Do NOT buy an AUDI S4 B6/B7

[@pilskadden]

The problem is that some people buy a fancy car but don't have or don't want to spend the money required to maintain it properly.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Correct. These were high tech at the time so anything on the leading edge will have problems down the line

[@mattmatt591]

Nope! The problem is irresponsible asshole people who pass their problems onto others.

[@izdakilla]

Maintenence doesn't make plastic at the back of an engine stronger.

[@johannapoder2843]

@@mitchellkohrmann most people in most countries are to dump to use, maintain or fix german cars. in estonia we drive our germans all over 500k.

[@R6AAO]

​@@izdakillathey're not plastic. They're Teflon.

[@johnlindsay395]

207k on mine..original chains and tensioners.I had various oil seals changed recently and I keep the oil changed regularly. I bought the car December 2016 and it still makes me smile. If it fails tomorrow I have had a good return on the petrol I have poured into it!!

[@lisandro12349]

How often do you change the oil?

[@johnlindsay395]

@lisandro12349 every 12k

[@lisandro12349]

@ K miles or kms? I do every 6 to 7k kms. Sitting at 155k. Clean internals and doesn’t burn any oil.

[@ofeliawotsits6080]

To say you were unlucky is a massive understatement. I had a ‘99 4.2 V8 Avant which I bought cheap and ran for 6 years till 2022 when at 160000 miles a piston big end gave way after I massively over revved it. It had the timing belt at the front of the engine which was a piece of cake compared to the later engined with the chains at the rear. I loved that car. Rust was beginning to look terminal in some rear suspension places, so its days were numbered anyway. Now I have a 2010 RS6 C6 ….. fingers crossed!

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Very unlucky! A timing belt motor sounds like a dream. Good luck with your car in the future!

[@joevarga5982]

How do you over-rev an engine with a rev limiter?

[@edwardraine3269]

@@joevarga5982 down shifiting

[@ladfromedin5345]

Had replaced my E46 with an 07 S4 with around 40k miles 2 months ago and I love it! Thankfully barely any oil leak and no faults except a flickering headlight but not sure if mine had the timing chain tensioner replaced and it is a bit worrying lol But looking through forums and videos on 4.2 V8 S4s to get tips and luckily I ran into your channel. I am sorry to hear what you experience but contents likes this really helps to bring insight to people like us. Great contents and lookin forward to see more man

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Absolutely! I’ve done timing on these before. When it comes time to pull and rebuild this motor in the spring or early summer I’ll be doing a detailed series of videos on the rebuild, so hopefully that’ll help

[@douglassloan6831]

I inherited an Audi with the same engine and the minute I got it purchased a third party warranty for it. I had heard this was a must for Audi ownership and sure enough, in the 6 months I've had it, the car has needed about 12K worth of work. from new valve covers and seals to most of the cooling system, Finally the thing is running great and I'm enjoying that awesome ride and performance you hear so much about. But I would say on ANY Audi, Pre inspect it and immediately sign up for a warranty from a reputable company. Good luck with this one, Mitchell. Hope it works out for you!

[@paulguy8779]

What warranty company did you use? Did they give you any trouble actually paying out for repairs?

[@douglassloan6831]

@@paulguy8779 interesting you should bring that up. I went with a company called "CarChex". I was completely unaware at the time that they were a subcontractor to the much larger and much maligned Car Shield. When the first issue surfaced, I brought the car in and they began the process of trying to get the warranty work approved. At first, it seemed like it wasn't going to go through, even though it was a completely legitimate claim.I called the company myself and was transferred from person to person for a few days. Finally I got someone who was willing to help. The mistake they made was that they asked me for the Death Certificate of the person from whom I inherited the car. They claimed it was an issue with the title or some crap like that. I went ballistic when I heard this. I wrote a letter to the CEO of the company and explained what had happened. My claim was approved the following day and since then, I have had two other claims that were immediately paid. I'm pretty sure they have me flagged as an account to just pay without issue as they made the mistake of asking for a death certificate. That being said, I think that all these companies are the same more or less. You have to get in there and really go to war to get them to pay. And for the love of God, read the contract and the exclusions. They will truly jump up to bite you in the butt.

[@DevlinKennedy]

A few years ago I bought a b6 s4 cabriolet for 800 bucks, I’m stopped keeping track of how much I’ve spent on it between parts and machine shop expenses once I went over 5k. Maybe this winter I will get it put back together and drive it for the first time.

[@DevlinKennedy]

Update: successfully walked past it several times a day and have not touched it.

[@hossein3867]

@@DevlinKennedy such difficult cars to work on, I typically am willing to get a little deep, but my S4 B6 is not easy.

[@92clew]

I bought the b6 s4 for the particular reason. Only way for me to progress as a mechanic is dive in the deep end and own something difficult.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I’ve done timing on these cars before but never pulled off the heads fully. If you’re planning to do the same, it’s actually much easier than you’d think. It’s just very time consuming as there are a lot of steps

[@humpday2267]

You can get these old things running for cheap ish. I got mine blown up with scores cylinders for 1500 then I got a good shape 150k mile engine off fb for 250$ then I put rebuilt heads on it with new valves guides and seals then did rs4 chains and guides and she’s back to brand new for like 4K including price of car new engine for cheap

[@mitchellkohrmann]

That’s a great price! Both of mine were extremely clean cosmetically so I paid what you would expect for one in that shape. Little did I know about the mechanical aspect though lol

[@jenga85]

Why can't people just be honest cause the same thing happened to me 2 months after buying mine. I Got everything done and have been daily driving it ever since.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

It seems to be a trend on this platform. People get in over their head and their only option is to dump it on someone else’s. I’m glad you kept yours on the road though!

