Has anyone gone from an Audi S4 to a C43 - or C43 to the Audi S4? I would like to hear from those who have had both and what they prefer, reliability and service experiences, etc. I am comparing/contrasting a new 2020 C43 and 2019 Audi S4 purchase. I've had two previous S4s and loved them, but last AMG product was a CLK63 Black Series. Thank you!

 

had 2013 s4. loved the supercharger.

but audi has the worst leases and the c43 is more fun

 

Alexa - thank you for your reply...have you found your C43 (what year?) to be reliable and trouble-free (as my 2013 and 2016 S4s were)?

 

yup. second one now. gas cap actuator issue on the 2016 and wheels and tires are garbage but easy to work around and end up ahead.

came from a 2010 a4 and 2013 s4. had an oil pan plug stripped and oil pan replaced on the a4 and a rear door lock mechanism fail. no issues / the s4.

all driven ~40000 before dumping.

 

Thanks again...if I can now just ask why you prefer the C43 over the S4 (assuming that is true) I'd appreciate hearing why...I'm really struggling this decision!

 

pricing - aesthetics - better driving experience - better sound

some of which are personal preference.

 

Thank you again!

 

Drove an '011 S4 for about 2 years, now have been driving an '016 450 AMG...Out of the box, the 450 is probably marginally quicker after the turbos spool up, with more low end pull with the S4..Comfort and drivability are close to the same, with marks deducted from the AMG due to awful runflats. I ended up juicing the S4 with an APR Stg 2 tune, smaller pulley, etc etc...As y'all know, this upside isn't readily available on the 450. The supercharger whine is cool, and the S4 ended up being a pretty potent package with the mods installed. I have no plans to do anything to the 450, and either car is something to drive proudly. I don't think the 450 isn't quite the head turner the S4 was, but thats ok..I would go back to an S4 in a minute, but I just tour around now, no tracking, no banzai driving...Honestly do not think either one is a poor choice.

 

Car Throttle have a great 3 way comparison of the C43 vs M340I and S4 ( all latest models)
The general vibe is, Audi has best interior quality, BMW is a good all round choice, but the C43 was by the far most exciting to drive and it won the test.
The other 2 beat it for interior quality, but the C43 has probably the nicest interior styling. Most importantly it was the most fun to drive, and the engine has a lot more character & real noise than the other too.
My neighbour has an almost identical to the S4- S5 coupe . The engine sound is nowhere near as loud or characterful as the M276 in the C43 with AMG PE. It actually sounds quite dull on the move ( all reviews agree with this). The Audi V6 is also down on power and torque and only has one turbo.
They said the C43 felt like a junior C63 , whereas the M340I just felt like a faster 330i.
If you owned the Audi I doubt you would take it for a fun drive just for the hell of it.
The advantage of the M340I is if you plan to tune it, with a map and downpipe the new B58 can make over 450 WHP, which is more than the C43's M276.
The BMW ( and Audi) look and sound too ordinary for me.
As long as you spec the C43 with the Comand Online and digital cockpit ( standard in UK) the interior looks throughly modern. And make sure you get the Performance Exhaust.
Watch the review on YouTube.

 

While I have had my 2019 C43 Sedan (with PE ) less than two (2) weeks here has been my experience:

Had a 2013 Audi S4 B 8.5 and it was a great car--the V6 Supercharged engine, DSG, and Sport Diff made the car special. It also had the right balance of menace and tailored refinement.
Had a 2016 BMW 340i X-Drive (moved into this car because when lease was up on S4 the new B9s were still months from launch). In 2016 the 340i was my choice because of the B58 engine and the ZF 8 speed transmission. While the interior and electronics were not as good as the Audi S4...the engine and transmission were darn good.

So why am I not driving either a 2019 Audi S4 (B9) or the 2020 M340i X-Drive? Basically the guys at Throttle House nailed it:
>The 2019 Audi S4 B9 was a STEP BACK from the my 2013 Audi S4 B8.5. The B9's styling was more BLAND...gone was the balance of menace + refinement. In its place? A4 styling. In fact the S4 no longer even has V6T badges to tell you its something special. Also the V6 turbo is a poor substitute for the V^ supercharged engine. The auto tranny is also a down grade from the DSG. In sum, Audi got the B8 S4 amazingly right and the B9 amazingly wrong. That is why they are scrambling to "fix it" with an early mid cycle refresh. Unfortunately, the "refresh" looks to be poor. They have simply slapped style cues from the new A6 onto it. What a mess. The beauty of the B8 will hopefully return to the S4 in 2023 or 2024.
>The 2020 M340i X-Drive was too big and just too close to the 330i I also test drove. It lacked immediacy. Its a great car...better than my 2016 340i X-Drive...but not by much. Seriously, same engine, same transmission, .... Frankly, I preferred the size of my 2016 340I.

So I left the BMW dealership and my wife could see I was disappointed...we had spent the better part of the day in S4's and M340i's and she says...how about Mercedes.

Since the Mercedes dealer was on the way home...I said "good idea".

Well it was a great idea...they had a beautiful red 2019 C43 AMG with all the goodies and that C43 just put a smile on my face.

Its styling is very close to the B8 S4 ...the 2019 AMG C43 has both menace and elegance. Especially in the red.

