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Well that was an interesting 3 months with the RS4. I traded in my mk5 R32 and bought a B7 RS4 on the 20th March 09. Since then the dealer has had the car as much as I have! The DRC suspension was changed 4 times (16 shocks) in 12 weeks and the self-destructing V8 was investigated on numerous occasions due to smoke bellowing out the back like a Chinese coal-fired PowerStation. In the end I rejected the RS4, got my money back and headed off towards the nearest Enterprise Car Rental. On the way past I saw a Pre-Reg Corsa VXR sitting outside a Vauxhall Dealership, walked in, haggled a bit and drove it home 2 hours later. My rationale is that no matter what happens with regards to build quality the VXR is going to be less complicated than the fragile RS4 and less inclined to spit me off the road when the suspension goes pop. I don’t know why I didn’t do it earlier. For years I thought I needed more power to have a giggle on the roads. The little Vauxhall is a right hoot to drive in my opinion. 24 hrs later and life is great with the not so little Corsa, we even went out for a drive last night just for the sake of driving, not done that for years! Work colleagues think I’m mad but you try living with a car that requires new shock absorbers every 2 weeks!
Never meet your hero
Never meet your hero
daninsidious said:
Wow, that's a surprising tale about an Audi and a modern one at that. Are these RS4s built in Germany? Any other reports of these sort of problems with other RS4s and would that put you off getting another Audi?
Speak to John R about his RS4 !! makes my TVR look good. 
Katanga said:
16 shocks? how is that possible? got to be something else wrong with it or a case of not fitting them right??
The DRC is pumped up to around 30 bar, a bit like the old Metro HydroSpandex suspension. The design was surely not design tested before production. The RS4's are made by Quattro Gmbh. I never abused that car which is obvious from the 28~30mpg it returned and the av of 32mph. Audi have extended the warranty to 5 years however I am not going to live with a car that I have to return every 2 weeks. I would never buy another VAG car with DRC and FSi. The oil build-up issue from the FSi is also worrying. there are RS4's out there with carbon-like build-up on the valves that resemble a 100,000mile lawn mowerI’m still gutted so go easy on the You-Tube style “Eat sh*t and die, Audi’s rock dude!” responses as I have just handed back my dream car. One thing I didn’t expect is to get be able to experience so much fun from a small(ish) car, the Corsa is brilliant! It’s put the fun not the fear back into driving
SR06 said:
Katanga said:
16 shocks? how is that possible? got to be something else wrong with it or a case of not fitting them right??
The DRC is pumped up to around 30 bar, a bit like the old Metro HydroSpandex suspension. The design was surely not design tested before production. The RS4's are made by Quattro Gmbh. I never abused that car which is obvious from the 28~30mpg it returned and the av of 32mph. Audi have extended the warranty to 5 years however I am not going to live with a car that I have to return every 2 weeks. I would never buy another VAG car with DRC and FSi. The oil build-up issue from the FSi is also worrying. there are RS4's out there with carbon-like build-up on the valves that resemble a 100,000mile lawn mowerI’m still gutted so go easy on the You-Tube style “Eat sh*t and die, Audi’s rock dude!” responses as I have just handed back my dream car. One thing I didn’t expect is to get be able to experience so much fun from a small(ish) car, the Corsa is brilliant! It’s put the fun not the fear back into driving
Katanga said:
16 shocks? how is that possible? got to be something else wrong with it or a case of not fitting them right??
Tales like this worry me regarding mainstream car makers briging out very top end models.The guys in the dealer networks are spending 99.9% of their time on fleet tdi rep-mobiles and then one of these rolls in with a problem.
"We've got an RS4 in"
"Oil change and the world's most expensive washer fluid / tyres / brakes pads is it?"
"I'm afraid not. It has problems"
"What do you mean?"
"Well that's the point. We've got to actually isolate and solve the problems"
"Really? Ah. Err, where's the dealer manual for one of these?"
"Err, ah, here it is, up here" <blows off the dust>
"So, where's John, he got the folder on that training course in Germany"
"He left us last week. Moved away."
"Oh. I see. Well err, get it up on the ramps, we'll have a go..."
ph1l5 said:
daninsidious said:
Wow, that's a surprising tale about an Audi and a modern one at that. Are these RS4s built in Germany? Any other reports of these sort of problems with other RS4s and would that put you off getting another Audi?
Speak to John R about his RS4 !! makes my TVR look good. http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&f...
Please be gentle with me- as I have no idea about RS4 mechanicals.
I take it DRC stands for Dynamic Roll Control or something daft like that.
I take it, its a hydraulic system which using G sensors, pumps up or primes the dampers with fluid before they load up?
Would it not be possible & cheaper to replace the syspension with aftermarket coilovers or adjustible Koni kit or something like that?
Only an idea...
I take it DRC stands for Dynamic Roll Control or something daft like that.
I take it, its a hydraulic system which using G sensors, pumps up or primes the dampers with fluid before they load up?
Would it not be possible & cheaper to replace the syspension with aftermarket coilovers or adjustible Koni kit or something like that?
Only an idea...
Edited by Vidal Baboon on Friday 5th June 14:13
SR06 said:
J111 said:
Four DRC failures ? Trackday every weekend ?jamoor said:
Wow... Just Wow.
Why didn't you buy something that's less complicated but decent, like say... Focus ST?
Like I said the RS4 was my dream car, the Focus ST is not even in my top 20 cars to drive before I die. Nice engine note though. I'll drive the Corsa for now and have a look for a cheap Elise or Exige. But to be honest I get just as much enjoyment from this Corsa as I need so I'll probably bank the rest...well maybe not bank it as you cant trust them either!Why didn't you buy something that's less complicated but decent, like say... Focus ST?
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