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Hi guys,

I'm in the market for either a B7 RS4 or please don't flame me an E92 M3 comp.
I dont want to get into a discsuion on which is best but i do want to ask what owners/enthusiast would consider to be good, bad or indifferent history on a B7 RS4.
My main criteria above spec, mileage, colour etc is history and condition, I cant beleive the amount of exmples ive seen or enquired about with services missed, huge mileage and time gaps between services etc and that goes for the M3 as well.

Anyway on the RS4 would you guys feel the following is a well maintained vehicle or not:

2007 Avant just over 50,000 miles

1.7.08 6949 Edinburgh Audi Long life service dust and pollen filter
31.9.09 10507 Edinburgh Audi Inspection service, dust and pollen filter and brake
14.2.11 17141 Edinburgh Audi Long life service dust and pollen filter
17.2.12 22592 Edinburgh Audi Long life service dust and pollen filter
20.3.13 28390 Perth Audi Long life service, air filter, spark plugs, dust and pollen filter
5.5.14 33334 Perth Audi Inspection service, dust and pollen filter and brake fluid
22.6.15 36341 VW & Audi Specialist Inspection service, spark plugs, dust and pollen filter
9.8.16 41225 Parkway Specialist Cars Oil change
1.9.16 42015 All Autos Shrewsbury Longlife service
25.8.17 45655 All Autos Shrewsbury Inspection service and sparkplugs
16.8.18 52264 All Autos Shrewsbury Longlife service.

Then other routine/preventaive maintenance:

01.07.2015 36898 Audi Basingstoke - Health check
01.09.2016 All Autos - Milltex exhaust fitted
06.09.2016 Audi Shrewsbury - New Trims
07.05.2014 33345 Audi Perth - New brakes
08.08.2014 34319 Audi Perth - Replaced oil cooler and pipes
09.08.2017 45505 All Auto - Rear wipe and arch liner replaced and MOT
14.03.2017 All Autos - Auxilliary radiators replaced
14.11.2013 31803 Audi Perth - New wiper blades
16.08.2018 All Autos - front discs and pads, MOT
18.03.2018 49501 Michelin Pilot Sport tyres
18.05.2016 41034 Audi Truro - Health check
18.05.2016 41034 Audi Truro - Brake check
24.02.2018 Audi Shrewsbury - Scuff plates and fog lights
24.03.2017 Autotyres - Hunter 4 wheel lazer aligment
26.05.2017 Fifty Seven Performance - H&R 8mm spacers and extended bolts
29.11.2017 Audi Shrewsbury - New rear wiper motor

Receipts show total spend on servicing/maintenance and things like B16 Coilovers, Milltek exhaust and new brakes & tyres is just over £10k

Looks very good to me. Only thing missing is a carbon clean so put aside about £5-600 for that.

tommchowat wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 09, 2019 5:56 pm

Looks very good to me. Only thing missing is a carbon clean so put aside about £5-600 for that.

More like 1k.

Cheers

Is it as much as a grand?

No. I had it done for £600, documented with pictures, was a very good job.

I think carbon clean is a waste of time and money.

Before I can say if that service history is any good or not we need to know the dates of each service. I've seen cars that have gone 3 years without a service because they have only covered 5000 miles and people think this is OK and is full service history.
for a car like this I'd expect an oil change every 12 months at least.

MikeFish wrote:I think carbon clean is a waste of time and money.

Before I can say if that service history is any good or not we need to know the dates of each service. I've seen cars that have gone 3 years without a service because they have only covered 5000 miles and people think this is OK and is full service history.
for a car like this I'd expect an oil change every 12 months at least.

I’m interested in getting your views why you think CC is a waste of time and money? Are you referring to this 50k mile car or in general? Thanks


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MikeFish wrote:I think carbon clean is a waste of time and money.

Before I can say if that service history is any good or not we need to know the dates of each service. I've seen cars that have gone 3 years without a service because they have only covered 5000 miles and people think this is OK and is full service history.
for a car like this I'd expect an oil change every 12 months at least.

Agreed, for some reason over the last 6-12 months we appear to be caught up on the Carbon clean. It’s isn’t a service item from Audi. It would need doing every 5000 - 10000 miles to stay on top of it and although the difference Is night and day when you have it done (assuming you are running 350 and it jumps to 415) It’s such short gains for a very small amount of time and running it with carbon build up doesn’t hurt it.

