I reckon the forum will be a little bias but.... what would you do?

I currently own an Audi A4 Avant S-Line - 65plate with a decent spec and with just over 19k miles - plus some Audi warranty left.

The wife and I have always fancied a RRS but have never taken the plunge due to hearing reliability stories , plus the general price of them.

However, it seems you can get a decent 2012MY SDV6 HSE for around 20-21k with less then 60k miles on the clock, which sounds like good value to me!

Would you take the plunge and swap a late 2015 Audi A4 for a 2012 RRS with 50k-odd miles?

Either way - what are your reasons?

Cheers,
Ross Audi owner looking at getting a RRS...

For the right car, FSH, warranty, condition. yes.

There is no comparison between the two, the Audi (IMHO) is a boring motor, whereas the RRS is car that will make you smile every time you get in. I would not go back any further than 2011 and try to get a 2013, they are out there but make sure it ticks all the boxes.

As you say we may be biased on here so yes i would but your the only one who can make the decision

Unfortunately I think it’s one of those things that if you don’t try it, you’ll always wonder. There are many alternatives out there to try also but like the RRS, they have there problems to. Take loads out for a spin and see if anyone local will take you for a drive and show you what to look for.

Going from a 3 year old car to a 6 or 7 year old car is going to give you more maintenance expenses. In the 12 months I’ve had my car I’ve had to replace the front ARB pipes as one corroded through and the also the rear brake lines. I did the ARB pipes myself for £250 and the brake lines were done on its annual service which came to £400. I’m going to get a new battery as it’s gone flat once and I think is going weak now. I also intend to replace my rear pads and discs soon (I’ll be using gen LR parts). Everything else I’ve spent has been cosmetics and replacing rusty bolts with stainless etc.

Latest mod I’ve just completed (with advice from Col) is fitting 2016 Disco 4 /RRS 2 wing mirrors (I actually used the mounts from a Disco 4 and brand new RRS2 housings from eBay at £75 each with an eBay discount of 10%)

Next mod will be to fit better rear courtesy lights, I’ve seen the mod thread on the site but the mod doesn’t allow you to turn off the rear lights on door opening so I’m thinking of fitting something like Citroen Xara items which look similar but with a 3 way switch. 2019 5.0 SC SVA (Current)
2012 5.0 SC AB. Sadly written off by a campervan
23 plate Focus ST (Current)
1942 VEP Ford GPW Jeep (Willys) (Current)
1943 Whites M16 Halftrack (Current)
16 plate Eurofighter Typhoon, 2 x Eurojet engines with 20,000lbs thrust each. 1380mph

One suggestion I would make if you aren’t sure, treat yourself to a full day Land Rover Experience to see what the car really is capable of, don’t be put off by the fact that the Centre’s use only the current model year vehicles, basically the transmission is the same under the clothes, the most recent cars are lighter and have more electronics but that day out will give you a pretty good idea not just of the driving experience but also just what a properly sorted car on road tyres can do on and off road...... it isn’t a cheap day out and if you can combine it with a weekend break then it’s more special - there are LRE Centre’s all around the UK but Eastnor Castle near Ledbury is the daddy of them all and where LR secretly tests its new products. If you can twist your local LR dealer they will often give a free voucher for a half day experience, but often only after you buy a car! You can book direct with the Centre’s and although the day is meant to show you just what the cars can do there isn’t much on road but you can ask them to include some twisty back road and motorway driving in the day as well. You will never forget the day for sure, even if you never intend to take your own car in the situations that they will take you in their demo cars it is worth doing the course - they will even teach you how to use the 4x4 system to advantage in snow conditions without any snow on their traction control sections of the courses.
I’m not biased about Land Rover products - this year was the first time in 30 years I have not replaced a Land Rover product with another one................. I was generally very disheartened with the treatment I received from the company over extened warranty so for the time being i’m Having a rest from LR purchasing (I have a 23 year old Defender to get my LR “injection” when needed though!) as they say a change is as good as a rest, I might be back into RRS ownership for number 4 RRS in a couple of years........... 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Thanks for all of your replies. The poll is looking pretty even right now.

I think I will go and look at some and make my mind up then. Seen a couple I will try and see over the next couple weeks or so.

Hopefully get myself in to one this year. As they say, you only live once!

Cheers,
Ross Audi owner looking at getting a RRS...

Hi Rossh
It's a question that most owners of RR Sports have asked themselves, as it's a natural progression to go from a low slung sporty estate to a 4x4. Having moved from a run of BMW 3 series estates to RR Sports (I'm on my second) I really asked myself why I wanted to make the change back in 2009. They were:
1: I'm a farmers son so recognise the advantage of being up high (to look at other farmers crops!)
2: although I'm not farming as a career, I need a vehicle that can cope with tracks and off road from time to time
3: safety is greater
4: confidence that it will cope with anything thrown at it
The reasons that went through my head as to why not, were cost of purchase and cost of running. Depreciation is often the biggest cost of motoring but many people ignore it. My first RRS depreciated from £25k to £10k over 5 years and 80k miles. My second has probably depreciated from £28k to £13k over 3 years and 50k miles, so they average £4k/annum. They are both TDV8's.
So far I'm delighted to say that the running costs have been less than expected. I have done 120,000 miles in RR Sports and the only big items have been an alternator, a rear ARC bar (anti roll bar but its more techy than simply a bar), a couple of bearings, a battery, and a DPF filter.
As long as it has a first class service history and has been looked after (and you look after it too) you should be okay, but get a warranty.
Hope this helps

4K per annum Timf,,wish I could lose that much or should I say that less,,I’ve lost 40k in last 3.5 years on 3 RRS’s  Andy.
21 Ford Ranger
Gone but not forgotten
Focus RS Red Edition
2015 RRS AB Fuji.
2014 RRS SC Santorini
2016 VW Amarok
2014 RRS AB Fuji
2012 RRS Red Edition Fuji
2015 Nissan Navara
2012 RRS SE Santorini
2008 RRS White
2007 RRS Santorino

I would not go back in time for a switch like this. If you said thinking of replacing your 65 Audi for either a 68 Audi or a 65 RRS I would say to go for the RRS. But that 62 RRS you have in mind has 2005 underpinnings, will be higher mileage, will be significantly more expensive to run... so it’s a decision of the heart not the head. Just bear it in mind.

Having said that, if you asked me if i’d swap my specific 60 RRS (with 37k miles, not for sale) for a 65 Audi (with 19k miles) I would tell you in a heartbeat: no way.

So make of this what you will!! If you do switch then choose very very wisely. You may need to see several before signing. L405 P400e Autobiography (MY2020)... Silicon Silver / Espresso
RRS TDV6 HSE Lux (MY2011)... Nara Bronze / Arabica - now gone!