The Merits of an RS6 Daily Driver

[ben916]

I have a ~40 minute commute that is ~35 miles and has three hills to climb. Am I going to get under 15 mpg in an RS6 if I use it as a DD?

OK, you "can" get 24.5mpg with an RS6 on the highway. Absolutely no boost and nothing over 60mph (which equals no fun).
I averaged 24.5mpg from Redding, CA to Portland, OR along I-5 after getting a ticket just outside of Susanville, CA where he clocked me at 81 (I was slowing down from 100+), so I was butthurt and decided to go super slow.

The other question to ask is - why bother worrying about mpg?!?!? Its miles of smiles!

[AMDRS6]

I agree, shouldn't own an RS6 if you're worried about gas mileage.

[SteveKen]

I agree, shouldn't own an RS6 if you're worried about gas mileage.

Or brakes and rotors and timing belt intervals...

[AMDRS6]

Oh yeah those too! ��

[Bigglezworth]

Am I going to get under 15 mpg in an RS6 if I use it as a DD?

More than likely yes.... You simply can't own a car like this without getting on it (often). No matter how much you want to trickle along with the crowd, dollars to donuts you will want to do something more.... It's been said a number of times - you don't own an RS6 because you are concerned about gas mileage. It's not a "large" displacement engine no, but it can quickly violate your wallet by passing almost 200% more fuel through the engine in the same amount of time under full throttle and I know of NO one that owns one of these that isn't doing full throttle a number of times after each fill-up.

[Fast Co]

Silly me, I figured that an RS6 with 6 speed would loaf on the highway and get great mileage (which is sort of true) but the statements above are correct. It sure is difficult to stay off the throttle. Turns out I get roughly the same mileage in the RS6 as I do in the ~stock S6 automatic in normal driving, mid-high teens in the city and low to mid 20s on the highway. Since I live in a city my daily driver is the S6 so as not to put the wear & tear on the RS. When I have the opportunity to go for a *drive*, I choose the RS6. Last Saturday our local chapter of the Audi Club did a "country drive" event. We stayed on two lane country roads, no highway or interstate. Our group also included a couple of modded B5 S4s, a B7 RS4 and a few newer model Audis. We drove "briskly" not balls out, had a great time. I burned a half a tank of gas, it was worth every penny.

[CBeau]

If you're worried about fuel mileage $$ you should (unless you're just a total tree hugger type... not that there is anything wrong with that) by association be worried about maintenance $$$$ = don't buy a RS6 for DD. If you weren't one of the upper crust well heeled original owners in '03 who paid close to $100k and had cushy warranty with loaner car etc. for the 3-4 years they owned the car, until the next newest best thing came along, you better be a engineer level type car lover to own one of these cars, which includes a deep appreciation for what it is - which is inextricably strapped to going thru the pain (and joy) of keeping it alive. I'm no total RS6 expert on here like many others, but I've owned one for a pretty long while and have and had many many cars of all types and that is my 2 cents. Love it or leave it alone.