Sell or spend?!

[jaysrs4]

So, I'm thinking about taking the plunge and doing a stage 2 map, stage 2 manifold, full carbon clean and gutting my pre-cats, it already has a Milltek and a carbon intake.

This works out at about 2k, plus I've got the money for a full re-trim and a couple little bits, I'm looking at spending in total around 5k on the car.

It's a fair whack (more than I've ever spent in one go on a car) and I'm just thinking what could I get if I sold the car and put the money towards something else. As I write this, my mind is being made up as there seriously isn't anything out there sub £30k I'd replace it with, especially after having all that work done.

I've been looking at Porsches, Merc's, TVR's, Noble, cheap R34 skylines (not many about for that money) and seriously quick Mitsi's etc.

It's a weekend car with 50k on the clock, so worth keeping, and I don't want to have anything worth more than that sat in the garage not being used. I also owe nothing on it. I have been toying selling it and using the money as a deposit for something serious like an R8 or a 997 Turbo and financing through my business but I'm too anal and I'll be cleaning the thing every day which will make life hell, plus I won't want to be using it to park in town and driving miles to see clients etc - that's why I have the set up as I do. I can rag my city car, which is totally free, with free petrol and keep the RS for good times.

Any thoughts from anyone would be valued

[John Johnson]

Don't do the Mitsubishi , I've had a very low mileage Tommi mak evo 6 and while it was possibly the best point to point car I've had ( others with Porsches too agreed ) the build quality and general ambience is Shyte even on a 20k mile car

[jaysrs4]

Don't do the Mitsubishi , I've had a very low mileage Tommi mak evo 6 and while it was possibly the best point to point car I've had ( others with Porsches too agreed ) the build quality and general ambience is Shyte even on a 20k mile car

I don't think it would really be an option to be honest buddy. Still hankering after a mint Series One, but it's not worth selling up for!

[Silverfox42]

Keep it, spend the money. Petrol is the cheapest for years! B7's are now 10 years old this year and rapidly becoming a classic. Unless you have £40k+ to spend then as you suggest, there is nothing that comes close.

And. Your car is stunning. Scratch the itch by making it even more stunning!

[birdiemachine]

Don't do it jay. These are really special cars. You will definitely regret it.

[chuckiceman]

It's a tough one isn't it! I love trawling through Autotrader and Pistonheads to see what else I could buy. I have recently been looking at Evo 9's with silly BHP but when I really think about it they are a bit more of a car to have in your early 20s and I like the fact that the RS4 is a car that young lads and men both approve of.

I have a non res milltek and have had MRC do the carbon clean and stage two remap. Been really please with the results. Now it just about keeps with my mates C63 that it 500bhp (until 4th gear and it pulls a couple of car lengths). I think that the c63 sounds better but I don't believe a sub £30k Merc would be a step on from the RS4. I don't think the Merc is a great car and I don't like the interior.

I have had jap cars in the past and they are great fun and I love laggy turbo cars but your looking at 4,000 mile servicing and every time I drove the cars I had I always was worrying when the engines were gonna go pop when I had them tuned up. Never owned a R34 though. Wouldn't say no to a Impreza 22B either

I think if you bought an RS4 as a performance thrill the next step on is 996 / 997 turbo, GTR, RS6 etc but that depends if you can afford them? Drove a T350 TVR once as I wanted one but you just hear too many stories about £5k plus bills for engines etc.

The only curve ball I would throw in would be a supercharged series 2 lotus exige. I wanted one of them a few years back and it was an amazing car to drive but I just couldn't afford it at the time. I had an elise which was magic but always loved the exige. It looks awesome and goes really well. They are starting to command early £30s now.

Dunno if any of that is of any help but I still love opening the garage to see the RS4s fat hips so a bit of TLC may be worth spending out on unless you just have your heart set on a change

[obikaii]

Ive owned a TVR T350c with a Tvr power 4l engine & while it looked & sounded like nothing else it was a disappointing & expensive experience, terrible build quality & you'll always be worried it'll go pop,as mine did,2 rebuilds before the odometer saw 20k,one by the previous owner & one by me,never again.
Id say to anyone considering buying any Tvr DON'T DO IT!!!!
Just had mine up to mrc for the full stage 2 & its well worth having done, totally changes the car for the better,makes a good car a great car , you wont be disappointed, now ranks as the best car ive owned.

