tozoM8

That listing is way off. It is an A6 4.2 worth $5-$6K depends on the condition. The S6 was 02-03 only. The S6 had chrome mirrors, inverted grille, 18" 6 spoke Avus wheels, avant only.

Curt Quesnell

Thanks to all for your help. I have done actually some research and find different information each time. It was my own stupid idea that it must be an S8 (which it is not?) because of the V8. That IS my listing on Craigs list. I was not trying to sneak a sell job in here so I did not mention it. There are 3 good pictures there to look at. ( I got some feedback from some Craigs listers too on this very nice car).

Curt Quesnell

WAUZL64B91N09 Thanks here is the vin from my S6. I ran a vin check and got some basic info. Your help is welcome and appreciated.

silverd2

Not an S6...wrong year...not a wagon...and not an S6 VIN...someone just bought a badge you can buy anywhere.

Just an A6 with 4.2 option.

Auto trader example:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

Curt Quesnell

Thank you all for your help. I have a handle on what I have now. Happy New Year!

eightyhorsepower

The A6 4.2 is a special car in its own right (with the flared wheel wells and everything..), but it's not an S car.

Adjuster

A6 4.2 with the "sport" package that gives you wide fenders. (the front is bolt on aluminum from the fire wall forward, as is the same with all 4.2 A6 models.)

The RS6 was a 2003 model year in the USA ONLY. It was not brought here in the USA in Avant/wagon form. Only sedans.

I nearly bought the 2003 RS6, but ended up finding a low mile 2004 A8L that I went with instead for about the same money.

In retrospect, the RS6 would be more fun, but had/has some serious issues.

1) The X suspension fails. The sides are linked by high pressure lines, and a center control valve setup that fails. This results in a car that drives excellent when it works, but clunks and does not drive so nice when it fails.

2) Transmission just can't handle 450hp. Period. Nuff said. Rebuild city folks, even worse than the "normal 4.2's"

3) Was so fast, my license was in danger just during the test drives I did on two of them.

Perhaps the only 30,000.00 USD I wish I'd spent. (Nice ones are getting harder to find, and most are beat on, or being held as collector cars, with low miles, and for crazy amounts of money.)

The scuttle but is to fix the suspension, just put in KW coilovers.
The transmission has to have a modified/upgraded tourqe converter, and even then, you might be doing it again in 40k or so, depending on how you drive..

Chip it, and turn up the boost?(Tourqe really, since this engine is limited in tourqe by boost pressure down low, to attempt and save the transmisison from even faster self destruction!... Remove that nanny, and you have serious tourqe at low rpm, that makes the RS6 amazingly fast around town, but again, you will pay for it with transmisison failures.

Get a RS6 and a very good Platnium Extended Warrenty from Fidelity, and you are good to go... (Not bad advice for any 4.2 owner really.)

eightyhorsepower

1)Are you talking about the cross-linked shock absorbers that resist pitch & roll?

2)Wow, I didn't know the RS6 uses the same tiptronic automatic as the A8/S8.

3)There was an RS6 behind me while merging on to the highway..I can say I was genuinely scared because I could see how much power that car was harnessing.

**was told the S8's achille's heal is it's transmission.

Adjuster

Yes, Sachs designed, and built/supplied the "X" linked system on the RS6, and it works great when it's not leaking. Once it leaks, and they all leak and fail, then you get air pockets, and the system fails to control body roll as it was designed to do, and it "thumps" when you move the suspension through it's range of motion. (Such as going into a parking lot entrance at an angle.)

The solution is A6 parts, or aftermarket coil overs.

ON the trans, I do not know the ratios, but have been told it was the same basic unit in the 2003 A8/A6 with the 4.2.

To try and keep the transmission intact under the warrenty period, Audi limited tourqe from the twin turbo 4.2. (Thus you have a rated flat tourqe curve from like 1800rpm to over 5000rpm, the ECU is limiting boost levels to keep tourqe lower than it could be, to keep the transmisison from going boom.) It's rated at 450hp, but in reality, just removing the factory limitations in the mid range boosts the total peak tourqe, and horsepower numbers. I have been informed 500hp at the wheels is not out of line with just an ECU change, and peak tourqe is well over that figure.

However, in the same conversation, I was told that buying a new, upgraded tourqe converter would be needed, and the transmisison rebuild with improved friction materials to handle the power/tourqe. (And even then, it's a crap shoot as for how long it will hold up.)

One owner told me his RS6 was over 600hp AWHP, on it's 3rd transmission, and 3rd set of Sachs shocks/valve body.

Very nice, very fast, but again, you had better have a good warrenty, or you will go broke replacing broken parts trying to put that power to the ground.

I've test driven two RS6's. One in Colorado, at high altitude in Boulder , and the other in SLC, at not quite as high an altitude. Turbo lag could be felt in Boulder, but in SLC, not so much. (That car had an exhaust, and no cats, so that may have reduced lag too, as well, it was making more power according to the owner.)

Key point? Fast street cars would be handed their butt by a well tuned RS6. Absolute traction, and off the line grunt is that that car is all about. Sure there are faster cars on the track, on clean road surfaces etc... But the real world has dirt, dust, lines and uneven pavement, so unless you are up against another AWD vehicle? You will most likely win, as they just spin looking for traction.

eightyhorsepower

Yes, the RS6 is one of the ultimate performance cars made in Germany.