[@rockefeller63]

Man, sorry you had such a bad experience with these cars. You are right. Every single s4 if not maintained property is a ticking bomb. I bought min 8 years ago, and I immediately had to do new clutch, valve seals, and timing guides. The rattle never went away on cold start, and that's probably due to worn-out cam adjusters. 2 years ago, it caught fire, but luckily, it was not a very serious one but still had to replace the whole wiring harnesses. And yeah, i still have the car. I still love it for some reason, tho these days it's not being driven nearly as much as i used to.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Great to hear yours is still around. They can be great cars but can also be horrible to own depending on who has owned it in the past. Given they depreciated to the point they have, a lot of people just want a cheap v8 sedan and run them to the ground unfortunately.

[@joevarga5982]

Chain rattle is NORMAL on a cold start. The tensioners are operated by oil pressure, which is ZERO on a cold start. The rattle goes away in about 1 second.

[@R6AAO]

​@@joevarga5982the guide adjusters are oil operated and they shouldn't lose pressure. They leak at the seal of the adjuster piston/ram. It could also be a sign of a stuck roller on the cam followers.

[@joevarga5982]

@@R6AAO "the guide adjusters are oil operated and they shouldn't lose pressure." There's NO oil pressure in the engine at all when the engine is off. OF COURSE the tensioners lose oil pressure.

[@R6AAO]

@@joevarga5982 they don't flow backwards. They're on a check valve.

[@stenRS]

I changed chain, chain tensioner,water pump, clutch, pcv valve, flywheel and all piston rings on my rs4 b7 :) Also did a deflap so i dont have to think about that crashing my engine. So now its bulletproof 😊 Im keeping it until i die,so i got free budget on mine👍 Fun cars but service them well. I change oil every 5000km

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Did you have a timing failure or was that done when the engine was out for something else? I know the rs4 guides are significantly better than the s4

[@stenRS]

@@mitchellkohrmann nah i had no problem. But one of my flaps fell dowm and smashed a piston & valve. So then i just decided to do a full rebuild. Didnt do it myself, so it was expensive.

[@FoxWJK]

@@stenRS what deflap / flaps are we talking about

[@stenRS]

@@FoxWJK intake flaps. They are bolted with 2 screws that are known to unscrew/vibrate out and causing engine failure

[@ChanceSummer]

The part that gets me is why can’t people just be super honest and even over disclose all the little and big things that is wrong with a car. It will still get sold and to a car person who will fix it so, a win-win. Good luck!

[@carsculture4400]

If I’m considering buying a B7 S4 and the seller shows that the timing chain was replaced at say 80k miles from an Audi Dealerhship wouldn’t that mean it will eventually have the same problem? Or are dealers aware and replace with the RS4 metal guides?

[@mitchellkohrmann]

That’s hard to say. Usually dealers like to just put in whatever they came with as there’s no recall or anything for these. How long ago did the work happen? They tend to last a long time, so the car you’re interested in could have a lot of life left even without the rs4 guides

[@carsculture4400]

@@mitchellkohrmann Timing service was done at 80k miles and car is currently at 120k. Appreciate the reply as that was one of my main concerns!

[@YootubeUK]

I hope you sorted this all out. Was it valve stem oil seals or rings?

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Mostly valve seals and slight bore scoring, but seemed to be more so up top. I sold the car to a buddy fully disclosed so that I could buy a D3 S8 I'll have a video out soon on! The avant is still chugging along while burning oil

[@YootubeUK]

@@mitchellkohrmann The D3 S8 is another fine looking car. I do love the BMW, Audis from a few years back.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

@ 2000-2010 was a really special era for the German cars. Basically how do we get the largest engine possible into this platform

[@YootubeUK]

@@mitchellkohrmann With styling and build quality!

[@stefan_gamer_0135]

What part number does the cover you remove at minute 6.23 have? Does anyone know ? Thank you !

[@mitchellwade9767]

Hey there, about to get into one of these. It’s super clean but at a mileage of 140k I’m thinking that everything major should be taken care of. Am I wrong for thinking that?

[@miltonmartinez6698]

Absolutely wrong brother

[@andersvn6369]

Hey man did you ever get it sorted out? I love the sound of this thing

[@grantkendrick277]

I picked up a B7 S4 recently off an auction website. Body was straight, interior in good condition, flew from atlanta to detroit to drive it back. The car is honestly pretty solid but less than a week into ownership i found out that the valve covers were dumping oil and that the splash oan was held on with zip ties. Honestly not that big of a deal, and its a near 20 year old german v8 sedan, i expect to have to fix some oil leaks but i would have loved to know about this ahead of time. My plan is to begin accumulating parts for the timing job, mine has under 100k miles, and do that, the clutch, all of the rubber lines all at once, one and done.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

You never know, your car could have 50,000 miles of life still left but like you were saying it’s a good idea to be prepared and ahead of the problem!

