evo long term test of the RS4
10-25-2006, 08:47 PM
#1
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
evo long term test of the RS4
October 2006:
The trip to Spa for the Caterham Cosworth Masters races (096) finally saw off the last of the legal tread on the Pirellis. Not that you'd know it from the driver's seat, the four-wheel-drive RS4 feeling as sure-footed as ever, even in the torrential conditions we were occasionally caught in whilst in Belgium.
It's the front-left that has gone first, which is predictable given the weight in the nose, though to be fair the rears aren't that far behind. We're going to replace all four together and try the alternative OE (original equipment) tyre, the Michelin Pilot Sport 2. They'll go on just before the first service, which has been booked and will probably happen at 14,000 miles, 4000 miles earlier than the flexible schedule allows for.
As it happens, the V8 hasn't used a drop of oil since I mentioned its consumption last month, but I'll still feel happier when it's been serviced. The only bit of additional work for the dealer is to investigate the parking sensor, which squawks as soon as you select reverse even if you're in the middle of a deserted car park. As you can imagine, it's been slowly driving me mad for the last few thousand miles.
September 2006:
With an engine as special as the RS4's 4.2-litre V8, it's a bit worrying when it seems to be gaining an appetite for oil. Two and a half litres in 7000 miles isn't gluttonous, but this `Long Life' stuff costs about ?17 a litre, and sometimes an appetite grows... Mind, the handbook says half a litre every 1000 miles isn't a worry, and also that oil consumption can be expected to be higher in the first 3000 miles.
Since the Audi came back from its Le Mans trip (gleaming - thanks, Chee!) I've only done about 1000 miles, but I've checked the dipstick twice. Driving the family sedately up to Cleethorpes for my niece Jess's 18th birthday bash, I noticed the oil temperature (a permanent fixture on the dash display) sitting at 102 degrees C. Having not seen it in three figures at a cruise before, I stopped at the next services to check the level. It was fine.
Five hundred miles later, out of curiosity, I checked it again. It doesn't appear to be going down but I think I'll play safe and book it in for its first service now, rather than waiting until 18,000 miles, which is feasible with the `Long Life' oil. Such a high mileage does seem a remarkable stretch for a near 100bhp-per-litre engine that revs to a heady 8000rpm - a speed beyond which engineers say internal wear accelerates markedly.
I drove an RS4 with a different exhaust recently. Milltek has devised its own cats-back system, which has oval tailpipes and thus looks very similar to the original equipment. But, by heck, it sounds different. From start-up the standard, valved system gives a deep, resonant burble, but the valve closes at 1500rpm and the V8 then remains pretty quiet until about 5500rpm, at which point it really goes for it. The Milltek system is unvalved and of fractionally bigger bore diameter, and it gives the V8 a much stronger voice, from tickover to limiter. Blip it and it sounds like a big, angry American V8 rather than a demure, sophisticated German.
According to Milltek boss Phil Millington, the system, which costs ?1050, is good for an additional 20bhp and about 16lb ft, but he says that the main aim was to enhance the driving experience. The fuller, richer noise at low speeds will certainly turn more heads in town, and it makes the engine feel more eager elsewhere. I'd be very tempted, but even on a light throttle the system is loud and proud, and I don't think it would be comfortable for the kids. However, Milltek is currently working on a valved system of its own - now that sounds like music to my ears. For more info visit www.millteksport.com
August 2006:
Barker's on holiday? Check. Tickets for Le Mans booked? Check. Keys to RS4 in pocket? Check. Washer fluid? Check. Oil level? Oh dear... It's at the minimum. Strange, as I'm sure Andy Morgan had topped it up when he borrowed the car only two weeks earlier. A flick through the handbook revealed that the RS4 should only be fed 'Long Life' oil if we're to take advantage of the variable service intervals, and the local Shell garage relieved me of ?16.99 for a litre of the special stuff. Ouch.
This was the first time my mates and I had been to Le Mans, and our excitement for the trip wasn't even dented by the 3.45am start. Three-up and with a bootful of camping gear squishing the suspension down by an inch or so, the gleaming red RS4 looked the business, its fat wheelarches wrapped tightly around the massive 255/35 ZR 19 P Zeros. As we closed in on Le Mans and eventually our campsite, it attracted as much attention from the gathering of petrolheads as any Ferrari.
