the modifications are beginning!

[kismetcapitan]

just got my Hotchkis sway bar kit today. I'm pretty stoked as it'll take care of the suspension side until my DRC decides to pack it in. So that has me thinking about the overall picture of where I want the car to end up, and if I can get some advice and answers on the benefits of each step...?

The car came with a Eurocharged ECU and MTM TCU, so that's good. A nice touch was the Level 10 valve body upgrade, and the K40 integrated radar detection is very nice; I've never seen a radar detection system integrate so seamlessly into a car's instruments.

I'll break it down into sections - there are threads for all this scattered about but I'm trying to organize everything into stages:

suspension:
- start with Hotchkis roll bars.
- H&R lowering springs, if you have complete faith in the DRC, or
- wait and do coilovers (which I'll do - I like being able to fine-tune ride height and set corner weighting)

exhaust and intake:
the stock SE exhaust is good, for stock. I want more rumble though :P
- Milltek non-resonated cat-back, then get an ECU remap..?
- Milltek or comparable bespoke downpipes, then remap again
- no way I'm touching that carbon fiber airbox! Is it worth getting aftermarket air filters?

interior:
- K40 already installed
- Dension iPod adapter just installed, and I finally figured out how to work it. While I've always done fairly involved stereos in my cars, usually running about 800 watts, the Bose is good enough to make spending the time and effort to chop up the dash and the labor involved in adding subs a case of diminished returns.
- I've decided to add a Stack boost gauge, just next to the A-pillar. Should be unobtrusive and not too ricey.
- I'd like LED indicators installed somewhere to indicate if a meth system is flowing correctly or not. Probably in the unused switches next to the ESP switch.
- I'm going to throw some darker tint on the windows - the 50% that's already on the car is excellent tint quality, but I'm going with 20% on all side windows, 35% on the rear, and maybe 70% on the windshield, although...is it my imagination or is there some kind of reflective film/treatment on the windshield already?

ECU and power tuning:
- since the car came with a Eurocharged map, I'll work with them with maps as I alter the breathing of the engine in stages - first with a catback, then the downpipes.
- unless my intercoolers start leaking, I won't go with Wagners. They might have twice the flow capacity, but I'm of the school that intercoolers must be matched to the turbos - bigger isn't better. As long as it's a quality bar and plate construction, that's good enough. Too big and during the winter you'll start getting throttle lag as the intercoolers have to fill and pressurize. Unless it's a known fact that Audi used undersized intercoolers? Did they??
And the other reason is...
- meth injection. I'll start shopping for a system, but since I did a water injection system in my Skyline, I'm familiar with the different brands. One thing - everyone seems to use the term "meth", but are people using 100% methanol injection?? If so, a remap is required to run properly. In any event, an intake charge cooling system, whether it's water, ethanol, methanol, or...windshield washer fluid god forbid, serves the same purpose as a larger intercooler.

wheels:
- I'm doing what Elevens did: OZ 19" wheels, 275/30R19 tires. I used OZ on my Skyline and was pleased with them, and I think they'll also go well on the RS6.

exterior:
- the RS6 shape is just about perfect, and I can't think of a single thing to change, except to change the rear taillights to LED units and get rid of the amber insert in the headlights.
- I'm planning something else I haven't seen on an RS6 yet, but won't spill the beans until I get it done :)

brakes:
- the system had been flushed recently, but I will get around to flushing it again and putting in my favored brake fluid, Castrol SRF.
- my pads are also new, so it'll be awhile before I start shopping for new ones.
- otherwise, I'm sticking with stock. No need to spend big money on fixed rear calipers, and the fronts are...well, who really NEEDS more than an 8-pot Brembo caliper???
- I don't know if my brake lines have been upgraded; I'm going to take a look this weekend, and if they're stock, they won't be for long.

questions:
- with a full exhaust and meth injection, properly mapped, will I be over the 550bhp mark? How close to 600bhp can I get to without messing with anything else?
- I've tried (halfheartedly, I can't bring myself to give lots of throttle with the brakes applied) the duck-rat-foot launch, and I can't get the car to rev over 2000rpm. Will MTM or someone else program in the ability to hit 2500rpm when stopped and revving up the engine, without having to rev three times? I know it's a protection mechanism, but I do like to think I have enough sense to not press both pedals at the same time unless I am going to launch the car. And if I'm going to launch the car, I would like to be able to do so on the spot!

