New S5 Sportback BE - First post - What To upgrade first??

[C10SCW]

So, I've been following the forum for some time now and having read (and re-read) a number of posts I finally ordered my S5 Sportback BE back in September.

With some of the massive discounts available, I promised myself that I wouldn't go crazy with the options and could simply live with standard spec car... apparently, my ability to do man-maths is greater than my willpower and after convincing myself that another £20 a month was affordable, this quickly turned into £60 a month and my final car spec ended up as follows:-

Sepang Blue
Luna Silver / Black Supersport Seats
Drive Select
Adaptive Damping Control
Quattro Sports Diff
Technology Package
Advanced Key

Using the Audi online order tracker (found the link in another thread), I've been following my order closely and in the space of this last week my car has moved all the way through Preparation, Panel Shop, Paint and has now just entered Assembly. Don't know how long it will stay in Assembly for, but hoping it'll be ready for a late Nov/early Dec delivery date?

I've got a list of upgrades that I want to do, which I'll have to prioritise as the total costs quickly add up (badges, wheels, exhuast, revo stage 1, RS5 front grille, possibly lowered suspension and a Reiger rear splitter to match oval Milltek pipes)

First on the list is to upgrade the standard 19" rotors for a set of 20" alloys and here in lies my question - do I stick with OEM style wheels (in particular the RS6 Titanium Finish) or go completely aftermarket (favouring the Vossen CV-T at present).

Has anybody had experience of fitting either of these wheels to their A5/S5?? Pics please if you have them. Would also appreciate any other recommendations for wheel selection.

Exhaust will follow in the new year and have mixed feelings on where to spend my money, but currently favouring a Milltek Valvesonic exhaust, giving me the ability to turn it down a notch when just pottering about with the family.

Really looking forward to the new car as its been on my wish-list for some time now and it's only thanks to some of the massive discounts available that I've been able to afford it.

Will be posting a host of pictures once it arrives and will keep them coming as my little project develops... Watch this space!!

Thanks

 

[Sandra]

Hi to audi-sport.net. That's a very nic spec. Now the countdown begins. Enjoy the forum while you wait for delivery. x

 

[DrEskimo]

Congrats buddy. My S5 order left the factory on Thursday and have been told it will probably be at the dealers by the last week of Nov, so end of Nov/early Dec is a good estimate

In terms of mods, I'm not too into the performance stuff (especially while the car is under warranty), but here are a couple of build threads from the A5OC forum that will give you some great advice and inspiration.

Cuppa's is a V8, so differs from your V6, but Jamin's build is the same engine and shows what can be done with the remaps, engine upgrades, etc. Also has a ridiculous collection of 20" wheels!

http://www.a5oc.com/forums/build-threads/21768-cuppas-s5-coupe-build.html

http://www.a5oc.com/forums/s5-general-q/84594-i-have.html

From what I've read, the remap will have to wait as I don't think they have one available for the B8.5 platform. From the advice of these guys and many others, it sounds like MRC are the best, so thats something to think about.

20" wheels will be fine. OEM or aftermarket is your choice. I personally prefer OEM (the RS4 v-spokes are my favourite, then the rotors) but Vossen do some nice ones.

I did the RS5 grille on my last A5 and I am tempted with the S5...So far I have just bought the LED upgrade kit from EM tuning (PM T8ups) as thats a must for me. I will also be painting the rear diffuser as I don't like the light grey on the Sepang and think black will fit well with the BE trim. Also wanted the black Supercharged badges to replace the V6T side badges, but I tried a cheap set off eBay and they were awful, and the OEM ones are £65 so struggling to justify the price...! Might just debadge it and call it a day!

Hope that helps mate. ASN is an awesome forum, but not very active in terms of A5 owners I feel. Feel free to join us over at A5OC Theres another 2 of us with Sepang S5s on order so you can join the gang...lol!

 

[C10SCW]

Thanks for the welcome and advice, will have a look over at a5oc to get some more ideas.

Don't want the car to look too aftermarket/rude-boy which is why I'm leaning towards the OEM style wheels.

Also like the Milltek exhaust option as I can spec twin oval a-la-RS5 - if I do go down this route was then thinking of swapping the rear splitter for a gloss black Rieger that sets the exhaust tips inside it, which will hopefully match the Black Edition trim quite nicely (it's also quite a cheap upgrade).

I've already purchased some of the black Supercharged badges off eBay, but they're not quite at a standard I'd be happy fitting to the car... will have to wait until it's parked on the drive before deciding whether to use them.

Revo are just around the corner from my work, so was planning to head over once the car is run-in to see what options are available.

I'm optimistically hoping there may be some offers in the January sales

 

[Dippy]

From what I've read, the remap will have to wait as I don't think they have one available for the B8.5 platform.

Revo are just around the corner from my work, so was planning to head over once the car is run-in to see what options are available.

