New member: RS6 Avant [PICS]

[Alex_RS6]

Hi guys!

Bought this bad-boy last week so I thought I'd sign up to an Audi forum to spread the love!




1500 miles on the clock and 1 month old.


Traded in my Audi S3 Abt for something more 'sensible'
I spend most of my waking hours over on Rennteam talking about Porsches but this RS6 has really impressed me.


FIRST IMPRESSIONS FROM WHEN 1ST PICKED UP CAR

The car is very light to drive at slow speeds and then the steering gains more weight the faster you go. The 'largeness' of the car was soon acclimatized to, so that was good.



The auto gearbox is laggy in 'drive' and only really any good for fuel economy - very very smooth though. The gearbox in auto 'sport' mode is much more aggressive, even blipping a little on the down changes. My favourite though are the manual flappy paddles on the steering wheel. Very responsive and great fun. Sticking the car in 2nd and getting up towards 7000 rpm generates a heavenly noise (albeit a little muted) from the V10 engine.



Noise wise, I was hoping for more roar from the V10 (alla Lambo). I guess though then it's hard to hear the TV as you go along then


The engine itself isn't as quick as I thought it was going to be. Plenty fast though still for a family car, and I am accustomed now to 800Nm torque in a car weighing 500kg less (my Turbo) so it's not surprising I am not blown away. I found the car actually seems to get faster AFTER 100 though! You suddenly have to jump on the breaks as it's so smooth it's incredibly deceiving how fast you are actually going. Doing 70mph on the motorway seems like it's 50mph. I can see how this car could happily sit at the 174mph limiter.


The luxury levels are excellent too, Silver white leather seats which are very very comfy and lots of room in the back - friends and family members are already booking rides to be chauffeured.



Other gadgets like freeview TV reception, radar guided adaptive cruise control, rear parking cameras and guidelines, etc etc are all goodies that great fun. Only downside is the amount of time I spend NOT looking at the road ahead!



The fuel economy is a bit scary. ½ tank (40L) says only 150 miles left! I wasn’t driving fast at all on the way home so I hope it’s just settling. 5L V10 twin Turbo for you though!!!





FURTHER IMPRESSIONS A WEEK LATER



Fantastic on the motorway, fantastic on the back roads! The single downside was the 24mpg I only achieved on the motorway - that's worse than my Turbo which does about 28mpg on the motorways.
Some pics:










Bit of a mystery currently with the front right tyre getting 6 degC hotter than the left front tyre after driving for 30 mins.


To compound that, yesterday I just had Audi Roadside Assistance come out and look at the car as I got a brake failure warning light come on.


They found the brake fluid level was just under half full, hence the warning lights. No leaks that could be seen. No explanation though why the front right tyre is getting hotter than the front left tyre though. The car isn't pulling to either side when hard braking and feels fine.


Hopefully today when they do an investigation at the Audi Dealership they might find something else causing the difference.


The REALLY odd thing is that the morning from cold, the front right was still 2 degC higher than all 3 others, and 2psi more (despite me aligning them all on Sunday and verifying with 2 pressure gauges they were all the same). Mystery!


Anyway,I am feeling a bit guilty over my neglected Turbo at the moment as I only want to drive the RS6 all the time! I am having so much fun it it with the power, the engine and the fantastic Tiptronic gearbox (way better than Porsche's offering). I suppose the weather has been pretty rubbish here over the last month so not really 911 weather.


Me and the Mrs are planning a trip up to the Peak district and another to Australia in the next couple of months, and I am seriously considering taking the RS6 over the Turbo!

[gadgesxi]

Love the car mate, excellent!

[Byzan Pics]

24 MPG,who cares, she is gorgeous mate welcome

[markwiggy]

Nice mate, don't think you bought it for economy so just enjoy that noise, sod all that global warming bollacks.

Mark

[murdozzz]

Love the the car Alex, By far the best allround sportscar/family car.

Possible cause for your tyre pressure problem is that the tyre may at some point had a puncture and has either been inflated with nitrogen or not as the case may be, Most big tyre fitters now inflate with nitrogen which has a different boiling point compared to air we breath hence the change in pressure as the tyre heats up.