[kilian tuning]

i think 600 bhp will destroy your box...

[DHall1]

Remind me again. Which RS6 did you purchase?

Need to know if you have the latest RS6 EC remap.

Vag Com or die.

Stock ICs are fine if not leaking.

[skribe]

RNS-E is worth every penny IMO, much more modern interior, and sound quality is noticeably better.
I also disconnected the stock sub (which is a pile of shit), spliced into the Bose amp input, and added a small JL amp and sub box, also hard-wired an iPod input into the RNS-E. To me, the audio is now good enough. Not great, but good enough.

I think with your mods you could expect mid 500's for horsepower, but I agree with kilian your tranny will tap out even at that level if you're not careful.

I think the APR tune has a 2-stage rev limiter? Or was it REVO? Somebody will correct me. Maybe eurocharged could program that if you really want your tranny to go bye-bye.

[nene]

This will surely be an interesting project to follow... keep up the updates.
Good luck.

[yokust]

Stock ICs are fine if not leaking.

Yeah Sure

They are fine for the first dyno pull, and then keep watching power drop while they heatsoak. So if you are actually looking for 550-600hp, they are not fine

[JSRS6]

I agree here. While stock ic's may not leak, they do have amazing heat soaking properties :hihi: during the last dyno day, on the cars with wagners, I didn't notice any heat soak in-between pulls. Even on back to back pulls, cool to the touch. I will be getting a pair for my post Afghanistan build.

[speedtrapped]

I have the wagners, with upgraded turbos, amazing quality. Just a milltek catback won't require new tuning, and I may get flamed, but the sound even with non resonated is pretty close to SE. Ask me how I know, even better, I have dahlback 3" DP's mated to dahlback 100 cell racing cats, finished with milltek non resonated, throatier but not by much. Def get meth, and spend the $ money for gutted DP into milltek, Jerry has a nice stage 2, that when I dis an earlier dyno day with Josh on the set up, made 424/506 at wheels(at time everything else was stock)

[speedtrapped]

I run 50/50 meth, not tuned just insurance

[kismetcapitan]

interesting notes about the ICs. It's possible to take the route that Subaru has done (their IC is mounted on top of the engine, talk about heat soak galore!!!) - water spray onto the IC. Meth injection is supposed to cool down the intake charge anyways, and you can tune for the fuel properties of methanol (stoich for meth is 6:1, it doesn't require much oxygen), although you have to know exactly how much you're injecting.

My car's VIN is 904912. The Eurocharged reflash was done last summer; I have Jerry's number which the last owner gave me. I have a Rosstech but need a Windows computer, which is being shipped to me from Korea. I need to get the handheld programmer so I can upload reflashes without yanking the ECU and mailing it out.

It's very interesting to hear the opinion that the Milltek catback isn't much different than the SE! Maybe I'll look into straight pipes, the E39 M5 crowd often leaves the stock downpipes and cats, and then do straight pipes for a catback.

How much does the Level 10 valve body rebuild help in terms of handling power? That will be the limiting factor. People have done 6-speed swaps; I wonder why no one has looked into swapping a C6 auto transmission - that unit is apparently good enough to handle 700bhp.

I don't think I'll end up with anything significantly better than what most people here have done; I have no plans to upgrade turbos, fuel system, etc to go for serious power - I spent the better part of three years doing that on my Skyline, and I think I got that out of my system. I want to work on the handling mostly, extract a bit more power, and get the car looking and sounding mean :)

In addition to my exterior mod ideas, I just came up with another one - a battery relocation setup without doing the tray, etc....a custom LiFePO4 battery wired into a donut shape that will plop into the stock spare tire well. Just need to calculate how many cells I need.

Well, it's a beautiful Saturday; going to go get the car detailed, then get the Hotchkis bars installed and do the DRC suspension fix so that my rear doesn't sit up so high anymore. A car just isn't mine until I've added my personal touch to it!

[mi021le]

welcome. dude ur in for a ride if u just start buying things. replace what brakes and slowly build. a rs6 can get expensive wen u dont expect whats coming. ie.. might be why ur trans has work done wen u only have a chip.. ;) eurocharged although make nice power. everyone ive known personally whos had it had to pull the trans to fix it.. the best way to change the dp's is to pull the motor. u can tilt it back.. but its the upper screw thats the culprit. whas ur plan anyway? make it fun or spend $30k and the baddest one here? lol.

