I too needed a roomier sedan, but one that also handles well and has some horsepower. After looking at what's available on the market today, I quickly came to the conclusion that not much fun could be had in a sedan unless you are willing to spend >$40k and I really didn't want to spend over $32k.

Based on the above (self-imposed) $32k requirement, a pre-owned Audi S4 was a serious contender, but after reading the Audi bulletin boards and talking to other people with S4's I ended up passing on the car because:
- too many recalls
- too much depreciation for a '00 or '01 S4
- numerous accounts of turbo failure
- torn/blown Bailey valves
- cramped back seat
- complex Quattro system concerns over extra maintenance costs in the future

In weighing the above categories, and combined with reports of poor handling in relation to the M3, the M3/4 was the clear winner. In order to make the S4 a "faster" car than the M3/4, I'd have to modify it (voiding the factory warranty) and push my cost basis up to about $35k. A good '97 or '98 M3/4 can be had for $27k - $29k with less than 36k miles which leaves plenty of money to play with for extra power (e.g., $5k for a supercharger and 350 h.p.).

Don't get me wrong, the S4 put a smile on my face as I ran it through the gears on that rainy Saturday afternoon...tires never slipped and it just pulled through the RPMs. But, I have to say that the M3/4 puts an even bigger smile on my face and just plain feels faster than the S4's I drove.

Hope this helps.

Drew '98 M3/4

Basically,