New to the forum

[lswing]

I suppose I should not have brought it up without really knowing all the upgrades and info to a tee. I have know this guy for years and he is honest and has been in business in Scottsdale for a long time working on high end race cars and high end cars period. I know he is not fooling me, I just have been texting him so the info may be limited. He use to run EVOMS in scottsdale as well before opening his own shop again. He is credible and honest I just assume I have limited info. I am going to see the car and talk with him this month. I am 2 hrs away.

Sounds about right, and seems like a good plan. Most of what he's done is probably good, but his trans talk is full of it, these things break under power regardless of new fluid or not, just don't hammer on it and it can last a while. I consider it part of the cost of owning the car.

[Aronis]

Welcome! Enjoy!

Mike

[alfissimo]

Thanks Mike!


Also, I understand that he may sound like he is full of it but he is not. The fact that no one has given proper specs for the transmission to rebuttal his claim is a bit discerning. So if he is wrong on the spec, what is the spec and why can't this transmission handle 100 more Hp+/-??
Standard 5HP24A trans is 420NM/315 ft-lb. 5HP24 Nate at Eriksson Industries says he cannot find the specs for the RS6 but he says he knows it is much higher than the standard. That said does anyone have the specs on the 5HP24 trans in the RS6? Hard to deny his claim with no information.

[lswing]

I understand that he may sound like he is full of it but he is not. The fact that no one has given proper specs for the transmission to rebuttal his claim is a bit discerning. So if he is wrong on the spec, what is the spec and why can't this transmission handle 100 more Hp+/-??

As mentioned, it's just an upgraded A6/S6 that was meant for 350, these are specs from Audi. It barely handles 450. 550 breaks it if you drive hard. The HP542A is a notoriously weak transmission, slower shifting too, attested by almost all owners. The clutch packs are super small, like hand size small, and don't handle the power. And if those don't break, the input shaft will. Ha, something will, but it's still an awesome car.

Start here, http://audirssix.com/index.php/extras, look at the Design and Engineering PDF, page 31 I think, very small upgrades.

All I can say is I've broken two, and have seen about 30-40 others fail on here over the last 5 years, almost always when tuned. Just be ready to spend $5-10k if that happens is all.

[Fast Co]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned a manual transmission swap. Although some have said that 01E isn't strong enough, I believe driving style has a lot to do it. Now that I am older and perhaps wiser than I once was, I drive my RS like I'm the guy who paid for it (which I am). I do not drop the clutch or power shift. My car is also modified (ex-SteveKen) I find it to be an ideal combination.

164S is a wonderful car to drive, my brother had one a few years ago. I have also had 3 Alfas and a Lancia Scorpion (not all at the same time) and never had to replace a clutch.

That looks like a sweet RS6, you're doing your homework. I hope you enjoy it!

[alfissimo]

That's the other option for sure., I rather do a manual swap but I will check this car out fully at the end of the month. Thanks for all the info. I really would like some printed info on the RS6 upgraded trans though. Just for my own knowledge.

I love my 164 but it can be a pain. Fast as hell and fun to drive.

Here is the link to my site where you can see my Alfa. http://alfissimo.com/home/1084-alfa-...-and-more.html

thank you all.

[CBeau]

I know a little bit about cars, street, road racing and otherwise (although by no means a trained automotive engineer = my armchair quarterback disclaimer) and I would go as far as to say that mating that trans "beefed up" or not, to that powerplant was a pretty substantial design / engineering flaw / oversight / half-assed move whatever you want to call it, esp. for a flagship "hey everybody look what we did" press-darling of a model. I've often thought that were it not such a low production car it may well have become a bigger class-action type issue for them. As for manual swap I love the idea too and pondered it pretty hard and scoured all the great info on here and my take is it ain't so simple but obviously doable bc been done many times, but my real litmus test on that one is... seems that most who do it, even successfully and get it right, don't keep their cars long after. I love my RS6 (even as its sitting idle waiting for the transplant of the mo "beefed up" rebuilt replacement trans sitting next to it), and I want to keep it and keep loving it, so I've accepted the notion to leave it as it was built (untuned) and just keep it serviced and as pristine as possible and enjoy.... I'll be mad scientist on other more tinker-friendly cars of mine, i.e. over engineered Porsches and AMG full on viscous auto trans' legit built for 1000+ ft. lb.s. Other than trans / TC I'd say most of the other maintenance things are normal par for the course for any aging performance car.... its just the shit is kinda really packed in there.... like really!! That's the only real issue for me and all you have to do is open the hood and look around to see that fact comes with the territory. But its a hand-built super low production cool ass iconic car so F it!! Deal with it and enjoy or kick it to the curb..... there has been plenty of both roll through this forum since I've been watching it. Incl. some people you read their history of loving and loyal posts and you'd think they'd NEVER get rid of their beloved RS6.... but many do. Give it 10 more years, any one of them still in fine condition will really be a cool car. If that translates to any $$ appreciation is a different story, they might, but I wouldn't bet on that.... but maybe never know. Its the rare cars that most typically go ape shit at some point in price, like long hood (69-73) 911s, they all bring descent money now (Ts, Es and Ss) but the Ss are the ones that are crazy $$ and they aren't that much different than the others at all, just the production #s much lower = more coveted. I digress. Enjoy the car.... but you'll see. Looks like a nice one.

