Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Discussion of other cars non-Z4
User avatar
BMWZ4MC
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6337
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:24 pm
Location: Back in the sunshine

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by BMWZ4MC » Fri Dec 15, 2017 12:02 pm

I’d vote for the B7 RS4. You’ll get a manual gearbox and the money you’ll save on the purchase price will more than pay for a Miltek exhaust and a GruppeM, as well as a great many tanks of fuel.
The sound is immense and the thrill of redlining a 4.2l V8 at over 8k rpm never gets old.
The handling is remarkably good wet or dry and it will cover broken country roads faster than my Zed.
The choice between a C63 and a B8 is harder. I suspect I’d be at a higher risk of bankruptcy or death with the MB!
Image
Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

Z4M-2006
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 7020
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 7:53 am
Location: High Peak,Derbyshire.

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by Z4M-2006 » Fri Dec 15, 2017 12:10 pm

Thing is with the B7 is that they are old,and a bit slow...

And man are they expensive to repair..

We have had one in the workshop this week..

4 shocks (DRC) All leaking..
4 springs
Inner CV boot.
Front pads and discs
Rear pads and discs
Secondary air pump bringing EML on,replace and fit new pipework
MOT


Cost...........not fully worked out but close on £6000...

Audi charge over £400 just to recharge the DRC after its been repaired or replaced,and the car has to be flat bedded to them as you cannot drive the car with no pressure in the DRC..

Nearest Audi dealer with DRC filling facility is 62 miles away... Awesome

User avatar
BMWZ4MC
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6337
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:24 pm
Location: Back in the sunshine

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by BMWZ4MC » Fri Dec 15, 2017 12:17 pm

Old I’ll give you but sub 5 seconds to 60 for a 1.8 tonne estate car isn’t exactly slow!
That repair bill is pretty grim - makes me want to sell mine immediately :lol:
Image
Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

Z4M-2006
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 7020
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 7:53 am
Location: High Peak,Derbyshire.

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by Z4M-2006 » Fri Dec 15, 2017 12:23 pm

Yea...

Sorry I didn't realise you owned one...

We look after a few and perhaps slow is a bit unfair,but they always seem lacklustre and disappointing to me..

They feel like they need another 100bhp when on the road, although geared well enough to do the 0-60 times they feel underwhelming..
Just my opinion of course...

User avatar
Steve84N
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1828
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:00 pm

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by Steve84N » Fri Dec 15, 2017 1:30 pm

No luck selling mine, plenty of complementary comments but only one who could be serious and they're yet to confirm if they will be viewing it tomorrow. As it's a forum generated lead the extra price I could get is small so I've pretty much made peace with it going to the dealer. Plus part of me would like them to have a job on their hands as they've not reduced the price on the C63. :evil:

I did consider the B7 but discounted it due to wanting more modern gizmos as that's partly why I want to upgrade from the Z4. I never thought I'd not want a manual but to be frank I don't think I'll miss a clutch pedal that much. I do heel & toe / rev match all the gearchanges which I enjoy but first and foremost it's being in control of which gear that I like the most. The C63 has a full manual mode that won't kickdown.

I thought I'd like the B8 RS4 more than I did. The seats are rubbish with very little support, whereas the C63 hugs you very tightly (more than a Z4). The 4.2 V8 is too anodyne until 6,000rpm+ and you don't get to do that very often. It also understeered way too much for my liking, the line about the engine being too far forward is definitely true.

The steering on the C63 is a joy to use as it's still hydraulic but the Audi felt completely lifeless. This is another reason I wanted to change my Z4. The RS4 looks better on the outside for me but the C63 is hardly lacking in aggression.
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

User avatar
BMWZ4MC
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6337
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:24 pm
Location: Back in the sunshine

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by BMWZ4MC » Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:05 pm

Z4M-2006 wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 12:23 pm Yea...

Sorry I didn't realise you owned one...

We look after a few and perhaps slow is a bit unfair,but they always seem lacklustre and disappointing to me..