[hahnmgh63]

Any mod is possible with enough money but for the price it is probably better to use what has already been developed and other are using with success (Intercoolers, transmission, etc...). In my Cayenne Turbo S I also have the integrated K40 with Laser jammer in the front plate surround, I also agree that it is a beautifully integrated install, but I would also have to say that compared to my Valentine 1 or Escort 9500ix the K40 sucks on range and false alerts. It came on my Cayenne, dealer installed w/ the Laser Jammer for $1500. I would have never paid that much for something that doesn't work as good as a under $500 Escort or Valentine 1 though.

[kismetcapitan]

I'm not going to do anything outlandish - been there done that. There's well over $100,000 in my Skyline engine alone, and when you've sunk that much into an engine, every little odd noise makes you nervous!

Just going to start the mod route down to where a lot of member's cars are at now. The car has a bit of roll in long sweeping curves - not nearly as much as most cars, but enough so that I ordered the Hotchkis kit. Need to get the rear suspension settled per the DRC fix thread. Then on to the exhaust, etc. The RS6 is interesting because it's not a car you really want to radically change, but there are enhancements, and although Elevens' car is closest to what I have in mind, I'd rather do something that's truly unique, if it really only means a couple different things.

[mi021le]

ok well for just driving enjoyment without spending to much... sway bars and down the line coil overs, shell drive amazing. just go strait to coil overs.. brakes are fine. but get red pads. the rns-e is a must. exhaust comes before all power mods. intakes are cool and great to hear, but finding a tuner to tune them is hard. and the intakes do change ur fuel curve just enough that ull get slower till u re tune for them and get the power it unleashes. heat rap EVERYTHING. lol. intakes and exhaust. and if u want instead of coolers just get the Wagner vents or something and dump the fogs. i like it better without them but to each his own. the stock inter coolers are good until ur upgrading turbos... or if u live in the middle east. lol. thats what id do if id have to start again. hope it helps.

and def dump the ambers and get euro tail lights or leds.

[Brav]

the pressure lag from larger ICs would be immeasurable..

[DHall1]

Flame

The Milltek catback is way louder than the SE exhaust. Way


I have the wagners, with upgraded turbos, amazing quality. Just a milltek catback won't require new tuning, and I may get flamed, but the sound even with non resonated is pretty close to SE. Ask me how I know, even better, I have dahlback 3" DP's mated to dahlback 100 cell racing cats, finished with milltek non resonated, throatier but not by much. Def get meth, and spend the $ money for gutted DP into milltek, Jerry has a nice stage 2, that when I dis an earlier dyno day with Josh on the set up, made 424/506 at wheels(at time everything else was stock)

[DHall1]

1. Is this "Nistas" old car?

2. I have had my RS6 for over 3 years. The Milltek non-res is way louder than the SE exhaust. No question at all. Its almost too loud for me.




interesting notes about the ICs. It's possible to take the route that Subaru has done (their IC is mounted on top of the engine, talk about heat soak galore!!!) - water spray onto the IC. Meth injection is supposed to cool down the intake charge anyways, and you can tune for the fuel properties of methanol (stoich for meth is 6:1, it doesn't require much oxygen), although you have to know exactly how much you're injecting.

My car's VIN is 904912. The Eurocharged reflash was done last summer; I have Jerry's number which the last owner gave me. I have a Rosstech but need a Windows computer, which is being shipped to me from Korea. I need to get the handheld programmer so I can upload reflashes without yanking the ECU and mailing it out.

It's very interesting to hear the opinion that the Milltek catback isn't much different than the SE! Maybe I'll look into straight pipes, the E39 M5 crowd often leaves the stock downpipes and cats, and then do straight pipes for a catback.

How much does the Level 10 valve body rebuild help in terms of handling power? That will be the limiting factor. People have done 6-speed swaps; I wonder why no one has looked into swapping a C6 auto transmission - that unit is apparently good enough to handle 700bhp.

I don't think I'll end up with anything significantly better than what most people here have done; I have no plans to upgrade turbos, fuel system, etc to go for serious power - I spent the better part of three years doing that on my Skyline, and I think I got that out of my system. I want to work on the handling mostly, extract a bit more power, and get the car looking and sounding mean :)

In addition to my exterior mod ideas, I just came up with another one - a battery relocation setup without doing the tray, etc....a custom LiFePO4 battery wired into a donut shape that will plop into the stock spare tire well. Just need to calculate how many cells I need.

