- When it comes down to performance cars,
there's one thing that I love and it's turbocharged cars.
But there's also a second thing I love, supercharged cars.
I love go fast cars, okay.
Wheels tires suspension are always awesome
but if you got a little extra scoop scoop between the knees
that's always a positive.
But there is a common argument between
whether you should go scoot scoot with a turbocharger
or supercharger.
I'm Alex, ALEX.FI in Instagram
and today's episode of Opposite Lanes,
we're gonna be comparing a B5 S4
to Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG,
let's go.
(upbeat music)
Okay, so what?
- The turbos are big, so boost doesn't kick in
until like a really high RPM. - Okay.
- So if you're gonna get into boost,
you gotta get into second, get it to like 40K
and then get on it and then we'll hit it like 5500.
(laughing)
- So there's like a process?
- Yeah. (laughing)
It's fine, you need to tune it.
- This is B5, B5.
It's always B5...
It's always a turbo crowd that's always like this.
So, this is Mariah's,
Audi S4 B5 platform.
She needed to tell me
that it's one of 254 in a mellow yellow.
Which I think is just,
it helps people with yellow cars sleep at night,
when they tell you how rare the color actually is.
So, we're just gonna,
I'm not four foot eight,
so we need to move that back minute.
And of course, now that I have the directions
on how to drive the car.
Let's talk about the obvious.
We're gonna talk a little bit about the car
then we're obviously gonna talk about turbocharger
versus supercharger.
But just so everybody knows little quirk B5, C5
any mid, 1998-2004, you have yourself
half of your pixels working in your center dash
that is a very common issue.
So, this has a sparkle wheels, it's got some Pirelli tires,
BC coils and big old turbs keys as Mariah says,
which require a certain cheat code
to unlock up.
Do not enter, we're going the wrong way.
So, in case anybody's unfamiliar with the differences
between supercharged versus turbocharged.
Turbocharged generally speaking work on exhaust gases
whereas a supercharger works on a pulley system
from the crankshaft of your engines.
So, generally speaking, turbochargers are gonna be more
fuel-efficient, in general
and because they don't have a direct relation
to the engine themselves,
it's the exhausting it's just disconnected.
The second thing that makes these cars really fun,
(car engine roaring)
is the fact that you have this little thing
called turbo lag.
Now, turbo lag is not something that you want
but it is a little fun
it kinda you get to play around with it a little bit.
And the reason that people really like turbochargers
is obviously because of the amount of pressure
that you can build, the amount of power you can get from...
There's a cop that way we're going this way.
The amount of power you can get from turbochargers
and of course just the tuning capability of them.
And turbochargers in general,
are cheaper than superchargers generally speaking.
I always have to use generalities,
especially with performance parts
because there's so many different companies out there now
that's a really really really cheap parts
and then there's also the companies
that sell really really expensive parts.
But in general, turbochargers versus superchargers,
you almost getting two different types of communities.
Turbochargers heavily tuning oriented,
heavily oriented more towards the tuner crowd themselves
a lot of import of your vehicles
are gonna have more turbochargers.
Superchargers jumped into the Audi game
later in the generations but the B5 S4 platform has two
turbochargers on the 2.7 liter six speed
and I love this motor.
Smells a little bit like oil, but that's okay
because it's a B5 S4
its what they're supposed to smell like.
Now, Mariah's has the infamous,
infamous is not the right word.
Mariah has like
the statements of turbo like there's so many people
that say this one they own a turbocharged car
and I've said it myself, so I am not digging on her,
I am making fun of all of us.
She has told me
that this is a stage 3 B5 S4 which is true,
it's got big old turbos and intercoolers
and all that other stuff.
But it and I quote, I'm not lying,
"Just needs to be tuned."
I have heard that literally everywhere
when it comes to these cars.
(car engine roaring)
And it does pull very nicely
but it always does make me giggle a little bit
when we get jump into a turbocharged car
and the first thing that said is, it just needs to be tuned.
Why do these cars always just need to be tuned?
It's like we got all the way to the end
and we're like nah we don't,
we don't need to tune it, do we?
We just put slap the big old turbs keys on it
and call it good.
Why would you pick a turbocharged car over supercharged car?
Well, I think first and foremost
most people go to a turbocharged car
because they're usually more accessible
to people that are looking at the modification community.
Turbochargers are just more common.
Pair that with the fact that you can do a little bit more
with a turbocharged platform over supercharged platform,
and then you got reason number two,
you can play around with them a little bit more,
they're a little bit more fun, there on smaller engines,
people have a tendency to modify them easier,
you can bolt them on, change them around things like that,
that's another really big reason.
