She's here! (update- PICS!!!!!!)

[R_S_6]

For me, that's the money shot. Beautiful...

Ben

It makes an awesome Windows Background !!

Cheers

[f1esp]

RXBG

[RXBG]

hey guys. glad you liked the pics. benman- you getting listed for a new RS6 yet ?

been taking her out for after work back road drives. she is amazing. found an empty development site with some nice curves and plenty of runoff space to take her out on. nothing spectacular speedwise, but exactly what she likes technically and what i need to get to know her. this car is so much fun. it has taken a while to get used to the rear wheel drive set-up and coming from a heavy S4 i am still conservative. i have discovered that oversteer control requires a simple release of the throttle to regain traction. she'll slide out and then stick back on like velcro. i'll have to master this kind of thing with second gear type speeds (over the next few months) before i go any faster.

this car definitely needs to be driven. and, like all my other cars, i have come to realize that you haven't really driven it, or lived it, or truly "felt" and "owned" it until you've slid into the dirt a bit.

but no big chances here. she is still an expensive and beautiful machine, and so, i'll be very careful with her. one has to own the car. not the other way around.

i plan on investing in a track school, maybe the panoz school in sebring, before i ever take her on a track myself. i think i want to familiarize myself better in another rwd car first.

[2FST4CHP]

R...

I know what you mean. It's very hard keeping this car below 5K rpm during breakin. It's nearly impossible not to hammer it when the opportunity arises.
I'm having so much fun... today at lunch hour, I was "invited out" for fun by two sweet 24 somethings! FVCK!! I'm too old for that type of shit!
The car is definitely attracting a lot of attention.

[cazorp]

I envy you guys, R8 is THE car!!

Sinatra once said: “If you want to be someone you buy a Ferrari - If you are someone you own a Lamborghini” I'd like to add "And if you just don't care, buy an R8 and you're gonna look very smart"

Regarding the gearbox and the bushings, my colleague had a somewhat similar problem with his S4 cab, they adjusted something within the gearbox (which should be properly setup at the "pre-delivery-service")

I guess someone in the factory missed to tighten "something" (since the symptom got worse and the condition deteriorated while using the car) but they got rid of the problem with minimum effort, I wouldn't be too worried if I were you RXBG! + =

Good luck with the car!!


Oh, I have a question for you R8-knowers/owners!! Have you got any information regarding service prices for the R8? Many 'supercars' has ridiculous pricing for any kind of service/repairs, what's the verdict on the R8? Whats a standard service interval, and whats a repair, like for instance a new clutch?

Thanks,

[funky]

[pampas]

Really nice pics .. no comments about the car

Can I please get the high resolution versions of the 2 pics with the car on the grass with the doors/engine hood open? my screen is set at 1680x1050, so anything close to that or higher will be great. I can PM you my email if you can't find storage online for them. Pics look really clean and steady, would make a nice background

[RXBG]

no prob pampas. send me the pm.

jeff- good suggestion on the throttle. will try that.

cazorp- here in the US we owners simply buy a $700 4 year/50K mile svc plan that includes all scheduled maintenance. kind of silly change for what could easily be a 130K car. not sure why audi just doesn't include it. on the other hand, you're dumb not to buy it since the car takes 10+ quarts of oil. i think the svc interval is around Q5K miles- maybe someone can correct me on this.

the clutch is an interesting topic. dealer says it is not covered. svc manager rec'd i make sure my changes are crisp and avoid slippage. it is the same clutch as the RS4's and he has not seen any RS4's come in with undue or premature wear but he still recommends taking it easy and i would agree. i am sure it'll be an expensive proposition to change it. i'll keep my fingers crossed on that one. as an aside, the carrera GT's need new clutches every 10K miles, i hear, and they are ceramic!!!!! :MTM: i think they cost about 15K each......

washed her again today with all the newest and best supplies i've learned about through this and other sites. details later.

cheers all.

[pampas]

no prob pampas. send me the pm.


the clutch is an interesting topic. dealer says it is not covered. svc manager rec'd i make sure my changes are crisp and avoid slippage. it is the same clutch as the RS4's and he has not seen any RS4's come in with undue or premature wear but he still recommends taking it easy and i would agree. i am sure it'll be an expensive proposition to change it. i'll keep my fingers crossed on that one. as an aside, the carrera GT's need new

cheers all.

