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S4 or Evo VIII

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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 11:35 AM
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S4 or Evo VIII

I'm seriously torn between getting a used Audi S4 or the new Evo. The Audi is available for about 26k now while the Evo is a little above that (not counting additional mark-ups)
Both share powerful turbo'd motors and AWD. I do like the additional luxury touches on the Audi since I dont plan to track either cars and would use it as a daily driver. I like the Evo's looks and exclusivity. The S4 looks too much like your everyday A4s and would almost blend in with the daily commute.
Just some comments to help me decide...and keep the flaming down please. Thanks.
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 11:44 AM
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my friend has the same problem as you, the only reason hes not choosing the EVo is because the interior might be *blah*. So my advice for him was to wait till the Evo gets out and look at it and test drive it before deciding. Hey i had a similar problem with the G35 coupe, but the turbo got me, im sticking with EVO
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 11:45 AM
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Doesnt APR have a chip upgrade for the S4 that gives it like 75 - 100HP? It turns up the turbos and fuel among other things.

Rob
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 11:48 AM
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Originally posted by evoturbo131
my friend has the same problem as you, the only reason hes not choosing the EVo is because the interior might be *blah*. So my advice for him was to wait till the Evo gets out and look at it and test drive it before deciding. Hey i had a similar problem with the G35 coupe, but the turbo got me, im sticking with EVO
I'm in the same boat with a used Lexus L-tuned GS400 and the EVO. Driving the GS and seeing all the sweet bells and whistles was really awesome (plus it's been one of my dream cars to own for a while - but then again, so has the EVO!). To make a long story short, I've decided to just wait and let the hype die down a bit with the EVO and see what everyone's take on it is in about 3 or 4 months. By then maybe I'll be able to test drive one too.

Rob
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 11:53 AM
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Here is a thread on AudiWorld you might be interested in:

http://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/1156156.phtml

My $0.02 -

If you want a luxury car, a cruiser, the Evo is not for you.

If you think you'd be happy with the S4, you're probably better going with it. Its a lot of car for the money right now.

The S4 is a bloated pig though at 3593 pounds. However the addition of a simple APR chip (www.GoAPR.com) will take you to a reliable 307 HP and 366 TQ. The suspension on the S4 is pretty soft, you may want to go to stiffer suspension or at least sway bars to dial-out just a little of the massive understeer.

The S4 is a good looking car. Pictures of one of my friend's 2000 S4 here: http://bmw.jedinite.com/photos/Chad/

The Evo, you should know what that car is from reading this board. Quite simply its a road-legal race car. It's going to outrun and outhandle the S4 in every performance category. Its going to be harsh, noisy, and mean. And I can't wait for mine...

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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 12:04 PM
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A few pictures:






Gotta love that alcantara interior...


Another $0.02 to the discussion, because I wasn't too happy with the conclusion of my last post:

The S4 is a luxurious german autobahn cruiser. It is decently sporty, but in stock form gives up a lot in the name of comfort and luxury. If its your daily driver, especially your only car, and if comfort is a factor to you (especially if its a bigger factor than performance) then the S4 is probably the right car for you.

The Evo is the right car for me - I'm looking for performance over comfort, and I've wanted to own an Evolution for a few years now.

To each his own... more Evo's for the rest of us if you decide to go Audi.
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 12:06 PM
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I would take an S4 over an evo all day...
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 12:07 PM
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and here lies my biggest problem. the lancer interior (or the wrx) was a little too.. bland (?) for me for a 30k car. do i like power ? sure ! i enjoy blasting on the on-ramps and the occasional high speed run through an open road. and the look on those ricer's faces when you effortlessly fly pass them is satisfying. but i'm also looking for a bit of creature comfort to go with the performance, not to mention making those 150 mile weekend getaways to canada tolerable.
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 12:18 PM
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Jedinite, it's interesting to see a M3 owner saying good things about the S4

As an Audi Owner and previous Mitsubishi owner (I know the Mirage is not a good comparason to the new EVO), I can say the build quality (especially interior) of Audi is one of the the best, if not the best in the industry. Like many others have said, if you're happy with relatively softer ride with a good performance package, the S4 should suit your needs. If you want a hardcore race car with no compromise, get the EVO.

PS. you will need to spend more money on the S4 to get it to perform at the same level (except top speed) as the EVO, so don't even bother.

