Replacement Parts - Need Help/Advice

[petzl21]

OK, so I have been searching the forum for these, but mainly find info on Brakes. This is my DD (except for winter) and I am looking to keep her close to stock as can be. I am in CT, so roads up here sux, and generally do up in New England. Here is what I am looking to do, and looking for help on.

Front Control Arms:
Stock replacement vs. Aftermarket (what company makes a good kit for our cars that is as good or better than stock for similar $$$). I have not found other options other than going to the dealer. Rec doing upper and lower contol arms all at once? My upper bushings are starting to crack and make noise.

Rear Control Arms:
Would follow whatever I did for the front

DRC:
Would do the swap to the Koni yellow sport like 4.2Crew did in his write up. Audi swapped full system back in 2009 under recall. Working as it should, just looking forward to do it before it fails again.

CV's:
I have a torn CV boot on Drivers front and looks to have been that way for a bit, as grease is everwhere. Dealer part, or aftermarket? Replace whole CV, or just get the boot? (I know in previous vehicles, getting a whole new CV was double what was charged for just the boot, which seems worth it to me if thats the case). What says you...

Brake Rotors:
Stock replacements vs. JHMotorsports vs. any other good options (how has the JHMotorsports rotors held up compared to stock rotors? They look thinner so that worries me a bit)

Brake pads:
Stock vs. yellow's vs. Hawk (ceramic or sport) What works well for normal every day driving, with the occasional quick/hard stops

Tires:
Currently have Michelin PS3, with better than half life left. want to stay with an 18 inch rim, and have the sidewall to help with the bumps/cracks in the roads.

Interior parts:
Just go to the dealer for these, or find someone parting one out. PO must have had a set of daggers for nails. Nav buttons and surrounding is all gouged up bad, same goes for rear ash trays. don’t know how, but they need to be replaced as they look awful. Also need a new center console flip thingy! not sure if it comes as one part, or if you can just get a new lid.

Speakers:
Sounds like some of the speakers are on their way out, or have already left. What are some good aftermarket plug and play options. Also, same for the sub in the trunk. what have folks used?

Radio:
So not a fan of the factory setup, and want an all in one gps/bluetooth setup. Thats more $$$ than i want to spend right now, so looking for a simple option to be able to plug my iphone5 into the stereo and charge it all at once. I have sirius on my phone that i would like to be able to utilize thru the current stock stereo.

Antenna reception:
Is there a common problem that the radio receptions stinks in these cars, or some connectiong that reguarly goes bad? I get station reception, but lose it 2x as fast as in my Chevy 2500. May not be as much of an issue if i can get my iphone5 plugged into the radio quick!

Well that’s all I can think of right now. IF any of these have been covered in good detail in another thread, don’t flame me too much for the search feature, as I did and didn’t find what I was looking for so I may have missed it (in which case a link would be much appreciated!)

[ben916]

OK, so I have been searching the forum for these, but mainly find info on Brakes. This is my DD (except for winter) and I am looking to keep her close to stock as can be. I am in CT, so roads up here sux, and generally do up in New England. Here is what I am looking to do, and looking for help on.

Front Suspension replacement:
KWv3 = no budget
Koni Yellow = budget

Hotchkis F/R = done

Rear Suspension:
same as above

DRC:
Pull it out and save it in a box as someone on this board will eventually want it.

CV's:
Raxles = replace the entire shaft as it is cheaper/time-saving than just replacing the boot.

Brake Rotors:
Stock and freeze them

Brake pads:
Hawk

Tires:
Michelin PSS when the PS3 are toast.

Interior parts:
RNS-E from Zawa or whoever else has one

Speakers:
no clue on this one.
As the great Audi5000csqt once wrote - "these things have stereos???!!" -> meaning you should be concerned with how fast you are going versus the tunes that are playing.

Radio:
RNS-E = still Audi part number but can have sat radio and Bluetooth with A2DN (or whatever it is)

Antenna reception:
not sure on this one

Exhaust:
Milltek

fixed for ya

[petzl21]

Thanks ben916.

For the suspension, i was planning on Koni yellow's. More looking for input/feedback on the control arms replacments (stock vs other full kit options). Where to get them other than Dealer?
On the Hawks, the ceramic, or the street's? Not looking for a race pad. which ones? Best place to get them from
CV's get them from dealer, or an aftermarket company (any good ones)?

[bakes]

i have recently put on hawk ceramics with fronzen rotors (only the front for now). I feel like I've lost a bit of stopping power but also significantly solved the brake dust issue (was my main factor for going ceramic). Stopping power is still fine for day to day but not as grippy as factory pads.