FYI around June 2014 Audi started fitting a new engine to the S4/S5. It has code CREC and it has significant changes over that previously used in B8.5 cars:
Significantly revised supercharger including different pulley (bolted on)
Significantly revised fuel system including a second set of injectors
Revisions to the timing chains, oil, secondary air and vacuum systems
New SIMOS 16 ECU

As far as I know, no tuner has yet cracked the new ECU (or announced that they have). Once it is cracked they are going to still have to develop new maps or at least modify them because unless I am wrong they will have to take account of the changes to the fuel system. For stage 2 they are also going to need a new pulley design, however I should think that its a relatively simple matter to do that part.

 

[DrEskimo]

FYI around June 2014 Audi started fitting a new engine to the S4/S5. It has code CREC and it has significant changes over that previously used in B8.5 cars:
Significantly revised supercharger including different pulley (bolted on)
Significantly revised fuel system including a second set of injectors
Revisions to the timing chains, oil, secondary air and vacuum systems
New SIMOS 16 ECU

As far as I know, no tuner has yet cracked the new ECU (or announced that they have). Once it is cracked they are going to still have to develop new maps or at least modify them because unless I am wrong they will have to take account of the changes to the fuel system. For stage 2 they are also going to need a new pulley design, however I should think that its a relatively simple matter to do that part.

Thank you wise and wonderful Dippy

Are you looking to do a remap once they are available? You've probably said but can't remember!

 

[C10SCW]

Good to know, looks like it'll just be Wheels then Exhaust for the time being!!

 

[C10SCW]

What other popular upgrades are people doing?

 

[C10SCW]

So, just been reading around the web and APR offer an ECU remap for the B8.5 3.0T engine, but are quoting the engine as being fitted with SIMOS 8 ECU - guessing this may be an earlier version than will be fitted on my new motor?

Also noticed that APR offer a tasty looking Air Intake - has anyone fitted anything other than the Revo intake? Last time I fitted an aftermarket intake was 10+ years ago and I'm pretty sure I ended up with less HP than I started!!

 

[Dippy]

Are you looking to do a remap once they are available? You've probably said but can't remember!

Once they are available I shall have two difficult decisions to make. The first one is that I want the stage 2 package, so what will I do if initially only a stage 1 package is offered. I think I will then wait for the stage 2 for the simple reason that I want the big 'wow' factor from going from stock to stage 2, rather than do it in 2 smaller stages with less 'wow' and the risk that I will feel disappointed with the results. Its all in the mind but I do get emotional about my car The second one is your question, and its based on two factors: 1) At what point am I willing to effectively throw away the part of my warranty which covers the engine and transmission? I am certainly prepared to do it before the 3 years is up, but am I prepared to do it in the first year (my car is 7 months old now)? I don't really know how I will decide yet. 2) Do I need to let others get their CREC engines tuned first and wait to find out if its as reliable afterwards as the earlier engines? I also don't know about this decision. I guess in the end it will be heart over head and I shall indeed get mine done as soon as the stage 2 is available.

So, just been reading around the web and APR offer an ECU remap for the B8.5 3.0T engine, but are quoting the engine as being fitted with SIMOS 8 ECU - guessing this may be an earlier version than will be fitted on my new motor?

Correct, earlier engines had SIMOS 8.4/8.5 ECUs. If you are buying a new S5 then it has to have the CREC engine with SIMOS 16 ECU because it meets the EU6 emissions regulations which are in force now.

Also noticed that APR offer a tasty looking Air Intake - has anyone fitted anything other than the Revo intake? Last time I fitted an aftermarket intake was 10+ years ago and I'm pretty sure I ended up with less HP than I started!!

It is fairly well recognised that without a remap, an aftermarket air intake will only change the noise of the engine (apparently some people like to make their cars sound louder, which is why Audi put the damn stupid structure born sound unit in the car). I'd doubt that there would be any loss of power as long as the airflow is not restricted. Some tuners will allow for intake mods in the remap in order to achieve higher gains. This is certainly true of MRC and should be true of APR, however that would need to be checked depending on who installs the APR map.

 

[C10SCW]

Thanks Dippy, you're a wealth of knowledge.

Other than being EU6 compliant and having a nicer engine/supercharger cover, do you know if any of these changes have had any other benefits to the engine or other areas of the car?

So that brings me right back to a change of wheels which I can do myself and then sell on the original 19" rotors & tyres. Can anyone enlighten me with what brand of tyres Audi fit to the factory 20" wheel option?

 

[1wheelonly]

I've seen a A5 with the rs6 alloys and think they really suited it

I have them on the TT

 

[C10SCW]

Nice work, they really suit the car.

 

[Dippy]

Other than being EU6 compliant and having a nicer engine/supercharger cover, do you know if any of these changes have had any other benefits to the engine or other areas of the car?

I don't know, but I suspect that the changes are predominantly for the EU6 compliance, possibly with additional improvements for reliability, to reduce cost and perhaps to address known issues. The port injectors are undoubtedly there to cut emissions but we can hope that they will have a side-effect of reducing carbon build-up. Only time will tell. Whether or not the engine changes affect performance we won't know until we see the first before and after results from the tuners.