Considering an RS 4, concerned about high mileage

[djstardom]

Hey gang,

I just turned in my A4 at the end of its lease, and I've been considering making the quantum leap to an RS 4. I have found a few '07 models listed at asking prices around $40k, with mileage in the high 30,000's - low 40,000's. The prospect of getting into an RS4 for such a relatively low price is exciting, but I've never bought a car - let alone a 420 hp beast of a car, with such high mileage on it. Any general thoughts or advice from RS4 owners? I do plan to purchase some sort of extended warranty.

Or would I be the wiser to go for a used S4, with lower mileage, in a similar price range?

Thanks for any feedback. I've been hitting up this forum for a while now, and the information I've found has always steered me in the right direction.

-Josh

[mountainsnbirds]

30-40k? That car is just broken in. Get a good history report and contact the dealer where most of the service was done. And you can find a new B7 S4 for about $44k.

[Auditude2.0T]

RS4 FTMFW

[joeycuccaro]

High Mileage @ 30-40k!?

As stated above shes still a baby at those miles.

As far as a warranty, im sure buying a used RS4 from a dealer is going to have some kind of CPO warranty. If not i would certainly look into an aftermarket warranty.

[drexplode]

RS4 for the super duper MFW. FTSDMFW!!! I just made it up. Pull the trigger, pay a lil' more and get a CPO?

[RS4POWER]

My car is at 43k miles today.

Never had a problem, still purrs like a kitty and just as much a blast since i first bought it.

[gjc]

I too would share your concern of buying such a performance car with 40k miles. If the car was well maintained you should have no problems but the chance it wasn't always makes you want that CPO. If you do go the RS4, spend the extra G or 2 and get a nice warranty for piece of mind.

[turbo4s]

Go for it. 30-40k is not High. I would say 75-80k is up there but not 30-40k. by the way there are no turbo you have to worry about and as long as it saw the proper servieces, the engine is fine.

[CanuckRS]

RS4 FTMFW...easy choice. Higher mileage would be over 100K on that engine, it should last for long time with good maintenance.

[mbgt72]

I think he's coming from leases. A couple of my friends were the same way when they were looking for their cars. They saw something with 20-30k, and were like ohh, I dunno, that's getting pretty high. My response naturally was WTF ARE U TALKING ABOUT? I bought my S4 with 39k on it, and it's been pretty much fine. I also wouldn't consider these high mileage cars until in the 80k+, however, I don't think I'd buy an RS4 with more than 60k on it without a good warranty.

[Quattroownsyou]

Get it checked out. Get a self diagnostic tool (eg. VAG-COM) to check for codes yourself. There's a lot of technology packed into modern day Audi's. Most of the time things that pop up are going to be intermittent due to the sensitive nature of the electronics that monitor everything that is going on. It really helps to have your own scan tool.

I'd stay away from the ones used for the "Driven" promotion that Audi put on in introducing the RS4 in 2006. Those cars got beat on.

[djstardom]

Wowzers.... thanks for all the responses. It's good to get feedback that generally supports the direction I am heading. I just got off the phone with a local Audi mechanic (who has owned several s4's and various Audi's) who carried out an inspection of the car for me. His findings match up with the general consensus that you guys have provided - the car is in great condition, and has really only been warmed up at this point.

I'm definitely going to get with some sort of extended warranty, and I'll check in with the dealer where the car was serviced.

Hoping to make a deal tomorrow. I rode my motorcycle to work in the rain today, and it scared the living poop outta me.

I'll post pics if all goes through as planned.

Again, sincere thanks.

-Josh

[Captain Insano]

RS4 - but be aware maintenance is expensive. For example I don't think pads and rotors on that car will be covered under any warranty and they aren't cheap... It's an expensive sports/luxury car and hence more expensive than a civic or a corolla to maintain. Ask for service records and definitely get it inspected to see where some maintenance issues might be before you buy the car.

That being said I would get the RS4 if you can afford it. The S4 is a great car, but if I were in your spot I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used RS4 with 40K miles instead of a new S4. JMHO.

[norsecarnut]

Wowzers.... thanks for all the responses. It's good to get feedback that generally supports the direction I am heading. I just got off the phone with a local Audi mechanic (who has owned several s4's and various Audi's) who carried out an inspection of the car for me. His findings match up with the general consensus that you guys have provided - the car is in great condition, and has really only been warmed up at this point.