Just a thought,

Enjoy your RS6 it's minted !!!

[quattrojames]

Lovely

I saw one the other day the same colour, lookied very purposeful DRL's blazing away

[Alex_RS6]

Love the the car Alex, By far the best allround sportscar/family car.

Possible cause for your tyre pressure problem is that the tyre may at some point had a puncture and has either been inflated with nitrogen or not as the case may be, Most big tyre fitters now inflate with nitrogen which has a different boiling point compared to air we breath hence the change in pressure as the tyre heats up.

Just a thought,

Enjoy your RS6 it's minted !!!

Good suggestion, and the best explanation I have heard yet. Nitrogen will decrease the amount of expanding/contracting compared to air, so perhaps all the tyres were filled up from the factory with nitrogen and the one getting hotter/higher-PSI was filled up with regular air. That would certainly explain it.

[Alex_RS6]

Thanks guys for the kind words.

With regards to MPG, I am just surprised that my MUCH faster Porsche gets better fuel economy than does the RS6. I know it's carrying 500kg more weight but still, I go way faster in my Turbo and that doesn't have DFI.

After 15,000 in my Turbo the average lifetime MPG is 21.0, and after 2000 miles (of predominantly sensible motorway driving) my RS6 is 19.5. If I put my foot down even a little in the RS6 on a journey then 15mpg is closer to the mark.

[The_Golfather]

A belated congratulations mate.

Awesome car in every way - i'm sure the cheekbones are sufferring as a result of all the grinning

[Alex_RS6]

Thanks

I was taken out in a Porsche Panamera Turbo last weekend for a test drive. I found it quite funny when the sales guy put his foot down and expected me to start swooning at the acceleration! Not with what I am use to...

On a scale of 1-10 for relative G forces:

Normal cars = 1
My old Audi S3 = 2
My old Porsche Carrera S = 4
Porsche Panamera Turbo = 5
My Audi RS6 Avant = 7
My Porsche 997 Turbo (Stage II) = 9

[The_Golfather]

Porsche Panamera Turbo = 5
Audi RS6 Avant = 7
Porsche 997 Turbo (Stage II) = 9

The same order in terms of looks, except the Panamera gets a -5 in my book. Horrid looking car.

Is a Stage II a remap, filter and exhaust or have you had more done?

[Alex_RS6]

Porsche Panamera Turbo = 5
Audi RS6 Avant = 7
Porsche 997 Turbo (Stage II) = 9

The same order in terms of looks, except the Panamera gets a -5 in my book. Horrid looking car.

Is a Stage II a remap, filter and exhaust or have you had more done?

Yes, the Panamera is a swamp-donkey of a car. It IS a tiny bit better looking in the flesh though.

My Turbo has had tonnes of mods:

Wheels: HRE P40 (19" powdered silver)

Power/Sound: Cargraphic/RS-Tuning Stage II 544PS/798Nm Powerkit (ecu + exhaust + BMC air-filter)

Suspension: Bilstein B16 Damptronics + GMC sways/rear-toe-steer-kit/dog-bone-kit

Interior: Rennline pedal set

[DJM1982]

Lovely looking car mate. Really really nice

[redbutcher]

Can't believe I've missed this thread - you are a very lucky man indeed. Both cars are stunning.

[Alex_RS6]

Thanks for the kind words guys

[pjmspeedy]

They both look sweet!

[stoakseya4]

Rubbish...!!

[Bong Water]

Oooof, very nice indeed

[MikeSel^]

Agreed - lucky lucky man!

Love them both!

[zak]

wow to your rs6 but as nice as it is the porsche looks amazing. HRE's are up there as one of my favourite wheels ever.

[S3 Rav]

hats off to you mate. two blinding cars there.

[PMJ]

If you dont like the MPG on the RS6 I'll swap you for my 2.0T cab....

[Alex_RS6]

wow to your rs6 but as nice as it is the porsche looks amazing. HRE's are up there as one of my favourite wheels ever.

Yeh, the HRE P40's are simply gorgeous. Good job I have ceramic brakes to keep them clean though!

