RS4 Real world living

[Moschop5]

Gents,

So those of you who have one of these wee beasties, whats it like to drive it on a daily basis, noise, fuel and every day driving.

I'd appreciate your honest comments.

Having never owned a V8, what sort of miles can I expect out of the 61 litre fuel tank?

Is there much road/wind noise apparent when driving, I know several RS3 owners have commented on how noisy the Conti's are on the RS3.

Whats the chassis and steering like?

Anything else you care to mention, PM me if you like.

Many thanks in advance...

Cheers

Choppers.

[hammy969]

Moschop

I recently went for a run out In the RS with a few others. One of the other vehicles was a new RS4. We both did the same mileage at the same speed. He got 10mpg less than me. Also there was a B7 RS4 with us too and he was averaging the same as the B8.

Note these are off the DIS and the B8 would have low miles so may improve with age.

Not exactly scientific but might help you out with an estimate of fuel costs.

Not had the benefit of a drive in the 4 yet so no idea on the rest.

[535dboy]

I've had mine since December but unfortunately the weather has been terrible since I've had it eg very heavy rain (standing water), snow or icy roads !

As a DD it does everything that I want of it

The range is a bit tiresome (particularly coming from an X5 with a 90 litre tank and better range). The average on my 'to date' trip computer is c18mpg but you must remember that includes quite a lot of town work and new toy syndrome!

The noise (with sports exhaust in dynamic) is awesome and has to be one of the best out there.

I'm still getting to grips with the handling as mentioned in the opening of my post.

The ride is acceptable in comfort suspension mode, and where I have managed to chuck the car around it does grip nicely but with that power (and in this weather) it can be overwhelmed and I've had some controllable slides on. It is very much a slow in fast out type car and I am still adjusting to the sports diff which really does tightening things up as traction goes.

Sorry that isn't much help but in a nutshell I love it

[Graze]

Choppers

I own both a B5 and B7 RS4. I bought the B7 first trading up from a B7 S4 (which in my view is the perfect all round car- it does the short city trip well, does the highway cruise well and is a dream to pass cars with using the paddles to downshift. Then there's the sport mode on the gearbox which gives it go cart like responses to accelerator and handling)

I wanted to try the extra performance and the status of an RS4. It is by far the best car I have ever owned. It is a supreme car in all road and driving conditions, it handles brilliantly with the 60:40 power split, brakes hard again and again and the acceleration and sound are all I coiuld want from a car.

Why did I then buy a B5 Rs4? Well most of my work has been close to home and all the short trips, car not warmed up properly, concerns about carbon buildup, no chance to rev the motor got me thinking I wasn't doing the car justice - all I was doing was clocking up miles devaluing the car when I might as well have a Toyota. So I bought the B5 for everyday driving and just love it - it tootled around town easily, performs when you need it an the turbo kicks in, looks mean to those who know and is a sophisticated car notwithstanding its 12 years.

Mileage the B7 does about 15mpg around town up the 33mpg if careful on a trip, always sounds good and puts a smile on your face, the seats are special and I love that it now gets "special" status and only driven when it's worth it and I can warm it up, rev it out and enjoy the dynamics

The B5 does about 18 mpg around town and 27 on a trip

Both great

Consider your driving, if you can stretch the RS regularly and get it on winding roads then buy it, if you are more the occasional full on driver with a lot of highway or town driving get a good V8 B7 S4 - a lot of car for all occasions with a soundtrack to make you smile!

Hope that helps

Good luck - there is no wrong outcome here! Just buy one of them

Graze

[535dboy]

Choppers

I own both a B5 and B7 RS4. I bought the B7 first trading up from a B7 S4 (which in my view is the perfect all round car- it does the short city trip well, does the highway cruise well and is a dream to pass cars with using the paddles to downshift. Then there's the sport mode on the gearbox which gives it go cart like responses to accelerator and handling)

I wanted to try the extra performance and the status of an RS4. It is by far the best car I have ever owned. It is a supreme car in all road and driving conditions, it handles brilliantly with the 60:40 power split, brakes hard again and again and the acceleration and sound are all I coiuld want from a car.

Why did I then buy a B5 Rs4? Well most of my work has been close to home and all the short trips, car not warmed up properly, concerns about carbon buildup, no chance to rev the motor got me thinking I wasn't doing the car justice - all I was doing was clocking up miles devaluing the car when I might as well have a Toyota. So I bought the B5 for everyday driving and just love it - it tootled around town easily, performs when you need it an the turbo kicks in, looks mean to those who know and is a sophisticated car notwithstanding its 12 years.

Mileage the B7 does about 15mpg around town up the 33mpg if careful on a trip, always sounds good and puts a smile on your face, the seats are special and I love that it now gets "special" status and only driven when it's worth it and I can warm it up, rev it out and enjoy the dynamics

The B5 does about 18 mpg around town and 27 on a trip

Both great

Consider your driving, if you can stretch the RS regularly and get it on winding roads then buy it, if you are more the occasional full on driver with a lot of highway or town driving get a good V8 B7 S4 - a lot of car for all occasions with a soundtrack to make you smile!

Hope that helps

Good luck - there is no wrong outcome here! Just buy one of them

Graze

I assume he was talking about the B8 as he posted it in that section

[Moschop5]

Gents,

Many thanks for the replies, very much appreciated. 525dboy, can I ask how many miles do you get from the tank please.

Current drive is an RS3 and my trip to work is a mix of Dual carrage ways, A and B roads and then some town traffic. 26 miles each way. RS3 is returning 28-33 mpg on a run to work. Have seen higher on trips to Somerset and Cornwall.

Thanks

Choppers.

[nial335]

Had mine since Nov last year. Before that I had a BMW 335i M Sport Touring. Good though it was, I wouldn't go back. It felt boring and pedestrian compared with the RS4, not as well made, did not look special like the RS4 does, not as quick or responsive, and no V8 sound of course. As a 335 is a highly rated car, that says something about the RS4. Mpg depends on where you drive it. My average on my daily commute (part open roads and part town driving) is between 21 -24. Best was on slow trip on motorway when I got 29. I was a very keen on mpg when I bought it but this seems to be a car that gets to you and it's almost impossible to resist opening it up when the opportunity arises. Find a stretch of open road, put it into sixth, press the sport button, let the revs drop to about 1100, floor the throttle, keep it there as long as the road permits, and listen to the exhaust note change as the revs build. Fabulous. Or put it into third and overtake something. Fabulous again.

[nial335]

Sorry. posted on the wrong forum, thought this was about the B7. Doh