A Bunch of Questions...

[Dennis215]

Ok so currently I am not an owner but... looking to trade. I love four wheel drive but I am moving back to the city so Im looking at an "03" M5 (much better style) or an "03 RS6" so here we go and forgive me ifn Ive repeated any previous threads.

Nav, can you get a good after market Nav with a map that works with the steering wheel controls and offers built in bluetooth?

Is the Nav system really useful?

If I get the car chipped am I looking at replacing the transmission every 6 months?

Can you get an extended warranty on a chipped car?

Is it a good idea for winter tyres?

Better off getting one from a dealer or private buyer?

Be gentle with me.

[AuditudeA642]

The best Nav to work with the center cluster is The Audi Navigation Plus RNS-E and offers bluetooth and special SD Card Reader. I had the RNS-D and it was a great nav system and very useful. When chipping the car i would say do a trans chip at the same time and the transmission should be fine. If you want an extended warranty i would get an extra ecm and switch it when you service the car b/c otherwise the car will not be covered. Remember this is an RS6 and it quattro no need for winter tires the car is on rails year round. I would say get a Certified Pre Owned from a dealer. If you are really interested in performance the RS6 Stock is alot faster than a M5 everywhere. In recent tests a chipped RS6 can also keep up with a V10 M5. The RS6 is a great machine and that would be my choice. How about the new S6???

[Dennis215]

Is the "The Audi Navigation Plus RNS-E" an option or can it be retrofitted?

Unless I have so much disposable cash that I dont care, I would never buy a new car again...

[skiwi]

correct, a number of people do this step. also the audi bluetooth module is very good and fully functional with most sophisticated phones (phone book contacts, sent/received calls etc).

however the full multifunction steering wheel is required for proper voice activation, scrolling of contacts etc. many owners (me included) don't want to lose the paddle shifts which only come with the 3-spoke wheel. so forgoe this functionality...

[Leadfoot]

If the car was new then I would say fit the OEM Sat/Nav as in this price bracket some owners would look and expect it, but as you are talking about a second-hand car that is already without Sat/Nav it's value will already be less to start with, so I would personally forget the OEM option and go for a good aftermarket Sat/Nav like the Garmin which now offer a bluetooth that not only connects to your phone but as most of the US maps not only show businesses but also their phone numbers as well the new Garmins will when the number is tapped on it's screen, push this to the phone for you to ring. Neat or what.

Plus, aftermarket kit is more up-to-date with their maps and more accurate as well.

So to recap, unless you are able to get a second-hand OEM Sat/Nav really keen, I say go for aftermarket. :thumb:

[+44 Dave]

I cant really answer any of your questions as it seems highly different buying in the US to the UK. For starters we have the Avant but i wont open that kettle of fish.

I can however tell you of my experience owning an RS6+, second hand for around 6 months now. Audi have been great as a dealership keeping in touch a little too much, calling to ask if i have any problems monthly. My answer is always no, as the car is a joy to own and drive. The build quality is unmatched, things rarely go wrong with the RS6 and the only bad habit it has are tyres... But the M5 will be even worse sending on the power to the rear two wheels, you'll be shelling out yearly.

The RS6 has much more power than the M5 and the traction is far superior, and therefore you are able to hold speed through bends and feel much safer and secure in tricky situations, such as swerving to avoid obstructions and under heavy breaking.

The power of the RS6 is amazing and you'll only need to test drive one to feel it.
Another thing i love about driving a fast Audi is that i feel i gain alot more respect from my fellow motorists, especially more than say if i was in an M5. The RS6 is highly understated so do not buy it if you wish to show off. In an M5 you will often be stopped by the police for "routine checks" but people do not look at the RS6 in the same way. People also dont realise how fast it is untill you zoom past them! It does leave a smile on your face when people think they can beat your big car off the lights, only for them to be eaten by quattro traction and RS6 power.

I could not be happier with my purchase and it is one of the best things i have ever bought. I mean and then you have this community to, which is much friendly than the M5forums lot ... Its the difference between Audi and BMW drivers.

I hope this can be of help to you, and i hope you enjoy which ever car you do buy ! I hope i have not appeared to bias' but its only because i love my RS6 that much !

[rubyblack]

Hi, just to add my tuppence worth.

I've had the RS6 Avant since October 2006, the first thing I did was to have the RNS-E retrofitted in place of the rather outdated RNS-D, however the downside to that is you lose the TV functionality because there is some additional retrofitting and wiring required if you would wish to retain TV, I don't require it. Then I had a lovely Milltek Cat backbox fitted which not only looks great but sounds fab too!!! The car goes like stink, there are barrels of torque to gently entice into action or you can hit the loud pedal and have some neck wrenching fun if it pleases.....all in all a superb drivers car.

Good hunting....Dave :addict: :applause:

[xotic]

Hi, I just wanted to add my experience with the chipping question. My 03 RS6 is running with a brain from MTM and about 510hp. For the last 2 years I've had the car there has been no complaints from the transmission or any other part for that matter despite some heavy footed driving and trackday work. (ok, brakes suffer at the track, but no surprise there)

[Dennis215]

Obviously I was leaning toward the RS6 but you pushed me over the edge!

[BLITZEN]

Obviously I was leaning toward the RS6 but you pushed me over the edge!

You won't regret that decision. The only advantage the M5 has is price and availability. And I can't believe that no one mentioned how much better the beverage holder in the RS6 is! :hihi:

I'm a new owner too who decided on an RS6 in favor of the '03 M5 or 335i. My advice is that you not get ahead of yourself with the mod's and just go find a good car to start. Spend your aftermarket upgrade budget on lower mileage. Like me, you might be surprised to find out about the maintenance cost of these cars if you're going to drive it daily.

[+44 Dave]

Obviously I was leaning toward the RS6 but you pushed me over the edge!

Once you get everything sorted be sure to post some pictures of your RS6 or "beast" on these forums. As i said we have a great community here and if you have any questions we will answer very well !
Good luck on finding the perfect car.

[GoFastKindaGuy]

I still drive the stock '03 that I bought new... And it still feels new. I had some run quality issues at first, but that was 45,000 miles ago: Fixed under warranty (with a painful amount of effort) and has run perfectly since. I've replaced rotors once, pads twice and tires twice. I have a second set of Kinesis wheels for Summer. I use stock wheels for snow season. Also, Audi replaced the transmission because of a leak, not malfunction. I use a portable Navman touch screen GPS so I can move it car-to-car. Best sedan I've ever owned.