Thoughts on this RS4?

[mikeyquattro]

Anyhow, sounds like you should keep it

Lets hope so eh!

[rsmonkey918]

A bit of a coincidence then- are we all emigrating- am also in the frame for a move to New Zealand if the right job comes up- and I would definately take the RS with me! got to wait another couple of years or so yet but as Mr Neckarsulm says- where are you going to get the same bang/buck combination from?

[neckarsulm]

so jonmurgie, how did your trip to Warwickshire go?

[Jonmurgie]

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell... things didn't start well when I got picked up for speeding on the A46 on my way up. Some kind of speeding blitz on an empty bit of straight dual carriage-way, typical!

So got there late and didn't have as much time as I'd have liked to look over things a I had to get back... but the seller is a top chap and was happy to let me run the VAG-COM diagnostics on the car which only picked up an old fault with central locking (there were no signs of any issues so probably just needs resetting, I forgot to do that for him!).

We then went for a spin and did some logging, which was fun, and I posted that up in a thread earlier here: http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... ic&t=71875

So turns out the car was down on power with MAF issues and a potential boost leak, it did feel less quick that one I'd driven in the week, but if it was the first one I'd looked at it would have felt fine (so proves how handy VAG-COM is!). Seller was grateful for the info and looks set to go and get the issues sorted as by all accounts they are pretty cheap and easy things to sort.

Last thing has been mentioned before by another person that viewed the car, it has a LOT of stone chips/flecks. They aren't really like big or deep, just 100's of tiny little flecks that are white so show up badly on a blue car. It does show it's not had paint like I'm sure many RS4's have had on the front end (not exactly aerodynamic) but it's something that kind of detracts from the car a little, for me anyway.

So not for me and the hunt continues

[timk]

Have lurked on this forum for a while and watched this thread with interest. This is the most local RS4 to me (the Avus silver one, not the one in Warwickshire subsequently referred to in the thread) and whilst I didn't plan on viewing it due to the mileage and the comments about the interior colour on here, I happened by chance to be passing the dealership yesterday. So dropped in for a look...

It certainly looks the part and I am a definite fan of silver leather - for 120k miles there was really no discernable wear on the seats. I did pick up the fact that it looks to have had some paint on the front end - no noticeable stone chips at 120k miles seems odd?? Obviously this is either down to accident damage or a stonechip respray. Hadn't the time to take a drive but can't help thinking that I am mad to even consider an RS4 with that kind of mileage . I am new to this so what kind of mileage do the turbos tend to give out? And how often are the cambelts due (every 40k?). The book shows it as being on longlife servicing although for the last 40k or so it seems to have been serviced about every 10k. It was showing that it needs a service in 200 miles which is another concern I guess. Overall it looks to be well cared for but the consequences if something goes pop are quite frightening - even coming from a 2003 Boxster S which aren't the cheapest things to run. That said the car looked fantastic - so aggressive and well proportioned; I haven't even driven one but have decided I need to have one.. Have also noticed the green one at Fontain with almost half the mileage - could probably live with the colour but resale would worry me with a green car. I imagine most of the expensive things that need doing are maybe still to do with a low-ish mileage car aswell.

Re the Avus silver one I think they are keen to sell it - there wasn't anyone around to properly show me the car as they were a few salesmen down on the day and the main guy was busy with customers when I dropped by. When I drove off the guy seemed very keen to get my number and is going to call me tommorrow to discuss. Assuming it is due a cambelt service what would this set me back (using a known specialist as opposed to a main stealer)? Are there any cast iron warranty companies out there who would even consider underwriting a 120k mile car??

Apologies for all the questions - totally new to RS4's so I need all the help I can get!

[neckarsulm]

Apparently the Avus one has some serious colour mismatch (wing to door I think) and the salesman has told people before that the front has been painted but obviously not everyone
I gather the interior is spotless as you say which is almost as weird as no stonechips at 120k - retrim?
I'd go for the Fontain one as green isn't as off putting as 120k miles + - you are correct to be cautious about what could go wrong with cars like these - I also suspect green ones have had easier lives but that wont always be true I guess

[timk]

I agree - the colour mismatch is apparent just looking at the pic at the top of the thread. Not neccessarily cause to walk away as they have probably tried to hide stonechips and had to spray the whole front end - silver is a difficult colour to match. Compared to other cars on the market though, it is priced high taking into account it's mileage and the fact it is now due a cambelt. (what do these cost by the way??)

