RS6 - Back On The Road

[TomRS]

Evening,

As many of you know i have an RS6 that gets abused on tracks/weekend driving.
Well there's a sad story surrounding it over the last few months, after shedding its undertray and ripping off one of its Aux Rads its been downhill since.

The Backstory -

I have had trouble free motoring (barring services and plug changes which i do myself) since buying the car last year.
Then everything decided to go wrong around June.
It started with a normal drive home from a friends house, the undertray decided to drop off and having no tools in the car i had to limp it to my unit to where i then had to remove said undertray.
Once removed the real cause of the problem became apparant, the Aux radiator which is fixed on by two rubber posts (much like the rubber grommets found on the front intake on the CDTi 75/ZT)
These had snapped due to age and vibrations causing the radiator to fall onto the undertray and im guessing over time and bumps it must have slowly pushed the fixings loose causing it to eventually drop.

So i went to move the car out of my unit to get the MG in to service the LPG (back in July) The RS had been sat a few weeks as a new undertray was £280 and as i didnt really need to use the car i decided to take it off the road for a bit not wanting to spend nearly £300 on a bit of plastic.

So... i reversed the car out, to be greeted by a large crunch and then a warnight light telling me i had "low Coolant" i turned it off jumped out and saw my Aux radiator on the floor and a pool of coolant under the car... a lot of swearing later and £150 for a new radiator and fixings i had sorted that, i cut my old undertray down (removing the broken part) as there was a track day on at croft which was last minute.

Everything ran fine, car was great croft was brilliant, i parked the car back in the unit and left it a week.
Came to move her out and i was now greeted with a Suspension warning light, a pool of oil and a pool of water.
Fearing the worst (oil pump seal failure) i jacked the car up and go about looking at the oil leak, turns out that was a simple one just a sump plug nothing crazy.
The water leak however is from the 3 way thermostat that controls the flow of water to the Aux radiator... this has those C.V boot style one time use clips.
This had obviously been stressed when i had pulled the radiator off and was now leaking like a sieve.
Unfortunately access is worse than that of a nuns lady parts so there wasnt much i could do.

I then found the cause of my suspension light, a fluid leak the DRC (Dynamic Ride Control) which allows you to change the stiffness of the dampers via the onboard computer (great system)
The shock itself had burst and allowed all the fluid for that side of the system escape.
So i decided to do things right, i cancelled the Tax/insurance and set about saving up the money to replace the parts properly.

Undertray
Both front inner arches
Both side plastic covers (these cover the fuel lines/brake lines etc)
Rear Strut
Fixing kit for undertray and arches
Oil/Filter
Brake ducts

The total cost for all this (on the cheap as i know a guy at TPS) was £926 which is obviously horrendous.
Just to break it down a bit, the rear strut on its own was £350 with 60% discount.

So its now booked into a highly reccommended garage in newcastle for the work to be carried out.
As the DRC system requires a special machine that usually only dealers have to recharge the system
I drop her off on Friday and will hopefully have her back next Friday!

Bit of a poinless thread but if anyone cares thats why i havent been using or posting any pics of her lately.
This will be the last money i spend on her as i think 6 months time will be a point to get rid and move on before she really ends up needing big money.

[Ravinder]

I'm sure it will return back on the road soon and many more smiles per gallon. E must see pics of the beast, however.

[TomRS]

Originally Posted by Ravinder

I'm sure it will return back on the road soon and many more smiles per gallon. E must see pics of the beast, however.

Rav,

Will get some pics up when she's back on the road properly

[Sheraton]

such a beast needs to be kept in fine fettle
i'm sure the end result and the pleasure of driving the RS6 - especially on the track - is worth the efforts

+1 for pics



Paul.

[TomRS]

Originally Posted by Sheraton

such a beast needs to be kept in fine fettle
i'm sure the end result and the pleasure of driving the RS6 - especially on the track - is worth the efforts

+1 for pics



Paul.

Only somtimes!

I have some pics from Croft track day here.




And finally one next to a fellow MG'er in lemans early this year

[DEVYL]

Nice car Tom! That Bi-turbo V10 it's gorgeous and has been my dream for many years . For now, I can only do with my B7 RS4 . I have bought the car from a dealer and sadly it was the only one available... I was looking for a black interior but .... it is red like hell . White sedan sports car with carbon inserts and bright red leather; one hell of a combo

[rrobson]

Good choice for a track car, always fancied one but I could never justify the ridiculous cost of servicing and parts if anything broke (and because it's an Audi something is bound to! I know this having once ovned an 8p s3)

Hopefully you'll get it sorted soon, no rush I suppose track day seasons just about over, weathers too unpredictable now. Looking forward to spa and ring next year!

[Mike Noc]

Luckily there are racing classes out there to suit all budgets, even shoestring ones.

[LotusLC]

Must get down your way for a spin before you maybe sell her on .

[TomRS]

Originally Posted by DEVYL

Nice car Tom! That Bi-turbo V10 it's gorgeous and has been my dream for many years . For now, I can only do with my B7 RS4 . I have bought the car from a dealer and sadly it was the only one available... I was looking for a black interior but .... it is red like hell . White sedan sports car with carbon inserts and bright red leather; one hell of a combo

Thanks!
They are starting to become really affordable lately, my dad actually has a B7 RS4 in black with black leather, and that is truly an amazing car to drive, easily one of the best drivers cars Audi ever made!
I do quite like it in white though! And that interior is actually nice, (not 100% on the red wheel though but the seats/door cards I do like)

Originally Posted by rrobson

Good choice for a track car, always fancied one but I could never justify the ridiculous cost of servicing and parts if anything broke (and because it's an Audi something is bound to! I know this having once ovned an 8p s3)

Hopefully you'll get it sorted soon, no rush I suppose track day seasons just about over, weathers too unpredictable now. Looking forward to spa and ring next year!

Aye its not just a track car it is my practical estate car, The running costs arent too bad, its the cost of servicing at dealers and things that are bad… replacing things yourself or servicing it yourself costs no more than a normal car.
I get very annoyed at the “RS Tax” on servicing costs, a simple oil and filter change is £200 at Audi, which probably isnt so bad, but Ive done it myself plenty of times and apart from having 4 more sump plugs than a normal car its EXACTLY the same… in fact Id say its easier than some as oil filter is in a really easy location.
Got my Accord Type R for track but as thats been off the road Ive been using the RS6… (paying the price for it now though with all these new bits)

When are you doing Spa and the Ring? i've yet to do both and they are literally number one on the list!

Originally Posted by Mike Noc

Luckily there are racing classes out there to suit all budgets, even shoestring ones.

Hahaha! As above Mike Its not my everyday track car, I use the MG for work (Middlesbrough to Barrow in Furness) and the RS6 at the weekend, the Accord is the main track toy/throw around car.
But as you say there is racing classes to suit everything and I often find the smaller budget ones are the best, (better people and much more exciting)

Originally Posted by lotuslc

Must get down your way for a spin before you maybe sell her on .

Dont worry! I will get myself down your way, your always welcome to pop up for a visit this way if you ever get bored one weekend or need to do something to your car (free use of my unit if your visiting)