Real world Audi RS4 running costs

Associate
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3 Mar 2010
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82
Guys,

Anyone have any real world experience on running costs on Audi RS4's. Done a lot of looking about, these can be had with low miles from 25k-27k ish which is do-able.

I know it will eat petrol, tyres and wont be cheap to service, tax etc etc. I know warranty is essential etc etc but can any offer up any real world costs in terms of tyres, servicing, faults etc etc.

Im under no illusions these are cheap cars to run, ive got some ideas but would welcome any thoughts!
 
Man of Honour
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21 Feb 2006
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29,300
Housey 'ish' pricing model

Tyres £1000 a set (15K - 25K miles per)
Tax £440 per year
Service £400 to £1200 (Depends)
Front pads/discs £900-£1200
Rear pads/discs £300-£500
Litre of oil every 10K
Warranty....if high miles...........are you sitting down.....£2400
Suspension refresh and geo £2000

LOADS of issues with emissions lights, air sensors, coil packs (warranty recall issue at moment) suspension bits

You're buying a £55K-£60K uber saloon and even if you can get it for 20K it's still a very expensive car. Mine is now over 100K miles, it had 11K when I bought it.
 

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Soldato
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Wishaw
all depends on whether you want to keep it fully serviced at an audi main dealer or a decent specialist.

for example. that £800 job at the dealer wil be £600 at a specialist etc etc


not a good comparison but my old mans running a 3.2 a3 quattro and the difference between an Audi approved specialist and an an Audi main dealer is rather large.

wheel bearing and service as specialist ran to £400 main dealer quoted over £650
Alternator replacement. £401 at the specialist the same part and fitting was over £550 at a main dealer.

but an rs4 is another league entirely they have the potential to generate huge bills If things go wrong.

best people to ask is on rs246.com plenty people over there who will own one and can give you real world costs
 
Man of Honour
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best people to ask is on rs246.com plenty people over there who will own one and can give you real world costs

What, you mean like I just did?

You'll struggle to find anyone on there who's done as many miles in there RS4 as I have. My numbers above we ranges based on independents and dealer. I just had the front discs and pads replaced by an independent I got from RS246.com and you're still close to £900 with OEM parts.
 
Associate
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18 Oct 2002
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2,498
Well if you buy a brand new car for 10k and the discs/pads cost £300 to replace, is it really hard to beleive a 60k car (when new) costs £900 to replace the discs/pads? Cars get cheaper but the maintenance costs dont thats why if you have to question running costs of this sort of car you probably cant afford one, harsh but kind of true really...
 
Associate
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9 May 2007
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housey can i ask have you driver the e90 m3?
if so whats it like compared to the rs4 and if you had to do that mileage again would you still choose the rs4?
 
Man of Honour
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housey can i ask have you driver the e90 m3?
if so whats it like compared to the rs4 and if you had to do that mileage again would you still choose the rs4?

I've driven several E90 M3's and though slightly more fun and a bit sharper I think the RS4 is a better all rounder due to the way it allows you to make fuss free progress in bad conditions, something we often have in the UK. It's ability to lay down 400bhp fuss free is quite incredible and it's ability in snow is incredible for a fat tired uber saloon. However, if I were choosing between the 2 today I would chose the M3 as it's the sharper car and is more fun and I find the RS4 a bit numb, though to be fair the current generation of M3 isn't as sharp as the E46 and each time I drive one I feel somewhat removed from the older cars driving experience, but that comes down to modern cars are just built this way.

Both superb cars however.
 
Man of Honour
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That's bonkers!!!. How can they possibly justify that cost?. :eek:

Gallado front disc pads don't help, though they are a thing of beauty. I went Pagid pads, for they were £150 less than the OEM pads, but having taken it around Donington last week in the evening event they were vibrating like you wouldn't believe after 4 laps, I mean shaking the entire car much to my various passengers amusement.
 
Caporegime
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What, you mean like I just did?

You'll struggle to find anyone on there who's done as many miles in there RS4 as I have. My numbers above we ranges based on independents and dealer. I just had the front discs and pads replaced by an independent I got from RS246.com and you're still close to £900 with OEM parts.

£900 for front discs + pads fitted isn't that bad value tbh.

My Vectra VXR was £400 parts only for Front Discs + Pads. Plus maybe a couple of hours labour at VXL £100 an hour.

How much of that £900 was parts ? or is that parts only :eek:
 
Associate
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19 Oct 2002
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Manchester
Gallado front disc pads don't help, though they are a thing of beauty. I went Pagid pads, for they were £150 less than the OEM pads, but having taken it around Donington last week in the evening event they were vibrating like you wouldn't believe after 4 laps, I mean shaking the entire car much to my various passengers amusement.

Housey, do you know what the OEM's are, as I think most people are assuming they're Pagid's. Although £75 vs £200+ for an OEM box seems too much a gap even for Audi!!
 
Man of Honour
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I believe the OEM's are also Pagid but a different compound and they also look slightly different too I believe. I had the work done by Andrew Chapple at Volkswizard who did a great job for a very reasonable price and also gave me a full diagnostic check and print out and did some minor software updates all within the cost, even gave it a wash too. If you live in the Midlands I can recommend them.

Discs were £549
Pads were £75

Fitting was £108 so very reasonable now I look back on it.
 
Man of Honour
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Plymouth
Based on the fact that my mate's RS6 has been in a garage for the past 2 months, I'd say it's going to cost you an awful lot and you'll see it an awful little should anything even remotely 'straightforward' go wrong :/

But they're fun as hell when they're running well...
 
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