Finally made the transition to a RS4

B6/7 S4/RS4
#1

I’ve thought about moving onto an RS for a couple years now, but the timing never quite worked out to do so. I recently had a guy approach me about selling my S4 to him, so I decided to check out the RS market again and stumbled across this car:

http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_04722.JPG

Purchased it within about a week of initial contact and drove it 500 miles back to Boston from VA this past Friday. It’s 2008 Black on black TI package with 54k miles, a transferable 3rd party warranty for another 3 years, new brakes and tires. It was fairly well maintained from a mechanical standpoint, but the exterior needs some work (respray of the rear quarter panel and possibly a paint correction later on). I’m planning to do basically all the maintenance I can think of within the next few months (change all fluids, plugs, filters, CC, etc.). Then I’ll get started on a few performance mods (exhaust, tune, spacers). Possibly a JHM SC further down the road, but that won’t be for at least a year.

I have to say, it’s a much bigger difference than I expected from driving my S4 to the RS. The handling, braking, feel and power delivery are all much improved. My S4 feels like it had more low end torque than the RS, but definitely didn’t deliver the confident feel and smooth power delivery of the RS.

I have to give a big shout-out to JimmyBones for doing the PPI for me. I got extremely lucky with him being local to the seller. Not only did he thoroughly inspect every aspect of the car, he provided me with some realistic feedback of its strengths and weaknesses which allowed me to be confident enough to buy a plane ticket down there to pick it up. I highly doubt I would’ve been able to make this purchase without him. Thanks Jimmy!

#2

Nice purchase man. I’m sure you’re having a lot of fun with the car already. I’ve had mine for a little over 2 years and I still have a ton of fun every time I drive it. The JHM exhaust and tune are highly recommended, that combination really wakes the car up.

Did you figure out if it consumes oil yet?

I have a question about the paint on your Ti window trim and grille trim: It looks like the window trim is a matte finish and the grille trim is a gloss finish, correct?

#3

car is beautiful. nice find man!

#4

Nice man, congrats. You will be very happy with the choice.

#5

Car looks awesome, dude. Congrats!

#6

Sweet car! Congrats!

#7

Great find! I’m sure you’ll love it!

#8

good stuff man, congrats

#9

Congrats! Jimmy is the man!

#10

The JHM tune and exhaust did wonders on my S4 so I can’t wait to get them on the RS. Also quite interested to see how much of a difference a carbon clean will make. It’s never been done before so I got to imagine theres a good amount of buildup.

Didn’t consume anything on the ride home, but that was only 500 miles. I had Jimmy do a compression test and boroscope and everything checked out just fine so I’m not expecting any consumption issues. Hell, my S4 barely consumes any oil so the RS had better not.

You’re correct about the matte trim and gloss grille. I thought that was strange myself but it doesn’t look bad. The gloss grille blends in with the paint of the car better.

#11

Thanks everyone. Really enjoying the car so far. After 6 years and 2 months in the S4, I was ready for a change.

#12

Congrats on a new beast in your stable! Yet another S4 owner jumped the ship. I love how Phantom TI looks, so aggressive especially with a proper drop and spacers. Looks like you have it all figured out modwise for this animal hehe

#13

Congrats on a nice find. Were you in Seaport this past Saturday afternoon with it by any chance?

#14

great looking car. Good job Jimmy

the matte window trim and gloss grill trim is stock. I had my silver trim wrapped last year and the guy only had enough matte to do the window trim (which is all I had planned to do…I was going to plastidip- the grill). I asked him to do the grill and he said he didn’t have enough, but he could do the whole thing in gloss if I wanted. I said no, then while they were doing the windows, I checked out some stock ti package photos and was surprised to see the matte gloss combo. I asked him to do the windows matte, and the grill gloss and he kind of thought it would look janky but it is what quattro originally did, and when you see it, it looks fine.

#15

Seaport where? Boston? I was in Norwalk and Westport CT with it this past Saturday. Had a wedding. Didn’t make it all the way back to Boston until Sunday afternoon.

#16

What do you guys think of the piano black trim that comes with the ti package? Would you swap it out for the carbon fiber if given the chance? I happen to have a set in my S4… ;D

#17

The piano black trim is one of the things that makes it a Ti package. It sets it apart from other RS4’s. I thought I would want to switch mine to carbon but the piano black grew on me quickly. I would leave it the way it came.

#18

That’s great to have owned the s4 for so long them to jump to such a clean rs4. Great job. Now carbon clean and the jhm works will be a great reward for all your time. I would love to hear the thought and difference between the two.

I have always looked at the tuned fully exhaust jhm cars like stock rs4 power wise. And do the same to the RS4 and it’s another huge jump.

#19

Yes in Boston, Seaport district. I was there grabbing a couple drinks and saw a black Ti package RS4. Obviously not you though.

#20

Yep, not me. Although, I do go down to the Seaport quite often, so you may see me there in the future. Love that area.