PM sent.

The clutch on the RS4 is a dual plate clutch, everybody recomended me to release it nice but quick, don't run on it semi released (as u said-no slippage) as it's not supposed to handle that like a regular A4 clutch. If it's the same as in the R8, you know better, I had no ideea, I was thinking they got the manual trans from the Gallardo, just like the R-Tronic.

[Damienr8]

no prob pampas. send me the pm.

jeff- good suggestion on the throttle. will try that.

cazorp- here in the US we owners simply buy a $700 4 year/50K mile svc plan that includes all scheduled maintenance. kind of silly change for what could easily be a 130K car. not sure why audi just doesn't include it. on the other hand, you're dumb not to buy it since the car takes 10+ quarts of oil. i think the svc interval is around Q5K miles- maybe someone can correct me on this.

the clutch is an interesting topic. dealer says it is not covered. svc manager rec'd i make sure my changes are crisp and avoid slippage. it is the same clutch as the RS4's and he has not seen any RS4's come in with undue or premature wear but he still recommends taking it easy and i would agree. i am sure it'll be an expensive proposition to change it. i'll keep my fingers crossed on that one. as an aside, the carrera GT's need new clutches every 10K miles, i hear, and they are ceramic!!!!! :MTM: i think they cost about 15K each......

washed her again today with all the newest and best supplies i've learned about through this and other sites. details later.

cheers all.

RXBG this is the first time i am hearing of this SVC plan. Yea they should include it with the price of the car (cmon $700 dollars extra on a 130k car). In any case, what does the maintenance plan include? Also, did the dealer mention how much the clutch may cost to replace.

[RXBG]

it includes everything from oil changes to whatever is in the regular inspections. i am not sure on the tire rotation and wiper blades, for example. but it is pretty much what it buys you on any other audi, and the price is the same. silliness. audi's marketing would gain more by using its inclusion to promote a superior warranty than, say, mercedes'. i doubt anyone in his/her right mind would refuse to buy it.

i don't know about the cost of the clutch. i think i read a guy fried his B7 RS4's clutch last year and it cost him something like 7K to replace it (not sure if that was parts only or everything).

btw- i highly recommend 'all the world" and "let it go" from fauxliage as rec'd by erik. i haven't stopped listening to these mp3s in my car since i bought them. it is great driving music.

have a good wknd chaps.

[Benman]

as an aside, the carrera GT's need new clutches every 10K miles, i hear, and they are ceramic!!!!! :MTM: i think they cost about 15K each......

cheers all.

My good friend, who worked at the Newport Porsche Dealer quoted @ $20K with all labor for a new clutch for the CGT.

As for the R8, the closest I'll get for awhile is driving in on GT5, and I'm looking forward to it.

Ben

[Leadfoot]

RXBG,

Your car is stunning looking, congrats.

The rest of us in our S5s, RS4s and RS6s have to take the shit from BMW owners that believe their cars are better but in your case even they have to admit defeat.

Health to drive.

[RXBG]

leadie- thanks.

i get a kick out of M6 and M5 drivers pretending not to be looking when they see me. had a few 335s try to follow me.

i disappointed a brand new M3 owner sat night. the wife and i went to dinnner and were asked to park in front of the restaurant, between a 997 TT cabriolet and the M3. we were sat right by the window so we could look out on my car (why not? makes the food taste better )missed the bimmer guy leaving- too bad beacuse i really wanted to see his face.

about 5% of people spent any time on the other cars. the little R8 took everyone's cake. makes a lot of people smile. i think they find it refreshing amidst so much of the old fancy metal.

the future is here!

[RXBG]

well, about 1500 miles on the clock. the shifter and the engine have opened up noticeably. the car does have a personality, much more so than any other car i've owned. the clutch definitely has a point at which it is either on or off. once you get to know this and take care to avoid stalling it there it is easier to launch and manipulate. i am still not "there" but i am getting close.

the car needs to be driven a bit aggressively to be smooth. driving it like an A4 2.0 does it no service and the 1-2 and 2-3 gear changes, though acceptable, are not nearly as smooth as when you drive it a bit harder.

the silver color tends to make it more stealthy, at least in the sense that from far away it doesn't draw the eye as much as my S4 did. on the other hand, once the eye is caught it can't be taken off this car, whereas in my S4 people didn't seem to linger looking at it as long as they do this silver martian. i also had the euro plate that complemented well the front of the S4. have not felt compelled to put one on the R so far.

