DRC or sports suspension?

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hi all,

New to the forum, have searched but can't find an answer. Have tried to get a drive in a demonstrator - non in stock near me. I want the car for daily driving on UK roads rather than say trackdays.

I'm weighing ordering DRC on a new RS4. Ive read multiple posts regarding reliability of DRC and cars being in the dealer for multiple stays so am now hesitating ticking the box. Can anyone without DRC share their experience please? Is std sports suspension ok or is DRC a must on the RS4?

Many thanks

[Isleaiw]

I'm also a grumpy old man and would never track my car..... and I suppose my answer is it depends what you are coming from / used to / looking for.

My previous car was an M5 (non comp) which has pretty firm suspension. The non DRC equipped car is at least as good as that if not better. Mine is a Carbon black edition and on 20s, and I'd say the ride is just about on the acceptable side of firm for a daily, helped by the fact that the seats are brilliant. I'd say the M5 was just the other side of that line.... My other car is a Mini Cooper on 17s and that is definitely worse when it comes to ride (but you can have so much fun with a low powered manual on the country roads near where I live).....

Before the M5 I had an SQ5 on 21s and the RS4 has a better ride than that, in my opinion.... the 21s spoilt that!

Not sure where in the world you are but surely someone has a second hand one that you can test drive to see. I'd also be nervous at ordering now with little discount as the rumour is the supply constraints will ease towards the end of 2022 / into 2023 and then we will be back to normal prices..but I guess we cant wait for everything!

[rjwojcik]

I'm on a non DRC, it's fine for me.

Close to retiring and not in the best of moods.

[RS Owner]

I did lots of research in 2018 when I bought and DRC was strongly recommended in EVERY review so that's what I got.
Also had DRC on my previous RS4 which I kept for 10 years.
Never seriously considered non DRC.

Male, retired early, people are always telling me to cheer up but I think I'm a bundle of fun so?

[GrumpyOldMan]

I'm also a grumpy old man and would never track my car..... and I suppose my answer is it depends what you are coming from / used to / looking for.
<snip>
Not sure where in the world you are but surely someone has a second hand one that you can test drive to see. I'd also be nervous at ordering now with little discount as the rumour is the supply constraints will ease towards the end of 2022 / into 2023 and then we will be back to normal prices..but I guess we cant wait for everything!

Thank you that's most helpful and pleased to meet a fellow veteran! I'm UK based, in Milton Keynes (60 miles north of London). Lots of speed bumps and when off the main gridroads, surrounding area has a lot of country B roads and worse. Potholes everywhere.

I was offered a 3k discount on a new RS4 which, in the current market, was close to miraculous. Even before the pandemic would have only expected 8k ish so not too bad. 16 weeks lead time quoted - which after waiting since September for a build date on a different VAG car and still no date come Feb sounds fine. Im banking on supply constraints being less on a flagship brand/model and it certainly seems to be the case.

I don't see the manufactures being in any hurry to go back to over supply/discounts any time soon and I don't see inflation coming down quickly either so wouldn't be supprised to see the current situation extend onwards for several years now.

[GrumpyOldMan]

I'm on a non DRC, it's fine for me.

Close to retiring and not in the best of moods.

Thank you thats very reassuring, I'll go ahead and order.

Isnt it funny how some people think grumpy is a bad thing, I see it as an inevitable result of life

[GrumpyOldMan]

I did lots of research in 2018 when I bought and DRC was strongly recommended in EVERY review so that's what I got.
Also had DRC on my previous RS4 which I kept for 10 years.
Never seriously considered non DRC.

Male, retired early, people are always telling me to cheer up but I think I'm a bundle of fun so?

I just tell people its my resting face

I did the same with my A5 s-line, every review said the standard setup was too harsh for UK roads so I just ticked adaptive suspension - which was fine but got left in comfort for 3 years

DRC seems to be a problem area on the RS4, thou apparently less so now, so unless its needed I will avoid.

Thanks for the response

[Isleaiw]

I'm also a grumpy old man and would never track my car..... and I suppose my answer is it depends what you are coming from / used to / looking for.
<snip>
Not sure where in the world you are but surely someone has a second hand one that you can test drive to see. I'd also be nervous at ordering now with little discount as the rumour is the supply constraints will ease towards the end of 2022 / into 2023 and then we will be back to normal prices..but I guess we cant wait for everything!

Thank you that's most helpful and pleased to meet a fellow veteran! I'm UK based, in Milton Keynes (60 miles north of London). Lots of speed bumps and when off the main gridroads, surrounding area has a lot of country B roads and worse. Potholes everywhere.

I was offered a 3k discount on a new RS4 which, in the current market, was close to miraculous. Even before the pandemic would have only expected 8k ish so not too bad. 16 weeks lead time quoted - which after waiting since September for a build date on a different VAG car and still no date come Feb sounds fine. Im banking on supply constraints being less on a flagship brand/model and it certainly seems to be the case.

