PhilNotHill

Got the adaptive steering on our 2015 RS5 which also has adaptive cruise control (which l thought l would hate but love...keeps me back from the cars ahead which keeps rocks from chipping the car...use it only in traffic or when l want to avoid tickets on the lnterstate).

The adaptive steering is stiffer in dynamic mode...more sports car like. Our S4 has regular dynamic steering which is good too. Suggest you drive both and see which you prefer.

slingshot60

Thanks for the info guys! I have driven the 2014... it is in the DFW area (170 miles away), the 2013 is in Houston (325 miles away). My nephew went and looked at the 2013 for me today... Are there any significant differences in the 2013 vs 2014 models?

superswiss

No significant difference. Some minor updates like newer firmware and such. There are updates for the 2013 that dealers can install to bring it up to the level of later MYs, so there isn't really anything you would be missing out. I would say the main thing is that with a 2014 you have another year of warranty left vs the 2013.

jschrauwen

I'd 2nd that.
I'm running the oem 19" Y-spoke wheels and hate to fathom the ride from 20" wheels combined with a stiffer suspension from an S/RS5 as compared to my A5.
I also have oem 18" wheels with snows mounted and using for the first time this winter. The ride comfort/smoothness is definitely noticeable between the 18" vs the 19" so I imagine a similar comparison between 19" vs 20" may also be the same.

lmariorod

Yes the ride will be better on 18's than 19"s and 20"s. But IMO an RS or S should only run on 19"s or 20"s. The facelift base S5 downgraded to 18"s and they do not do the S justice.

I currently run 19" 9" peelers with 20mm r and 15mm f spacers for a nice stance and better handling. But in the springtime, I'll switch over to 20"/ 10.5" rim and tires and it gives the S5 a nice aggressive look. Ride suffers slightly but the look improves greatly.

slingshot60

Therein lies the rub... better looks vs better ride? The 30 y/o me would have chosen the looks without hesitation, the 57 y/o me is a little more interested in ride but still wants a fast, comfortable car with style.

superswiss

Ride comfort is really more nuanced than the wheel size. It depends on a number of bigger factors, such as the overall suspension, choice of tire and the tire pressure you chose to run on. For example a winter or all-season tire with generally softer sidewalls will make for a more comfortable ride versus a high-performance summer tire with stiffer sidewalls such as the P Zero. Equally important is tire pressure. The RS like many other cars has two recommended tire pressures. One for normal load up to 2 passengers (39f/35r) and full load (44f/41r), so there is quite a range to play with. During the summer months when the rubber compound is softer I generally run at the higher recommended pressure and during the winter where the cooler temps harden the rubber, I switch to the lower pressure (Here in NorCal I can keep summer tires all year).

There's really not much difference in ride comfort between the 19s and the 20s on the RS5. The RS5 will ride firmer than an A5, period. That's simply a function of the suspension, but FWIW I came from a 2007 S4 with 18s and Michelin PSS rubber to the RS5 with 20s and Pirelli rubber. The RS5 rides more comfortable than my S4 did and at the same time it's much more buttoned down and has significantly less body roll. The RS5 is dampened really well for regular driving and at the same time the suspension is progressive, so you can throw it around corners and it mostly stays flat.

Honestly, though, if ride comfort is a big deal, then the RS5 is the wrong car. The suspension is oriented towards firmness on purpose and not towards comfort.

eric strauss

… been traveling.

The two choices are both great, but here is my humble opinion.

I would absolutely go for the Sport Exhaust. It is such a great element to the car and really allows you to enjoy the dinosaur that the V8 represents. Folks, this will likely be the last naturally aspirated V8 to grace an Audi, complete with a 8300rpm redline. It sounds so gorgeous and I love it in the canyons. If you are not celebrating the aural sensations of that motor, there is not a whole lot in its favor. We have had three other S4/5's with forced induction and they are quicker in the cut and thrust of the canyons, get 50% better fuel mileage and are cheaper to maintain. That being said, I love my RS5. We are both old technology ;-)

Being on the old side (57), I learned to drive defensively long before the electronic aids were available. As far as lane departure, I had it on my A6 and turned it off, but it still harassed my Valentine V1 (there is a fix, btw). If you adjust your mirrors properly, there simply are no blind spots. tilt the mirror outward so that you can no longer see the side of your fender in the mirror. Now you have no blind spot in the lanes next to you. By the time an approaching car moves out of the mirror visual stage, they are squarely in your peripheral vision.

I also admit to being old school, but just don't use cruise control - even on my 600 mile drives. It is too easy to become disconnected to the road. If the cars you were searching for both had all of the features, then the choice boils down to color. But for the two you consider, the sport exhaust is a deal breaker for me.

Be prepared for an accelerated maintenance schedule. Our tires last about 8-10K, brakes about 15K - true for all three S-cars and the RS5.

Here is a picture of the RS5 at the Mulholland Snake last Sunday…

Happy Motoring

Eric

SloopJohnB@mac.com

Audi has somewhat lost its way since 2000 in terms of coordinated interiors. Still very good, but not that much better anymore compared to the M4. About the only discriminator between it and the M4 is the quattro. Usually that is enough, but not compared to an M4 (the M235 is quite a beast with 365 hp as well). Even though I like the M4 over the RS5 I'm still keeping my E46 M3 cabrio. None of the new cars are sufficiently better (and the Corvette supercharged is a fantastic car; the ones I've driven are not rattly at all) even with all the new technology that just seems to pacify you while you're stuck in poseur mode during your DD.