Would you do it again?

[quad_exhaust]

Hi folks,

I have an opportunity to "pick up" a 2003 RS6 at a reasonable price, but am wondering if it's worth it.

It has roughly 35K miles, and the service was done at 27K miles (getting the paperwork to see what was actually done).

With that in mind, am I in for a massive headache, or wallet thinning by purchasing this car?

Just curious if you'd do it all again. I don't want to get the car, only to have everything fall apart....

Thanks for your inputs!

Quad

[mmaturo]

It is a fantastic car that i immensely enjoy driving every day so yes i would do it again but wish i could pay what they are going for now instead of the $70K I laid out 4 1/2 years ago. Get an extended warranty for as far out as you can...as we keep posting every time someone asks and life will be better with it. Its not a cheap car and things do wear out quicker than other cars and the parts do cost more. It could be that the car will be fine and have no issues or you may get one that likes to go through transmissions. Its the luck of the draw...but that is what the warranty is for.

This car is a grin a day experience.

[DHall1]

Search the forum for many threads on the topic.

If you can afford the car and have a good local dealer or private shop....its the best car on the road.

Buy the Audi/Fidelity warranty and enjoy the car. No brainer.

[GEN XER]

Here are a few links. In simple yes I would but only with a warranty.


http://www.rs6.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19944

http://www.rs6.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20179

http://www.rs6.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20044

[skribe]

9134


do it.

[papadoc]

More to the point, there is nothing out there at less than about 4x what you're likely to pay for this car that comes close to comparing to the RS6. I'm at 87K miles, bought new, had DRC fix but no other issues. My Fidelity warranty is about to expire with no claims on it. Tires aren't cheap, less than 20k miles on PS2s but now on Conti Extreme DW at about $100/tire less and longer projected wear. Dealers around the Bay aren't bad, both Stevens Creek and Carlsen ok, but I now use Streetwerke in Palo Alto, great shop. Consider chipping it- marked difference from stock, two years into chip and exhaust for me with only smiles as a result.

[Beastly]

thin your wallet - more like kiss it goodbye, that said its way worth it. As noted get a warranty. I am still in the honeymoon phase after almost a year.

[LIRS6]

Bought new May 2004 ... 80k miles ... just bought extended warranty (again). Check its history thoroughly, and if satisfied then buy the car, buy a warranty, and enjoy. There is no car out there - new or otherwise - that excites me as much as this car does, and it manages to do so with 4 doors, in comfort, in any weather. And I haven't even chipped the car.

If you do buy it, some mods to consider:

RNS-E
Hotchkiss sways
Milltek exhaust
ECU + TCU chips
Teeth whitener - for you - you'll be smiling a lot

[mmaturo]

More to the point, there is nothing out there at less than about 4x what you're likely to pay for this car that comes close to comparing to the RS6. I'm at 87K miles, bought new, had DRC fix but no other issues. My Fidelity warranty is about to expire with no claims on it. Tires aren't cheap, less than 20k miles on PS2s but now on Conti Extreme DW at about $100/tire less and longer projected wear. Dealers around the Bay aren't bad, both Stevens Creek and Carlsen ok, but I now use Streetwerke in Palo Alto, great shop. Consider chipping it- marked difference from stock, two years into chip and exhaust for me with only smiles as a result.

wow 87K and no issues...want to trade?

[papadoc]

Happily trade wheels but not the car, Mark!

[got boost]

Yes!

92,xxxx, original tranny, original DRC, has had GIAC software since @31,000 miles. Only "after warranty" issue has been alternator. Most reliable car I have ever owned.

A wise man once said about purchasing a specific car, "buy a car only if you can afford two of them" or something like that.....lol

[bruce]

More to the point, there is nothing out there at less than about 4x what you're likely to pay for this car that comes close to comparing to the RS6. I'm at 87K miles, bought new, had DRC fix but no other issues. My Fidelity warranty is about to expire with no claims on it. Tires aren't cheap, less than 20k miles on PS2s but now on Conti Extreme DW at about $100/tire less and longer projected wear. Dealers around the Bay aren't bad, both Stevens Creek and Carlsen ok, but I now use Streetwerke in Palo Alto, great shop. Consider chipping it- marked difference from stock, two years into chip and exhaust for me with only smiles as a result.

Hey Doc,

Nice to see you here. We met many years ago so you could check out the smoked tails on my Daytona. I put 80k miles on it with NO issues, great car, the best. So now I bought a 27k miles Mugello Blue (swapped the tail lights and a couple other things :hihi:) and was considering chipping, exhaust, etc. Did Streetwerke do those for you? I may consider using them for maintenance etc if you recommend?

Bruce

[mmaturo]

Yes!

92,xxxx, original tranny, original DRC, has had GIAC software since @31,000 miles. Only "after warranty" issue has been alternator. Most reliable car I have ever owned.

A wise man once said about purchasing a specific car, "buy a car only if you can afford two of them" or something like that.....lol

Boy did i get a bad apple...reliable in a sense (never left me anywhere, always able to get to dealer) but needs to be in the shop once every three months for 3 weeks at a time, car here. Geez. F'me. If i had chipped it add two more transmissions to the three that have been in my car.

Car has been fine since December but going in for timing belt in 2 weeks so in the shop anyway.

On your wise man saying good news was I could and did afford two of them essentially when i start to look at my outlay and depreciation hit over the years.

But its still worth it...gulp.

[bruce]

Just curious if you'd do it all again.


