Hello all,
I am considering the purchase of either an E46 M3 or a RS4 to replace my Honda S2000.
My main reason is that I need something a bit more practical to lug my MTBs and kite-surfing gear round in!
Appreciate that I am posting this on a RS4 board but would appreciate some feedback and any insights that you might have on the two vehicles. In particular on driving involvement, reliability and running costs. M
My gut feeling is that the M3 may be slightly more involving to drive than a RS4 (controversial!) Anyone compared the two?
I recall that the RS4 is famous for having 'soft' wheels. Is this still a problem? How have people tackled this? What other things should I be looking for in the purchase of a 2nd hand RS4?
Thanks!
RS4 vs. E46 M3
You know it makes sense...
Can't comment on the M3. I'm sure someone will be along in a moment who has owned both.
On wheels there was a long saga which ended with Audi offering owners two choices: replacement "hard" wheels (one set), or free replacement of the "soft" wheels for the lifetime of the vehicle. Click this link http://www.rs246.com/modules.php?op=mod ... t=0&pos=19 to see the letter (from Tanoga's gallery).
If the previous owner went for soft wheels, you are looking for an insert in the back of the warranty booklet that comes with the car, which sets out the details of the lifetime warranty.
Personally I don't find it a problem. Mildly inconvenient but on the bright side I'm getting two new wheels for free next week, and they're lending me a new A8 while it's being done.
Cheers, Richard.
Can't comment on the M3. I'm sure someone will be along in a moment who has owned both.
On wheels there was a long saga which ended with Audi offering owners two choices: replacement "hard" wheels (one set), or free replacement of the "soft" wheels for the lifetime of the vehicle. Click this link http://www.rs246.com/modules.php?op=mod ... t=0&pos=19 to see the letter (from Tanoga's gallery).
If the previous owner went for soft wheels, you are looking for an insert in the back of the warranty booklet that comes with the car, which sets out the details of the lifetime warranty.
Personally I don't find it a problem. Mildly inconvenient but on the bright side I'm getting two new wheels for free next week, and they're lending me a new A8 while it's being done.
Cheers, Richard.
Hi Richard,
Thanks for posting and good to hear that the wheels issue is sorted.
What are your thoughts on the RS4 ownership experience? Would be interested to hear the owners point of view given that it is particularly hard to sort out a test drive in a RS4!
Apart from the wheels, have you had any other reliability issues? What are the running costs like? Got a quote for insurance on a 2nd RS4 and it was almost half of what I am paying now for the S2000. Crazy or what?!
Thanks,
john
Thanks for posting and good to hear that the wheels issue is sorted.
What are your thoughts on the RS4 ownership experience? Would be interested to hear the owners point of view given that it is particularly hard to sort out a test drive in a RS4!
Apart from the wheels, have you had any other reliability issues? What are the running costs like? Got a quote for insurance on a 2nd RS4 and it was almost half of what I am paying now for the S2000. Crazy or what?!
Thanks,
john
It's a great car and I love it.
I got mine last November with 8500 miles. Now at 15000. No reliability issues at all. My only warranty claim has been for some corrosion of the wheel centres and of the rear numberplate surround. And 2 bent wheels as mentioned. Warranty runs out next week so I've just had it inspected at QST www.qstuning.com, as well as the main dealers, and it was pronounced fault free.
So I've been lucky so far, but there have been turbo failures and gearbox failures mentioned on this board. Try a search.
Running costs aren't bad IMHO:
For me 22mpg, tyres (Michelin PS2s) still OK at 15K. Clutches seem to last approx 40,000 miles. Brakes depend on how you drive but new discs and pads all round aren't cheap (about 1500 GBP).
RS4s are on variable servicing so theoretically you can get approx 15K miles between services, but lots of bhp per litre so I prefer to change the oil more often than that. Small service 200-odd quid. Big cam belt service at 40,000 costs 800-odd quid.
Depreciation forecast is pretty good I think. RS4s are rare and special, and prices have held up well so far.