Well, it's a beautiful Saturday; going to go get the car detailed, then get the Hotchkis bars installed and do the DRC suspension fix so that my rear doesn't sit up so high anymore. A car just isn't mine until I've added my personal touch to it!

[JSRS6]

You don't need a windows computer.

[twinsteve]

1. Is this "Nistas" old car?

2. I have had my RS6 for over 3 years. The Milltek non-res is way louder than the SE exhaust. No question at all. Its almost too loud for me.

you happy with non-res though?

[Elevens]

As I have said numerous times before, A good Tune, a Free Flowing Catless Exhaust System and a solid Transmission will result in the most gains from these cars short of major engine work. This is all I have done and I am extremely happy with the results. Sure there's Water Injection, Cold Air Intake, Larger Intercoolers and numerous other mods you can do. But IMO the gains are minimal compared to the Investment and are not worth it (short of maybe the Larger Wagners in the event of stock intercooler failure). And also, keeping the mods to a minimum results in fewer reliability issues. I have not done any 0-60 runs, but I will tell you that at 100mph someone tried me. I slapped it into Sport mode and nailed it. 120mph was showing on the clock in an instant and I was pinned to the seat with considerable force. What more do I want? Nothing. Anything more will land you in jail very quickly. Remember this is just my opinion, many of you may want more speed. For me Horsepower mods are done. My next major investment are 390mm C6 RS6 Brakes to WOE this baby down. Wanna go fast, must be able to Stop.............................................. .

[speedtrapped]

Flame

The Milltek catback is way louder than the SE exhaust. Way
Naaahhhh, u should of heard my S8 with milltek, V10 was nasty sounding loud...I get my V back from stage 2 wednsday, headers, hi flo cats, X into corsa sport...amongst some other goodies, I will record a sound clip for ya Dave...that will be loud.

[Brav]

milltek catback is louder, or with downpipes? I have SE with resonators taken out, and its decent. I want it way louder, but wish I could hear someone elses in person before I buy..

[speedtrapped]

as per an idea, this was my old set up, gutted DP cut and V bands welded straight pipe, was inexpensiive set up....

[speedtrapped]

oh yeah this was yokust's handy work.....

[DHall1]

Stephen, Stephen...

We are not talking about the Milltek on the n/a S8.

We are talking about adding the Milltek non-res catback to the RS6 SE system. Its louder. Plain and simple.

Is it as loud as the n/a S8? no.

Is it too loud? Not really but some like quiet cars and some like to roar.


Naaahhhh, u should of heard my S8 with milltek, V10 was nasty sounding loud...I get my V back from stage 2 wednsday, headers, hi flo cats, X into corsa sport...amongst some other goodies, I will record a sound clip for ya Dave...that will be loud.

[speedtrapped]

Lol, I agree it's louder, but it's all in individuals ear.....your right about a NA V10, vs TT V8.

[kismetcapitan]

one mustn't forget the muffling power of the turbos....N/A cars with free-flow exhausts are always louder.

The RS6 is a somewhat difficult car to personalize, as there are few vendors with aftermarket parts and the upgrade path is pretty set. I did dump crazy money into my last car, but a lot of it was taking the zillions of part available and coming up with novel solutions - I'm pretty sure I have the only Skyline with a NASCAR-style oiling system...

suspension: V3 or PSS9
wheels: BBS or OZ
exhaust: Milltek or Dahlback
TCU: MTM...or stock
ECU: some choices there
intake cooling: stock, Wagners, or meth injection

To go beyond means major surgery, and I didn't get this car to experiment on, I got it because I wanted a reliable car for once. I'm going to talk to a tuner about if meth injection yields any significant power gains. I'm also going to do some research on an LiFePO4 battery, to get rid of that breadbox in the trunk. Otherwise, I have some (hopefully) tasteful exterior touches in mind that should set my car apart from the crowd....

[ThrillHouse]

What is your impression on the swaybars? I'm a BIG proponent of them, especially for bigger cars but haven't really had a chance to research them for the RS6. I put new bars on my 1996 Impala SS (for sale...) and the only way I could explain to everyone how it felt was "it feels like the car took a 1000# dump"

Is there an expected reduced lifetime of the DRC with stiffer swaybars too?


RNS-E is worth every penny IMO, much more modern interior, and sound quality is noticeably better.
I also disconnected the stock sub (which is a pile of shit), spliced into the Bose amp input, and added a small JL amp and sub box, also hard-wired an iPod input into the RNS-E. To me, the audio is now good enough. Not great, but good enough.


