Given the age, not surprising but here goes: front brakes replaced, (costly); rear drive-shaft, (costly); hand-brake very poor, (complicated Porsche affair and known weak point - ask the list RS2list@egroups.com); rear brakes would have needed replacement if I had kept the car, (VERY costly - worse than the front). That was it.
Incredibly fast and solidly built.
You need air-con as the engine gives out an incredible amount of heat into the cabin.
The space is OK but for an estate, not brilliant.
The car sits VERY low and tends to scrape in car parks and on ramps - watch that front air duct!
The Quattro system is amazing. So much power, (315 ps), but the car just grips and goes. The RS2 has a strengthened 1st gear, (6 speed), as the S2 gear-box had a notoriously weaker 1st gear.
Seats are wonderful and grippy.
Car is very heavy and only really gets into its stride around 3000 rpm, but even below that, it is severely grin-inducing :-).
Tyres are difficult to come by for the summer wheels, (only one tyre type approved, but now out of production), so most are being down-sized to 225's with some say, better grip and handling, so no problem.
Homologated 245/40 17 dunlop sp8000 is still available.
20V non turbo goes on for ever, but buyer beware on high mileage RS2 vehicles my engine went bang at 102,000 when No.1 big end failed, oil and pump OK, I would only give 3/10 for reliability because of many design faults and weaknesses.
Regarding the reliability factor. My car had done 182000 km when I sold it and was still going strong. When I bought it, with 172000km on the clock, I rang a specialist in Swindon and they said generally the 5 cylinder engines go on forever. Major rebuilds required around 200, 000 MILES. Of course there are always bad ones. Mine I believe was a pre-production model or very early one, (registered December 1993). The Audi 80 parts and the five-cylinder engines had reached the end of a development period so I think most of the bugs were ironed out. RS2 unmodified, good for around 400hp then it needs work. Only weak point I have found after spending time reading lists and comments and owning one - the handbrakes. I am thinking of getting another, more fool me. Mine stood up to laps of the Nurbürgring so can't be that bad.
This car is very serious and should not be taken for granted. It will have you welded to your seat.
I got one its the best machine I've ever seen or had. they are rare and should be looked after properly. I love her. shes got all the extras in the engine and can do 420bhp in the summer with the summer tyres and superchip. it's a dream to drive and as safe as a rally car in the snow (only more powerful) don't be fooled by imitations, this car is in the top 10 cars in the world for power, and RS means Race Series.
'if you have the means-i seriously suggest you get one' - ferris buller quote.
She has one sticker I put on her. its small and it says: MIND CONTROL. when you have one you wake up every morning saying to yourself: 'wow that was a great dream' and then you see the keys...peter. loaded@andornet.ad
bye and have fun you only live once.
If you are given a chance and you smell sucess - take it because the reward for doing what you want in life is the best thing you'll ever exprience. bye bye.
05/08/03 I got my RS2 three months ago it's a right hand drive ragussa green example. The car has 79700 miles on the clock and is supported with a nice history. I myself have been in the motor trade for 23 years and have driven lots of exotic cars, but none stir me like my RS2.This model for me is quite simply perfect.
My engine went bang over 100,000 miles on the clock and was sold to my by Fontain as the best example they have ever had, with full service history and one careful owner.
The car has had over £4000 pounds spent on it in less than three years not including the £4800 for the new short engine.
Water pump, steering pump new smaller tyre's sizes as the ones fitting on the front also went bang when at high speed cornering touched the track-rod end which took a big chunk out of tyre, there is only about 3mm cap between the tyre and track-rod end so make sure tyre pressure is high as I always did, but this will not prevent it.
Solution new 225x45x17 as on the S4 are just OK. Michelin tyres recommended these sizes as the recommend ones by Audi are wrong for the wheel size, these wheels are not fitted to any Porsche, but specially made for the RS2.
To put things into perspective I love this car, but don't recommended it, I drive it to the limit when I can and have won track-days driving the best WRC cars available, the Audi RS2 is supposed to be a premium product over other similar makes of cars and as long as manufactures are allowed to make less than well sorted road cars they will, thank God there are lots of third party product to improve matters.
