2012 Audi RS4 4.2L Petrol · TH12 RAY

A pattern of chronic, repetitive advisories across the suspension, dampers, and underbody components defines the DVSA history of this 2012 Audi RS4, suggesting that the recorded roadworthiness is technically compliant but the underlying wear picture is progressive. The most recent test on 11 October 2025 returned a clean pass with no defects recorded, which on the surface is reassuring; however, the four prior tests carry advisory notes that point to a consistent theme of front-end component wear. In 2024, both front upper suspension arm pins or bushes were flagged as worn on the nearside and offside. In 2023, both front shock absorbers were noted as having light oil misting, alongside an unspecified oil leak not deemed excessive at that point, and a covering engine undertray that prevented full visual inspection of suspension, steering, and braking components. The 2022 pass included advisories on all four tyres being at or near the legal limit, and the 2020 test recorded perished air suspension pipes within the inner front arches. There are no recorded failures across the eight tests on file, which is a positive point, yet the recurrence of suspension-related advisories in three separate years indicates that degradation in these areas is ongoing rather than resolved. With only 74,040 miles recorded over approximately 14 years, annual accumulation averages around 5,289 miles, which is markedly low for any vehicle of this age and particularly for a high-performance application such as this. The mileage progression across the MOT record, between 2020 and 2025, does not show a rapid spike, with annual mileage remaining modest. This pattern is mechanically significant: low annual use on a vehicle of this calibre typically means prolonged standing periods, which can accelerate seal drying in the 4.2-litre V8, allow corrosion to take hold on exposed underbody fasteners and brake lines, and lead to binding in the front calipers due to infrequent pad and disc movement. The recorded undertray fitments across multiple tests further suggest the car has not been subjected to harsh off-road or track-style use, but the consistent low-mileage profile should still prompt consideration of thorough checks on age-related deterioration rather than wear-related deterioration. For a prospective buyer, the front upper suspension arms and bushes flagged in 2024 warrant close physical inspection on a test drive; listen for clonking or knocking noises from the front end over speed humps, cats eyes, and when turning at low speed into tight corners, and feel for imprecise steering response or vague turn-in that can indicate the rubber has hardened beyond the advisory stage. The shock absorbers noted with oil misting in 2023 should be checked for any further seepage down the outer casing and for any change in ride quality such as a tendency to bounce excessively or rock from side to side after a bump, which would indicate the units have weakened beyond light misting. Given the perished air suspension pipes recorded within the inner front arches in 2020, request a visual inspection of the pipe runs for cracking, chafing, or any active hissing on startup, as compressor duty cycles and ride height behaviour should be evaluated with the engine running. The unspecified oil leak from 2023 also warrants a current undertray-off inspection of the engine sump, valve cover gaskets, and cam chain areas to confirm whether the leak has progressed or remained stable. On the road, particular attention should be paid to the braking system, given the vehicle’s power output combined with low annual mileage; listen for any scraping, grinding, or squealing that may indicate corroded or binding calipers on the front axle, and check for uneven tyre wear across all four corners since the 2022 advisories noted all tyres were worn close to the legal limit. Cold start behaviour should be observed for any excessive smoke from the exhaust, timing chain rattle on the high-pressure side, or rough idle that could indicate V8-specific issues not captured by MOT testing. Undertrays should be removed for a proper pre-purchase inspection, as they obscure the very components that have been repeatedly flagged. Finally, a compression or leak-down test on the V8 would be prudent given the vehicle’s age and the long stationary periods implied by the low annual mileage, neither of which can be assessed from MOT data but both of which are highly relevant to the mechanical outlook.