Contemplating an RS6

randomshenans

randomshenans

randomshenans

Soldato
Joined
11 Sep 2009
Posts
14,064
Location
France, Alsace
So in the next couple of months I'm looking to get a new car, and have been looking at an RS6.

Around 2004 age, C5, probably avant, and also if possible to wangle, a LHD job from the UK (I'm in Switzerland but the UK cars are much cheaper!) but anyone got any experiences with them?

Things to look out for on them? Etc.?

Thanks!
 
There's a couple of folk on here have one / have had one. Fantastic cars but running costs are invariably outrageous. Buying a circa 2004 one will be fraught with pitfalls if you aren't clear on what you are looking for. You don't go into RS6 ownership half cocked so be very careful when buying.
 
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QuickLink said:
Sounds about right! I don't expect them to be a cheap car really!
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To be honest there is not expecting them to be cheap, and then there is the RS6. It would appear the costs of running an RS6 are absolutely relentlessly bonkers-stupid, an order of magnitude more than you would expect from a car like that.

I would go so far as to say the bills are so completely ridiculous that unless you are a particular RS6 enthusiast and you really, really like them, its simply not worth the bother.

I gather they make an E55 AMG look like an Octavia Diesel cost wise :eek:
 
Ha who says I'm a VAG whore??

:p

Cheers Fox, I won't be doing a tonne of miles, but I assume that doesn't matter with them?

What is it that tends to be expensive about running them??
 
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Epic car, epic costs. I've spent £6,500 on mine since I bought it in October and there's still more to come, I'm sure. I'm currently averaging 18mpg on Super Unleaded. You'll find these cars change hands a lot when someone buys one, panics when the first big bill comes in and sells it on.

High points (for me)... power, traction, interior, build quality/feel, noise, 'sleeper' appeal. Low points... you won't pull with this car, plus the running costs as above.

Things to look out for if you're buying one...

Gearbox - excessive torque convertor slip, harsh gear changes. £6k+ to replace.
DRC - the car should be perfectly level and should corner flat. If it rolls excessively or dips down at one corner, you've probably got a leak. If it's riding too high that suggests the system has been recharged and over pressurised.
Electronics - check nothing has got damp. It can be very expensive to repair.

You're going to find a lot of C5s have had the temperamental DRC replaced with coilovers - it's what I did. It does transform the car and absolves you of any potential DRC related worries in the future. Lots will have the Milltek exhaust too - either resonated or non-resonated (the latter being the louder variant).

The honeymoon phase is well and truly over for me and I'm beginning to see the car as a massive extravagance. That said, I smile every time I drive it. It's faster than pretty much anything I come up against, it makes every journey effortless, it will carry 5 people, a dog and luggage in comfort and it's still respectable enough to take clients to lunch in. It's the perfect car.

Edit: M5/M3 vs RS6? I had the same dilemma and just decided that the big Audi made the performance a lot more accessible. You need quite literally no skill to drive an RS6 quickly. Try it in an M3 and you'll end up in a hedge.

Edit 2: A pic of 'orc', courtesy of Phate

JED08.jpg
 
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You'd rather drive a VAG than a BMW. Admit it!

Edit: to be a bit more constructive. No skill required; sounds perfect then ;)
 
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Haha Thanks Sigma...

I've been looking at the M3/5s as well and yea, you get a lot and I could probably get a 2006 M3 for the RS6 price. Which makes it tempting, but at the end of the day it with 2 kids and driving up to the mountains in the snow, I wouldn't fancy the M3 getting stuck! Not to mention the Mrs bugging me for a bleeding dog. Not sure the M3/5 would cope with that.

That is an epic amount to spend on it mind. Would it be advisable to go for one with exhaust and coilovers on it? Ive heard that about the boxes mind.
 
QuickLink said:
Haha Thanks Sigma...

I've been looking at the M3/5s as well and yea, you get a lot and I could probably get a 2006 M3 for the RS6 price. Which makes it tempting, but at the end of the day it with 2 kids and driving up to the mountains in the snow, I wouldn't fancy the M3 getting stuck! Not to mention the Mrs bugging me for a bleeding dog. Not sure the M3/5 would cope with that.

That is an epic amount to spend on it mind. Would it be advisable to go for one with exhaust and coilovers on it? Ive heard that about the boxes mind.
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I took the RS to the alps to see in the new year and it was incredible. I tried really hard to get it stuck and didn't even come close. My friend's labrador comes in the back quite often, you just have to remember he's in there before you give it maximum attack.

Getting one with the exhaust + coilovers already fitted will save you money if that's what you plan to do. You should definitely drive a standard car first though.
 
Never had one but similarly about 5 years ago the running costs of the old 2.7 TT RS4 pushed me into buying a 4.2 V8 S4 instead.

Didn't feel quite as special but the running costs were low on the S4. People used to talk about changing the turbos on the RS4 like they were a scheduled service item!
 
My M3 was considerably more expensive to run than my B5 RS4, although the B5 RS4 was in the garage far more often. Usually for bent wheels.
 
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