RE: Audi RS4 (B5) | PH Used Buying guide
Discussion
Of the 53 cars I've owned this is either my favourite or second favourite overall car. Everything considered. Mine was MTM tuned to 498hp, not as crazy as some of them but the throttle was just a landmine. Absolute giggle, with winter tyres on, if a tiny bit damp it would spin all four wheels in third gear and squirm around the road. I also loved how it would rev clean off the revcounter, still pulling hard!
As the Evo magazine really, the biggest surprise to me was how right it felt as a drivers car, the response to the controls and weights of the controls made it feel agile and connected. Not numb and Audi like. It was a real pleasure to blitz down a road.
My funniest sleeper car moment was coming across an at the time BRAND new RS5 who was bullying a 330d that wouldn't let him past. I sat back and followed, then when the Audi got past I followed him. He came out of a roundabout onto a duel lane section and gave it everything up a slight hill. My dirty old estate passed him like he was in the 330d with me chuckling at the wheel
As the Evo magazine really, the biggest surprise to me was how right it felt as a drivers car, the response to the controls and weights of the controls made it feel agile and connected. Not numb and Audi like. It was a real pleasure to blitz down a road.
My funniest sleeper car moment was coming across an at the time BRAND new RS5 who was bullying a 330d that wouldn't let him past. I sat back and followed, then when the Audi got past I followed him. He came out of a roundabout onto a duel lane section and gave it everything up a slight hill. My dirty old estate passed him like he was in the 330d with me chuckling at the wheel
cerb4.5lee said:
They were the days when cars were only offered with 3 pedals! 
Now it is mostly only 2 pedals whether you like it or not.
I was wondering when you were going to pop up with your 2 pedal rant!!!! Now it is mostly only 2 pedals whether you like it or not.
Though in this case, you'll get no argument from me, as I simply could not imagine this car as anything but a manual. The right combination of not TOO much power and a near total lack of electronic nannies to reign it in, means much more fun dancing with your feet to keep a silly grin on your face.
New RS4? Paddle shifter all the way, as it's just way too capable on our normal roads that if you want to have fun (as in, scare yourself a little - if you know what I mean!), you need full concentration and focus on the road ahead as the speeds are just so much higher. But you'll have a blast in this so, so much easier as you'll get to its limits far easier..... and that's when you start sweating with adrenaline!
If you leave the value aside and can only have one of either these or a new B9 for the rest of your life - it would have to be one of these, purely as you're going to have far more opportunity to have a laugh in it (with the dogs hanging out the window - my boy Charlie regularly keeps his head out of my A6 Avant at way past 80mph...... bloody lunatic of a dog!)
i had number 11, 1-10 went to press duties
one of audi's best looking cars ever IMO
i bent over a dozen OEM rims in 18 months ... so sent it back, i should have just bought a set of sportec rims /facepalm
I have seen a couple of sites still have my short shift gear lever fitting guide from my RS4 website
like just about every audi its a bit meh to drive but i would imagine it holds up well now vs twin clutch, torque vectoring, electric dynamic steering crap they use now
if you drive one like i used to you will be looking at a jail term
one of audi's best looking cars ever IMO
i bent over a dozen OEM rims in 18 months ... so sent it back, i should have just bought a set of sportec rims /facepalm
I have seen a couple of sites still have my short shift gear lever fitting guide from my RS4 website
like just about every audi its a bit meh to drive but i would imagine it holds up well now vs twin clutch, torque vectoring, electric dynamic steering crap they use now
if you drive one like i used to you will be looking at a jail term
evojam said:
Such a great video!! 
Those two East German plebs are hilarious
might be staged tough...
