Struggling with decision

[C3]

Firstly greetings to all from a new member. Currently driving an E46 M3 and about to get something new. The shortlist is E55, RS6 or wait for new M5.

I test drove an RS6 last week and loved it. I have an E55 being loaned to me by MB for 5 days next week for evaluation which should be fun, but I think the combination of 4WD & cheaper price (especially if I went 2nd hand), is likely to sway me in favour of the RS6. I don't think I have the patience to wait for the M5, and besides the new 5 series has taken a bit of a severe beating with the ugly stick.

The problem I will have if I go with the RS6 is whether to go for a saloon or an avant. The avant looks great in the flesh, but on paper or screen doesn't seem that photogenic from some angles, where the saloon always looks great IMO. Residuals favour the avant, though. The other problem is colour - blue, silver or grey are all nice, and maybe even the green.

Please give me some biased opinions...

[Bauer]

C3-

First off...welcome. If Audi had imported the Avant to the US I would probably of gotten it. Super Sleeper:D :D which I love. As for color I love the black but in avant I dont know what color I would have chosen.

[TheBrit]

Well, here's a biased opinion: You won't find a better all-rounder than an RS 6 Avant and if you can live without the load-lugging capability, you can't get better than an RS 6 Sedan/Saloon (you didn't tell us where you're from BTW).

I don't think anything else on the road would have the RS 6's mixture of safety, performance, handling, looks and luxury. Sure there are cars out there that handle better, there are quicker cars and there are more luxurious cars, but I can;t think of many where you could stick 4 adults and a week's worth of skiing gear and luggage and still outrun almost everything on the autobahn on the way to the Swiss border...

Here's some pictures (http://www.dlinternet.co.uk/chris/rs6/mm/) to try to tempt you into a Mugello Saloon. :D

[JAXRS6]

The E55 has superior straight-line acceleration but can act a little nervous with ESP on, "twitching" some as wheels seek traction -- and it's downright out-of-control with it off. The RS6 doesn't isn't nervous with ESP on and still has good grip when it's turned off, but in stock form it won't win a drag race against the E55.

Personally I decided that while acceleration is important, I won't be meeting up with an E55 that often. Rain occurs much more often, and my peace of mind is a factor all the time.

[Benman]

C3,
Welcome to the forum:cheers:
Bauer will most certainly tell you to choose Black (ALL his cars are black:D ). Any color (maybe not green) will do the RS 6 just fine. And go for the Avant. If they would have shipped it i would have bought it (however NO complaints with the sedan). If straight line is the game then the E55 is your best bet. If a truly well rounded package is what you seek then you can't go wrong with the RS 6. A great machine! BTW, you're current choice of transportation is quite nice as well.:cheers:

Ben:addict:

[rs6w]

I'm with Bauer.

If the RS6 had been available in Avant form in the US that's what I would have gotten. It's the ultimate wolf in sheeps clothing car.

Daytona Gray is a wonderful color on the car.

[gjg]

Avant in Daytona Gray is pretty much invisible unless you look for exhaust pipes ...

[avdh]

Although I preffered the Avant to the sedan back in 2000/01, my taste seems to have changed and much prefer the sedan now.
Also the sedan is a bit lighter and just a tad faster. In Europe most A6/S6/RS6's are Avants, so maybe the sedan is more exclusive.
Mugello Blue and Daytona Grey are my favourite colours.
As an all rounder (good/bad weather/roads....), I can't think of a car which beats the RS6

[C3]

Thanks for all the replies. I am still very undecided on the avant/saloon question. If load-lugging was not an issue, what would most people choose? And why does the avant hold its value better?

Also it seems to me the avant looks better in some colours than others but the saloon lokks pretty good in all colours.

When does production cease?

[xscream]

If I would get a sedan, it would be the E55, but as avant the RS6 is nicer :) The E55 looks big an not very sporty as a wagon.

Anyhow, what I like about the RS cars is that they are avants (or were, before rs6, I like the sedan to, but..).
While merc and bmw concentrated their design to sport sedans, audi put their designers to work with sport wagons, so maybe it isn't so strange that the rs6 avant looks more genuine than the e55 wagon.

A reason why the avant holds its value better might be tradition, RS2 avant only, RS4 avant only, the RS fans probably got uses to avants :D Atleast thats what I think when I hear RS; sportwagon :D

You really get a family car in the rs6 avant, with a sportscar lurking underneath :trans:

You havent considered a RS4? (I know its not new, but well, you get money over for another car, or 500hp tuning) :)

BR

[Erik]

C3, welcome to RS6.com!

The new M5 and the RS4 won't probably be in the shops until 2005 so currently it's the E55, RS6 :addict: or the Jag you can actually buy.

The E55 is a dragster, but in my point of view the RS6 is a lot easier to drive and handle. And it's almost as fast in the dry. In the wet, forget the E55 AMG.

