B7 RS4 maintenance: parts/skills availability in upcoming years?

[TS811]

So my recently acquired B7 RS4 Avant has already started racking up repair bills. At first I was a bit worried but since the car itself wasn't too expensive, I'm happy to cover whatever bill comes my way as I like to keep my cars in perfect stock condition. My car is relatively low mileage for the age, "only" 91k kilometers.

But what started to worry me a bit more was the question of parts availability and garages who are willing to keep working on these vehicles. This is my first time owning a 15 year old high performance car. Will maintaining the car become challenging in the next few years? What is the situation on the B5 RS4 for example, which is a few years older?

Thanks in advance!

[Kenny147]

In a word, worrying. At the moment there are a few parts that are simply listed as NLA by VAG. Now, this might mean they are permanently gone from supply or that it’s going to take a while to restock parts that weren’t manufactured during covid.

[CrickiKaze]

Do part number search, you might get something off of ebay from europe or something with in the US and other places for RS specific. Plenty of A4 and S4 interchangeability between B6/B7 and other models as well though limited...some include VW. Comes down to price too.

[Rilla]

Body parts going NLA is concerning

[TS811]

Thanks for the replies. So what happens in such cases? Go for aftermarket (non-OEM) parts? I would assume the reliability starts going down the drain...? Surely this isn't the first/only car in this situation.

I was chatting with the dealer the other day about the long-term prospects of the car and they advised to keep it as it should appreciate thanks to the N/A V8 + manual transmission combination. However if parts start to go missing, wouldn't that negatively impact resale values?

[OreOOO]

Thermostats, mirror assemblies, shift knobs, front grilles, valve covers are just a few items that pop up when I think of the list of hard or impossible parts to find.

I was lucky and scored an OEM thermostat on ebay from Lithuania. Some other parts can be found there as well, but you pay a premium.

Not enough to scare me to sell, but when it comes time to fix these cars be prepared to wait just to find the parts to fix it.

[jonan]

lol, i have 8 shift knobs, 3 full new unpainted sets of doorblades, a full spare bns longblock, two new spare AC condensors, 1.5 new sets of full timing chain parts (slowly accumulating five total), 2 full sets of rs4 CF trim, 3x sets of titanium piano black trim, a full new set of rs4 door sills, two new sets of rear window gasket trim, one full new set of exterior window gasket surrounds, two new sets of RS4 specific hood struts, two NEW unused hitachi alternators, one new aluminum bumper grille inserts, two sets of new thermostats, two new unused tensioners, two new unused waterpumps, one new titainum bumper grille insert, one new titanium front plate delete insert, one new aluminum trimmed front plate delete insert, a spare 0A3, three full sets of new pedals (including dead pedal), and many such other things i've forgotten that are whored in my attic, and finally, a fully functioning titanium sprintblue that is a parts car that is my daily driver for my lower mileage sprintblue garage queen...

[CrickiKaze]

lol, i have 8 shift knobs, 3 full new unpainted sets of doorblades, a full spare bns longblock, two new spare AC condensors, 1.5 new sets of full timing chain parts (slowly accumulating five total), 2 full sets of rs4 CF trim, 3x sets of titanium piano black trim, a full new set of rs4 door sills, two new sets of rear window gasket trim, one full new set of exterior window gasket surrounds, two new sets of RS4 specific hood struts, two NEW unused hitachi alternators, one new aluminum bumper grille inserts, two sets of new thermostats, two new unused tensioners, two new unused waterpumps, one new titainum bumper grille insert, one new titanium front plate delete insert, one new aluminum trimmed front plate delete insert, a spare 0A3, three full sets of new pedals (including dead pedal), and many such other things i've forgotten that are whored in my attic, and finally, a fully functioning titanium sprintblue that is a parts car that is my daily driver for my lower mileage sprintblue garage queen...

Since you have a spare tranny laying about...

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...selector-shaft

[jonan]

Since you have a spare tranny laying about...

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...selector-shaft

is that something that is inside that trans?

[jonan]

yep, looks like the selector shaft in inside the bellhousing...sorry can't help you there since mine is still fully assembled...what makes you think your selector shaft is bad?

https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+rs.../3/311-311095/

[CrickiKaze]

is that something that is inside that trans?

Yes, part of it connects to the shift linkage pivot ball. Has a plate on the other side and i belive it should slide out.

[CrickiKaze]

I don't think mine is bad, looking into something.

[longlivenacars]

This is currently one of the best parts sites I've found for our cars >> https://nlaudiparts.com

[blubusdrvr]

This is currently one of the best parts sites I've found for our cars >> https://nlaudiparts.com

Hahahaha!! That’s awesome.

[Nash_TDI]

This is currently one of the best parts sites I've found for our cars >> https://nlaudiparts.com

Director of national operations reporting in. 👨🏽*🔧

[rjd_F30]

lol, i have 8 shift knobs, 3 full new unpainted sets of doorblades, a full spare bns longblock, two new spare AC condensors, 1.5 new sets of full timing chain parts (slowly accumulating five total), 2 full sets of rs4 CF trim, 3x sets of titanium piano black trim, a full new set of rs4 door sills, two new sets of rear window gasket trim, one full new set of exterior window gasket surrounds, two new sets of RS4 specific hood struts, two NEW unused hitachi alternators, one new aluminum bumper grille inserts, two sets of new thermostats, two new unused tensioners, two new unused waterpumps, one new titainum bumper grille insert, one new titanium front plate delete insert, one new aluminum trimmed front plate delete insert, a spare 0A3, three full sets of new pedals (including dead pedal), and many such other things i've forgotten that are whored in my attic, and finally, a fully functioning titanium sprintblue that is a parts car that is my daily driver for my lower mileage sprintblue garage queen...

I'll take the aluminum trimmed front plate delete insert if it's for sale. You can DM me on instagram @rjd_f30. Or send a PM here. Thanks