Thinking of giving up the P-car for an S4, need help!

Let me first state that I love my car! With that being said the kids are getting bigger and I'm considering a larger car. I have the opportunity to get a loaded, certified 2006 S4 for $44,900. Have any of you gone through this dilema? Talk me out of it, or, talk me into it. I'm stuck and need a different POV. Thanks guys. Pat

If you need the extra room, the S4 is really nice. If you can live without it, the 911 is much more fun My dad owns a V8 S4, and I like it. I don't like the A4's of the same generation - thick A-pillar, numb steering, poor rear visibility, too much sound deadening, worst clutch ever. The S4 makes all these problems either disappear, or not matter anymore. The engine's great, though the rear legroom is not as much as you'd think. But I'd never trade my 911 for one..

The new S4s are sweet and for the money, you get a lot more creature comforts. I came from a 2004 A4 and I will have to say that if I could have both cars, I would do it. The S4 is not going to feel as fast off the line as your 911, but you can comfortably seat 4 adults and have good pick up. I say do it.

If you have to get rid of the 911 get the RS4, otherwise keep the 911. Just keep the 911. The S4 is nice but I think over time it would just lose any fun factor it had. I had a 03 A4 and I would not want to go back to it. I wouldn't care how big the kids get, they can walk. Or better yet have the wife haul them around!

Pat, I went through the same dilemma - in reverse. I special ordered an '05 S4 with special paint (Northern Blue). Car was fully loaded with 6MT, etc. but I never liked the feel of the car and sold it with less than 700 miles on the odo. Steering, shifter never felt right - the car also felt heavy. Yeah, it was fast, but it didn't do it for me, so I cut my losses and searched for the perfect (for me) P-car. If I was buying a fast family sedan which offered good mix of comfort and sport, I'd probably go with the new 335xi. With 300 HP and loads of torque, and a shifter that simply can't be beat, that would be my choice. In fact, we're ordering a 328xi for my wife in a couple of weeks. Good luck with your choice and remember, whatever opinions you get here, you need to buy what you love. If it's the S4, go for it.

A new A4 is due for MY 08. Keep the Porsche.

I love mine but I want a pcar. To bad your car isn't a couple years newer, we could of traded Good luck with your decision.

the ? is are you ok without a sports car..if you are,the s4 is fine..it is not a sports car,its a sedan and drives like one..(a very good one)..after a few p-cars,i bought a bmw and it was great but i was bored with it in less than a year,and sold it at a 6k loss..i missed having a real sports car..i now have an 87 911,and trust me its a REAL sports car..very raw,but very fun..only you really know..you can always switch back if you dont like it..j

I went through the same thought process. I have 2 young kids. First special ordered an M3...walked away...just wasn't what I thought it would be. Then was within minutes of signing on a new S4, but just couldn't get over the feeling that it was a fast sedan, but not a sports car like you said. The handling is frankly not that great and it sounds nothing like a P-Car. Personally, I have been a P-Car fanatic since I was able to walk, so I ultimately just went with it. My kids love it and I love. When they get bigger, they will either scrunch in the back or take turns...that's life.

The question only you can answer is whether or not you can afford two cars. If the answer is yes, keep the Porsche as your fun car and then buy a practical car like an A4 or BMW 3 series to satisfy family needs. You can easily buy a late model A4 for the low $20s.

I agree with fast1 - If you can afford both, keep both - you'll be happy you did. If you can only get one car and need it as a daily driver, I would completely understand going with the S4. I drive my Porsche a few times each week, but it's not my daily driver.

ARE YOU F%*KING CRAZY???? Sorry, I didn't mean to shout! Seriously, if you need the space, why not keep the C4 and get something in the lower price range. Have you thought about the Acura TL? It has a decent sized back seat. My wife and I looked at them two years ago and she was ready to get one, but I insisted she look at the small MB two seater. She didn't like that but fell in love with the CLK Cab, which we ended up ordering. If I had kept my mouth shut, I could have saved $22 k (the difference between the TL & the CLK).

The S4 would be nice if you really need the extra room. FYI, a certifed 04-05 S4 should be in the mid to low $30's. One of my co-workers is looking art getting one.

You have a 996 C4 and are thinking of unloading it for a family sedan? If you have room and finances are tight buy a late model Jeep Cherokee, Subaru or something simular to shuttle the kids and keep the Porsche. I've seen it so many times that if you get rid of it, it could be after the kids are grown and out of collage that you are able to get another.

I've been going through the same thought process for the last three months, and have been strongly considering an '06 S4 Avant. Why? Because I simply can't use the P-car for everything, so I've got a 525iT for coaching and shuttling, and sometimes the C4S sits for days if not weeks. I've got a $60k, jaw dropping monster machine that I drive 5 hours a month, and a $10,000 ****box I drive 60 hours a month. But what a 5 hours.... But then again, an S4 Avant solves all the problems, but it leaves me without a Porsche...

i have a C2 cab and an S4 as my winter car. the s4 is an amazing machine, but its no porsche. when i drive the s4 a lot i start to miss the porsche. it never happens the other way around.

I was just testing you guys to see how loyal you really were. Just kidding. We have a two car garage and I'm of the mind-set that I'm going to own one car and drive the hell out it. I've decided to keep the P car and wait to see what happens. No need to make a rash decision. You guys are right, Porsches are amazing and I'm not giving mine up without a fight. I love my car. Thanks for talking me down. Pat

Boy, does your story sound familiar. I just traded an '06 BMW M5 with 650 miles on it for the same reasons. It just didn't feel right. Sorta felt like half driver/half passenger when using it. Traded it in on an '02 996TT. Now *thats* what I am talking about! I feel "connected" with it even when just sitting in the driveway with the engine off. Eisboch

Exactly!! Never looked back once I got the C4S - even though it's not my everyday car, I look forward to driving it, cleaning it, or just staring at it. Never felt that way about the S4 - there was just a disconnect that needed a Porsche fix!