Buying a pre-owned RS4!!! What should we do first?

[greenStar]

If any of you guys were upgrading to an RS4, how would you avoid buying one with oil consumption problems? say a $25,000 ~100k mi car.

Do they commonly have severe oil consumption problems like our S4's often do?

I really want to make the jump, but don't want to be kicking myself 3 weeks down the road when I've got it home and having to put oil in it every other day or once a week like I have with these S4's.

I know some of you experts on here are very thoughtful and skilled and take your cars seriously, and would NEVER screw yourselves by buying a headache of a car that had major problems...So what route would you take?

Thanks,

Ben

[greenStar]

ugh

[Mr.Wrong]

There's almost same thread every other week in RS4 section. However, to answer some of your questions:
No RS4s do not suffer from same common mechanical problems as B6/7 S4s do. Like guides cracking, cylinder wall scoring, adjusters sprockets failing.... That's not to say RS4 engines don't fail. I've seen very few with abnormal oil consumption and a few other engine issues, but it's a extremely small percentage. There's plenty of RS4s with well over 100kmi on them and still running strong. BNS is a much sturdier engine than our BHF. If you're that paranoid, along with a thorough PPI just do a compression/leakdown tests and boroscope cylinders. Carbon buildup cleaning is somewhat of a maintenance item that comes with ownership of RS4 and possible DRC issues. Moral of the story, find a worthy one, buy it and enjoy the heck out of it. It's a proper upgrade

[greenStar]

Thanks. I would DEF enjoy the heck out of it and drive the bag out of it. But both my b6 and b7 would DRINK OIL when i did so. It was disheartening every time i opened the hood to check the dipstick.
I have bought many used cars over the years, and normally with a keen ear, a few glances at the tail pipe, and a quick look under the hood, maybe some tactfully asked questions to the owner, and you can be convinced you're making a solid buy with a good foundation. I used to look over and buy lots of cars at auctions, and sometimes you're only looking them over for 15 minutes! Now, I'd surely take longer than that to assess this machine, but..


Would you really show up to a used car dealership with your compression and leakdown tester and ask them if you can start looking into the motor?

great response though... I'm just still weary..


ps. I've looked at numerous threads over in the RS4 section and haven't found a convincing one yet. I'll look up BNS block and oil useage
How many b7 RS4's were made, and how many b6/b7 S4's ?
oh, and i like your signature " Buying a used B6/7 S4 is like playing Russian roulette... " which is the reason for the post
I REALLY want one of these machines!!!!

[Mr.Wrong]

Thanks. I would DEF enjoy the heck out of it and drive the bag out of it. But both my b6 and b7 would DRINK OIL when i did so. It was disheartening every time i opened the hood to check the dipstick.
I have bought many used cars over the years, and normally with a keen ear, a few glances at the tail pipe, and a quick look under the hood, maybe some tactfully asked questions to the owner, and you can be convinced you're making a solid buy with a good foundation. I used to look over and buy lots of cars at auctions, and sometimes you're only looking them over for 15 minutes! Now, I'd surely take longer than that to assess this machine, but..


Would you really show up to a used car dealership with your compression and leakdown tester and ask them if you can start looking into the motor?

great response though... I'm just still weary..


ps. I've looked at numerous threads over in the RS4 section and haven't found a convincing one yet. I'll look up BNS block and oil useage
How many b7 RS4's were made, and how many b6/b7 S4's ?
oh, and i like your signature " Buying a used B6/7 S4 is like playing Russian roulette... " which is the reason for the post
I REALLY want one of these machines!!!!

Don't take it the wrong way, but that's a wrong approach to buying B6/7 S4 and RS4 for that matter. Maybe that's why both of your S4s have burning oil issues. No offense, you should've done your research prior to purchasing a German luxury performance sedan that's a decade old. You're right though I can't imagine many if any dealerships allowing their customers perform above mentioned tests themselves. I mean who would allow some stranger off the street work on the car.... However, most of the dealerships would allow you to take it to a shop for PPI.

On production numbers S4 vs RS4, much less RS4s. S4s were produced MY2004-2008, RS4s MY2007-2008, North American market ofcourse.

Take your time and find one that's right for you. Post a WTB ad here and maybe pick up a decent one from one of the members. I know some are trying to sell and/or just thinking of selling.

