RE: Audi RS4 (B7) Avant: Spotted

[Scottie - NW]

va1o said:

Always loved these but still a little expensive. As an alternative I've recently picked up an S5 V8 for quite a lot less money. It's a bit less powerful with 355bhp but still more than quick enough, and obviously benefits from sitting on the newer MLB chassis as per the B8 RS4

It's not that much less power as whenever I have seen one of these B7 RS4's on a RR day they only make 360 to 370bhp, well down on the book figures.

[fastgerman]

B8 S4 - https://youtu.be/wjsy4euKKPI


:-)

[djdest]

Scottie - NW said:

It's not that much less power as whenever I have seen one of these B7 RS4's on a RR day they only make 360 to 370bhp, well down on the book figures.

Usually due to carbon build up

[Ikobo]

For me, the B7 RS4 is the best looking car Audi have ever made. Loved mine, but a recurring and seemingly incurable engine management fault made me sell. And the joke of a so called specialist RS4 dealer who I'm not allowed to mention on here that I bought it from.

[MDMA .]

xxdaix said:

When I was looking at these last year, there were a number for them that were Cat C.

I was told this was due to the fact that the Recaros were been nicked to fit into Golf's A3 etc etc and the dealers had to buy the seats as kits which meant it was in the region of £3k per seat (I'm sure someone that had this actually happen will correct) So the insurance companies wrote them off.

Higher mileage cars start at between £12 & £14k a lot of car for the money...

that is what they all say. sounds better than saying it has been through a wall at 100mph !

there was an issue with the theft of the seats but not that high.

[MrBarry123]

MDMA . said:

xxdaix said:

When I was looking at these last year, there were a number for them that were Cat C.

I was told this was due to the fact that the Recaros were been nicked to fit into Golf's A3 etc etc and the dealers had to buy the seats as kits which meant it was in the region of £3k per seat (I'm sure someone that had this actually happen will correct) So the insurance companies wrote them off.

Higher mileage cars start at between £12 & £14k a lot of car for the money...

that is what they all say. sounds better than saying it has been through a wall at 100mph !

there was an issue with the theft of the seats but not that high.

And to be fair, the dealer is correct in that the seats are delivered in part form and have to be assembled by a technician. It's the labour charge to build the seats which make them prohibitively expensive; I'm sure I read that it was close to £10k for a pair of seats to be delivered, built and then fitted.

[smilo996]

Having had a B5, this would be the logical progression. The new model looks much too much like the size of an RS6.

That engine sounds incredible but upgrades seem to be less accessible than the B5 of course. However they seem to have make it pretty bullet proof.

Still looks great and a modern classic?

[djdest]

Its surprising how many people on audi forums went from B5 to B7 and then back to B5

[ispcarsurvey]

Another suggestion... Considered an RS4 but ended up with a C55 AMG estate. Was just shy of half the price (£11k vs £20k) but certainly not half the car. C55s also typically deliver more than the published power whereas the RS4s less so pretty even. Problem was finding one as C55s are very, very rare.

[k60djg]

i think the red ones look special
cant believe how much they still demand with high mileage on them
if I was to change my E46 M3 one of these would be on my list

[mwyatt82]

Speaking of seats I presume the one in the article has a suitably tired pair, judging by the lack of pictures of the drivers bolster etc. Wonder if it can be patched cost effectively without looking s***

[Schermerhorn]

Is it a genuine 420BHP? I've met people who have actually modified and DYNO'd them and were still getting sub 400BHP.

Something to do with a carbon build up in the manifolds?

[TrackerMan.]

xxdaix said:

When I was looking at these last year, there were a number for them that were Cat C.

I was told this was due to the fact that the Recaros were been nicked to fit into Golf's A3 etc etc and the dealers had to buy the seats as kits which meant it was in the region of £3k per seat (I'm sure someone that had this actually happen will correct) So the insurance companies wrote them off.

Higher mileage cars start at between £12 & £14k a lot of car for the money...

CAT C :- Vehicles written off after an accident, a flood, or fire damage are often classified as Cat C

No insurance company is going to declare a £20k motor as Cat C over a pair of seats. Yeah your right they're expensive but not expensive enough to deem a car a total loss.

I suspect the main reason you see alot of these as Cat C or D is purley down to the fact they've seen the wrong side of a hedge or a gravel pit and Armco on a track day

[Mike1963]

I've a B8 and these can be had in low 30' now. I've had mine from new and 60k list now valued (by we buy any car) at 36!. I have to say it's been absolutely brilliant. Anybody considering one ought to get one. It goes like stink, sounds marvellous, has a great ride, practical, comfort is great, good hi-fi, great gear box, real run to drive too. Fuel consumption a bit naughty at 22-26. These are great cars.

[walm]

Mike1963 said:

I've a B8 and these can be had in low 30' now. I've had mine from new and 60k list now valued (by we buy any car) at 36!. I have to say it's been absolutely brilliant. Anybody considering one ought to get one. It goes like stink, sounds marvellous, has a great ride, practical, comfort is great, good hi-fi, great gear box, real run to drive too. Fuel consumption a bit naughty at 22-26. These are great cars.

I have to say that a B8 at close to £30k makes the more punchily priced B7s look damn expensive!!

[Theophany]

Ryvita said:

No M3 estate you say? Well, there is just one. http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/04/01/never-built-bmw-...

Ahhh, what could have been...

There was a chap featured in BMW Car magazine a couple of months back who righted that wrong. Commissioned an E46 touring to be fully converted to M3 spec. Looked fab in Laguna Seca Blue!

[Leins]

Theophany said:

Ryvita said:

No M3 estate you say? Well, there is just one. http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/04/01/never-built-bmw-...

Ahhh, what could have been...

There was a chap featured in BMW Car magazine a couple of months back who righted that wrong. Commissioned an E46 touring to be fully converted to M3 spec. Looked fab in Laguna Seca Blue!

I had a good look around the original a few years ago, and it was very impressive. However, they usually leave this sort of stuff to Alpina, who have some cracking estates in their portfolio (E36 B8 4.6 instantly springs to mind)

[Adz The Rat]

I was a massive fan of these until I drove one, then I was disappointed. Just didnt feel like 420 bhp, felt quick but not fast. Went round corners nicely, but compared to a C63 it just felt a bit wet.

[anonymous-user]

B5 and B7 about the same performance on paper but B5 feels much quicker due to the massive twin turbo shove. B5 can also be tweaked to over 600bhp but the B7 is difficult to get more power from I believe.

[djdest]

You can supercharge the B7 but you're looking at BIG ££££

The only reason I've not got one is because of the engine, and it's lack of power upgrades.
To me, it is the last really good looking RS that Audi have built, all of the newer ones are just too bland to look at, especially now as the black editions and S-Lines blur the differences between A, S and RS

Edited by djdest on Thursday 31st March 20:12