baptism of fire - new rs6 owner (what a week)

[white23]

Hi all,

I bought my Nov 02 RS6 approximately 3 and a bit weeks ago and it has been far from plain sailing thus far.

My wife is pregnant (5 mths) so the 3.2 TT had to go (too low = back ache) so I opted for the RS6. If I'm honest I wanted to get an 05 plate but with a baby on the way I couldn't justify the price (20-25k) and opted for one on pistonheads for 14k. Initially I thought I'd done ok out of it having bought my TT for 10k after passing my test in July, the trader gave me 9k so a decent start. Anyway, I got her back to Wales on the Wednesday night and had to go away until the Sunday lunchtime, and this is where the problems started.

I eagerly got home and couldn't wait to take her (can't actually decide if its a he or she) for a spin and it sounded like a the engine was going to fall out. A quick 'once over' quickly spotted I was completely out of power steering fluid so I limped to the local Audi VW garage and filled it up. It happened again 2 days later and I start to panic. I immediately rang the trader and put him on notice that 'all was not well' and he responded moderately warmly saying he was sure it would be ok and get it checked and report back to him. I put the car in the garage on Tues (last) by which time my research had prepared me for it being either : a hose (£80), a PS Pump (£200) or a rack (£700) - guess which one it was?........................

Yep you've guessed it - the dreaded rack, with labour a cool £2,000.00 - jesus wept. To be fair the trader bloody paid it. Apparently the cause of it was born out of the modification of coil springs being fitted to the car by fontain motors who (apparently) were supposed to remove the rack, fit the suspension and then replace the rack. They had melted the seals on the rack leading me to go through 2 litres of fluid in 10 days trying to manage the problem while I waited for the car to be fitted in at the garage.

In one respect I've got a car with brand new power steering and brand new suspension and I'm lucky the trader didn't tell me to get stuffed BUT I'm still left driving a rubbarsh courtesy car and I'm looking like my car wont be done before Xmas now because the courier with the rack got delayed in the bad weather = grrrrrrrr

Anyway - opinions on the above?

Also, can someone tell me what mods are available for the car that don't affect insurance?

Can you fit 'new rs6' wheels on it? I've been told new rs6 wheels only come in 20" meaning with lowered suspension they wouldn't fit my car anyway?

First impression of the car - power is outrageous, v comfortable, a wolf in sheeps clothing, a rocketship - strangely I'm still glad I own one after the above BUT I miss the car......

[white23]

also need some bits n bobs like mats, cargo inlay, maybe new wheels (see above) so if anyone can help me with ideas/traders pls let me know.

[mattmitch]

Hi mate I to made the unfortunate mistake of buying a cheap RS6 for £14k and in 3 months of ownership have spent over £5k just trying to get her straight, shes not to bad now just a couple of little niggly things like interior trim is s*@t so trying to source them when I get time. But now that shes running not to bad mate there nothing better !

[Cornishmoocher]

There-by hangs the tail.

Rs6 ownership is far from cheap, easy or heartache free.

But in the way of mods. pretty much anything you do will bugger the insurance up if you go mainstream.
Mods, well, first off, Milltek, non res cat back- £850.00ish, then some nice catless |DP's add on another £500. Once you have done that you will need a remap, prices start from about £500. Then you will need the box remapping, allow another £300, add £300 for some new DV's and ITG AF's too. So now you have a 500hp super car.
now you need it to handle like one. add £1500 for a set of coilovers and another £400 for ARB's. With all that power and grip you will need to stop the car, so a unit 20 big brake upgrade will be required. add £1000.
Now comes the really fun bit, £1000 per service on average, and in my case £13k fuel in the first year, £800 for a set of boots and about another £1000 for a set of pads and disks. £1000 for a cam belt change (if you get it done at a indi more like 2.5k at a stealer). If your box should go £5k (and they do go)


Hope I have not frightened you.................
but do you know what, its worth every penny, you will have these preciptous lows, but when you wallop a fezza off the line with a fridge in the back of your estate, it all makes sense.