Some folk may think that an RS2 is a bloke's car, but my wife convinced me to get one, so that "she could get the shopping and have some fun" - well, given the estate car body, I had to agree didn't I?. Anyway, I got to drive the 3rd hand (50 k miles August 1995) red, shopping trolley, alone early one morning and after finally finding some serious grip in the seat position, took off at warp speed. The acceleration when the big torque cuts in is just intoxicating (and potentially license losing!). First gear is a test of speed - how fast can you change up before the rev limiter violently removes the thrust?. Second is fun, but can take you over the legal limit in quite a few countries - 3rd and you're at 90 mph before you wonder what it was you over-took, and if he saw you coming. Summary: mind-blowing, all this in an 'ordinary' looking estate.
Anyway, you will gather that we enjoy the car, but it is expensive to run. Ours is a LHD FSH model, but the big service at 120 K Kilometers (80 kmiles?) including belt changes, plus some other cosmetics like air con motors cost £1500 (swiss prices) - still, that was main dealer and very convenient -in fact they enjoyed the challenge of working on a rare and beloved car. It came back very shiny.
People say the brakes are expensive, but I don't know what the comparison is - my A6 4,2 V8 Avant just needed new disks and pads after only 40 k miles - the RS2's are cheaper and last longer - and you can guess that the RS2 is more likely to be driven hard!
Tyres are a discussion point - I think on balance the 225's are more than adequate (given new technology) and the standard 245's are overdone. I drive 225's as snow tyres as well and the extra clearance is a big help even though limited to 210 KPH (a bind on the autobahn), 260 (160 mph) with sommer tyres is no problem at all - the car just seems to hunker down on the asphalt, like a cat purring at 6000 rpm plus.)
Is it expensive - yes, is it fun - wow!, is it practical - absolutely, is it understated - except in nogaro or lazer red - probably. Do I wish it were an automatic (sometimes), but my lead-foot wife wouldn't have it any other way - it's 'real' driving without electronic interference.
I have a Ragussa Green RS2 which is totally unmodified. All I have done to it is change the oil every 6 months, replace the dampers and top mounts and love it madly for 2 years now. I mainly use it for a 165-mile commute two or three times per month. However, its practicality does mean it gets used for load-lugging and carrying, things no other Porsche could ever do.
If the RS was a mundane, soft car I would drone up the motorways (where 85% of all traffic police lurk), but there is no way such a car should do that! The true measure of a real-life supercar is its performance in all weathers and traffic conditions and the RS is superb. Unless it's foggy, or there is a traffic jam, the journey time only ever varies by 5 minutes. Notice I refer to a jam; this is not referring to queues of traffic behind caravans/lorries, because they are dispatched with such consummate ease as to be of little consequence. Rain, snow, wind, leaves are no hindrance at all.
On top of its ability, it is such FUN. No RS2/4/6 driver would argue that the RS2 is not the rawest, most involving of the RS models and I love it that way. The common thread with all the RSs is that huge, never-ending wave of acceleration that hooks you like a narcotic drug.
The RS is such a pretty car, but manages to be discreet, too; it exudes that aura of quality that Porsche/AUdi/MB/BMW are always striving to improve and it fells mighty strong. There are NO squeaks or rattles, even after 115,000 miles of hard driving on hard suspension on appalling roads. It is rare and nobody likes to be part of a herd.
If anyone notices it, they are a fellow car enthusiast in my estimation and we smile/wave, or chat about it for a while if stationary; it is a car with a terrific reputation, well deserved.
I won't be getting rid of mine unless I can no longer keep it running; it is a "modern" take on the ultimate Audi icon, the ur-Quattro; improved by a long way, but full of the original's character. Definitely a super car and a supercar too.
Had my rs2 for 3years its in ragusso green done 85k and still drives like new. its left hand drive because I could not get a decent one in right hand drive. never had any problems except power steering pump has a tiny leak on it. just a fantastic car to drive. don't buy brake parts from audi. porsche are loads cheaper/
Just bought my RS2 about a month ago and absolutely love it although I am wondering if there might be someone out there who can give me some help regarding wheels and tyres. My car is currently registered in France and I am having a real problem getting whats called a Control Technique.