Edit:
Just realized something, if you're thinking about that Ibis White one in NJ, careful as it used to belong to a forum member quite sometime ago and he reported oil consumption. Not sure if it was remedied, but something to look out for as it's priced very attractively.

[greenStar]

Mr. Wong, Are you trying to scare me now! ...'Oh wait, if you're looking at that one though, then be very careful...' smh..??

I wouldn't be able to buy it from a forum member, although I know that would be ideal, for the simple reason that I would be planning on financing about half of it..
I wish I had $25,000 cash sitting around though I'd try to buy that immaculate dolphin gray supercharged one!..Or $35k rather! ;)

What is the Wong approach though Mr. Wong?
I realize that a good look under the car is always the best thing to do, but Audi's are hard to look under without a lift. I take a very good look at everything else however, coupled with a long test drive, and then I let the car run for about a half an hour while i look over the exterior and consider all the factors and details. Do you pay for a pre-purchase inspection EVERY time you buy a vehicle? just curious.

Also, research. Isn't that what i am doing here right now?
I've done half a dozen searches for b7 rs4 oil consumption, and from what i have gleaned there is not much information out there....so I guess that is good. Although at the time, there were, what did u say the numbers were...? what probably less than 10% of the number of S4's..?hence there will be a lot less online horror stories to read. Also, most RS4 owners a.) are likely to take better care of their vehicles, and b.) can afford better service and better repair work, so there are likely to be less "oil burners" on the road.
(I was a Biology major btw...so I am pretty decent at research methods.) Ones that end up at used car lots with multiple prior owners though have to scare you a little bit. Why did it change hands so many times..

Sooo... if the car had lets say 3 previous owners, 100,000 miles, a clean Carfax without much data on it, and looked and drove pretty clean and tight, at a used car dealership out of state....Would you find a local Audi Mechanic and pay him to do a leakdown test?
**Does the car have to be put into service position to turn the crank by hand, and the valve covers pulled in order to make sure the valves are closed on each cylinder during testing, in order to do accurate testing?
I wonder what a competent Audi mechanic would charge to do a thorough leak-down test on each cylinder of this motor, and how long it should take him in total..?

Thanks

[PetrolDave]

If any of you guys were upgrading to an RS4, how would you avoid buying one with oil consumption problems? say a $25,000 ~100k mi car.

Do they commonly have severe oil consumption problems like our S4's often do?

I've owned my RS4 from new in July 2006 and oil consumption has followed a simple pattern - for the first 5000 miles after an oil change it's zero, after that it gradually starts to climb to around 0.5 litre per 1000 miles after 10,000 miles. So the moral is simple, change the oil every 5000 miles, so that's a check worth doing on any RS4 you're thinking of buying.

[greenStar]

I've owned my RS4 from new in July 2006 and oil consumption has followed a simple pattern - for the first 5000 miles after an oil change it's zero, after that it gradually starts to climb to around 0.5 litre per 1000 miles after 10,000 miles. So the moral is simple, change the oil every 5000 miles, so that's a check worth doing on any RS4 you're thinking of buying.

^^^Nice!^^^
Well you've also owned it from new, and have clearly maintained it properly.
I don't know how that applies to a 100,000mi pre-owned car you know nothing about from a used car lot.

Are u saying don't buy it if there are no records of oil changes every 5,000mi.?


Does anyone know what, if any, kind of recourse one would have IF buying from a used car dealer...and say 3 weeks down the road after putting some hard miles on it you realize its consuming oil excessively?

[PetrolDave]

Are u saying don't buy it if there are no records of oil changes every 5,000mi.?

No, but if you have 2 vehicles that are otherwise apparently identical, evidence of regular oil changes should be an important consideration.

BTW I've done just over 80,000 miles and apart from the normal wear & tear (tyres, brakes,...) and servicing I've only had three problems - leaking DRC, leaking driver side auxiliary radiator and engine undertray coming off.

[Eric F]

I wouldn't be able to buy it from a forum member, although I know that would be ideal, for the simple reason that I would be planning on financing about half of it..
I wish I had $25,000 cash sitting around though I'd try to buy that immaculate dolphin gray supercharged one!..Or $35k rather! ;)

You can buy from a personal party when financing a vehicle. You just need to get the auto loan up front from a bank or credit union instead of through a dealership.