Collect the RS4 this week

[Ozzifutura]

Astonished - Car looks great and the number plate mount looks much better than mine. I must say I had a double take of the front number plate set up - glad to their is a solution. I will get hold of a Lakin one ASAP

Footy run done - filled her up - time for a spin

[jjdsyd]

Astonished - car looks fantastic. Great day for it too! A good tip on the front plate holder.

Lets see some pics of that lunar interior too when you get a chance

JD

[Ozzifutura]

Sorry to HiJack your thread Astonished (but we are live brothers having collected our beasts on the same day !!)

This is a cut and paste job and maybe some of you have read already ::

1st Impressions - I LOVE IT

The ride is very firm in dynamic. The ride in comfort (which I usually use) is much more comfortable but car tends feel like it rolls too much in corners.

Mostly driving around in individual with all in comfort and exhaust in sport.

Sport mode I find the blipping of the throttle a pain in city traffic.

Manual is sooo much fun when hitting the country twisties - love the blip of the throttle on the down shift at moderate revs.....had some farmer yell out at me - not sure if he was annoyed or got a fright as I changed down going past his driveway. Feels like it is on rails when driving in dynamic around the twisties and using the paddles up and down the gears is loads of fun.

Not sure if the steering wheel is bigger than the B7 - feels a little larger in diameter

MMI - getting there but find it a bit fiddly at times but once I have found what I want it is great. Still got to practice voice commands in Navigation and get some addresses in my favourites - but it is loads better than the B7 version.

The car feels so much more taught than the B7 and also feels quicker, probably on account of the DSG. I do miss the manual gear box but am getting used to the paddle shift. The engine/exhaust note is different to the B7 - not sure how to describe it. In the B7 could hear the whine of the engine more, almost like a super charger - B8 sounds more mechanical. The exhaust note on the B7 was a little deeper I think - the B8 sounds more sporty once the revs get up to 4k.

Overall the cars are chalk and cheese - which is better ??? I love them both. The B8 is really relaxing to drive when the mood takes, love all the bells and whistles (in terms of gadgets and DSG) and then at the flick of a switch it comes alive and gets down the road like a scalded cat. The B7 is an awesome car and the awesome manual gearbox is the big difference - it doesn't feel as raucous as the B8 in some ways but still plenty of fun and poke. The B8 feels a lot bigger - I have felt that each move from B5 to B6 to B7 and now B8.

The seats - I had the recaro sport seats in the B7 which were great and held me very nicely when giving it some welly. I have the more standard sport seats (not sure what the proper description is) in the B8. Electric adjustment/memory. While they do not hug so tightly they a very comfortable and I prefer them. My son loves the heated front seats - great advantage is the passenger can turn their heat on allowing me to leave my window down and listen to the music of the engine and exhaust at all times

Still got to get used to the reversing camera thing also got to read the book and fine tune what all the buttons do - may take them on the ship with me next week so I can read up !

I do always miss my old cars but the move to the B8 gives me some peace of mind knowing I have warranty for 3 years - with option 5 or 6 years.

Have I made the right decision - you bet. (sorry SQ5 owners but the RS4 is sooooo good - love to have the SQ5 as a 2nd car)

[Astonished]

Hey Ozzi - happy to consider this a shared thread as we did both get our cars on same day and in the arvo.

I'm also guessing that we're both over 35 putting us into similar demographics! And both Aussies!

Thoroughly enjoyed your write up.

The car is so taught - no rattles groans or anything out of place. Just what I was after. It doesn't matter how well you look after a car, after 6 years (age of my outgoing R36) it's still never "brand new" although also like you I share a soft spot for the outgoing one.

It took me a while to get used to the reversing camera on the R36, as it comes across as real info overload. I learnt to use one or other but rarely both (mirrors or camera) - although sometimes I'd start off with mirrors and finish up with camera eg with distant to object at rear.

I use all comfort for my daily to work drive setting but will use individual for "driving" and trips. I don't tend to like sport gearbox setting electing to use either easy drive or paddles manual. That habit was developed in the R36, such that if I'm going for long tour I leave in normal and then opt for paddles in corners or paddles with manual if I feel "committed" to a section of road. Superb in the RS4, especially changing down with dynamic exhaust and wanting to wake up the locals.

The seats are beaut. I much prefer electric adjust with memory to manual, as I know it will all go back to where I last set it if it gets moved and these are really comfortable for long trips. Perfect.

Oh yeh - 11.5l/100km yesterday - I must be driving like a geriatric!

I'm loving it and haven't regretted it one bit.

Jjd - will take interior photos with wide angle in daylight - stay tuned

Happy RS4ing