I DID do it again......:rs6kiss:

[papadoc]

Of course I remember meeting at Starbucks on El Camino. The Hella smoked tails were the first mod I did after seeing yours, and I did get both exhaust and chips done by Streetwerke. They do careful, good work, very honest, and they love the RS6! If you head over there, tell Darren I sent you.
and by the way, smart move with the "new" RS6, would do that over a new Benz for sure...

[skribe]

Boy did i get a bad apple...reliable in a sense (never left me anywhere, always able to get to dealer) but needs to be in the shop once every three months for 3 weeks at a time, car here. Geez. F'me. If i had chipped it add two more transmissions to the three that have been in my car.

Car has been fine since December but going in for timing belt in 2 weeks so in the shop anyway.

On your wise man saying good news was I could and did afford two of them essentially when i start to look at my outlay and depreciation hit over the years.

But its still worth it...gulp.

Mmaturo, do you drive your car really really hard or track it or something?

I just bought into the franchise... your experience has me a little freaked. I probably won't put more than 5k per year on my car, as I take public trans to the office most days...

But anyway, after two weeks of ownership I LOVE the thing... I've never had speed so effortless... Which is the only downside, it's really hard to drive this car reasonably, at least for me anyway. Already hit jail speed on the Kennedy the other night.

[mmaturo]

Mmaturo, do you drive your car really really hard or track it or something?

I just bought into the franchise... your experience has me a little freaked. I probably won't put more than 5k per year on my car, as I take public trans to the office most days...

But anyway, after two weeks of ownership I LOVE the thing... I've never had speed so effortless... Which is the only downside, it's really hard to drive this car reasonably, at least for me anyway. Already hit jail speed on the Kennedy the other night.

You will be pleased with it no doubt...I'm clearly abnormal, and as i said i still love the thing...just had fun tonight with some dude attempting to run ahead of me with a Mitsu Evo MR...didn't work at all....tehe

Mine is a daily driver. I do drive it kinda hard (stoplight to stoplight) but that's kinda what the car is good at along with highway higher speed cruising...your comment on jail speed will happen on every open road drive...its smooth as glass at 90+.

Anyway I bought the car (mid 20K miles) with transmission and torque converter number one shot causing overboost shut downs of the turbos so I was pissed in the beginning buying a CPO car that spent 4 months in the shop with 3-4 weeks in between the second transmission also going (no idea why as there was no abuse in that period. 3 rd one made it to 70K. I have only tracked the car 3 times over the years but what has gone wrong has 0 to do with that (as occurred well before and well after and after replacement). My suspension has had constant issues and an abnormal amount of bushing failures (resulting in clunks) that has lead to 3 full sets of everything up front. It may be our crappy roads in Chicago but my car just eats the suspension. 2 failed DRCs, the first one i think helped the control arms go for the middle set. The suspension issues on the car were replaced twice with no track events during that period and i only 'beat' on the car in straight lines. Numerous other little things have gone that honestly have 0 to do with my driving...steering pump, fuel sender, gauge cluster for pixels and fuel gauge, random switches, HVAC head unit issues 5 yes 5 times over in the early years and on and on...I just picked the pickled lemon.

[ben916]

You will be pleased with it no doubt...I'm clearly abnormal, and as i said i still love the thing...just had fun tonight with some dude attempting to run ahead of me with a Mitsu Evo MR...didn't work at all....tehe

Mine is a daily driver. I do drive it kinda hard (stoplight to stoplight) but that's kinda what the car is good at along with highway higher speed cruising...your comment on jail speed will happen on every open road drive...its smooth as glass at 90+.

Anyway I bought the car (mid 20K miles) with transmission and torque converter number one shot causing overboost shut downs of the turbos so I was pissed in the beginning buying a CPO car that spent 4 months in the shop with 3-4 weeks in between the second transmission also going (no idea why as there was no abuse in that period. 3 rd one made it to 70K. I have only tracked the car 3 times over the years but what has gone wrong has 0 to do with that (as occurred well before and well after and after replacement). My suspension has had constant issues and an abnormal amount of bushing failures (resulting in clunks) that has lead to 3 full sets of everything up front. It may be our crappy roads in Chicago but my car just eats the suspension. 2 failed DRCs, the first one i think helped the control arms go for the middle set. The suspension issues on the car were replaced twice with no track events during that period and i only 'beat' on the car in straight lines. Numerous other little things have gone that honestly have 0 to do with my driving...steering pump, fuel sender, gauge cluster for pixels and fuel gauge, random switches, HVAC head unit issues 5 yes 5 times over in the early years and on and on...I just picked the pickled lemon.

teetering on the threshold of jumping.... this is EXACTLY what I don't want to hear but then again, it is REALLY good to hear...

[skribe]

I guess my perspective might be different if I had to pay the new Audi/Fidelity warranty prices, I sneaked in at the last second on 2009 pricing on 6/60 platinum. I would have a harder time enjoying this car without a warranty... I think flogging an unprotected Cosworth lump would make me a bit paranoid.

Got to say I friggin love my RS6 after two weeks and am so glad I pulled the trigger on it. Zero buyer's remorse so far.

[mmaturo]

teetering on the threshold of jumping.... this is EXACTLY what I don't want to hear but then again, it is REALLY good to hear...

don't let me scare you off. I do seem to be the minority but again if you get a good warranty all is good regardless. Its a fantastic car that even with the issues i have held onto it.