Audi S4 Avant B7: V8 manual wagon with 3,700 miles — but buyers beware the timing chain

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This one-owner Audi S4 Avant has covered just 3,700 miles since new.

V8 manual wagon remains one of Audi’s most desirable enthusiast cars.

Every B7 S4 buyer should budget for an expensive timing chain service.

Some cars are special because they’re rare. Others become icons because they offered a combination of performance and practicality that simply doesn’t exist anymore. The 2008 Audi S4 Avant falls squarely into the second category, pairing a naturally aspirated V8 with a six-speed manual and Quattro all-wheel drive in one handsome wagon package.

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The one-owner example you see pictured here has traveled just 3,700 miles (5,955 km) since new, but before anyone starts dreaming of bringing it home, there’s one very expensive detail every prospective buyer needs to understand.

Read: This Audi UR-Quattro Restomod Has An RS4 Living Inside It

Currently listed on Bring a Trailer, the Ibis White wagon is about as close to factory fresh as a nearly 20-year-old performance car can be. It was purchased new in Colorado and remains with its original owner. Since its purchase, it’s covered roughly 205 miles per year each year.

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Power comes from Audi’s 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V8, producing 340 hp (254 kW) and 302 lb-ft (409 Nm). Those numbers are sent to all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission, and Quattro all-wheel drive with a Torsen center differential, making this exactly the sort of analog performance wagon enthusiasts continue to chase. Of course, then there’s the elephant in the room.

The Timing Chain Reckoning

The B6 and B7-generation S4 earned a reputation for one particularly infamous maintenance item: the timing chain system. Unlike many engines, Audi mounted the chains and their plastic guides at the rear of the V8, against the firewall. That design means replacing worn guides, chains, or tensioners typically requires removing the engine from the car. Yes indeed, what would normally be a major service becomes an exceptionally labor-intensive engine-out job.

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The catch is that this isn’t simply a high-mileage concern. Age can be just as important as mileage because the plastic chain guides become brittle over time. While many owners drive these cars for years without issue, experienced enthusiasts often treat a timing chain overhaul as an inevitable cost of ownership rather than an unexpected repair. Depending on where the work is performed and how comprehensive the repair is, the bill can easily climb into the five figures.

Also: V8-Powered 2006 Audi S4 With Manual ‘Box Sounds Fabulous, But It’s All About Timing

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Back in 2024, one Reddit user said an Audi dealer quoted him $16,000, which covered $5,000 in parts and roughly 55 hours of labor. While that’s possibly on the extreme side, over the years, we’ve heard many people say they’ve paid anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000 for the job at independent shops.

That doesn’t mean buyers should run away. Quite the opposite, in fact. The B7 S4 Avant remains one of the last great V8 sport wagons sold in the United States, and examples this clean almost never surface. For the right enthusiast, the timing chain service is simply part of the ownership equation, even if it’s a very expensive part of that equation. Go see how deep your nerve runs on Bring a Trailer here .

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