RS6 vs S4
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deanobeano
- 3rd Gear
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- Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:12 pm
davidkoulakis wrote:the RS is a fantasitc car, no doubts, but the comparison of the S4 must be made in the light of the £'000's saved and whether the difference is worth it.
For me, by selling the RS, I banked best part of £6k, went back 20,000 miles & a year younger when I got an S4. Coupled with the lower running costs we're talking quite a material monetary difference to consider.
in terms of the cars themselves, IMO i must stress, I find the S4 a much more "compact" and "sporty" cabin to be in. The RS6 is very big inside and so lots of expance around you - great if you need the space! Back seats, no comparison, RS is like a limo back there, S4 is like a hatchback !
Also as its based on the A6 which came out in 199X, the S4 cabin feels more modern IMO
Both models have more or less the same level of options available, that are important anyway (eg. bose, RNSE, cruise, heated seats etc) - also mines got a colour DIS which gives different sat nav instructions vs the RNSE in my RS.
As for looks, cant beat the bulging arches of the RS !!! S4 is a conservative looking car, but FYI, the B7 A4 DTM OEM side skirts fit perfectly and give it a more agressive look.
Speed - RS wins hands down, turbo boost is crazy, but S4 is no slouch. The NA engine has a very difference dynamic to the boost on the RS6, defo have to use the revs more, but thats not a bad thing to hear the V8 sing ! I've got a manual myself and having to rev in a manual give me a great thrill of driving over the sometimes sedate auto on the RS. Though put the RS in S and its a caged animal !!
Driving - I find the S4 more agile than the RS, maybe to do with weight / size not sure. I only had the standard DRC so cant comment on how a modded RS would feel, but certainly after chucking the S4 down country lanes it feel more agile than the RS would down the same roads
Ride comfort - the S4 is much more comfortable, the ride on the RS was HARD ! i could put up with it, but defo noticed the improved ride in the S4, though if I stuck 19"'s on it it might be different.
Overall, IMO, I would say the RS is a mental car, and if you can afford it, you've got to do it. Just look at it in black and white 450bhp, or 500 with a remap - those are serious figures ! Although as discussed at length it does have the running costs to match
IMO, if you can find a decent S4 at a decent price - go with that and you wont be disapointed.
IMO - If you can afford a GOOD RS, go with that and you wont be dissapointed, but you're wallet will never be the same again !
apologies for long post
Nicely said that man...
Hi all,
Just to throw my 2p in, just done the silliest/best thing i've ever done, and spent all my worldly goods on a 52 plate RS.
Before that i had an A4 2.8 quattro. Now, to be honest, the A4 did handle a lot better, as it's lighter, and is very very great fun to throw up a country lane that you know well.
The RS is a TOTALY different animal, not as good in the handling dept, and a bit of a handful when pushing on (weight and size coupled with huge power) in lanes etc, but on a nice A road or motorway, there is no car i have ever driven (and i've driven a few, including race cars...lol) that has EVER made me smile as much!
The power is awesome, and it's delivery stunning!
Yes it's expensive, yes it's rediculously powerful, yes the S4 is the sensible choice, yes i will spend money i don't have keeping it in tyres, brakes, shocks, petrol, servicing and knowing my luck gearboxes, but do i regret it, no, would i do it again tomo, 10000% yes.
There also couldn't be a better time to buy one, i paid a little over 11k for mine, with 64500miles on the clock, and there are a good few hovering around the 15-18k mark out there at the mo.
Simply ask Stumpy how big was the smile on my face when i took him for a spin in mine a few weeks ago.......lol (you got any closer to buying one?)
AS you say, you only live once, and believe me, unless you have very very very deep pockets, you'll never own anything faster, or that will make you smile as much!
My vote goes to the RS.
Good luck,
Paul
Just to throw my 2p in, just done the silliest/best thing i've ever done, and spent all my worldly goods on a 52 plate RS.
Before that i had an A4 2.8 quattro. Now, to be honest, the A4 did handle a lot better, as it's lighter, and is very very great fun to throw up a country lane that you know well.
The RS is a TOTALY different animal, not as good in the handling dept, and a bit of a handful when pushing on (weight and size coupled with huge power) in lanes etc, but on a nice A road or motorway, there is no car i have ever driven (and i've driven a few, including race cars...lol) that has EVER made me smile as much!
The power is awesome, and it's delivery stunning!
Yes it's expensive, yes it's rediculously powerful, yes the S4 is the sensible choice, yes i will spend money i don't have keeping it in tyres, brakes, shocks, petrol, servicing and knowing my luck gearboxes, but do i regret it, no, would i do it again tomo, 10000% yes.
There also couldn't be a better time to buy one, i paid a little over 11k for mine, with 64500miles on the clock, and there are a good few hovering around the 15-18k mark out there at the mo.
Simply ask Stumpy how big was the smile on my face when i took him for a spin in mine a few weeks ago.......lol (you got any closer to buying one?)
AS you say, you only live once, and believe me, unless you have very very very deep pockets, you'll never own anything faster, or that will make you smile as much!
My vote goes to the RS.
