C6 S6 - Real Cost of Ownership?

[jglaze]

I've been poking around the internet and on this site gathering up a great deal of information about the C6 S6 and I think it's my next car.

I've driven them and have even cross-shopped the C7 A6 as a comparator since they can be had for roughly the same price. I liked the A6, but despite the fantastic looks and luscious interior it isn't as much fun to drive...who cares if the 0-60 is as fast or faster than the old S6 if it doesn't feel faster. I added this last point in to prevent folks from trying to convince me I should be looking at an A6 instead, as I've seen in other threads. No, I'm pretty much settled on a '10 or '11 S6 because they are comfy, sound great, and give me a lot of what I love about my UrS6 Avant in a much newer package - sadly the C6 didn't have a cassette deck option, though.

I know that performance-oriented vehicles cost more to live with, so as long as they aren't high strung or always breaking down you can appropriately budget for normal wear and tear. Since it seems like the V10s are relatively reliable based on my research - carbon deposits aside - I'm curious to know what people spend on their normal maintenance and what their real-world gas mileage is on average? Also what things do current owners know know that they wish they'd known or had looked for when shopping for their S6?

For those interested, the UrS6 may be coming up for sale soon, so stay tuned...

[c@@kieMonsta]

There is a ton of info on this sub forum for the C6 S6. Essentially the consensus(s6 owners postings) is that its money pit and if you don't have a warranty/extended warranty on it, then get ready to have a separate savings account just for repairs and maintenance.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-S6-V10-plunge

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...6-Scared-Of-It

Read this for sure
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...a-used-2008-S6

[jglaze]

I'd read all of those except the last one...which is odd because it's the newest. Maybe my "search" button isn't working... *click* ...nope, I'm just an idiot.

I've found one that is a CPO which is probably the only way I'd buy one but even with the warranty that seems somewhat frightening which is a shame because its a lot of fun to drive and can still fit my kids comfortably. Maybe the C7 makes more sense afterall...hm.

[JPJ2007]

Are the C6 4.2's as problematic? My c6 3.2 was completely issue free from 91k miles when I bought it to 164k miles when I sold it 3 years later.... Literally, One CEL and cleaning the throttle body took care of that...

[c@@kieMonsta]

Are the C6 4.2's as problematic? My c6 3.2 was completely issue free from 91k miles when I bought it to 164k miles when I sold it 3 years later.... Literally, One CEL and cleaning the throttle body took care of that...

I would assume they are, however my opinion is that more cylinders=higher cost of maintenance(not necessarily an impact on the 4.2's reliability).

More info courtesy of our friend search.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-more-reliable

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...uy-Reliability

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...ommon-Problems

[v8a6]

Don't be a chicken! Just do the S6!

They are cheap enough now that you can put ten grand aside for repairs and still be ahead.

Any Audi out of warranty is going to cost money to maintain. The horror story from that last link could have been any of the Audi FSI NA engines. The 4.2 from the Q7 and S5 are very closely related to the v10 from the S6/S8. On all of these engines you need to budget for carbon cleaning to keep things running smoothly.

I just picked up an 07 S6 myself, so, I stand behind my words.

[v8a6]

BTW, the car the 07 S6 replaced was a wagon too (02 S6). The new one is big enough that I am hoping I wont miss the Avant. If I had a choice of an S6 Avant, I definitely would have picked it up. But, you cant have everything (well, at least not in North America)

[c@@kieMonsta]

Don't be a chicken! Just do the S6!

They are cheap enough now that you can put ten grand aside for repairs and still be ahead.

Any Audi out of warranty is going to cost money to maintain. The horror story from that last link could have been any of the Audi FSI NA engines.

Right, any car out of warranty is going to cost money to maintain. $10k though? I think not when it comes to most A6's whether 3.2 or 4.2. There's a reason why they are so cheap as compared to other cars in their category.

[v8a6]

Right, any car out of warranty is going to cost money to maintain. $10k though? I think not when it comes to most A6's whether 3.2 or 4.2. There's a reason why they are so cheap as compared to other cars in their category.