Ray Mears-style self-sufficiency extended to putting up our tents and navigating our way to the Audi hospitality centre, where we bravely pulled our own beers, sat down with a plateful of food and, later, had a nice warm shower. It's the only way to enjoy Le Mans if, like me, you detest queuing and you're a bit of a fan of personal hygiene.
Staying up till the early hours watching the race was truly awesome, and the diesel-powered Audi R10s sounded eerily futuristic. While the other cars sounded as though they were creating as much noise as power, the much quieter R10s seemed as if they were sucking in the cool night air and spitting it out the back for propulsion.
A hectic work schedule meant we had to leave before the end of the race in the hope of catching an early ferry. Burbling along the now empty streets of Le Mans and being able to hear the screams of Corvettes and Panozes was a surreal experience.
The RS4 felt rock steady on the autoroute at 140mph, but with gendarmes and speed traps littering the roads, we settled for a gentle cruise, enjoying the enthusiastic French who had turned out on the bridges that cross over the autoroutes to wave at their favourite cars. Some were even set-up for the evening with patio furniture!
The only blot on a superb trip was that we burnt another half-litre of that frighteningly expensive oil. The R10's victory was impressive, but I'd rather the RS4 wasn't showing signs of being an oil burner too.
May 2006:
The perfect car does not exist. However, the car that fits the circumstances perfectly does, and for me that car is the new Audi RS4. Four doors and a big boot take care of the family, while a sorted four-wheel-drive chassis and an extraordinarily responsive and potent V8 tick the boxes for me. One month and 1500 miles in, life with the RS4 is very sweet indeed.
Sitting on the driveway, perhaps the RS4 doesn't look like it costs ?50K. All A4s have perfect paint and shut lines that look like they've been drawn on, and many I've spotted are kitted out with big wheels that make them look like RS4s. I don't have a problem with visual subtlety though; for those who care to spot them, the fat tailpipes, wider arches and deeper, heavily vented nose are ample indicators of the RS4's potential.
Besides, any doubts you might harbour regarding value for money are blown away once you're inside. Some of my colleagues think the high-backed, leather-trimmed sports seats are a bit too tight and unyielding, but after a little tinkering with the adjustable bolsters of the backrest and cushion, I felt perfectly at home. The flat-based steering wheel feels great and the driving position is spot-on too, and then you press the starter button on the centre console...
The Volkswagen group has created an exceptional array of interesting engines over the last few years, from narrow-angle V6s and V5s through W8s, V10s and even a W16, yet as far as I'm concerned the RS4's naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8 is the finest of the lot. When details first appeared and its 8250rpm rev limit was announced, I was worried that it would be a flat-plane-crank V8 and thus be devoid of the gorgeous woofle that a sizeable V8 ought to have. Not so. Thumbing the silver start button each morning stirs up a fast-paced, deep-chested burble that exudes confidence and intent.
With good reason. The V8 feels hugely eager right from tickover and punts the car up the road on a tickle of throttle as if it weighs 1400 not 1700kg.
The readout between the main dials advises a 7000rpm rev limit when the engine is cold. After a few miles this changes to a readout of oil temperature, and I like to see 90deg C before working the engine too hard. It's worth the wait.
You can stroke the RS4 along on the torque, short-shifting up through the six-speed 'box, missing out the odd-numbered gears if you want. The gearshift is wonderfully tactile - firm, slick, positive. Indeed, the whole car feels taut, slack-free and solidly muscular, yet it's not harsh or nervous.
Oil nicely warmed, nail it in third from low revs and the RS4 lunges forward hard, which is exciting enough, but most people have no idea that there's a second, more stunning shove to come. At around 6000rpm, just when it should all be winding down, the V8 kicks again and fizzes to the redline. It's awe-inspiring.
My very first go in an RS4 was a brief run on the rough, cambered B-roads near our office that left me gob-smacked. I was astonished by its power and deeply impressed by its poise, which together demolished this wickedly rippled road like no other car I've driven. Yet just as you don't have to wring the V8's neck to be entertained, so you don't have to push the chassis till the tyres howl to enjoy the dynamics. It's this composure and precision at a saunter that makes the RS4 such a satisfying car to run. Practically perfect, in fact.
