New owner

[GTRS]

Hello all
I am now become the proud new owner of an RS Blue RS2. I drove it back to London from Northern Ireland yesterday (Pistonheads lurkers among you will know which one it is), and it has surpassed my rather excited expectations. I'm clearly preaching to the converted, but I was delightfully surprised at how progressive the power delivery is, and I appreciate the docility at lower revs. On the 500-mile trip back, the car just got better and better (well, more accurately I got more appreciative of it).
Quick overview: RS Blue; 87k miles (ok now nearly 88k); 'big reds'; blue alcantara (is that all the variations?). It's immaculate. It also feels like new - very well damped, nice and tight, as it should.
I have some (inevitable) questions about tyres etc (will try and do my forum research first...), so I should be posting again soon.
Graham

[sonny]

Oh excellent, I was looking at this one, looks like it is in very good condition. have a real "soft" spot for the RS2.

Get some pics up, would love to see more of it.

As for the interior, there was other options, such as Black leather.

welcome to the Forum.

[darkhorse1210]

but I was delightfully surprised at how progressive the power delivery is

Progressive? Mine kicks me in the back like a mule with a bad head!!

Glad you made such a wise choice

[trevithick]

A fine choice of car, welcome to the collection of slightly mad but happy RS2 owners.
Good luck
T
ps piccies please, and does this mean we can get more than 4 together one day?

[GTRS]

Thanks for the welcome
I've added some photos (hopefully), which I copied from the Pistonheads ad; hopefully will have some of my own later.
A quick question: on start-up, the airbag light stays on for longer than the 10 seconds stipulated in the owners' manual - usually about a minute - is this an issue?
Also, my car does not have remote locking - is this normal? If so, has anyone considered retrofitting it?

[VaudiGR]

airbag light may take a while before turning off, it is normal.It may have had an old fault code stored and once that is completely erased,it may stand out a bit more.

a remote locking wasnt always a standard.It can be retrofitted, but IMO just fit a good alarm system and you'll be much better.You need one anyway,and it will take care of the remote locking as well.

[darkhorse1210]

airbag light may take a while before turning off, it is normal.

Funnliy enough I've never seen my airbag light come on before but I experienced exactly the same thing last night. Could this be triggered in some way by the exceptionally low temperatures? Either that or just pure coincidence.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas.

Tom

[scillyisles]

The airbags on all RS2s were subject to a recall to install an earthing strap in the the wiring as without it some had deployed incorrectly whilst the car was stationary. The recall occurred in December 1997 under recall number VGS/TD/GTM/48D7/1/001. I would assume that this notification went out to most owners at this time. Mine was repaired in December 1997. The airbags on the RS2 were only designed to last 15 years - mine was showing a replacement date sticker of December 2009 - I had it replaced earlier this year whilst the car was at the Audi dealers. Airbags are not cheap £473 plus VAT but are an essential safety device. I would therefore guess that all RS2s should either have new airbags on them or are due replacements.

Remote locking was not standard on UK spec Audis but a factory key operated alarm was. A lot of owners fitted a remote locking feature as part of the VAG approved alarm system. Mine has this feature - I would guess quite a few do.

[GTRS]

Thanks all. I'll have a look at the airbag when the weather is a little more clement; it goes off after about 30 secs, so I'm not too concerned for now.

I've just reinsured the car with Admiral having been mis-sold a classic car policy by Adrian Flux - I want to accrue a NCB as all my cars thus far have been on classic policies, and without one I got fully comp, on-street parking in London, 6k miles (and one claim in the last 3 years) for a smidge over GBP800. Adrian Flux were about 200 less, so those happy to go with a classic car policy may find them useful.

The car has Pilot Sport 245s on at the moment. I've read the relevant threads and will replace them in due course (they are nearly two years old anyway). I may post a separate thread on the latest tyre recommendations closer to the time.

It's not due a service for a while yet, but does anyone have any recommendations for a specialist near SW London?

[DickyC]

Get rid of those 245s sooner rather than later!

Seriously.

Tyres that make shiny highspots on the suspension are not good.

[VaudiGR]

use 245s only if you buy wider wheels. otherwise drop to 225.

i wasnt aware of the airbag issue.

if you want to replace the airbags on driver and passenger side,does that mean that you have to buy the whole item with the carbon part, or can you give them to have the airbag replaced only?

[GTRS]

Is there a passenger side airbag on RHD? If so, can it be deactivated?

[scillyisles]

Is there a passenger side airbag on RHD? If so, can it be deactivated?

No there is no airbag on the passenger side on RHD models.

[scillyisles]

use 245s only if you buy wider wheels. otherwise drop to 225.

i wasnt aware of the airbag issue.

if you want to replace the airbags on driver and passenger side,does that mean that you have to buy the whole item with the carbon part, or can you give them to have the airbag replaced only?

I can only comment on the steering wheel one where you just replace the airbag behind the steering wheel. You don't have to buy a new wheel centre cover. I would have thought you could work out whether the passenger side required both parts by looking at the parts ETK.

[VaudiGR]

i see

thanks for that info!