Abandoned Audi RS4

[Tallerton12]

The other day i saw a rather sorry looking 2007 RS4 Avant sat on someone front garden and i thought i would have a look into it to see its history, with the idea of potentially knocking on the door and seeing if they would sell.

Firstly, it has done 187k and not been MOT'd since Feb 2024 not been Taxed since October 2024.

Also, there is a weird mileage discrepancy and im not sure if it just a mistake at the MOT or not.

Am i stupid to knock on their door and ask to by a 2007 RS4 with almost 200k on the clock?

Any thoughts on this let me know.

[GG89]

Still a great looking car, go for it - hope you have deep pockets.

[Gt6turbo]

cambelt, turbos, turbo pipes, all before you look at other parts. But you could add hybrids and go big.

[Jamescrs]

I would be silly enough to try and buy it and put it back on the road but I would imagine it could be ruinous

[Resolutionary]

Gt6turbo said:

cambelt, turbos, turbo pipes, all before you look at other parts. But you could add hybrids and go big.

He could probably ignore those bits entirely if OP sticks with the car in question, an N/A with a cam chain

It'd need to be really very cheap to take a punt.

[Ry.Clarke]

Based on the fact they’ve kept hold of it, I’d assume they’re very aware it’s the gen everybody wants and the kind of money they go for.

I suspect you won’t get it cheap enough to make it worthwhile. That being said, if next time you pass their place an old biddy is puttering about, offer £1000 firm and a slice of coffee cake.

[ZX10R NIN]

There's no harm in knocking but bare in mind it'll need a lot of work doing (full suspension refresh just because of the mileage let alone for how long it's been sitting) diff oil/clutch etc.

[KungFuPanda]

Resolutionary said:

Gt6turbo said:

cambelt, turbos, turbo pipes, all before you look at other parts. But you could add hybrids and go big.

He could probably ignore those bits entirely if OP sticks with the car in question, an N/A with a cam chain

It'd need to be really very cheap to take a punt.

4.2 V8 Sir?

[Gt6turbo]

Sorry thought it was b5.

[Fastdruid]

That kind of age and mileage that has been parked on grass (that's what I presume you mean by garden) for a year I'd expect to to be getting pretty crusty underneath.

Price up new brakes, suspension (all the arms, bushes and almost certainly dampers, maybe even subframes), exhaust, a full engine and gearbox service, fuel pumps, new tyres a chunk of welding, painting and make an offer... It might not need all that but then again it might and you won't know until you look properly.

...Actually I think you couldn't pay me to take it away. It's almost certainly a money pit, if you want one buy a decent running one, it'll be cheaper.

[66HFM]

I'd also look at the MOT history on it as to any advisories that may/may not have been addressed.
Sounds like a nice idea but could be potentially ruinouns.
Its knowing what your total budget is and pricing out fully what work needs doing and then what is the potential value of a 200k RS4 at the end of the refurbishment...

[SWoll]

ZX10R NIN said:

There's no harm in knocking but bare in mind it'll need a lot of work doing (full suspension refresh just because of the mileage let alone for how long it's been sitting) diff oil/clutch etc.

How do you know the suspension hasn't been overhauled recently?

It's potentially been sitting for less than a year based on when the last MOT ran out, so hardly that long?

[Fastdruid]

SWoll said:

ZX10R NIN said:

There's no harm in knocking but bare in mind it'll need a lot of work doing (full suspension refresh just because of the mileage let alone for how long it's been sitting) diff oil/clutch etc.

How do you know the suspension hasn't been overhauled recently?

It's potentially been sitting for less than a year based on when the last MOT ran out, so hardly that long?

"rather sorry looking" and "sat on someone front garden" doesn't shout recently overhauled suspension to me but rather "it broke and I can't afford to fix it". Given the high mileage maybe timing chain/tensioner or DRC issues were why. I guess there is a small chance that the owner just stopped using it because he bought something far better on "fuel" and didn't get a chance to drive it and then the MOT ran out....

I must admit its a presumption but if "sat on someone front garden" is on grass as well then even a year could have seen quite a bit of extra corrosion above and beyond that you'd expect on what was already a high mileage old car.

Looking at autotrader though and you can pick one up with ~2/3rds of the mileage with an MOT from a dealers for ~£13k

[Ry.Clarke]

I would take it on, but then I’m an idiot.

Reckon it would be a laugh, where is it again….

[Wacky Racer]

What's it worth then? (Roughly)

Sounds like an old banger to me that could end up costing £££££S

Bit like an old "E" type.

[Ry.Clarke]

Wacky Racer said:

What's it worth then? (Roughly)

Sounds like an old banger to me that could end up costing £££££S

Bit like an old "E" type.

Last one I spotted was on 120k and went for £16k. Probably worth 4-5 as a parts car at the minimum I imagine.