Thinking of getting an RS6 and looking for advise

[robin993]

Hi all and in advance thanks for advice.
I am thing of buying/or starting to loom for a RS6 Avant and would appreciate any pointers.
I have had a few performance cars in the past, mostly 911s including a couple of turbos, last year I had an RS4 for a year, which i found a little dull... almost too capable and not so involving. The RS6 has the appeal of being something different, i know that with the auto gearbox and the size and weight it will be completely different. I have done some research and think that I understand the main issues with the car, the oil leaks, DRC and coolant pipes.
I want an Avant for practical reasons and also am drawn to the MMC stage 2 tuned cars, that sort of power makes for an interesting prospect. I am interested to know the following info and would love to know your experience.
1. i expect an annual mileage of around 8,000 miles, assuming that i buy a good car that has covered 80,000 miles and been looked after what should i allow for maintenance. normal driving, with the odd blast, but no track.
2. Is it difficult to insure tuned cars? do you all declare the mods, and who do you use?
3. How bad is the fuel consumption on normal motorway trips? short trips? it isn't about the money so much, it can get to be a real pain if the range is too short. (I had a 911 turbo, that was tuned and only managed 120 miles on 70 litres).
4. any recommendations for pre purchase inspections?
5. I assume that buying a car that has had the MRC magic wand waved over it is the way to go, or would it be better to buy a standard car and get the work done? if i did that, how much would stage 2 cost on a good sorted car?
Finally i have found these cars, any comments... i am still trying to understand pricing

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-RS6-C6- ... SwmNxaXIHp

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2009-09-AUDI ... Sw1JVaN-E8

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds ... rc/8018609.


Regards
Robin

[Farravi]

The one listed on pistonhead seems to be the most promising one with 50k mileage. I know that's what I'd pick.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[IanH755]

Hi Robin, I'll try and give some answers for you but this.....

last year I had an RS4 for a year, which i found a little dull... almost too capable and not so involving.

is pretty much still the same for the RS6. Yes it's stupidly fast and even goes around longer corners well too, which is fun for what people misleadingly describe as a "barge", but I don't think the "communicates" very well (if at all) with the driver and at tight corners it's weight become much less manageable. In fact with it's weight and Quattro system it's so competent and stable that even 700+hp can feel a bit "easy" once you get used to it. However, if acceleration is your thing then Oh Hell Yeah a stage 2 RS6 is a must. Just as a baseline figure, imagine coming out of a 30mph village with a nice straight infront of you, 8 seconds of loud noise later and you'll be doing 120mph+ down a country lane and thinking "HOLY ******* ****!!!!!!!" and it'll do that day in and day out without drama (click here for proof at the bottom of image - Done with a 10hz GPS, same as Vbox etc but ignore the 0-60mph time, I forgot to switch off the traction Control and bogged down!)

Anyway, onto the questions -

1. Annual service alternates between around £500 for a 10k at a specialist, add more for Audi and around £700 for a 20k service, tyres are £200+, brakes are around £1k per axle for OEM inc pads so I'd stick at least £2k a year aside "just in case" but, without any failures, you'd probably spend under 1/2 that (still worth putting it to one side though). However any failures such as the Oil Pump leaking, Coolant Pipes corroding or DRC leaking (the three most common fails now) incur the "RS" tax with the vast majority of bits costing a minimum of £1k before labour etc.

2. I used Admiral at Stage 2 and as a 40yo with 8+ years No Claims in an excellent post code I was paying just under £500 - for 740hp - however I've been a customer with them for 8+ years so I don't know what other discounts I maybe getting to make it that low.

3. Expect 23-24mpg cruising at 70mph, 15-18mpg around town, under 10mpg hooning. I got around 250miles between fill ups based on a 40 mile per day commute of 20mile M-Way and 20mile A-Road. On a "fun" day out I'd get 200 miles at most.

4. It's a kind of "who is your favourite garage" question really but depending on where you are in the country then Unit20, RSPerformance, QST, 4 Rings, MRC etc will all be able to do one for you.

5. There are two points here for me - Mapping and Mechanical Work. For mapping I'd suggest there isn't anything else in the UK as good as MRC for mapping. For mechanical work they are no better than any of the other garages I've mentioned and, in my experience, there are others which I have seen do a better job on my car (Unit20 for one). In the end though, regardless of who looks after the mechanical side for you, MRC mapping is still the best for me. If you give them a stock car it'll cost around £2k to run stage 2 - £1k for the Engine map, £500 for the Gearbox and £500 for the secondary Cat bypass and air filters - which is easily the best "bang for buck" you will ever get with this car.

I'll just give some general info about the cars you linked too, please remember that these are only my rough opinions based on an advert and remember to check out the Forums own For Sale section as "Forum Cars" can be a better deal!

Ebay Car No1 - I THINK THIS IS ANDYEVO''s "FORUM CAR" AND HAS ALREADY SOLD - Looks very good, price is right, lots of maint history inc Oil leak fixed, Coolant Pipes Fixed etc and has adaptive cruise control as an extra.

Ebay Car No2 - I think it's priced a little high for mileage but that no bad thing but there's no real info in the advert so I'd need to see more before forming an opinion TBF.

Pistonheads Car No3 - Looks good, priced a little high for the 60k mileage (not a bad thing) but lots of main history and mentions the Oil leak, no mention of coolant lines (could have been checked/done while engine was out but need to find out), worth finding out more.