I'm going to do the same thing - disconnect the stock Bose amp, use that as an input and put in my own sub. No need to hack up the dash either, just use a LLC (I'm lucky, my amp has low level inputs that also activate the remote on line). Sub install by only accessing the trunk with the battery right there!

[kismetcapitan]

I actually like the Bose sound; I just think it could use about double the power.

I suspect the Hotchkis roll bars should reduce stress on the DRC by picking up some of the load that the DRC would otherwise have to take during cornering. In that same vein, a traditional locking rear diff should take some of the strain out of using the actual brake calipers to reduce wheelspin!

[skribe]

I'm going to do the same thing - disconnect the stock Bose amp, use that as an input and put in my own sub. No need to hack up the dash either, just use a LLC (I'm lucky, my amp has low level inputs that also activate the remote on line). Sub install by only accessing the trunk with the battery right there!

Yeah, it wasn't hard at all... Not audiophile-correct, but I split the line level inputs for the rear channels from the RNS-E off at the stock bose amp's inputs (on top of the bose sub in the passenger side trunk wall) used those as signal for the JL sub amp. Pulled power straight off the battery, and found a switched lead for the amp from the oem nav drive in the trunk (which I no longer need with RNS-E.) Then pulled the connector off the front side of the OEM bose sub to disable it. Sounds much much better, the Bose sub is definitely a weak link. Of course, I'd rather do a $6k full amp and driver replacement with a clean sweep module and custom EQ, but not in this economy :)

The whole procedure took 1/2 hour and definitely worth it... especially since I had the amp and sub lying around anyway.

[kismetcapitan]

1. Is this "Nistas" old car?

I bought my car in Columbus OH, was that where this user was based?

[kismetcapitan]

working on an atypical exhaust for an Audi...let's just say it's what you'd find on a typical V8 musclecar down here in the South :)

[kienchil]

Jerry enabled brake boosting on my Eurocharged tune, no problems, just ask hes a good guy to work with.

[DHall1]

Hehe....let the games begin.




Jerry enabled brake boosting on my Eurocharged tune, no problems, just ask hes a good guy to work with.

[speedtrapped]

the man, the myth, who is Jerry

[kienchil]

Also ECU Tune is only 75% of full potential without the MTM TCU chip, seriously, there is no reason to keep it stock with Hoppen selling them for $120, even with shipping to Australia its the best bang for buck upgrade I have made and it mates up perfectly with the ECU tune. Makes the car feel much faster, and as a weird bonus my fuel efficiency actually went UP?!?!? after the TCU was installed.

Just put an RNS-E in as well and it seriously makes the car look 10 years younger, the clunky RNS-D I had dated the car alot, but with the RNS-E you would be hard pressed to think it was anything less than a 2009 model.

Good luck with the mods mate.

[kismetcapitan]

does the RNS-E have more output in terms of wattage? I'm assuming it's plug and play with the Bose system? And is the nav worth anything, seeing as roads constantly change...?

[kienchil]

Not sure if its output is higher but it does sound better, more "natural" sound for my ears, it wont let you drive up and down the street with the windows down setting off car alarms, but its enough to be quite enjoyable. Plug and play with the correct adapter from ebay (about $30), but you need a VagCom to fully integrate it with the DIS etc. Maps are great for me but im in Australia ours roads probably dont change as fast as yours. It honestly just makes the car more youthful, think of it as botox or a facelift for the interior lol!

[skribe]

does the RNS-E have more output in terms of wattage? I'm assuming it's plug and play with the Bose system? And is the nav worth anything, seeing as roads constantly change...?

Don't know technically, but my earhole definitely notices a worthwhile improvement in sound quality between symphony II and RNS-E. It's plug and play with the right adaptor, seriously if you have any skill at all you can swap it in in 1/2 hour, including pulling the cluster to tap the gala wire.

The nav works very well, you can update to the latest 2011 maps disc. Makes the whole dash come together visually, especially with CF trim and a de-blinged shifter plate.

http://i815.photobucket.com/albums/zz73/droogie5/photo.jpg

[lswing]

Damn, nice plate, what is that from?

[skribe]

Damn, nice plate, what is that from?