[@xb00sted]

Great video man.... inspiring to say the least, you seem to tackle the issues philosophically....I have been fixing cars for years and your video helps me to keep going..👍

[@theenglishtrucker1849]

Liqui Moly Engine flush REALLY helped my B7 2.0TFSI use much less oil. Highly recommend. If it was a private sale there is no point in contacting the person you bought it from. They knew what they were selling, its why they sold it. If you buy one again, get it from a small dealership rather than a private sale.

[@Randy-lg1qo]

Great cars and you explained why - cheap now. Buy one and take the engine out and: 1. Replace chains and guides. 2. Long-tube headers 3. Heads 4. Replace hoses to silicone 5. Poly bush everything

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Works well for me though! An awesome car for cheap as long as you don’t mind putting some work in

[@d.spencer1792]

Hey, brother,(audis4 avant lover) I've never commented on anything b4. I had little info. For you. You mentioned #1 100% failure rate on timing chain. I've got few tips for you( since I could never do the whole posting thing. So best rule of thumb I've ever followed. 15 sec turn key to starting. I've been doing that since I purchased my 4.2 s4 b7 avant with 75 000 miles. I've only recently. Heard death rattle once and I've got 204,000. You mentioned reasons 4 oil consumption 1. Bore scoring. . 2 . Valve seals . There's a 3rd I've had this on my 2006 S4 b7 and my 2009 Q7 . The oil filter relocator At the bottom (inside the engine. A rubber seal that almost looks like an infinity symbol. There is 2 version of that rubber. The death rattle I had was 40 miles after being serviced at an audi dealership in fife Washington . When I took my avant in for air bag recall. Just so happened I was ready for oil service. So instead of me doing it at cost of about 50-60 . They charged 200.00 didn't use synthetic oil and get this didn't put enough oil for me to get 90 miles home. As soon as I pulled in driveway , pulled stick bone dry. So I love what your doing and that you very good at explaining what your doing I'm self taught because of trust issues. Plus love that every mechanic I've rub into says audi is the hardest car to figure out. Once I figured out about system redundancy 's it's actually. Easy to diagnose During covid bought a car tablet. And have been teaching myself coding. I love the fact you had your s4 shit on you fixed and went for another. I fell in love with audi and all their issues when I purchased a 2001 A6 c5 2.8L. Had 100,000 now it has 376,000 and I'm replacing 5hp19 tyranny cause the engine is awesome . Any way I was just trying to let you know a couple things and commend you. Your the 1st person I've watched that explains shit so well. In subscribed will keep watching . Would love to actually communicate with you. Like I said 1st time commenting on anything like this ever. Keep it up,people can learn alot from you

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Hey thanks for reaching out. It’s was hard not to go for another one. I mean what 4 door wagon also comes with AWD, a 6 speed and a v8? Like you were saying these cars aren’t horrible to work on, it just a lot of steps and time consuming. Luckily I think I’m clear on the chains with this motor, but I think I have narrowed the oil burning down to valve guides. Once the weather warms and I can use some of my other less ideal to daily drive cars I will be putting this car up on a lift and documenting the engine removal and tear down to hopefully help others out. Cheers!

[@m6trix846]

Mine has 210k miles and I didnt have to replace timing chains until 170k miles

[@AndrewHellyer]

The primary cause of the chain guides wearing out, is a non return valve in the valley, they fail and all the oil drains to the sump, leaving nothing for the tensioners and lubrication for the chains and guides. Replace it when doing the chains

[@mitchellkohrmann]

That’ll be on the list when it comes time to pull the motor in a month or two. Stay tuned

[@buzzcrushtrendkill]

Wow. If I wanted to work this much on a car I'll buy a Lotus Esprit.

[@Kovac10789]

Wait,wait...this car don't have a timing belt and two chains on the cam? Because,i have a8 d3 2005 before fsi(fsi have 350 hp and mine have 335).And in the prospect these have 344.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

The 4.2 in the B6 and B7 was a timing chain motor with them being at the back of the motor. It's known. as the Achilles heel of the platform

[@Kovac10789]

@mitchellkohrmann Oh,i see....That's shame then.I'm ok with mine and i don't know why they are not simply put the same belt on the S versions.I simply remove the bumper and do the job.Chain is much more complicated and unreliable.

[@A_Lew614]

Can’t believe dude accused you of faking the oil. People are too shady

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I know right? I wasn’t even asking for anything in return or money back. He just couldn’t accept responsibility

[@sashoxxx]

He even gave you TEN quarts of oil before you went on your way, like "oh I just had these lying around". LOL. What a douche.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

@@sashoxxxI don’t buy any cars without expecting stuff like this anymore unfortunately. I’ve either had to pull the engine or trans on like 6 of the 10 cars I’ve bought the last year or two that were listed as being perfect. It’s just part of the game I guess

[@sashoxxx]

Well Mitchell, if I'm being frank here, there's a little something about the vehicles also. You can't expect an Audi to be reliable much. But people seem to be more willing to lie and scam you on your buy compared to, lets say, a decade ago that's for sure. Hope your fix is on the cheap side now. At least you DIY your stuff, and have good content, so that's pretty sweet. Best of luck 🤙

