Six months ownership - a warning to Newbies!!

[Daveperc]

It being almost exactly six months now since I picked up my second beast (the previous one having died after total immersion baptism!) I thought it would be amusing ( ) to list what I have had done in the past six months. Please note I know these cars pretty well now after 6 years of ownership, and that the car was fully professionally inspected, and whilst I knew quite a few of the jobs would need doing, each time we did one job it unearthed another issue to sort!

Here's the list:
Swap over from old car:
Exhaust (including downpipes)
Both ARB's
ECU and TCU (including the maps!)
Seats and carbon trim
RS6 logo mats!
Laser Park Pro
XCar Link
Road Angel

Fit Wagner Intercoolers (modify existing shrouds)
Replace both Engine mounts
Replace both Oil cooler pipes
Replace Camshaft Position sensor
Replace all small Vacuum pipes
Cam cover gaskets replaced
Gearbox service
Replace rear gearbox oil seal
Dyno to make sure everything is 100% (Found TC definitely not locking)

Remove gearbox
Ship to US and full recon by 517 Trans ("Bullet proof"!)
Return and refit gearbox
New Lambda sensors (while engine out) just in case!
Full ATF change following finding debris from coolers in system
Dyno and full tune to max torque
Further full ATF change at 5000 miles - just to be sure - also small mod to ATF pick-up pipe.

Full DRC check and pressure (it is all fine!)
Four new tyres and wheel alignment (didn't bother with TPS)
Three defective parking sensors changed
Replace Passenger door lock
Replace GPS puck

Oh - and a routine 10,000 mile service!

I'm not even going to begin to go near my calculator to add it all up - but newbies beware, getting these beasts right takes time and money!!

Having said that, the car now dyno's at 527BHP and more importantly 880Nm torque, pulls like locomotive from low revs, and simply flies!

Enjoy your motoring!

Dave

Oh and thanks to Brett for a very enjoyable excursion in his C6 RS6 this morning at MRC - 750+BHP with Water/Meth Injection! Very impressive drive and ride, though not sure how much quicker than mine - somehow lacks the "character" of the C5, and the dash is too plasticky and too many knobs and switches!! Great fun though!

[daytonamart]

Very frank Dave, any newbies looking to get into a C5 should have a good think before parting with their money.

[chunky79]

Don't want to jinx it but I have been very lucky with mine, that's after ditching the toss drc 2 weeks after buying it.

[imacool]

That is a fenomenal amount of work done!

Any chance to see numbers? (£££)

[drybeer]

880Nm torque

Respect.

I think we'll need a youtube vid on a closed road for some entertainment value please!

[Daveperc]

Any chance to see numbers? (£££)

I genuinely haven't added it all up but it's between £15-18K including the gearbox, but excluding the actual purchase price of the car!

Dave

[amanda1]

Any chance to see numbers? (£££)

I genuinely haven't added it all up but it's between £15-18K including the gearbox, but excluding the actual purchase price of the car!

Dave

+1 I know how much as I have done a something similar but I refuse to even look at the costs and mine like yours is without purchase price!

[imacool]

Any chance to see numbers? (£££)

I genuinely haven't added it all up but it's between £15-18K including the gearbox, but excluding the actual purchase price of the car!

Dave

OMFG!

All I can say is that you really love your motor.

Big respect, sir...

[Mr Footlong]

I feel Dave's pain as I am over 20k now in maint/upgrades if memory serves and that doesn't include buying her in November last year either. Soooo many more things planned too but too much going on in life currently. That and I have a S3 to mod too now .

Dave did also put cash in to his previous beast too dont forget.

[Gripper1]

Is it possible for you to subtract the upgrades and the labour costs involved in work that wasn't required? Purely the costs involved in keeping the car running well in its original tune?

[chunky79]

I have spent plenty on this car but only the drc replacement was needed, others were done cause the wife wanted them

[yorkrs6+]

£25k in the last 12mths. And done most of what Dave has !


These cars should came with some kind of bank balance health warning.
If I knew what I know now I wouldn't have bought.
That said car it is v good now.
You quickly go past the point of no return.
All that said the running & maintenance costs will be too much for the those without a healthy income to support this type of ownership, which will result in a good many being scrapped. In turn our the fine examples left over will bloom in price. Which frankly they should given vast sums of money they consume to keep them happy.
These cars will take every last penny out of your pocket, so be warned.
I can see why warranty direct give them a terrible rating.

[Daveperc]

OK - couldn't get to sleep last night for adding up figures in my head!! Here's the rough breakdown, not quite as big as I thought!!

Swapping stuff from old car (effectively bringing it to stage 1 spec) £2000
Fixing and upgrading so as to bring to Stage 2 fully working £3500
Gearbox including multiple oil fills, shipping etc £7500
New tyres and alignment (but not TPMS) £1000
Routine servicing (10,000 miles) £500

TOTAL £14,500 (I had double counted one invoice when I did it in my head yesterday)

And worth every penny!!

Dave

[Mr V10]

I change my mind a lot but spending this sort of money on a C5 in a year shows a lot of dedication and madness. Saying that,I think I was on 14k a year last time I added it all up and even thinking about that pisses me off now. As with the purchase price plus £14k I could have had myself a nice 997 Turbo. I know which I'd rather have. To make it worse I've been driving a brand new A8 around lately and I see where DK is coming from when he calls the C5 a dinosaur. Getting back in the C5 was like going back to a Nokia 3210. To make it worse the ride is hard, it doesn't handle well I don't think the interior build is that great and the seats aren't supportive enough. Looks, twin turbos, rarity and the fact it was my one of my dreams to own one is why I've kept it, and I love the 844nm of torque and that V8 noise a lot. But it isn't worth 14k a year.

[bam_bam]

I like the 3210, it's just a phone. I'd love to just own a phone and not the POS electronic leash I end up starring half my life at...
As for the C5, it's a decision of heart not head. You'd hate see how much it cost getting to stage 3.