I'm definitely going to get with some sort of extended warranty, and I'll check in with the dealer where the car was serviced.

Hoping to make a deal tomorrow. I rode my motorcycle to work in the rain today, and it scared the living poop outta me.

I'll post pics if all goes through as planned.

Again, sincere thanks.

-Josh

Not sure if you'll get notified on this reply but it's cool to see an old thread where you were considering this or that but your sig is updated to show the answer/outcome. How are you enjoying the 07 rs4? (I was digging in all the extended warranty threads.)

[mattlqx]

I'm loving my 5k miles (16k total) in. :) Will be taking it in for its interval service next week.

[Retsujou]

30-40k? That car is just broken in. Get a good history report and contact the dealer where most of the service was done. And you can find a new B7 S4 for about $44k.

Agreed, these engines seem to almost need a good 30K to be properly broken in. The Audi mechanic that only deals with the high end models at our dealership told me that especially the RS4 seems to exhibit a behaviour where the car starts pulling even harder after around 30.000 (Kilometers though).

[duud40]

Mate. RS4 is a great car. My car now shows 71000 km and it`s going strong. As long as you can afford 5000 km oil changes, pads , discs, a clutch kit and a nicked rim every now and then you`re good to go!

[Brian0473]

I recently bought my 2007 RS4 with about 42k miles on it so I'm familiar with what you are going through. Having just done it I would echo a lot of what has already been said:

A lot of being able to afford this car is about being able to afford tp maintain it. I had the 45k service done right after I bought it (just to be sure) and it cost me about $280 and consisted of what is basically a mechanic once over + oil change.

Brakes seem to be an issue at around the 40k mark and not just pads...rotors too which are expensive. The guy who owned mine prior to me owning it put brand new rotors + pads at 41k miles so I basically have that $3k bill paid already but you may not be so lucky. I wasn't so lucky with the clutch...it's not bad now but from what I read it could go any time. When it does I'll do a high performance clutch.

Insurance is a little high but not too bad.

I'll be shopping for a warranty soon and will post what I find out.

You can't beat the feeling (or sound) of an RS4 at 8k RPM's.

You only live once...if you have the means I highly recommend purchasing one.

[iconoclast]

30k is not high mileage... i was considering a 59k one for 36k but it was sold before i could even check it out.

[...Mark...]

RS4 FTMFW

if your gonna post stupid ass replies like that, please do us a favor and stay in the A4 forum. If you have somthing constructive to say you are more than welcome to hang around..

[norsecarnut]

30k is not high mileage... i was considering a 59k one for 36k but it was sold before i could even check it out.

FYI - If you are serious about selling the R32, you might want to actually take representative photos....two of the front and two of the engine bay and more or less two of the ass aren't very helpful. Both sides, rear seats, cargo area, interior close, odometer, etc. Plus close up of all the primary mods.


Your sig is cute but it doesn't get anyone excited about the car being close to them either. Basically, make it less work for people to buy your car.

[iconoclast]

thank you for the advice, at this point i am parting it out and trading it in.

[sakimano]

someone on here was freaked out by the cost of a brake job for a 2007 RS4

the breakdown was something like this

rotors - $1500
pads - $600
misc - $100
labour $500

total - $2,700

that's the shit you need to worry about...regular maintenance and wear and tear. At 30-40,000 miles the car is probably close to needing brakes and a third set of tires. Any car you buy, factor in $5000 in expenses to freshen it up a bit and deal with any surprises.

If that freaks you out a bit, don't buy the car

I swear that there are lots of RS4s for sale at 30-40,000 miles because people bought them at 20,000 miles thinking they were 'cheap'...then got handed a service bill that was about 6x their old car's car payments! So they sell.

[iconoclast]

or you could do it yourself just for the cost of parts.

[JMG]

If you can afford the maintenance and it's CPO go for it. I'll tell you right now I regret not just spending a little more for an RS4 instead of my S4, despite the fact that I still love my S4. Be prepared though, the S4 nor the RS4 are cheap cars to maintain.

[TayTay]

do it.

[WinterRunner]

someone on here was freaked out by the cost of a brake job for a 2007 RS4

the breakdown was something like this

rotors - $1500
pads - $600
misc - $100
labour $500

total - $2,700

that's the shit you need to worry about...regular maintenance and wear and tear. At 30-40,000 miles the car is probably close to needing brakes and a third set of tires. Any car you buy, factor in $5000 in expenses to freshen it up a bit and deal with any surprises.

