RS6 reliability.
Discussion
Hi,
I'm thinking of going for an RS6 early next year to use for carrying my little one and all her stuff around. I have an F80 M3 but carrying capacity in that is crap. I'll be keeping that but will have around £12k to spend on an RS6. I've seen a few V8s for around £10k and wondered how likely a car of about 2003 is likely to be. Are they total money pits even if fully serviced etc? Most are around the 100k miles now and I'm guessing big bills could be on their way. Any thought guys?
I'm thinking of going for an RS6 early next year to use for carrying my little one and all her stuff around. I have an F80 M3 but carrying capacity in that is crap. I'll be keeping that but will have around £12k to spend on an RS6. I've seen a few V8s for around £10k and wondered how likely a car of about 2003 is likely to be. Are they total money pits even if fully serviced etc? Most are around the 100k miles now and I'm guessing big bills could be on their way. Any thought guys?
Head over to the RS246 forums. There is loads on there about them. Personally I think they are one of the very biggest money pits on the road and based on feedback from numerous owners it will likely cost you half what you paid for it every year to keep it running.
A few years back I was considering one but was totally put off by the reliability of them, at the time I bought a B7 S4 auto which proved to be pretty reliable and reasonably spacious. I had the aux rads and rocker caskets replaced on the S4 but I think they were the only failures.
I now have a C6 RS6 and very much touch wood it’s been pretty reliable, the only failure being an engine mount so far. The C6 is generally far far more reliable but clearly in a different price bracket. The S4 isn’t that much smaller and the parts are much cheaper than an RS6, you could stretch to a B7 RS4 but simple things like brakes and tyres will be far cheaper on the S4.
A few years back I was considering one but was totally put off by the reliability of them, at the time I bought a B7 S4 auto which proved to be pretty reliable and reasonably spacious. I had the aux rads and rocker caskets replaced on the S4 but I think they were the only failures.
I now have a C6 RS6 and very much touch wood it’s been pretty reliable, the only failure being an engine mount so far. The C6 is generally far far more reliable but clearly in a different price bracket. The S4 isn’t that much smaller and the parts are much cheaper than an RS6, you could stretch to a B7 RS4 but simple things like brakes and tyres will be far cheaper on the S4.
The engine is strong, nothing bolted to it is.
You'll find plenty of threads on here around what you need to know but here are some pointers on major stuff in approximate order of wallet meltability:
Weak gearboxes
Weak dampers
Brakes
Suspension bushes
Sensor faults
Boost hoses and intercoolers
Thermostat failures
A grand+ for a timing belt every 5 years
The idiots that buy them cheap and sell them on
...and if you ask Audi an alarming number of workshop processes start with "remove engine".
Awesome cars despite this.
You'll find plenty of threads on here around what you need to know but here are some pointers on major stuff in approximate order of wallet meltability:
Weak gearboxes
Weak dampers
Brakes
Suspension bushes
Sensor faults
Boost hoses and intercoolers
Thermostat failures
A grand+ for a timing belt every 5 years
The idiots that buy them cheap and sell them on
...and if you ask Audi an alarming number of workshop processes start with "remove engine".
Awesome cars despite this.
Having owned a C5 RS6 here's my take - You could be incredibly lucky and only spend £1K-2K a year (less than 10% of owners), you could be Mr.Average and spend £2K-4K a year (70% of owners) or unlucky and spend £6k+ within the first year and then one of the other two prices for every year after (the last 20% of owners).
I bought a stock car and within a year spent over the buying price sorting it and improving it. I'd say 3/4's of the ownership cost is replacing the various weak OEM items when (not if) they fail but the biggest weakness is the gearbox (£3500 for a refurb - £6K+ for new) which can be strong for 150K miles or break every 20K, it's just pure luck.
Here's my car diary with everything I did to mine with a maintenance cost after 6 months of ownership somewhere near the bottom (not the final cost before I sold it which would have been over £17k IIRC!!!) - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=139...
It says something that, in the end, when I wanted another RS6 I bought a C6 instead of another C5. Here's my C6 diary - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=153...
Now I scared you away
If and it's a big IF, you can afford those sort of "potential" bills then go for it, because a mapped car is simply stunning on the roads and I enjoyed mine so much it's unreal.
I bought a stock car and within a year spent over the buying price sorting it and improving it. I'd say 3/4's of the ownership cost is replacing the various weak OEM items when (not if) they fail but the biggest weakness is the gearbox (£3500 for a refurb - £6K+ for new) which can be strong for 150K miles or break every 20K, it's just pure luck.