[@mitchellkohrmann]

@@sashoxxxthanks buddy! I have plenty of cars and always know what I’m buying into so I never really get upset when work has to be done. It’s part of the fun

[@maedhros0111]

I got the B7 3.0 TDI last year, 318.000 km on the clutch. I’ve made 20.000 km more and no problems yet. I think the V6 TDI from Audi is the most reliable engine ever created, but if I could, I would struggle with the same problem than you, as I’d love to drive a petrol V6/V8

[@mitchellkohrmann]

A diesel would make a great daily for me. I love the 4.2 though so just like you said I don’t mind putting up with the issues

[@Rol1Co]

Only thing i can advice you is get in contact with amtuned, they have all you need, 2 rebuild heads $1750,- and more. Guides break but there are Rs4 ones who are a bit better, the old one's break due age's and rattling due leaking checkvalves who are underneath the valley pan. Leaking oil is an oil filter housing seals problem. They all have the same issues because the age is the same, 16-22 years old.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I actually used AMTuneds timing kit when doing my old b7. They’re very helpful and I’ll likely be contacting them again when it’s time to pull this ones motor

[@Rol1Co]

@@mitchellkohrmann not always needed to do all the timing gear, if its right on time just replace all the guides and the 4 tensioners, can be done without loosen up chains with timing tools in.

[@markb6s4]

Another cause can alao ne thenoiston rings as well need to be changed out. But going that route you will habe to break in the engine sonthat the rings get a good seat

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I’ve given the rings thought. I know that’s not as big of an issue with these as bore scoring and general valve issues. We’ll see what the true issue was once I get to pulling the motor soon

[@markb6s4]

good thing you understood my last comment. Spelling errors left and right 😅. Very unfortunate to hear having back to back luck with these cars.

[@hello.gumption]

I don't like to sound naive, but I really despise car / bike people screwing each other over. Sure the guy might have been transparent with his papers and reputation on the forums but he wasn't completely honest with you. And that sucks because we all know that empty punch in the stomach feeling you get when you've been thoroughly screwed over. I'd never do that to someone. It's crazy. Anyway, don't underestimate yourself, you seem super smart to be able to pull apart one of the more complex Audi's (in your garage, no less). Anyway, I'm here because there is a broken one near me and I was so tempted. No crank on starter.... I think the tensioners / guides completely failed. But... The wagons in Nogaro Blue just speaks to me!! Great work and subscribed!

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I would be so tempted for an avant in blue! I was pretty upset with mine as I have never misrepresented a car when selling but I know there’s nothing to be done. The timing job isn’t that bad so taking the heads off is just one extra step

[@hello.gumption]

@@mitchellkohrmann Yeah the blue gets me reeled in because of the RS 2 Avant. I'm fairly confident I'll never own one of those, so a modern nogaro blue s4 is the next best thing... and, although it's not a Audi / Porsche lovechild, it does have a 6 speed and large-ish displacement which makes up for it. So let me get this right, if the timing gear is worn on a 4.2, will it grenade itself? Or is it non-interference? I'm guessing there will be damage if it slips out of mechanical timing.

[@joevarga5982]

I have a manual trans 2004 S4. I bought it with 13,000 miles. It now has 161,000 miles. I change the oil and filter every 10,000 miles as recommended by Audi, with Mobil 1 oil. I've never touched the timing chains, guides or tensioners and never had a problem. People having issues with the tensioners are probably abusing the car by not changing the oil when they should, using the wrong oil, revving the car when cold, not changing filters, using cheap filters, etc. The guides and tensioners CAN last. I've proven it (to myself).

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I typically do 3-5 for oil changes but that’s all personal preference. I’d like to know the root cause of the guide failures. My first thought was that it was heat cycles weakening the plastic and oil running low causing the hydraulic tensioners to not tighten fully. Who knows though!!

[@driessteenekamp4650]

How do you repair you're S4 timing chain and clutch then sell it? Damn. Sorry that you got screwed. Hopefully you get it repaired.

[@DevlinKennedy]

I would suggest servicing the oil separator under the plate under the intake

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Thanks for the suggestion. The pcv has been changed as well as a catch can to see if that was the issue. Unfortunately that didn’t pan out. Oh well at least I can refresh the rest of the motor when it comes out soon

[@Aperture.Motorsports]

Dude this really sucks. I think it’s one thing to know about the various problems on these cars before buying it; that’s kinda the position I’m in with my new b7 sedan. {I know it hasn’t had timing done, and I have all the records highlighting what needs fixing}. But it’s a whole additional level of pain when you buy one that’s supposed to have everything fixed, and still get burned. The same thing happened to me with me with my b7 wagon. Basically the previous owner had pictures and receipts. And then after my motor blew up 3 weeks later he was like “maybe those records where from this car and maybe they weren’t. It doesn’t really matter because When your buying a 4.2 s4 you should just financially prepare to rebuild the motor instead of trying to buy a car the lazy way.” So just like you, I thought I had bought my dream daily driver and was forced to put a new motor together {When my timing went I didn’t get any rattle, rough idle, or CELs; just the timing let go while driving one day and piston to valved 5 out of 8 cylinders}. So I know its probably not the most super helpful thing to say, but I truly understand how you feel, and I hope things get better. In terms of fixing the current engine you have, it might be worth doing like I did and finding an engine with the timing already fixed; mine was from a totaled b6 convertible that had way less miles than my avant. And since the motor was already out I was able to verify the rs4 guides where installed.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Yea a new motor at this point wouldn't hurt, the car really just needs new heads or a valve job, but with timing at the back that would be included too! I ended up selling this at a discount due to the issue and used that money to buy a v10 s8. What a car!

