RE: Audi RS4 (B7): Spotted
Discussion
E65Ross said:
big_rob_sydney said:
Some Gump said:
I've run an RS4 for 4-5 years, and would wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone that likes cars. Some say "they are not that fast" and I do wonder what the hell they've been driving - sub 5s to 62 and 11s to 100 is still "very fast" to most people!
As far as cars go, I've run a modified 22B. My last bike was a modified s1000rr which ran the quarter mile in under 9 seconds. The biggest issue was keeping the front wheel down, otherwise it would have trapped faster.So yes, the RS4 is not that fast to me, but I appreciate everyone has their own benchmark.
Still wouldn't call an RS4 a slow car though.
Teejay80 said:
AC43 said:
A mate of mine had one just like to replace his 996 C4 when kids came along. Awesome thing.
Another mate had the earlier B6 Avant which really was stealthy. His missus did a lot of short trips in that one, though, which resulted in a huge bill for some sort of top-end rebuild so he got shot of it in the end which was a real shame.
Your mate didn’t have a B6 RS4 Avant... because they never made a B6 RS4. B5 maybe?Another mate had the earlier B6 Avant which really was stealthy. His missus did a lot of short trips in that one, though, which resulted in a huge bill for some sort of top-end rebuild so he got shot of it in the end which was a real shame.
blade7 said:
The RS4 doesn't have chains and tensioners on the back of the engine?
It does but they learnt (some of) their lessons from the one they built for the S4 and used stronger chain guides. The RS4 engine is a 4.2 V8 like the S4's but they're completely different engines. That RS4 has a few common issues but the timing system isn't one of them.Leon R said:
The only ISF available on pistonheads currently is almost eight thousand pounds more expensive than this RS4, admittedly it is a newer vehicle with much lower mileage but if you want something specific then rarity can make it much harder to find the right car.
The ISF is the only one of the four (C63, RS4, ISF and M3) that I didn't get a chance to view when I was looking, not because there were none available but I was after a facelift car and nobody was selling one at the time.
Have a look on Autotrader. 2009 car currently for sale, 65,000 miles, £17,495.The ISF is the only one of the four (C63, RS4, ISF and M3) that I didn't get a chance to view when I was looking, not because there were none available but I was after a facelift car and nobody was selling one at the time.
The B7 RS4 was one of me hero cars when it came out. It was the first Audi fully endorsed by Chris Harris when he ran one at Autocar. He really rated it. However it bothers me that so many of these German performance cars can suffer such eye watering costs. Had a mate who bought a 2004 BMW 645Ci and it broke down 20 times, needing an engine rebuild in the process. An absolute money pit. I could be wrong, but I just cant imagine the Lexus equivalent would ever be so troublesome. Its why if I was ever in the position to afford a second hand car like this I think I'd pass.
That said, as a counter to all the Subaru owners, I also owned a 10 year Impreza Turbo once that dropped its bottom end and effectively wrote the car off as the cost of a new engine was 80% of the value of the car!! They're not bullet proof either....
SidewaysSi said:
E65Ross said:
big_rob_sydney said:
Some Gump said:
I've run an RS4 for 4-5 years, and would wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone that likes cars. Some say "they are not that fast" and I do wonder what the hell they've been driving - sub 5s to 62 and 11s to 100 is still "very fast" to most people!
As far as cars go, I've run a modified 22B. My last bike was a modified s1000rr which ran the quarter mile in under 9 seconds. The biggest issue was keeping the front wheel down, otherwise it would have trapped faster.So yes, the RS4 is not that fast to me, but I appreciate everyone has their own benchmark.
Still wouldn't call an RS4 a slow car though.
Escort3500 said:
SidewaysSi said:
E65Ross said:
big_rob_sydney said:
Some Gump said:
I've run an RS4 for 4-5 years, and would wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone that likes cars. Some say "they are not that fast" and I do wonder what the hell they've been driving - sub 5s to 62 and 11s to 100 is still "very fast" to most people!
As far as cars go, I've run a modified 22B. My last bike was a modified s1000rr which ran the quarter mile in under 9 seconds. The biggest issue was keeping the front wheel down, otherwise it would have trapped faster.So yes, the RS4 is not that fast to me, but I appreciate everyone has their own benchmark.
Still wouldn't call an RS4 a slow car though.
I adored mine but the maintenance costs are prohibitive. It became a burden rather than a thing for enjoyment. Felt financially liberated when I sold the damn thing. Bought a lukewarm hatch to replace it and can extract 80% of the enjoyment at a fraction of the cost.
Some of the parts are eye-wateringly expensive. OEM brakes are outrageous cost and the semi-floating design of the fronts is awful. Drove myself mad trying to sort the notorious sticking clutch pedal.
You need to spend what is a considerable sum of money tuning them to achieve the performance figures quoted by Audi.
Even if you find a well-cared for example, your wallet will still take a battering further down the line.
Some of the parts are eye-wateringly expensive. OEM brakes are outrageous cost and the semi-floating design of the fronts is awful. Drove myself mad trying to sort the notorious sticking clutch pedal.
You need to spend what is a considerable sum of money tuning them to achieve the performance figures quoted by Audi.
Even if you find a well-cared for example, your wallet will still take a battering further down the line.