[alfissimo]

I get where you are coming from and your logic is spot on. I am not interested in value later, I am interested in enjoying it and driving it. I keep my cars for a long time, my alfa I have had for 20 years. I also have a Tourareg TDI that I plan on keeping for a long time. I am not a fly by night guy, once I have it I will keep it unless I don't drive it then maybe I see if it gains in value. haha. I know it will be expensive to keep up. I am well aware of that. I will do my normal over maintenance in thing using top quality parts (mostly OEM) and top quality oils, etc... The main reason I got $10,500 for a audi allroad with no upgrades with a 136K on it now, is due to how clean and well maintained it is. I am kind of nuts about keeping things working and maintained. So I believe I will be here chatting a year from now about how great this car is or how my trans blew up. I doubt it though as I never plan to pull it to over 500hp even though it is there. I will change fluid yearly with whatever works the best, typically ZF fluid but I have read another fluid works well. too. Maybe I spend the money on beefing up the trans or doing the MTM tune. We will see. Otherwise I find a non-molested RS6 and bite on that. I think what draws me to this one is it is well maintained, all new OEM brake rotors, pads, timing belt, waterpump and all that done, Milltek turbo back exhaust is nice and I hope it sounds burly along with giving me better MPG. Maybe I remove wagner intercoolers and replace them with OEM as well as OEM BOV's to bring it back down to stock level. 450 Stock is actually enough for me really. No need to kill a tranny. I want the car to drive and not spend 8-10K on a new trans or swap. I know I can do the swap with my friend for around $4K, includes all parts needed. We almost did it on my allroad but that car bores me. Thanks for the info.

[EINHORN]

welcome fellow quattroworldite. Used to lurk on allroad forum when I was looking for one, bought a Q5 dumped the A4.

MobsTTa

[alfissimo]

Haha, thanks! allroad section was pretty good there. I'd never buy an A4...well maybe a 1999 S4 but too small for me. Plus too many kids drive them.

[DHall1]

Bingo!

+1

This car is perfect for you!!! I honestly can't think of a car I would enjoy as much at any cost.

I get where you are coming from and your logic is spot on. I am not interested in value later, I am interested in enjoying it and driving it. I keep my cars for a long time, my alfa I have had for 20 years. I also have a Tourareg TDI that I plan on keeping for a long time. I am not a fly by night guy, once I have it I will keep it unless I don't drive it then maybe I see if it gains in value. haha. I know it will be expensive to keep up. I am well aware of that. I will do my normal over maintenance in thing using top quality parts (mostly OEM) and top quality oils, etc... The main reason I got $10,500 for a audi allroad with no upgrades with a 136K on it now, is due to how clean and well maintained it is. I am kind of nuts about keeping things working and maintained. So I believe I will be here chatting a year from now about how great this car is or how my trans blew up. I doubt it though as I never plan to pull it to over 500hp even though it is there. I will change fluid yearly with whatever works the best, typically ZF fluid but I have read another fluid works well. too. Maybe I spend the money on beefing up the trans or doing the MTM tune. We will see. Otherwise I find a non-molested RS6 and bite on that. I think what draws me to this one is it is well maintained, all new OEM brake rotors, pads, timing belt, waterpump and all that done, Milltek turbo back exhaust is nice and I hope it sounds burly along with giving me better MPG. Maybe I remove wagner intercoolers and replace them with OEM as well as OEM BOV's to bring it back down to stock level. 450 Stock is actually enough for me really. No need to kill a tranny. I want the car to drive and not spend 8-10K on a new trans or swap. I know I can do the swap with my friend for around $4K, includes all parts needed. We almost did it on my allroad but that car bores me. Thanks for the info.

