so it's finally mine !

[mik15]

...or will be completely mine today, ok i am not 100% sure but the service said it will be ready so i keep my fingers crossed. After looking for quite some time an RS6 and having tested all the cars that came for sale on internet, after paying the deposit for one of them and reserving another one, i have decided in the end to go with the 3rd choice, which is actually the first one that i saw but couldn't drive at that time as it was to a dealer and was closed in the weekend!

Anyway, it's good that i have seen about 4 or 5 before taking the final decision as i was able to see what are the common problems and not and of course i owe many thanks to you guys and to this forum!!

So, the winner is a 2004 RS6 ABT with 69k miles on the clock, last minor service was done at 66k at Audi with all service history from Audi, second owner, since 2009, first owner in 2006 as the car was in the showroom 'till that time! I have negotiated with the owner to reduce the price as the car needs, new tires as the ones now on the car, though still have lot of thread, they're 2007 so old, and of course it needs the 75k service. The car had the DRC overhauled in 2009 and when we went to register it the car didn't pass because 3 shock-absorbers were leaking, so the owner took the car to replace them and today i should finally get it! It's weird how the shocks have already died so soon and of course Audi didn't want to do it under warranty...hopefully will last another 2 years and then, if i will still have the car, i will replace it with the regular ones!

I will post more pictures after i get the car later on today!

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/8112/p1090884e.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/823/p1090884e.jpg/)
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/4876/p1090878.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/713/p1090878.jpg/)
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1060/13669847.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/62/13669847.jpg/)
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/2452/p1090880.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/841/p1090880.jpg/)

Just talked at the service and it looks like it will only be ready on Sunday! :(

[streetsoffire]

Looks like a beauty.......nice pick up.

[hahnmgh63]

Yea, it sure does look nice. Congrats at enjoy it on some of the open roads around there.

[kilian tuning]

Thats a nice one, enjoy the beast...:)

[mik15]

thanks a lot guys! I am looking forward to enjoy it but it seems like i have to wait until Sunday...the shock-absorbers have been mounted but the garage that did the change doesn't have the pump to pressurize the system, so they will have to take it to Audi dealer on Sunday for that and to do a checking again to make sure everything is ok with the DRC. Hopefully i will be able to drive it back home Sunday evening :) .

[kilian tuning]

Dont take the car with you after youve checked if they correctly filled the DRC system, which you can see by looking at the height of the car. if its not filled properly, the car will stand much higher then normal...:)

[mik15]

so if it sits higher than normal this probably would mean that they have pumped too much pressure into the system?? Unfortunately i don't think i will be there when the owner picks up the car from Audi, as he is doing all these things in order to be able to finalize the transaction with me, otherwise the car wouldn't pass the registration therefore he couldn't sell it...anyway, the labor should be under warranty so i guess i can go after and have them to redo the procedure if it's not right from the first time...

[kilian tuning]

anyway, the labor should be under warranty so i guess i can go after and have them to redo the procedure if it's not right from the first time...

yes youre right, its something to keep in mind...

[QuattroRS]

BTW

The chaps can correct me if Im wrong but....if you drive the car without pressuring the DRC you will run the chance of damaging the struts. I seem to remember that the dealer was instructed not to drive it. FYI

[mik15]

thanks for the tip :). Anyway i will not drive it, it is now parked in the service and the Audi dealer is a few hundreds meters away, i don't think will do any damage if they drive it so close...

[QuattroRS]

Please have them check first. Having no DRC oil is like driving your car with no oil in the engine. The pistons in the shocks will have no lube. 500 meters or 15 miles...no oil is no oil.


thanks for the tip :). Anyway i will not drive it, it is now parked in the service and the Audi dealer is a few hundreds meters away, i don't think will do any damage if they drive it so close...

[mik15]

i have been today to the workshop where the car is and they were working on it, they have changed the shock-absorbers(3 of them) and the outer front axle boots which were cracked but there was still a lot of grease inside so the mechanic and I(as well) assumed there is no need to replace the drive axles. Hopefully tomorrow Audi will check and pressurize the DRC, as the schedule was made, and in the evening i will finally bring it home so i can show her some TLC :)....keep my fingers crossed that everything works as planned tomorrow!

[mik15]

still in Audi workshop....i hope with all my heart that tomorrow will be finally done!!! I can't take this any longer :)

[mik15]

now it is finally mine :), last night i took her back home with me....what can i say...all the way back, a bit over 100 miles drive, i was all just a big smile and my blood pressure was high, these are the sensations i have experienced and still have the symptoms...:), hopefully will have it for a long time from now on...i love it! I have discovered that a few buttons located below the glass support are a bit sticky, so something must have been spilled over...how do i remove the CD-player and A/C panel so i can clean it?? is there any other easier way?

[lswing]

Very nice! Yep, my drive in the car was sweet too...and the two test drives, just awesome...and still awesome 6 months later...

[JSRS6]

Radio removal tools to remove radio. Then I believe two small bolts hold in ac unit.

[mik15]

how do the tools look like? two long metal sticks?? i have no idea...

[bakes]

just try and find some electronic cleaner spray and spray it into the cracks around the buttons. I had this issue on my old 01 S4 as it had the cup holder in the same problematic spot. I also used a damp rag with warm water. I made sure the car electronics were off when i used the warm rag that let some of the water seep into the cracks. When the buttons were wet with the warm water I kept working on them and eventually they became unstuck. The water worked better than the electronic cleaner in the end. Eventually over time whatever was sticky worked it's way out and the buttons started working normally.

[bakes]

This is what the radio removal key's look like. You'd need 4, one for each corner of the radio.

12049

[mik15]

where can i get it from? except Audi which i am sure they are not going to borrow it...:)

found some on ebay...

