thoughts please
Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:43 pm
Hi guys,
Been lurking on here for while genning-up on the RS4, but this is my first post.
I'm looking for something to replace my two year old M3, having most recently come via a couple of tweaked Imprezas and and an Evo. The M3 is very impressive, but the BMW brand has no appeal for me and the new M3 does not do it from what I have seen (although no doubt it will drive very well).
Thought about a 997s, but can't justify the extra money and not sure how it will go down with clients... Which brings me back to the RS4.
Managed a couple of hours in the cabriolet courtesy of very helpful local dealer a couple of weeks ago and this afternoon the wife and I squeezed an hour in a saloon courtesy of another. The Cab is not for me - too much scuttle shake, nor sure about four seat rag-tops and having now driven the saloon, I can't justify the premium.
So my thoughts so far:
I was expecting more engine noise - even with the sport button enabled, I wanted to hear the V8 more. Still sounded very good (and much better from the outside), but left me slightly disappointed. Does anyone know how the Milltech cat-back system sounds from inside the car - does it improve the cabin acoustics?
Compared the BMW system, the sport button did not appear to give a very different throttle response (the wife's Boxster sport option is not as noticable either). No doubt it is improved, but again, not quite the impact I was expecting.
We both thought the bucket seats were very comfortable and I much preferred them to the Recaros in the Cab, but then neither of us is exactly large, and we are used to the sports seats in the Porsche (the buckets reminded me of the seats in the Evo, but with better lower back contours).
Suspension was very good - but I was looking at the sports suspension plus option. Sets the car off visually and given that it is a performance car and almost all the time will either be only one of us, or both, in the car and we enjoy the feel of tauter set-up, then it still tempts. Trouble is local dealers are not recommending and I am going to have to make a decision without actually being able to test the option for myself. Can anyone compare to the Evo VII, M3 (on 19"s) or the Porsche (PASM on normal or sport). The latter on sport is mostly too stiff for general use on most local roads, but on standard is better than the standard car on 18"s.
Wife reckons the car is a mix of Evo and M3 (but when she parked up next to my car, decided the M3 looked like an old man's car...) and I tend to agree - I described it to her before she drove it as an Evo in a suit. She still reckons nothing was as much fun to drive as the Evo - "if you don't get the Evo, you're not driving it properly" was her comment to the BMW salesman... But the RS4 did make her smile, which the M3 never did! And whilst I love the oversteer on tap of the M3, I preferred the overall package of the RS4: the speed is deceptive - you check the speedo and "oh my God", the handling was great. I liked the progression of the brakes and the gear change was just right. I did find the first to second and second to third changes under full acceleration less than smooth, but I think that was me not the car!
Shame Audi cannot sort TMC on a £55k car and that that the phone options are way off the mark, but otherwise I WANT ONE - just not sure on the suspension.
BTW, are re-maps really undetectable? Not that I would consider one at this stage, but maybe after a year, when I need a new buzz....
Any comments would be appreciated, but my internet access is currently limited, so forgive me if I do not acknowledge immediately.
Been lurking on here for while genning-up on the RS4, but this is my first post.
I'm looking for something to replace my two year old M3, having most recently come via a couple of tweaked Imprezas and and an Evo. The M3 is very impressive, but the BMW brand has no appeal for me and the new M3 does not do it from what I have seen (although no doubt it will drive very well).
Thought about a 997s, but can't justify the extra money and not sure how it will go down with clients... Which brings me back to the RS4.
Managed a couple of hours in the cabriolet courtesy of very helpful local dealer a couple of weeks ago and this afternoon the wife and I squeezed an hour in a saloon courtesy of another. The Cab is not for me - too much scuttle shake, nor sure about four seat rag-tops and having now driven the saloon, I can't justify the premium.
So my thoughts so far:
I was expecting more engine noise - even with the sport button enabled, I wanted to hear the V8 more. Still sounded very good (and much better from the outside), but left me slightly disappointed. Does anyone know how the Milltech cat-back system sounds from inside the car - does it improve the cabin acoustics?
Compared the BMW system, the sport button did not appear to give a very different throttle response (the wife's Boxster sport option is not as noticable either). No doubt it is improved, but again, not quite the impact I was expecting.
We both thought the bucket seats were very comfortable and I much preferred them to the Recaros in the Cab, but then neither of us is exactly large, and we are used to the sports seats in the Porsche (the buckets reminded me of the seats in the Evo, but with better lower back contours).
Suspension was very good - but I was looking at the sports suspension plus option. Sets the car off visually and given that it is a performance car and almost all the time will either be only one of us, or both, in the car and we enjoy the feel of tauter set-up, then it still tempts. Trouble is local dealers are not recommending and I am going to have to make a decision without actually being able to test the option for myself. Can anyone compare to the Evo VII, M3 (on 19"s) or the Porsche (PASM on normal or sport). The latter on sport is mostly too stiff for general use on most local roads, but on standard is better than the standard car on 18"s.
Wife reckons the car is a mix of Evo and M3 (but when she parked up next to my car, decided the M3 looked like an old man's car...) and I tend to agree - I described it to her before she drove it as an Evo in a suit. She still reckons nothing was as much fun to drive as the Evo - "if you don't get the Evo, you're not driving it properly" was her comment to the BMW salesman... But the RS4 did make her smile, which the M3 never did! And whilst I love the oversteer on tap of the M3, I preferred the overall package of the RS4: the speed is deceptive - you check the speedo and "oh my God", the handling was great. I liked the progression of the brakes and the gear change was just right. I did find the first to second and second to third changes under full acceleration less than smooth, but I think that was me not the car!
Shame Audi cannot sort TMC on a £55k car and that that the phone options are way off the mark, but otherwise I WANT ONE - just not sure on the suspension.
BTW, are re-maps really undetectable? Not that I would consider one at this stage, but maybe after a year, when I need a new buzz....
Any comments would be appreciated, but my internet access is currently limited, so forgive me if I do not acknowledge immediately.