Insurance stupidly cheap as you say (although having driven an S2000 I think tail-happy Hondas with a penchant for hedges should be expensive to insure, and there should be a question "will you drive it in the wet?" on the form
)
Cheers, Richard.
I got mine last November with 8500 miles. Now at 15000. No reliability issues at all. My only warranty claim has been for some corrosion of the wheel centres and of the rear numberplate surround. And 2 bent wheels as mentioned. Warranty runs out next week so I've just had it inspected at QST www.qstuning.com, as well as the main dealers, and it was pronounced fault free.
So I've been lucky so far, but there have been turbo failures and gearbox failures mentioned on this board. Try a search.
Running costs aren't bad IMHO:
For me 22mpg, tyres (Michelin PS2s) still OK at 15K. Clutches seem to last approx 40,000 miles. Brakes depend on how you drive but new discs and pads all round aren't cheap (about 1500 GBP).
RS4s are on variable servicing so theoretically you can get approx 15K miles between services, but lots of bhp per litre so I prefer to change the oil more often than that. Small service 200-odd quid. Big cam belt service at 40,000 costs 800-odd quid.
Depreciation forecast is pretty good I think. RS4s are rare and special, and prices have held up well so far.
Insurance stupidly cheap as you say (although having driven an S2000 I think tail-happy Hondas with a penchant for hedges should be expensive to insure, and there should be a question "will you drive it in the wet?" on the form
)Cheers, Richard.
The real answer is to see how long some of us have had our cars. I have had mine for over 3 years. There are others like PhilT and JohnR who have had theirs longer. The bottom line is no other car comes close. Because we have nothing to replace them with, we have kept them and will do so until perhaps the next RS4. Those who sold had them on lease and they had to go. Many sold and bought them back again.
M3? Its just not in the same leaque. You will be pretty shaken when an estate pulls away from you on road or track.
M3? Its just not in the same leaque. You will be pretty shaken when an estate pulls away from you on road or track.
Good point. My favourite was from RS4 Barry, who said...Many sold and bought them back again.
http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... ght=#28098After selling my old RS4 over a year and a half ago for a 911t I have realised that it was quite frankly the best car I have ever owned - yes I tried other cars (RS6, M3, 911t, Evo7 etc) but none have really hit the spot like the RS4 did.
... and then bought another RS4.
Cheers, Richard.
Richard,
Are you planning on extending your warranty? If so, how much will that be annually?
Thanks for the pointer to the QST site, some interesting stuff going on there!!
As for the insurance on the S2000, managed to stack one on my first test drive. Still bought one in the end though!!! And yes, before you ask it was in the wet!
cheers,
John
Are you planning on extending your warranty? If so, how much will that be annually?
Thanks for the pointer to the QST site, some interesting stuff going on there!!
As for the insurance on the S2000, managed to stack one on my first test drive. Still bought one in the end though!!! And yes, before you ask it was in the wet!
cheers,
John
You it will be able to understand because the RS4 is the best option, sees here the most complete collection videos of challenges of the RS4 
http://www.rs4-imola.com.br/downloads.htm
against all the other cars and says which is its conclusion!?!?!?!?
cheers
http://www.rs4-imola.com.br/downloads.htm
against all the other cars and says which is its conclusion!?!?!?!?
cheers
"BEYOND 300KM/H THERE ARE NO FRIENDS"
Lots of info on warranty costs here http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... ic&t=41156crash wrote:Are you planning on extending your warranty? If so, how much will that be annually?
Cheers, Richard.
The M3 might be slightly more fun, but its not necessarily faster. You can of course easily Mod the RS4, unlike the M3, which will then blow anything away.
I bought a RS4 over the M3 cauz it just looks so cool. And, its got 5 doors, fold down seats, and decent boot(avant). Very very practicle. And, people dont think yoru an "up yourself" person, as your not driving a BMW. And i still like it after 1.5 years (what does that tell you).
You must do the suspension though, as the stock is #$%^. A Factory upgrade is available for this.
