View Full Version : Struggling with this decision
Guys,
I'm looking for opinions once again.
I recently took delivery of an 06 Gransport (pix from dealership) and I like the car a great deal - although I only have 500miles on her. Already I've had a headlight sprayer cover fall off and the carpeting on driver's side is pulling away from the sill. I can hear the faint chants of Fix It Again Tony in the background.
My RS4, like others, is due to hit Champion in early June and I'm not going to be able to keep both.
I love the Gransport ... the sound, power, styling, interior, cambiocorsa ... did i mention the sound ... and I feel like I'm driving the only one made. You just don't see that many and they really look nice in motion. I am using it for my daily right now and it works fine. The issues ... I have to wait 2 weeks to get the car in for service and I've been told the little stuff will continue ... its annoying but I'm mostly OK with it. I'm just wondering how long before the annoyance becomes too much ... or ... worse the little things slowly become big things.
I had a chance to see and hear the RS4 safety car. I was told what i heard was a stock exhaust ... wow ... what a phenominal sound. I know this car is going to deliver on its driving promises and should be a really nice cross-over (daily 2 track) ... but I'm frankly just getting tired of the equally weighted Audi lines (distint hood, distinct passanger cabin, distinct trunk).
I can't make any promises ... but if anyone is interested in my allocation (supposed to be first in line at Champion), I can probably work out a re-allocation ... assuming I decide not to pursue the RS4.
Opinions solicited.
k2
nene
May 25th, 2006, 15:38
That is a tough choice K2. I love the GranSport as well, and the sound, as you mentioned, it is musical!
I hate the little things myself, as they seem to bother me more than the bigger ones, depending mostly on visibility level.
Something like the washer cover falling off or the carpet is in your eyesight all the time, and always a reminder.
I am sort of a do-it-yourself kind of guy, just a little bit, and sometimes I decide to tackle things on my own, to see if I can get it resolved instead of bothering the dealership.
See if there is something you can do for the Mez to resolve it yourself, and keep it! The Mez is a great beast man.
I would keep the Mez.
Yeah ... that's sorta the way I'm leaning ... the guys at FCI in North Carolina are great ... they are having a new cover painted and shipped overnight to me ... I'm gonna try to install it myself with some help form one of their techs ... the carpet thing I've already fixed ... its just one of those cars where you can have a great car roll off the line next to a lemon ... its italian roulette ... your equally likely to have a hard core partying 20 year old as a 60 year old womanizer building your car ... i'll take the womanizer :mech: ... I hope the devil isn't italian ...
I'll probably pass on the RS4 and wait for the S8 ... I like the 8 lines much better than the 4s . I've also been wondering if I can make any money on my RS4. I have not seen anyone selling their allocation on eBay yet (like what happened with the ZO6). Audi owners are a very loyal group ... buy and hold forever.
Audihead
May 25th, 2006, 17:48
Keep the Mazzer. Your one step away from a Ferrari with that car. Why take a step backwards?
OK ... Most recent update from my Dealer
Hey Kirk,
Here is the info you requested. Your car arrived at the port 3 days ago. The system says it will be dealer delivered by the 29th of this month. The first one baby! They were to be held and delayed for whatever reason, but I just got off the phone with Audi and they say no delay. I'll test drive it for you.
Later,
Eric
VIN WUARU78E17N9000XX
Order Status Port Stock (30) Status Date 05/22/2006
Requested Production Week 08/2006 02/20/2006 Demo In-Service
Assigned Production Week 12/2006 03/20/2006 Hold Information
Actual Production Week 12/2006 03/20/2006
Year Model
RS 4 4.2 SEDAN 4-DR 6-SPD QUATTRO
Exterior Color Interior Color
PHANTOM BLACK PEARL EFFECT BLACK
Options
FRONT LICENSE PLATE HOLDER
GAS GUZZLER TAX
CORPORATE
PREMIUM PKG - SIRIUS
Nene,
Character ... or Character Flaw
nene
May 26th, 2006, 15:22
Flaw! Get it properly fixed.
Maybe they need to take the bumper off, and the jet system is hanging a bit lower on one side, thus unable to hold the cover when it reverts back to hiding position.
This one may be a bit harder to be a DIY, however, see what you can do. Good luck. Still a nice car though, and I would have chosen it over the RS4.
JavierNuvolari
May 26th, 2006, 15:29
Tough call dude...I couldn't decide between those 2 cars....It's just to difficult, at least for me. BUT if I have to say that if I were to choose a car...it would be the Maserati, more exclusive(by far) and the looks...and the sound...and the fact that's a chick magnet....and...well....I just made my decition...keep the Maserati :hihi: .
