The unofficial RS6 buyers guide.

[amanda1]

Seriously Dunc ? Not really as I don't have the will to mate. Want me to work out mod/ accessory costs later to makeup for it?..?..

Panda, I don't count fuel and I just about don't have more money than sense darling

Neither do I Nick .......I just know what I want

[HYFR]

RS Nicks wins ... he's spent bugger all on Sarge in 12k

thats the price of the best C5 out there

[PJC]

RS Nicks wins ... he's spent bugger all on Sarge in 12k

thats the price of the best C5 out there

Surprised me too as Nick told me his costs in the last year for running Sarge.

[Mr Footlong]

Mine wasn't a dog at all, I just don't compromise at the end of the day, want everything as perfect as possibly and have no problems throwing money at something I deem to be a problem. Dunc, I thought you might have had a line out, I wasn't barking at you.

Amar, honestly that wasn't precise, I just added up all the totals then scanned the receipts for parts that were mods and deleted them. Right, oh dear. I have just quickly totted up roughly what I have spent on modifications so far and accessories, the total sits at £9578.22 give or take a few hundred. Oopsie!

/Edit, that doesn't include the current mirror adventure, the private plate and I might have missed the Carbotechs off there too. What the hell have I done?

[Nobby]

3 months in and my costs aren't that bad, considering nothing has really broken (kiss of death). It had around £2k worth of work done on it when I agreed to buy it and a HUGE wallet of invoices previously which I've yet to tot up.

General maintenance & parts = £928
Fuel = £838 (2600 miles @ 20.7 mpg)

Things still need doing though. Headlight switch and armrest have lost their coating so plastidip ahoy, gonna do the cambelt soon, probably rear discs/pads, change ATF, tyres in the next 6 months perhaps.

[mik15]

it's been 10 months now since i have it and spent over £6.5k, most of it for pure maintenance, if i deduct the RNS-E and some other bits, would probably be around 5.5k which includes the 75k service, which was the major cost. A stupid idea was to get the DRC overhauled by Audi when i bought it, money i wish i had spent it for a coilovers system, as the DRC is shot now again, and even if it's still under warranty i don't want the demon oil anymore, ordered already coilovers! It's definitely not a cheap car to maintain! But, i am getting closer to the point where all the major jobs have been done, the gearbox is the next one...and then? ...will probably start all over again.... ....i hope not

[M3?]

I have read with interest the thread to which I am now contributing. I note that there are some members who have some fairly forthright opinions on the posts of others (you know who you are) so I expect the full force of your reaction.
Before I pose my question, I would just like to say that my love for cars and the pleasure that they give, is not manufacturer biased, nor is it founded on those cars that I have owned or experienced. I try to be as objective as possible.
I came by your forum because I have a real interest in a car that has the amazing performance figures that an RS6 can boast whilst transporting two labradors and a wife (note the order there).
My question is this, for the last three years I have run an M3. Without doubt, a highly accomplished German performer. Right now I can have another one, for under 700 pounds a month with extras making the list price 60k. No deposit, interest free direct from the local dealer.
Having driven 36000 miles in my last one, again a new V8 with 414 bhp, I know how well they drive, handle and sound. I also know how little it has cost me for servicing over three years (£1200)

So the question is this, if it is going to cost me more per month (quite possibly a lot more) by the time factored in all of the costs than a brand spanking new m3, then is the driving experience so good that it warrants the spend?
I don't doubt that the RS6 is an astonishing performer, but at circa £6k a year (500 per month) for running costs, can this be justified? I hope so, because I really do want one!

Also given the amount of attention that they need, how reliable are they. I ask this as every year I take a car to Sweden to spend a week on a frozen lake (google icedrivesweden) could I expect to get there and back?

Incidentally, I appreciate that i cant get two labradors into an M3, but i do have other vehicles for moving hounds!

I look forward to your thoughts.

Cheers

Ian

[Shoppinit]

I haven't had any major problems or expenses in 4 years. Well, I changed the suspension when I first bought it, but that's about it.

I also have an M3 and I read a lot of horror stories about those too.