had at least 3 or 4 lascivious looks from femmes in the passenger seats while their significant others shifted uncomfortably waiting for me to pull away. of course, i am sure it helps that i look good in sunglasses

she'll be going in for a V1 hardwire in the next week or so. this will make it easier to shift since the damn power cord keeps getting in the way. unfortunately, installing the blinder system would require cutting into the vertical slats on the grille so i think i'll be skipping that.

have had no further problems with the car except a mild low frequency vibration from behind my head that i think may be due to the side blade? i'll be having the dealer check it this saturday. it could also be some plastic piece in the engine compartment. i've checked the cabin and i do not think it is anything there. the vibe goes away after 40 mph.

i have had no problems with the hood closing (an issue some seem to have). but i did notice a small plastic hose peeking out from under the car, just behind the passenger's seat, an issue i know another individual had and that his dealer told him not to worry about. i'll be asking on saturday also, just to be sure. it seems to be some kind of drain hose.

good news: my back won't be killing me any more. i found out that the local wash can do an exterior wash on my car by hand for only about $20. they say they use acid free cleaner for the wheels also. i may also have them wax my wheels with the swisswax i bought. ah........... the art of paying someone to do the dirty work.

WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY could i not have had this car when i was single????????????????????????????????????? :eye:

ps- i think i'll be dressing up as iron man this friday, when the movie comes out.

[cazorp]

Well, now you have the car and the option to get single again isn't very difficult if you decide so.. =)

Sounds like a pleasant experience, good luck with the car!

[RXBG]

well guys, the car continues to be stupendous. it has a personality of its own and it likes to be driven a bit on the aggressive side. the throttle sensitivity and smooth clutch movement require it. try to drive it like a hyundai and it'll protest with an unsmooth gear engagement, definitely not optimal.

my back, mainly because of two preexisiting herniated lumbar discs, is not crazy about the get in and get out movements on this car. i am both getting old (34) and have back issues. kind of sucks. i am doing my own PT, though. hopefully it'll get better.

the car definitely prefers smooth curvy roads. a local backroad i like, slightly unsafe because it is single lane both ways, would be close to ideal if it weren't for the fact that it is uneven and the outer edges of the pavement are not uniform enough to accept the rear tire's width. kind of sucks. i'll have to look for other such roads near by.

the car eats gas more than my S4. unbelieveable. part of the problem is that in order to hear the engine sing its best notes it has to spin at about 5K rpm. i'll be cruising down the road doing 60 in 3rd just to hear it! i can now understand why some people say it is too low or not "aggressive enough". i'll have to back off on the rpms to get a bit of better gas mileage.

i get equal parts smiles and fake ignorance of it while on the road. too many people fail to mention that one can actually be resented more than admired. lets face it. especially in these tough economic times. i haven't neglected to feel just a bit guilty indugling in such a thing as this but i think that is just the mark of, what i think is, a healthy conscience- and no this is not an inference on the environment- but rather an inference about more responsible things to do with one's money.

my favorite thing to do in this car? drive it downtown where the urban environment makes the lines stand out more. and where the engine growl reverberates smoothly off the walls of the buildings heralding the approach of the sexiest thing alive on wheels.

:cool2:

[2FST4CHP]

I'm at 1300 miles and am noticing the trans and motor spinning quite freely. It's almost impossible to go from the Dino or the S4 into the R8 and not feel like driving either one of them ever again! I love this car.

I let a good friend of mine drive it (he drives a new M5), and now he is really regretting his current car situation. The thing about the R8 that he felt immediately , it's just so easy to drive extremely fast with complete confidence. I'm just starting to drift it on the back roads(which I've been driving on for almost 40 years) and it feels so much safer than my Dino! Well... It's not fair to compare two cars over 30 years apart!

Sorry to hear about the back R. I've got a similar condition. Broke to vertebrae in '83 when I fell off a building from 30'. I know what you're going through. Hey.... At least were having fun.

Don't feel too bad about driving the R8 in these current economic wows. Do you remember how much work it took to get here? Besides, every time we pull up to fill the tank next to 3 or 4 Prius's , do you think they give a rats ass about our environmentally unfriendly works of art?