Advices about RS4 order

[KresoF1]

Hello,
New here and I need few advices about my RS4 order...
1. Sport Suspension or SS+? Yes, I know that this issue has been discussed here but, I need some input from people who actually had a chance to drive RS4 with SS+. I only had a chance to drive RS4 with standard Sport Suspension.
2. Ceramic brakes(code 1LU), are the really that good or not?
My plan is to track the car ones or twice a year...
3. Tires. How good are the optional Pirelli P Zero Corsa's? They are awsome also on wet road according to Sport Auto Supertest but, I need some info from somebody who actually drove RS4 with Corsa's...

Thanks in advance!

[AndyBG]

IMHO, crutial thing is what kind of purpose is your RS 4 going to have, if you are going to use it like your everyday car with lots of ''downtown'' activities you realy don't need any of these staff (SS+, ceramic, corsas..), but if you plan to ''threat'' your RS 4 with some ''special'' status and driving it only wehn you want i think you should get as mutch as possible performance ''help'' (SS+, bucket seats, ceramic, 19'', corsas...)

Reading posts here you get impresion that ''sporty'' loaded RS 4 is everything but comfort.

So, its on you to decide.

Pozdrav

[KresoF1]

AndyBG, pozdrav i tebi!

My plan is to order following option on RS4:
Bucket seats
SS+
Comfort Package(this is option on my market, same as Germany or Austria)
19"( maybe even as second set of 19" with Corsa's)
Ceramic brakes
Navigation

As sporty as possible but, with some comfort issue's...

I will like to know is it true that car with SS+ has better steering feel and weight in high speed and in tight corners?
Also IMO car looks better with SS+.

Any way I will order it till end of this week and then waiting period of around 8-10 weeks will start...

[MR USER]

My RS4 has no SS+
I did not put any PZero Corsa
and I have no Ceramic brakes.

If you go to the track only twice a year I would reccomend a separate set of tyres (may be slicks or as close to it a possible)

On normal roads you would not need any of it as the car has incredible acceleration, traction, cornering and braking capabilities.

Consider that the extra cost of purchasing separete set of rims, tyres, SS+ and brakes will be enough to buy you cuple sessions on a track with a proper racing car.
Moreover you should consider that your car will suffer a lot on the track, deteriorating and depriciating much more.
If you get on a Audi Driving Experience with the RS4 you might just have the fun you are looking for without compromising your car!!!

[Erik]

I don't know about the roads in your country, but I can guess...

If the roads are very poor and you do a lot of long distance I wouldn't recommend SS+.

[jasaretta]

There has been lots of posts on Sports Supsension. I suggest you look them up as there were quite a number of comparisons and pics.

james

[Erik]

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=2593

"What's more, I'd suspect those of us afflicted with indifferent road surfaces might well opt for the 18-in. setup. Even on Bavaria's enviably well-maintained roads, the RS 4 exhibited a snubbed behavior that bordered on — dare I say it? — incipient harshness. Plus, that added rubber would offer the alloys a bit more protection against potholes."

[MR USER]

I drive mine in Italy (terrible roads) with normal suspension and 19 in. it rides fine, just have to be careful on holes.
At night the super bright xenons (I ticked the adaptive lights option) are helping a lot when looking out for these orrible holes in the tarmac and the supersharp steering helps you moving around them!

[KresoF1]

Thanks a lot guys for your answers!

Erik: roads in Croatia... Our Autobahns(or Highways) are brand new and have excellent quality. Coontry roads are good as well, some are average quality, some are good and few are really bad.
So, road quality is not the issue I think(maybe my wife is! )..

Mr.User: Maybe you are right since my younger brother has Porsche 996 GT3RS... I can use his car for track driving(as I do already! ).

So, little change of specs then:

SS(normal suspension)
19"
Comfort Package
Adaptive lights
Navi
Cd Changer
Bucket seats
etc.

[KresoF1]

Quick update!

Tomorrow I will have a chance to drive RS4 with SS+ and I will report my findings here.

Till tomorrow...

[KresoF1]

Just returned to the office from RS4(with SS+) test drive.

As many of you said car is much firmer with SS+, look is great but, suspension is too hard for "downtown" driving.
The road was wet so I did not push it too much... Handling is really better with SS+, specially in fast corners and steering wheel feel is better at high speed(cca 180km/h).
I am now more confused then before about my decision to go for SS+ or not...

BTW, tires on car were Corsa's and feeling on wet road was great.

Any way RS4 rocks!

[Fab]

Kreso,

I am the right person to talk to as I ordered mine without SS+ and I made a very nice post about standard chassis being more reasonable, blablabla. Since then I've been wondering about this choice and I ended up switching to SS+ 2 weeks ago before my order sent to production.