The problem is that I am currently running with Porsche 18 inch rims and the tires that they specify for 18 inch rims are 285/30 or P Zeros, has anyone out there got 285/30s on 18 inch rims and if so could you please contact me on my email ixcelr8@hotmail, cheers.
Hi.
I have a owned a 94 model for the last year now and am extremely pleased with it. It has the additional mtm 380hp pack so the turbo lag is even more prominent. But I have gotten used to it.
I do track days with it occasionally and then go to the supermarket to buy groceries. No other car can do both so well.
http://www.locomail.com/niko/mycorradoweb/audi/myaudirs2/ontrack/
As regards the previous lister. I too have 8.5x 18" wheels and would recommend 255/35/18 tyres or 225/40/18. Definitely not 285/30.
Thanks,
niko.
Well I've had my RS2 for 18 months and I'm just about to sell her. Don't get me wrong, this is a fantastic car to drive, beautiful to look at (still gives me a thrill seeing her parked up amongst the grey masses) and that power surge is just unreal. But, at the end of the day, this is an expensive car to run, both in terms of fuel (try driving at a sedate pace - I challenge you) and general upkeep in terms of tyres, brakes, etc. I was unfortunate enough to have my door mirrors stolen - Just 2 hex bolts and you're £500 down. Disks are a big deal also. Anything that involves getting to the front or underside of the engine (eg, timing belt) basically means taking the whole front of the car off - not a cheap exercise even at non-main dealers.
So, sadly, I'm downgrading to some standard Audi or Beemer or other (new house forces sale). One final thing - residual value: I reckon good examples have pretty much bottomed out in price now. I had people clamoring to stuff cash in my hand a day after posting the ad.
In summary - depreciation-proof, practical supercar motoring, but be prepared to foot the bill and you will be rewarded with a grin and the knowledge you're driving the granddaddy of all the 4WD Porsches on the road today.
Yours,
A sad almost-ex-RS2 owner.
Hi, I have just got into the RS2 game and as much as I love the car, parts do seem to be expensive!
I have two questions -
1.) Brakes & brake pads - I have the cross drilled discs and need new pads, where should I buy new pads or discs?
2.) Tyres - I currently have the original 245 -17 dunlops, are the latest technology 225's better or worse?
Any advice from seasoned RS2 buffs will be greatly appreciated!
About tyres.
My earlier comments mention the problems I had with Pirelli P-Zeros 245x45x17. These are not the correct standard tyres, but were on the car when I bought it from Fontain, never the less the cap between the standard Dunlop 245x40x17 and Pirelli is about the same, been less the 4mm between the track-rod end and the tyre wall.
You need to run these tyres at 40psi or more to help prevent the tyre wall from touching the track-rod end at high speed cornering, but you are in the lap of the GODS.
Your only saving grace is if you do have a blow out that the Pirelli P-Zero does what it say's it will and runs perfectly at over 100mph with Zero air pressure so no problem bringing the car to a stop.
The tyre walls on all P Zero tyres are very, very strong which save you should you have a blowout, so are worth every penny. OK if it was not for the track rod end problem with this tyre size.
You could try spacers, but this would change a lot of the suspension geometry and would probably open another can of worms. Most people set the front suspension up wrongly, which is setup differently to the S2.
I have tried and tested Pirelli P-Zero 225x45x17 running at 38psi with out any
problems, in fact I would say they have solved more than just the track-rod end problem; the car turns in better and with slightly less rubber contact the car does not twitch as much when cornering at high speed on less than perfect A roads. On thing you must do is to change the standard rubber wishbone bushes for the Power Flex ones, these work fantastically, the front end stability is improved dramatically.
I even made my own 4 wheel alignment system to setup the suspension and even with the standard top mounts, but using the Power Flex bushes if the car is setup correctly and I mean correctly the car feels more like a Porsche than an Audi.
If you change the front damper to Koni and re-set the foot valve to one more suitable for road rallying the hole car has more traction in the corners, then for track days just turn up the damping giving you the best of both worlds is what an Avant car is all about.
I hope this helps you in deciding the best setup for your car and if in any doubt down load the movie file from the web address giving in one of the comments shown above and listen to the tyres rubbing on what I hope is just the plastic wheel arch. You have not got the space or suspension adjustment to fit larger wheels. The different offset these Porsche wheels have cannot be adjusted for correctly.