I may be mad but ......

[Knutts]

I am considering getting my DRC fixed instead of getting some PSS9.

It would appear that some Audi Dealers have managed to finally get DRC working and I would like to keep the car as standard as possible.

So has anyone had their DRC fixed and is happy with it?

And, what is the likely difference in cost?

Cheers
Knutts

[Golfather]

When DRC works, its far superior to coilovers, the car handles so flat through the corners and theres hardly any roll.

I would stick with DRC if there's now a proven fix.

[Rupert]

If you read the US forum (rs6.com), there are a few who have had problems with the new system. And here too, mainly due to crazy pressures.

To a buyer, DRC will be a dirty word.
To an insurance company, the increase in premium is negligible with coilovers fitted.
To an owner, the handling and peace of mind that comes with having worry-free coilovers fitted is priceless.

DRC is about 3k+, Coilovers are £1.5k, or even cheaper judging by recent threads.
It's a no brainer.
I could have had mine fixed under warranty, but I decided not to. Just because it's an Audi standard component does not mean it is best.

[Rupert]

When DRC works, its far superior to coilovers, the car handles so flat through the corners and theres hardly any roll.

I would stick with DRC if there's now a proven fix.

Are you comparing a car with coilovers + ARBs with DRC?

For example, my car passed an MOT when I was sure the DRC was shot (no leaks visible). The handling was terrible. Cornishmoocher grabbed my roof rails and showed me how much my car rolled compared to his (with H&Rs + Hotchkiss ARBs). The difference was huge!

Now I have KW V3s and H&R adjustable ARBs. There is very little body roll and I can adjust the ARBs to get the turn-in I want.
I've had the car for 4.5 years, it has never handled better than now!

[MoRS6+]

If you read the US forum (rs6.com), there are a few who have had problems with the new system. And here too, mainly due to crazy pressures.

To a buyer, DRC will be a dirty word.
To an insurance company, the increase in premium is negligible with coilovers fitted.
To an owner, the handling and peace of mind that comes with having worry-free coilovers fitted is priceless.

DRC is about 3k+, Coilovers are £1.5k, or even cheaper judging by recent threads.
It's a no brainer.
I could have had mine fixed under warranty, but I decided not to. Just because it's an Audi standard component does not mean it is best.

I couldn't have put it better myself.

[Daveperc]

I've had my DRC fixed with new units at the front - the rear ones are still the Mk 2. All is performing fine, and as noted above, when DRC is working it is the best solution - but when it's broke it ain't!

If you want flatter handling you can fit uprated ARB's - certainly for very fast road and/or track work they are probably a must.

Conventional shocks give their best performance when new and gradually decline with age. I would expect their life to be of the order of 40K miles before you need to replace. With DRC life should be unlimited given that repressurising the system is now straightforward for a competent dealer (sadly most are anything but competent in this area).

If Audi had believed that coilovers was a satisfactory compromise when they designed the car they would have fitted them in preference to an expensive active system. If you want your car to be hardened up as many "enthusiasts" do, then the balance moves to the Coily end. If you want the combination of firm ride, but with the comfort of an executive car (as designed) then the DRC is the route.

These forums are biased towards the "enthusiast" end of the spectrum - it's why we're here, and why you get such a strong preference for Coilies etc. Similarly the cars are increasingly being bought by enthusiasts rather than the "executives" who could afford them when newer - hence the reason that cars with DRC replaced are probably comanding a slight premium, at least in cars going via Pistonheads etc.

If you decide to keep the DRC as I have I would consider very carefully which dealer does the work. Given that you are in Woking, I'd bring the car to Camberley where Rob and Stuart have an excellent track record of getting it right first time.

Dave

[HYFR]

I've had my DRC fixed with new units at the front - the rear ones are still the Mk 2. All is performing fine, and as noted above, when DRC is working it is the best solution - but when it's broke it ain't!

If you want flatter handling you can fit uprated ARB's - certainly for very fast road and/or track work they are probably a must.

Conventional shocks give their best performance when new and gradually decline with age. I would expect their life to be of the order of 40K miles before you need to replace. With DRC life should be unlimited given that repressurising the system is now straightforward for a competent dealer (sadly most are anything but competent in this area).

If Audi had believed that coilovers was a satisfactory compromise when they designed the car they would have fitted them in preference to an expensive active system. If you want your car to be hardened up as many "enthusiasts" do, then the balance moves to the Coily end. If you want the combination of firm ride, but with the comfort of an executive car (as designed) then the DRC is the route.

These forums are biased towards the "enthusiast" end of the spectrum - it's why we're here, and why you get such a strong preference for Coilies etc. Similarly the cars are increasingly being bought by enthusiasts rather than the "executives" who could afford them when newer - hence the reason that cars with DRC replaced are probably comanding a slight premium, at least in cars going via Pistonheads etc.