So none of the cars are "avoid like the plague" cars and all three look quite good but I'd just ask for more info from 2 (need lots more) and 3 (coolant pipe check?) and I think you have missed No1 which was a very good buy for someone!

Hope that helps, I'm sure others will chip in with their own experiences (good/bad) so try and listen to as many different people as possible, just to try and get the full picture about ownership.

Good Luck with finding a car!

[Jim Haseltine]

3. Expect 23-24mpg cruising at 70mph, 15-18mpg around town, under 10mpg hooning. I got around 250miles between fill ups based on a 40 mile per day commute of 20mile M-Way and 20mile A-Road.

Similar to my experience - 50 mile mixed commute and I get 250-270 miles from a tank. I reckon I'd get close to 300 on a continuous motorway cruise at legal speeds.
However, my weekend pottering kills things - I had a displayed range of 150 when I arrived home Friday night, I've done a maximum of 20 miles since then in short trips (max 4 miles) and I've now got a range of 65 displayed. Though I suspect it'll still be showing 65 when I arrive at work tomorrow morning....

[IanH755]

Yeah the "fuel range" is a bit hit and miss. After filling up following a 255 mile 50-60mph M-Way trip (roadworks) which left 50 miles in the tank I had the following -





So yeah, not the most reliable thing

[Jim Haseltine]

Though I suspect it'll still be showing 65 when I arrive at work tomorrow morning....

In my works carpark - 65 miles.
I know from experience that to be safe I'll have to fill up at the first station in my town when I get home tonight.

[robin993]

Wow, thanks for all the replies and a massive thanks to Ian for such a comprehensive reply.
this forum has given me the confidence to buy, real people with real experience, so good. .

I will keep looking and hope that i will find 'the one' for me. I rushed into my RS4 and while i got a good car, it wasn't the excellent car that i had hope for, i know my way around an aircooled porsche, but i think that an inspection is the way to go on a RS6... there is a lot of car to look at!

One other little question, the oil leak, if it has been fixed, is it an upgrade, so i should expect no more issues, or is it something that will give trouble at a later date?

Shame that the first car has sold.. i am just selling a boat and a 964, so until the cash is in the bank for either i am not in a position to pull the tigger.

I will keep you informed.. exciting times.
Robin

[SteveG]

I think that Pistonheads car is owned by a member here.

[IanH755]

One other little question, the oil leak, if it has been fixed, is it an upgrade, so i should expect no more issues, or is it something that will give trouble at a later date?

Hi Robin, it's an age related issue with heat cycling making the O-Ring seal go brittle after around 6-9 years, so this will come back at some point as there is no upgrade.

[NeilRS06]

I think that Pistonheads car is owned by a member here.

That will be me

[SR71]

I'd concur with all Ian has said. He helped me out with many of the same questions I had before getting into a C6.

I bought an ex-Forum 70K mile car. Drove 900+miles that day to Scotland to collect the car and its been brilliant. It wasn't Stage 2'ed but is now. It had had the coolant and oil seal jobs done though.

I got out of a B7 RS4 because I thought it was too capable. It had enough power to make it fun but the mechanical grip was immense so you never really felt like you were being challenged as a driver. Went and got a MRC550 B5 S4 which was a lot more of a challenge, if only because the chassis was that much older and trying to cope with double the power the car came from the factory with was always going to be interesting.

I agree with Ian though. Even with 700+hp in the C6, you get de-sensitised to it. I sometimes wish I had even more power. The other thing is, the cabin is obviously a little dated but the refinement is still evident. As a result it easily cruises deep into 3 figure territory (in Germany) without breaking a sweat, something you have to be attentive to in the UK, for obvious reasons. For me, its perfect for what I spend most of my time doing, which is cruising on the motorway with or without the family and our junk.

My commute is 120 miles on the motorway and I can scrape 25mpg out of it at the absolute most. Long term average around 18mpg. Tend to fill up (only on Super - Shell or Tescos) at 300 miles. Most I've seen from a tank is 340 miles. Worst, substantially under 200 miles.

I got it though, in the final analysis, because no one else has made a V10TT. Combined with the fact that I'm an Audiphile, it was, ultimately, a no-brainer.

Maybe one day, values will go the way of the RS2......

[RossH14]

due to the "nice" people at HMRC........my RS6 Avant is having to go up for sale ; asking £24K
the car has wanted for nothing, fully serviced by NE VAG inde specailist Swift Engineering
93Kmile
740 MRC stage 2 inc gearbox
Polybushed suspension (never need to worry again about rubber bushes failing)
110mm B&D development AP racing calipers and discs
the problem oil seal & drivers side pipes both renewed end of last year
Sepang blue with light grey interior
armourfend and regularly detailed by DDB detailing

pm me if intersted

[robin993]

PM sent Ross
thanks

[robin993]

Update. I have just put a deposit on an RS6. It has recently been MRC tuned to stage 2, has had the o ring done and the water pipes have been inspected.. it is the one that was on piston heads reg RS06YYY. Neil, the seller was a true gent and the car was great..
The only thing that I wasn't keen on was a non resonated miltek exhaust and standard steel brakes. I will see how i get on with the brakes, they are like new, i may invest in some AP 410mm fronts and the Pheaton cooling mods and i think that i will have to do something to make it more quiet, i like a sleeper.
I am chuffed.. i hope that i can collect it soon.
I love this forum... the fun begins.
Thanks