c6 s6 avant initial impressions

[anonymous-user]

interesting... the 110 mile drive home was largely a303, m3 and m25 so pretty uninspiring terrain

ive got heaps to say but need to compose myself so let me sleep on it and ill be back tomorrow with some prose

what i can say is that its got lots of toys including adaptive key, cruise, bose, tv,

unsurprisingly the official codes look a bit different

PRCode: 0G7 = Tiptronic
PRCode: 0GG = Emission standard EU4
PRCode: 0JM = Weight category front axle weight range 12
PRCode: 0YL = Weight range 11 installation control only no requirement forecast
PRCode: 1BD = Suspension/shock absorption for special sports design
PRCode: 1KW = Disc brakes rear
PRCode: 1LJ = Disc brakes front
PRCode: 1N3 = Speed-related variable steering assist (Servotronic)
PRCode: 1SA = Without additional engine guard
PRCode: 2K3 = Reinforced bumpers
PRCode: 2ZC = Leather trimmed multi-function sports steering wheel with Tiptronic and S badge
PRCode: 3FE = Electric slide/tilt sunroof with sun screen/sunblind
PRCode: 3L5 = Electric seat adjustment for both front seats
PRCode: 3NZ = Rear seat bench unsplit backrest split folding
PRCode: 3Y0 = Without roll-up sun screen
PRCode: 4GP = Windshield in heat-insulating glass withsunshield and viewing window for vehicleidentification number
PRCode: 4K7 = Central locking system Keyless Entry two-stage unlocking
PRCode: 4KF = Side windows in heat-insulating glass from B-pillar and rear window dark tinted
PRCode: 4UF = Driver's and front passenger air bag with front passenger air bag deactivation
PRCode: 4X3 = Side air bag front with curtain air bag
PRCode: 5D7 = Carrier frequency 868 MHz without panic button
PRCode: 5MK = Decorative inserts carbon weave
PRCode: 5SJ = Left exterior mirror: convex
PRCode: 6TS = Right exterior mirror: aspherical large viewing field
PRCode: 6XK = Exterior mirrors: automatically dimming electrically foldable/adjustable/heated
PRCode: 7K0 = Without tire pressure warning light
PRCode: 7Q2 = Navigation system with color screen
PRCode: 7X4 = Park distance control front and rear
PRCode: 8EC = Bi-functional headlight with gas discharge lamp for driving on the left
PRCode: 8GH = Alternator 190 A
PRCode: 8Q5 = Headlight-range adjustment automatic/ dynamic with dynamic bending light (AFS 1)
PRCode: 8Z5 = Not hot country
PRCode: 9Q4 = Multi-function display/on-board computerwith check control
PRCode: C5R = Alloy wheels 9J x 19
PRCode: D75 = 10-cyl. gasoline eng. 5.2 L/320 kW 40V V10 FSI homogeneous Base engine is T8E
PRCode: EA0 = Without subsequent warranty
PRCode: F0A = No special purpose vehicle standard equipment
PRCode: J0Z = Battery 520 A (110 Ah)
PRCode: Q4Q = Sports front seats
PRCode: T8E = 10-cylinder gasoline engine 5.2 L Unit 07L.Z (ALU)
PRCode: U1B = Instrument insert with mph speedometer clock tachometer and trip odometer
PRCode: X2B = National sales program Great Britain

[superlightr]

RC1 said:

interesting... the 110 mile drive home was largely a303, m3 and m25 so pretty uninspiring terrain

ive got heaps to say but need to compose myself so let me sleep on it and ill be back tomorrow with some prose

what i can say is that its got lots of toys including adaptive key, cruise, bose, tv,