If that freaks you out a bit, don't buy the car

I swear that there are lots of RS4s for sale at 30-40,000 miles because people bought them at 20,000 miles thinking they were 'cheap'...then got handed a service bill that was about 6x their old car's car payments! So they sell.

My brake job will be around 1000$ including install and SS brake line upgrades. IF you go through the dealer that sounds about right. I got pads for 300ish, lines for 200, and de-glazing of the rotors and install should be right around 1K.

[norsecarnut]

rotors - $1500
pads - $600
misc - $100
labour $500

total - $2,700

that's the shit you need to worry about...regular maintenance and wear and tear. At 30-40,000 miles the car is probably close to needing brakes .

Ceramics cost a lot more but last about 4x as long....at least that's 3x less labor and time too. Just an idea. Too bad the Audis don't have a ceramic order option because the one Porsche offers is a no brainer being only $8000 more but lasting 100,000 miles or more.

OEMplus has a set for audis but I think they are overpriced at $17,000.

[mattlqx]

I swear that there are lots of RS4s for sale at 30-40,000 miles because people bought them at 20,000 miles thinking they were 'cheap'...then got handed a service bill that was about 6x their old car's car payments! So they sell.

Hah, that sounds like that's going to be me. :(

[djstardom]

Hah, it's pretty rad that this was revived. I always intended to drop the "I F*CKIN' BOUGHT IT!" post, but I displayed shockingly poor board etiquette and never got around to it. I also wasn't so sure that y'all would be that excited about seeing another post of a stock-ass RS 4.

As someone noted by my sig, I did pull the trigger, and I'm very happy with it. It's a 2007 Daytona Grey model with the platinum interior that makes me feel like I'm a coke dealer whose clientele consists solely of models from Sao Paolo.

Going from an automatic, front-wheel drive a4 to the quattro rs4 was an insanely rewarding transition overall. At first I was having a really hard time shifting smoothly, and it killed me when trying to show off the new beast for my unfortunate passengers. I also allowed myself to be lured into a few retarded pissing matches with jag-offs in their Mustang Cobrahhhss, until I realized that those type of dudes rev on me every single time. I swear those things are the Ed Hardy shirts of the car world... I have now settled in somewhat, sipped the kool-aid, and it is clear that driving a manual is the only way for me.

I just surpassed the 50k mark, so I'm bracing my bank account for the dreaded brake job. But I planned for it - I knew this thing wasn't gonna be cheap to maintain, and that's ok. I also set up a 3 year extended platinum plus warranty with Audi, so I'm feeling pretty swell about things. I hooked up with the good bunch at Eurotech motors (a superb referral I got on the forum) and plan to keep my baby in their hands for all of the heavy lifting.

So big thanks to all you who helped guide me towards the decision. Between my lovely V8 roar and the dumb-loud grumblings of the Ducati Monster I picked up just before the RS, I am one truly blissful motorist... with some angry, angry neighbors. Now if I can only find a forum to help me get the whole Brazilian model thing going, I'd really be set.

[Philosophyy]

Hah, it's pretty rad that this was revived. I always intended to drop the "I F*CKIN' BOUGHT IT!" post, but I displayed shockingly poor board etiquette and never got around to it. I also wasn't so sure that y'all would be that excited about seeing another post of a stock-ass RS 4.

As someone noted by my sig, I did pull the trigger, and I'm very happy with it. It's a 2007 Daytona Grey model with the platinum interior that makes me feel like I'm a coke dealer whose clientele consists solely of models from Sao Paolo.

Going from an automatic, front-wheel drive a4 to the quattro rs4 was an insanely rewarding transition overall. At first I was having a really hard time shifting smoothly, and it killed me when trying to show off the new beast for my unfortunate passengers. I also allowed myself to be lured into a few retarded pissing matches with jag-offs in their Mustang Cobrahhhss, until I realized that those type of dudes rev on me every single time. I swear those things are the Ed Hardy shirts of the car world... I have now settled in somewhat, sipped the kool-aid, and it is clear that driving a manual is the only way for me.

I just surpassed the 50k mark, so I'm bracing my bank account for the dreaded brake job. But I planned for it - I knew this thing wasn't gonna be cheap to maintain, and that's ok. I also set up a 3 year extended platinum plus warranty with Audi, so I'm feeling pretty swell about things. I hooked up with the good bunch at Eurotech motors (a superb referral I got on the forum) and plan to keep my baby in their hands for all of the heavy lifting.