The trip to Spa for the Caterham Cosworth Masters races (096) finally saw off the last of the legal tread on the Pirellis. Not that you'd know it from the driver's seat, the four-wheel-drive RS4 feeling as sure-footed as ever, even in the torrential conditions we were occasionally caught in whilst in Belgium.
It's the front-left that has gone first, which is predictable given the weight in the nose, though to be fair the rears aren't that far behind. We're going to replace all four together and try the alternative OE (original equipment) tyre, the Michelin Pilot Sport 2. They'll go on just before the first service, which has been booked and will probably happen at 14,000 miles, 4000 miles earlier than the flexible schedule allows for.
As it happens, the V8 hasn't used a drop of oil since I mentioned its consumption last month, but I'll still feel happier when it's been serviced. The only bit of additional work for the dealer is to investigate the parking sensor, which squawks as soon as you select reverse even if you're in the middle of a deserted car park. As you can imagine, it's been slowly driving me mad for the last few thousand miles.
September 2006:
With an engine as special as the RS4's 4.2-litre V8, it's a bit worrying when it seems to be gaining an appetite for oil. Two and a half litres in 7000 miles isn't gluttonous, but this `Long Life' stuff costs about ?17 a litre, and sometimes an appetite grows... Mind, the handbook says half a litre every 1000 miles isn't a worry, and also that oil consumption can be expected to be higher in the first 3000 miles.
Since the Audi came back from its Le Mans trip (gleaming - thanks, Chee!) I've only done about 1000 miles, but I've checked the dipstick twice. Driving the family sedately up to Cleethorpes for my niece Jess's 18th birthday bash, I noticed the oil temperature (a permanent fixture on the dash display) sitting at 102 degrees C. Having not seen it in three figures at a cruise before, I stopped at the next services to check the level. It was fine.
Five hundred miles later, out of curiosity, I checked it again. It doesn't appear to be going down but I think I'll play safe and book it in for its first service now, rather than waiting until 18,000 miles, which is feasible with the `Long Life' oil. Such a high mileage does seem a remarkable stretch for a near 100bhp-per-litre engine that revs to a heady 8000rpm - a speed beyond which engineers say internal wear accelerates markedly.
I drove an RS4 with a different exhaust recently. Milltek has devised its own cats-back system, which has oval tailpipes and thus looks very similar to the original equipment. But, by heck, it sounds different. From start-up the standard, valved system gives a deep, resonant burble, but the valve closes at 1500rpm and the V8 then remains pretty quiet until about 5500rpm, at which point it really goes for it. The Milltek system is unvalved and of fractionally bigger bore diameter, and it gives the V8 a much stronger voice, from tickover to limiter. Blip it and it sounds like a big, angry American V8 rather than a demure, sophisticated German.
According to Milltek boss Phil Millington, the system, which costs ?1050, is good for an additional 20bhp and about 16lb ft, but he says that the main aim was to enhance the driving experience. The fuller, richer noise at low speeds will certainly turn more heads in town, and it makes the engine feel more eager elsewhere. I'd be very tempted, but even on a light throttle the system is loud and proud, and I don't think it would be comfortable for the kids. However, Milltek is currently working on a valved system of its own - now that sounds like music to my ears. For more info visit www.millteksport.com
August 2006:
Barker's on holiday? Check. Tickets for Le Mans booked? Check. Keys to RS4 in pocket? Check. Washer fluid? Check. Oil level? Oh dear... It's at the minimum. Strange, as I'm sure Andy Morgan had topped it up when he borrowed the car only two weeks earlier. A flick through the handbook revealed that the RS4 should only be fed 'Long Life' oil if we're to take advantage of the variable service intervals, and the local Shell garage relieved me of ?16.99 for a litre of the special stuff. Ouch.
This was the first time my mates and I had been to Le Mans, and our excitement for the trip wasn't even dented by the 3.45am start. Three-up and with a bootful of camping gear squishing the suspension down by an inch or so, the gleaming red RS4 looked the business, its fat wheelarches wrapped tightly around the massive 255/35 ZR 19 P Zeros. As we closed in on Le Mans and eventually our campsite, it attracted as much attention from the gathering of petrolheads as any Ferrari.
