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Has anyone an opinion on what will happen to the B5 RS4 price the comming years? When will it decrease most, and when will it stay at one level... and when will it increase again (as a classic)?

This should be interesting

Well as it's become a cult classic already I can't see much more depreciation.

I just bought a fine example with only 40k on with all the extras for 26k and it's great.

I can't see it dropping under 20k in three years if I keep the miles low and it running well.

You can pick a tired high mile example up for 18k if you look about but i would avoid like the plague.

Contigo wrote:Well as it's become a cult classic already I can't see much more depreciation.

I just bought a fine example with only 40k on with all the extras for 26k and it's great.

I can't see it dropping under 20k in three years if I keep the miles low and it running well.

You can pick a tired high mile example up for 18k if you look about but i would avoid like the plague.

I think that's a little optimisitc personally, but lets hope not.

I hope so too. I just got a new engine 8000 km's ago, that will help.

Don't see it being too optimistic being that there were only 440 available.

I,ve just been looking into this one over the past couple of weeks and i,ve noticed the prices have actually gone up......................

Crazy i know but after scrutineerirg the market place for several months last year to find my trusty steed and thinking how much prices had dropped off with the arrival of the B7 RS4 i,ve now noticed similar spec cars as advertised last year holding their own

Good news ! and not sure if any one else has noticed this ? and just from my experience i looked at one last year that was up at 17K and could have done a deal for 15:5K this is not a true reflection of the market as we all know and apart from having interior trim missing 4 bald tyres and a much needed service i walked away !

I was approached the other day by the brother in law on the basis of finding an RS4 as he had seen one advertised at about the 18 mark but it had to be low mileage have full history and sat nav etc etc ! not much change at the moment out of 25K so on that basis and as stated above he can have mine in 3 years for 18K, i cant see them dropping that much in the future,

Interesting also reading a corresponding thread B7 - B5

Used values will be affected by supply/demand and, crucially, what the owners are prepared to accept for their pride and joy.
When the new RS4 appeared, B5 values took a bit of a dive. A fair few would have been trade-ins against a new one, thus flooding the market for about a year. That seems to be over now.
Mileage also has a major impact. A 50000 mile RS4 in good condition would almost always be retained by an Audi dealer as an approved used car. A 65000 mile one would almost always be passed on, thus driving the trade-in value down.
Despite what people who can't afford one might think, these machines are very good value at the moment. I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that they are also very difficult to part with (I have no idea what to replace it with for £30000 ish).
£26000 for a good low mileage one seems right. £18000 will get you a world of financial pain unless you are extremely lucky. I would still be prepared to pay up to £30000 for the right car, I would also be prepared to wait a long time for the right one to appear.
I would be very surprised to see values go up any time soon.
I simply won't sell mine if values drop any further.

Agreed Simon. I cannot see me parting with mine. It brings a huge smile every time I start the engine!
I have only spotted one on the road in over 14 months. They are exclusive, unlike the mass produced B7.

Used values will be affected by supply/demand and, crucially, what the owners are prepared to accept for their pride and joy.
When the new RS4 appeared, B5 values took a bit of a dive. A fair few would have been trade-ins against a new one, thus flooding the market for about a year. That seems to be over now.

Well said SimonC, are you in the trade?

I wonder if we'll have a Mk3 GTI vs Mk2 GTI situation where the older car eclipses the newer more sophisticated but less cult-worthy example? I can't imagine that not being the case TBH in a few years purely due to supply and demand.

Also Escort Cosworths are an interesting parallel.

Also fuel will continue to get more expensive and people will only want relatively thirsty cars if they go quickly and importantly look special, the B5 fulfills this role, the B7 is no quicker and looks too normal.

The B5 is made of better quality materials too, Audi were still establishing themselves when the B5 A4 was designed and couldn't be complacent. with B6/7 their fight was over and corners were cut, just look at the peeling paint on the alloy wiper arms, seized wiper linkages etc. My point is that a 60k B5 is IMHO a lower risk that a 60k B7 due to better quality components and fewer gadgets to fail.

And then theres tuneability

You cannot compare the B7 build quality to the B5, it's leaps and bounds ahead.

