B8 RS4 Avant - any recent owners comments?
Discussion
I love mine but then I have a thing for fast Audis. I would have preferred the RS6 but couldn't justify the expense.
I can imagine that going from an AM V8V to an RS4 it would feel a bit sterile. The noise won't be a patch on the AM and the C63 certainly wins that fight. My only problem with the C63 is the Merc blingy look, I know that it's a better drivers car than an RS4 but I just prefer the RS for some reason
I can imagine that going from an AM V8V to an RS4 it would feel a bit sterile. The noise won't be a patch on the AM and the C63 certainly wins that fight. My only problem with the C63 is the Merc blingy look, I know that it's a better drivers car than an RS4 but I just prefer the RS for some reason
JBE68 said:
Never meet your heroes, you'll only be disappointed.
Without doubt one of the most disappointing test drives ever. It just felt like a well built estate car with a complete lack of character. Simply not a patch on the C63AMG Estate driving experience.
I know everyone's different, but I'd say it was leaps and bounds better than a C63. I owned a B8 RS4 for 9 months and the previous B7 before and I found the C63 507 edition experience to be rather poor after having one for a weeks extended test drive.Without doubt one of the most disappointing test drives ever. It just felt like a well built estate car with a complete lack of character. Simply not a patch on the C63AMG Estate driving experience.
It's 'horses for courses' of course, but I found the C63 to be very old fashioned and looked like a older gentleman's car. The engine was a work of art, but you couldn't hear it in the car without the window open, and the gearbox was slow and unresponsive in comparison to the twin clutch box of most modern cars and the way it mismatched revs on the down change was terrible at times as going hard into a 2nd gear corner in second, and hitting the left paddle, for it to think about it for a second, and then eventually change down, but not matching enough revs and semi locking the rear wheels.
This may be a positive or a negative depending on how you like to drive, but I found the lack of traction infuriating. It was either drifting everywhere (which is, of course, good fun at times) or with the TC on, the light was constantly lit and robbing me of power.
It certainly felt like the end of an 8 or so year old model that desperately needs revamping (which merc are doing early next year
RS4's are very good cars, but you need to love high revving engine's as you'll not get much torque low down the range as you do in a C63 or new M4. The sound inside is miles better and the big blast of revs on downshifts and pops on full bore upshifts is addictive stuff.
The steering's not amazing (although a match for the C63, but not even close to as good as the M3/4's I drove last week), but you get used to the variable rack rate and it's a nice addition once you have the measure of it.
You can make your own mind up about exterior styling, but the interior is best in the class by far, and the speed you can accelerate out of a corner is exceptional with 4wd
In the dry on a sweeping course, it'd be close, but in the wet, in corners or on the crap surfaces of the uk road network, you could annihilate an equally well driven M3 or C63.
Head over to rs246.com for loads of info
FWIW, I had one for 9 months and now have another on order.
JBE68 said:
Never meet your heroes, you'll only be disappointed.
Without doubt one of the most disappointing test drives ever. It just felt like a well built estate car with a complete lack of character. Simply not a patch on the C63AMG Estate driving experience.
I agree, I had 24 hours and was underwhelmed. It is a very competent car but the lack of torque, steering feel and handling were a disappointment and I wasn't blown away by the quality of the interior plastics. I like the look and image of the B8 but it's not managed to build on the dynamic achievements of the B7 and after a day in one I felt that it couldn't justify its price tag. You will struggle to get an objective view on RS246 (understandably), but I think deals on C63 or M5 put things into their proper perspective, no discounts on M3/4 yet, but in my view money better spent if you want an involving drive. Without doubt one of the most disappointing test drives ever. It just felt like a well built estate car with a complete lack of character. Simply not a patch on the C63AMG Estate driving experience.
Blue62 said:
JBE68 said:
Never meet your heroes, you'll only be disappointed.
Without doubt one of the most disappointing test drives ever. It just felt like a well built estate car with a complete lack of character. Simply not a patch on the C63AMG Estate driving experience.
I agree, I had 24 hours and was underwhelmed. It is a very competent car but the lack of torque, steering feel and handling were a disappointment and I wasn't blown away by the quality of the interior plastics. I like the look and image of the B8 but it's not managed to build on the dynamic achievements of the B7 and after a day in one I felt that it couldn't justify its price tag. You will struggle to get an objective view on RS246 (understandably), but I think deals on C63 or M5 put things into their proper perspective, no discounts on M3/4 yet, but in my view money better spent if you want an involving drive. Without doubt one of the most disappointing test drives ever. It just felt like a well built estate car with a complete lack of character. Simply not a patch on the C63AMG Estate driving experience.
