Should I buy a B5 (or B7) RS4?! Can I afford one
Discussion
Hello all,
So me. I'm 32 years old and really I don't earn a great deal (although prospects are on the up (run own business)).
I currently own a 64 plate 335d. By far the best and most expensive car I've ever owned.
Man maths: I paid £28k for it when it had 14,000 miles on it. It may now be worth £19-19.5k privately (39,500 miles). So in just over 18 months I've lost, lets say £9000, call it £475 a month.
That's a lot of cash!
So i'm thinking of going with my heart...
I am an utter car nut. Some of faves include F355's, Nissan GTR's, BMW ZM, Audi ES2's, UR Quattro's, and my dream car: An Arena Red Ruf 993!
Their all appreciating assets, bar the GTR.
So, back to the maths:
You can get a B5 RS4 for between £19-23k (plenty in that ballpark). There is a lovely green one in Glasgow on sale at the min. I'd ideally have the Misano Red, that rear yellow, or of course Nogaro..
If I sold or part ex'd my car (cut losses), i'd be able to get an RS4 via a small loan or finance, and pay maybe £150-250 p/m max (based on borrowing between £4-8k).
I'd spend £1500 getting next weeks SHED or some banger as a daily (quite fancy a Dacia haha) then I'm staring at a beauty on my driveway, the RS4, for weekend thrills..
Surely this is sensible?!
I mean say I do 3000-5000 miles per year max, and I buy one that's had all major work done recently, then really in say 3/4 years of owning, should I expect to get crippled by huge costs? If it's had it's work done, then, can I realistically think this is a shrewd investment that'll make me money or, at worst the car will retain it's value!
Keeping the 335D or say swapping it in a year or 2 = continue burning through depreciation...
We can have something we love and not lose money, can't we?
So me. I'm 32 years old and really I don't earn a great deal (although prospects are on the up (run own business)).
I currently own a 64 plate 335d. By far the best and most expensive car I've ever owned.
Man maths: I paid £28k for it when it had 14,000 miles on it. It may now be worth £19-19.5k privately (39,500 miles). So in just over 18 months I've lost, lets say £9000, call it £475 a month.
That's a lot of cash!
So i'm thinking of going with my heart...
I am an utter car nut. Some of faves include F355's, Nissan GTR's, BMW ZM, Audi ES2's, UR Quattro's, and my dream car: An Arena Red Ruf 993!
Their all appreciating assets, bar the GTR.
So, back to the maths:
You can get a B5 RS4 for between £19-23k (plenty in that ballpark). There is a lovely green one in Glasgow on sale at the min. I'd ideally have the Misano Red, that rear yellow, or of course Nogaro..
If I sold or part ex'd my car (cut losses), i'd be able to get an RS4 via a small loan or finance, and pay maybe £150-250 p/m max (based on borrowing between £4-8k).
I'd spend £1500 getting next weeks SHED or some banger as a daily (quite fancy a Dacia haha) then I'm staring at a beauty on my driveway, the RS4, for weekend thrills..
Surely this is sensible?!
I mean say I do 3000-5000 miles per year max, and I buy one that's had all major work done recently, then really in say 3/4 years of owning, should I expect to get crippled by huge costs? If it's had it's work done, then, can I realistically think this is a shrewd investment that'll make me money or, at worst the car will retain it's value!
Keeping the 335D or say swapping it in a year or 2 = continue burning through depreciation...
We can have something we love and not lose money, can't we?
I have not.
Now although i'm a car nut, I am not a racer.
I like turbo lag and boost. I like to show peoples who's boss on the motorway (hence the 335d is such a great car for me).
The RS (B5 especially) is more about the looks.
I remember being a spotty teenager thinking how amazing this estate car was...
Now although i'm a car nut, I am not a racer.
I like turbo lag and boost. I like to show peoples who's boss on the motorway (hence the 335d is such a great car for me).
The RS (B5 especially) is more about the looks.
I remember being a spotty teenager thinking how amazing this estate car was...
Can you afford it?
I'd say if you need to borrow £4,000 then probably not.
Why not tune the 335d, it'll be as quick as you'll ever need to go.
On the other hand, if you really want it - just go get one, worry about paying for it later, remember to borrow extra for anything that might go wrong.
As a weekend car I'd go for something else with less seats.
I'd say if you need to borrow £4,000 then probably not.
Why not tune the 335d, it'll be as quick as you'll ever need to go.