unsurprisingly the official codes look a bit different

PRCode: 0G7 = Tiptronic
PRCode: 0GG = Emission standard EU4
PRCode: 0JM = Weight category front axle weight range 12
PRCode: 0YL = Weight range 11 installation control only no requirement forecast
PRCode: 1BD = Suspension/shock absorption for special sports design
PRCode: 1KW = Disc brakes rear
PRCode: 1LJ = Disc brakes front
PRCode: 1N3 = Speed-related variable steering assist (Servotronic)
PRCode: 1SA = Without additional engine guard
PRCode: 2K3 = Reinforced bumpers
PRCode: 2ZC = Leather trimmed multi-function sports steering wheel with Tiptronic and S badge
PRCode: 3FE = Electric slide/tilt sunroof with sun screen/sunblind
PRCode: 3L5 = Electric seat adjustment for both front seats
PRCode: 3NZ = Rear seat bench unsplit backrest split folding
PRCode: 3Y0 = Without roll-up sun screen
PRCode: 4GP = Windshield in heat-insulating glass withsunshield and viewing window for vehicleidentification number
PRCode: 4K7 = Central locking system Keyless Entry two-stage unlocking
PRCode: 4KF = Side windows in heat-insulating glass from B-pillar and rear window dark tinted
PRCode: 4UF = Driver's and front passenger air bag with front passenger air bag deactivation
PRCode: 4X3 = Side air bag front with curtain air bag
PRCode: 5D7 = Carrier frequency 868 MHz without panic button
PRCode: 5MK = Decorative inserts carbon weave
PRCode: 5SJ = Left exterior mirror: convex
PRCode: 6TS = Right exterior mirror: aspherical large viewing field
PRCode: 6XK = Exterior mirrors: automatically dimming electrically foldable/adjustable/heated
PRCode: 7K0 = Without tire pressure warning light
PRCode: 7Q2 = Navigation system with color screen
PRCode: 7X4 = Park distance control front and rear
PRCode: 8EC = Bi-functional headlight with gas discharge lamp for driving on the left
PRCode: 8GH = Alternator 190 A
PRCode: 8Q5 = Headlight-range adjustment automatic/ dynamic with dynamic bending light (AFS 1)
PRCode: 8Z5 = Not hot country
PRCode: 9Q4 = Multi-function display/on-board computerwith check control
PRCode: C5R = Alloy wheels 9J x 19
PRCode: D75 = 10-cyl. gasoline eng. 5.2 L/320 kW 40V V10 FSI homogeneous Base engine is T8E
PRCode: EA0 = Without subsequent warranty
PRCode: F0A = No special purpose vehicle standard equipment
PRCode: J0Z = Battery 520 A (110 Ah)
PRCode: Q4Q = Sports front seats
PRCode: T8E = 10-cylinder gasoline engine 5.2 L Unit 07L.Z (ALU)
PRCode: U1B = Instrument insert with mph speedometer clock tachometer and trip odometer
PRCode: X2B = National sales program Great Britain

cant wait for the write up.....

[youngsyr]

Be interested to hear your thoughts, I picked up a 2007 model a couple weeks ago and really like it.

I wonder if those who knock it weren't expecting sports car performance in a 2 tonne luxury estate?

[anonymous-user]

so a few days but still fewer than 150 miles here are some of my musings...

the bad bits. its so borderline ugly and if not, its certainly bland at best. ok so im being harsh. i was hankering for a c5 rs6 so anything else will always be a bit average in the looks dept. theres not a single flattering angle and there you need to look hard to see what distinguishes it from a boggo a6. i need to throw new pads and discs at it as well as new rubber. now in fairness, it doesnt need any of them but its soemthing i do as a matter of course when i buy my cars unless they are visibly brand new or near to it. premium brand tyres are north of 150 a corner and front pads for an oe set are north of 150 for a set and discs are a tad steep too. ive managed to bag the rear pads and discs from the bay. its easy to lurch from a standstill. actually, i think its something that affects only novices because with some practice its easy enough to feather the pedal to minimise it. otherwise i dont the criticism levelled at the box is fair at least based on my ltd experience. changes up and down the box seem clean and quick so far whether on the paddles or in auto mode

well thats about it for the bad bits so far. whinging about fuel costs is a non starter and whinging about it not feeling nimble and agile would be a bit lame given it weighs close to 2000kg.

the good bits. its got pace and it creeps up on you. the steering has a good weight to it and doesnt feel overly servoed. its well mated to the rest of the car and will require some work in those tight squeezes. its a very nicely put together cabin and the finish is a decent quality. the kids in the back are pretty comfortable and the boot space is very decent. the engine note is muted but given the intended purpose i dont think its a bad thing. its easy enough to get her to sing a bit with the windows down but for the most part its a very civilised experience in cabin for passengers and driver. the ride is firm and perhaps not as refined as those coming from the a 5 series or s class. i wouldnt describe it as crashy though. more typical audi. spec wise its got a lot of toys as most of these do and the mmi is fairly straightforward.

so in summary, things have gotten off to a good start and i do look forward to getting into it to drive it. more later as i put the miles on...

[youngsyr]

Seems a fair review to me, I picked up mine about 10 days ago and have covered just over 800 (mainly motorway) miles on it, so far.

I'd suggest the suspension is overly firm and can be quite crashy on poor quality roads, certainly so for the type of vehicle it is, but obviously still better than many sports cars of the same era. On the plus side it certainly inspires confidence going into bends.

