RE: Audi RS4 (B5) | PH Used Buying guide
Discussion
I've had mine for over 13 years.
Rarer colour only available as a special order on these. 5 left of 8 I believe.
Much of what's been said of the dynamics are true but relatively easy to dramatically improve.
ARB's improve the feedback, however, to induce understeer on a public road at pace wold take an utter nutter. I agree with the long throw standard gearshift, biut again, £150 Short Shift Kit impoves it dramatically, but make sure it's not a bit worn like mine as it prevents quick changes. (New one in the pipeline)
The article is excellent and covers most thing you'd want to know, but it's generally a very reliable car.
I've done some light mods. The B7 front brakes are essential if it's anything other than standard. Circa £1500. I've got a Remap, Wagner downpipes, Miltek Cat Back & Loba Camshafts, so circa 470bhp. Lots of Torque and still brisk by todays standards.
Love the way it still looks so no intention of getting rid, even after all this time.
Rarer colour only available as a special order on these. 5 left of 8 I believe.
Much of what's been said of the dynamics are true but relatively easy to dramatically improve.
ARB's improve the feedback, however, to induce understeer on a public road at pace wold take an utter nutter. I agree with the long throw standard gearshift, biut again, £150 Short Shift Kit impoves it dramatically, but make sure it's not a bit worn like mine as it prevents quick changes. (New one in the pipeline)
The article is excellent and covers most thing you'd want to know, but it's generally a very reliable car.
I've done some light mods. The B7 front brakes are essential if it's anything other than standard. Circa £1500. I've got a Remap, Wagner downpipes, Miltek Cat Back & Loba Camshafts, so circa 470bhp. Lots of Torque and still brisk by todays standards.
Love the way it still looks so no intention of getting rid, even after all this time.
Good article, really love these cars despite the naysayers who always bang on about understeer. Let’s be fair, you’ve got to be going at a really lick on public roads to experience it, and if you don’t k ow how to drive a car that handles like that then many you should stick to something slower?
Love the phrase ‘turbo thrunge’, really made me smile but can anyone explain what a ‘llamda’ is (😜)?
Love the phrase ‘turbo thrunge’, really made me smile but can anyone explain what a ‘llamda’ is (😜)?
I had a yellow B5 S4 and although not the full bells and whistles RS model, it was a fantastic thing to live with and still does 95% of the stuff a modern car will with great style and ease. If I did lower mileage, one of these would be on my list to replace my Golf R estate which really feels like a direct descendant of the Avant. My only complaints about my B5 (again, S not RS) was that whilst the steering had a lovely weight to it, the car was really dull in corners and to get it to engage you were usually well north of license losing speeds. Definitely one for the autobahn as opposed to the great British B road. Also, the bills are horrifying and contributed to why I sold my car. I became a paranoid, twitching and cocking an ear to every single little noise and it just became too much to put up with. Example? ABS light came on and there was a slight kick through the pedal on coming to a halt. That'll be a new ABS hub sensor. They're £250 each and the independent specialist needed to pull all four as they break when they come out. The bill totalled £1300 and a week later it through an engine warning light then refused to start. That sounds more negative than I mean to, just worth being prepared.
Good article. I’ve had mine for 5 years now, and no plans on selling. It’s a standard car for occasional use on 68k miles, and I still use Audi for the routine servicing
For me they make real sense when looked at as a fast Autobahn/A-road car, something which they really excel at. I’ve had mine up at 175 showing on the clock, and it was rock solid at that speed, showing none of the light feeling at the back that my E46 displayed under similar circumstances. It’s a bit wasted on twisty back roads, but that’s not really the point of the car. In saying that, the handling is better than some would suggest. Above all though the thing I love most is that it feels special
Couple of lesser known points:
- The Avus Silver cars have a purple base coat, which even the V5 states as its primary colour, and in certain light this really comes through
- These were built by quattro GmbH (now Audi Sport), a separate manufacturer from Audi in a different location to the regular A4 production. As such, they have a VIN number that starts with “WUA”, not “WAU” like most Audis
Hope it’s OK to post this too, Brian Laban’s review from 2000:
For me they make real sense when looked at as a fast Autobahn/A-road car, something which they really excel at. I’ve had mine up at 175 showing on the clock, and it was rock solid at that speed, showing none of the light feeling at the back that my E46 displayed under similar circumstances. It’s a bit wasted on twisty back roads, but that’s not really the point of the car. In saying that, the handling is better than some would suggest. Above all though the thing I love most is that it feels special
Couple of lesser known points:
- The Avus Silver cars have a purple base coat, which even the V5 states as its primary colour, and in certain light this really comes through
- These were built by quattro GmbH (now Audi Sport), a separate manufacturer from Audi in a different location to the regular A4 production. As such, they have a VIN number that starts with “WUA”, not “WAU” like most Audis
Hope it’s OK to post this too, Brian Laban’s review from 2000:
drpep said:
I want to like this but one look at how far forward the engine sits in that bay and I’m reminded of the Audi handling traits of that era: Terminal understeer, dull steering...
...Aesthetically I think these have aged well. Nice to see it’s a 3 pedal specimen, too.
Ditto, and there is difference between rare, because of production numbers, and rare because they were not popular. ...Aesthetically I think these have aged well. Nice to see it’s a 3 pedal specimen, too.
Looks aged well, but overall "modern classic" as some would like these to be is stretching the imagination beyond breaking point in my humble opinion. It's an old estate with impressive straight line performance. That's about it.
Leins said:
Veeayt said:
Leins arriving in 3... 2... 
Driven one for about 4 months, and would still prefer Quattro's first car, the S6+
Driven one for about 4 months, and would still prefer Quattro's first car, the S6+
I’m too predictable! Now your S6+ is a properly rare piece of quattro history
evojam said:
Haha. That’s not even a RS4. That’s a S4. Edited by Nors on Tuesday 19th May 17:55
EarlOfHazard said:
After owning (and tuning) a 2.2 S6, I too aspire to own an S6 plus saloon one day. There is a Nogaro Blue example in Poland at the moment for circa 25k euros. Looks nice.
TBH it's too much for the car, skipping the fact that's it's unnecessary risky to buy cars from Poland. Nice saloons, even though there are around 87 made, regularly appear on mobile.de in their native Germany with around 200K km on the odometer, which is totally normal for that engine. You are looking at 11K euro tops for such a car. Believe me, I'm on the look for them for years 
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