Buying.

[GtrJamie]

Hi all, 

ive looked on the forum at the RS section but it hasn't been posted in in a while and seeing as this is the technical area I thought you'd be the best people to ask.

Im looking into buying a 2003 Rs6 C5 but im struggling to find anything in relation to common faults, things to look for, can anybody help?

 

Jamie. 

[Steve Q]

One thing to be careful of is the suspension. Audi used a complicated adaptive system (not air suspension) and when it goes wrong it's expensive to put right. The system is designed to keep the car flat through the corners. 

You'll find that some rs6's have been converted to coilovers as it's cheaper than fixing the Audi system. 

Id advise finding one with good service history (ideally full) as the rs6 can be costly to fix if it goes wrong (i.e. The gearbox). Oh and low mileage as poss. 

Check for crash damage and damage to the rear arches. Rear arches in the a6 c5 aren't known to rust unless a repair has been carried out. Body parts can also be expensive and with regard to body work Audis and VWs from this era also suffered from the front wings rusting at the top of the arch.

Never seen it on an rs6 mind but the a6 c5, a4, golf mk4, bora etc were all affected. 

Oh and make sure all electrical components work. For example it can cost over a £1000 to fix the aircon if the pumps/condensers etc are broken. 

they are cracking cars and will be a future classic :) 

hope iv helped :) 

cheers

steve 

 

[GtrJamie]

Thank you Steve that's helped me a lot, trying to find this on the internet is a pain. 

I relation to price, I'm steering clear of the 7 thousand high milers. I have my eye on one at the moment, £10,000 82k miles, but I'll be going to view it, it seems in the middle of the price ranges. 

Min regards to test driving is there any noises that can give you a clue as to what's going? I.e. Whining gearbox, knocking suspension etc? 

[Magnet]

Hello Jamie,

Two possible ways of reducing the risk of buying the wrong car:-

If you view a car and are serious  enough to proceed towards buying it, then arrange to get it inspected by a local independent (need to do your research on who this will be in that area first). OK it will cost you possibly a couple of hours labour charge, but well worth that investment in their expertise. If this cannot be done on the day of viewing then no doubt it can be arranged prior to a final decision. If the buyer isn't too happy with this ( and you can check in advance) then don't bother to look at the car.

If not buying from the actual owner, then always obtain their contact details from the V5 and talk with them. No one is likely to know the car better than they do.

When you think you have found the car you want to buy, you will fall on love with it - for better or worse. Now you know what they say about love - it's blind- so just disappear into a dark room for a couple of hours of thinking rationally. 

Good luck with finding the right car.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

 

 

[Steve Q]

I think Gareth has hit the nail on the head. The rac and aa can do these checks. If the seller refuses then I would say he/she has something's to hide. 

I believe the rs has flappy paddles so make sure they're working properly. If it's got stock suspension just make sure it's level and handles nicely through the corners because as I say it can be expensive to put right. 

Check through the service history to see what's been done as this can be a good indication on how it's been maintained or not maintained as the case may be. 

Cambelts should be changed at approx 4 years/40k miles I believe. So that 82k one should of had its second one done by now! 

Oh and check the intercooler isn't leaking as this will be another expensive repair. 

If it were me I would try and avoid modified examples. If you are looking at modified examples make sure all the mods have been carried out by reputable garages. 

Again if it were me and I was looking at a modified example I'd want full service history. 

Here is a buying guide I found on another forum: 

https://forum.rs246.com/viewtopic.php?t=82219 

hope it helps :) 

cheers

Steve 

[GtrJamie]

Thanks for the advice Gareth, I will be getting the car checked over, for the sake of a few quid it's better than £3000 worth of work on the long run. 

I will also try and find reviews on the garages selling them too, if I see one on a forecourt. 

 

Thanks again Steve, I'm trying to stay away from modified examples, at least then I know it's standard and not messed with. 

 

 

[Steve Q]

Your welcome :)