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Chaps,

I picked up my stealth machine at the end of last year and as it approaches its 2nd birthday and 15k miles (mostly due to me!). I commute 10-12k a year and so far I've been happily using it for my daily drive and don't regret a second of it. I think I've got a keeper, but I can't help thinking that driving something more humble on a daily basis would be better "value" and not cause so much depreciation on the RS4 - again just thinking, not saying I believe it

Here's the question - do I:
(a) reduce the mileage I add to the RS4 by picking up a second runabout, something cheap and cheerful, an A3/A4 1.8T or TDI, for example http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1179523.htm
(b) keep enjoying the RS4 and just forget about the mileage so long as its healthy

Appreciate any/all thoughts on this....

B!!! I pampered my Porsche to death, kept it in the garage and only brought it out to play at weekends and when the weather was good and still took an almightly kick in the bollocks despite super low miles and show room condition!!!

Second vote for option B).

My RS4 is my daily runabout and I've done 31K miles in 3 years.

Only time I'd consider getting a "smoker" is if my annual mileage goes much above 15k per year. Having just had a VW Polo Bluemotion loan car for 2 days I was SOOOO glad to get back into my RS4.

I do a little bit of both due to selling the odd motor,my rs4 is rarely used for work commute as i do 400 miles a week to work and back and to be honest on the motorway stuck in traffic its not really any fun in the rs

Currently running 19k miles per year in my RS4 as a daily commuter and all round work and home vehicle. Not regretted a day of it, cars are supposed to be driven. If you are keeping it long term, i.e 6 years plus then I doubt it will matter that much.

I am going to use the other half's A2 for the remainder of this year a couple of days per week to reduce my fuel bills but that's it and insure her on the RS because looking at prices it is cheaper for us to be insured on each others cars than run a third, buy, tax, insure and maintain it.

Option b

I use mine on a daily basis. 2 years old and coming up on 31K. I was doing about 20K year with it but that has now dropped because if we go anywhere as a family we now take the wife's A6 Avant.

Someone put a cost per mile calculator on here a while back. I'm sure if you evaluated it on that basis then running just the RS4 would be cheaper than the 2 car option.

go with option B

think about how much you need to spend on getting a 2nd car you will be happy to drive around and then insure etc.. It will cost you a few thousand pounds to do this. Will you save those thousands over X years in terms of depreciation and saved fuel?? Maybe you will save a little overall if you kept the car for 3yrs, depending on how many miles you do a year obviously, but the car will always loose money. I say enjoy the RS4 and take the hit on its resale value in a few yrs, at least you will have driven the best car and sort of got your moneys worth in terms of driving experience!

B.
That is all.

i had this conundrum and bought an Audi A2 to run a round in - with Fuel costs being the key driver, not mileage

I completed one of the business case models I use at work (capital appraisal) and it stacked up financially.

The A2 costs £35pa to tax, insurance is free as im covered 3rd party via RS insurance. MPG is 2 - 3 times MORE than RS. Servicing every 2 years. Aside from any unexpected repairs, the only other big cost will be loss on resale of the runner - but if you buy one 5 years old then it will be at the end of its depreciation curve.

So, to save fuel costs on boring work commutes etc, for me - it stack up

but if the true question is only to save miles....I dont think it worth it - the difference in resale vs. a low mileage one will only be couple of £k at most and there are other factors you can sway in your favour at resale such as condition, history, warranty etc.

If fuel costs are not the key driver, then I doubt you will worry to much on the slightly higher depreciation hit at resale and so I would just enjoy the car.

If you want to save fuel costs - then get an A2 (mines even got heated leather seats!)

davidkoulakis wrote:insurance is free as im covered 3rd party via RS insurance.

So if you have an accident in the A2 you'll have to pay all your own repair costs ... could work out expensive?

PetrolDave wrote:

davidkoulakis wrote:insurance is free as im covered 3rd party via RS insurance.

So if you have an accident in the A2 you'll have to pay all your own repair costs ... could work out expensive?

he who dares

PetrolDave wrote:

davidkoulakis wrote:insurance is free as im covered 3rd party via RS insurance.

So if you have an accident in the A2 you'll have to pay all your own repair costs ... could work out expensive?

Are you sure of the insurance being free even though you have the RS4 on fully comp?

So if you don’t have a A2 insurance policy then the car is not insurance even though the driver has third part to drive any car via RS4 policy entitlement.

Check your A2 if its flagged up as green on MID Database:

http://www.askmid.com/ownvehicle/

~s

I would check your policy carefully - typcial wording below from elephant - essentially - you can not own the other car -which means it has to be insured by someone else in order to qualify driving it as 3rd party

1b. Driving other cars
If you qualify under this section, cover
is limited to the policyholder and is
restricted to Third Party Only. You are
only covered when driving private motor
cars within our territorial limits.
We will cover you for everything listed in
clause 1a when you are driving any other
car as long as:
• your current Certificate of Motor
Insurance says so
• you hold a valid Driving Licence and
are not disqualified
• the other car is not owned by you, a
rental car, nor hired to you under a
hire purchase or leasing agreement
• you have the owner's permission to
drive the car
• you are not covered by any other
insurance to drive it
• you still have your car, and it has not
been damaged beyond repair, stolen
or sold

yes yes yes, im not silly ! its insured under my sisters name, she drives it evenings and weekends when iv got the RS !

I pay her equivalent to £1 each work day I use it as contribution to her insurance premium (as she can only use it evenings and wkends)

Given the RS costs me £9 a day in fuel vs the A2 which costs me £3 I think I can spare the £1 !

Thanks chaps, glad you've all helped me see sense

(b) the RS4 is for driving - regardless.

I'll try and resist the temptation to wrap it up and save it for Chrimbo.... unless it's vinyl of course