[@Aperture.Motorsports]

@ WHOA … you have no idea how much Time i lose daydreaming about buying a v10 s8 😂

[@mitchellkohrmann]

@ they’re very troubled cars as well but I love it to death. A video will come soon on that car. I also just purchased an r8 with a video accompanying that today!

[@AndrewHellyer]

I bought mine in 2012, it hasnt missed a beat, and all ive done is service it, and replaced the rocker cover gaskets. It has no chain rattle or anything

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Consider yourself one of the lucky! Hopefully it stays that way for you

[@aarontyrrell2931]

Still love the 4.2 avant- but man they are a lot of work. Not as bad if u have other cars to drive and the money for parts and the know how to fix it.

[@zombiecrow92]

Ive got a b6 avant but its a tdi, always loved tdis and it feels really great. A friend had the same issues in his s4 so he got an a6 c5 2.7tt engine and put it in his s4. A tune and a hybrid turbos and it runs real good.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

A TDI would be great for a daily. I’m a sucker for the torque and sound of the v8 though so I guess I’ll have to endure the problems that come with it

[@myleicam8546]

Mine is a S4 b6 cabrio with 180.000km. No issues. but not cheap to maintain. Is a + 70.000€ car when new. V8, 344hp... I hope you manage to fix the problems and enjoy the car. No big cars are issues free. 911 problems are worst and more catastrophic

[@noinstaphil]

They do have issues with the valve guides as well, which leads to bad valve stem seals due to the loose clearances. There's a nice B6 all apart on Facebook marketplace, it's tempting even though they are notorious for their issues.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

They’re great cars as long as you’re comfortable with DIY engine outs. I think the valve guides might be more of a problem than the seals with these. When I pull the motor in a month or two I’ll probably just have the heads rebuilt. I’ll have a video for that too!

[@DerekCully]

I would try 5w-40 and Liqui Molly MOSO2 to help slow down the piston score related compression leak; to hold you over while you pull the engine. Best of luck OP.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Thanks! I’m running that oil right now although I use Castro to top it off when it burns though. I’ll be pulling the motor here in a month or two so watch out for updates!

[@R6AAO]

​@@mitchellkohrmannyou should only run the oil recommended at factory and the reason why is there's a coating of Nikasil on the bores .. If you score the bore you remove that thin coating of Nikasil and it knackers the bore permanently. Oil too thin will allow contact and oil too thick won't flow properly. If it burns oil with factory spec then you have a much bigger problem hiding in there somewhere. Hopefully it's valve train issue and not bore/ring issue. If the bore is scored it's a scrap block unless you have it sleeved.

[@carter.coleman]

I believe the b8 s4 is better reliability wise, the b9 a4 is also good

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I’m buying a v8 r8 soon and I’ve contemplated switching the b6 for a b8. Having 2 4.2 Audis doesn’t make a lot of sense but I’m still not entirely sold on the b8 yet. Time will tell!

[@axe2grind244]

Its not even remotely close. My B8.5 was amazing. Had it for 60k miles with zero issue and went through 5 Buffalo winters.

[@chillgarage580]

Honesty can take you so far in life. I got a VW Touareg V8 about a year ago. It's very similar to your story brother. I love my VW afther I have put time and effort but when people play you dirty and you got them, they blame you for whatever reason they find, lol.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

It’s unfortunate but it’s a risk we have to take if we want these old German cars lol. Best of luck to you and your Touareg

[@dubs4life7]

Ya, All valid points. However, im still on the hunt for a clean (body/drive train) b6/b7 Avant. Call me crazy, but I love these things. Full disclosure, Im fully planning on buying it and litterally dropping it at the shop the same day with about 10-12k of new parts... and repeating the process every 100k miles. Im ok with that for the sound alone...

[@Bearnaiseeee]

I just picked a B6 avant- up, I’m worried about having to deal with these issues haha

[@DRAMOS369]

I thought my b6 s4 was eating a lot with 1Q ever 1k miles 😳 1Q ever 150 is ridiculous. I would have driven it back halfway home. I have no idea how many miles this engine has because the dude, I got it off, replaced the engine, supposedly at 100k with a 60k done by the insurance claim. Idk it's been 6 years since and 20k miles in. I might just buy a used one and start the process early. Good luck with the build, and please 🙏 keep us posted with the progress.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I’d go for one. It’s worth it in the end even with all the trouble. I’ll be pulling the motor in this one in the spring and making a handful of detailed videos on the rebuild so watch out for them!

[@ixyzyxi]

At that rate you don’t even have to change the oil lmao.

[@Slowcarfastbeans]

The problem with the BHF and BBK engines is the multiple major failure points - valve stems wear, cylinder bore scoring, plastic timing chain tensioners fracture, timing adjusters wear.

