2008 Audi RS4 4.2L Petrol · BAT 4K

The DVSA record for this RS4 presents an unusually clean MOT history for a high-performance Audi now approaching eighteen years of age, with three successive passes logged at the 2021, 2024, and most recent May 2025 test. The absence of any advisories or failures across these examinations is notable, particularly because the vehicle has accumulated nearly 100,000 miles over its lifetime. While a clean sheet does not guarantee that wear-related components are in prime condition, it does confirm that the car has consistently met statutory roadworthiness standards on items such as braking efficiency, suspension condition, lighting, exhaust emissions, tyre condition, and visible structural integrity at the time of each test. Against an eighteen-year span, the recorded mileage of 99,828 miles works out at an annual average of roughly 5,500 miles, which sits at the lower end of typical usage for any car, let alone a performance model of this type. The MOT entries are spaced in 2021, 2024, and 2025, leaving an obvious multi-year gap between the 2021 examination and the 2024 retest, which suggests the vehicle may have either covered very little distance between those points or, in a manner consistent with SORN periods or off-road storage, simply not been presented for testing. The jump from approximately 80,000 miles at the 2021 test to the near-100,000 figure now implies around 20,000 miles over the intervening four years, so the recent use has been modest rather than static. Low accumulated mileage can reduce wear on drivetrain internals but can also bring its own considerations around seals, gaskets, and fluid-conditioned components that deteriorate with age and standing time rather than with distance. For a prospective buyer, the absence of recorded advisories means there is no specific flagged component to home in on from the DVSA history itself, so attention on inspection should shift to the items most commonly found wanting on a high-mileage RS4 of this vintage. The 4.2-litre FSI V8 is known for timing chain stretch, oil consumption via piston rings, and carbon build-up on inlet valves, so it is worth listening on start-up for any rattle from the chain area and checking for blue smoke on a warm restart. On the road, the front and rear suspension should be tested over uneven surfaces for any clonking or knocking, as the multi-link front geometry uses a number of bushes and arms that can deteriorate; the B6/B7 RS4 also has a known tendency for rear subframe mounting corrosion, which warrants a thorough check underneath. Any sign of bubbling, flaking, or perforation around the rear subframe mounting points, floor pans, suspension turrets, or underbody bracing should be treated seriously, as this is a known structural weak point and would be worth having inspected on a ramp. Under braking, the car should pull up straight and progressively without any vibration through the pedal or steering wheel, which would point to warped front discs; given the kerb weight and performance output, the discs and pads will have been worked hard even at modest mileages and benefit from a visual inspection for lip formation and pad material remaining. The clutch should be tested under hard acceleration in a high gear to confirm clean engagement without slipping, judder, or fluid contamination, while the manual gearbox should slot cleanly through all ratios with no synchro whine. Steering should feel tight and responsive without any vagueness on turn-in or knocking over rough roads, as the power steering system on this model can develop leaks. Finally, a full underbody inspection on a lift is strongly recommended to catch any corrosion or oil leak that the MOT may not have flagged visually, and a pre-purchase inspection by a specialist familiar with the RS4 platform would be money well spent given the car’s age, performance specification, and the premium cost of remedial work on these vehicles.