One thing is for sure - these things absolutely gobble up motorways. I drove 700 miles last week and it performed superbly: very comfortable, great sound system and I'm reliably informed it sits at 90 mph, purring away at 3,000 rpm for hour after hour. I suspect that's partially why some people see such low fuel economy - driving it fast is so easy I wouldn't be surprised if most people drive up to 10% faster than they would in a lower power version? I know that I was beating the Sat Nav's ETA by around 10% on my journeys.

I don't see the criticism over looks - my previous 4 or 5 cars have been very sports styled models and I thought there would be much more of a difference between the A6, S6 and the RS6, but I was surprised at how similar they are. Neither of sports models are exactly "in your face", but that goes with the Audi luxury estate territory.

I think the S6 is a good looking car (for a barge!), here's mine:

[anonymous-user]

Any progress on your acc?

[youngsyr]

RC1 said:

Any progress on your acc?

Fault codes confirmed open/grounded circuit on radar heater, so dealer has agreed to get a replacement part in the post to me (c.£200). Apparently it's plug and play, so I've agreed to fit it with no liability accepted. Will report back on the other thread when there's progress.

[anonymous-user]

thats a good show on the part of the dealer all things considered

you enjoying the ownership experience so far?

[youngsyr]

RC1 said:

thats a good show on the part of the dealer all things considered

you enjoying the ownership experience so far?

To be frank, it's the least I'd expect - I reported it as faulty after the test drive, but was assured it worked perfectly. Had to arrange my own investigation to prove it wasn't working properly once I got it home. The part hasn't turned up yet either (dealer promised to order it 2 weeks ago), which I'm not overly chuffed about.

Apart from that though - it's a great car. Properly grown up - comfortable to cruise around it, but goes like stink when you want, with a great engine note. Perfect for family duties and driving the long distances over Xmas - flew the 290 miles up to Newcastle and back.

I'm really impressed with the sound system too - had it cranked up so loud the air from the door speaker was shaking my jeans, without a hint of distortion and I'm pretty sure it would go even louder!

I'm reliably informed that retrofitting several of the options (DAB radio, fully integrated iPod control, optical parking display) is pretty easy and cheap too.

Edited by youngsyr on Tuesday 5th January 23:58

Edited by youngsyr on Wednesday 6th January 00:00

[anonymous-user]

sounds like a match made in heaven

ive done about 200 miles in ours so far. its good. there's no drama and its got enough poke. very civilised and almost perfect for what i bought it for.

im throwing money at it though. as a matter of course i always replace pads, discs and tyres when i buy a new old car and im holding out for oe stuff so its a bit costlier than the ecp route. premium rubbber is a relatively sizeable expense too although audi approved toyos can be had for under 90 a corner - compared to over double for the other premium brands

i still think it looks bland in the looks dept but im being critical. its a very capable all round package and yes the bose is really quite good

the keyless is neat but i dont have the memory seats nor the parking camera or the heated wheel! the tv is good for when the boys get restless and the vehicle is stationery!

ive joined the audi sport forum and just today ordered a ross tech cable for diagnostics.

[Raven Flyer]

youngsyr said:

RC1 said:

thats a good show on the part of the dealer all things considered

you enjoying the ownership experience so far?

To be frank, it's the least I'd expect - I reported it as faulty after the test drive, but was assured it worked perfectly. Had to arrange my own investigation to prove it wasn't working properly once I got it home. The part hasn't turned up yet either (dealer promised to order it 2 weeks ago), which I'm not overly chuffed about.

Apart from that though - it's a great car. Properly grown up - comfortable to cruise around it, but goes like stink when you want, with a great engine note. Perfect for family duties and driving the long distances over Xmas - flew the 290 miles up to Newcastle and back.

I'm really impressed with the sound system too - had it cranked up so loud the air from the door speaker was shaking my jeans, without a hint of distortion and I'm pretty sure it would go even louder!

I'm reliably informed that retrofitting several of the options (DAB radio, fully integrated iPod control, optical parking display) is pretty easy and cheap too.

The Bose on my C6 (a 2.7tdi S-Line) was way better than the Bose on my C7 (BiTDI BE). The sub was much more powerful and certain notes could have my keyring vibrating with the resonant frequencies. I also got the flapping jeans bit!

DAB is as good as useless outside of central London and I would go for Internet Radio via an app (TuneIn is good) for the third input. Through the phone, via cable, gives a much better bandwidth than music played over Bluetooth.