So big thanks to all you who helped guide me towards the decision. Between my lovely V8 roar and the dumb-loud grumblings of the Ducati Monster I picked up just before the RS, I am one truly blissful motorist... with some angry, angry neighbors. Now if I can only find a forum to help me get the whole Brazilian model thing going, I'd really be set.

Congrats!...

[frrg]

or you could do it yourself just for the cost of parts.

I have found this to be the best approach.

Seriously though, if people are concerned about brake jobs-tires-and the cost of the basic service the vehicle shouldn't even be considered People all too often forget about the maintenance portion. Before you know it you have some guy/gal that ownes a nice car, but he/she runs it into the ground, all because the maintenance can be done when needed.


Congrats on the purchase...I hope the ownership is as fun filled as mine has been

[RS4POWER]

Congrats!

Welcome to the club!


Along with the other maintenance you should factor in the expenses of changing the oils much sooner than recommended. Like 2.5k OCI. That would be a good DIY.

[frrg]

Congrats!

Welcome to the club!


Along with the other maintenance you should factor in the expenses of changing the oils much sooner than recommended. Like 2.5k OCI. That would be a good DIY.

Those darn brake cooling ducts...I love them, but at the same time I hate them...

[RS4POWER]

lol, yeah, they can be a pain in the butt i guess.

[RS4POWER]

FFRG-

The new IM really shows its work in the evenings when it drops down to low 70's.
Like yikes!!

[frrg]

FFRG-

The new IM really shows its work in the evenings when it drops down to low 70's.
Like yikes!!

I'm very excited for you and the progress made on your machine. I can't wait until I get mine done. Since I found someone who can perform the IM work it's just a timing thing now. Are you planning on ripping it apart in say, 10k miles to see if the CB is returning? Thanks again

Sorry to the OP, no disrespect intented....threadjack ftl

[RS4POWER]

The gentleman that did the port/polish on my IM is subscribed on RLI and has been taking his IM off every 8k miles. Great results, he is new on Audizine so hopefully he can chime in.

Sorry for the hijack also!

[Sharkfin]

Hah, it's pretty rad that this was revived. I always intended to drop the "I F*CKIN' BOUGHT IT!" post, but I displayed shockingly poor board etiquette and never got around to it. I also wasn't so sure that y'all would be that excited about seeing another post of a stock-ass RS 4.

As someone noted by my sig, I did pull the trigger, and I'm very happy with it. It's a 2007 Daytona Grey model with the platinum interior that makes me feel like I'm a coke dealer whose clientele consists solely of models from Sao Paolo.

Going from an automatic, front-wheel drive a4 to the quattro rs4 was an insanely rewarding transition overall. At first I was having a really hard time shifting smoothly, and it killed me when trying to show off the new beast for my unfortunate passengers. I also allowed myself to be lured into a few retarded pissing matches with jag-offs in their Mustang Cobrahhhss, until I realized that those type of dudes rev on me every single time. I swear those things are the Ed Hardy shirts of the car world... I have now settled in somewhat, sipped the kool-aid, and it is clear that driving a manual is the only way for me.

I just surpassed the 50k mark, so I'm bracing my bank account for the dreaded brake job. But I planned for it - I knew this thing wasn't gonna be cheap to maintain, and that's ok. I also set up a 3 year extended platinum plus warranty with Audi, so I'm feeling pretty swell about things. I hooked up with the good bunch at Eurotech motors (a superb referral I got on the forum) and plan to keep my baby in their hands for all of the heavy lifting.

So big thanks to all you who helped guide me towards the decision. Between my lovely V8 roar and the dumb-loud grumblings of the Ducati Monster I picked up just before the RS, I am one truly blissful motorist... with some angry, angry neighbors. Now if I can only find a forum to help me get the whole Brazilian model thing going, I'd really be set.

haha, congrats

[boostinfd]

I'm sorry for bringing an older thread back up... But i'm in a market for 07 Rs4... Currently there is one with 60k miles for 35k... I'm assuming the waranty has expired on the vehicle? It's only one owner so i'm not sure if this is worth it?

I'm not afraid of high milleage really, but it just seems that 60k is a lot for 2 years... Thoughts?

thanks