My friend put his winter tires on his E55 AMG. "My car died" he reported. The ESP is on up to about 200 km/h. :bigeyes:

[JP4]

Originally posted by TheBrit
(you didn't tell us where you're from BTW).


Yes he did....Surrey, UK!

[TheBrit]

Originally posted by JP4
Yes he did....Surrey, UK!
Ah, he does now! I'm sure that wasn't there when I first looked... :confused:

C3, the Avant currently hold a slightly better value than the saloon, partly because it's £1100 dearer in the first place, partly because Avants are in higher demand due to RS tradition and the fact that most people who'd buy an RS 6 for the "sleeper" factor would probably go that little bit more undercover and pick up the Avant. It is more practical as well!

I could have had a red Avant (:eek: ), a Daytona Grey Avant (if I'd waited another month), a Black Avant (a 2/3 month wait) or the Mugello saloon. I looked and looked at the press pictures and the Audi configurator, and despite having had an A6 Avant before because I didn't like the A6 saloon so much, I went for the saloon. I think the painted lower bumpers, spoiler, side skirts and mesh grilles just give it the slightly more agressive look it needed, and because so many are Avants, I wanted to be a little different.

Avant or saloon are both great cars.

[Klint]

...Welcome aboard! :0:

:cheers:

[C3]

Just a few more questions folks....

In case I end up liking the power of the E55 too much :bow:, am I right in thinking the ABT chip is Audi-approved here in the UK, and the warranty will be safe?

Is the sport exhaust worth the money? What does it add to the car?

Do the seats have a memory function?

Is the avant any leass rigid than the saloon?

When does production of this model stop?

Thx.

[Bauer]

I dont live in the UK but Plexus(in UK) has an ABT chip on his RS6 which leaves warranty in place. He said he got a 3.98 0 to 60mph at the track with the chip (would smoke an E55). He timed it with a friend who was timing his drag bike.

I have the sound enhancing exhaust and love it. If you were to change the exhaust then dont get it. Some people say you cant tell the difference but two weekends ago at a Audi Club track event I had the opportunity to campare the two. To me there is a difference, Benman and myself have the exhaust and the two other cars there did not. We could tell the difference, its not a huge difference but it is there. As for performance, there is no printed difference but I have read that the diameter of the sound enhancing exhaust is large than the stock which would lead me to believe that there should be some difference due to more exhaust flow and less back preassure. I cant prove and I have not seen anything stating that just an opinion. Finally, the sound is AWSOME.

Dont know about UK seats but the US spec seats do.

Dont know the anwser to the other questions:D :D

[Erik]

Originally posted by C3
Just a few more questions folks....

In case I end up liking the power of the E55 too much :bow:, am I right in thinking the ABT chip is Audi-approved here in the UK, and the warranty will be safe?

Is the sport exhaust worth the money? What does it add to the car?

Do the seats have a memory function?

Is the avant any leass rigid than the saloon?

When does production of this model stop?


About Abt. Some part of Abt just went bancrupt. You have to check if they still offer that warranty.

Saloon or Avant wouldn't really matter the feeling.

No memory function in the Recaros as far as I know.

Production stop. Not sure. I guess it will go on into 2004.

[April03- GO]

Hello C3.
On my previous Audi S6 (2001) I had the beautiful "Ebony Black pear". It looks great for about 15 minutes after washing the car! Because of this experience my RS6 choice of colour was "Daytona Grey".
Don't even think of the Mercedes if you looking for real life performance!

Cheers

[C3]

Hi April03- GO,

A couple of years ago I had a Jaguar XJR in Anthracite black. As you say, it looked absolutely awsome when just cleaned but then as soon as the first pollen grain landed on it, it looked totally filthy. So I won't ever make that colour mistake again.

Daytona Grey will almost certainly be my choice if I decide on the avant.

[urquattro83]

first welcome!

I would go for the sedan and the color: sprint bleu!

The car looks incredibble, absolutely the best color in my opinion. The colour gives the RS6 a extra sportive looking.

Like on this photo-> (in real-life the color is better of course!)
http://members.home.nl/sweenen/images/ingestuurd/meeting/meeting1.jpg


Simon

[C3]

Is this blue anything like the Sonic Blue that so many Imprezas come in?

[urquattro83]

I haven't seen this colour on a impreza or what other car ever. The first time a saw the colour was a audi RS6 at the Amsterdam Auto RAI 2003 (Februari). The owner of this car(picture above) who came back from the RAI drove to the audi-dealer in his ferrari F40 :eek: !!! and asked them for the same colour. (the salesman told me)
I think when you like a sportive colour this will be something to think about.

Simon



We had already a discussion about Sprint Bleu:

http://www.rs6.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1673

[Erik]

Originally posted by C3
Is this blue anything like the Sonic Blue that so many Imprezas come in?

Sprint Blue. Audi color, special order.