All advice welcome - 2005 S4 v 2004 RS6?

[Urufu]

OK guys - I need your advice. I own a black 2005 S4 (4.2 V8) and I love it - great performance, well built, discreet, etc. However I think I need more rear seat space - 4 adults is a squeeze in the S4 and at 6' 4" they ain't getting much legroom. I've seen an RS6 and I'm interested - took it for a short spin and could certainly feel both the higher performance and a harder drive.....however it's been rechipped to 510bhp and I'm still doing my due diligence on whether the transmission was rechipped too to avoid any issues there.

My questions are these:

1. S4 is not supercharged but is indeed lighter and therefore may actually handle a little better on corners, bends etc - agreed?

2. With the whole DRC and rechipping world, am I looking at a world of potential bills especially as the 3 year warranty is about to end? Am just a bit concerned re

3. Your views on the RS6 as a day to day car? I live in Dubai and don't have to commute far - journeys are small but daily, with longer faster drives at the weekend if I head off somewhere more exotic! I appreciate it has more room but if it's a harsh ride for all it kinda negates the extra room?

Over to you all!!

Urufu

[skiwi]

thinking resale = rs6
thinking driving = rs6
thinking daily driver = rs6
thinking cost = s4
thinking comfort = s4

[minimad]

My brother has the 2006 S4 bone stock and I have the MTM 535 bhp 2003 RS6 with suspension and brake mods. If you asked me, I would take the RS6 anyday.

[dab]

When I purchased my rs/6 I bought a third party warranty that goes to 100k miles and covered chipping and every major component. I purchased my car with 19k miles and the extended warranty was 2k. My rs/6 is chipped apr to 520hp and 538 torque and the transmission has started to act funky.

but the chip has made such a difference in the car, love it.

[Ruergard]

Would go for the RS6 everyday of the week, the only things that are less good in the RS6 is cost and maybe the comfort. But it's not that bad so that you will brake your back, I like it... good mix between sportiness and comfort in my opinion! And everything else.. it sure makes up for it. Amazing car! :addict:

[Urufu]

When I purchased my rs/6 I bought a third party warranty that goes to 100k miles and covered chipping and every major component. I purchased my car with 19k miles and the extended warranty was 2k. My rs/6 is chipped apr to 520hp and 538 torque and the transmission has started to act funky.

but the chip has made such a difference in the car, love it.

DAB - Thanks for this - please define Funky!!!!!!!!!!?????????

[AuditudeA642]

ill tell you that i have an A6 4.2 with H&R Coilovers and it handles great and i could only imagine the RS6 handling better so i dont know how much better a car can handle. RS6 everyday.

[dab]

DAB - Thanks for this - please define Funky!!!!!!!!!!?????????

Funky - this has just started and only when the the chip is on. Mine can be set to stock. In drive when punched it searches for the proper gear this hasn't been a consistent problem. In sport a couple of times it has just spun to a very high rpm before it catches. I called automotion who did the chip and they checked with apr and said you may have to replace the transmission. When in stock mode I havent' experienced any of the problems, and won't take it in to audi until I can reproduce the problems in stock mode.

[Leadfoot]

I don't doubt a lot here will disagree but here goes.

On a twisty road without a straight where the RS6 will be able to stretch it's legs, the S4 would be the quicker. It's handling is a little tidier and it feels the more nimble, but show the RS6 a decent straight and it would be well away.

Both are great cars, but there is no doubt the S4 is the more comfortable and economical, but it's no RS6 and to many that's all that counts.

[minimad]

I would go for the s4, because of its understatement ;)

btw. minimad
Could you post some pictures of your MTM? ;)


I simply don't know how to post photos, here is my other car in the mod processing :
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3002435&page=1

I also ask my friend to post pics for me:D

I will do it when I can find someone is willing to post pics for me.

S4 is newer, and maybe nimber, but when I sit behind the steering wheel of S4, I start to miss my RS6 immediately, feel like king

[mmaturo]

RS6 period....superior performance, way more power, plenty of room, which is precisely why I bought it rather than an S4 or RS4...i am 6'2 and back seat passengers have a ton of room still, I have never had to move the seat forward for anyone...mine is daily driver.

I would stay away (a long way) from an already chipped car and make the decision yourself as to the risk. You really have no idea what was done or how hard the previous owner drove the car. I am on torque converter 3 and tranny number 2 and that is just stock...I will not chip mine personally (the extra hp is nice and you can feel it but the beast really has enough as is)...the trans cannot take the extra power and must have been reprogrammed too at the same time. You must have warranty coverage on it so buy an extened warranty period...transmission is $12,000 US dollar fix, and DRC replacement is a lot too.

The person above that stated it was funky is headed for a new transmission at some point as they described what it does as it starts to fail so I think it will not be too long before it happens in stocks mode. The hunting is not the failure but the slipping is.

On the track no unmodded S4 can keep up with me. Car handles very well except very slow speed sharp radius turns where it feels the whale it is and plows.

[Mori]

Consider that the temperatures get really high in Dubai in the summer and thats bad for turbos in terms of performance. You'll get decreased HP figures in the summer. Can't think of anything that would be close to an RS6 and be naturally aspirated apart from the M5 though ...

[Leadfoot]

Consider that the temperatures get really high in Dubai in the summer and thats bad for turbos in terms of performance. You'll get decreased HP figures in the summer. Can't think of anything that would be close to an RS6 and be naturally aspirated apart from the M5 though ...

When you consider that a RS6 does the 0-200km/h in 17.4secs and a S4 does it in 20secs, factor in the high temperatures in Dubai and the gap between the two might be just 1 second. Then factor in that the S4 will be the more reliable and economical and the choice will be a hard one.

In low temperature the M5 would still beat a standard RS6 but at these temperatures it would destroy it totally. But anyway who in their right mind would want an M5.

[Mori]

When you consider that a RS6 does the 0-200km/h in 17.4secs and a S4 does it in 20secs, factor in the high temperatures in Dubai and the gap between the two might be just 1 second. Then factor in that the S4 will be the more reliable and economical and the choice will be a hard one.

In low temperature the M5 would still beat a standard RS6 but at these temperatures it would destroy it totally. But anyway who in their right mind would want an M5.

Thus we come to the conclusion that an NA RS4 is the way to go. ;) :rs4kiss:

[rks838]

Well, I am 6'4" and my dad is 6'3". Riding one behind the other, in the S4, verges on ridiculous. The RS6 is ten times better, in this respect. The ride is harsher, but you live in Dubai - aren't all the roads smooth as glass? Or is that an incorrect impression of mine? In any case, there's always Mercedes, if you want to go soft... The RS6, by the numbers, is as good a handler as the S4, but due to its lighter weight, the S4 is more nimble, numbers or not.

But, here's an interesting number, that ONLY the RS6 will give you. The RS6 launches from a standstill at a peak lateral g rating of 1.00g. To compare, the E55 AMG and E39 M5 were both around .68g. (These figures are from the Automobile Magazine comparison between the RS6, E55, M5, and Jaguar S-Type R.) THIS is what makes the RS6 feel so fast from a stop - and it feels great. With the RS6's automatic, you can do it all day, too.

I would go for the RS6 - there's no way you can't love it.