citanest

is more reliable
has better interior built (less rattle)
is cheaper to maintain (comparing same class)
is easier to repair (audi needs to take the car apart to fix something small)
has better fuel economy
depreciates slower

however, audi...
has an unbeatable quattro system (my main reason to switch to audi)
has better styling
is more unique
owners are not as cocky and more matured (go to an m3 forum and you will find half of the owners are under 18)

This is how I feel after owning japanese cars and BMW all my life and 4 months of ownership of the RS4. Am I biased??

Bob W.

and their interior quality is garbage compared to audi

MrGordonGekko

My thoughts after recently jumping from a E46 M3 to an RS4...

Reliability: My M3 was bulletproof. Too soon to tell with the RS4.

Interior build: No way the BMW wins here. The M3 interior rattles non-stop. People even stuffed tennis ***** in random crevices to stop the noise. The Audi interior is better built and better looking than the M3. The only problem is the placement of the handbrake relative to the arm rest, which must have been designed by a brain donor.

Cheaper to maintain: Although I haven't owned my RS4 long enough to answer this question definitively, I will say that the price of a M3 "inspection" can run over $1k. I paid $550 for an Audi service contract for all scheduled services through 45k miles. I'd say routine maintenance costs less for an Audi than the BMW.

Fuel economy: I've averaged 20 mpg for both the M3 and RS4 so far. In the long run, the V8 RS4 should get worse gas mileage than the M3.

Depreciation: Initial depreciation for the RS4 is incredibly bad relative to the M3.

Mickf29

I woudl guess the depreciation on the RS4 will significantly slow because of the rarity of the car, stopped production. One can only hope....Although I have zero plans to ever sell this car, it is one of those cars you keep forever.

What was the sales numbers for RS4's in the US? 1800? I think this car is an instant classic. Wait 20 years when all people are allowed to by are battery powered cars charged by solar panels and a wall plug.

ghoonk

They're not, at least based on my experience in BMW forums. Just different problems

ekyub

I had an E46 M3 and an 01 S4.

The S4 was in the shop 16 times in the first year. Even though I loved the car I had enough.

RS4 is better I hope.

IbisRS4

I couldn't agree more with all of these points by MrGordonGekko and will add that it is natural that it would depreciate more as it's more expensive.

I have come from an S54 M Coupe and would have kept the car if I had unlimited resources. The interior on the M Coupe was awesome and it was very reliable but in my experience Audi is definitely cheaper to maintain for the exception of the quattro system which really can't be compared.

The interior of the rs4 is just as nice.

citanest

4 months of ownership of RS4
been to the shop 4 times

- cup holder was pop out at delivery
- engine light
- rattle cluster
- rattle centre console dash
- all four DRC failed

4 years of ownership of the 330i

- check engine light once

ELEVENS

I wouldn't say Audi owners are any more mature, but you got the cars right

simonlok

you hit the nail on the head... precise and accurate (I had two E46 M3s and an E36 328is b4 RS4)