On the other hand, if you really want it - just go get one, worry about paying for it later, remember to borrow extra for anything that might go wrong.
As a weekend car I'd go for something else with less seats.
Valid points..
Needing to borrow £4k could come across as not being able to, but,
£17+K down on the RS4 = very small monthly payments.
As for weekend - bear in mind i'm not a racer. The trackday/Elise thing isn't for me. Plus height and knee pain would make that an impossibility.
The rarity, appreciation, looks, and power really do it for me on this car
Needing to borrow £4k could come across as not being able to, but,
£17+K down on the RS4 = very small monthly payments.
As for weekend - bear in mind i'm not a racer. The trackday/Elise thing isn't for me. Plus height and knee pain would make that an impossibility.
The rarity, appreciation, looks, and power really do it for me on this car
:Fair enough. They are an impressive machine, if it's what you're after!
I'd try get a drive of one first, or at least a passenger ride in one if you can. Other than that, go for it. Money is for being spent, and cars are for being driven. And there's no better reason for buying a car than it being the one you want.
That resonates with me!
Buy it because you love it!
I'd try get a drive of one first, or at least a passenger ride in one if you can. Other than that, go for it. Money is for being spent, and cars are for being driven. And there's no better reason for buying a car than it being the one you want.
That resonates with me!
Buy it because you love it!
The Green ones aren't very desirable , so are worth less and are much harder to sell, so take that into consideration when looking.
Good luck finding a yellow one, they are like hens teeth, but obviously do come up for sale very occasionally.
Nogaro and Missano are popular colours, look great and easy to sell afterwards, so would be where I would put my money.
Dynamically they are awful. Engine hanging beyond the front wheels in true Audi style, so as long as you don't want a fun, engaging car in the corners then they are great, as a simple remap takes them to 460bhp. There are also loads of modified ones, or certainly were when I owned an B5 S4 a few years back, that come up for sale on the SRS forum with 500bhp+.
Good luck finding a yellow one, they are like hens teeth, but obviously do come up for sale very occasionally.
Nogaro and Missano are popular colours, look great and easy to sell afterwards, so would be where I would put my money.
Dynamically they are awful. Engine hanging beyond the front wheels in true Audi style, so as long as you don't want a fun, engaging car in the corners then they are great, as a simple remap takes them to 460bhp. There are also loads of modified ones, or certainly were when I owned an B5 S4 a few years back, that come up for sale on the SRS forum with 500bhp+.
Edited by M3Gar on Tuesday 3rd October 13:48
I'd say there's a chance that you've spoiled yourself with the 335d. These fast diesels just have that instant pick-up-and-go style of boost that you're after and you may struggle to get with a petrol. They will rev out more and will probably be all the more enjoyable for it, though.
If that's the case, the B7 won't be for you. The B5 is a good shout and they are extremely tune-able and bomb-proof to boot. However, You may have to spend a bit tuning one yourself or buy one that's already been fettled with to get it exactly how you want it.
If that's the case, the B7 won't be for you. The B5 is a good shout and they are extremely tune-able and bomb-proof to boot. However, You may have to spend a bit tuning one yourself or buy one that's already been fettled with to get it exactly how you want it.
culpz said:
I'd say there's a chance that you've spoiled yourself with the 335d. These fast diesels just have that instant pick-up-and-go style of boost that you're after and you may struggle to get with a petrol. They will rev out more and will probably be all the more enjoyable for it, though.
If that's the case, the B7 won't be for you. The B5 is a good shout and they are extremely tune-able and bomb-proof to boot. However, You may have to spend a bit tuning one yourself or buy one that's already been fettled with to get it exactly how you want it.
Very good points.If that's the case, the B7 won't be for you. The B5 is a good shout and they are extremely tune-able and bomb-proof to boot. However, You may have to spend a bit tuning one yourself or buy one that's already been fettled with to get it exactly how you want it.
I do hear their dynamically pretty poor. If I get a sensibly modded one then it should still be attractive to future buyers upon selling..
Rawwr said:
Hilarious.
Regardless, as others have said; please, please, please test drive one because they're about as interesting as Ken Livingstone reading out every colour from the Dulux swatches.
Well the general consensus is get a DMS remap then.. Obviously that would destroy the B5 RS4 on a motorway stretch and in the corners, but my Man maths is irrelevant here..Regardless, as others have said; please, please, please test drive one because they're about as interesting as Ken Livingstone reading out every colour from the Dulux swatches.