The B7 that is!

Why does it always end up being about the B5 v B7. As I've said multiple times i've owned both and they are different beasts. It's a case of green eyes here I think.

IMO the B7 saloon looks the bomb, but I still appreciate the looks of the B5 and now I have the remap it's alot quicker than the B7.

The B5 RS4, is still a used car at the end of the day, and it will depreciate year by year.

I think it will follow in the footsteps of its older brother the RS2.

Will drop slightly year by year.

I dont think prices will go up. Not yet anyhow. I dont see RS2 prices going up.

I think as long as Audi keep producing normally aspirated cars, their will always be demand for the RS4 B5 and RS2's etc.

Thats why the prices seem to hold well. You can see the S6 or the S8 is not as popular with enthusiasts. Not many on the forum I see. Its not an enthuasisats car. Neither is a B7 RS4. Prices will tumble quickly in the years to come.

Anyone will buy a B7 RS4 and drive it around, keep it standard. And sell it on after a few years. Not many mods can be done.

Theres a few group of B7 RS4 owners that are on this site

Ones that never knew of RS246 and were directed to it by friends who know about it, or they googled something audi related and got here.

The other group of B7 RS4 owners are ones that have had a B5 or other S car and wanted to try the new version.

Most of the owners of a B7 RS4 youll probably find wont have the foggiest idea of this forum.

When it comes to the B5 S4 and RS4, most owners of this car, you will find are on this forum, constantly upgrading their cars up to some silly power. You can see this by the amount of posts in each forum up to date.

Although the B7 is still a blinding car and a lovely drive and a more refined feel, its not got the tunability. I think prices will go down because of this on the B7 quite drastically compared to the B5 RS4. Those of you with the B7 dont get me wrong, im not slagging the car in anyway. Its just not the kind of car that you get to know, have the engine out, learn about it, play with it, get to know it, modify it, blow some turbo's , cry over it. All in all, someone with a B5 has had high times and low times, as with any relationship. When it breaks, you can look forward to havint it modified, bigger and better. you can cry when the turbos go pop, but youll grin when you have bigger ones back on. These are cars that you will live with and love and hate, and because of this, it will have that exclusivity and classic status.

A car like an S4 or an RS4, RS2, RS6 are cars that are loved by their owners, and are cars that can be tuned and played about with. Thats what most of us are here for. Tuning and makeing performance gains. Most guys on here have tuned their cars once or more than once. You cannot do that as much with the normally aspirated engines such as the new S6, S 8 B7 RS4, etc.

Remember, the B5 RS4 Intercoolers were £300 for the pair from Audi. Now they will cost you £1200 with all associated plumbing.
Why? Because its a tuners car and prices will always be kept high.

I can see prices dropping, but not dropping as much as they would on a normally aspirated.

I think as soon as the new RS6 comes out, if its twin turbpcharged and has an optional manual (if they can find a way for the gearox to deal with the torque) and it was made in exclusive numbers, then prices on the RS4 B5 will take a bit more of a drop than usual.

Anyways I need some sleep. CAnt remember what the hell I was writing anyway. If Ive spoken bol4%%ks then forgive me.

Im off to bed

You cannot compare the B7 build quality to the B5, it's leaps and bounds ahead.

The B7 that is!

yes we should stop talking about B5 vs B7 in this thread (my fault) but as for quality, there is a difference between perceived quality and actual quality and manufacturers go to great lengths to find a balance, with the B7 the emphasis went from actual (which was still class leading) to perceived - it looks and feels much better than B5 but behind the glitz costs have been cut, it can be felt more on the lesser model admitedly, on a 50k car the extras are going to mask this.

The B5 RS4, is still a used car at the end of the day, and it will depreciate year by year.

Not all used cars depreciate! Ask owners of Corrado VR6, Porsche 993, Mk2 Golf GTI, Escort Cosworth, Ur Quattro (but not S2..)