Greets,
Javier
Nene ... one final thing thats bugging me a bit ... the front bumper appears slightly darker in certain light ... i have a similar issue on my 355 Scuderia ... the plastic to metal transition shows a color diff of a few degrees ... do you notice this on your GS?
AndyBG
May 26th, 2006, 18:02
Man, maybe i am going to be ''flamed'' here, but i think you should go for that RS 4. Maserati is ''looker'', but nothing more than that, with AUDI RS 4 you are getting yourself one of the best ''allround'' cars EVER. Plus i think that RS 4 will blast that Maserati in any field.
And, at last, but not least are those ''litle things'' that comes with italian cars ''as standard'', i am 100% sure that head lamp washer want drop off Audi, and bumper want be darker than the hood in any picture.
Just my 0.3 cents.
all best, ANDY :bye:
No flaming allowed ... I asked for opinions and I think we probably have one of the most mature communities around ... so thanks for $.03 ... i'll take the extra penny.
As a side note ... it seems that folks on MaseratiLife and FerrariChat are pretty sure the bumper thing is an issue ... only one other guy with a QP has had a similar problem in a different color.
nene
May 26th, 2006, 19:26
I can't remember last time we had a flame war on this board! Maybe we're due for one? Just kidding!
I think for the most part everyone on here has been able to offer an opinion without being looked at sideways. And I'm glad someone spoke up for the RS4. How can you go wrong with that?
As for the bumper color difference, I have noticed it less on the Silver cars I've owned. The flat paints, like black and white, I've surely noticed it more. And the rounder the car, the more you can see the difference.
My BMW, which I got 1 year ago, in 2 months you could tell the bumer was a different color. That car was full of trouble, and almost set my coat on fire (seat heating mechanism). Got a new one as part of the lemon law, and the new one the same thing with the bumper. All other systems fully functional though.
Under certainly light, even the RS6 shape gives out all different colors. Just parts of the car, not a whole section like the full bumper. That shot you took looks a bit crazy. I would have to see it in person though, or get a better image.
AndyBG
May 26th, 2006, 20:40
No, realy i think that you should not let go that RS 4 so easy, its one HELL of a car, V8 in it is SOOO SWEEET! :revs:
:rs4kiss:
MR USER
May 29th, 2006, 13:04
I'm glad there is this thread!
I really like the Maserati and when they came out with the Gran Sport version I thought I made my choice. It's certainly a beautiful car. Then I went to spain and I drove the RS4. It only took cuple minutes on the car to convince me otherwise. I tell you more i drove several time the 3200 Turbo (by far the sharpest maserati they made - on wet you need to know what you do or you pay a high price for your mistakes) and there is no way you can even compare oneanother. They simply sit in 2 different leagues.
Is like comparing a TVR (nice, fast and loud but falls apart and handles like crap) to Porsche. There is no competition. +-=horsepower but totally different feeling. To sum it up I take as my benchmark the Nordschleife performance.
Benman
May 29th, 2006, 17:32
Originally posted by nene
I can't remember last time we had a flame war on this board! Maybe we're due for one?
LOL!:applause:
I'm with Andy on this one. The GS is sweet, but I'd opt for the RS 4. But then, that's just me. But either way, how could you go wrong?
Ben:addict:
SoCal
May 29th, 2006, 18:37
Nice choice. But two very different cars.
It's a really subjective decision depending on what your priorities are:
Build quality v. styling
Stealthy exclusivity v. apparent exclusivity
4 doors v. 2
Depreciation v. more depreciation
AWD v. RWD
Cambiocorsa v. stick
German reliability v. Italian flair
And their driving characteristics are pretty dissimilar.
Either way, it sounds like you'll be wanting a newer toy in a couple of years.
If you're really stuck on this particular fence, why not just get a Porsche GT3 or turbo? Not to complicate things, but that would seem to split the difference nicely if you have the bucks.
:vhmmm: ;)
Kandiru
May 30th, 2006, 23:23
Originally posted by Audihead
Keep the Mazzer. Your one step away from a Ferrari with that car. Why take a step backwards?
Haha, an espresso afficionado no doubt. I have a Mazzer Mini grinder and an Isomac Millennium and roast my own coffee, mmm delizioso:
As for the Maserati, it looks like a bottle of Veuve Cliquot lying on a stash of Bud Light. Too bad the oppressed workforce have to witness daily your oppulent eccentricities:) If i worked with people driving cars like those id pay extra attention to take something like a Hyundai Tiburon to work.
Sry, i am also a snob, but with lesser funding, heck, maibe im just jealous. Gorgeous ride that Massie, keep it man.