[Bricktrix]

Hi all, some may remember me others may not, but I'm still a member here and usually read the off topic forums 8-10 times a day since I've been lurking here after changing my BMW for my last car (AMG C43 Coupe) some 3.5 years ago.https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1329571

As much as I have loved the C43 I never really purchased it to be a long term keeper and my 4 year pcp was coming to an end this Nov forcing me to have to make a choice....keep it, return it, px etc.

I had an itch roughly this time last year and started looking at S5 and RS5 Sportbacks, but decided I would be stupid at that time to change and leave things until this year. I couldn't justify the RS5 price no matter how much I loved it, so I thought I would wait and see how the prices fared this year.......if still too high then settle for the S5 (NOT the new diesel version) which is as good performance-wise as the AMG I had.
The AMG was just too impractical being a coupe, the ride even in the softest setting is still way too crashy and hard and the sports seats I ordered were just that bit too firm. I was never really able to find a comfortable seating position after all this time of owning it, but don't get me wrong, it's an outstanding car especially with mp4s on it. It just missed the mark with me by fractions.....and it's just a bit too much of a hooligans car for me i.e. the exhaust note never got old, but when you don't want to attract attention and close the valves, it's still as loud when being driven hard.

I hoped the RS5 would get out of my system by now, but I've been pining for it after my test drive last year (I test drove the S5 and RS5 back to back) and have kept all the web pages open on my browser following the prices of both.
After looking again last week,it turned out my local dealer still had the same RS5 I looked at last year with a price reduction now of 10k. Its bog standard spec which is probably why its stayed there so long, as I think 6 months later they changed the standard spec of the cars to include sunroofs and a few other things, so people were going for those instead, as indeed I would have done if I could have justified the price. But this standard spec is good enough for me, it has the virtual cockpit and flat bottomed steering wheel, massage seats. Plus the huge practicality of a 5 door that I loved with my last 4 series Gran Coupe.....oh the dealership also put a thatcham 5 tracker on it which does not appear to make any difference with any insurance company in my searches so far?

Anyway, advertised with a 10k reduction and 50 miles on the clock, turns out after they reduced it the main boss started to commute in it, so had a 1000 miles on it. Cut to the chase, I picked it up this week!

I dealt with Magnitude and Holmesdale finance in trying to arm myself with figures before speaking to Audi. Both companies were really helpful and it aided me in getting Audi into special rates for this deal that ended up being 5.1%apr 4.89%fixed over 4 years with a gfv of 19k as I want to buy the car after and look to keep it for 10 years as perhaps one of my last cars in life (who knows?)
Neither of the other companies could match that and conclude that at least they had helped me in getting Audi to a good rate that I'm happy with.

Initial impressions after owning and driving the car a whole day using a tank of fuel is test drives never do any justice, you can get a feel or whiff of potential, but I have never been so surprised or excited by a car after taking ownership!
This thing is on another level. The grip vs performance defies logic, the way the torque vectoring works has blown me away.
Even in its hardest settings, the ride is so compliant and swallows up all the bumps on B roads compared to the crashy AMG ride, and the massage seats hit the exact spot that I have a problem with on my back! My Mrs loves it way over the Merc too which is a bonus!

The car ticks every box for me with the way it looks, standard wheels etc, its understated but equally aggressive from all angles.
I will certainly miss having no sunroof, thought I would miss the HUD but I'm getting used to looking down at the binacle again with the virtual cockpit. I do miss the speed limit display but I guess I just have to go back to an old school way of driving which is no bad thing as some of these "aids" make you lazy.
I only managed to get 1 obligatory pic in my excitement of picking this up which is attached below.
If anyone is interested to see more, I will try to get some over the weekend after I've given it a good wash as the dealership detail wasn't great!

[F20MAW73]

Gorgeous car. Love that - looks well worth the wait.

[mcoops]

Nice one! Any RS is going to feel pretty special. Enjoy!

[JNW1]

I do admit to quite liking the RS Audis and had the budget allowed the one car that might have tempted me away from BMW was an RS4; lovely car OP, enjoy!

