A lesson in man maths.

[Briggy]

I wanted to compare the costs of running a B7 RS4 over 3 years with something more “normal”. I’ve decided to use a Ford Focus as a comparison as you can’t get more normal than that (ST excluded). I’m not comparing the cars against each other, but the price to buy a new Focus and a used RS4 is about £20k. Of course you can pay more or less for either of them, but you get the idea.

Let’s take fuel costs. Let’s be generous with the Focus and say it’ll do 60mpg and the RS4 will do 20mpg i.e. it uses treble the amount of petrol. Say 10,000 miles a year for 3 years at £5.50 a gallon, that’s £2,750 for the Focus and £8,250 for the RS4. So far, the RS4 has cost £5,500 more to run.

Tax. Say the Focus costs nothing to tax and the RS4 costs £500 a year. After 3 years, the RS4 will have cost £1,500 to tax. Running total is the RS4 has now cost £7,000 more to run.

Insurance. A tricky one. Let’s say an extra £1,000 more for the RS4 overall. Running total is now £8,000 more.

Servicing and maintenance. Does £2,000 more for the RS4 (over 3 years) sound reasonable? I mean £2,000 more than the Focus. Probably a bit on the high side. Running total now £10,000 more.

So where does the RS4 save you money? Depreciation is the answer. When I first looked at buying one about two and a half years ago, they were about £20k, which is the same as they are now. In 3 years’ time, how much will they have lost? One thing’s for sure, the Focus will have lost half its value, so will have cost you £10,000 which is pretty much the same as the costs associated with running the RS4.

My point is that if depreciation remains flat, you have ran your RS4 for the same cost as it would have cost you to run a Ford Focus. Even if RS4s do lose some value, that is the only difference in cost.

So what’s it to be - a boring car or an RS4?

Cheers,
Bryan

[ANDYRS#3]

Great lesson in man maths.
You had me convinced at Ford Focus

[MikeFish]

I agree it is the better option and the man maths seems to add up, but it will almost certainly cost you more than 2k more than the Focus to run over 3 years and 30k miles. A set of brakes will cost that alone.

[HPsauce]

A great lesson in Man Maths.
As someone who has had both a Ford Focus and Audi S8 for most of the last 15 years I can probably sympathise with that.

Mind you the Focus will be going soon and there's a real dilemma about its replacement.........
(The ideal solution is an S8 in a Focus-sized body)

[S4WON]

Sold!

[RichieRS]

Love it Bryan .

I even read it out to the missus to further justify the reason I bought one

[Stairs]

I made the same point to a customer of mine when he said I must be charging him to much if I drive round in the RS4, I pointed out that his BMW diesel that he paid £25k for is now worth around £11k and my car I paid £21k for is still worth around £17k even though I have put 40,000 miles on it....

Then I added 10% to his next bill for being a cocky git.



So I guess he was right in the long run

[Harris.]

£1000 insurance ? Mine is £300 .

And £2000 is very unreal on maintenance and servicing on a Rs4.

Now compare it to a decent focus RS . 26k and 20 mpg and the parts are shocking .

What you are doing is like comparing a RS4 vs Ferrari . 2 different cars on totally different levels .

[RichieRS]

£1000 insurance ? Mine is £300 .

Now compare it to a decent focus RS . 26k and 20 mpg and the parts are shocking .

What you are doing is like comparing a RS4 vs Ferrari . 2 different cars on totally different levels .

I think that was £1000 more than the focus over the 3 years quoted!!

I think the point was that the RS4 would cost the same as the focus to buy at the start. Yes it would cost a lot more in running/maint costs but that is negated by the fact the depreciation is going to balance them out over 3 years!!!

The Ferrari/RS4 comparison would work the same way potentially but it would be a £60k second hand Ferrari that's reached the plateau of its depreciation versus a brand new RS4 which would take a good hit in the first 3 years!!!! Even then the running costs would be quite comparable (unlike the focus comparison). So barring the wear and tear maintainance on the Ferrari. The Ferrari could possibly work out the better option long term perhaps??

[Harris.]

Yeah I see the guys point , but the B7 Rs4 will drop at some point, they wont stay at the 20k mark for much longer , more 10k-15k .

The newer Rs4 is dropping like a stone

Costs aside if you want a B7 Rs4 just get one and enjoy it . if money becomes tight at least you can say you have had one

Mine may sit in the garage for a week , and when I do use it I enjoy it . I wouldn't want to use it daily as it would become a boring car .

[S4WON]

Yeah I see the guys point , but the B7 Rs4 will drop at some point, they wont stay at the 20k mark for much longer , more 10k-15k .

The newer Rs4 is dropping like a stone

Costs aside if you want a B7 Rs4 just get one and enjoy it . if money becomes tight at least you can say you have had one

I think "dropping like a stone" is a little exaggerated... The first release / 3 year old cars are still going for late 30s, which if you consider likely discounts mean they are max 30% from new, that aint bad at all for a 3 yro car. Fact is the RS4 badge is very desirable, stick it on a milk float and people will but it.

What will be interesting will be to see what happens to the B7 when the B8 does come into the 20s (couple of years yet?) I predict a lot of the hardcore B7 crew will finally succumb as the B7 will feel very dated once the B9 hits us - similar to the B5 following now.

95% of people who complain about the B8 haven't even driven one.

[HYFR]

Shock horror

8 year old car costs the same as brand new car !!

But yes, I've run V10 R8's over the last 3years and has cost me less than a Focus

[HPsauce]

Tax. Say the Focus costs nothing to tax and the RS4 costs £500 a year. After 3 years, the RS4 will have cost £1,500 to tax. Running total is the RS4 has now cost £7,000 more to run.

Insurance. A tricky one. Let’s say an extra £1,000 more for the RS4 overall. Running total is now £8,000 more.

Tax: My Focus and first S8 cost exactly the same, current S8 is IIRC £25 a year more.
Insurance: Pretty much the same. Both not much though.

[Rick_RS4]

The inlaws just ordered a brand new 1.0 fiesta for 16k I was thinking to myself 4 k more and you woyld have an rs4 and I'd like you a bit more. They can't understand me modifying a 10 year old car. I can't understand the depreciation are ever buying or owning a ford

[HYFR]

Yep.

My mate borrowed my last RS 4 last year when his Corsa VXR got burnt out and he loved it

I offered to sell it to him for £14k, but instead he bought a brand new Octavia vRS for £23k

Madness