From extensive encounters with other B7 RS4s, my B6 S4 V8 (running 370 courtesy of MRC) was quicker than all bar one in point to point encounters - considering this shouldn’t have been the case at all, it shows how much power sapping the carbon coke problem actually is.
I spoke to the owner of the B7 that was considerably quicker than me at the meet we were traveling to and he had decoked it a few weeks prior, so unless you are planning to decoke or there is evidence of it, it won’t make it’s quoted power or performance.
When I had my V10 S8, it was just over 100bhp down on quoted power on the dyno before that too was decoked and remaped to 480bhp so it’s not an isolated incident by Audi
I spoke to the owner of the B7 that was considerably quicker than me at the meet we were traveling to and he had decoked it a few weeks prior, so unless you are planning to decoke or there is evidence of it, it won’t make it’s quoted power or performance.
When I had my V10 S8, it was just over 100bhp down on quoted power on the dyno before that too was decoked and remaped to 480bhp so it’s not an isolated incident by Audi
motco said:
Did you ever get to the bottom of that? There's a B7 in my family and the clutch pedal is bloody annoying!
I did not. Fitted the updated bend on the clutch line as per the Audi service bulletin but that achieved FA.Replacing the clutch and DMF did not cure on a friends B7 either.
I gave up in the end and changed my driving style to accommodate the problem.
craig2003 said:
I owned my B7 avant for almost 5 years and only sold it earlier this year.
I have to say that it was the most unreliable car I have ever owned and also the most expensive to fix. A screw holding one of the flaps in the manifold worked its way loose and ended up in the bottom end scoring the cylinder beyond repair so a brand new engine was fitted, along with the clutch and flywheel as well as a new manifold. Audi contributed £10k towards the £22k bill.
The DRC went as most do, headlight, window switches, oil cooler, radiator fans, stereo, driveshaft, propshaft and a raft of other things failed.
The customer service from my local Audi dealership in the Highlands was abysmal.
I never looked back when I traded it in for a RWD Mercedes but may end up eating my words on the snowy days this winter.
On the plus side the noise was incredible, it handled brilliantly even in snow and was a great car for a family of four
Go in to it with your eyes open if you do intend to purchase, they are not cheap cars to maintain.
You and I both- 5 years ownership from almost new and some big repair bills after the 4th year. That said, very quick and nicely packaged and felt quite special.I have to say that it was the most unreliable car I have ever owned and also the most expensive to fix. A screw holding one of the flaps in the manifold worked its way loose and ended up in the bottom end scoring the cylinder beyond repair so a brand new engine was fitted, along with the clutch and flywheel as well as a new manifold. Audi contributed £10k towards the £22k bill.
The DRC went as most do, headlight, window switches, oil cooler, radiator fans, stereo, driveshaft, propshaft and a raft of other things failed.
The customer service from my local Audi dealership in the Highlands was abysmal.
I never looked back when I traded it in for a RWD Mercedes but may end up eating my words on the snowy days this winter.
On the plus side the noise was incredible, it handled brilliantly even in snow and was a great car for a family of four
Go in to it with your eyes open if you do intend to purchase, they are not cheap cars to maintain.
I have run a C63 estate since, not sure what you have got, but good luck in the snow- you’re going to need it....!
Edited by Tin Hat on Saturday 20th October 07:31
DuncB7 said:
motco said:
Did you ever get to the bottom of that? There's a B7 in my family and the clutch pedal is bloody annoying!
I did not. Fitted the updated bend on the clutch line as per the Audi service bulletin but that achieved FA.Replacing the clutch and DMF did not cure on a friends B7 either.
I gave up in the end and changed my driving style to accommodate the problem.
Tin Hat said:
You and I both- 5 years ownership from almost new and some big repair bills after the 4th year. That said, very quick and nicely packaged and felt quite special.
I have run a C63 estate since, not sure what you have got, but good luck in the snow- your going to need it....!
I am now in a C63S with 618 bhp and 703 lbs/ft I have run a C63 estate since, not sure what you have got, but good luck in the snow- your going to need it....!
Andy20vt said:
My uncle has a share in an and Extra 300 aircraft (twin seat). He allows me to fly it sometimes with him. I've been on some very fast motorbikes but the Extra is something else altogether in terms of performance. The biggest issue was keeping it on the ground. I'm sure the s1000rr is not slow but everyone has their own benchmark I guess.
Can't comment on planes, never been that lucky. Bikes at least share the road, and for a relatively cheap spend, you can access crazy performance. VFM, nothing in my experience comes close to a liter bike.Still, the apples and oranges thing...if people simply must limit themselves to cars, then I'd still stick with either the ISF, or with a rally car. Japanese cars seem to be much better quality. Yes I've heard the Subarus go pop, and that's usually with the chocolate 2.5 engine. The 2.0 JDM versions are much more reliable, and the 6 speed gearboxes are tremendously durable.
Within the very narrow confines of what people seem to be suggesting is the "only" allowable comparison, for me, it's the ISF hands down. Despite the bold assertion previously by someone saying they only heard of one instance of problems themselves, this thread is full of information to the contrary. No way would I go anywhere near these rs4's with a barge pole.
Money pits on a good day...
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