[@Slowcarfastbeans]

That does include the more minor issues you’re bound to experience - oil seals leak, vacuum lines break, intake manifold bolts loosen, fuel pump failure, shift linkage separates, front upper control arm bushings tear.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I’ve seen almost every one of those mentioned between my s4s lol. Just something you have to accept for an otherwise great car I guess

[@mhrasc1585]

Just bay Audi A4 B6, 1.9TDI. I have mine with 560000km. in 13 years , once have change turbo and left door window mehanizm, very good car

[@mitchellkohrmann]

This is true. My problem is I never keep cars for even as much as a year, so I’m always looking for something exciting and fun to work on rather than reliable. It keeps things interesting

[@darrinscoilsclouds1498]

I would love to see a rebuild series. I am an Audi sucker as well. so this last time I bit the bullet and bought a 2020 S4 that had about 8000 miles left on its warranty. I use the warranty for a few electrical knickknacks, an exhaust clamp and a control arm. the warranty just ran out so I'm on my own once again, but with 40,000 miles I should be OK for a while. so I'm just about to do a 40,000 mile service transmission filter and fluid change. Coils, plugs and I'm putting a ton of high-performance parts on it as well.👹

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Good luck with your car! I will be making a series on the engine rebuild just as soon as I get my esprit out of the garage for paint

[@gilbreezy34]

Sorry about that experience bro, dishonest people suck, i actually had a similar situation happen to me, i bought a B5 S4 off of FB Marketplace throughout driving home 5 hours away, it started misfiring, smoking really bad, low oil etc. Had to limp to parts store to grab a few quarts, pulled sparkplugs once I got home to see oil in all cylinders thru borescope, i suspect bad valve guides/seal.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

It’s a shame isn’t it. Idk why German car manufacturers never seem to be able to figure out valve stem seals and valve guides. Best of luck to you

[@mk3whitewide]

My b7 manual avant sings with original clutch and timing drive at 177k. Wasn't a Friday build for sure. Sorry twice about yours though.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

It’s the risk you take when buying one of these I guess. I’m glad to hear yours is still chugging along. The avants are so special

[@nitramh24]

Great video! I bought a Bimmer E90 316 this summer, and as I drive off the seller says to me that he had just topped up the oil😂It burned a quart per 500 miles, completely unacceptable. But I did the valve stem seals and the pcv-valve and now the oil consumption is next to nothing.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

What is it with German cars and valve stem seals and pcv issues 😂

[@hossein3867]

That sucks 😞but in defense of some of these cars, I only have 46000 on my 2005 Cabriolet, no oil usage between my 3000 mile oil changes and no rattle "yet". However I have a friend in town who drove his 175000 miles with no issues at all until the steering rack had issues and traded it in for a R32, but yes without a question timing is the weak point.

[@Esamsgarage]

Sounds sooo good tho

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Almost makes it worth it

[@adrianfiorentino4461]

What a nightmare!!!! My dream is to own a B6 S4 sedan, but it is just soooo risky. I am not a mechanic and dont have space or knowledges. Red flag... I guess I should get a 1.8T (BEX) and tune it, will miss the V8 awesomeness sound but will gain peace of mind LOL...

[@tdog9150]

I paid 3,000 for mine , I love that car , working through Windo issues now

[@jamesh2515]

Will be great when done. Sounds like you have the know how to rectify.. Kudos

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Absolutely! The engine will come out in a few months most likely. Stay tuned I’ll make a few deep dive videos of it!

[@pfefferminzbonbonverkaufer8836]

10k $$??? In Germany it costs like 1500-2000

[@tomthompson7400]

did you not take it for a test drive , and do the oil burn test ,,, ie down a hill on overrun then accelerate and watch the rear view mirror , that thing would have looked like one of the Red Arrows going past , or a 70s two stroke moped ,,, the issue isnt all with the car ,,, half of it is you. I like S and RS avants , but not enough to buy one , and I have a big red box of spanners .

[@mitchellkohrmann]

It has a factory exhaust with 4 cats in total so I think a lot of it is masked. From inside the car like when I was test driving it’s hard to see but if you’re following it behind you can see it. When I talked to the seller he was very persistent that the car burned a quart every 3,000 miles so that wasn’t my main concern when testing everything out as there were other things he tried to hide as well I was noticing more 😂

[@tomthompson7400]

@@mitchellkohrmann I think the seller should have put his hands up and offerd you an on the spot refund though ,,, he knew and didnt say , thats just crooked dealing. I dont think you will come out of it too bad , but its still a bitter pill to have to swallow

[@miceinoz1181]

Never buy a used Audi of any model over 5 years old unless you have very deep pockets AND are competent and equipped to do the maintenance and repairs yourself!

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Maybe that’s part of the appeal for me. They’re depreciated heavily due to its reputation. I’m not afraid to do the work so I guess it all works out in the end

[@rkan2]

The 4cyl manuals are reliable enough. The thing is they were never that common in the US after the 1.8T. All you need for them is a bit of suspension work.

