New member, have some questions

[Turbowned]

Hello gentlemen,

My name is Corey and I've been interested in owning an RS 6 for a while now, and it seems like a distinct possibility in the near future. A little about myself: I was a sales consultant for an Audi dealer for nearly a year and during my time there, I got to drive nearly all of Audi's late model metal, including the RS 4, B7/B8 S4, S5 4.2 and 3.0T, and the mighty R8 V10. (I left just before the S6/7/8 and RS 5 were released, sadly). I myself leased a B8 S4 Premium Plus 6MT under the employee leasing program, and am thus spoiled by German luxury cars for good. I currently own a 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited 6MT and a 2004 WRX STi, and am looking to replace the STi with an RS 6 (can't stand all the Subaru panel rattles! Or the boy racer wing, for that matter).
My reason for wanting one? 1. It's an Audi. 2. It's AWD. 3. 450bhp. 4. Specs on paper (bragging rights). 5. Depreciation king ($20-30k for a car that cost over $100k in todays dollars? Yes Please!)

With that out of the way, I've read most of the DIY/FAQ section, and I hope to get into the lowest mileage, best condition example possible. Service history, service history, service history. In addition to wanting to do a 6MT conversion (this might wait until the 5AT inevitably grenades), I want what every man wants: MORE POWAHHHH!

However, despite my searching, I cannot find much information in the way of extracting big numbers out of the "Beast". It seems the A6 2.7t guys are much more adventurous in achieving big power figures. Is this true? I've seen a few tuning shops' efforts at big-power RS 6's but not a lot (or any, really) private efforts. I was thinking that upgrading the turbos to modern Garrett GTX28's would do the trick nicely, in addition to all the supporting mods of course. Most of my background is in Japanese cars, and I've seen plenty of 2.0L 4cyls pushing 400+bhp from a single GT28, so with more than double the displacement, I should be able to produce 600+bhp with these turbos, no? Any links to big-power RS 6's would be most appreciated, and links to power upgrades beyond the basic tune would be most appreciated. 450bhp sounds good on paper, but with a 4000+lb car it's only marginally more impressive than my 325bhp STi that weighs ~800lbs fewer.

I have more questions, but it's nearing the end of the work day, and brain is done for the day. Thanks guys; I hope to be part of the club soon!

I should mention: with regard to modifications, this will be used strictly as a road car with limited (if any) track or dragstrip use. Wasteful I know, since I would never dream of exceeding the speed limit on the road...

[lswing]

Just a few quick points, there are some bigger power RS6's roaming out there. Not much space for bigger turbos; need bigger pumps/injectors/IC's, rails are fine; manual to handle the power; exhaust so about $20k. Engine can handle 7-800hp sounds like...

And even though the stock is 450bhp, it's the 425tq....or when you tune it and 500bhp and 550tq!!!

[mrdave]

There are a few reasons you don't see many big turbo setups in these cars:
* no room for larger turbos
* no kits - you'd be doing everything from scratch
* you can get decent gains just from a chip
* transmission is barely adequate in stock form

[Turbowned]

When you say "no room" is there literally not a mm's worth of leeway were the turbochargers are placed or...? I can't imagine a GTX28 to be too much larger dimensionally than a K04; it is however significantly more efficient. I though that I read about some A6 guys using these turbos but I don't know where the 2.7t turbos sit in relation to the 4.2. TiAL also makes a nice stainless v-band housing which ought to keep the overall setup compact and certainly easier to work on.

Also, what's the story with DRC? Is there any adjustability from the factory or can it be modified to do so? I'd like the car to sit roughly an inch or so lower. If the system fails then I'll convert to coil-overs but I see no need to do it until there's a fault.

[ben916]

Yeah, get under there and check it out. Some swear by the DRC, I loathed it. Biggest gain in power is the 6MT

[kevin]

Yeah, get under there and check it out. Some swear by the DRC, I loathed it. Biggest gain in power is the 6MT

I may add that a 6MT does allow for some turbo enlargement

[DHall1]

Oh grasshoppah so many questions.

The depreciation could be because this car is so expensive to work on. While there are a few high milers here...some have spent a fortune keeping them on the road. Manheim just kills high mile RS6s.

I was doing some searching yesterday...Manheim. 2001 Lexus LX470. Search....a full page of recent sale history. 200k, 230k, 290k, 190k....on and on. Guess what they were going for? 14k, 11k, 13k What the hell? A 60k vehicle new and 13yrs old with nearly 300k and it brings over 10k???? They dont break down and run almost forever. I know, we have one with 155k and it runs/drives like the day it had 30k on it.

So the market knows and the price is baked as they say.

As for the mods and turbos you plan to install. Good luck with that.

[Turbowned]

DHall1, yes I know; take my Subaru STi for example: MSRP was ~$30k in 2004. Still goes for $14-15k private party with 125k miles on it. Nobody wants to mess with an aging German car, and understandably so. I'm just lucky to have a shop, tools, dealership connections, and mechanic friends (namely a Porsche/Audi master tech). And no wife, kids, pets, or mortgage payment

Well, that is too bad about the space restrictions. I was reading about the MRC Tuning hybrid turbos; does anyone have any first-hand information about those? MRC looks to have some nice products for this platform... No doubt the cost to purchase all these parts to make 600+hp would eclipse the cost of the car but I'm no stranger to that.