I bought a RS4 over the M3 cauz it just looks so cool. And, its got 5 doors, fold down seats, and decent boot(avant). Very very practicle. And, people dont think yoru an "up yourself" person, as your not driving a BMW. And i still like it after 1.5 years (what does that tell you).
You must do the suspension though, as the stock is #$%^. A Factory upgrade is available for this.
My RS4 has just gone on 12 000 miles with no probs. Having just run out of warranty, I too had mine checked by two independent specialists and they too could not fault it.
I know there have been some RS4 problems, but then we only hear about the bad things. I think Thomson said his car has done 150 000 miles or so with no major probs. I think on the whole depending how they are driven they are a fault free car, particularly at only 3 or so years old.
I also ride bikes and mountain bikes. It's great being able to drop the back seat and slide the bike in the back, and still fit what ever else you need by accessing both passenger doors and the tail gate. And if that's not enough of course you can attach racks to the roof rails. Would be a pain in the M3 to load up if you're going anywhere with gear and you do not see them going around with roof racks.
I think if you don't have unlimited funds and want practicality and what is an awesome car then I would be giving the M3 the miss.
I know there have been some RS4 problems, but then we only hear about the bad things. I think Thomson said his car has done 150 000 miles or so with no major probs. I think on the whole depending how they are driven they are a fault free car, particularly at only 3 or so years old.
I also ride bikes and mountain bikes. It's great being able to drop the back seat and slide the bike in the back, and still fit what ever else you need by accessing both passenger doors and the tail gate. And if that's not enough of course you can attach racks to the roof rails. Would be a pain in the M3 to load up if you're going anywhere with gear and you do not see them going around with roof racks.
I think if you don't have unlimited funds and want practicality and what is an awesome car then I would be giving the M3 the miss.
All,
Thanks for the comments and feedback. I have recently had the opportunity to take an M3 and a RS4 out for a drive back to back and have decided on purchasing a RS4. I was distinctly unimpressed with the M3 given it's reputation as 'The Ultimate Driving Machine' even though it is a fast machine and had a very nice raspy exhaust note.
The RS4 on the other hand had me smiling from the moment I started it up! And once I had it warmed up properly and could open it up the smile became an even bigger grin. I haven't been impressed by a car like that for quite some time.
To compare, I decided to go around the test route again with the RS4 when I was more than happy to give back the keys to the M3 after one circuit. To say that I had difficulty giving the keys back for the RS4 would have been an understatement - I wanted to take it home with me there and then!
So the search for my RS4 begins in earnest. I will be starting up a separate thread on buying advice. Would it be best to post this in the main forum or in the For Sale / Wanted area?
Thanks again for your feedback and I look forward to joining your club soon.
cheers,
John
Thanks for the comments and feedback. I have recently had the opportunity to take an M3 and a RS4 out for a drive back to back and have decided on purchasing a RS4. I was distinctly unimpressed with the M3 given it's reputation as 'The Ultimate Driving Machine' even though it is a fast machine and had a very nice raspy exhaust note.
The RS4 on the other hand had me smiling from the moment I started it up! And once I had it warmed up properly and could open it up the smile became an even bigger grin. I haven't been impressed by a car like that for quite some time.
To compare, I decided to go around the test route again with the RS4 when I was more than happy to give back the keys to the M3 after one circuit. To say that I had difficulty giving the keys back for the RS4 would have been an understatement - I wanted to take it home with me there and then!
So the search for my RS4 begins in earnest. I will be starting up a separate thread on buying advice. Would it be best to post this in the main forum or in the For Sale / Wanted area?
Thanks again for your feedback and I look forward to joining your club soon.
cheers,
John
Congratulations!!! 
and do the side by side RS4 stock vs M3 CSL and see Who will win?
RS4 stock vs M3 CSL quarter mile simulator
http://www.jsread.com/tvr/quartermile.htm
and do the side by side RS4 stock vs M3 CSL and see Who will win?
RS4 stock vs M3 CSL quarter mile simulator
http://www.jsread.com/tvr/quartermile.htm
"BEYOND 300KM/H THERE ARE NO FRIENDS"
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