[@martytdd1606]

Ludicrus comment. 🤦‍♂️

[@gattsu991]

Don’t you have a ton of more problems inside? Headliner, sunroof control, radio, key, etc.. I assume if someone buys these cars they know they are a lot of work.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

The only other issue is some paint imperfections on the roof and a slightly sagging headliner, so when I pull the motor it’ll be very clean. But you’re correct I knew what I was up against when buying on lol

[@urs6onfuturas975]

Ah man that sucks. The b6/7 are great chassis's and the 4.2 is incredible when maintained well but, I'll probably always stick with the C4 S4/6 if given the choice. Might not be a V8 but the AAN is just 👌.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

They are truly amazing cars, i would love something like that as an alternative but I just can’t take myself away from these v8s

[@A4orce84]

Hey Mitchell - Super sorry about your S4s man. As a B6 A4 1.8T Owner, I feel for you....I've always been jealous of the B6 S4, but I'm not DIY capable enough to own one. Good luck, at least the interior and exterior look in solid shape for a 10 year old car! Sorry the previous owner was so sh*tty! Good luck with it moving forward!

[@a.mccomb3296]

I've noticed I get the worst of people buying used Audis. You too it looks like. At least I'm not alone 😂

[@jasoncholfe6828]

step 1 buy audi. step 2 pull motor. So far I am 2 for 2 on broken timing guides in both a b6 and a b7. If you are going to be taking your B6 motor out make sure to replace the b6 flywheel and clutch with B7 parts because the b6 flywheel pilot bearing goes bad and then your flywheel hits the side of the case. I had to take my b6 trans out before the car was even in my name.

[@milesallen5590]

Good mechanic would’ve suggested new seals and o rings all the way around.

[@romainbosson5795]

Wow that is not cool! Some sellers really are d******** I own a B7 with 290'000km. Bought it at 227'000km four years ago, off a Swiss guy and in fact the car had been owned by Swiss people until I got it. So it has obviously been taken care of! I have all the receipts eversince it got out of the factory, it all adds up to...18'600€ until today. I've put in half of it including timing chain job. So yes it is an expensive car to run. But man it runs great!! Oil consumption is within Audi standards (1L / 2'000km). Other than that, just add fuel once in awhile... :D

[@humpday2267]

Don’t buy one unless you got 4.2L deep pockets $$$🤣💪🏻

[@abeninan4017]

The government should intervene on behalf of the customers and deal with the European cars makers, all of them.

[@OfficiallyGuChi]

Thats not on bro. If that's a forum member that sold it call him out on it.. the Audi forum will not put up with members lying to get rid of there car issues only to dump it onto someone else.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

When I say forum I meant to say Facebook group. I made a few posts about it and it turned into an ugly argument that just made things worse really quick… I understand once the keys hit my hand the car is mine, and I wasn’t really looking for any compensation just mainly trying to get answers and make people aware of his selling habits. Oh well at least I got the avant I wanted

[@OfficiallyGuChi]

@mitchellkohrmann ikr.. sellers need to be honest when it comes to the engine.. it actually helps diagnosing and faulty finding had the relevant information been shared. Shame ive seen it happen all too many

[@mitchellkohrmann]

@@OfficiallyGuChi thankfully I have enough cars that I won’t be afraid to drive this a couple more months until I have time to pull the motor. I’m okay with that, but I’m more upset that it could have been someone who didn’t have the knowledge, time or money to fix it and would have been a disaster for them

[@Dance4lifeBR]

honesty is gone. the owner knew everything wrong about the car but he denied everything

[@SharonD369]

Find yourself an Audi RS2, the ABY 5 cylinder turbo engine is bulletproof 👌

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Unfortunately where I am the RS2 is about as rare as it gets. I would love a 5 cylinder soon though!

[@DEXTERSONEMANBAND]

10 quarts red flag ! You are too honest so you think everyone else are…. I suffer from the same disease except I managed to train myself and now I don’t believe anyone!🤣

[@mitchellkohrmann]

It’s unfortunate isn’t it. I’ve been on the losing side of almost every car I’ve bought but I’ve never once sold a car that wasn’t right. And if there is a small issue you’d better believe it’s in the advertisement lol

[@benzas]

Don't trust in people mate, check allways car before buying with vcds. Ask seller don't start engine at that day, come early. I bough two audi a6 allroad and a5coupe both 3.0tdi diesel without issues.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I brought VCDS along with looking over a good bit of the rest of the car, unfortunately the problem this car has is as something I couldn’t spot without putting a good chuck of miles on it. Oh well, at least I can go through everything with a fine tooth comb when the engine comes out shortly. Stay tuned!

[@gunnar6726]

Please for the love of god swap a b6 steering wheel and single stage airbag back on before you crack your skull on that steering wheel in a wreck(unfortunately all b7/8 and 8p bags that fit that wheel are dual stage). Or hit me up and I'll get you set up with a single stage b8.5 or b9 wheel setup.

[@TimV1987]

damn :( good luck with that! greetz from Holland!

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Thank you! I’ll be posting an engine tear down and rebuild here within a few months hopefully

[@harisdevedzic3167]

You would think that you've learnd your lesson , but... I get it though, when you like a car you like a car

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I know right? I’ve had a few other cars that I’ve have nothing but issues yet I keep buying more. My VR4 being one which I’ll post a video of shortly

[@milesallen5590]

Not many cars like this one if u fix this car it will work another 10 years.