[EINHORN]

wife's car, avant 3.slow, dark blue with ecru

TT forum is pretty good there too.

[Bigglezworth]

You will be fine! In over 9 years of owning 6 of these I have not put 10k in the group.

There are still 3 in the garage out there

some say I don't drive all 6 at the same time but the law of averages still apply. I do drive them all just in varying degrees

Dave, what is your cost per mileage? I agree you can't take multiple cars and say they don't cost that much to maintain when you don't put that much mileage on any one in particular.

[Bigglezworth]

Thanks Mike!


Also, I understand that he may sound like he is full of it but he is not. The fact that no one has given proper specs for the transmission to rebuttal his claim is a bit discerning. So if he is wrong on the spec, what is the spec and why can't this transmission handle 100 more Hp+/-??
Standard 5HP24A trans is 420NM/315 ft-lb. 5HP24 Nate at Eriksson Industries says he cannot find the specs for the RS6 but he says he knows it is much higher than the standard. That said does anyone have the specs on the 5HP24 trans in the RS6? Hard to deny his claim with no information.

Having owned three of these at once and still owning two after 8 years + of ownership, I personally have had no issues for OEM and even for tuned. At least this has been my personal experience with running what I believe is one of the more agressive tunes available. Perhaps I'm just lucky. The issues that have been experienced by more than a fair share of owners with failing transmissions are largely attributed to the TC problems and a seal inside the body of the unit that fail altering internal oil pressues - not increased power output of the engine (yes a couple of input shafts have snapped, but that has yet to be provem as a week link due to inceased engine power). Ultimately, end result is toasted tranny. As long as the TC is replaced with a Gen 2 version and you don't get the one manufactured on a Friday afternoon or a Monday morning, you should be fine. I have driven mine hard - like it was meant to be driven - and not a problem. That said, it's the second transmission which I replaced with an OEM replacement after the first one crapped the bed. It threw the illfated TC code from the first day I purchased it and I ran it for another 45000 miles over 6 years prior to implossion.

Transmission aside, my comments from the second post to this thread remain. Enjoy your new ride sooner than later. Get some miles on that garage queen!

[DHall1]

I have put 35k on one. No breakdowns

i have put 55k on #2 with one early trans failure. Early vin TC failure at 40k covered under ext service contract $100 dollars. No other breakdowns and now sits at 88k

misc 10k miles on the others and now the Misano that will need a few items dealt with.

Dave, what is your cost per mileage? I agree you can't take multiple cars and say they don't cost that much to maintain when you don't put that much mileage on any one in particular.

[HPO-DK]

I love the RS6 i have had mine for 18 months and have change a Little bits of parts nothing major.

Pads and rotors,plugs tires but thats just normal,change of oilpan for tranny becourse it was rusty (Live in Denmark) everyone has to do that up here with an old car. DRC was replaced with Bilstein B14 and thats is,tranny was replaced years ago most likely under some sort of waranty.

All in all somewere between 3-4000 $ for labor and parts and i dont care,its cheep to have all that fun in a real sleeper that can do allmost 300 KPH

[alfissimo]

Thank you for all the info and I will make sure I make sure to take care of this car and take care of this transmission. I want to look at a rebuild of it to accommodate more HP. I appreciate all the input, you guys have been great. thanks! Thank you!

[MORS6]

Thank you for all the info and I will make sure I make sure to take care of this car and take care of this transmission. I want to look at a rebuild of it to accommodate more HP. I appreciate all the input, you guys have been great. thanks! Thank you!

Here is the problem with the RS6. I sold mine 11 months ago and I'm sitting here on a Sunday afternoon thinking about it.
Truth be told, had I read this forum before I purchased my RS6, these fine people would have scared me away from ever owning one.
This forum is an amazing resource but ignorance is bliss with cars IMO.
Instead, I got a quick lesson on the RS6. Car had 60K on the odometer when I picked it up.
Check engine light came on less than 300 miles after purchase. I'm certain it wasn't the first time. Sure enough bad TC.
I'd been taken. Oh well lesson learned.
Visited Tozo on New Years day for a TC swap then drove it like there was no tomorrow for another 100 thousand miles. It had a transmission and ECU tune.
It was time to part ways with 170K on the odometer. Just the normal Audi stuff for the next 100k miles. Timing belts, brakes, tires, cup holders, hazard switches etc.
I was planning on getting a 2013 + S6 with low miles to freshen up but ended up with a Kia and RCF. lol
Hope you enjoy.