2006 Audi RS4 Avant

Welcome to our auction for this wonderful Audi RS4 Avant finished in Daytona Grey Pearlescent with a black leather interior. With a full service history and only four previous owners, it has covered just 70,000 miles since being first registered on the 18th of August 2006.

In the care of the previous owner for the past 12 years, it has been kept garaged throughout that time and never seen rain. We’re well used to dealing with meticulous owners but we’ve never come across one before who replaced the undertrays because they were scuffed, or the rear springs because they were discoloured and starting to show surface corrosion…

Taken in part-exchange against a Porsche 911 Turbo, the vendor was going to keep it for himself but the need for extensive groundworks at his house put paid to that idea. Still, his loss could be your gain because this might be the nicest B7 RS4 we’ve seen in a long time.

The Daytona Grey Pearlescent coachwork is very good with factory shutlines, dent and ripple-free panels, and a very good shine to the discreet colour. The trademark silver roof rails and door mirrors, which mark this out as the ultimate iteration of the model, are present and correct.

And it sits well; the overall effect is of a much-loved car that has been treated properly. Which isn’t surprising because this is, you will recall, a car that hasn’t seen rain in the past dozen years and comes with the same car cover that has clothed it in his garage.

The alloy wheels are in good shape with only light scuffing to a couple of the rims. Incredibly clean – just take a look at the photos of the inside of the rims – they are shod with matching Goodyear Eagle tyres.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you an insight into their attitude towards maintenance.

Blemishes are few. Aside from the usual stonechips and minor marks that are part-and-parcel of 21st century life, along with what looks to have been a localised repair to the lower of the nearside front door, there are some very light scratches to the leading edge of the nearside rear wheelarch and near the offside rear lights. Both are trivial and we only include them only because we know some of you will bid sight-unseen.

The heated leather ‘Comfort’ seats (which might not look as dramatic as the sportier versions but are actually much more comfortable and easier to use for everyday driving) have the RS4 logo embossed on them and are piped in white; the result is distinctive and attractive. They’ve got the rare memory feature too, which makes sharing the car much easier.

With only moderate creasing to the driver’s seat, along with some minor scuffing to the base of both front seats, the way they’ve weathered the past 14 years is impressive.

And the rear seats are even better, looking to be almost unused. It’s the same story with the headlining, door cards, dashboard, and carpets; all look to be in a very good condition.

The interior specification is vast and includes: front and rear parking sensors; cruise control; push-button start; Audi navigation plus; multi-function steering wheel; Bose sound system; Thatcham Category 1 alarm; aluminium pedals; electric front and rear windows; electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors; sunroof; Xenon plus headlights with headlight washers; dog guard and retractable luggage cover; and heat insulating tinted glass.

The vendor tells us that everything works in there including the heated seats, the sat-nav, and notoriously fragile rear wiper.

The Audi’s service history comprises:

31.01.2008 and 9,591 miles – Victoria Audi London

04.08.2009 and 15,858 miles – Victoria Audi London

27.01.2011 and 46,727 miles – Camberley Audi

01.11.2012 and 41,347 miles – Dorking VW-Audi LTD

06.08.2014 and 51,010 miles – Dorking VW-Audi LTD

08.04.2016 and 58,355 miles – ST Engineering LTD

31.01.2018 and 64,714 miles – Pearce Autos

26.09.2019 and 68,626 miles – PMW, an independent VW-Audi specialist

The RS4 will also be serviced at the end of the auction prior to the new owner collecting it.

One of the issues the RS4 is said to suffer from is a loss of power due to the build-up of carbon on the air intake valve, so potential bidders will be relieved to know that this car has been recently being decoked allowing the engine to perform as it should. Please see the photographic record of the rolling road results showing the difference the work made.

The vendor tells us that it “drives brilliantly”. Having been a long-time fan of the model, he went on to mention that this is the best of the four he’s owned.

The RS4’s MOT certificate expires in February 2021 and was gained without a single advisory point, something it’s been doing for the past three years.

It comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years. It also still has its original owner’s handbook, book pack and Audi wallet plus two sets of keys.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please contact the owner and ask if they can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like them to concentrate on.

The Audi RS4 B7 is a staggeringly competent car – and if it lacks the character of some of its contemporaries, we should remind you that character is generally petrolhead speak for flaws…

Because the RS4 is capable of transporting you and four others across continents faster than almost anything else – and it will continue do so regardless of the weather and road conditions.

If the thought of owning an iconic quattro estate with a V8 engine under the bonnet appeals, then this is a very good example having benefitted from meticulous ownership for the past 12 years during which time expense was never an obstacle to its correct maintenance.

Despite all this, we think it’s only going to sell for somewhere between £16,000 and £19,000, which means we don’t think it is possible to go this fast this safely for much less.

And, because the B7 hasn’t yet started its appreciation, you might even do better over the long-term than you dare hope…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the seller in Suffolk; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ near Abingdon, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.