Ain't no one ever going to pay to collect a well used 335d!
Phil-6puy8 said:
Valid points..
Needing to borrow £4k could come across as not being able to, but,
£17+K down on the RS4 = very small monthly payments.
As for weekend - bear in mind i'm not a racer. The trackday/Elise thing isn't for me. Plus height and knee pain would make that an impossibility.
The rarity, appreciation, looks, and power really do it for me on this car
I'd get rid of your 335d now and buy the van or whatever it was for a grand. Save £5k for repairs and then buy one. You obviously really want one so go for it.Needing to borrow £4k could come across as not being able to, but,
£17+K down on the RS4 = very small monthly payments.
As for weekend - bear in mind i'm not a racer. The trackday/Elise thing isn't for me. Plus height and knee pain would make that an impossibility.
The rarity, appreciation, looks, and power really do it for me on this car
Are you planning on keeping it for a long time? If not you'd be better off leasing a new one - you'll be able to declare it a company vehicle through your business and potentially save money on income tax.
It can be done ...
I bought an E92 M3 for £17700, put 20,000 miles on it in the space of 12 months and sold it for £17500.
You need to buy very wisely (something with recent tyres and brakes) and make sure it's a desirable spec.
Be prepared though ..... expect to pay the equivalent in (modern car) depreciation on servicing / consumables and general upkeep. Plus it sounds like you've got a second lot of tax/insurance/MOT to contend with.
The major potential risk is a catastrophic failure of an expensive part could leave you up sh*t creak without a paddle.
It cost £4000 in general maintenance / consumables and warranty (official BMW) in that time
I bought an E92 M3 for £17700, put 20,000 miles on it in the space of 12 months and sold it for £17500.
You need to buy very wisely (something with recent tyres and brakes) and make sure it's a desirable spec.
Be prepared though ..... expect to pay the equivalent in (modern car) depreciation on servicing / consumables and general upkeep. Plus it sounds like you've got a second lot of tax/insurance/MOT to contend with.
The major potential risk is a catastrophic failure of an expensive part could leave you up sh*t creak without a paddle.
It cost £4000 in general maintenance / consumables and warranty (official BMW) in that time
Edited by John Laverick on Tuesday 3rd October 14:00
Sparkzz said:
Phil-6puy8 said:
Valid points..
Needing to borrow £4k could come across as not being able to, but,
£17+K down on the RS4 = very small monthly payments.
As for weekend - bear in mind i'm not a racer. The trackday/Elise thing isn't for me. Plus height and knee pain would make that an impossibility.
The rarity, appreciation, looks, and power really do it for me on this car
I'd get rid of your 335d now and buy the van or whatever it was for a grand. Save £5k for repairs and then buy one. You obviously really want one so go for it.Needing to borrow £4k could come across as not being able to, but,
£17+K down on the RS4 = very small monthly payments.
As for weekend - bear in mind i'm not a racer. The trackday/Elise thing isn't for me. Plus height and knee pain would make that an impossibility.
The rarity, appreciation, looks, and power really do it for me on this car
Are you planning on keeping it for a long time? If not you'd be better off leasing a new one - you'll be able to declare it a company vehicle through your business and potentially save money on income tax.
I think saving up so I can get a well maintained one plus keep £3-5k in a pot is the only sensible way
As an ex-B5 owner, I would say have a budget for maintenance even if it is 'fully' sorted - it's not a car that can been run on the cheap..
Bought mine in 2006, and sold early-2013, only putting about 30-35k on the mileage but it that time did a lot of major work - gearbox refurb, cams, front suspension rebuild, and got to the stage were I was almost used to £2k+ a year on top of servicing. The only thing I managed to dodge was turbos.
There are a lot of age/mileage related issues, and a few more have come to light since I sold..as mentioned AudiSRS would be a good resource, but I'd assume anything advertised as low mileage may need work in the future.
They are good out the box, not the last word in handling, but need some modification - remap, full exhaust, short-shift, suspension to name a few. Mine was running approx 470-480bhp.
Apart from the issues, I enjoyed my time with it, and was gutted not to be able to buy it back when I had first refusal on it a few years ago. It is one of those cars that gets under your skin..
Bought mine in 2006, and sold early-2013, only putting about 30-35k on the mileage but it that time did a lot of major work - gearbox refurb, cams, front suspension rebuild, and got to the stage were I was almost used to £2k+ a year on top of servicing. The only thing I managed to dodge was turbos.