[MashinBenzin]

That's lovely, cheers for an interesting write up

[philiper1]

Looks great, many happy driving miles ahead

[Panchoa]

Excellent choice.....I have the S5 version of this car and think that is brilliant.....the RS5 must be on a different level!! Contemplated test driving a RS5 when I got the S5 but thought better not as the RS was way more expensive and I know what I’m like when it comes to cars (heart rules the head sometimes )
Interest to hears your views on how the S5 and RS5 compare?

[mikeoz]

Love an RS

[Tengocity]

Can't beat that new car honeymoon period! Looks a great all round performance car

[Arcticdan]

Looks stunning, Enjoy

[isleaiw1]

Lovely car. I think the sportback is the best looking car Audi make, although like @JNW1 if I was buying it would be an RS4 Avant....

I know what you mean about the C43 - son in law had a C43 coupe and now has a GLC 43 SUV. Both too loud, both apparently too uncomfortable, he isnt keen on another (but he gets a new car every 3 to 4 months so its a bit of a case of what have they got that he hasnt had!)

I looked at the RS last time I changed but couldnt see why it was so much more to buy than an S - now they have made the S diesel there is every reason to spend the extra...

Enjoy (and hope the bricks part of life is going well too!)

[dazzapb]

Smashing lovely write up. I had the same shape s5 for 3 years and loved it. Can’t imagine what the RS is like. Enjoy.

[aquazi]

I'd love an RS5... looks great OP. imo probably the best interior in a medium sized car.

[ciscopete822]

Nice one OP ! You are for a treat , trust me

[rokut]

Looks awesome! Lovely cars. Was lucky enough to run an S4 for a couple of years - which in turn brings me to ask... doesn't the nav screen identify the speed limit? My S4 did this and showed it in the bottom corner of the screen I am sure... so might just need to fiddle with the settings?

Anyway, enjoy! Great car!

[cfm56d7b]

Congratulations. The car looks great. Just enjoy it regardless of what badge happens to be on the hood.

[225]

Very nice. Can imagine the spec is pretty high as standard and it's the engine that's more if interest anyway!

[3FortyI]

Looks great! Any interior shots?

[skipraider]

Very nice. I think the wheels suit it, i'm not a massive fan of some of the optional wheels they put on them.

One of these would probably suit me if they were cheaper.

[Bricktrix]

Thanks very much all for the replies, appreciated!

Originally Posted by Panchoa

Excellent choice.....I have the S5 version of this car and think that is brilliant.....the RS5 must be on a different level!! Contemplated test driving a RS5 when I got the S5 but thought better not as the RS was way more expensive and I know what I’m like when it comes to cars (heart rules the head sometimes )
Interest to hears your views on how the S5 and RS5 compare?

I think it was your post about your S5 that got me looking at these after I saw how nice it looked?
I agree with you completely, heart rules head with these......I should never EVER have test driven the RS version, but I was so sold on the looks of it alone. The S5 is a great car, more than I need power wise and would have been completely happy with one, UNTIL I saw the wide arches and aggressive front of the RS and had to try it out.
I tried to stay sensible and forget about it for 8-10 months and hope the pining would go away but it never did, once driven forever smitten!

I can't really comment on how the 2 versions compare to each other as I only had a 30 min test drive in each with a sales guy next to me......obviously I felt a huge difference in power between the 2, I was more than happy with the performance of the S version, then drove the RS which whilst on paper is not "that much more" power, it "feels" twice as quick on the road, or at least it did to me. Now I've driven this quite thoroughly it continues to excite me even further and I'm so glad I held out until I could justify / afford it! No regrets whatsoever.

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Lovely car. I think the sportback is the best looking car Audi make, although like @JNW1 if I was buying it would be an RS4 Avant....

I know what you mean about the C43 - son in law had a C43 coupe and now has a GLC 43 SUV. Both too loud, both apparently too uncomfortable, he isnt keen on another (but he gets a new car every 3 to 4 months so its a bit of a case of what have they got that he hasnt had!)

I looked at the RS last time I changed but couldnt see why it was so much more to buy than an S - now they have made the S diesel there is every reason to spend the extra...

Enjoy (and hope the bricks part of life is going well too!)

Cheers In my eyes I think the RS5 Sportback is one of the best looking "family" cars on the road at the moment.
The latest gen 2021 spec are both too Max Power for my liking also.....Audi have a new design language of over accentuated rear diffusers that I'm not very keen on, but I do quite like the new front ends on the 5 in places.

