We like to peruse used car listings to see what used performance cars we might be able to afford. One of the cars that we are very curious about is the Audi S5. The S5 is a 4.2-liter V8, German beast with 354 horsepower. That's more than a brand new supercharged model! When new, this impressive coupe costs around $55,000 base. This car could reach 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds and go through the quarter mile in 13.4 seconds at 105 mph. The cars was even available with a six-speed manual transmission! Has depreciation turned this car into a hidden gem?

However, is a used S5 a smart purchase? We found nice condition 2008 and 2009 models for around $23,000 with around 60,000 miles on them. This is the same price as a new Civic Si for a V8-powered Audi! This sounds like a great value, but you may not want to run out and buy one so quickly. Audi maintenance is not known for being cheap, so you need to make sure that you budget for repairs. S5s that are this cheap are too old to be sold as certified pre-owned, so any big problems will be your responsibility. The 4.2-liter V8 was an impressive engine, but the infamous timing chain issue is very expensive to repair. However, is a used S5 a smart purchase? The answer depends on your pain threshold for parts and labor costs.

The original S5 is still, at least to our eyes, one of the prettiest cars that Audi has ever produced. Seriously, just listen to that 4.2-liter V8. If you can do the work by yourself, we would say that a used S5 is a no-brainer. Let us know! Is a used Audi S5 a bad deal, or a steal?