Good luck,
Paul
iv been through them all a Ferrari 355, Porsche turbo, various Jap tuned cars including a 600bhp skyline, all the Bmw Mpowered cars including a tuned E60 M5, I kid you not £ for £ value for money, power looks uniqueness nothing comes close to the RS! It's an animal!! Yes they are costly and high maintenance but hey look at how it will reward u bck, untold pleasure a smiles per gallon
RS6 Avant, black with black wheels, front S6 led lights, rear smoked Led lights, miltek non-res, miltek cat by-pass down pipes, ITG air filters, H&R kit with Arb's, MRC stage 2
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Condor24
- 3rd Gear
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I've not driven an S4, but have test driven a V8 RS4. The RS4 was great fun, loved the manual gearbox, found the interior a little too compact.
I owned a 2.7 V6 RS4 for about 18 months & bought an RS6 in 2003.
The RS6 is a highly capable & enjoyable machine. It can be driven in a docile manner or you can enjoy massive reserves of power. Its mid range torque is amazing & that is where I felt the RS4 failed to get my vote. Flooring the accelerator in an RS6 at 50 mph creates awesome safe acceleration and for me 'generates a smile'.
Sorry I can't give a view of driving an S4, but the RS6 is sheer enjoyment.
I owned a 2.7 V6 RS4 for about 18 months & bought an RS6 in 2003.
The RS6 is a highly capable & enjoyable machine. It can be driven in a docile manner or you can enjoy massive reserves of power. Its mid range torque is amazing & that is where I felt the RS4 failed to get my vote. Flooring the accelerator in an RS6 at 50 mph creates awesome safe acceleration and for me 'generates a smile'.
Sorry I can't give a view of driving an S4, but the RS6 is sheer enjoyment.
"Understated uber wagen speaks loudest'
2003 Avant Daytona Grey owned from new. 64k miles of September 2018. Bilstein shocks / Hotchkis AR / Brake upgrade
Audi RS6 C6 Avant MTM Stage 1 & Miltek Sold
Audi RS4 Avant B5 Sold
Audi S4 B5 Avant 6 spd Sold
Audi S2 Coupe 230 bhp 6 spd Sold
2003 Avant Daytona Grey owned from new. 64k miles of September 2018. Bilstein shocks / Hotchkis AR / Brake upgrade
Audi RS6 C6 Avant MTM Stage 1 & Miltek Sold
Audi RS4 Avant B5 Sold
Audi S4 B5 Avant 6 spd Sold
Audi S2 Coupe 230 bhp 6 spd Sold
raceman wrote:Hi all,
Just to throw my 2p in, just done the silliest/best thing i've ever done, and spent all my worldly goods on a 52 plate RS.
Before that i had an A4 2.8 quattro. Now, to be honest, the A4 did handle a lot better, as it's lighter, and is very very great fun to throw up a country lane that you know well.
The RS is a TOTALY different animal, not as good in the handling dept, and a bit of a handful when pushing on (weight and size coupled with huge power) in lanes etc, but on a nice A road or motorway, there is no car i have ever driven (and i've driven a few, including race cars...lol) that has EVER made me smile as much!
The power is awesome, and it's delivery stunning!
Yes it's expensive, yes it's rediculously powerful, yes the S4 is the sensible choice, yes i will spend money i don't have keeping it in tyres, brakes, shocks, petrol, servicing and knowing my luck gearboxes, but do i regret it, no, would i do it again tomo, 10000% yes.
There also couldn't be a better time to buy one, i paid a little over 11k for mine, with 64500miles on the clock, and there are a good few hovering around the 15-18k mark out there at the mo.
Simply ask Stumpy how big was the smile on my face when i took him for a spin in mine a few weeks ago.......lol (you got any closer to buying one?)
AS you say, you only live once, and believe me, unless you have very very very deep pockets, you'll never own anything faster, or that will make you smile as much!
My vote goes to the RS.
Good luck,
Paul
Morning sir...
No closer - lol! Still looking at trying to convince myself/Mrs Stumpy it's a good investment...
Have also seen an S4 Avant with an AMD Stage 3 tune (398bhp) advertised which has me thinking. But will see what happens over the next few weeks.
And yes the smile on both our faces proves a re-mapped RS6 is an experience...
Ta
I have just sold my B6 S4 (V8) and just got a 04 C5 RS6 and had Bilsteins fitted to replace DRC. I totally agree with David's earlier post on the pros and cons of each.
S4 is more than adequate and never lacking at anything. Feels more agile and nimble than RS6 even though it is probably not. S4 chassis is better (stiffer) probably because it is newer design and more compact. Sound is not as good, and I found the suspension "wooden" - great for corners but normal day to day driving it was too hard and Audi seem to have screwed up the damping - test drive one on a lot of different surfaces. It was fairly cheap to run for a V8 but I had no major probs with it although the tiptronic box was hard shifting (at 40k miles) so would have needed work. Get a manual if you do opt for S4.