I think general opinion (of the 2017-20 models) is the RS is not worth the extra money as the S is so good, which I would also agree with and part of the reason I held off purchasing to see how the prices on both went. But as I said above, heart over head rules applied which I think was the same with you and your M5?

Did I need it? No!
Did I want it? GOD yes!
Why do it now in this current climate when I'm probably only using my car once every 3 weeks? Because I'm an idiot and I can! Sod it, YOLO. Man maths and justification added, plus the Mrs gave her blessing.I need no other excuses M'lud.

The "Bricks" part of life is still great thank you, busy as ever especially in this current climate

Originally Posted by rokut

Looks awesome! Lovely cars. Was lucky enough to run an S4 for a couple of years - which in turn brings me to ask... doesn't the nav screen identify the speed limit? My S4 did this and showed it in the bottom corner of the screen I am sure... so might just need to fiddle with the settings?

Anyway, enjoy! Great car!

Not that I can see so far? I've only driven it solidly for 1 day so I could be missing something, but I keep going out to the garage to play with settings etc and have not seen it yet?

Originally Posted by 3FortyI

Looks great! Any interior shots?

Please see attached pics.....taken in my garage so a bit crappy. The car is metallic black with black leather, but to me and family that have so far seen it we would say the interior is more dark grey than black. The leather is really nice and soft, more like the merino leather of BMW.

[3FortyI]

Originally Posted by Bricktrix

Thanks very much all for the replies, appreciated!

I think it was your post about your S5 that got me looking at these after I saw how nice it looked?
I agree with you completely, heart rules head with these......I should never EVER have test driven the RS version, but I was so sold on the looks of it alone. The S5 is a great car, more than I need power wise and would have been completely happy with one, UNTIL I saw the wide arches and aggressive front of the RS and had to try it out.
I tried to stay sensible and forget about it for 8-10 months and hope the pining would go away but it never did, once driven forever smitten!

I can't really comment on how the 2 versions compare to each other as I only had a 30 min test drive in each with a sales guy next to me......obviously I felt a huge difference in power between the 2, I was more than happy with the performance of the S version, then drove the RS which whilst on paper is not "that much more" power, it "feels" twice as quick on the road, or at least it did to me. Now I've driven this quite thoroughly it continues to excite me even further and I'm so glad I held out until I could justify / afford it! No regrets whatsoever.

Cheers In my eyes I think the RS5 Sportback is one of the best looking "family" cars on the road at the moment.
The latest gen 2021 spec are both too Max Power for my liking also.....Audi have a new design language of over accentuated rear diffusers that I'm not very keen on, but I do quite like the new front ends on the 5 in places.

I think general opinion (of the 2017-20 models) is the RS is not worth the extra money as the S is so good, which I would also agree with and part of the reason I held off purchasing to see how the prices on both went. But as I said above, heart over head rules applied which I think was the same with you and your M5?

Did I need it? No!
Did I want it? GOD yes!
Why do it now in this current climate when I'm probably only using my car once every 3 weeks? Because I'm an idiot and I can! Sod it, YOLO. Man maths and justification added, plus the Mrs gave her blessing.I need no other excuses M'lud.

The "Bricks" part of life is still great thank you, busy as ever especially in this current climate

Not that I can see so far? I've only driven it solidly for 1 day so I could be missing something, but I keep going out to the garage to play with settings etc and have not seen it yet?

Please see attached pics.....taken in my garage so a bit crappy. The car is metallic black with black leather, but to me and family that have so far seen it we would say the interior is more dark grey than black. The leather is really nice and soft, more like the merino leather of BMW.

Love it! Looks great! The digital dash is first class for sure! A few similarities like the headlight switch hahaha.. I'm sure it'll help remind you of the beemer

[Bricktrix]

Originally Posted by 3FortyI

Love it! Looks great! The digital dash is first class for sure! A few similarities like the headlight switch hahaha.. I'm sure it'll help remind you of the beemer

Thank you, funny you should say that as it does bring me back to my F36 4GC memories. It reminds me so much of it and I was always intending on going back to a 440i version, but couldnt bring myself to have the same interior layout that I had 4 years ago (if that makes sense) so wanted something a little more special.