$10k was just a number I pulled out of a hat. You are probably looking at 20-30% extra over an A6 4.2 for maintenance. So, if you spend $2500 on an A6 per year, then maybe you spend $3500 on the S6 v10. Well worth it for a high performance automobile over the regular A6 sedan. The front seats alone are worth the premium.

But it all depends where your priorities are. If you love the regular 3.2/4.2, then stick to that.

No offense c@@kieMonsta, but it doesnt make sense to offer advice on the two cars unless you have driven both. Have you had any road time behind the wheel of the S6? Linking a few maintenance stories on the web is great, but performance cars are about driving, not reading articles on the web.

Following is a list of maintenance (and performance upgrades) that I did on my 2002 S6 in the last 18 months

H&R coilovers installed ($2000)
Brembo/JHM brakes ($2000)
Timing belt and water pump ($1200)
Enkei NT03 and snow tires ($2500)
Magnaflow cats installed ($500)
Rear hatch cover ($300)
Transmission replacement ($2500)
Rear ECS rotors and pads ($500)
Complete front control arms ($1000)
Rear wiper motor ($500)

That is $13K CAD on a car that is worth less than $10K. I personally like to get the cars cheap, then replace everything on them with performance parts. But, everyone has their own priorities. Some just love a stock ride with power to boot.

My advice, get the S6 and you wont regret it. At least if you have to fix things, the money will be going into a car that is a blast to drive, and very rare.

[jglaze]

Right, any car out of warranty is going to cost money to maintain. $10k though? I think not when it comes to most A6's whether 3.2 or 4.2. There's a reason why they are so cheap as compared to other cars in their category.

The other cars in the category are M5s and E63 AMGs, both of which are pricey to fix. Again, it's not so much the cost of the repairs...it's a V10, it's going to be outrageous even by normal German car standards. I get that. The concern comes in assuming the car is in the shop ALL the time. Assuming now, that the car has been well maintained one would hope that apart from any "occasional" unforeseen issues, the car wouldn't break all the time.

When I got my Ur, the first repair bill out of the shop was nearly $2K and this was an immaculate car. In the past (nearly) three years, however, it's only been oil changes and regular service intervals. That sort of thing is OK by me. I know it's hard to get a representative sample of all S6 owners (outside of the handful that are members of this board) to say for certain that the car is or isn't reliable...costly, yes, but oddly unreliable?

I'm still on the fence with the decision re: S6/A6...the alternative is to get a Tahoe with a small aluminum trailer and a Miata track rat, though I'll probably get the Miata either way if I'm honest.

[c@@kieMonsta]

No offense c@@kieMonsta, but it doesnt make sense to offer advice on the two cars unless you have driven both. Have you had any road time behind the wheel of the S6? Linking a few maintenance stories on the web is great, but performance cars are about driving, not reading articles on the web. The OP wasn't asking if it was worth it.

None taken. I barely offered advice if any, I simple made one statement and provided a few links. Hardly an opinion if comparing to what others have said about the S6. Its funny though, as I don't see the difference between you owning one and what I've linked. They are all actual accounts from many owners not articles and stories as you put it. Also, from what I understand, the OP asked what the real cost of ownership was, not if it was worth it. I would love to own one, but tbh what is the fun or pleasure if you can't even drive it because its in the shop all the time? 3.0T all the way if I had the choice...however in respect of V10's, I would narrow it down to reliability, not maintenance as all of their parts, I'm sure are pricey.

[v8a6]

...however in respect of V10's, I would narrow it down to reliability, not maintenance as all of their parts, I'm sure are pricey.

