devinsixtyseven

Current owner of a C5 A6, 2.7T, manual. Great car, fast, handles well, overall reliable, a pleasure to drive.

I have test-driven manual and automatic 2010-2012 S5s with the V8 (all naturally aspirated), and a manual 2013 with the blown V6, enjoyed all of them.

Browsing here, it seems like there may be some common issues with these cars. Anyone have any thoughts or concerns, things I should be aware of?

Are owners here mostly still under warranty and/or having a shop perform repairs, or are people beginning to DIY?

The 2.7T has excellent aftermarket support, for the mill itself as well as airflow. I haven't seen much for the S5, but I also haven't looked much, yet. How serious is the aftermarket support for the S5's V8?

If you're running an APR supercharger, any issues?

There are both S5 and RS5 owners here. Which would you prefer, supercharged V8 S5, or N/A V8 RS5, and why? Are there handling characteristics that separate the two, beyond shocks/springs/swaybars and other addressable items? I am not in the market for an RS5 right now, but I've no problem waiting while someone else drives mine for a few thousand miles , and they're beautiful cars.

Thanks in advance,
Sean

DoubleA4

Well I have been in my '11 S5 for a few months and can say I have had no issues. That said, it seems there are general issues with direct injection engines getting carbon build-up. The V8 is no exception. Seems the common preventative maintenance is drive the car with some verve and get the revs up every so often. Friday Night Tune Up. I am under warranty and am not intending to do any maintenance myself save for an oil change. Upgrades for the S5 seem to revolve mostly around exhaust for the sound (everyone advertises 10hp + but really, can you tell?) and then there is the suspension. I have gathered that with a few changes to the suspension you can get a neutral to oversteer attitude. Stasis makes a spring and anti-roll bar package that neatly addresses this issue. Seems that the AWE exhaust is popular (but go on youtube and you can find many others and choose the sound you like!). Chipping and airboxes seem to be a waste of money. Again, little to be gained.

So, to summarize. DIY repair is not a big subject matter. Upgrades to the car include bang for the buck in the suspension category, and really, the exhaust is addicting so yeah, the exhaust upgrade is popular.

KarlFEvans

Assume when you say "supercharged V8" you mean supercharged V6.

I am not aware on any support for the normally aspirated V8, except for chips. IMO chips on normally aspirated cars are a waste of money.

The supercharged V6 will likely get more aftermarket support than the V8-- with chips (that work) and other forced induction pieces.

I have the V8 and love it. If I had the V6 I would get a chip immediately.

drdrewusaf

APR has a Stage III supercharger kit for the 4.2L.



Drew

Muhammad

Given the choice I think most of us would opt for the supercharged V8.

I haven't had any issues with my 2010 V8. Fuel economy isn't very good but I didn't expect it to be.

My brother has a 2013 S5 3.0T and it needed a new intake manifold after 80 miles. Others here have had the same issue. I've heard it's happening on 3.0Ts regardless of model (A6, A7, S5).

Fuel economy on the 3.0T isn't that great either. My brother gets about 17.5 mpg in the 3.0T compared to my 15.7 in the 4.2, with similar commutes.

ChipB

Maybe I'm stating the obvious, but taking over a car with an after-market super charger bolted in means taking on a special set of concerns. You need to think carefully about who's going to maintain the car, how you're going to get an supercharger issues addressed, etc. If you're into working on cars yourself, or have an indy shop nearby who can knows the particular brand of supercharger, and if you don't mind the down time whenever there's an issue, then it could be quite a fun car. But if you're the type who just wants the dealer to handle all issues and you get upset if the car ever needs anything more than an oil change, this is not the car for you.

As for common issues - I think the previous posts mentioning carbon build up are spot on. I had issues under warranty with the auto headlight control and the side assist, but other than that I've had no issues. I have upgraded the suspension with the STaSIS/Ohlins kit, which I love. A lot of people on this board are into other mods such as exhaust, wheels and spacers, and using VCDS to change the behavior of certain elements like DRLs, but from a performance point of view suspension and brakes are pretty much all there is to tinker with.

KarlFEvans

You're not stating the obvious. Many do not realize what new hassles are created by bolting on a supercharger.

I converted a Trans Am to a turbo charger in my youth, and have also modified my Porsche 944 Turbo. In both cases, the long term upsides (more speed and fun) were offset by headaches.

Chipping a V6 is minor compared to adding a supercharger to the 4.2 V8.

devinsixtyseven

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

I prefer to do my own work if possible; the majority of the maintenance (minus serious items, TB/WP included for now) is done in my garage. I also would not likely buy a car with the blower already added, unless it were maintained by a reputable shop or experienced owner, with readily available maintenance records.

Talking with my local shop (303 Motorsports), the S5 has plenty of aftermarket engine support, but most of the major items are low-production runs, meaning higher cost. As a side note, I don't consider cat-back exhaust or "cold air" intake kits to fall under performance items, nor <10ft-lb chip tuning for that matter. If someone wants power, it exists, just not for the same low price as the well-established 2.7T...all the same parts are available.

It's test drive time, again...if I put the same money on the 2.7T as the 4.2N/A (or on a used 03 RS6), the 6 car would be a monster, and still haul four adults plus gear, and I'd save roughly 40K$ on buy-in (15-20K, if I get an RS6). On the other hand...the 5 platform is a good-looking car, newer, and while the 6 may arguably be a "sport sedan", it's still a sedan and will always handle like a sedan.

Again, thanks for the input, and if I get the S5, you know you'll see me around the forums.

-Sean

ayap

I'm with Muhammad on several issues. The S5 3.0 has some problems, include the S-tronic transmission and not very good MPG (not as promised by Audi). I like the naturally aspirated engine of the V8 better (sounds better too), and I get 20-21 MPG on my V8 S5 on average. I would think twice about the V8 with the supercharger .. unless your goal is speed and don't care too much about long-term maintenance of after-market superchargers like APR.

teutonictrim

I've averaged 21 mpg and 28 highway in my 2012 S-4 with s-tronic...when I baby it. Like any car, it will just drink the gas if you push it hard. There's no way the V-8 will be even close to the V-6 if driven the same way. In my view, I'd only buy the V-8 powered S5 if you're going for that V-8 soundtrack because the S5 is actually a faster car with the 3.0T under the hood. It's also less nose heavy since the V6 carries its weight closer to the center of the car.

While the 3.0T is a faster package than the 4.2 liter V-8, the V-8 sounds a lot a faster and there's something to be said for the driving experience. I miss my 8 banger BMW for this very reason but I'm not about to abandon my S4 and the best all-wheel drive system on the market.