RS6 is a beast in all respects but still very practical (bigger) and driveable. It is excess in all respect as big saloons should not be able to do what it does. However, how much of that extra grunt is usable on day to day driving is debatable so depends on if you like to go at 10/10ths all the time and if you have the roads (and bottle) to exploit the 11/10ths of the RS6.
Drive both and compare - the RS6 will charm you with the sound and the "hand of god" turbo grunt but S4 is more than capable and very exploitable. When I got rid of the S4 for the RS6 I did have a moment of "total self indulgence" but if you can afford one, get it as they are/will be a legend - I got the RS6 because I knew I would stick with it as it is the "ultimate" super saloon.
If I was living in UK I would get the S4.
Whichever you get, enjoy!
Cheers
Paul
Current: RS6 with PSS9s, 911 3.6 Turbo (965)
Gone but not forgotten - Corrado 16v, S2, Volvo 850R, Holden SS, Alpina B10 V8, BMW 540, S4 (B6)
S4 is more than adequate and never lacking at anything. Feels more agile and nimble than RS6 even though it is probably not. S4 chassis is better (stiffer) probably because it is newer design and more compact. Sound is not as good, and I found the suspension "wooden" - great for corners but normal day to day driving it was too hard and Audi seem to have screwed up the damping - test drive one on a lot of different surfaces. It was fairly cheap to run for a V8 but I had no major probs with it although the tiptronic box was hard shifting (at 40k miles) so would have needed work. Get a manual if you do opt for S4.
RS6 is a beast in all respects but still very practical (bigger) and driveable. It is excess in all respect as big saloons should not be able to do what it does. However, how much of that extra grunt is usable on day to day driving is debatable so depends on if you like to go at 10/10ths all the time and if you have the roads (and bottle) to exploit the 11/10ths of the RS6.
Drive both and compare - the RS6 will charm you with the sound and the "hand of god" turbo grunt but S4 is more than capable and very exploitable. When I got rid of the S4 for the RS6 I did have a moment of "total self indulgence" but if you can afford one, get it as they are/will be a legend - I got the RS6 because I knew I would stick with it as it is the "ultimate" super saloon.
If I was living in UK I would get the S4.
Whichever you get, enjoy!
Cheers
Paul
Current: RS6 with PSS9s, 911 3.6 Turbo (965)
Gone but not forgotten - Corrado 16v, S2, Volvo 850R, Holden SS, Alpina B10 V8, BMW 540, S4 (B6)
glad i havent ruffled too many feathers with my comments.
The RS is a legendary car, iv got a framed picture on my wall of it (one of the audi press posters) as it was my dream car, but they do cost a bomb to run and the have so much power is kinda crazy, and like Paul said, if you dont have the roads to use it, its sort of a waste
I found myself flooring it and the 100mph speed warning would come on instantly ! given my 6 points, I had to slow down. When overtaking, I'd floor it, then found I was going so fast I had to whack on the breaks to avoid going into the car in front. . . .had a great moment once where about 4 cars were trailing behind this lorry, when I saw the gap I blitzed the lot of them, like Richard Hammond does in the C6 RS6 on top gear (if you've seen it)
If you can afford it, you've got to give it a go, its surely a dying breed . . . bi turbo V8's - just look what they done to the B8 S4 (3.0T V6)
If not, I wouldnt have any doubts on the S4 at all, it is more than capable - just doesnt have the lunacy of the RS, but 344bhp & a milltek can be crazy enough !
The RS is a legendary car, iv got a framed picture on my wall of it (one of the audi press posters) as it was my dream car, but they do cost a bomb to run and the have so much power is kinda crazy, and like Paul said, if you dont have the roads to use it, its sort of a waste
I found myself flooring it and the 100mph speed warning would come on instantly ! given my 6 points, I had to slow down. When overtaking, I'd floor it, then found I was going so fast I had to whack on the breaks to avoid going into the car in front. . . .had a great moment once where about 4 cars were trailing behind this lorry, when I saw the gap I blitzed the lot of them, like Richard Hammond does in the C6 RS6 on top gear (if you've seen it)
If you can afford it, you've got to give it a go, its surely a dying breed . . . bi turbo V8's - just look what they done to the B8 S4 (3.0T V6)
If not, I wouldnt have any doubts on the S4 at all, it is more than capable - just doesnt have the lunacy of the RS, but 344bhp & a milltek can be crazy enough !
Gents, just a note to say many thanks for the above - response is very much appreciated and very helpful.
I'll be looking out on Autotrader and driving a couple of both in the next couple of weeks. Will certainly keep you posted which way I fall, and then how my bank account looks in subsequent months!
The couple that currently stand out are:
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/ww ... gLetter=53 and, in particular, this one at Lawrence Warner.
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/ww ... RegLetter=
As you can see, I'm struggling to drag myself away from the RS6...
I'll be looking out on Autotrader and driving a couple of both in the next couple of weeks. Will certainly keep you posted which way I fall, and then how my bank account looks in subsequent months!
The couple that currently stand out are:
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/ww ... gLetter=53 and, in particular, this one at Lawrence Warner.
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/ww ... RegLetter=
As you can see, I'm struggling to drag myself away from the RS6...
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