I dont see RS2 prices going up

The RS2 isn't an RS4! This is like saying an eighties yuppies style 911 has depreciated to sub £10k so a nineties 993 911 (last of the air cooled) will also do the same but they have gone up of late and a good one is £25k. The Audi 80 was a never a highly acclaimed car especially for its dynamic capabilities so was never a good basis for a peformance version. The A4 was far better in this respect and when the RS4 was given a well engineered engine which was easy to live with, with little turbo lag unlike the RS2's lag fest lump it made it a good all rounder, docile around town, blindingly rapid on the open road. The RS4 also looks more special than the RS2 which has a narrow body and to all intents and purposes looks like a modified 80 TDI estate to most people - do not underestimate the importance of looks when it comes to cars becoming modern classics, they have to have an 'X factor' aka street presence which the RS4 has in abundance for example Ur Quattro has it, S2 doesn't.

I read road tests of Aston this, Maserati that and see the quoted power outputs are still the same or less than my RS4 which means its performance can still hold its own today, 7 years after conception and again this is crucial to the car remaining in demand. Only other usable durable car of this era with similar bhp is 996 Turbo which is still a 40k + hit..

The B5 RS4, is still a used car at the end of the day, and it will depreciate year by year.

I think it will follow in the footsteps of its older brother the RS2.

Will drop slightly year by year.


I cant see how you can come to the conclusion of depreciating year by year........................
I have a golf rallye that has gone up in price "no depreciation there"

i also own a UR quattro, again i,m making money on that every time i say i,m not selling it

i also have a defender and that,s worth more now than when i bought it 3 years ago they have not dropped in price at all and why because they have a cult following and yes its build quality is not up to the german solid feel but its totaly reliable and a hobby as much as anything it,s constantly being tinkered with.................
dont get me wrong i,m no second hand buying guru i,ve lost untold ammounts on cars more than i would care to admit to and thats probably why i,m clinging onto the clutch i have now all of which are or were relatively cheap to buy, i imported the rallye when i was a serving soldier in germany and bought it when the new laws came out over there in the late 90s dictating emmisions etc and i picked it up for a very good price, the UR was given to me admittedly i felt bad over this but the previous owner would only accept a grand so there you go sorry to bore you as stated above some cars outlast out perform and outshine there newer duller siblings.

As for the new RS6 i think audis days of strapping turbo,s to there top end cars are a distant memory ! i could be wrong...............

chalky - I wasnt speaking about the golf rallye. Thats a much older car.

The B5 RS4 isnt a classic yet. We can call it a classic car, but its not really a calssic car is it. 2001 Lord of the rings is a classic film. But not yet a classis. The original story is the classic. Time has to go past slowly for it to become a classic.

Im saying these cars will definitely depreciate year by year for the next few years. And prices wont go up. Not yet anyhow.

That exactly what I said.

Neckarsulm - I was refering to the Audi RS4 beign a used car. I wasnt comparing it to the likes of real classics. Remember the RS4 B5 is only 6 to 7 years old at most. Its not a real classic right now. That will take time and will depend on many factors.

A UR quattrol on the other hand is a different story. It can be viewed as a classic car. RS4 is still a baby at 7 years old. Even the RS3 isnt that old yet. How old is the UR quattro.


The RS4 B5 is a used car right now, not a used classic car. So It will depreciate over the years to come. If and when its a classisc which it is not right now, then prices may hold and may go up. This time is definitely not now.

And also, while I understand that an RS2 is not an RS4, both cars have followed a similar path. I kno wone is laggy and one isnt. But both cars were made in limited numbers, both cars were designed similarly, both estates, both with the RS effect, bumpers with huge air intakes.............etc....etc. Also they have both helpd prices ina very similar way.

Back to the roiginal question.

Has anyone an opinion on what will happen to the B5 RS4 price the comming years? When will it decrease most, and when will it stay at one level... and when will it increase again (as a classic)?

Its been a steady decrease and I think will carry on to be a steady decrease, obviously depending on what come out in the future. You can expect to see a low mileage 60,000 miler car to be around 20K in 2 yeqars time, a mid miler 90,000-100,000 mile car at around 16K and highmilers 120,000 miles plus at around 13K.

Thats my guess.

So maybe we should open this thread in 2 years time and see what the prices are at that time.