The PE exhaust to just fun and the bi-turbo V6 is visceral. What a fun car.

So my third test drive of the day was the charm.

 

I have owned a b 8.5 2014 S4 and loved it
recently test drove B9 S4 , C43, and M340 extensively
IMO the c43 and S4 are the top choices with M340 was a distant third
lease on S4 have improved compared to before
BMW still leases the best
C43 leases the worst
if money is no object , the C43 is the best choice and most fun
having said that 200-300 dollars extra a month for C43 makes it a difficult decision
though because of the high lease numbers on c43 , I checked today and there is a bunch of 2019 leftovers on lots , so you might be able to snag a c43 close to s4 lease price next month
this month the numbers are still high like 800-850 a month, but I think by nov/dec things have to change to move these cars

 

Audi MMI and virtual cockpit are both really really cool.

I also like how the Audi has a traditional gearshift instead of a stock.

But outside that, I prefer the Benz in everything. Overall aesthetics, driving experience, ownership experience etc.

And the C43 is definitely faster stock. From what Ive seen, it traps 2mph faster stock, which is pretty significant. since the traps are all averaging around 110mph stock.

Also there are more tuning options for the 43.

 

I had a 2018 s5. I had it lemoned. I hated the car. It drove big. I did miss the DCT tranny I had in my RS5. It felt very floaty at highway speed. The look was very tamed. The C43 was a huge step forward in every way.

 

I had a B8.5 S5 and loved the car. Although I was stationed in Germany at the time so I'm sure that had something to do with it. I really enjoy my C43, but I really can't stretch it's legs around here.

I preferred the look of the S5 and I still believe that the B8 series is a classic design and one of the best looking coupes of all time. I also preferred the supercharged engine over the biturbo of the C43. Even in Sport+ I get lag, in the Audi it was non existent and I think the engine felt smoother as well.

I enjoy the PE of the C43, but after I got my AWE exhaust and intake on the Audi it sounded very nice as well.

The interior is much nicer than the Audi.

When I was shopping for the S5's replacement I didn't care for what they did to the B9 S5's and the BMW's interior still looks like the E92 that I had so long ago.

Like someone mentioned, you can't go wrong with either one and it usually comes down to personal aesthetic choices. For me, the dealer pissed me off. I was about 98% of the way to another S5 special ordered in Imola Yellow (I've always and still want a yellow coupe). In the end the cost for a factory paint job was entirely too ridiculous and want the dealer wanted was equally ridiculous so I took my money and walked out the door.

 

I'm worried about audi reliability, which of these cars will be better if there is no warranty? So, I'm here looking at c43. Probably a good 1 year away from getting one.
currently paying for other toys.
LOL

 

I have both, Audi S4 is smoother ride and certainly quick enough in the older supercharged models (labeled as V6T) BUT not with the new actually turbocharged models. The C450 is more fun BUT already had to replace one cracked rim and I changed out my run flats to non run flat Michelins.

 

I agree with the sentiment - the S4 looks like a Jetta. It's way too understated for me. Also, when I was getting lease quotes it seems the dealers don't like to move these cars for some reason. I think the best I could get over the phone was in excess of $850 a month with a couple thousand down

 

I think it was Throttle House, not Car Throttle

 

I drove all three and the M340xi was the winner , hands down, and it wasn't even close.

The guys at Throttle House did a great job reviewing the cars after a few hours of driving. I accept their conclusions as the BMW being the best all round vehicle, and the C43 as the most exciting.

Where things change is the ownership experience. There was no way that I was going to get another C43. The ride is a joke. the runflats are quiet for the first 2000-3000kms, then the howling will start, and the crashing ride. And the blown tires/rim damage. The car rattles, it acts up. Mine had very few rattles, where one I fixed by simply opening and closing the glove box. Try it. Others such as transmission issues, those door handle lights, the alcantara wheel etc...wear you down.

I drove all three contenders , a 2019 S5 Sportback, along with these two over my typical roads. There is this one road where the bumps on this road require me to drive the C43 down the middle of it. It was that bad. The Audi, on the 19s, was identical to my 17 C43, which turned me off. Plus, there is something about Audis that tend to feel "off" to me. Lord knows I have tried to get into an Audi, and whether it was s4, s6, RS6, Q7, I have always chosen something else. It just feels like a front wheel drive car.

The 2019 C43 was a marked improvement on my 2017, so when they said they improved the ride, that I did verify. it is better, but still needs work. the BMW was light years ahead, but it also had non runflat Pilot 4S tires. Power-wise, they are all quick and yes, the C43 is racy, but as a daily driver, I had the exhaust on about half the time because I have a Z06. So, my buying chose may be different than others who are looking for one car to do everything for them because I do not. I have the Corvette to satisfy that.

My dealer was on board to swap the tires and get me Pilot 4S, but these cars were not designed with non-runflats in mind, is what I am told. Although, my non runflat winter tire setup was more comfortable. Still, the car has rattles, and the quality of the interior, while pretty, is pretty superficial. I have had a 2015 C400 and my 2017 C43, so, I do have quite a bit of experience with this car as I have owned this model from the start.

I went BMW, but do miss something about the C43, but can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe familiarity and being in something new, but the interior and technology of the BMW makes you wonder how good the next C Class will be. Maybe I will be back for that one.