DRC and new Rs4

[Minou]

Having had serious DRC/suspension problems with my Rs6 Avant that were badly dealt with (understatement) by my dealer I sold it, ran a Subaru for 6 months and now have a new Rs4 Avant.

The problem on the Rs6 seemed to be electrolytic action between the Al/Steel seal in the dampers that led to fluid loss. Lack of dealer knowledge compounded this problem.

My question is this. Does any one know if the problem been solved in the Rs4 or do I need to consider selling the car after about a year? If it has been solved what have they done? I live in the UK in case this has any bearing on the matter.

colin

[Leadfoot]

IMO Audi needs to set-up key dealer through out the world that are RS/hi-performance dealers specialising in the technologies that are associated with this models.

Speaking for the UK, something like 20 in England, 2 in Scotland & Wales and 1 in Northern Ireland. At present no UK dealership have track-days for their customers were they can sample they model of cars like Porsche dealerships do. I understand they have to larger customer base but not that much more if it includes only the S/RS models.

[Ricoloco]

The RS4 has the new DRC II version, its upgraded and not the same systems as the one on the RS6. Is lighter and easy to serve (if ever needed...)

[Minou]

Leadfoot .......Totally agree and one can only wonder why they ignore a marketing opportunity of getting involved with track days etc via specialist dealers who have taken on board the full spectrum of their RS customers expectations. Could it mean that they have done their market research and have found that the type of engineering minded enthusiast driver who contributes to this forum does not represent their majority RS customer. Perhaps the majority are "All the gear and no idea" types.

Ricoloco.......I am encouraged by your comments but I would still like to know what engineering changes have been made to the system that means it is more reliable in the first place and easier to service. Having had a bad experience with Audi dealers inability to even find the fault, let alone repair it, I wonder who says it is easier to service. You have to forgive me for my sceptism about Audi pronouncements but it is based upon having my "repaired" and "we have road tested it Sir" Rs6 returned to me numerous times by the main dealer and within 20 yards of driving it I could feel and hear that it was totally unchanged from when they had collected it.

My reason for asking this question is that I loved the Rs6 and would have kept it longer (3 months before the 3 year warranty ran out the DRC valve problem occurred) but their 3 months to partially solve it left me with zero confidence about the future.

Now my Rs4 is, in my opinion even better for me than the Rs6 and I can imagine keeping it for a good few years. So if I can find out early what its potential basic engineering faults are and how well equipped and educated Audi dealers are to sort them I am better prepared to either enjoy, but sell early, or enjoy and keep.

It seems to me that there is a link between the replies of Leadfoot and Ricoloco. Unless the dealership selling RS models has a thread of capable driving enthusiasts within each department there is a problem for the RS customer when he takes his car in. It is summed up for me by one of the mechanics at my Audi dealership who came out with me on a test drive to check the repaired, but in my opinion still faulty, DRC and struts who told me, " I have never driven one of these so I am not sure what to look for". I cannot remember what my reply was.

colin

[QuattroFun]

Uhm, ladies and gentlemen, I am sad to report that the DRC MkII in my RS4 B7 has completedly been destroyed. Apparently a slow oil leak and then a dry system frictioning and finally loose parts and disengagement. Terrible noise over cobblestones, twicthing and a rock hard drive. Everything has to be replaced I am told - waiting to see if Audi picks up the bill. They certainly should in my books! I mean, less than 2.5Y old and just below 60K km.

[Bobbersmill]

No the drc is not fixed on the b7 rs4. If you have a look on www.rs246.com (http://www.rs246.com) there is a thread there that documents several polls and owners comments. I myself had the 2 fronts on my old 07 saloon replaced inder warranty, a few have written to audi, me included, and it appears that they may weel be doing something about it. I have heard figures banded about of 5k to replace the current set up with like for like if it goes wrong out of warranty. Fingers crossed it may get sorted.

[QuattroFun]

Ha/Thx - had not seen those posts before. Seems that I am not alone then. I have SS+ option, I wonder if it makes any difference for durability?

[Minou]

I had forgotten that I posted a question shortly after getting my RS4 asking about the durability of the suspension. Unfortunately no one really had an answer, but I found out myself when earlier this year I recognised the onset of the handling problem that my Rs6 had developed. Having had 3 months of Audi service ineptitude with the Rs6 I was certainly not going to get involved with them again with the Rs4. I sold it rapidly and now advise all my friends and patient to keep clear of Audi.

I remember that UK Autocar magazine ran an Rs4 as a staff car and I often wondered why they always mentioned it weekly in the list of "cars on the fleet" but the actual mileage never increased and the articles referring to it petered out -wonder if it had the same problem and they kept forgot to write about it.

The two Rs Audi cars cost me a lot of lost time, trouble and lost money so I shall not be bothering again.

[PetrolDave]

I sold it rapidly and now advise all my friends and patient to keep clear of Audi.
That's not justified - ONLY the C5 RS6 and B7 RS4 have DRC, so problems with DRC are limited to those models ONLY.