If you decide to keep the DRC as I have I would consider very carefully which dealer does the work. Given that you are in Woking, I'd bring the car to Camberley where Rob and Stuart have an excellent track record of getting it right first time.

Dave

excellent balanced argument

iv had DRC replaced 2 months back, car still seems ok

We'll see when I get MRC health check next month prior to taking it to Audi for service

[Knutts]

Thanks for the input and some well balanced arguments.

I have spoken to Rob at Camberley Audi and his comments were as follows: (apologies if this is old ground)

He hasn't had the same car back after having mk3 shocks fitted.
Only the affected shocks need to be replaced so no need to replace diagonals and the valve.

All in all it makes fixing DRC more cost effective than getting coilovers.

The type of driving I do also lends itself more to DRC than coilovers.

So that leaves resale value and peace of mind? Maybe by going down the DRC route and posting my experience DRC maynot be such a dirty word in the future .

[jd_hants]

When I had the system replaced under the goodwill system, it was 'just' the shocks I believe not the two pressure vessels/accumulators or whatever they are - they were 'simply' repressurised by Camberley Cost was about £1000 I think.

[turbonutter68]

For what it's worth, my whole system was replaced by Audi Goodwill about 6 months ago.Touch wood, absolutely fine since.When DRC works i think it's the best compromise.Excellent handling but you can hang on to your fillings! Of course, if i'd been paying.......
Here's hoping it stays that way.

[Shoppinit]

Does anyone know how long it took for the first DRC problems to become apparent?

[SteveH]

My old RS6 has had more dampers than tyres (I kid you not!), first set lasted 2 years, then lots & lots of replacements over an 8 - 12 week period whilst the dealer figured it out... (and made a fortune on Audi UK warranty I assume) and then the fix lasted another couple of years until another few dampers fitted. But the handling was truly superb for such a barge! so fair play DRC.

[Cornishmoocher]

I am sorry, I do not agree with the DRC better than coilys on any level.
I have driven my car on fully functioning DRC and yes it was comfortable- but confidence inspiring? No.

I had an incident on the M25 a few months back, that I am sure if I had been on DRC I would be dead or nearly so, or very poor and minus a car. And before any of you say "hardly surprising- i bet you were doing 400mph" I wasn't, i was doing about 85 in the central lane, when the car about 20 yds in front of me shot in to the air and slewed across the road, I had milliseconds to respond and did so more from reaction than skill, but really yanked the wheel to Port and floored it, there was a pallet in the middle of the road and i went round it at about 100. When I stopped on the hard shoulder, there were maybe 30 or 40 cares that had hit it, including the cop car that was about 3 behind me.

The guy in front of me that hit hit wrote of his brand new Jag and the copper said to me "well done mate dont know how you missed it."

Had I been on DRC I wouldn't have The ARB's will have had a lot to do with that, but still tyhe DRc would not have taken that violent change of direction TWICE without instigating a huge aount of body roll.

I want to point out that there really was no skill involved in missing this, just a knee jerk reacvtion to what happened in front, and the coilys bought me through it I reckon.
I genuinly beleive that in a car as powerful as these, that even in standard guise,you need to have confidnece in the car 100%, and even working DRC was not good enough for my liking, sub-standard and unfit for purpose on a car that will propel you from 0-60 in 4.5 secfonds and carry so much speed into a corner then kill you with understeer and body roll and bounce- not good, and Audi should be ashamed.

Sorry, but thats my opinoin only and until then the discussion had been good and balanced, and I apologise for ruining it.

I'll gte my coat.

[Shoppinit]

Good to have a different point of view.

Much of the problem with the DRC is knowing whether it's working or not. Since it's a slow failure, it really has to be quite far gone before you realise.

I suppose you could say the same of normal struts, but I personally have never seen a regular strut fail to the point where there is absolutely no damping at all - as it was with my 6. When your car starts skipping around on the road, then it's already been a while since the DRC has failed.

I would argue that coilovers are the best for performance handling (hence why race cars use them), and anything other system (DRC, active, etc) is a compromise to more provide comfort when not driving sportily.

I also had a choice to repair or put coilovers on. I personally would rather have had DRC and I would have paid more to had it had I any confidence in it. But I didn't. And I still don't.

[GregR1]

Not sure if I, or my car is in the minority here. My car is still on the existing DRC and has never had any problems at all. I get the units checked every time the car's in at Audi (and that's been 4 times this year for services, MOTs and TPMS replacement) and there's no problem whatsoever.

I wonder if there are some 'good' systems out there ..