Here's my car diary with everything I did to mine with a maintenance cost after 6 months of ownership somewhere near the bottom (not the final cost before I sold it which would have been over £17k IIRC!!!) - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=139...
It says something that, in the end, when I wanted another RS6 I bought a C6 instead of another C5. Here's my C6 diary - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=153...
Now I scared you away
If and it's a big IF, you can afford those sort of "potential" bills then go for it, because a mapped car is simply stunning on the roads and I enjoyed mine so much it's unreal.Edited by IanH755 on Thursday 8th October 16:54
IanH755 said:
Having owned a C5 RS6 here's my take - You could be incredibly lucky and only spend £1K-2K a year (less than 10% of owners), you could be Mr.Average and spend £2K-4K a year (70% of owners) or unlucky and spend £6k+ within the first year and then one of the other two prices for every year after (the last 20% of owners).
I bought a stock car and within a year spent over the buying price sorting it and improving it. I'd say 3/4's of the ownership cost is replacing the various weak OEM items when (not if) they fail but the biggest weakness is the gearbox (£3500 for a refurb - £6K+ for new) which can be strong for 150K miles or break every 20K, it's just pure luck.
Here's my car diary with everything I did to mine - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=139... - but it says something that, in the end, when I wanted another RS6 I bought a C6 instead of another C5. Here's my C6 diary - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=153...
Now I scared you away If and it's a big IF, you can afford those sort of "potential" bills then go for it, because a mapped car is simply stunning on the roads and I enjoyed mine so much it's unreal.
ditto.. enjoyed every minute of my ownership but it will cost you to keep it well maintained - if you want the C5 then find the best you can with a full specialist history (MRC, Unit 20 etc).. the milages doesn't really matter it more a case of if and when it's had the common bits sorted etc.. find and good and look after it - you won't be disappointed but go in with your eyes open.. Not had a C6 myself (on the list) but heard they are near bomb proof but again need to be looked after.. I bought a stock car and within a year spent over the buying price sorting it and improving it. I'd say 3/4's of the ownership cost is replacing the various weak OEM items when (not if) they fail but the biggest weakness is the gearbox (£3500 for a refurb - £6K+ for new) which can be strong for 150K miles or break every 20K, it's just pure luck.
Here's my car diary with everything I did to mine - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=139... - but it says something that, in the end, when I wanted another RS6 I bought a C6 instead of another C5. Here's my C6 diary - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=153...
Now I scared you away
If and it's a big IF, you can afford those sort of "potential" bills then go for it, because a mapped car is simply stunning on the roads and I enjoyed mine so much it's unreal.Edited by IanH755 on Thursday 8th October 16:49
Yes; C6s are weirdly solid for the performance. Brake and tyre eating monsters but very little breaks.
You can probably find a cherished C5 for 10k and very little for the money will keep up (whilst it's working). It'll happily perform the same in a thunderstorm 4-up with a boot full of labradors which is always entertaining.
Soundtrack is truly phenomenal.
You can probably find a cherished C5 for 10k and very little for the money will keep up (whilst it's working). It'll happily perform the same in a thunderstorm 4-up with a boot full of labradors which is always entertaining.
Soundtrack is truly phenomenal.
If you hold off and get a C6 then I would recommend getting one with a good warranty.
My engine is currently out for the second time this year. First time was the oil pump (suspect it was just the 30p seal but the pump was replaced). Second time is apparently a lambda sensor (fault code identified during a service). Warranty covered it all, plus some other work that was identified on both occasions. I recon it's about £8-£10k in costs this year for them.
Saying that, the car fits my needs perfectly and I wouldn't say no to a C7 when the prices come down a bit more.
My engine is currently out for the second time this year. First time was the oil pump (suspect it was just the 30p seal but the pump was replaced). Second time is apparently a lambda sensor (fault code identified during a service). Warranty covered it all, plus some other work that was identified on both occasions. I recon it's about £8-£10k in costs this year for them.
Saying that, the car fits my needs perfectly and I wouldn't say no to a C7 when the prices come down a bit more.
I am 1 year into C6 ownership.
So far I have done brake pads and that's it. Needs tyres soon though.
I have faults showing on a couple of minor things that I can fix myself.
I understand this is almost polar opposite to the C5 in terms of reliability. If it takes a year of saving to get a C6 over a C5 I would do that. Especially if you can find an MRC 700+ BHP tuned one....
So far I have done brake pads and that's it. Needs tyres soon though.
I have faults showing on a couple of minor things that I can fix myself.
I understand this is almost polar opposite to the C5 in terms of reliability. If it takes a year of saving to get a C6 over a C5 I would do that. Especially if you can find an MRC 700+ BHP tuned one....
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