RS choice stress: three variants of the Audi RS4 B7

Sometimes situations arise where everything simply comes together. We actually had an RS4 in mind for this article, but it was suddenly sold. It can happen, but it did cause some stress. But we were lucky, because two days later we saw a red RS4 sedan for sale, more precisely the red RS4 you see in the pictures. We call provider Mario Maschek directly. The friendly car dealer is willing to cooperate with the article. “Oh by the way, I also have a red Avant and a Cabriolet in Imola yellow,” he casually remarks. How lucky can you be…

It doesn’t get any better. In this way, we quickly set course for Maschek’s company. When we walk in, we don’t know what we see. Besides the three cars we come for, he also has a few RS4 B5’s, a few S4’s and some Golf GTI. All the cars he offers for sale are polished to perfection and look as if they are new out of the box. “I’ll bring every car to the condition I would want it to be when I buy a car,” said Mario.

The red sedan we actually came for has 144,600 kilometers on the clock and is fortunately still in its original condition. And then we have to talk about the first weak point of the RS4 B7: the chassis. In the years just after the turn of the century, adaptive chassis still had their quirks. As a result, a few pain points have emerged over the years with the system referred to as Dynamic Ride Control. For example, the dampers can leak, which you can hear from a striking chattering sound. It can also be seen when the springs wear out. “Then the rear of the car will hang down a bit”, Maschek reveals. The problem: when one muffler has had its day, it affects the entire system. As a result, many people choose to have a coilover installed immediately in such a case. Not a bad idea in itself, but many owners take the opportunity to bring their RS4 closer to the tarmac. That has also happened with the Avant and the Cabriolet that we will soon be taking on the road. That often results in a somewhat stout driving behaviour; there are then only few reserves in the damping available.

Highlight and weak spot

The RS4’s biggest weakness can be found under the hood. Unfortunately, we have to say, because the engine is actually fantastic. The naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8 features linear power delivery, a thirst for high revs and huge reserves of power. Although the engine itself is solidly put together, deposits on the intake valves can cause problems. And a less good flow means less power. Depending on the degree of pollution, 50 to 90 horses can isolate themselves from the group. Fortunately, there is also good news. Since this problem is so common, there are also many experts who offer a solution. For an amount of approximately €850 you can have the problem area cleaned mechanically. If you have an RS4 of this generation in mind, it is important to check whether this cleaning was carried out not too long ago. If not, that gives you enough negotiating room to drop the price by about $1,000.

Smoothly

Other than that, the RS4 is an amazingly trouble-free car. Little things like the bulging strips on the doors and rusting connections of the oil cooler are quickly fixed. The latter component is positioned well behind the singleframe grille, making it easy for splashing water to take hold and leaving the metal pipes at the mercy of the elements. The power transmission is also always a point of attention for high-performance models, all the more so because this RS4 generation was only delivered with a manual gearbox. We love it, but it also carries the risk that the clutch will go to the Philistines at the hands of inexperienced administrators.

However, if you manage to find a neat copy like the three you see here, the RS4 is still a modern sports car that you can take the whole family with. Its freely-breathing naturally aspirated V8 and the goosebump-inducing sound it produces will make even sports car owners spontaneously cheer.

Which body style you should take depends purely on your wishes and your taste. Are you a sedan man, a family man or dog owner who goes for the practical Avant, or do you want to feel the wind blowing through your hair at a fast pace? Whatever RS4 you have in mind, there is plenty of choice on the internet. Personally, we are particularly attracted to the sedan, simply because the RS4 was only delivered as a sedan in this generation. As was the case when they were still new in the showroom, the Cabriolet is by far the most expensive variant. If there were no problems with the engine and chassis, the RS4 was a very safe investment. If you take a close look at these two parts before purchasing, you will buy a characteristic fun mobile for relatively little money.