APR chip is one of the best. I'm going to get that with my water injection system after the tax return check is here
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 12:21 PM
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Originally posted by jman425
and here lies my biggest problem. the lancer interior (or the wrx) was a little too.. bland (?) for me for a 30k car. do i like power ? sure ! i enjoy blasting on the on-ramps and the occasional high speed run through an open road. and the look on those ricer's faces when you effortlessly fly pass them is satisfying. but i'm also looking for a bit of creature comfort to go with the performance, not to mention making those 150 mile weekend getaways to canada tolerable.
- If you prefer a "looker", get the RS4 wide body kit for the S4 would be a solution, although it's not cheap (>$3,000 if I remember correctly)
- On long trip, I would assume the EVO would be a bit harsh, I rode it an EVO V before for like 30-45 mins...it was pure fun and a bit exhausting at the same time
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 12:25 PM
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This is where I think that comparing an EVO with another car like the G35, S4 isnt at all unreasonable. People are getting a lot of criticism in here for thinking twice about the EVO. jman has a point. Some people, like me, aren't comparing the EVo and the STI. We're comparing what we can get for the 30K we work hard for and can only spend once. The EVO is an amazing car and there's kinda of a frantic "grab them while you still can" behavior going on. It's definately a rocket that can maneuver like no other. Once the hype dies down a little, you start thinking, dang, now I can spend 30K on a car but what about that other car I want. Is the EVO going to be worth $30K TO ME? It's a tough decision because it's only ONE car you can choose and most people are using it as a daily driver. I was talking to someone earlier and he said he wants an EVO but the only thing he's worried about is how satisfied it will make him all-around. When I bought my eclipse I was crazy about it. After having it for 5 years now I've been seeing the need to get something with four doors for the last 2 years. Taking two cars everywhere is kind of annoying. I guess some people are making sure they arent just buying on total emotion but on a bit of realism too. Everyone has their own reasons.

Last edited by Coolguy949; Mar 3, 2003 at 12:28 PM.
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 12:32 PM
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I had just recently returned my leased S4. With the nav, good looks, Audi name, the car was great. As for driving the thing, it was very smooth and very boring. The shifter was very sloppy and and there was almost no feedback from the steering. Good power though. Just very dull to drive.
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 12:34 PM
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Originally posted by Coolguy949
This is where I think that comparing an EVO with another car like the G35, S4 isnt at all unreasonable. People are getting a lot of criticism in here for thinking twice about the EVO. jman has a point. Some people, like me, aren't comparing the EVo and the STI. We're comparing what we can get for the 30K we work hard for and can only spend once. The EVO is an amazing car and there's kinda of a frantic "grab them while you still can" behavior going on. It's definately a rocket that can maneuver like no other. Once the hype dies down a little, you start thinking, dang, now I can spend 30K on a car but what about that other car I want. Is the EVO going to be worth $30K TO ME? It's a tough decision because it's only ONE car you can choose and most people are using it as a daily driver. I was talking to someone earlier and he said he wants an EVO but the only thing he's worried about is how satisfied it will make him all-around. When I bought my eclipse I was crazy about it. After having it for 5 years now I've been seeing the need to get something with four doors for the last 2 years. Taking two cars everywhere is kind of annoying. I guess some people are making sure they arent just buying on total emotion but on a bit of realism too. Everyone has their own reasons.
Word!

That's why I was thinking of getting a project car to satisfy my "need for occational speed" (track time/driving school). Driving to/from work everyday in a car that require you to concentrate 80-90% would not be too nice

It's just me...maybe I will get a used EVO 2-3 years down the road
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 01:04 PM
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thanks for all the input everyone. believe me, I think the Evo is an awesome car, or else I wouldnt spend time on this board to find out more about it. i am selling my bmw soon and looking for more excitement and performance from a daily driver than an Accord V6 (with comptech mods). i'm fixing my budget at 30-32k max, anything lower will be a nice bonus. Evo, Sti, S4 are all within the budget. And don't suggest the new Accord V6... butt ugly, imo
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Old Mar 3, 2003 | 01:11 PM
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Are you looking stickly for Turbo AWD cars?

If you have an Accord as your daily driver, you can look into something "less practical"...if you know what I mean

Other choices (not turbo AWD sedan) would be used a GT-R V-spec R32 (might be too old for you), or even cheaper RX-7, 300ZX, or Supra (those might not be your choice).
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