But, no discounts available whatsoever it seems. My dealer wouldn't even entertain £100 off. Said co policy wasn't to discount the model at all. New order lead times are only 2-3months too
Fwiw merc are offering just under £10k off as standard on financed C63's although I'm reliably informed you can push that a couple of grand further which gives you a brand new C63 for mid 40's. They are very common though and with the new model depreciation is going to be a killer but on a pcp I guess it's not the end of the world.
RS4's I think they're offering about £5k off and again that can be stretched a bit so ~£50k before options. I managed about £10k on mine ordered November last year when they were running a campaign.
I give it 6 months before BMW start discounting the 3+4. At the moment a pcp on an M5 or an M6 can be had cheaper than the 3 or 4 which is madness.
RS4's I think they're offering about £5k off and again that can be stretched a bit so ~£50k before options. I managed about £10k on mine ordered November last year when they were running a campaign.
I give it 6 months before BMW start discounting the 3+4. At the moment a pcp on an M5 or an M6 can be had cheaper than the 3 or 4 which is madness.
JBE68 said:
Thanks for all the feedback. I can't understand why BMW won't make an M3 estate as there must be demand for it from enthusiasts wanting driving thrills, performance and space for a labrador.
I know, it's odd when you consider Audi only offers avant for RS4/6, you could always look at an Alpina. In response to pints about cost, the only way I would go for a C63 would be PCH, the deals on offer were £500 for 2 years with 9 months down, total outlay £15k, but cars are scarce now. The M5 can be had for around £700 over 3 years with 6 months down, total cost would be around £30k.One point worth considering with a c63 is that production of the amg cars has, I believe, now ceased, so you can't spec your own car and have to draw from a pool of pre-specced cars
This is why such good discounts are available, as they need to get shot of stock before the 2015MY car arrives
This is why such good discounts are available, as they need to get shot of stock before the 2015MY car arrives
graeme4130 said:
One point worth considering with a c63 is that production of the amg cars has, I believe, now ceased, so you can't spec your own car and have to draw from a pool of pre-specced cars
This is why such good discounts are available, as they need to get shot of stock before the 2015MY car arrives
Absolutely, but it's tempting for a 2 year deal until the B9 arrives!This is why such good discounts are available, as they need to get shot of stock before the 2015MY car arrives
Blue62 said:
graeme4130 said:
One point worth considering with a c63 is that production of the amg cars has, I believe, now ceased, so you can't spec your own car and have to draw from a pool of pre-specced cars
This is why such good discounts are available, as they need to get shot of stock before the 2015MY car arrives
Absolutely, but it's tempting for a 2 year deal until the B9 arrives!This is why such good discounts are available, as they need to get shot of stock before the 2015MY car arrives
Rather old and old fashioned salesman at merc allowed me to spend 30mins with him on the configuration page speccing the car up before telling me about no factory orders. Nearly walked out there and then. Utter joke
Had car for week long test drive, but gave it back after two days. Not my cup of tea at all
Blue62 said:
What didn't you like about it Graham?
It wasn't a bad car IMHO, but as it'd have been a daily driver for me to do 20k miles a year, I need something a bit more audiishIn summary ;
I disliked ;
It looked and felt like an old mans car and wasn't anything like as aggressive looking as an rs4 (even in 507 trim)
The noise was only good with the window down
The gearshift was slow and didn't match revs well
Lack of traction (in anything other than the dry and less than a gentle corner (although I'm aware this might be a positive to some)
The lack of speccable 507 cars
The way over complicated and fussy entertainment and sat nav system
I liked ;
The quality - way better screwed together than an Audi)
The discounts
The seats
The steering, steering wheel/paddles (much nicer to the hand than audi's )
The notice with the window down
Smokey burnouts
The acceleration once you had grip (in a straight line after about 40 would leave an rs4/5
I did try the coupe too, but I couldn't get past how garish the colour was and I actually felt a bit self conscious driving it.(bright yellow) Driving dynamics and foibles were exactly the same as estate
Thanks for that. I had a CLS63 for a few days and know what you mean about the traction, especially coming from a 4WD, I figured it's something you would get used to over time, but it is a concern. I quite like the looks but wouldn't contemplate one beyond 2 years, which is why a short term PCH appeals. I really want to like the B8 more, it ticks so many boxes but my day in one didn't leave me wanting more, maybe it was the spec (no sport pack, sprint blue with silver rotors).
Enjoy it, a very good looking car and nice to see you've gone rotors, I think they accentuate the arches. If I do fall for one, it would be Prism with the black/diamond cut rotors and black optics, but the finance deal means that I will be shelling out £37k over 3 years with a final buy price of 27.7k (that's on a £65k car) and it is a lot when compared to the competition.
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