[Alex_RS6]

If you dont like the MPG on the RS6 I'll swap you for my 2.0T cab....

Thanks, very kind of you to offer. However, I have my first little one on the way so the Avant is just the right size for kids and our dog.

[The_Golfather]

[Wai-Fan]

Wow! Very nice indeed!

Regarding the economy, it sounds about right, I would think it would be quite an achievement for a 5.0 turbo engine in a heavier car to be more economical than a 3.6 Turbo.

[Nilz]

Cmon then mate spill the beans, I have just had a little un and still have the S3, however I wouldnt say no to an RS6!!!

Good on ya, two BLINDING cars you have there

[warren_S3]

Wow, the thought of looking at the car keys hanging up on the rack in the kitchen and thinking:

Do I take the RS6 or the 911???

is a decision I'll probably never need to worry about! It's a tough decision because both are so appetizing!

That aside, respect to you for having two such amazing cars and obviously enjoying them for the right reasons.

What ended up being the issue with the wheel that was over temperature? Sensor?

[Alex_RS6]

Cmon then mate spill the beans, I have just had a little un and still have the S3, however I wouldnt say no to an RS6!!!

Good on ya, two BLINDING cars you have there

My old S3 didn't have rear seat doors so a nightmare for getting babies in and out of the car. Plus when visiting parents (mine/in-laws) the trip is about 2+ hours each way and we have a dog. So I use to resent having to take the S3 and not the 911 so that dog could come with us. Now I have an RS6, I don't mind so much leaving the 911 at home

[Alex_RS6]

Wow, the thought of looking at the car keys hanging up on the rack in the kitchen and thinking:

Do I take the RS6 or the 911???

is a decision I'll probably never need to worry about! It's a tough decision because both are so appetizing!

That aside, respect to you for having two such amazing cars and obviously enjoying them for the right reasons.

What ended up being the issue with the wheel that was over temperature? Sensor?

I work from home most days so I tend to go to the gym in the RS6 during the week and for weekends away, and the 911 for 'spirited' drives out in the countryside at weekends

I think the sensors are out of wack. The pressures increase the same as the car warms up, but the temperatures are still all over the place (front much hotter than rears, and right front hotter than left). Given PV=nRT then even if they were different gases (air compred to nitrogen) then the pressures should still correspond with the temps.

[Alex_RS6]

Can't recall if I mentioned that I did a touring holiday to Austria a couple of months back in the RS6 with the Mrs. Across the Germany Autobahns it was great - 170mph in a flash, and very stable. Left everything else I met on the road as a spot in my rear view mirror (Porsches/Mercs/BMWs/etc). Great fun!

I kept to sensible speeds on the French Autoroutes though and just stuck the car in radar cruise-control. I don't think I touched ANY pedals between petrol refills for the whole of France!

[warren_S3]

Can't recall if I mentioned that I did a touring holiday to Austria a couple of months back in the RS6 with the Mrs. Across the Germany Autobahns it was great - 170mph in a flash, and very stable. Left everything else I met on the road as a spot in my rear view mirror (Porsches/Mercs/BMWs/etc). Great fun!

I kept to sensible speeds on the French Autoroutes though and just stuck the car in radar cruise-control. I don't think I touched ANY pedals between petrol refills for the whole of France!

Now you're just rubbing it in Alex!! Us poor souls at the bottom end of the food chain can only imagine.

I went out in an RS6 as a passenger a couple of weeks ago at Castle Combe, and it set me off car hunting for something with a bigger engine than the 4 pot S3. Deluded dealerships have disrupted my search so far (on price differentials against what my car is worth to them, and theirs to me!), but at best when I change it could be for an S5 so it will still be a watered down version of what you get. The brakes on the RS6 are as impressive as the way it goes. The only real weak point were the tyres on the car due to the immense physics at play!

Shame about the tyre sensors but a small price to pay against what you have!

[N8]

Beautiful collection, if you ever want them detailed. Hit me up.

[Ash B]

Just seen this thread. Great write up...How you finding the RS6 now?
Both amazing cars...And i can only dream or owning one.
Enjoy

[The_Golfather]

Beautiful collection, if you ever want them detailed. Hit me up.