I don't see the manufactures being in any hurry to go back to over supply/discounts any time soon and I don't see inflation coming down quickly either so wouldn't be supprised to see the current situation extend onwards for several years now.

I'm not far from MK (30 miles south) so if you need a ride in one then sure I can sort something, will have to wait until I am not confined to the house though!

I got just over £10k off mine in Oct 2020, but it was a stock car. According to WBAC its still worth what I paid for it, at 15 months / 8300 miles. As I've got another car I am tempted to bail out and look again when supply issues relax...

Manufacturers have factories to fill and people to keep busy so I expect volumes to increase in new year..... and I've yet to tick the Alpina box...

[initiala4]

I currently have non DRC, but have driven a DRC RS4.

Non DRC will ride differently than DRC as it can be a little bit more bouncy. However i swap to Ohlins DFV, and never looked back again. The car is totally awesome in regards to handling, and ride comfort in comparison to standard suspension. But to DRC, it is different. I would say its between comfort, and dynamic.

DRC in comfort does a good job of absorbing the bumps. In Dynamic, it is quite stiff! Unfortunately the owner that owned the DRC suspension had a leak after using it for about 25,000km.

[GrumpyOldMan]

I'm not far from MK (30 miles south) so if you need a ride in one then sure I can sort something, will have to wait until I am not confined to the house though!

I got just over £10k off mine in Oct 2020, but it was a stock car. According to WBAC its still worth what I paid for it, at 15 months / 8300 miles. As I've got another car I am tempted to bail out and look again when supply issues relax...

Manufacturers have factories to fill and people to keep busy so I expect volumes to increase in new year..... and I've yet to tick the Alpina box...

Thats very kind of you to offer but Ive comitted now and placed the order without DRC. Based on the kind feedback from this forum I expect it will be fine anyway I figure I can always upgrade the shocks and coils if I dont get on with it

Thanks again

[GrumpyOldMan]

I currently have non DRC, but have driven a DRC RS4.

Non DRC will ride differently than DRC as it can be a little bit more bouncy. However i swap to Ohlins DFV, and never looked back again. The car is totally awesome in regards to handling, and ride comfort in comparison to standard suspension. But to DRC, it is different. I would say its between comfort, and dynamic.

DRC in comfort does a good job of absorbing the bumps. In Dynamic, it is quite stiff! Unfortunately the owner that owned the DRC suspension had a leak after using it for about 25,000km.

Yeah its the reports of leaks and long garage visits that made me question "just ticking the box".

Thank you for sharing your expereince, Im going down the standard route and have placed the order now. Could I ask roughly how much was your Ohlins DFV set up - just in case

Many thanks

[RS4John]

And from my own experience not ticking the box is the right decision - in my head any Audi RS product ought to be a bit raw/a driver experience to be savoured. For me DRC robbed the feeling of driving a car well, being on the edge of the cornering performance and having the feedback to know the ragged edge of a terminal trip into a ditch is close. DRC makes an RS4's handling nigh-on perfect with no driver-communicated sense of pace which spoilt it for me and was the final nail in the coffin after 6 months of ownership.

Others see having an RS as the epitome of Audi's technology - as good as it can be. Neither experience is wrong - its just a case of having what one wants.

[initiala4]

I currently have non DRC, but have driven a DRC RS4.

Non DRC will ride differently than DRC as it can be a little bit more bouncy. However i swap to Ohlins DFV, and never looked back again. The car is totally awesome in regards to handling, and ride comfort in comparison to standard suspension. But to DRC, it is different. I would say its between comfort, and dynamic.

DRC in comfort does a good job of absorbing the bumps. In Dynamic, it is quite stiff! Unfortunately the owner that owned the DRC suspension had a leak after using it for about 25,000km.

Yeah its the reports of leaks and long garage visits that made me question "just ticking the box".

Thank you for sharing your expereince, Im going down the standard route and have placed the order now. Could I ask roughly how much was your Ohlins DFV set up - just in case

Many thanks

I paid about 3200 British pound ( converted from my local currency ), but it is most likely cheaper in the UK than in Thailand. This includes installation, shocks, springs, corner weight, alignment.



There is a thread here about this ---> viewtopic.php?f=131&t=141032

[GSD]

Yeah its the reports of leaks and long garage visits that made me question "just ticking the box".

Thank you for sharing your expereince, Im going down the standard route and have placed the order now. Could I ask roughly how much was your Ohlins DFV set up - just in case

Many thanks

Congrats on your order. What spec did you go for? I’ve just placed an order myself

[GrumpyOldMan]

Sorry for the delayed response, works been manic

My last 6 cars have been white so just went with white again
I preferred the interior metallic trim so that meant standard Avant with extra's rather than the Carbon Black.
Added:
20" Wheels
Comfort & Sound Pack
Heads up display
Driver Assist Tour (having had ACC in the past I find its near essential for long journeys)
Red Calipers
Storage Pack
5 year warranty
silver seats

didn't add DRC, figuring could always swap shocks if turns out not great

Given build week 21 then pushed back to week 25