Why this change ? RS is a sport car. Yes some confort is appreciated (I go for the Recaro) but this car looks much better and the feeling is much better with SS+. Yes we may find it quite harsh on some roads but in my country Switzerland 80% of my drive should be on nice surfaces.

I guess you will be pushing hard as much as you can or at leasr regularly with your beast on twisty roads and during those drives you will not regret the SS+. I am not saying the standard chassis is bad, but the SS+ positive points are in my opinion worth the small decrease in ride confort.

Just my opinion though.

Good luck in your choice. A tuff one I know that

[tailpipe]

Having now driven RS4 several times, both with and without bucket seats, I think the sports bucket seats are a mistake. They have 7 disadvantages versus standard Recaro Sports Seats:

1. Uncomfortable on longer journeys
2. Unsuitable for anyone who has a larger than average bottom
3. Difficult to reach into rear, e.g. if you have kids
4. Restrict rear passenger knee room
5. Make entry and exit into the car more difficult
6. Wear out more quickly - showing signs of wear and tear within a week of getting the car
7. Less adjustable than standard Recaros

Yes, they are lighter than standard Recaros and they hug you more tightly when you press the S button, but these are gimmicks rather than serious reasons to prefer them. I am pretty certain that these seats will soon become the most popular complaint among owners. More than that, I expect Audi is already working on a redesigned variant that is slighly wider with lower sides, more padding and made from a harder-wearing material, e.g. kevlar fabric inserts. Until then, my advice is to go with the ordinary Recaros: they're very good. IMHO the sports buckets are least well considered item fitted to the RS4.

Similarly, the steering wheel is also a gimmick because you can't use a hands free phone in conjunction with MMI interface with it. Instead, you need to specify a different 3-spoke sports wheel that supports on-board telephone equipment. This is nuts and something Audi should have got right without buyers having find out what the best solution is, because quite a lot of ignorant dealers have no idea about this issue. Everyone uses a mobile phone when driving these days. Bluetooth integration with the MMI system is a basic requirement for safe on-borad usage.

[MR USER]

I have been debated too but at the end of the day this is my everyday car and I favoured a little more comfort. Moreover I belive that in Geneva roads are nice but ver often in winter we have snow, especially when going towards the montblanc to ski and slightly softer and higher ride means a lot in winter condition.
About the corsas it's good news to hear that even on wet they behave well. Did you see if you had asimetrical in front and directional in the rear? Pirelli says that's the best you can get for your car....

[KresoF1]

Fab-thanks! I am thinking very hard right now about SS+ so, I will probably go for it...

Mr.User-Corsa'a were asimetrical fronts and rears. Both Audi quattro gmbh and Pirelli reccomend them that way because of RS4 power distribution(40% front/ 60% rear). I did not know but when you order Corsa's you get full second sets of wheels! Regular wheels can be used for winter tires...
It was my friends car from Italy and he also said to me that SS+ is the way to go with this car.

Bucket seats... I find them very good and sporty! But, I am 1.74m and have 73kg so, I can imagine that this seats will not support everyone the same...

RS4 steering wheel... Here I agree that multifunction buttons should be on IT! Specially since new TT use almost the same size steering(and shape) but, with optional muntifunction's.
Lambo heritage I guess...

And I must say that build quality of the car is MUCH better than my Porsche Boxster S(987).

BTW, did any of you gents have picture's of RS4 interior in Audi Exclusice Package 1(code PYB) with bucket seats? I have only few and will post it here... Thanks!

[deans]

I picked my RS4 up on Sat and have done 400 miles now on British motorways, country roads and my villiage speed bumps and rumble strips.

The SS+ is a wonderful balance between comfort and corner handling. Everyone should have it - it should be the standard.

If you want a comfortable car go for a Merc or something. If you buy the RS4 then you will keep turning the stereo off to listening to the engine and you will want to take every corner like it is your last - so SS+ it is.

Its not harsh and I had back pain, for the first time in my life, the night before I picked my car up and had no problem with the comfort in the the car - including the standard, and absolutely wonderful, bucket seats.

[KresoF1]

Pic...

[IulianUM]

I went for SS+ and no regrets , tried it on bad roads and is not that harsh for me , and I don´t like the snow too much .
I take every corner like there are a lot more to come , to have fun .

I love the Sport seats , no signs of wear and tear but the car is only a week old , but agree that the Recaros are very good too.
I like the steering wheel too , feels superb , and you are right about the phone tailpipe , a pitty because there are no computer controls on the windshield wiper control , and they are in normal A4s so there are some space for the MMI controls there .:trash:

What I don´t like at all is the useless Tempomat or whatever is its name.