[@lancegallant3647]

Do yourself a favor just get a b7 rs4 U wont regret it ❤ mine use to own a 2002 stage 3 s4 and a 2006 s4 as my summer and winter cars :-) deff liked them but rs4 is next level audis best sedan ever built period legendary 4.2 v8 clarkson said so :-)

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I would love an RS4, but for a cheap daily it was out of budget. I’ll be getting an R8 V8 this year sometime though so that’ll be my version of the more strung out Audi 4.2!

[@lancegallant3647]

@mitchellkohrmann Cool bud got ya :-) Gatted manual hopefully? Same engine in rs4 You will enjoy that 8500 rpm redline :-) music to the ears 👂

[@rkan2]

haha, typical high spec Audi ownership! I srmtick to the 4 cylinder Audis. Nevertheless, subscribed!

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Thanks! I’ll have more videos to come of this thing including when I pull and refresh the engine here shortly

[@dcswings]

Great car

[@SCARSORGofficial]

Wow, utterly disgraceful on the part of the seller to unload this on you with zero disclosure. Definitely not the Audi community morals I grew up with over the past 30 years. I'm a fan of the 4.2 but tend to stick with the timing belt variants fearing just this sort of thing with the chain motors. Hopefully you can get this one all sorted and even more hopeful that the seller has a shred of conscience and does an about face to do the right thing here and at least offers some $$ back. Then again, I won't hold out hope... hell's waiting room is getting mighty crowded these days. ;-)

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I’m sure you already know the answer but the seller basically told me to fuck off when I confronted him. The sad thing is he owns a small VW/ Audi shop so I’m sure there will be more people taken advantage of in the future. Just an all around bad experience but I’ll be pulling the motor soon and making everything right

[@SCARSORGofficial]

@@mitchellkohrmann That's even worse. A shop owner without integrity.

[@jpecc8314]

I hope if i do buy one you are the previous owner. Upload more videos u seem to know a little about these cars.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I know enough to get by lol. But yes stay tuned I’ll be pulling the engine and making some videos on that process in the coming months!

[@johniedre498]

Nice thing about living in EU is, that repair EU cars in EU is a lot cheaper than in US 😂

[@mitchellkohrmann]

@@johniedre498 it always seems to be that way huh. I end up just always doing it myself though. I couldn’t imagine paying that amount of money knowing it could be done myself

[@Fluffy_Owl352]

german quality 👌 🤣

[@MrSneakA]

Buying cars sux. Gl with the project.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Tell me about it, never a good experience. But thank you!

[@AlextimeArchive]

Just buy 2.4 atmospheric and manual

[@JNAMOTORSPORTS]

German cars need maintenance on time. Thats it and all of it then it lasts another 100k

[@kevinhawley962]

one day i will get my check engine light gone...... a4 b6 1.8t quattro sedan owner 170k

[@mitchellkohrmann]

That's a tall task for an Audi!

[@Tfox89]

Sorry to see this mate. Mines been a dream (touch wood) I’ve had it 12 months and only had a bulb go out. Really hope it all gets sorted so you can enjoy it, sorry these cars have dampened your view on them.

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I still love them and will probably own this one for a while. I’m just frustrated at the moment. But hopefully everything will be sorted when the engine comes out in a couple months

[@devinfambro7975]

Will not be buying anything one of these!

[@ukwan]

95% of people cannot afford to run an Audi. They're no cheaper than a Mercedes, Porsche or Ferrari. Don't buy them used, unless it was owned by an enthusiast with a mansion or comes from Audi with a factory warranty. There's a reason they're cheap used!

[@garycartwright4860]

That was a very slow acceleration video

[@mitchellkohrmann]

They’re definitely not fast cars lol

[@SteshMM2]

Buy dodge neon😂

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I was a mopar guy growing up, I’ve seen my fair share of their failures too lol

[@muffindell]

What a dodgy guy you bought it from, he knew all along the issues with it. That said, all Audi's and VW's are money pits and are generally not that well put together for longevity

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Aside from that it’s a super clean car, so once I pull the motor and rebuild it soon it should be perfect. Stay tuned I’ll post some videos of that process

[@muffindell]

@@mitchellkohrmann at least you have the knowledge and facilities to undertake such a job, it really wouldn't worth it if you had to pay someone to do it. Good luck buddy, looking forward to the next chapter

[@MarjanZuza]

❤😊😊

[@MrsCap2]

Metal on metal is not great 🤣🤣 plastic on metal is lasting 1 year

[@reallybigfooted]

never buy a car from a mechanic

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I’ve seen both sides of this, but it does always make me a little more cautious

[@mrwick7961]

you could literally say this about any car lol. just make sure you buy a well maintained car and keep it maintained and you will be fine. i have bought many differnt cars over the years and all have had problems even on cars that ppl say are bulletproof. just gotta make sure its a well looked after example

[@mitchellkohrmann]

Ya of course. Ive had over 50 cars in my 32 years so I'm no stranger to these types of things unfortunately. Just gotta take them as they come

[@joewontwice]

Easy, 1.8t swap it

[@mitchellkohrmann]

I can’t get over the sound and feel of the v8 though.. Enough so that I’m willing to put up with all the issues

[@keymainey]

Bro said 12k for the chains.. stop exaggerating