A couple of other things to point out for any would be buyers. Firstly, Audi aren’t great with parts supply on these, with a lot of bespoke parts now NLA. In know it’s now 20 years old, but BMW seem to manage it better. In saying that, audisrs.com is a great resource for advice and getting parts
Secondly, they really are good for rust protection, so I’d say if there’s corrosion coming through underneath it must have had a bit of a hard life at some stage. Build quality is the best of all the Germans for this period
In terms of options, the featured Imola Yellow car is one of the very few with Recaro buckets in it, which I think are Poles, whereas most RS4s have more padded and adjustable Recaro chairs. I find them comfortable, and I’ve never felt the urge to swap them out. There was also the option of the “quattro GmbH” suspension pack, but again I like the ride on the standard set-up. I gave mine a refresh a couple of thousand miles ago and didn’t feel the need to change from standard personally
And then of course there’s the most must-have of options - the guard net for Muttley! I’m surprised this wasn’t standard on all of them actually, given that the B5 RS4 only came as a dog-bus
Secondly, they really are good for rust protection, so I’d say if there’s corrosion coming through underneath it must have had a bit of a hard life at some stage. Build quality is the best of all the Germans for this period
In terms of options, the featured Imola Yellow car is one of the very few with Recaro buckets in it, which I think are Poles, whereas most RS4s have more padded and adjustable Recaro chairs. I find them comfortable, and I’ve never felt the urge to swap them out. There was also the option of the “quattro GmbH” suspension pack, but again I like the ride on the standard set-up. I gave mine a refresh a couple of thousand miles ago and didn’t feel the need to change from standard personally
And then of course there’s the most must-have of options - the guard net for Muttley! I’m surprised this wasn’t standard on all of them actually, given that the B5 RS4 only came as a dog-bus
Leins said:
A couple of other things to point out for any would be buyers. Firstly, Audi aren’t great with parts supply on these, with a lot of bespoke parts now NLA. In know it’s now 20 years old, but BMW seem to manage it better. In saying that, audisrs.com is a great resource for advice and getting parts
Secondly, they really are good for rust protection, so I’d say if there’s corrosion coming through underneath it must have had a bit of a hard life at some stage. Build quality is the best of all the Germans for this period
In terms of options, the featured Imola Yellow car is one of the very few with Recaro buckets in it, which I think are Poles, whereas most RS4s have more padded and adjustable Recaro chairs. I find them comfortable, and I’ve never felt the urge to swap them out. There was also the option of the “quattro GmbH” suspension pack, but again I like the ride on the standard set-up. I gave mine a refresh a couple of thousand miles ago and didn’t feel the need to change from standard personally
And then of course there’s the most must-have of options - the guard net for Muttley! I’m surprised this wasn’t standard on all of them actually, given that the B5 RS4 only came as a dog-bus
Another Dub - whats da bleedin' story bud? (I'm in Lucan!!) Secondly, they really are good for rust protection, so I’d say if there’s corrosion coming through underneath it must have had a bit of a hard life at some stage. Build quality is the best of all the Germans for this period
In terms of options, the featured Imola Yellow car is one of the very few with Recaro buckets in it, which I think are Poles, whereas most RS4s have more padded and adjustable Recaro chairs. I find them comfortable, and I’ve never felt the urge to swap them out. There was also the option of the “quattro GmbH” suspension pack, but again I like the ride on the standard set-up. I gave mine a refresh a couple of thousand miles ago and didn’t feel the need to change from standard personally
And then of course there’s the most must-have of options - the guard net for Muttley! I’m surprised this wasn’t standard on all of them actually, given that the B5 RS4 only came as a dog-bus
RicM5 said:
2 of the 6 B5 RS4,s I’ve owned (also owned Y747HHU)
Still have a B5 S4 as a daily which I’ve owned twice
The S4 is actually better value than the RS as with a quick trip to MRC doesn’t feel much slower than the RS in the real world
Leins said:
Story!! Although I’m only a blow-in, as I originally hail from down the N7 in Naas. Going to try get Audi out to a C&C later in the summer if they start up again, not sure if you ever go to themHaving said that, if I knew there was going to be an old RS4 there to drool over, I'm sure I could be tempted to swap 2 wheels for 4 for a change!
Arsecati said:
Never been to one, though have been hounded to do so and don't really know why. I have an old 944S2 Cabrio and 205 1.9GTi, so not as if they wouldn't fit in, but I think they mostly tend to be on Sundays, and Sunday mornings for us is mass............ well, heading up the Wicklow Gap on the motorbikes type mass! Haha!
Having said that, if I knew there was going to be an old RS4 there to drool over, I'm sure I could be tempted to swap 2 wheels for 4 for a change!
Having said that, if I knew there was going to be an old RS4 there to drool over, I'm sure I could be tempted to swap 2 wheels for 4 for a change!
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