Have just phoned Fontain and the green one has been serviced on longlife intervals, 4 times in total. Last service more than 2 years ago at 57k. it has now done 70k and must be due a service (again possibly cambelt). Wasn't bowled over by their friendliness at all (although I think most car dealers must be miserable at the moment) and was told absolutely no movement in price - and given their distance from me will probably now rule out going to see it, so the search continues..

[neckarsulm]

Cambelts are £600 - £700 done properly by a specialist replacing belt, water pump, aux belt tensioner and rollers etc.

If the motor trade is depressed at the mo (as it is), that's even less of a reason for Fontain to be 'miserable' when dealing with customer calls.

[timk]

If the motor trade is depressed at the mo (as it is), that's even less of a reason for Fontain to be 'miserable' when dealing with customer calls.

There's also nothing more off-putting than a trader who talks cr*p - I questioned whether it was on longlife intervals and was told 'they all are' - he stayed quiet when I mentioned I'd looked at two other RS4s which were on 10k intervals..

[mikeyquattro]

IMO Fontains are arrogant, I certainly woudn't go there after the way they treated me

[neckarsulm]

There's also nothing more off-putting than a trader who talks cr*p - I questioned whether it was on longlife intervals and was told 'they all are' - he stayed quiet when I mentioned I'd looked at two other RS4s which were on 10k intervals..

Someone correct me if I am wrong but from approx 2000 all Audis were supplied with longlife oil in the sump and had 'QG1' on the data sticker to confirm they were able to run variable service intervals (AVS). By default the car would be on longlife/AVS but the customer could choose to switch to fixed intervals of 10k/1 year (whichever came first).
Now some longlife cars will only do 10k between services if they get driven around town, the question is whether the oil changes are 1 or 2 years apart as 2 year breaks still make it longlife. Having said that if you drove it really really hard you could be in at 10k miles and 1 year on Longlife

[timk]

There's also nothing more off-putting than a trader who talks cr*p - I questioned whether it was on longlife intervals and was told 'they all are' - he stayed quiet when I mentioned I'd looked at two other RS4s which were on 10k intervals..

Someone correct me if I am wrong but from approx 2000 all Audis were supplied with longlife oil in the sump and had 'QG1' on the data sticker to confirm they were able to run variable service intervals (AVS). By default the car would be on longlife/AVS but the customer could choose to switch to fixed intervals of 10k/1 year (whichever came first).
Now some longlife cars will only do 10k between services if they get driven around town, the question is whether the oil changes are 1 or 2 years apart as 2 year breaks still make it longlife. Having said that if you drove it really really hard you could be in at 10k miles and 1 year on Longlife

Having had an R32 which worked on the same basis i.e can be switched by the customer between longlife/ fixed interval; I thought that to be the case with the RS4. I guess Fontain were in fact right to the extent they are defaulted to longlife from delivery - but having seen a couple which have been serviced annually, so was I. You'd just expect them to know that with the volume of cars which pass through their hands.

Mikeyquattro - Agree with your opinion about said dealer - with the market like it is I expected them to be friendly and approachable at least; as opposed to off-hand and disinterested. You'd expect that in any market TBH, and it's put me off bothering to go and see any car of theirs even though some of them look like they might be worth the trip.

[neckarsulm]

IMO Fontains are arrogant, I certainly woudn't go there after the way they treated me

Tell us more Mike, was this when you were shopping for the RS4 or it's replacement?

[mikeyquattro]

It was a few years ago when I was shopping for either an S4 or an RS2.
I rang fontain to discuss a red RS2 they had, and

A; they weren't interested in talking to me about it on the phone, and

B; when I mentioned what I had to trade in (Audi 80 avant quattro 2.6) they wouldn't consider a trade in of more than £500. I sold it privately for £3200

The general attitude I received felt like I was the sh*t on his shoe

[rhunter203]

This happened to me
– Gave me a terrible PX for my previous BMW
– Didn't want to talk over the phone – rubbish attitude

I booked an appointment and still they didn't seem interested, therefore bought a car down the road!!!!