Why buy an old RS4? Why not a new S4?

[BlackShadow]

I've been looking at buying a second hand RS4. They seem to be out there for £32-35k. They are three years old and one I test drove was a bit of a bag of spanners.
New S4s are £36k, and they are errr new and probably don't drive like a bag of spanners (I haven't actually driven one yet, will do soon). OK so the RS4 has edge on performance slightly, but take a new S4 to AMD, give them £2-3K and you've got 400bhp ish - i.e. similar power to weight of an RS4.
So why should one buy a 3 year old RS4 as opposed to a new S4, for approximately the same money?

[wazza]

no turbos [img]images/graemlins/033102ass_1_prv.gif[/img]


[img]images/graemlins/bowdown.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/rs4-button.jpg[/img]

[rs4imola]

Hi!
Drive in the new S4 makes test and later in the RS4 it sees tuning in both and for I finish thinks about the exclusiveness of one legitimizes RS! e mainly the TURBOS and if will be able makes a SIDE BY SIDE, then you yourselves it will answer the question! [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
[img]images/graemlins/bowdown.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/rs4-button.jpg[/img] [img]images/graemlins/bowdown.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/grrr.gif[/img]

[Brooner]

Set the two cars sid by side and and there is no comparison for looks as for performance i've driven the new S4 avant nice drive plenty of torque but it dosnt kick you in the back when you floor it and as was mentioned exclusivity only 400 uk cars and if you spend the same money 2-3k on mods youll be grinning every time you drive [img]images/graemlins/biggrin3.gif[/img][img]images/graemlins/FIREdevil.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/bowdown.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/s4anogaro.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/rs4-button.jpg[/img]

[JamesB]

And it's not just the proud RS4 owners having a rant [img]images/graemlins/rant.gif[/img]
As a new S4 driver, I totally agree. The S4 option gives you a new car with less miles and therefore a longer warranty but there is no real comparison in terms of performance. Yes the S4 is no slouch amd I have no experience of a modded one but, as Stephen so wisely says, if you spend the same money on modding the RS4, you'll be laughing.

I had limited choice as my S4 was bought with company car money and, believe me, I'm in no way complaining but would take the RS4 given the choice.
[img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img]

[Chubby]

I had a demo S4 for about a week, I am 6 foot 1, with a longer back than legs. The reason I mention this is the S4's centre consol. For the way I like to sit in the RS4 and old S4, it sticks right into my knee.

I ended up with a bruise that was black and purple. Maybe its just the way I drive.

The S4 sounded the DB's but lacked the punch of a RS4. Spend the money on a good RS4 and get it tuned, and trust me you will never look back.

To quote a well known driver, JK pop singer has about eighteen cars, Aston Martin DB5, Rs6, Rs4 [img]images/graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/29428-red4.gif[/img] etc, and says 'there is nothing faster through a doudle switchback bend than a RS4.'

[kennyboy]

I had the opportunity to buy either and chose the RS4.

My reasons were depreciation of the new S4, read somewhere, it was something like £16-22k after 3yrs. Something that I couldn't afford. Plus at the time, would there be a new RS4?

As with most B5 S4 owners (assumption here) they would want a RS4. I looked at a B5 S4, but didn't really want it as I wanted the RS4.

Yes a new S4 is 'new car', 3 yr warranty, more spacious inside I found, etc etc but as a petrol head I wanted the best and the best for me personally was a 2nd hand [img]images/graemlins/rs4-button.jpg[/img] and not a new [img]images/graemlins/s4addict.gif[/img]

Kenny [img]images/graemlins/greyrs4.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/rocker.gif[/img]

[wazza]

unanimous decision by the jury [img]images/graemlins/nodder.gif[/img]

[img]images/graemlins/bowdown.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/rs4-button.jpg[/img] [img]images/graemlins/bowdown.gif[/img]

[TimJMS]

You could fall in love with the S4 on the grounds of the music it makes alone, but then the melliflous bellow of a Milltek'd RS on full charge also takes some beating. The S4 has comfy seats, more tactile switchgear, superior gear shift and is completely anonymous.