[jaysrs4]

It's a tough one isn't it! I love trawling through Autotrader and Pistonheads to see what else I could buy. I have recently been looking at Evo 9's with silly BHP but when I really think about it they are a bit more of a car to have in your early 20s and I like the fact that the RS4 is a car that young lads and men both approve of.

I have a non res milltek and have had MRC do the carbon clean and stage two remap. Been really please with the results. Now it just about keeps with my mates C63 that it 500bhp (until 4th gear and it pulls a couple of car lengths). I think that the c63 sounds better but I don't believe a sub £30k Merc would be a step on from the RS4. I don't think the Merc is a great car and I don't like the interior.

I have had jap cars in the past and they are great fun and I love laggy turbo cars but your looking at 4,000 mile servicing and every time I drove the cars I had I always was worrying when the engines were gonna go pop when I had them tuned up. Never owned a R34 though. Wouldn't say no to a Impreza 22B either

I think if you bought an RS4 as a performance thrill the next step on is 996 / 997 turbo, GTR, RS6 etc but that depends if you can afford them? Drove a T350 TVR once as I wanted one but you just hear too many stories about £5k plus bills for engines etc.

The only curve ball I would throw in would be a supercharged series 2 lotus exige. I wanted one of them a few years back and it was an amazing car to drive but I just couldn't afford it at the time. I had an elise which was magic but always loved the exige. It looks awesome and goes really well. They are starting to command early £30s now.

Dunno if any of that is of any help but I still love opening the garage to see the RS4s fat hips so a bit of TLC may be worth spending out on unless you just have your heart set on a change

Thanks buddy, some real bloke advice! I think I'd be disappointed with anything Japanese - the interiors are like portaloos!

I could go for a 997 Turbo but it would also need to be a daily and I couldn't deal with that, it would also skint me out - I enjoy having a bit of disposable income every month!

[jaysrs4]

Ive owned a TVR T350c with a Tvr power 4l engine & while it looked & sounded like nothing else it was a disappointing & expensive experience, terrible build quality & you'll always be worried it'll go pop,as mine did,2 rebuilds before the odometer saw 20k,one by the previous owner & one by me,never again.
Id say to anyone considering buying any Tvr DON'T DO IT!!!!
Just had mine up to mrc for the full stage 2 & its well worth having done, totally changes the car for the better,makes a good car a great car , you wont be disappointed, now ranks as the best car ive owned.

Same with a mate of mine, damn thing tried taking my hand off changing the tail light bulb!

[Rs4.]

So many cars to try out
Not necessarily better ! A healthy rs4 is a great car ! all rounder that makes it difficult ...
Same as me weekend car occasional use 2/3 k miles a year
But for me I want to own other cars
So I say sell

[Harris.]

I sold my 3 door cos for the rs4, I wouldn't say I regret it at all but I had the 3 door for years and it was faultless.

My opinion is, i'll never keep another car for 10 years,plough loads I money into it then sell for someone else to enjoy. Maybe keep your eyes open and the money in your pocket and see what pops up? A s1 turbo is a classic now but to me there not exciting enough with the 135 bhp horrible cvh engine!

[22B]

Sell it. Simply, life's too short to be stuck with a car for too long no matter how good. I know there's not a lot of cars out there that will fit the bill exactly but there are a few. Don't waste money modifying now, if you're remotely thinking about selling then do so as the 'seeds of change' have been sown in you head and its only a matter of time. My tip would be for a Porsche.

Iain

[Audi Pardner]

It's a very personal choice Jay, as evident from the variety of views above. I periodically think about changing mine and go off surfing forums and websites but so far haven't found anything that would be such a good all rounder for what I could spend. A mate's got a lovely 996/911 Porker but their prices are getting too high even for quite high mileage ones. I'm tempted by a B8 RS4 but that's about all that would suit my budget/needs. I'm selling my Mk 2 Escort this year which should fetch reasonable money so will review the situation then

Oh and you'll struggle to get such a nice B7 as yours if you change your mind and want to get another in future.

[Rs4.]

Or if really responsible !
Keep the Rs , pay 5k of your mortgage, & no with no loans on a different motor
Enjoy a few more hols

[jaysrs4]

Or if really responsible !
Keep the Rs , pay 5k of your mortgage, & no with no loans on a different motor
Enjoy a few more hols

I like your style, but 5k off my mortgage won't make the slightest bit of difference! I've just spent 100k on rebuilding half of it!!

I do need to do work of the rear garden though, it never ends!