Sprayed with bedliner in a can from auto zone. Still holding up like iron.

http://www.rs6.com/showthread.php/21410-painted-plate-surround-bedlinered-gear-selector

[JSRS6]

roads change often yeah. But the nav that came with the car is still pretty accurate in norfolk/virginia beach. Haven't really tried it elsewhere, got magellan for iPhone. Now THAT is a great nav...has my moms address out in western va, up in the mountains with dirt roads.

[JSRS6]

One of these days I will get to that Andrew. I want my shift surround matte black.

[Brav]

Really like the idea of the black surround..

OT - skribe, how do you like the PLX gauge? I was thinking of the same thing. How responsive is the boost reading? fast refresh? I would go digital if it was lightning fast, but any delay wouldn't be worth while.

[skribe]

Really like the idea of the black surround..

OT - skribe, how do you like the PLX gauge? I was thinking of the same thing. How responsive is the boost reading? fast refresh? I would go digital if it was lightning fast, but any delay wouldn't be worth while.

The PLX gauges are indeed lightning fast, and the little OLED screen has no refresh lag at all.

Fun to customize too if you like to hack/tweak stuff. You can photoshop your own gauge faces or download pre-made ones.

Every Audi person that sees that shift surround asks me where I got it :)

[speedtrapped]

Ok, so how do I remove the knob to remove the plate....pleaseeeee.

[skribe]

I followed the standard procedure, but mine was pretty well stuck on there. I had to kind of straddle the center tunnel and yank with both hands. Then it popped off and I punched myself in the sack.
:harass:puke:

After you get it off, you can pull the whole shifter surround unit out, it has a circuit board underneath with the LEDs in it. Then you can gently pry apart the sandwich of the circuit board and the aluminum cover with a splunger or small screwdriver. I used an adhesion aid spray before laying down one thick old coat of bed liner on just the aluminum cover... but I suspect the adhesion aid isn't necessary.

Let 'er dry and reassemble in reverse order.

It's not as hard as I might be making it sound.

Stolen knob removal directions from "Robr10" on audizine pasted below:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2125/2434796090_88061785a0_o.jpg

Removing and installing selector lever handle

Removing

– Shift selector lever to position “D”.

– Turn sleeve -1- anti-clockwise and push down onto stop.

– Pull button -2- out of selector lever handle ¬3-carefully, just far enough to be able to insert a cable tie between button and selector lever.

Note
Under no circumstances pull button out further, as selector lever handle would then become damaged.
Use the cable tie to secure the button in its pulled position -arrow-, as shown in the illustration.
Remove the selector lever handle by pulling it off to the top.

Installing
Installation is carried out in reverse sequence; note the following:
– Shift selector lever to position “D”.

Note
To install the selector lever handle -3- the button -2- has to be pulled out to the stop and must be secured with either a cable tie -arrow- or with the assembly aid supplied together with the new handle.
If, by mistake, the button has not been secured, it must not be pulled out of the selector lever handle using mechanical tools. Position a compressed air gun at the bottom of the handle and carefully press the button out with compressed air.
Fit selector lever handle -3- fully onto selector lever; button -2- points towards the driver. The handle must engage in annular groove of selector lever.
Remove the cable tie -arrow-or assembly aid; the button mechanism will then engage in the vertical groove on the selector lever. If necessary, press the button into the selector lever handle.
Pull sleeve -1-upwards and engage by turning in clockwise direction

[speedtrapped]

Ty, f'in hilarious description, ouch.

[speedtrapped]

The sleeve that I turn counter clockwise, and push to stop? So turn and push down the sleeve?

[skribe]

I couldn't get the sleeve thing to turn. So I put it in D, put the zip tie in the button, and pulled like hell. :stick:

....and took one in the dangly bits. :wo:

[ttboost]

just saying that makes my eyes water...yeesh...

[kismetcapitan]

right, so instead of spamming multiple threads, I thought I'd document progress here:

- Hotchkis bars are in, and they are simply awesome.
- Dension iPod wiring is in - quick 10 minute job, about a week to figure out how to control the damned thing. No plans for RNS-E in the near future.

On the way are 10mm hubcentric spacers and H&R springs. Current budget doesn't permit for coilovers (I have Ohlins suspension bits to do for my bike). I do hope that I won't run into clearance problems with both the wider track and lowering the car. I've decided to shelve plans for 19" wheels for the time being - I did come across VERY cheap 19" wheels that are copies of the Euro-spec 19" optional wheels, but the 18" don't look bad at all and I'm going to work with them with the aforementioned lowering and widening, and see how that goes. I need to find a good competent shop to get this done at - I'm not interested in paying dealer labor charges!

