside corrosion on the chassis rails at the rear is a source of future nightmare welding and MOT failure whinging ont forums but that is common to all 8E's. Usual plenum chamber goldfish bowl problem. The ZF 6HP-19 auto box can reduce a battle hardened SAS man to tears... and that did happen!

[fourringsrus]

Are you trying to put me off.
Are these common place issues or just stuff to be aware of at purchase time, obviously I would be looking for good history records

[Crasher]

Do you think I see the good side of cars or bad? My stores manager says I have the bed side manner of an executioner....