Owners verdict B5 and B7

[Taipan]

Hello Justin,

Great write up, very nice read.

I own a RS4 B5 460hp MTM modified by their chief motorist (Peter Linke) on their 4WD bench, with a custom-made Milltek full cat exhaust, Movit full brakes and Quattro GmbH suspensions.

I had the chance to test drive the RS4 B7 on the Le Mans track back in June 2005 and do a quick -personal- comparison with the B5.
http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... ic&t=49564

I agree with you, and other posts (ie I keep my B5, no risk of trading it for a B7 on the basis of look and pleasure), with only two comments.

1. The "S" mode also shortens the trottle to make it more responsive (on top of hardening the DRC suspension). I found that "too much", made me feel like a blonde noob driving a Renault in heavy traffic jam in downtown Paris. Very unconfortable, too sensitive.

2. No doubt that a V8 4.2 Atmo looks better in terms of long term reliabilty than a V6 2.7 Biturbo.

Eric
PS : the next RS will be Diesel, mark my words

[PhilT]

Welcome back Eric, you French diesel lover

[MattC]

No the next RS will be GAS

[Taipan]

No the next RS will be GAS

People driving on the wrong side of the road laughed at me back in 2001 on rs4.org (peace...) when I said that Audi will run a Diesel car at Le Mans 24 Hours soon.

Want to bet (and lose) again ?

Make my day

Eric

[JustinM]

Thanks for all your comments on my posting and for letting me down slowly. Manfred and I agonised over it for a whole week. I really wanted the B7 to be so much better but when we saw it standing next to my B5, we both realised Audi had made a huge mistake.

Someone commented about the B5 engine noise. Sure there is no exhaust note from inside the car (thank goodness) but when that engine gets up around 6000 it sounds like concord taking off.

Another comment was about the seats. It depends how big you are. I can drive my B5 for 8 hours (filling up of course) without any sign of uncomfort in the B5 recaros. After an hour in the B7 I felt I had to get out. Sure the seats look the busines and sure they will be great on the track but they are useless on a long (more than 1 hour) journey.

[johneroberts]

No the next RS will be GAS

People driving on the wrong side of the road laughed at me back in 2001 on rs4.org (peace...) when I said that Audi will run a Diesel car at Le Mans 24 Hours soon.

Want to bet (and lose) again ?

Make my day

Eric

Hey Eric,
you feel the same way about the B7 as i do, and i think most who have owned a B5 and driven a B7 feel too!
I still think a Tdi is the way ahead and think your money is safe
Cheers
jr

[harry]

Re the seats - I love the new seats. So much so I'm seriously considering spending what I imagine will be well in excess of £3000 for a pair for my B5.

Golich check this- was in Glasgow Audi yesterday enquiring about these bad boys

Got quoted 2200 GBP plus vat..........for 1!!!!

Someones havin a laugh

[harry]

I still think a Tdi is the way ahead

make sure the "i" is red. My Irish mate has got an A4 1.9 td(red)i. He swears by it.

[harry]

If only Audi had made it turbo charged

My feel is that the new FSI technology that Audi are banging out is by way of a replacement to turbo charged units. They broke moulds with turbos, quattro and now FSI?????

Could benefit the long term residuals on the B5s nicely. Audis last high powered turbo charged performance engine.

[Golich]

Re the seats - I love the new seats. So much so I'm seriously considering spending what I imagine will be well in excess of £3000 for a pair for my B5.

Golich check this- was in Glasgow Audi yesterday enquiring about these bad boys

Got quoted 2200 GBP plus vat..........for 1!!!!

Someones havin a laugh

I hope that's Audi UK's usuall massive mark up.

[harry]

Yeh plus the tech couldnt guarantee they would fit and assured me they were non returnable/refundable once purchased.

A+ customer experience @ Glasgow Audi. Yeh really.

[harry]

Yeh plus the tech couldnt guarantee they would fit and assured me they were non returnable/refundable once purchased.

A+ customer experience @ Glasgow Audi. Yeh really.

[Taipan]

Well, Audi's current trend into the S/RS line is Atmo (RS4 B7, S6 V10 "Gallardo") so any turbo junkie, imho, should be ready to face the fact that the next "turbo" S/RS will be a TDI indeed.

Basic 98 gas is close to 1.5 Euro/litre in France but drivers should not discount the possibility that it will reach 2.5/3 Euros around 2010 (besides MPG improved performance of Diesel vs Gas).

Which may explain why Audi is playing -strategically ?- the Diesel game in competition from now on.

I am not trying to offend anyone but 98 Gas is due to become very politically incorrect (and expensive) in Europe in the years to come.

Eric

[don]

Looks like we'll see a return to turbos again then

[Taipan]

And Porsche launching Diesel engines for the sake of post-2010 sales growth ?



Eric