They feel like they need another 100bhp when on the road, although geared well enough to do the 0-60 times they feel underwhelming..
Just my opinion of course...
Don’t worry, no offence taken :thumbsup: An excess of sound insulation makes the experience far less exciting than it should be but exhaust and intake mods take care of that. Cross country it’s a bloody fast car, on the motorway it’s no faster than a modern turbo diesel commuter box.

Steve, I’m surprised that you found the B8 understeers so much. On decent tyres the B7 is very balanced, although ultimately it tends to lose front end grip before rear.
Image
Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

User avatar
Steve84N
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1828
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:00 pm

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by Steve84N » Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:32 pm

It suddenly pushed wide at modest speed on a roundabout and wouldn't come back with a big lift off like all the other decent cars I've had. Just seemed like it would be too boring. By most accounts the B7 does drive better.
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

User avatar
BMWZ4MC
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6337
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:24 pm
Location: Back in the sunshine

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by BMWZ4MC » Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:51 am

Steve84N wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:32 pm It suddenly pushed wide at modest speed on a roundabout and wouldn't come back with a big lift off like all the other decent cars I've had. Just seemed like it would be too boring. By most accounts the B7 does drive better.
That’s disappointing. Sounds like you’ve made the correct choice of the two.
Image
Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

User avatar
Ducklakeview
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6362
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:08 pm
Location: Merseyside

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by Ducklakeview » Sat Dec 16, 2017 12:03 pm

Good choice - The C63 is mental, and much more involving to drive.. Can get a bit lairy though, but that's all part of the fun IMO.

Mike

User avatar
Steve84N
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1828
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:00 pm

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by Steve84N » Sat Dec 16, 2017 2:16 pm

The C63 made me smile even when tootling in traffic, the RS4 did not...

The RS4 engine is around the 200kg mark so it's not that heavy but it's in the wrong place. The M156 is not much more than 200kg either but it's further back in the car. By reference an S54 is positively porky at 217kg and the N52 is around 160kg I believe.
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

mjennings23
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1176
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:11 pm
Location: North West

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by mjennings23 » Sat Dec 16, 2017 6:52 pm

Boss has an S63 with the same engine I believe? Its a lot more understated than the C63 by all accounts (no loud screaming exhaust!) but my god it shifts!

User avatar
Steve84N
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1828
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:00 pm

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by Steve84N » Sat Dec 16, 2017 10:21 pm

Different beast, 5.5 turbo V8. Not bad but doesn't have the same soundtrack.
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

User avatar
BMWZ4MC
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6337
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:24 pm
Location: Back in the sunshine

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by BMWZ4MC » Sun Dec 17, 2017 12:03 am

I’ll have to make a couple of drive by videos of my B7 with a GruppeM and gutted rear silencers :evil:
Image
Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

User avatar
Steve84N
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1828
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:00 pm

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by Steve84N » Sun Dec 17, 2017 8:06 pm

Yes please. :D
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

User avatar
jimmybell
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 2557
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 4:16 pm
Location: SW London

B8 RS4 or S204 C63

Post by jimmybell » Fri Jan 26, 2018 5:41 pm

EDIT: holy thread revival + you bought one, so this is largely irrelevant now. In my defence i opened an old laptop that i've clearly not used for a month and had this thread already open. :D

I'm biased, but i'd go out and buy a C63 again tomorrow if i had more money lying around. I was very close to buying a black series.

Audi are fine, i had one on order. I've driven both models you mentioned:

Audi is a fast estate that has something special about it.
Merc is a batshit engine that happens to have an estate body on it.

Both have terrible fuel economy, but are both great cars. As someone else has said - i planned on owning the C63 for <1year, ended up having it nearly 2 - it's gone for two reasons:
1. two f**kwits crashed in to each other and then both slid in to stationary me... :(
2. I live in London and can't justify having two cars with a combined 12.2 litre capacity and 18 cylinders.
V12 Vantage S - Hammerhead Silver, Manual, Lightweight Wheels, Exterior Carbon++, Carbon Buckets, AMR Performance Pack.
M135i LCI - ZF8, White, HK Audio, Adaptive
--
GONE Z4 M Coupe, Imola, CSLs
GONE C63 AMG, Black, Performance Pack+, LSD, HK

Post Reply