The B5 RS4 (2000-2001 Avant, ~6,000 built, never US-sold) is the original RS4 — a 2.7L twin-turbo V6 (~380 hp, K04 turbos) developed with Cosworth, an Avant-only manual that has become a grey-market icon and is appreciating sharply now that the earliest cars clear the US 25-year import rule. The dominant ownership topic by far is import/federalization: doing it properly (Registered Importer, EPA/DOT/CARB, MPH cluster, lighting) costs tens of thousands and many months, so a correctly federalized, documented car commands a large premium over a cheap European example. …
Library / Audi
Audi RS4 (B5)
23 sales analyzed · 4 topics from real Bring a Trailer & Cars & Bids comments.
“you can't buy the cheapest version across the pond, transport it, pay duty, fees, etc, etc, R.I. fees, and expect to be in it less than this.”AzEuros · Feb 21, 2020
- Import and federalization dominate the B5 RS4 conversationbuying-adviceNever US-sold, so nearly every B5 RS4 here is grey-market. Federalizing properly (Registered Importer, EPA/DOT/CARB, MPH cluster, US lighting) runs tens of thousands of dollars over many months; importers stress you can't buy the cheapest European car and come out ahead, so a documented, already-federalized car is worth a large premium. …
- The 2.7T's turbos are a known wear pointmechanicalThe biturbo 2.7L V6 (the same family as the B5 S4 but with larger K04 turbos and ~380 hp) is strong, but the turbos are widely reported to fail around 50-60k miles regardless of care. Budget for it and verify turbo health (shaft play, leaks, whistling under boost). …
- Timing belt is periodic, interference-engine maintenancemechanicalAs an interference 2.7T, the timing belt (with water pump, tensioner, rollers and seals) is critical periodic maintenance. The belt itself is cheap and a competent tech can do the job without pulling the engine, but confirm recent, documented service before buying. …
- A rare, analog icon that's appreciatingvalue-and-market~6,000 built, Avant-only, manual — repeatedly called 'rare as hen's teeth' and the pinnacle of the analog Audi era. Values are climbing as clean federalized cars and now 25-year-rule imports trade strongly; the right color/spec, originality and documentation command the big money. …