[youngsyr]

RC1 said:

sounds like a match made in heaven

ive done about 200 miles in ours so far. its good. there's no drama and its got enough poke. very civilised and almost perfect for what i bought it for.

im throwing money at it though. as a matter of course i always replace pads, discs and tyres when i buy a new old car and im holding out for oe stuff so its a bit costlier than the ecp route. premium rubbber is a relatively sizeable expense too although audi approved toyos can be had for under 90 a corner - compared to over double for the other premium brands

i still think it looks bland in the looks dept but im being critical. its a very capable all round package and yes the bose is really quite good

the keyless is neat but i dont have the memory seats nor the parking camera or the heated wheel! the tv is good for when the boys get restless and the vehicle is stationery!

ive joined the audi sport forum and just today ordered a ross tech cable for diagnostics.

I've never been concerned about manufacturer approved tyres - on my old Porsche the latest Porsche approved Continental ones in the correct size were Conti 2s and Continental now have Conti 5s available: the improvements in tyre technology over time must surely mean that the 5s are better than the 2s, despite not having the Porsche approval.

I wouldn't worry about the heated steering wheel either - I have it and will only use it for the first couple of minutes on a cold winter's morning, other than that it will be turned off. There's something odd about holding a warm steering wheel!

Pretty sure the rear camera retrofit is pretty straight forward if you already have the TV tuner - possibly just the camera itself and the harness, plus a VCDS coding?

[anonymous-user]

the tyre thing is a real dilemma.... its on cs 5ps but the approved one is the cs2. i cant reach continental to speak to them. i know that approved status means different things to diff manufacturers. for porsche their approved tyres do have specific specs that distinguish them from the non approved variants. i dont know if the same is true for audi.

ive read mixed reports on the cs5s but cannot ignore that at least in development terms it years ago of the cs2

there is then of course the toyo option which is type approved and about the half the price per corner of the premium brands..

[youngsyr]

RC1 said:

the tyre thing is a real dilemma.... its on cs 5ps but the approved one is the cs2. i cant reach continental to speak to them. i know that approved status means different things to diff manufacturers. for porsche their approved tyres do have specific specs that distinguish them from the non approved variants. i dont know if the same is true for audi.

ive read mixed reports on the cs5s but cannot ignore that at least in development terms it years ago of the cs2

there is then of course the toyo option which is type approved and about the half the price per corner of the premium brands..

IMO, the manufacturer approved angle is just a marketing gimmick. OK, the manufacturers reportedly have some input in the tyre design, but then you have situations where approved front tyres on powerful rear-engined RWD Porsches are approved as back tyres on the back of the mid-engined, RWD Boxster, so just how much impact can the design input have?!

On top of that, you have the fact that modern cars are massively over-tired in any case. They have so much grip that you have to drive like a maniac to get anywhere near the grip limit, so even if a tyre does have a 5% performance edge on another, it's irrelevant unless you're not only on track, but pushing for lap times.

My preference is to go for the latest design in a premium brand over any manufacturer approved tyre. I typically opt for Goodyear F1 Asymmetric II, they're a good balance of grip, wear, ride, noise, longevity and price.

[Raven Flyer]

RC1 said:

the tyre thing is a real dilemma.... its on cs 5ps but the approved one is the cs2. i cant reach continental to speak to them. i know that approved status means different things to diff manufacturers. for porsche their approved tyres do have specific specs that distinguish them from the non approved variants. i dont know if the same is true for audi.

ive read mixed reports on the cs5s but cannot ignore that at least in development terms it years ago of the cs2

there is then of course the toyo option which is type approved and about the half the price per corner of the premium brands..

I used to own a well known tuning house and was sent a set of Toyos, FOC. Toyo then started telling people that I was using their tyres on my personal car.

I fitted them... and took them back off again 4 weeks later. The wet weather grip levels were way below a Goodyear or Pirelli and the car was seriously compromised on them.

This was many years ago, but I would still consider them a tyre for Barrys. I wouldn't dream of putting them on £50k/2tonne of Audi.

[anonymous-user]

well i just dropped a few pennies on the ao cs2 from tyreleader....i went for the manufacturer approved on my alpina (ps3s) so it would be negligent not to do the same in the car that has ferries my loved ones...

[youngsyr]

Raven Flyer said:

The Bose on my C6 (a 2.7tdi S-Line) was way better than the Bose on my C7 (BiTDI BE). The sub was much more powerful and certain notes could have my keyring vibrating with the resonant frequencies. I also got the flapping jeans bit!

DAB is as good as useless outside of central London and I would go for Internet Radio via an app (TuneIn is good) for the third input. Through the phone, via cable, gives a much better bandwidth than music played over Bluetooth.

Well, I've just been driving a car around with DAB for the past few days, approx 5 hours from Essex up to Peterborough and the DAB has worked perfectly listening to a range of BBC channels, so if you like listening to radio it's a good option.