Potential RS4 buyer, questions / advice / persuasion request

[bn8959]

Hi,

I have been reading this forum with some interest for quite awhile and would really appreciate some assistance.

I have been in love with the RS4 ever since I first saw it in Top Gear magazine while waiting in a chip shop! I may now just be in a position to afford one, and really getting the urge to buy one. Its a large purchase for me and I want to be 100% confident Im going to be able to afford to continue to run it long term.

I curently own a Ford ST220, which Ive enjoyed for years - its good fun and pretty cheap to run, and most importantly predictable costs (eg, fixed price servicing).

Could you help me by providing some really quick answers to some or all of these questions (even if its a 2 word answer to one question, it would be really appreciated):

How much was your last service bill?
How far do a set of tyres usually last you?
Whats your typical MPG?
How long do discs and pads last?
Have you experienced and unxpected costs?

These are all items I would like to compare to my current car so I can estimate how much more its going to cost me.

Is there anything I can ask the dealer, or seller in regards to the DRC issue if I am looking at a particular car, or is it going to be pot luck as to if Im going to have a problem in the future?

Any other new buyer tips would be most welcome!

Many thanks in advance.

Ben

[P_G]

How much was your last service bill?
AVS 1 approx £350 AVS 2 aprox £600 to budget for 2 includes new plugs which 1 doesn't

How far do a set of tyres usually last you?
Anything bewteen 12K and 18k miles dependent on how you drive, however some will say only 8k miles albeit on Pirellis. Budget between £650 and £1000 for tyres, the former for Goodyears, the latter for Michelins

Whats your typical MPG?
Mine is 24mpg the last 6000 miles with a decent it of motorway commute, approx. 260-280 miles to a tank if urban, motorway commute will see up to 350 miles with 63 litres in a tank and about £65 to fill now.

How long do discs and pads last?
Depends on how you drive, rears last ages, front between 12K and 30K miles dependent on who you listen to. £600 for front discs and £200 for front pads plus fitting to budget for.

Have you experienced and unxpected costs?
touch wood I haven't personally, DRC is a problem but not on all cars. Needs a litre of oil approx. every 2-3k miles but then I knew that having an S4 V8 previously.

It's a great car but make sure you have the money in place, if stretching to buy it in the first place the running costs over your ST I imagine may make it too expensive to have.

[bn8959]

Hi,
Thanks for you reply. I am actually really pleased with your answers. Budget is not going to be a problem too buy. Im just trying to get an idea of day to day additional costs. Your servicing costs are similar to what the Audi dealer said. On the ST tyres last me 15 to 20k; my mpg is 26, also with a fair amount of motorway driving - so again, not an order of magnitude out.

If anyone else can give me their figures it would definately help convince me to join the club

Thanks again,
Ben

[SR71]

How much was your last service bill?

First service due this week after just over 15000 miles. I paid £100 for 12L (change requires ~10L) of oil and I anticipate the rest of the service costing not much more than £150 at an Audi Independent Specialist. This will be the third oil change. The price varies quite dramatically even from dealer to dealer.

How far do a set of tyres usually last you?

P-Zeros lated just over 9000 miles. Goodyear F1's look like they will last a little longer. Wear is quite sensitive to driving style...obviously.

Whats your typical MPG?

I didn't buy the car with mileage in mind. I can, however, scrape just under 30mpg out of the car at an indicated 75mph on the motorway. I budget based on 20mpg. A refill is normally about 60 litres every 230-250 miles.

How long do discs and pads last?

Had my front discs replaced under warranty, with pads. You can search the forum for costs but you're looking at about £1K for the fronts alone. You can normally save yourself a few quid sourcing parts from the gurus on the forum. How long they last depends on how you use them.

Have you experienced and unxpected costs?

None that haven't been covered by warranty. The DRC issue is the big one but is now under warranty now for 5 years. You might consider oil changes every 5000 miles unusual but in a car that burns oil like this one, with the attendant issues, its a necessity IMHO. A change will cost you ~£150 (including oil) depending on who does it...

[chemical-ali]

Hi,
Thanks for you reply. I am actually really pleased with your answers. Budget is not going to be a problem too buy. Im just trying to get an idea of day to day additional costs. Your servicing costs are similar to what the Audi dealer said. On the ST tyres last me 15 to 20k; my mpg is 26, also with a fair amount of motorway driving - so again, not an order of magnitude out.

If anyone else can give me their figures it would definately help convince me to join the club

Thanks again,
Ben

Hi Ben,

Have come into RS4 ownership from the other end of things. My previous motor was a Porsche Turbo. I cant say I really watch the costs, so wont be much help there. But what I can tell you is that after owning and running some top notch stuff, I don't feel I am missing out at all and love the car. It is better put together, in my opinion, than the Turbo, much better than the Ferrari 360 (which was all badge and noise) and wont suffer the kind of mouth drying depreciation that those kind of cars lost.