[bakes]

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-RS6--4.2T/Tools/Electronic/

[mik15]

would it be ok if i use WD-40 to spray through the gap between the buttons? would do any harm to the thin layer of paint/rubber on the buttons?

[JSRS6]

Yes, it would eat it. Mild soap solution.

[MaxRS6]

where can i get it from? except Audi which i am sure they are not going to borrow it...:)

found some on ebay...

Actually- you might be able to go by the Audi dealership and just have them "pop" the radio out with their keys. However; it is still probably best to get your own keys as you may want to pop it out again for various reasons.

[bakes]

Yes, it would eat it. Mild soap solution.

Agree...I would NOT use WD40. Make sure the solution is hot to soften whatever is sticky.

[mik15]

just bought my baby new shoes...Michelin PS3, of course with XL rate...while the wheels were off i saw that the front inner axle boots are loosing some grease, though they're not cracked, i think the bracelets are loosen...going to change them anyway this Saturday as it's annoying, just got changed the outer boots last week..

[vangelis]

just bought my baby new shoes...Michelin PS3, of course with XL rate...while the wheels were off i saw that the front inner axle boots are loosing some grease, though they're not cracked, i think the bracelets are loosen...going to change them anyway this Saturday as it's annoying, just got changed the outer boots last week..

Congratulations Mik, so happy for you, I remember how was my feeling when i first bought that beast few years ago, and had the same happiness every time I ride it :)

[mik15]

thanks Vangelis, maybe we can meet one of these days for a cup of coffee since we're both in UAE...do you know a good workshop in Abu Dhabi where i could get the inner boots changed? The only good ones i know are in Al Ain and Dubai, i will go there on Saturday, but if i could do it here would be better!
Let me know if you have some ideas! Thx!

[vangelis]

I used to do all work @ dealer Ali & Sons or MTM in Dubai only. But i think there is a very good garage in Abu Dhabi, I will check with friends and get back to you very soon with details. Let me know any time you coming to Dubai so we can get coffee and chat for sometime :) PMed you my cell

[mik15]

it would be great if you could guide me to a trusty workshop in Abu Dhabi, i know Capital Auto in Dubai which i heard is good...i will definitely call you when i get to Dubai :) ! Thanks a lot!

[mik15]

updates - the car is back in the workshop, again, it looks like she likes it being in there...:), thank God it's just for simple maintenance and not because she failed on the road, so this time it's for the T-belt job and on top of that i am also changing one of the cooling fans, the one on the driver side as it's too noisy, probably the bearing is about to cease, i am changing the spark plugs and those thin vacuum hoses, theoretically i should pick her up tomorrow evening, 2 days should be enough for this job. I remember on my last Audi which was a 2.5TDI :) in Germany i did the T-belt to Audi dealer and it took them less than 6hrs to do it so 2 days for this workshop should be ok, the procedure it's the same!

[aussie rs6]

as other posterrs have pointed out,make sure all rollers have new bolts. Also replace the thermostat and water pump while replacing the timing belt.

[mik15]

i am replacing the water pump and thermostat but regarding the bolts i have asked the mechanic and he said there is no need to replace them....i don't know what to say...definitely they're not expensive and i would do it if necessary, if you guys saying that i should i'll give him a call and tell him to change them as well...

[MaxRS6]

^ Read the below thread. Run- don't walk- tell him to replace all of them.

http://www.rs6.com/showthread.php/22502-Timing-Belt-The-past-48-hours.....?highlight=

[aussie rs6]

+1- very cheap peace of mind insurance to put in new bolts.

make sure that mechanic very aware of need to seat the MAF seals correctly when putting it all back together again, as improperly seated MAF seals are source of a lot of problems where work on rs6 engine has required the MAF removals to get at the part being worked on.

[mik15]

Meanhwile the T-belt job has been done, also while at it, i have changed the spark plugs, the vacuum hoses and one of the cooling fans. Since she was such good baby i have taken her to Zaino for a professional detailing, here are a few shots after the session, Zaino will shortly have some more professional photos and as soon as i get them i will post it here...they've rubbed off a bit the Audi sign on the engine cover but promised to repainted, probably because of the strong chemicals used...

[vitalian]

:thumb: Lookin' good!!!

[mik15]

and it's still mine :), even though i was almost at the point, if i had found a serious buyer to appreciate it as we do :) , to sell it and get the C6, but then again after all the things i've done for this car i would've ended up losing a lot of money, plus the C5 is much closer to my heart and special than the C6. I drove a few and the C6 does feel better, quicker and more reliable, has all the things that the C5 never did in its stock format and we all had to invest some serious money to bring to that level or anyway a lot closer, however it lacks that "something" that the C5 has, but the C6 is mental, seems so ridiculously fast and the blip when downshifting is great :) !

So, since i've decided to keep it a little longer, i have refreshed it a little bit with some OEM RS4 19" and plastidiped the front grills, probably the rest of trim will follow as soon as i replenish my plastidip stock! Does anyone know if the plastidip lasts if the car gets washed or do i need to tell'em to avoid using the high pressure water on those areas?

hopefully i will also be able to change the quad exhaust with an SE one, i would love the Milltek one but i think the price is too high, how much is it in the US?

http://i42.tinypic.com/315h11k.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/dljjlw.jpg

[Brav]

I have had plastidip for a while, and just have a small piece flake off on the outer aluminum trim after a carwash.. maybe too aggressive of a scrub or what. Always hand wash, not through a machine. i didn't want to sand the aluminum to make a better adhesive point..

[2000c43]

Looks great!

[mik15]

from what i've seen it's not really aluminum, at least the lower grille of the front bumper is definitely plastic, but yeah, i don't want to sand it either, i like having the option of going back to its original color whenever i want.

thank you 2000c43!