And the final reason that people would choose
turbocharger over supercharger
is well, just because turbochargers are well,
they're almost a bit more fun,
everything about them is a bit more raw,
you feel it when you do a pull,
you feel it when you're driving the car,
when you feel that boost building,
when you hear the turbochargers winding up
or the blow-off valves going up
like that's a really visceral experience
and a lot of people really enjoy that,
I know I absolutely love that,
it makes the inner 12 year old in me very very excited.
But there's a couple cons to turbocharged cars
versus supercharged cars.
That I think the number one thing
especially with turbocharged cars versus supercharged
is turbocharged cars have the lag.
I said turbocharged like 24 times and I'm sorry, okay,
but they do have that boost lag
you have more of a gradual buildup of power
with a supercharger because you don't have that
it's connected directly to the motor.
Now, even though turbs keys are more efficient
nobody really cares
besides manufacturers if they're more efficient.
And finally turbochargers have just a little bit
more of a tendency to have issues with them.
Mostly because we play around with all of the contraptions
and pieces of a turbocharged system in the car
whereas a supercharger a lot of times
in the most general way
you just slap that bad boy on the top send it on its way.
People say the turbos are easier to install
maybe, they're harder to keep alive.
Specifically with the S4, I think what I love about this car
anybody is on the fence about a B5 S4.
(car engine roaring)
These platforms are so much fun,
so much fun, the wheel like the size,
the wheel base, everything about this car is a blast.
The 2.7 liter motor twin-turbo blast
everything about this car is fantastic,
if you're looking to buy one, they are fun.
The a mellow yellow may not be everyone's taste
but they are a very fun car.
I think the toughest part
is finding one that hasn't been beat up
and then finding one
if it is stage 3 actually properly tuned.
These cars do have their own little finicky issues,
they're also are prone to breaking,
I think I've seen this car on jack stands
more than I've seen it running
but that's not a bad thing because we enjoy that
as long as you're good with the center dash
that always has half the pixels running
and here we have another Subaru Crosstrek,
that's another Subaru Crosstrek, we are changing the video.
Look one, two get the (beep) out of here Janet,
three Crosstreks, three.
So, all right.
Anyway, now that we've talked about the turbocharged
B5 S4 in a mellow yellow one of 254 according to Mariah
that only needs a tune to be perfect.
It is on sparkle wheels
probably gonna wanna change that around a little bit
just because it's a little bit we'll call it period-correct.
Maybe a little bit newer wheels
and stuff like they be set.
But now, we're gonna jump into
probably my second favorite car in the history of the world.
It's gonna be really hard to not be bias.
I'm gonna jump in a supercharged AMG.
(upbeat music)
Okay.
I'm excited, we are getting in Sean's.
Oh gosh, all my stuff's gonna fall out.
2003 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG.
I'm gonna be honest,
I'm gonna try not talking about the car
as much as the supercharger.
However, if you guys think
talking about the car is more fun, just let me know
because I feel like I could talk about this car all day.
Here is a couple things to know about the E55 AMG
really quick.
You got some nice sun covers in the back, you have...
You hear that?
Air condition seats, heated seats,
you have enough dash dials and widgets up here
to tell you when you need to go have lunch
and stock 470 horsepower
and just about the same amount in torque.
You throw a little supercharger of pulley on this thing,
a couple extra bits and pieces and take an exhaust,
you got yourself a 600-horsepower,
four-door sedan that is comfortable
that has everything you could possibly want in a car.
But you also have everything
that could possibly go wrong in a car, in a single car.
So that's what we're gonna talk about today.
Where are the button?
So this and these are automatic just enough, just FYI.
And then more Steiner VFFs Nitto tires and stock suspension.
Now, the E55 AMG's have an automatic suspension
which is iconically known for going out.
If that is not enough for you,
the E55 AMG is also iconically known for having
electrical issues up until the 2004 model
which still has electrical issues.
So, the disclaimer on this car before I jumped into this one
because Mariah's was that it just needed a tune,
was that this one sometimes the heat exchanger
will just turn off after the first pull
because it thinks it's broken or something,
I'm not entirely sure.
The number one thing that I love about supercharged cars
is that you can literally just do this
(car engine roaring)
It's just beautiful.
It's just beautiful, now even though it's an automatic
which sometimes gets people all riled up for some reason,
automatic cars actually aren't terrible.
And in AMG you really don't need it
because it's just so much fun
to put your foot down on the ground
and just let the car do its thing
as you scream to like 100 miles an hour.
Supercharged cars are pretty awesome,
one of the best things about a supercharged car,
one of the reasons I love supercharged car the most
is because of the sound.
Now, a lot of people talk about
just blow off valves being the best sound in the world
but there's something so atrociously addicting
to the sound of a supercharger whine.
Not only that but the amount of power
that you get from a supercharger is pretty nuts
without any of the lag
you get the power band way at low-end.
Which when you're actually looking at
when you're driving your car, how do you compare the two?
Which one is better?
