RS4 - Avant or saloon...............
Discussion
Having just sold my beloved 996 turbo an RS4 is now the ' family choice' due to young family etc - so Im on the hunt . I dont need the Avant but what is regarded as the best choice - saloon or Avant . Personally & visually I slightly prefer the Avant but would be happy to live with either . Opinions please ....... thanks gents ( & ladies )
Either a saloon or an avant would be a great purchase.
I think the rear headroom is compromised a little in the saloon whereas there's no such problem in the avant. You can tell, when driving, that there's more weight over the rear axle in the avant but the luggage space is much more useable.
I think the rear headroom is compromised a little in the saloon whereas there's no such problem in the avant. You can tell, when driving, that there's more weight over the rear axle in the avant but the luggage space is much more useable.
I bought the saloon as (for the first time in an RS) I prefer the looks to the avant. Avant is v nice but to me a bit grown up in styling/image.
We are 2 plus a nipper so the extra rear headroom is of zero consequence, also the boot is huge and big enough for all of us + baby buggy and all baby crap without need for the extar high up luggage space.
Saloon is lighter and the extra weight is high up so imagine saloon a little better to drive but probably not such that I would notice.
Avant has more practical boot space and some feel it may hold its value fractionally better - but as they cost £1k more new I don't think there will be a net gain.
We are 2 plus a nipper so the extra rear headroom is of zero consequence, also the boot is huge and big enough for all of us + baby buggy and all baby crap without need for the extar high up luggage space.
Saloon is lighter and the extra weight is high up so imagine saloon a little better to drive but probably not such that I would notice.
Avant has more practical boot space and some feel it may hold its value fractionally better - but as they cost £1k more new I don't think there will be a net gain.
My first experience of the RS4 was EVO mag's saloon, but I ended up choosing an Avant. The weight difference is 60kg, and whilst I thought that the saloon looked more muscular from the rear, the Avant did not feel like an estate car but more like a shooting brake - it actually feels quite 'coupe' like to me.
I would definitely go for the Avant for the "icon" factor.
It follows the tradition of the RS2 and B5 RS4, available in Avant form only. IMHO, becuase of this heritage, the Avant is way cooler than the saloon.
Residuals seem to be better on the Avant too - look at the RS4 prices (Avant is more) and the RS6 prices (although the difference is not THAT much).
It follows the tradition of the RS2 and B5 RS4, available in Avant form only. IMHO, becuase of this heritage, the Avant is way cooler than the saloon.
Residuals seem to be better on the Avant too - look at the RS4 prices (Avant is more) and the RS6 prices (although the difference is not THAT much).
I've got an Avant and with the privicy glass it really brings the car in around you. Plus the bucket seats help wrap you up in the driving experience. You never feel like you have a massive open area behind you. Nothing like driving a Volvo estate, or even a 3-series Touring.
Just a thought, but if the engine is stuck out in front of the front axel, wouldn't the "supposed" additional rear weight in the Avant actually help to give it an even better front/rear weight distribution than the saloon?
Just a thought, but if the engine is stuck out in front of the front axel, wouldn't the "supposed" additional rear weight in the Avant actually help to give it an even better front/rear weight distribution than the saloon?
jackwood said:
I've got an Avant and with the privicy glass it really brings the car in around you. Plus the bucket seats help wrap you up in the driving experience. You never feel like you have a massive open area behind you. Nothing like driving a Volvo estate, or even a 3-series Touring.
Just a thought, but if the engine is stuck out in front of the front axel, wouldn't the "supposed" additional rear weight in the Avant actually help to give it an even better front/rear weight distribution than the saloon?
do you work for the Labour Party? Just a thought, but if the engine is stuck out in front of the front axel, wouldn't the "supposed" additional rear weight in the Avant actually help to give it an even better front/rear weight distribution than the saloon?
talk about positive spin, first extra weight is only "supposed" rather than fact and then extra high up weight is good for balance so a positive!go for either and you will goet a good car - is it just me but the privacy glass makes the avant look like a hearse?
The avant is the Q car extrodinaire, nobody in the real world is that surprised that a saloon car is fast but the estate car has shock and awe in a abundance. overtaking ferrari's in a estate car always puts a smile to my face.
TBH you will be happy with either, personally i drove the saloon extensively and the avant, i had a previous B5 avant and found it more practical having struggled a lot of 2 previous audi saloons, the performance difference is so negligible as to be meaningless in the real world - a good driver in a avant will still easily best a medium driver in a saloon and vice versa - the cars are so closely matched there would be nothing in it. i thinkt eh avant will hold its residuals well since there are so few cars made, the saloon we will have to wait and see - with the M3 on the way more saloon owners are likely to change than avant so its probably more at risk of competition, the RS6 saloon was always harder to sell on than the avants.
There are fans of each, both will tell you theirs is the best choice, im in the camp that thinks the avant carries the RS2/4 heritage in a more inconic way but each to their own.
i bought one in sprint blue, no mistaking one of these for a hearse!!!