What's the deal with the detailing mate? Where are you based? Do you travel and how long have you been doing it?

Professional or hobby?

Cheers

[Ash B]

What's the deal with the detailing mate? Where are you based? Do you travel and how long have you been doing it?

Professional or hobby?

Cheers

Check detailing section for some threads. Nates a pro, and hopefully be doing my car in january

[Alex_RS6]

How you finding the RS6 now?

Engine still as smooth as silk, but still 'leaking' petrol (£20 gets you only 65 miles!).

Also, a rattle in the boot area has appeared when you go over a bump - sounds like the boot door is about to fly open. I got my wife to drive along with me sitting in the boot to try and localize it but it seems to be coming from the passengers rear light area, well inside the bodywork. Need to check it into a dealer when I get time. Dealers tend to be pretty useless at finding rattles though. I think they all should have something like a big plate you drive the car onto and then it shakes. Much easier than trying to localize whilst driving along!

[FactionOne]

Engine still as smooth as silk, but still 'leaking' petrol (£20 gets you only 65 miles!).

Jeez! It'd probably be more economical to pulp £20 notes with Macallan 60 year old and run it on that!

Also, a rattle in the boot area has appeared when you go over a bump - sounds like the boot door is about to fly open. I got my wife to drive along with me sitting in the boot to try and localize it but it seems to be coming from the passengers rear light area, well inside the bodywork. Need to check it into a dealer when I get time. Dealers tend to be pretty useless at finding rattles though. I think they all should have something like a big plate you drive the car onto and then it shakes. Much easier than trying to localize whilst driving along!

PLEASE let me follow you with a camera when you take a Master Technician out to find the rattle. A couple of photos of him squashed-up against the back window would likely relieve all our dealer-woes for years to come!

So is the office on Thames Valley Park? Or maybe Arlington? Or elsewhere?

Anyway, a belated welcome to ASN, and a to your stable, and indeed your getting the "Polar Bears vs. German Engineering" issue absolutely nailed!

Regards,

Rob.

[Alex_RS6]

So is the office on Thames Valley Park? Or maybe Arlington? Or elsewhere?

I luckily work from home, as does my Mrs. She uses the RS6 as her run-around car during the week. I think I need to get her something a little more economical though

[FactionOne]

I luckily work from home, as does my Mrs. She uses the RS6 as her run-around car during the week. I think I need to get her something a little more economical though

Fair play. I was just curious because I know a couple of chaps at MS and more at nV who are into their motors (but one of the blue men down the road in Swindon was always the biggest petrol head) - thought there might be a chance you were one of their tribe given location and IT connections...

As regards transport for your good lady, James May sorted that out last week

Cheers,

Rob.

[alphamail]

Hi there,
I have the same phenomenon with my C6 RS6 in that sometimes the front right displays a higher temperature.
Good to read you are having so much fun with your RS.

[Mikey170]

cracking car mate, looks so smart.

love the porsche to.

[Alex_RS6]

Thanks guys.

I have recently developed a very annoying rattle near the rear boot door somewhere every time I go over a bump. Checking the car in in Jan to my dealer for them to see what it could be.

[N8]

Alex I know have an RS6 steering wheel in my A3, so I know what its like driving an RS6 minus the 572bhp

[HotboxDeluxe]

Both cars crap IMO



I'm kidding, RS6 avant and a modded 997, you b*****d

Nice motors...envy face

[10blazin]

Such a nice car i would love one , barring the fuel cost of coarse ...

Love the interior to the white look's lovely

[Alex_RS6]

Got to tell you, the RS6 is just AWESOME in the snow!

I took back the Audi loan car (A6 SE TDI - 2wd) on Friday through the 2 foot of snow settled on our local roads - which had to be pushed by 2 big guys to get out of my close (downhill). It was the worse car I have ever driven on snowy/icy roads. The traction control lights were flashing non-stop and it just couldn't move if I stopped and it just kept going when I did actually need to brake.

Anyway, as soon as I got back into my RS6 it started making mince-meat of the treacherous conditions. It glided UP the close and didn't blink no matter what was under it. Not even any traction control lights. WHAT a difference!