Most people get to the 50000 mile mark and decide it needs a clean when the reality is it needed a clean at 10000 miles.

Don’t write off a car because it hasn’t been cleaned.

History looks good but as Mike says what are the intervals. The engines are tight so I change the oil every 6 months, doesn’t matter what mileage I have done. I do it annually with Audi for the stamp and in between I do it.


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In the receipts have they recently flushed out the coolant, brake fluid, power steering, others?

Like in any used car I would flush out all the diferent oils/fluids as you don’t really know what people might have used to top these up... just peace of mind so you know that you are starting out fresh...


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UES wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:04 pm

Is it as much as a grand?

According to MRC’s website yes.

As for a carbon clean, unless you get it done every year then it’s pointless. Just enjoy it and give it a good hiding every now and then.

Cheers

AA_954 wrote:In the receipts have they recently flushed out the coolant, brake fluid, power steering, others?

Like in any used car I would flush out all the diferent oils/fluids as you don’t really know what people might have used to top these up... just peace of mind so you know that you are starting out fresh...


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It’s a good point. Audi do set the intervals for these but I’m with you. First thing I did, re do everything so I know I’m ok.


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AA_954 wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:41 pm

In the receipts have they recently flushed out the coolant, brake fluid, power steering, others?

Like in any used car I would flush out all the diferent oils/fluids as you don’t really know what people might have used to top these up... just peace of mind so you know that you are starting out fresh...


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Yes I’m with you in that and do it on any car I buy. Would the coolant be done during aux rad replacement ?

FrazerD wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:42 pm

UES wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:04 pm

Is it as much as a grand?

According to MRC’s website yes.

As for a carbon clean, unless you get it done every year then it’s pointless. Just enjoy it and give it a good hiding every now and then.

Cheers

Is there anyway to check for carbon build without specialist tools and limited mechanical skills? If it makes a diff I’d get it done every 10k miles

Jon_J wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:38 pm

MikeFish wrote:I think carbon clean is a waste of time and money.

Before I can say if that service history is any good or not we need to know the dates of each service. I've seen cars that have gone 3 years without a service because they have only covered 5000 miles and people think this is OK and is full service history.
for a car like this I'd expect an oil change every 12 months at least.

Agreed, for some reason over the last 6-12 months we appear to be caught up on the Carbon clean. It’s isn’t a service item from Audi. It would need doing every 5000 - 10000 miles to stay on top of it and although the difference Is night and day when you have it done (assuming you are running 350 and it jumps to 415) It’s such short gains for a very small amount of time and running it with carbon build up doesn’t hurt it.

Most people get to the 50000 mile mark and decide it needs a clean when the reality is it needed a clean at 10000 miles.

Don’t write off a car because it hasn’t been cleaned.

History looks good but as Mike says what are the intervals. The engines are tight so I change the oil every 6 months, doesn’t matter what mileage I have done. I do it annually with Audi for the stamp and in between I do it.


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Yep pretty much what Jon said. I had it done when I sold my car because everyone looking to buy was looking for a car that had had it done. Ironically, they didn't seem to car if it was done 4 years ago even though it would have made it no better than a car that had never been cleaned at all.
Unless you are chasing big numbers and bragging rights then it makes little difference. Just accept it has about 390ps and enjoy it.
A lot of cars running low numbers are fixed when they have a carbon clean but this is most often caused by vacuum leaks and fixed by the removal and replacement of the head during the carbon clean and not because of the clean itself.

UES wrote:

AA_954 wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:41 pm

In the receipts have they recently flushed out the coolant, brake fluid, power steering, others?

Like in any used car I would flush out all the diferent oils/fluids as you don’t really know what people might have used to top these up... just peace of mind so you know that you are starting out fresh...


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Yes I’m with you in that and do it on any car I buy. Would the coolant be done during aux rad replacement ?

As we’re talking about RHD you might want to evaluate the drivers side aux rad delete and do the flush then, it’s a common mod that is usually done at the same time the air box flapper mod is done (there are various write ups about this).

Is the aux radiator leaking on that car at this time or it appears as already replaced?


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