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Currently have an S3, but need something that'll fit a kid or two in the back comfortably and is a good deal quicker. I've narrowed it down to these two, and have to admit I've wanted an RS6 ever since they were launched, but a little concerned about all the stories of DRC and huge maintenance costs. What would you guys advise?
Some additional information:
* I do about 6k miles pa.
* I don't mind spending a bit on maintenance - just not much more than £1.5k pa.
* I do a lot of m'way driving, but country roads feature too
* I'd like to trade in the S3 (black, Vreg & 116k) and add in another £10-11k.
Would be great to know which you'd recommend & anything I should look for. Chances of getting a reliable RS6 for sub-£15k?

If you are working to a tight budget then I would say the RS6 isn't the car for you. In my opinion (and experience) you would struggle to keep the annual servicing cost below £1500 if you factor in all the brakes, tyres, plugs and major services etc.
Rough prices :
£1250 for all drilled discs and pads (parts only)
£900 for decent tyres,
£250 per service minimum with the indies.
plus cost to run: tracker, wheel refurbing , punctures, insurance, warranty and Petrol at around 20mpg.

It is an expensive car to run, but then it's an RS.

gladders1 wrote: * I don't mind spending a bit on maintenance - just not much more than £1.5k pa.

I'd look elsewhere. A great car but you need deep pockets.

im your man, see my car history. at work now, but PM me

GardinerG wrote: Rough prices :
£1250 for all drilled discs and pads (parts only)
£900 for decent tyres,
£250 per service minimum with the indies.

to be fair, you'd be unlucky to need discs and pads on a yearly basis, tyres i'd guess at £150 a corner for Vredesteins, so i'd've thought £1.5k wouldnt be that far off as long as you dont have any DRC or gearbox issues!

Gents, many thanks for those contributions. Speedy replies really much appreciated. I suppose I'm interested whether the RS6 is superior enough to be worth the extra running costs. Read a couple of posts on RS246 about the S4 feeling "more sporty", and I prefer the size of the S4 - just feel like it might be settling for second best! You only live once etc...

You'd get through a set of tyres every 10k, roughly? I'm also aware that all the RS6's around £15k. are right at the bottom of the price range and wondering how likely they are to have the major gearbox/DRC issues... Reading the posts on here, it sometimes feels like it's only a matter of time before they strike! Unfortunately, I need to go trade to part-ex the S3.

Hmmmm S4 feeling more sporty....... Only a b5 RS4 that has been tweeked would fit that catagory. even a bog standard RS6 will kill a B6 S4 very very dead...

I agree with Grant, you have to allow for the worse.......disks, pads and at least one service per year, and i gaurantee you will need more than one set of tyres per year....... Im on my 4th set.......

arbo wrote:

GardinerG wrote: Rough prices :
£1250 for all drilled discs and pads (parts only)
£900 for decent tyres,
£250 per service minimum with the indies.

to be fair, you'd be unlucky to need discs and pads on a yearly basis, tyres i'd guess at £150 a corner for Vredesteins, so i'd've thought £1.5k wouldnt be that far off as long as you dont have any DRC or gearbox issues!

I was allowing for 2 years before replacement parts given 6000 miles a year although the RS6 has a 10,000 mile/1 year service interval and most of us change the engine oil at around 5,000 miles.

(£1250+£900+£250+£250) / 2 (years) = £1,325

That doesn't leave much left over for fitting brake bits above plus plugs, major services and breakages (N75, DVs, hoses). If you are going to pay Audi prices they charge about £120 an hour round here inc vat.

From having a quick look the Vredesteins come in at about £210 a corner fitted and personally I use the PS2s at around £300 a corner for the 275. Sure you can get occasional discounts but I honestly wouldn't buy a '6 on those grounds.

£65 = 250 miles at the moment, so at 6,000 miles that's £1560 a year in petrol alone.

I have had many incidental costs (2 tyre pressure sensors, 2 parking sensors, hoses, DVs, N75). I do most of these myself. Gearbox would set you back £4k at the indies, and £1500-1800 for aftermarket suspension.

Then there's the little extras some like to add, like tuning, exhausts etc. Admittedly there are many that never want to do things like this.

Just from memory over 2 years I have spent £700 + 1350, 250, 400, 900, 500, 200 = £4300 on servicing and maintenance excluding all the upgrades (over the 13,000 miles so far).

gladders1 wrote:Gents, many thanks for those contributions. Speedy replies really much appreciated. I suppose I'm interested whether the RS6 is superior enough to be worth the extra running costs. Read a couple of posts on RS246 about the S4 feeling "more sporty", and I prefer the size of the S4 - just feel like it might be settling for second best! You only live once etc...

Go and drive both and make your own mind up, but I should warn you that the noise and acceleration of a healthy '6 is addictive!

gladders1 wrote:I suppose I'm interested whether the RS6 is superior enough to be worth the extra running costs.

Yes. Simple as that.

Be under no illusion that the 6 is still an expensive car. You may be able to pick them up for £20k or less, but they still have £60k car running costs.

I'm reminded of an old adage regarding ferraris. If you can't afford two, don't by one..!

I've had the S4 and would recommend it. It's a great car to live with, and has a great sound too. But has much more realistic costs associated with it.

It is an 'S' and not an 'RS', of course. The S4 to me never really 'looked special'. It looks a little better than an S-Line A4 to be honest, having owned them too. Which was the main reason I sold it. The RS's have a much meaner/aggressive stance with wider arches etc, so you immediately feel as if it's a special car...

But don't be put off by the S4, they're a great car and an addictive engine. Stick a Milltek on it and they're much better. Go for a remap too, and you'll be looking at c370bhp for c£12k ??

Great value at the moment...

If you are worried about running costs then the RS6 may not be suitable for you.

You will need far more contingency money for the RS6 than the S4, so on that basis, the S4 would get my vote (says he who drives the RS6+ ).

Thing is, if you are only doing 6k a year, then the RS6 could possibly fit the bill - so long as it has been rigourously maintained, had the DRC binned in favour of coilovers and has had the gearbox service done, cambelt replaced, oh and the brakes are pretty new as well, er and has recent new tyres (or as many of the above done as possible).

Get one with all of these already done, and you should be ok (for a good while anyway).

In all fairness, the same advice would apply to the S4 as well, but the contingency money for that car would (or should) go further.

On a +side for The Rs6:

-Fuel consumption compared to a S4 can't be that different, so you can eliminate that from the equation.
-Insurance on my RS6+ was cheaper than a S4 (slightly, don't ask me why).
-The S4 internal space is way smaller than the 6, rear leg room in particular...

Oh, the acceleration, drive the two back to back and you will not want a S4 anymore! (great car that it is)

Had an S4 and great car but RS6 is a different league especially with coilovers and re-remap. With children RS6 is a much better long term choice [know of several others who have upgraded due to expanding children].

It is expensive but well worth it......

James

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