Ray Mears-style self-sufficiency extended to putting up our tents and navigating our way to the Audi hospitality centre, where we bravely pulled our own beers, sat down with a plateful of food and, later, had a nice warm shower. It's the only way to enjoy Le Mans if, like me, you detest queuing and you're a bit of a fan of personal hygiene.
Staying up till the early hours watching the race was truly awesome, and the diesel-powered Audi R10s sounded eerily futuristic. While the other cars sounded as though they were creating as much noise as power, the much quieter R10s seemed as if they were sucking in the cool night air and spitting it out the back for propulsion.
A hectic work schedule meant we had to leave before the end of the race in the hope of catching an early ferry. Burbling along the now empty streets of Le Mans and being able to hear the screams of Corvettes and Panozes was a surreal experience.
The RS4 felt rock steady on the autoroute at 140mph, but with gendarmes and speed traps littering the roads, we settled for a gentle cruise, enjoying the enthusiastic French who had turned out on the bridges that cross over the autoroutes to wave at their favourite cars. Some were even set-up for the evening with patio furniture!
The only blot on a superb trip was that we burnt another half-litre of that frighteningly expensive oil. The R10's victory was impressive, but I'd rather the RS4 wasn't showing signs of being an oil burner too.
May 2006:
The perfect car does not exist. However, the car that fits the circumstances perfectly does, and for me that car is the new Audi RS4. Four doors and a big boot take care of the family, while a sorted four-wheel-drive chassis and an extraordinarily responsive and potent V8 tick the boxes for me. One month and 1500 miles in, life with the RS4 is very sweet indeed.
Sitting on the driveway, perhaps the RS4 doesn't look like it costs ?50K. All A4s have perfect paint and shut lines that look like they've been drawn on, and many I've spotted are kitted out with big wheels that make them look like RS4s. I don't have a problem with visual subtlety though; for those who care to spot them, the fat tailpipes, wider arches and deeper, heavily vented nose are ample indicators of the RS4's potential.
Besides, any doubts you might harbour regarding value for money are blown away once you're inside. Some of my colleagues think the high-backed, leather-trimmed sports seats are a bit too tight and unyielding, but after a little tinkering with the adjustable bolsters of the backrest and cushion, I felt perfectly at home. The flat-based steering wheel feels great and the driving position is spot-on too, and then you press the starter button on the centre console...
The Volkswagen group has created an exceptional array of interesting engines over the last few years, from narrow-angle V6s and V5s through W8s, V10s and even a W16, yet as far as I'm concerned the RS4's naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8 is the finest of the lot. When details first appeared and its 8250rpm rev limit was announced, I was worried that it would be a flat-plane-crank V8 and thus be devoid of the gorgeous woofle that a sizeable V8 ought to have. Not so. Thumbing the silver start button each morning stirs up a fast-paced, deep-chested burble that exudes confidence and intent.
With good reason. The V8 feels hugely eager right from tickover and punts the car up the road on a tickle of throttle as if it weighs 1400 not 1700kg.
The readout between the main dials advises a 7000rpm rev limit when the engine is cold. After a few miles this changes to a readout of oil temperature, and I like to see 90deg C before working the engine too hard. It's worth the wait.
You can stroke the RS4 along on the torque, short-shifting up through the six-speed 'box, missing out the odd-numbered gears if you want. The gearshift is wonderfully tactile - firm, slick, positive. Indeed, the whole car feels taut, slack-free and solidly muscular, yet it's not harsh or nervous.
Oil nicely warmed, nail it in third from low revs and the RS4 lunges forward hard, which is exciting enough, but most people have no idea that there's a second, more stunning shove to come. At around 6000rpm, just when it should all be winding down, the V8 kicks again and fizzes to the redline. It's awe-inspiring.
My very first go in an RS4 was a brief run on the rough, cambered B-roads near our office that left me gob-smacked. I was astonished by its power and deeply impressed by its poise, which together demolished this wickedly rippled road like no other car I've driven. Yet just as you don't have to wring the V8's neck to be entertained, so you don't have to push the chassis till the tyres howl to enjoy the dynamics. It's this composure and precision at a saunter that makes the RS4 such a satisfying car to run. Practically perfect, in fact.
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