In my opinion, when you're driving your car just around
like normal city roads and stuff like that
you're never really getting into a point where
you'd be able to use a lot of your turbo power
because it's all mid to high-end.
Most of it is in that 45 to 5500 RPM range
before you really start kicking in a nickel with full boost.
With a supercharged car,
you never really have to worry about that
because the power is there the whole time.
It's essentially a complete replacement for additional power
all across the board.
Now, superchargers aren't as common,
we talking about turbochargers being way more common
kinda like riding your bike in the middle of a street
is really not that common anymore,
but people still do it for some reason.
Man that (mumbles) make me uncomfortable.
But that's not to say that turbochargers have gone away
by any means they're a ton of fun
and the tuning although it's a little bit different,
throw smaller pulley on this bad boy
and you are cooking brother, cooking.
(car engine roaring)
(laughing)
And let me remind you that was this specific car
you're doing zero to 60 in a few seconds
with air conditioned and heated seats on
and more buttons that control these seats
than you could possibly imagine.
I am going to turn around up here
because I know that these wheels will rub.
Now, we don't have to talk about the shortcomings of
the E55 AMG.
The fact that sometimes drinks coolant,
there sometimes that the battery just randomly dies
or talk about the fact that the electrical issues
slowly start to take over the car
or the fact that the automatic system
isn't supported anymore,
so if it breaks you pretty much just have to get
a whole new suspension components
but I'm not gonna talk about any of that.
Because that's bad news,
the good news is that when you're driving an AMG
specifically the E55 that is a 5.4 liter supercharged V8,
it's so much fun and the powers there all the time,
it's attached to the engine sure,
it's less (mumbles) efficient,
sure you get worse gas mileage sure,
but you're replacing that with power and smiles.
And why would you not do that?
I'm not really going into the whole modification world
looking for fuel efficiency.
I'm looking to have a good time.
An E55 does that really well a couple of cons superchargers
obviously is that it is attached to the motor,
it's a direct bolt-on.
There's sometimes a little bit more difficult
to work with their work on
especially if you're taking something
from naturally aspirated to supercharge.
The old stuff is super simple
because you're essentially just slapping a right on the top
but sometimes it gets a little bit more
difficult with your ProCharger setups or things like that.
In all when you're talking about
whether you wanna get a supercharger or turbocharger?
I think,
people always get mad when I say it's personal preference
I'm not gonna say that, which one is better?
I would say for city driving,
if you're looking to just have fun
and do some few pulls here or there
and you're doing short road trips and things like that,
a supercharger will always I think beat a turbocharger.
Now, a turbocharger starts to take the cake
when you're doing highway pulls, when you're roll racing,
when you have a chance to fully use the turbos.
But not a lot of people end up actually
getting the ability to fully use their turbo setup.
I mean, even if you have a 400 horsepower S4 fully tuned,
when are you gonna be able to cap out in that power,
when you able to actually use it for more
than maybe a drag strip day
or occasionally running around on the highway.
When you're looking at a car that has a supercharger setup,
you're getting the power at the low-end,
you're sacrificing a little bit of gas mileage,
but in my eyes, it's worth it.
An E55, 100%,
100%.
I mean sure the check engine light is on,
the tire pressure monitor sensor needs to be reactivated
because the wheels don't work with that
and sure the air suspension is gonna go out eventually
and the heat exchanger probably turned off
because we did two pulls.
But if you take all of that away,
the E55 is a fun car
and it's about the same price as an S4 right now.
Sean picked this one up for seven grand.
That S4 was like the same price,
look at all that you get in this car.
You just get all the other issues with it too.
It's kinda like being in a rough relationship,
I mean it's worth it because they might be really pretty
but you just kinda have to keep the fact
that there's a toxic relationship maybe behind
closed doors a little bit, personal preference though.
You choose what you like?
I just really really enjoy big real road drive luxury cars.
Because boy are they fun.
Supercharged versus turbocharged,
it's a really interesting conversation
especially when you're looking at an S4 or E55 AMG.
Superchargers are gonna like always win in my eyes
because I feel like you can use them
more often for everyday driving
but there's nothing more thrilling than hitting full boost
in a turbocharged S4, even if it just needs a tune
whether it comes down
to having a turbocharger or supercharged car though,
especially right now these days,
it's important to just have something that's reliable.
Neither of these cars in all honesty are reliable.
I'm Alex, let us know what you want us to cover next
in the next episode of Opposite Lanes
are what you'd like us to see compared to
in the comments down there.
And if you like Rosenberg wheels tires air suspension
be sure to hit us up over at FITMENTINDUSTRIES.COM.
And if you're mad that I said,
both of these cars are unreliable,
I can say that because I own them and I know, damn it.
They are really unreliable, but they are ton of fun,
so it's like, does it really matter if they're unreliable
or if they are a lot of fun?
I guess it does depend though because E55 got better in 2004
depending on the electrical issues and the B5 S4.