TBH you will be happy with either, personally i drove the saloon extensively and the avant, i had a previous B5 avant and found it more practical having struggled a lot of 2 previous audi saloons, the performance difference is so negligible as to be meaningless in the real world - a good driver in a avant will still easily best a medium driver in a saloon and vice versa - the cars are so closely matched there would be nothing in it. i thinkt eh avant will hold its residuals well since there are so few cars made, the saloon we will have to wait and see - with the M3 on the way more saloon owners are likely to change than avant so its probably more at risk of competition, the RS6 saloon was always harder to sell on than the avants.
There are fans of each, both will tell you theirs is the best choice, im in the camp that thinks the avant carries the RS2/4 heritage in a more inconic way but each to their own.
i bought one in sprint blue, no mistaking one of these for a hearse!!!
Adam B said:
jackwood said:
I've got an Avant and with the privicy glass it really brings the car in around you. Plus the bucket seats help wrap you up in the driving experience. You never feel like you have a massive open area behind you. Nothing like driving a Volvo estate, or even a 3-series Touring.
Just a thought, but if the engine is stuck out in front of the front axel, wouldn't the "supposed" additional rear weight in the Avant actually help to give it an even better front/rear weight distribution than the saloon?
do you work for the Labour Party? Just a thought, but if the engine is stuck out in front of the front axel, wouldn't the "supposed" additional rear weight in the Avant actually help to give it an even better front/rear weight distribution than the saloon?
talk about positive spin, first extra weight is only "supposed" rather than fact and then extra high up weight is good for balance so a positive!go for either and you will goet a good car - is it just me but the privacy glass makes the avant look like a hearse?
I was rather having a little synical dig at the fact that I doubt anybody would ever really be able to tell the difference between the two in the real world.
And don't hearses have clear glass so you can read all the big "We Love Granny" flower arrangements in the window?
Jack
Just resurrecting this post as I'm in the same position just a few years later. My budget is pretty tight I don't want to spend more than 17,000, which with the current stock of cars for sale leaves me with either a good saloon or a high mileage avant (c90,000).
There are currently a load of saloons and Avants on the market but none seem to be selling; the Avants are priced considerably higher.
I'm worried that the saloons will continue to depreciate faster than the avant, as they don't have the prestige of the avant body. I would prefer an avant, but can't afford the lower mileage ones as they are at £20k +
Would a 90,000 miler RS4 avant be a mistake? It should I not worry too much about the saloons future worth?
Any help would be much appreciated!
There are currently a load of saloons and Avants on the market but none seem to be selling; the Avants are priced considerably higher.
I'm worried that the saloons will continue to depreciate faster than the avant, as they don't have the prestige of the avant body. I would prefer an avant, but can't afford the lower mileage ones as they are at £20k +
Would a 90,000 miler RS4 avant be a mistake? It should I not worry too much about the saloons future worth?
Any help would be much appreciated!
With any of these now, buy on condition/provenance over almost anything else. Spec obviously needs to meet your basic needs, but whether it's had a carbon clean, has good annual service history, evidence of upkeep in general (brakes are pretty pricey, plus DRC), looks in good order.
You'll find mint high milers and sheddy low milers - just depends how they've been used. The pole position seats can look shagged after less than 40k miles if the owner is corpulent, or just not terribly careful! They're also a theft magnet (or at least were) so obvious checks for correct spec of seats still fitted, HPI as theft of seats can be enough to write them off, with related damage.
Having said that, if you're watching the market and examples aren't selling then make some in-budget offers. They can only say no and you may be the only potential buyer.
Sellers, especially private, can only really go off the asking price of other examples on the market - if they're not shifting it suggests a realignment downwards is needed for stock to shift. Most likely the market has just been a bit quiet and will pick up with the weather.
What you don't want to do is buy one 'needing work' as it could turn into a proper money pit
You'll find mint high milers and sheddy low milers - just depends how they've been used. The pole position seats can look shagged after less than 40k miles if the owner is corpulent, or just not terribly careful! They're also a theft magnet (or at least were) so obvious checks for correct spec of seats still fitted, HPI as theft of seats can be enough to write them off, with related damage.
Having said that, if you're watching the market and examples aren't selling then make some in-budget offers. They can only say no and you may be the only potential buyer.
Sellers, especially private, can only really go off the asking price of other examples on the market - if they're not shifting it suggests a realignment downwards is needed for stock to shift. Most likely the market has just been a bit quiet and will pick up with the weather.
What you don't want to do is buy one 'needing work' as it could turn into a proper money pit
Lovely looking saloon available here, which has been for sale for a while and says open to offers. Has had all the expensive bits done (2 decokes, Milltek and a remap plus loads of other stuff) and mileage isn't too high either
http://audisrs.com/ftopic58720-0-asc-0.php
http://audisrs.com/ftopic58720-0-asc-0.php
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