[ben916]

Thanks ben916.

For the suspension, i was planning on Koni yellow's. More looking for input/feedback on the control arms replacments (stock vs other full kit options). Where to get them other than Dealer?
On the Hawks, the ceramic, or the street's? Not looking for a race pad. which ones? Best place to get them from
CV's get them from dealer, or an aftermarket company (any good ones)?

Control arms, I seem to remember Feibo or something like that, there is an entire kit for $600 or something like that. Depends on what you are doing but the dealer prices are uber inflated for the same parts.
Hawk streets
Raxles for the entire axle, you are going to pay more for the same work versus replacing the entire axle...

[SteveKen]

Control arms are only required on the front. Lemforder is supposedly the OEM manufacturer and the best option out there.

You can keep the aluminum components and replace the bushings if they are the only parts that are bad. I think that the aftermarket front adjustable upper control arms are all essentially the same in quality and function (PureMS/Stern, 034, ECS, etc.).

The rear control arm bushings can also be replaced. The only rear links that I do not think are serviceable are called tie rods.

[DHall1]

You should not need all the control arms.

Replace the upper inner bushings and call it good. At your mileage the other stuff is good.

Koni yellows or H@R sport coilover kit (1100)

Ben has everything else covered

[petzl21]

Thanks for the input everyone!

[hahnmgh63]

On the control arms. Stay away from Febi / Bilstein. Go with Lemforder or Meyle HD.

[petzl21]

Replace the upper inner bushings and call it good. At your mileage the other stuff is good.

Best place to get just the bushings the dealer? Any tip's or tricks to getting them outta the control arms?

[Dmb408]

The dealer did my upper inner recently (just like Dave said) when they did a drc strut. They gouged me on the part price of the strut but the labor and bushings prices were all fair.

[petzl21]

So i was thinking of just doing the uppers, as its easier than replacing bushings (for me to do in garage as i have no press). Then i came across this whole kit from MeyleHD. It list's the A6 C5 4.2L, but not the RS6. Is this the correct kit for our cars? Its a 12 piece kit for $615
http://www.europaparts.com/control-a...cmy-meyle.html

I also found this one that says for the RS6, but is only an 8 piece kit for $755.
http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi...order-rs6cakit


Is the one from Europaparts a much better deal (as long as its the correct parts. Still trying to become familiar with what parts are interchangable from the A6 4.2l.
Thanks for putting up with me!

[Bigglezworth]

C5 A6, S6, & RS6's are all the same from what I can discern. Th A6 might have a slightly softer bushing stiffness than the S6/RS6, but they will certainly all bolt up. The only changes suspension RS6 wise were dampers and sways from what I understand.

[DHall1]

I would still just order the upper inner audi bushes and let any local shop press them in.

100 bucks and done. I like leaving good RS6 sh#t alone and replacing only worn pieces

[petzl21]

I would still just order the upper inner audi bushes and let any local shop press them in.

100 bucks and done. I like leaving good RS6 sh#t alone and replacing only worn pieces

Understand, but its clanking (which bushings would/should take car of) but going thru the maint records (about 2inches thick of recipts) i dont see any sign that they have been replaced. I figure if i can get a good deal on that above linked kit (12 piece kit from meyle for a good price) why not replace everything and get it nice and tight again. Its not slopy, but i am sure with some parts having 87k on them, they have to be worn a bit, maybe not near failure yet though.

So, is this the correct kit for the RS6, even though it doesnt list the RS6?
http://www.europaparts.com/control-a...cmy-meyle.html

[SteveKen]

If the outer joints in your upper control arms are shot, boots torn, etc. then you need to replace them.

I wouldn't' trust the compatibility of the europaparts kit since I'm almost certain that the forward front lower control arms are exclusive to the widebody C5 cars and nothing else. Maybe call or email them and verify this?

[petzl21]

If the outer joints in your upper control arms are shot, boots torn, etc. then you need to replace them.

I wouldn't' trust the compatibility of the europaparts kit since I'm almost certain that the forward front lower control arms are exclusive to the widebody C5 cars and nothing else. Maybe call or email them and verify this?

I will call and verify, but wanted to check on here first, as you never know who you get on the other end. It says it works for the C5 A6 4.2L, so isnt that the same as the RS6? Or was only the RS6 a widebody C5?

[SteveKen]

C5 a6 4.2, c5 s6 & c5 rs6