But it really is a shame you drove a dogly RS4 since this will now colour your judgment unfairly. I would suggest you sought out a good example before finally deciding.

I and a good few others would be driving the S4 if it was the better car. Its more user friendly, for sure and the familiarity process takes very little time to complete.

A side by side comparison (search on the word "showdown" in the RS4 section using a six month search date) reveals that while the S4 kept up remarkably well in heavy traffic, my (then) standard RS left it for dead in acceleration tests.

There are great reasons for choosing either, but neither would be a mistake.

Pics in my gallery.

[Joshie]

How I wanted to buy the new S4. I am loyal to the Audi brand (up to a point) and the RS4 was not an option as it was too old to satisfy my complany car opt out scheme.

But the S4 totally failed to impress. Too heavy and too slow. Plus there was no option to readily tune it - sure the Milltek and remap produces more horespower (15% - at a price) but not much more torque and that's the bit you'd miss.

Take an RS4 or even an old S4 for that matter and apply a basic remap and Milltek to relaease loads more power (21% and 23% respectively) but more importantly loads more torque.

How I wish the new S4 had turbos and was designed to be lighter.

Think now its a question of waiting for the new RS4 - anyone have any information on this possibility? [img]images/graemlins/033102bigblink_1_prv.gif[/img]

[BlackShadow]

OK. Thanks for all the advice so far.

I do take the point about depreciation vis-a-vis the exclusivity of the RS4, and the turbo/torque factor of the RS4.

Yes, on tuning, a tuned RS4 is clearly better than a tuned S4. My main point/worry here is that a 3 year old, 40,000 - 50,000 mile, tuned RS4 is a lot more likely to go pop. The car is basically a tuned version of the biturbo S4, is it not? So you have taken an already highly-strung car, and made it more highly-strung. Hence, pop, blown turbos, blown engine, and a lot more money to spend on car that cost in the 30s in the first place. This could mitigate the depreciation advantage of the RS4 mentioned above.

Also, it is proving a bit tricky to find an RS4 in silver with black leather. With a new S4 you just tell Audi the spec you want.

Re the previous comments - what is the gen on any new RS4? Could be worth waiting for.

[img]images/graemlins/s4addict.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/rs4-button.jpg[/img]

[bjacks]

You mentioned that you will have to tune a new S4 to get the same performance as a standard RS4.
The chances are that a tuned S4 will have its warranty voided from the word go, warrantys being pretty much why we buy new cars anyway. I would not like to be in a position to have to pay for anything that went wrong with a new S4, let alone an RS4 which parts are more plentiful.
I know this may not be the case and the warranty may be honoured, but I'd not risk it if you can't afford it!

A std RS4 will be in warranty or can be renewed and is quicker, and looks better [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I know what I'm gonna be spending my cash on [img]images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Cheers

Ben

[BlackShadow]

OK, comparing a tuned to an un-tuned car is not really fair, and I wouldn't modify a new S4 anyway because of warranty concerns. Something I'd do toward the end of the warranty.

However, I'm still thinking of a second-hand RS4 and they are often tuned, or have been tuned and then converted back to standard. Thus, my concern is of these cars going pop. Anybody, got any experience of this?

[Joshie]

Understand what you're saying about a 50K mile RS4 gong pop but provided that it is maintained properly this shouldn't happen. The engine is not quite the same 2.7 unit as found in the S4 and has had many of the internal components reinforced to handle the extra power.

If you like the way the S4 drives and are happy with that then that's all that counts.

[RobertH]

I just got a 3 year old RS4 and whilst you cannot ever be sure in this life I now have another 12 months Audi cover and feel as comfortable as I can.

I would also say that this car smells and feels just like a new one did 3 years ago so time does not seem to dull the ownership experience....

Robert.