There's no reason why an RS6 in good condition wouldn't munch the miles to Sweden and back with ease. Best car for it, IMO.

[Daveperc]

Not sure how you are calculating your figs, but on 12000 miles a year you will spend £4K on fuel, £1K on tyres and £1K on routine servicing. Then you will need at least one set of discs and pads, and one cambelt change in your three years - another £3K or so in total.

Estimating other "breakdown costs" is anyone's guess - but the warranty companies typically are around £2K/year - and many of them refuse the RS6 now because they can't make money. Personally I put the money in a rainy day pot - and you may recall that last year was very wet!!

On the positive side - the run to Sweden will be huge fun - and I'd love to take mine out on the lakes - only then you'll need the special tyres - so there's another £1K+

At the end of the day you need to remember these cars were £60-70K new ten years ago, and whilst the capital value has dropped, the running costs are still those for a £70-100K supercar.

Good luck

Dave

[M3?]

I wasn't factoring fuel into the equation, as both cars use it at a similar rate. Tyres too. My notional 6k a year was an average derived from other posts in the thread. Clearly a new car under warranty only has known costs. The message I am getting from reading this is be prepared to throw cash at the car to keep it right. I don't mind doing so if the reward is there.
So the big question is about the drive. It's a bloody big lump, but obviously quick. All the YouTube stuff I see is all about drag races with other quick cars. I know it's powerful, I know it's quick, I know it would mince an M3 in a drag race. But what are the dynamics like?

Cheers

Ian

[Mr V10]

The steering will feel boat like compared to the M3 you're used to. You can get it to stay flat enough through corners with the Hotchkis roll bar upgrade, but the steering will frustrate you IF you're looking for a 'dynamic' car, and I reckon you will be massively disappointed. The M3 will probably be just as quick as a standard RS 6, too. I'm sure the E39 M5 was as quick or quicker to 130ish+
Buy the M3, 0% fianance on an M car isn't common and you won't get it on a new RS. Plus, you can enjoy the car rather than being paranoid about it or forking out unexpectedly, and if BMW offer a service pack - take that too.

P.S Remember there is a new M3 set to come out, under the M4 name IIRC, might have an effect on resale if you do go for an E9x M3.

[Mr V10]

The steering will feel boat like compared to the M3 you're used to. You can get it to stay flat enough through corners with the Hotchkis roll bar upgrade, but the steering will frustrate you IF you're looking for a 'dynamic' car, and I reckon you will be massively disappointed. The M3 will probably be just as quick as a standard RS 6, too. I'm sure the E39 M5 was as quick or quicker to 130ish+
Buy the M3, 0% fianance on an M car isn't common and you won't get it on a new RS. Plus, you can enjoy the car rather than being paranoid about it or forking out unexpectedly, and if BMW offer a service pack - take that too.

P.S Remember there is a new M3 set to come out, under the M4 name IIRC, might have an effect on resale if you do go for an E9x M3.

[Mr V10]

The steering will feel boat like compared to the M3 you're used to. You can get it to stay flat enough through corners with the Hotchkis roll bar upgrade, but the steering will frustrate you IF you're looking for a 'dynamic' car, and I reckon you will be massively disappointed. The M3 will probably be just as quick as a standard RS 6, too. I'm sure the E39 M5 was as quick or quicker to 130ish+
Buy the M3, 0% fianance on an M car isn't common and you won't get it on a new RS. Plus, you can enjoy the car rather than being paranoid about it or forking out unexpectedly, and if BMW offer a service pack - take that too.

P.S Remember there is a new M3 set to come out, under the M4 name IIRC, might have an effect on resale if you do go for an E9x M3.

[Shoppinit]

No way is the steering boat like. If I had to decide on which car is better to drive quickly in the twisties I would choose the RS6 over the M3. Maybe once I'm more used to it I will change my tune.

[Mr V10]

Bad use of words maybe? Not boat like, but it did feel frustratingly vagueish coming out of a Beemer. I'm not talking purely about the RS 6, but pretty much every Audi I've driven. I still loved my RS 6 though, I'm just saying that if he is after a 'dynamic' car, it has to be the M3 all day long.