I'm getting my '99 A6 Quattro in 2 weeks and interested in performing various mods to the engine,suspension. Where can I read about A6 mods? There are great posts regarding the A4, are there any one out there who has do anything to their A6?

 

Well, you could:<p>1) Install a K&N panel air filter<br>2) Get a 30V chip (Wetterauer, Neuspeed, or TAP)<br>3) Put the supercharger kit on for a nice 280 bhp (see Michael Berger)<br>4) Put a wheel and tire package on it...<br>5) Change the shocks to Koni adjustables<br>6) Lower the car with A!Avantgarde springs<p>Almost everything the A4 guys can you...you can do...<p>Steve S.<br>97 2.8QM

 

Do you know what the K/N filter size is for the A6 (not sure if diff than A4) and any ideas if the cold air induction setup is a worthwild option compared to the "drop in " replacement K/N filter

 

I have a 98 A6Q. Traded a 97 A4Q for it. It is a totally different car. Not as great around corners but much more comfortable day to day. Engine is plenty powerful for me. Will probably opt for the higher output engine when this lease is up, but this one is sweet (a beautiful sound!!)<p>Don't make any changes until you've had it for a few months.

 

A "must modify" in my book on the A6 is the insanely small factory wheel/tire combinations. For a car that size, 15" is riduculous and 16" (standard on the new beetle and the A4!) is very small by today's standards. At least 17"(which should be the standard size) or an 18"(which should be the optional upgrade size) combination would look and handle much better.<p>I loved the A6 from the first time I saw it, but I just had to laugh at the lawn mower wheels/tires as my gaze work it's way down to the fender wells. Big mistake on Audi's part for an otherwise beautiful car IMHO.

 

However, the BMW 528i comes with much wider tires, 225 vs A6's 195. I agree to the extent that 16" wheels should be standard on the A6, perhaps with 225/50R16 tires. Even the base 1.8T A4 has wider 205 tires than the A6. I think 17" x 8" would be a nice size for an optional sport package for both A4 and A6. I really don't think the factory wheels on an A6 should be 18". If they offered 18", you would probably ask for 19". They can never satisfy everyone. That's what aftermarket is for.<br>

 

Since the leather options include at least 16" wheels in the 5 series, you would be hard pressed to find one with 15"s. And, the 528i is a smaller car in almost every dimension. The 5 series Sports package which mainly includes beautiful two-piece deep-dish 17x9" wheels & 235/45/17 tires, is so popular that it's almost impossible to find one. Park the 528i Sport next to an A6 with even the 16"s and it looks like it has go kart wheels. If they want to win people over against the likes of BMW, the 15" wheels aren't exactly making a statement for a serious European driver's car. And as far as I am concerned, once you get into my pocket for $40K+, I shouldn't need to go to the aftermarket for a stupid shortcoming. Look at the Lexus GS cars. The Mercedes E class. The Saab 9-5. The Volvo S80. You won't find any 15" wheels. It's even rare to find a domestic car that isn't plus sizing the wheels on the new models.<p>Since the vast majority of A4s wear 16" wheels, that could be considered the standard size. Now, take the much larger A6 and is it so unreasonable to expect a 17" combo? And with an optional upgrade always being a more aggressive size, that would be 18" correct? With the size of the A6, 18" wheels and tires would not look at all out of place. <p>Remember, I love the A6. It would just look so much better with a modern sized wheel tire combination. It reminds me of one of those beautiful, well dressed women you see walking to work in a dress with tennis shoes on!<p>They won't satisfy everyone, but I would think they could at least look around at the competition.

 

First of all, the Premium packageon the 528i (leather, wood, BBS alloys) just gives you a different style wheel compared to the base 528i. they are both 15" x 7" with same size tires. The tires are beefier than A6's because BMW uses 225 width. The 528i sport has 17" x 8.5" wheels, not 9". I agree the wheel/tire set-up is very nice, but you do pay a steep price for it. The Lexus GS400's 17" wheels/tires are optional (cheap though, something like $250). The Saab 9- comes with 16" x 6" or 6.5" wheels. The Volvo S80 has standard 16" wheels with 17" as optional.<p>I agree that the A6 should come with 16" standard, not those lousy 15" ones. But if you are going to insist on 17" as standard on teh A6, what about the A8? That's an even bigger car and still comes with 16" wheels as stnadard (so does the BMW 7-Series). <p>Audi has to get more aggressive with their wheel/tire packages to compete or get ahead of BMW and Mercedes. Take the 328i. The new car has nice 17" x 8" sport wheels on 25/45ZR17 tires. Compare that to the A4's sport package combination of 16" x 7" and 205/55ZR16. <p>I guess after all this, I do agree with you. Audi needs to be a little bolder. Cheers!<p><br>

 

You are wrong about the 528i wheels. ANY leather bearing package gets you at least 16" wheels! Check it out. And since nobody wants a 5 series BMW with a vinyl interior, you will almost never see one with 15" wheels. <p>We are both wrong about the width of the 17" wheels included with the Sports package. They are 8" wide, not 8.5". And as to the price of the wheels & tires on the Sports package cars, since it includes leather, a 1" lower M-Technic suspension (this is not to be taken lightly!) and the wheels are a lighter, stronger and much more expensive two-piece wheel, it begins to look like a bargain. Go out and price 4 two-piece wheels, 4 premium Z rated tires, 4 springs, 4 struts and new sway bars front and rear (not even mentioning a leather interior). Of course, BMW or Audi won't even come close to what we will pay for these items. <p>But even more important, the price of the factory options gets residualized into the value of the car. That is another very big argument against being forced to go to the aftermarket to plop down $2000 on wheels/tires etc. You will see very little of that back on the aftermarket items.<p>I don't care about A8s and 7 series BMWs. That is a different market with different priorities. More conservative cars with more conservative customers.<p>Believe me, wheels and tires make a huge visual statement on a car. Most of the domestic automakers are starting to use aggressive wheel/tire packages too, because they are a relatively cheap and easy way to make the cars look much better (cheap and easy always attracts the domestic makers!). It is the number one aftermarket item people buy. People are telling the automakers what they want, some (ie.BMW) are just faster at listening. <p>Wake up Audi! <br>

 

I have the K&N filter on a 98 A6Q, I can't say there's an appreciable difference. I've had K&Ns on turbo cars before and they made more of a difference.<p>As to chips, chipping a non-turbo engine is throwing away money.<p>I do have the A!Avantgarde springs, they're nice.<p>KC<br>