That is the point. The v10 is just as reliable as any of the other FSI engines. They just cost a bit more to maintain properly. If you skip the maintenance, then it will eventually catch up to you (or a future owner) like any Audi. But probably in a more expensive way, since the two extra cylinders. Really, there is nothing in the v10 that makes the engine inherently more prone to failure than the other smaller FSI engines

http://www.vaglinks.com/vaglinks_com...FSI_Engine.pdf
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...CwR1jDF0r50CTw


From the v10 Study Guide

The V10 FSI engine is based on the V8 FSI engine,
which has, in principle, "only" been upgraded to
include an additional pair of cylinders.
The basic concept of the cylinder crankcase and the
cylinder heads, as well as the timing gear, the fuel
system and the intake manifold concept, have been
adopted unchanged.

On the other hand, the crankshaft with balancer
shaft, the double-chambered intake with dual
throttle valves, the exhaust manifold and the
ECU concept are features specific to the V10.


It is just fear mongering, when people try to portray the v10 as being less reliable than the other Audi engines. I shouldnt complain too much, because the fear of these rare automobiles is what allowed me to buy one at a very reasonable price.

Ill just leave you with these exhaust videos to watch :)

[FormulaElement]

The S6 is a great car but really with everything I've seen on forums, you really should settle for the A6. Your wallet will be thanking you for the much better gas mileage and then it will be even more thankful when it's out of warranty...

I 100% support you getting a C7 S6 though... That 4.0t will make the 12MPG worth it!!

[v8a6]

Ah, I give up. As FormulaE says

you really should settle for the A6

Actually, if you want great gas mileage, low maintenance, and great reliability, I say go for a 2001 Toyota Echo. I had one and they are dirt cheap to run. Only four cylinders too, so six less to worry about than the v10. Skip the power locks and windows and the AC, and you wont have any reliability issues. And, you can probably buy one for less than the price of a v10 carbon cleaning.

[c@@kieMonsta]

Ah, I give up. As FormulaE says

you really should settle for the A6

Actually, if you want great gas mileage, low maintenance, and great reliability, I say go for a 2003 Toyota Echo. I had one and they are dirt cheap to run. Only four cylinders too, so six less to worry about than the v10. Skip the power locks and windows and the AC, and you wont have any reliability issues. And, you can probably buy one for less than the price of a v10 carbon cleaning.

I meant no disrespect towards the V10. Just like most german engines, they can last forever. Its supporting components components, specifically the ones unique to the S6, that have mostly been the culprit as far as long term reliability. Personally, I wish you and your car well and trouble free motoring for as long as you own it. :)

[v8a6]

hahahaa.... no problem, I dont take it personally :) Im just joking around anyway. Its all in good fun.

We did actually own a Toyota Echo until recently, though. And you should read the following thread if you want a good laugh.
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just goes to show that maybe it is more important where you take your car for service, than what the make/model of the car is. I know I wouldnt have bought the S6 v10, if I didnt have a great Indy shop to work on it, and knew some other v10 experts who are always willing to help. I can just imagine the huge "v10 tax" that a lot of the garages would add to the bill as soon as they would hear the rumble of the big engine and see the badge on the fender LOL

One thing I would say to OP though, is that if you drove the car and loved it, then you should seriously consider it. All these cars will be expensive to run. But when you work out the difference in total ownership (i.e. depreciation, purchase price, maintenance, insurance, tax) I dont think youll find the v10 that bad. In fact, you will probably lose much more in the long run on a newer car, due to depreciation alone. I say, go with the one that you like the best.

[jglaze]

One thing I would say to OP though, is that if you drove the car and loved it, then you should seriously consider it. All these cars will be expensive to run. But when you work out the difference in total ownership (i.e. depreciation, purchase price, maintenance, insurance, tax) I dont think youll find the v10 that bad. In fact, you will probably lose much more in the long run on a newer car, due to depreciation alone. I say, go with the one that you like the best.

Oh this has always been a emotional rather than rational decision...and you're right those seats are fantastic. I'm discussing with my mechanic - an audi club board member and a real audi know-it-all - next week and I'll guess he'll be the final arbiter of decision.

[JPJ2007]

That last video.... droooool

[v8a6]

That last video.... droooool

You wanna hear something insane, check out this video of an Audi v10


The fun really starts at 1:09 :)