There are a lot of age/mileage related issues, and a few more have come to light since I sold..as mentioned AudiSRS would be a good resource, but I'd assume anything advertised as low mileage may need work in the future.
They are good out the box, not the last word in handling, but need some modification - remap, full exhaust, short-shift, suspension to name a few. Mine was running approx 470-480bhp.
Apart from the issues, I enjoyed my time with it, and was gutted not to be able to buy it back when I had first refusal on it a few years ago. It is one of those cars that gets under your skin..
Phil-6puy8 said:
culpz said:
I'd say there's a chance that you've spoiled yourself with the 335d. These fast diesels just have that instant pick-up-and-go style of boost that you're after and you may struggle to get with a petrol. They will rev out more and will probably be all the more enjoyable for it, though.
If that's the case, the B7 won't be for you. The B5 is a good shout and they are extremely tune-able and bomb-proof to boot. However, You may have to spend a bit tuning one yourself or buy one that's already been fettled with to get it exactly how you want it.
Very good points.If that's the case, the B7 won't be for you. The B5 is a good shout and they are extremely tune-able and bomb-proof to boot. However, You may have to spend a bit tuning one yourself or buy one that's already been fettled with to get it exactly how you want it.
I do hear their dynamically pretty poor. If I get a sensibly modded one then it should still be attractive to future buyers upon selling..
The other issue is the maintenance side of things. The B5's are getting on a bit now, meaning that many bits will need replacing, such as suspension components. Parts and servicing will also be expensive. I'd suggest having a bit of a backup fund behind you if you were going to go for it. You need to have your eyes wide open with this kind of ownership proposition.
hoegaardenruls said:
As an ex-B5 owner, I would say have a budget for maintenance even if it is 'fully' sorted - it's not a car that can been run on the cheap..
Bought mine in 2006, and sold early-2013, only putting about 30-35k on the mileage but it that time did a lot of major work - gearbox refurb, cams, front suspension rebuild, and got to the stage were I was almost used to £2k+ a year on top of servicing. The only thing I managed to dodge was turbos.
There are a lot of age/mileage related issues, and a few more have come to light since I sold..as mentioned AudiSRS would be a good resource, but I'd assume anything advertised as low mileage may need work in the future.
They are good out the box, not the last word in handling, but need some modification - remap, full exhaust, short-shift, suspension to name a few. Mine was running approx 470-480bhp.
Apart from the issues, I enjoyed my time with it, and was gutted not to be able to buy it back when I had first refusal on it a few years ago. It is one of those cars that gets under your skin..
So the higher mileage ones shouldn't be an issue, more a case of work done and when?Bought mine in 2006, and sold early-2013, only putting about 30-35k on the mileage but it that time did a lot of major work - gearbox refurb, cams, front suspension rebuild, and got to the stage were I was almost used to £2k+ a year on top of servicing. The only thing I managed to dodge was turbos.
There are a lot of age/mileage related issues, and a few more have come to light since I sold..as mentioned AudiSRS would be a good resource, but I'd assume anything advertised as low mileage may need work in the future.
They are good out the box, not the last word in handling, but need some modification - remap, full exhaust, short-shift, suspension to name a few. Mine was running approx 470-480bhp.
Apart from the issues, I enjoyed my time with it, and was gutted not to be able to buy it back when I had first refusal on it a few years ago. It is one of those cars that gets under your skin..
May I ask what you bought and sold for?
That may help negate the £2k extra per year you mention..
People aren't put off by mods which is rare
Never you mind said:
Test drove a RS4 a while ago, made a decent enough noise but by god was it dull. Bought a 996 turbo instead so I can boss the motorway
This was a few years back when both where around the 25K mark.
You did well! This was a few years back when both where around the 25K mark.Although the 996 doesn't do it for me for looks. I've monitored it rising in value. The B5 is a classic though and that can't be sniffed at.. Good for appreciation
Never you mind said:
Test drove a RS4 a while ago, made a decent enough noise but by god was it dull. Bought a 996 turbo instead so I can boss the motorway This was a few years back when both where around the 25K mark.
You did well! This was a few years back when both where around the 25K mark.Although the 996 doesn't do it for me for looks. I've monitored it rising in value. The B5 is a classic though and that can't be sniffed at.. Good for appreciation
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