Also ordered is a Stack 52mm boost gauge and carbon fiber pedestal pod mount. Should be discreet and allow me to start modifying my driving technique to keep the turbos on boil when I need them to be - I've been caught out a couple times with the turbos off. With the added lag of the slushbox, I need to see my boost pressure! A nice touch - the backlighting can be set to red, to match the rest of the car, and the warning flash can be set to white.

- still need to call Eurocharged about getting the Stage 2 map. More aggressive mapping is of course A Good Thing, but I need to have the O2 sensors coded out, and I'd like to have brake boosting enabled.
- working out an estimate for custom piping that will have straight pipes from the flex-joint to the muffler assemblies - getting rid of main cats and resonators. Downpipes will have to come later - I'm not a fan of gutting cats, but I'm mostly hyper-paranoid about the removal of the downpipes.
- will get around to doing window tint this week, probably 20% all around except for the windshield. What will add to the cost is that I've noted that my windshield has got 70% (will leave it) as well as the front windows, and 50% on the rear glass, so I'll need to pay for removal and cleaning first.

- uncovered maintenance issues: fuel tank recall completed, front left CV boot replaced, and I need to do a few odds and ends: coolant valve (slow leak), coolant fan controller (possibly, could be the coolant sensor), and it'll be a good idea to do the valve cover gaskets at some point. And if I ever can be bothered, the driver's door latch/switch assembly. While I did see the coolant valve leaking, the coolant fan code only comes up on VAGCOM; the fans seem to operate completely normally.

Parts I'd like to find, but can't:
- nice plush carpet mats with "RS6" embroidered on them. I've got all-weather mats, which are extremely practical, but I'd like some carpet too...
- battery relocation tray. Might be easier if I could read German, but I don't. Stack has a VERY cool TPMS system that's due for release. Maybe in a few months I'll do wheels/TPMS/battery relocation all at once.

And lastly, a couple steering wheel "RS6" badges. I'm going to try clearcoating one with a matte clearcoat from a hobby shop and see if that helps to preserve the thing. I've got a spare, and if that won't work, I'll just strip the paint off and go with the metal look...

[bakes]

There is a brand new set of RS6 logo'd floor mats for sale up near me. If you go to Kijiji Canada, select the province of Ontario and then city of London and search for RS6 you should find them

Asking price is $250cdn

[ben916]

- battery relocation tray.

Snoopra had this going in and to me, it looks awesome but finding it is another thing...
I am sure there are others that would LOVE to do this enhancement as it really isn't a mod...

[kismetcapitan]

There is a brand new set of RS6 logo'd floor mats for sale up near me. If you go to Kijiji Canada, select the province of Ontario and then city of London and search for RS6 you should find them

Asking price is $250cdn

found it, and yep, that's what I was looking for. Is $250 a reasonable price though...??

[bakes]

found it, and yep, that's what I was looking for. Is $250 a reasonable price though...??

No idea. I've gone the opposite route and just purchased the C5 A6 4.2 rubber set for winter. I don't see the need to pay that much for a product that my feet sit on!

[ben916]

found it, and yep, that's what I was looking for. Is $250 a reasonable price though...??

There are several threads very early in the life of the RS6 where custom logo-ed RS6 carpeted mats were in the range of $700...

[hahnmgh63]

I got a set of floormats with the RS6 Logo off of Ebay Germany that are just like OEM using the standard fasteners with shipping for less than $200 a couple of years ago.

[Spidercat]

$250 CDN sounds like a good price for those. If you want floormats w/ the "RS6" logo, get 'em while you can.

Mine were from some lady in Germany who did custom embroidery a few years ago, too. They were also just about $200 w/shipping. I wound up getting floormats for my floormats (at least a small one for my right heel, anyway). Great quality, standard fasteners, maybe Ebay.DE also (can't remember). You can search "Sabine + floormats," if you want. I think I had posted the sight for others that were interested in floormats several months later, but she (as well as others) couldn't get the "RS6" logo anymore, only "RS" IIRC. Something to do w/copyright infringement or something? Maybe not anymore?
Anyway, my dealer couldn't get them, either. As Ben mentioned, those that could were asking like $700 or so.

[Spidercat]

Nevermind, found the thread:
http://www.rs6.com/showthread.php/13253-RS6-logo-floormats?highlight=sabine

As I said, if you want them, get them. That's a good price.