It has a great engine, looks aggresive yet parks discretly in a tesco's car park, and the missus can drive it (with permission) quite comfortably.

The only thing I could give you figures on is insurance, which I pay around £800 a year for. But that is ungaraged and left on the street.

[victor2vt]

Ben,

You haven't said how old you are so insurance could be a big percentage of running costs, make sure you get your car inspected by the most respected engineer bodyshop person you can find, and bid the dealer down down down, there are plenty of these cars for sale out there now, GOOD LUCK and keep us posted !!!!

[bn8959]

Thanks for all your advice. Ive looked up insurance, seems to be about £1200 for me (up from £750 on my ST) - im 28; so I reasonably pleased with those prices; city centre postcode dosent help though. Theft has scared me somewhat, it will be kept in an undergroup car park behind large remote operated gates with cctv in a city centre; so I hope that should reduce my risk.

All-in-all its looking pretty positive for me to buy - just need to find the right time to buy - prices dropping rapidly at the moment (sorry to mention that - good for me, not so good for you owners....); and one with the right spec. Key things for me a Avant (most likely choice), sport seats (not buckets), bluetooth prep (for iPhone 3G - no problems there I understand)....

As you can tell, im desperatly trying to sell myself on one as I do so desperatly want one - there is just a small side of me that is a little hesitant and its telling me to cover all the bases and be 100% sure its the right thing to do! Nerves hit me just after I bought my ST for £13k (I was upgrading from a '89 Citroen BX that was free.....); still Ive never regretted that and loved the car ever since - so im fairly certain it will be the same experience for an RS4; except obviously a hell of a lot better!

[pippyrips]

I picked up my rs4 at 28 but didn't pay half of what you have quoted with a first rate company, It depends on personal details but sounds like you should shop around.

There is without doubt a higher running cost attached to these cars, especially coming from the car you are. If you get an early one the warrenty will be just about up so gives you more options with lowering service costs, that said it's not the car to have something big go wrong without if you have spent to you limit.

[Baggins]

I'm glad someone else has started this off as a newbie looking for advice, I always feel a bit of a plum coming onto a forum and asking questions that must have been done to death before.

I too have been looking into the RS. Beautiful looking car with space and grunt to please anyone. Not often do you get a motor that looks fab straight out the box (some cars need a few tweeks here and there like alloys etc) but the RS is attractive as standard.

My only concern(s) are this damned DRC issue (what does that stand for again?) and the fact that it's high on the list of cars being nicked.

I probably won't buy until March April next year but it's a load of cash to shell out in anyone's books so really doing homework.

Thanks for the time people. Superb site.

Simon.

[JamieG]

Welcome! Feel free to contact me if my services might be of any use to you..

[svassileou]

DRC: http://www.audi.co.uk/audi/partner_uk/u ... _DRC_.html

[bn8959]

Hi Baggins,

Sounds like you are in the same boat as me! I am in love with the car but trying to hold back for the right time, and to make sure Ive got all the bases covered! Theft is my primary concern, followed by unexpected costs and then DRC.
DRC is the Dynamic Ride Control, basically the shocks - there apparently is a design flaw that causes them to leak - also from what I understand, if they are not replaced correctly, they will just fail again.

Im in no hurry to buy (except for my burning desire to own one!). Currently I would rather pay more upfront to get one with the longest warranty, rather than worry about an out-of-warranty fault with an older one.

Ben

[ARSEY4]

Guys are you not aware of the extended warranty on DRC? There is basically a 5 year warranty or 75k miles extra warranty from date of first registration on DRC components.

[bn8959]

Hi,

Yes Ive read through almost every topic in the forum

DRC dosent worry me because of it being covered. Im happiest when everything is under warranty; hence I think I want to get a newer RS4

Thanks for all your help and advice so far! It is nice to know there is a large and friendly community around this car.

Now, back to my 'how much is it really going to cost me' spreadsheet!

Ben

[Baggins]

Guys are you not aware of the extended warranty on DRC? There is basically a 5 year warranty or 75k miles extra warranty from date of first registration on DRC components.

Hiya, yep, aware of it. Problem is, not very appealing to splash out £35K on a car and having to cross fingers every time you approach it that you don't spot oil under the wheels due to the failure of the DRC. Covered by warranty or not, what a pain to have to take it back to the dealers to get it fixed (and am I right in saying that a proper 'fix' has not been found as yet?).

Difficult, very difficult.