Mooch

[knappsimon]

I wouldnt worry about having the rack fail. I bought my 6 six months ago...after twenty kms the engine destroyed itself! Costing circa €15000 to replace...which the dealer and warranty refuse to pay...so looks like im gonna get an engine from the mighty grizz and have to take a hit myself before starting legal proceedings!

[Shoppinit]

There's no such thing as a cheap RS6. You end up paying one way or another.

Sounds like your dealer was very stand-up about the whole thing. Respect to that man.

I'm not clear what the problem was. Are you saying fontain cut the springs in-situ with a gas-axe or something? Difficult to believe, but maybe they didn't want to mess with the DRC by removing the spring / strut. What nutter would want to shorten the springs anyway?!

I wouldn't worry about the repairs. They're being taken car of FOC. The racks are known to fail occasionally on the RS6. No more than any other car, I imagine. No biggie. If the rest of the car is good, then you're plain sailing.

[HYFR]

There's no such thing as a cheap RS6.

you are wrong, there was! mine, £13,995 with 10months Audi warranty and all the bits done

BUT

problem is, new RS 6 owners dont understand the world of pain they are going to buy into

they all find out eventually, including the OP, only saving grace was it was bought from a dealer and not private thus was covered

[white23]

Cheers guys - much appreciated. To be fair apart from the rack issue the car is tip top, the bodywork is immaculate, the interior trim is perfect. It had the coil over suspension replaced just a month before I bought it (£3,000) which was one of the major selling points after hearing about drc failure. Basically the trader recieved the car and the drc failed so he instructed fontain to fit coils, which (apparently) they did but managed to damage the rack in the process. I didn't buy the car from fontain motors I got it from R&W Motors in Hounslow and fairplay to Waleed (the owner) he paid the garage for my replacement rack. R&W are a performance car specialists (for eg my car was parked next to a 150k Lambo when I picked it up so I think he was more concerned about his business rep than the £2,000 (unlike me). I think he also knew that the law is on your side in the first 6 months of ownership (even without warranty) but its a ball ache if you've got to pay for it upfront and then take legal action to recoup the cash so it was a relief that he 'played ball' as it were.
Luckily too, the tech whose doing the work is tried and tested - my brother bought a dog of a TT about 4-5 yrs ago and he (Jock) got her purring like a kitten so I've got faith that at least I've now had Jock sweep my car for problems for nothing really.

So far - I love the look of the car, the power is immense!

In terms of aesthetics the first port of call for me (was) the wheels until I was told you can't put 'new rs6' wheels on the C5 - is that true? I saw an old A6 (TDI or something) with it done and it really takes the age away from the car so I thought it would be worth doing - any one know anything about this?

[Shoppinit]

You can put C6 wheels on a C5. There are a few cars on here with it. Daniel springs to mind.

[white23]

Whats the drill then (I am new here) - would I trade in my current C5 wheels and upgrade to the C6? Or would I have to buy the new ones and then bang the old ones on ebay to recoup some cash? Audi (Hereford) told me that because the car is lowered (on coils) it might not work because the C6 wheels are 20" and my current wheels are 19"....

[Shoppinit]

Ask Daniel:
http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... highlight=

[white23]

Cheers shoppinit I've just msg'd him to ask a few qu's....

[grizz]

They will fit a lowered car no probs ...I fitted a set for a customer a while ago ..

[rsray]

are fontain audi ok as just bought my rs6 from them?? you must be local to me ? hayes area?

[white23]

Hi funnily enough I looked at the car you've bought (I think) but the sales person was a bit of a smug kn08 so I backed off plus he wanted to give me a ridiculously low trade in price for my 3.2 TT. To be honest I don't know but they seemed v professional. It was just that the guy who is looking over my car and fitting the new rack is anal (and I mean obsessed) so he worked out how the damage had been done. As long as your car hasn't had any recent work done to it by fontain I wouldn't worry but the mistake they made with mine was that the didn't remove the rack when upgrading the suspension - I don't know how elementary a mistake that is to be honest but my tech was angry seeing it.

How are you finding your new acquisition? are you feeling the love? did you read above what happened with mine? bit of a bummer BUT at the end of the day I'll be driving a car thats got brand new power steering and new suspension so can't be all bad, just a bit of bummer while I'm driving round in this 207 diesel in the meantime