stash64

I ordered the grill from China a few weeks ago and it just arrived today... my Christmas present to myself! Packaging was in good shape but the bottom is warped in one area (see first photo). Not sure it would even be noticeable once installed but looking for some suggestions on how to straighten it out? I brought it inside to warm up and I am hanging a 5 lb weight from the warped section and will check it tomorrow to see if the weight made a difference. This area is pretty fragile, so I am hesitant to add much more weight but I may try adding some heat if it is still warped after a day or two.
I've also decided to replace the intercooler at the same time since it is a fairly easy job and I will obviously have the bumper cover off when replacing the grill. I've not ordered it yet but I think I will be ordering this Airtec intercooler from the UK:
AIRTEC Motorsport Intercooler Upgrade for Audi A5 and Q5 2.0 TFSI - AIRTEC Motorsport
It is only one of two upgraded intercooler options that I could find specifically for the Q5 and in the $500 price range (or less) but unfortunately there is no US retailer for Airtec. The other was an ETL intercooler but there is almost zero information available on the ETL:
ETL Performance A4, A5, 2.0T, and Q5 Replacement Intercooler - ETL Performance Products
I also did not want an intercooler that was taller than top of the bumper. Are there any other intercoolers that I should check out?

elRayRay

If you have an S-line bumper, I'm pretty sure you'll need to cut that piece off, anyway. I bought mine 2nd hand and IIRC, it was already cut off. So, the pictured warpage shouldn't even be a concern. The same guy that has the detailed RSNav install video also has a video for the installation of the grill. If you have a base bumper, disregard everything I typed.

stash64

No, just regular Q5. Pretty sure that it installs just "as is".

stash64

Would you have a link to this video ? The best one I have found for a plain jane Q5 is this one:

elRayRay

This is the one I was referring to. I was mistaken when I said it was the same guy that had the RSNav install video. It was just another blue SQ5. Apologies for the confusion.​

stash64

Thanks and no apologies necessary. I think that was the first video I came across when I was considering a grill upgrade and then I found one or two more videos for the SQ5 or perhaps an S-line. I was a little bummed to see the grill had to be trimmed to fit in each instance but then I found the video I posted above and was pleasantly surprised to see that the RSQ5 grill was actually a direct fit (no trimming required) for regular boring Q5's like mine. And searching eBay confirmed this point as the sellers clearly point out that it is not a direct fit for the SQ5.
I had kind of assumed that this RSQ5 grill coming out of China was actually a genuine Audi black market part but not so sure now that I know it fits the plain Q5 but not the SQ5.
Oh, and I did end up ordering the Airtec intercooler out of the UK. I will plan to post some pics once I get around to the install. It is odd that there are many more intercooler options for the A4, considering that the Q5 easily outsells the A4 in North America at least. The A4 does have the same lower intercooler mounts as the Q5 but the install is generally not identical because the relative location of the bumper is different. I think the intercooler inlet and outlet hose may also be different.

elRayRay

AFAIK, the RSQ5 never existed, so a "genuine" Audi RSQ5 grill is vaporware. They're all Chinese-made "replica" parts. Same with the body kits you can find on eBay, et al.

Good to know the base bumpers don't require the grills to be cut as I intend to switch to base bumpers in the future.

stash64

I was wondering about that. I've never come across any RSQ5 information, but I just assumed it was another case of the really good stuff being a Europe only option. I have to admit that China has gotten quite good with these types of knock-offs. I hope I feel the same way after doing the install.

stash64

I received the Airtec intercooler last week from the UK. Unfortunately, my install of the grill and intercooler is delayed again because Airtec did not include the mounting bracket in the package. I'm still waiting to hear back as to when the bracket will ship. Anyway, I noticed that the inside of the intercooler end pieces is fairly rough (see second photo). I'm guessing the ends are sand castings and that Airtec spends more time cleaning up the exterior rather than the interior. I'm not concerned about any small impact on airflow but rather the possibility of these rough bits working loose at some point. Is this inside roughness pretty typical of aftermarket intercoolers ?

stash64

Finally got around to removing the bumper cover today. It was easy but it was still a little nerve wracking pulling on the sides of the cover to release the tabs and fortunately it came free with no breakage. I then removed the original intercooler and the charge pipe (with muffler). I was able to install the new CTS charge pipe (without muffler) in just 5 minutes with the bumper cover off and no need to remove the wheel well liner (per normal install). I then spent some time cleaning up debris (bugs, dirt) and I think my front end is now a pound lighter! Lastly, I painted the bumper/crash beam using a paint brush and some rubberized black paint.




And I did try to fit up the new intercooler but gave up after a few minutes. I was stymied by 2 plastic rods that extend forward about 4 inches on either side. I could get the intercooler up and over one of the rods but not the other. I considered just cutting off the rods but I need to figure out what purpose they serve first. If anyone has an idea, let me know. Below are 2 photos with the offending part circled, and the second photo also shows the new CTS charge pipe. These rods are actually integrated with the rubber mounts supporting the radiator at the bottom.