I may add that a 6MT does allow for some turbo enlargement

Hmmmm....

[DHall1]

I think your set.

You just missed 2 6speed cars. That and a proper tune and youre in 11sec territory. You need faster?

DHall1, yes I know; take my Subaru STi for example: MSRP was ~$30k in 2004. Still goes for $14-15k private party with 125k miles on it. Nobody wants to mess with an aging German car, and understandably so. I'm just lucky to have a shop, tools, dealership connections, and mechanic friends (namely a Porsche/Audi master tech). And no wife, kids, pets, or mortgage payment

Well, that is too bad about the space restrictions. I was reading about the MRC Tuning hybrid turbos; does anyone have any first-hand information about those? MRC looks to have some nice products for this platform... No doubt the cost to purchase all these parts to make 600+hp would eclipse the cost of the car but I'm no stranger to that.

[Bigglezworth]

When you say "no room" is there literally not a mm's worth of leeway were the turbochargers are placed or...?

Try getting your foot into a shoe that is two sizes smaller. That should give you an idea.... The smaller housing of the 6MT will assist in slightly larger compressors for the turbos. Anything outside of that and you're modifying the unibody of the car....

Nobody wants to mess with an aging German car, and understandably so.

WTH? They don't get worse with age. They all seem to break for the same reason which has plagued the car and pushed it in to the high depreciation range we so commonly see these days.

[ttboost]

Just look at the clearance between the compressor housing and the manifold.



For DIFFERENT bigger turbos, custom headers are required. There is very little room where ther turbos sit. There is a reason the downpipes are SQUASHED in there...

[SensoRS6]

What are you looking for? Because the amount of torque these cars produce is much more than your STi, especially with a tune.

Tune - $500 (10secs4)
Exhaust - $300 est. (straight pipes, no CATs)
intercoolers - $1990 (http://www.etektuning.com/wagner-tun...tercooler-kit/)
intake - $775 (http://www.uspmotorsports.com/IntakeSystemC5RS6.html)
MTM TCU - $125

$3700 gets you a lot of power and a very very fast car. Probably pushing 600 torque, and that will get you moving.

it will be almost a second and a half faster to 60 than your STI, that's a huge difference. Just get an RS6 and join the crazy train.

[Turbowned]

I don't have a specific power goal in mind, I'm just curious as to what's available when I get "bored" with the standard power output, and/or when I inevitably run into a faster car. There's always a faster car!

The STi does have a lower output but it's a very torquey motor; a stage 1 tune goes from 300lb/ft to 340, and a stage 2 from 340 to 380. Introduce a bigger turbo, intercooler, and fuel system and 500+bhp isn't far away. These cars are extremely tunable and I could easily make enough power to satisfy my need for speed, but I'd still be driving a gussied-up econobox at the end of the day. The interior panel rattles alone are enough to drive me nuts!

Speaking of intercoolers: Apikol makes some that look to be quite a bit less than the Wagners. Is there a reason for this, i.e. lower quality? I can see that they require your old intercoolers as cores to re-use the end tanks...

[ttboost]

Your average RS6 is 320-350whp stock and weighs 4400lbs with a driver. A flashed RS6 is 420-460whp, and still weighs 4400lbs, with the same driver. Your Sti on a good day is potentially faster at 380whp and 3000lbs...and cheaper to own...if you can deal with the "econobox" squeaks...
Modding a RS6 to over 500whp will require extensive mods that the average guy working in his driveway won't or can't do.

[Turbowned]

Yeah, that's the problem. I can't deal with the econobox squeaks. Or the wind noise from the frameless windows. Or the grafted-on look of the wing and hood scoop. Or the extremely uncomfortable stock seats (we don't need no stinking thigh support!). Or the blue/black interior. Or the unnecessarily-heavy clutch pedal effort. Or the tiny backseat and lack of folding seat or at the very least, a pass-through. She's a great performance vehicle but a mediocre vehicle otherwise!

[Bigglezworth]

Just admit it. The Scooby-Doo is Fugly. The Rs6 is Sexy. It's okay. We understand.

[NSU RS6]

Yeah, get under there and check it out. Some swear by the DRC, I loathed it. Biggest gain in power is the 6MT

I love my DRC. It is really a beautiful suspension system, and - currently - rides/handles beautifully. Too bad our cars were the guinea pigs for DRC. When it goes it goes. Koni's, purchased last March from the Tire Rack at 25% off are on deck...........

[NSU RS6]

Yeah, that's the problem. I can't deal with the econobox squeaks. Or the wind noise from the frameless windows. Or the grafted-on look of the wing and hood scoop. Or the extremely uncomfortable stock seats (we don't need no stinking thigh support!). Or the blue/black interior. Or the unnecessarily-heavy clutch pedal effort. Or the tiny backseat and lack of folding seat or at the very least, a pass-through. She's a great performance vehicle but a mediocre vehicle otherwise!

Funny post. In an engineering office we have huge biases towards brand. Currently, it is about 2/3 Audi 1/3 Subaru. I have ridden in the Subies. Like riding ina tin can.