About to order - last minute advice

[Dom81]

It's time to ditch the company S4 and buy an RS4

I'm planning to go -

Avant Daytona Grey
Black / Black / Carbon Fibre
Privacy Glass
Buckets (the big debate...)
Technology Pack
Auto-Dimming mirrors (I often disable the dimming, but like the auto lights that come with the pack)
Rear Side Airbags
Auto Air Recirculation

Much of the spec is simialr to my S4, but I'd appreciate any views on -

Model update - any word of imminent changes?
Privacy Glass - does anyone have pictures?
Buckets - any difference in rear legroom to Recaros?
Sat Nav - any plans for a line-in connector on the fascia (for iPod feed without deleting the CD changer)

...plus any goofs I might have made in the spec!

Many Thanks

Dom

[mjh123]

I've had a RS4 for over 6 months and from a great start with the car, I'd now advise you to simply, "not bother".
Maybe mine is just a bad example or maybe I can see the emperor's clothes, but either way I'm now getting fed up of the lack of build quality, crap seats (leather issues) taking the car back to the garage for niggles and more serious engine problems.

[fredfunk1975]

here are some of mine with the privacy glass http://www.rs246.com/modules/pnCPG/Copp ... ?album=360
I think there is a difference in rear leg room between the 2 types of seats
What about sports supension+? The ride is not to harsh with this.

[Genocidalduck]

I wouldnt have the carbon fibre tbh. I specced ali. Think it sets the interior off better.

[craigyb]

Get the CD changer and add a Dension Gateway 400 to keep the CD and add an Ipod/Aux/USB interface.

[PetrolDave]

I've had a RS4 for over 6 months and from a great start with the car, I'd now advise you to simply, "not bother".
Maybe mine is just a bad example or maybe I can see the emperor's clothes, but either way I'm now getting fed up of the lack of build quality, crap seats (leather issues) taking the car back to the garage for niggles and more serious engine problems.

My experience is the exact opposite.

The build quality of my RS4 Avant is much superior to my previous S4 Avant - no niggles, no issues, no visits to the dealer - zilch, zip, nothing.

And it's a much more involving and entertaining drive than even an S4.

[Dom81]

Thanks all for views so far (and MJH I hear what you're saying, but I'm hoping to be lucky - time will tell I guess...)

I plan to try a demo with Sports Suspension+ but I've driven on the track without and it was very composed - I'm not sure if I'll ever appreciate the benefit, but I might feel the pain on a daily basis

I loved ali on my old T-Sport Quattro but somehow find it a bit distracting now. Maybe it's because I've spent 3 yrs with carbon, but ali seems to catch my eye more - it's worth considering though

Privacy glass seems more and more likely...

[gw007]

I wouldnt have the carbon fibre tbh. I specced ali. Think it sets the interior off better.

I'd have to disagree... my first B7 RS4 had the ali finish and I didnt like it, I thought it looked a bit cheap and it didnt half reflect the sun at certain times of the day. My new RS4 has the carbon fibre and it looks so much better.

Get the CD changer and add a Dension Gateway 400 to keep the CD and add an Ipod/Aux/USB interface.

This is another one I cant quite understand, why pay the extra to add an Ipod interface when the RNS-E comes with two SD card slots and plays MP3's.... you can pick a 2Gb SD card up for under £20 now and 4Gb cards arent that expensive. Means I dont have to remember my Ipod and faff around connecting it up...

And go for the SS+, my new one has it... the rides a bit stiffer, but handles better and the car sits that bit lower and looks better for it.

[craigyb]

Some people like to keep there music in one place.

[PetrolDave]

I'm a traditionalist - S & RS cars HAVE to have carbon fibre. Both my S4s and my RS4 had/have carbon fibre.

[Dom81]

Craigyb - The Dension setup looks interesting. How much control (if any) do you have over the iPod through the Nav+ and how much visibility (if any) do you get of what's playing - either on Nav+ or DIS

gw007 - Same sort of question really. No doubt you get full control since it's integrated, but do you lose all artist / album / track data in the move to SD? Dou you get an iPod type menu structure or is it a mass of numeric files & folders

Really appreciate all the help - at least it looks like a decision that can be deferred since either would overcome the problem to a degree

[Dom81]

I'm a traditionalist - S & RS cars HAVE to have carbon fibre. Both my S4s and my RS4 had/have carbon fibre.

Might have misworded my last comment - I've spent 3 years with carbon fibre which I like, and ali catches my eye in a bad (i.e. distracting) way

I don't think I'll be changing...

[craigyb]

Craigyb - The Dension setup looks interesting. How much control (if any) do you have over the iPod through the Nav+ and how much visibility (if any) do you get of what's playing - either on Nav+ or DIS

Same as the CD changer really, you get the first 5 playlists on CD 1-5, but then you can open up the Ipod UI with CD6, this is something you cannot do on the Audi Ipod interface. Display is Track1, etc nothing better.

[SteveH]

Not sure what the seats are called, (not the original buckets that were on most early B7's) but the current show RS4 in my dealer has a really nice set of recaros in it, not much rear leg room but I am a lanky beggar.

i would be 50/50 about ali or carbon, possibly carbon would be ahead by a whisker... Privacy glass does look very good on avant and better for security on an estate.

Spoilt for choice in options is a very nice thing to have... Personally I have always struggled in choice of car colour, my favourite is still Moro Blue on a previous audi, loved that colour and it concealed a lot such as dead bugs and grit road rash.

[Daz]

I nearly went for the Ali trim in mine as I previously had and liked it my my S4. But decided in the end that the carbon was more RS4. If I didn't like it then I could have retrofitted the Ali for a couple of hundred £.