16+ S6 vs A6 3.0T

[1flossedS4]

I have been looking at both of these for daily driver status lately.

I can get a nice 50,000 mile sport package A6 3.0T for $20k. Similar mileage 16 S6 is around $34K.

It doesn't seem to me the S6 is $14K better of a car when an APR flash brings the A6 to around 400HP. I realize that V8 sounds great, and the steering feel is going to be better but the PCV issue is something that will have to be addressed. Maintenance costs also higher on the V8.


Both cars in question:

[MattyMarkey]

Sounds like you may have already talked yourself into the decision.

Differences: interior, brakes, performance (even with a 3.0t tune), wheels, slight styling differences.

I would say if any of those don’t warrant spending $14k more to you; haven’t budgeted for potential more costly repairs with the S6; planning to purchase a warranty for the S6, than the A6 is your jam - the CREC 3.0t is a great engine.

Good luck with the purchase!


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[gk1]

Other than your concern of pcv and or turbo issues, what maintenance costs are higher?
Oil changes?
Both are excellent cars, but the S6 brings more than just a V8.
Sport seats/stitching
Air suspension
Larger brakes.
20" wheels (usually)
S bits here and there (steering wheel, shifter, sills)
Usually original buyers of S6's went for more options or some things optional on an A6 are standard on S6.
Depending...sport differential
I agree just the engine step should be about +$5k, but other factors up that ante.
FWIW APR Stage II A6 single pulley states 477HP 404ft-lbs. Phenomenal gains and well worth it.
However the S6 stock is really 489HP 447ft-lbs measured by APR...add just Stage I to that and you are at 574HP & 639ft-lbs. That is a serious difference even over the Stage II A6 if performance is your goal.
I admit they both drive different in part due to the different transmissions. IMO the ZF reacts better to daily driving. The s-tronic can be caught "off-guard" in some circumstances, but when you are shifting on boil or in manual mode it is quite nice.
Drive both and see which you like better.

[jrhgto]

Yeah I currently have a 2012 A6 and I am going to be having the same type of conversation next spring..

2018 A6 vs 2017 S6 vs 2018 S5 Sportback
Main factors for me are repair/maintenance costs, reliability, but v8s are getting scarcer and to me you just cant replicate v8 exhaust sound with a v6.

For you, with a 14K disparity I think it would come down to whether you are going to mod. With the A6, you can mod the heck out of it, and still be less than 34K. Or you can buy the S6, keep it stockish and enjoy the v8 rumble and power, but live with higher insurance and maintenance.

[07S6]

I'd first suggest driving both.. I will tell you - I have an A7 with APR tune and AWE exhaust About 18 mos ago i test drove an identically optioned and colored pre-facelift S7 at my dealer. It was a fairly easy decision for me not to make the switch to that car as it did not really excite my any more than my car, and in fact was kind of a let down because i really wanted to get excited about it. But here's the caveat...i was already tuned to around 450HP and had a nice exhaust on my car and i was test driving a STOCK, pre-facelift S7 with a much blander, much quieter exhaust.
Had i test drove a car with sports exhaust and perhaps even tuned - i think my time in the driver seat would have put a bigger smile on my face. I do wish i had the S-sport seats in my car and that was the biggest differentiator i felt during my drive. Having said all that, an S7 or RS7 is def a possibility for my next upgrade now that i've gotten a lot more usage out of my investments in the A7 and will be ready to start modding another one!

Sorry if that confused you further..but as you can see it's a very subjective decision with a lot of variables involved for each person like what you're coming from, timing, investment, etc. In a perfect world, we'd all just go buy an RS7 and skip all the questioning and steps in between. lol

[christianb5s4]

I was in the same boat as you before I picked up my 2016 A6 prestige. While the potential and upgrades the S6 offered truly set it apart from the C7.5 A6, as a daily driver the A6 is superior in several ways IMO. The CREC motor is very strong (many significant updates over the C7 3.0T), amazingly economical, ZF8 is a more well rounded transmission, refined, and bulletproof reliability.

Just comes down to what you're willing to stomach in terms of the 4.0TT being more maintenance intensive. It is a superior car in many respects but the cost premium comes down to personal choice.

[gkott78]

I have a 2015 A6 and am going DP APR stage two as soon as my parts arrive. A friend of mine had an APR tuned S7 stage 1 car.

The S7 was optioned out. Nicer seats, air ride B&O etc, beautiful car. I found it FAR superior to my A6. Was there 14k of difference.....yes there was. The ride alone on air was amazing. The V8 sound is fantastic, and it just looked amazing.

Personally, my wallet can't justify the cost difference. It really all comes down to budget in the end. Get what makes you happy and you can afford. You are the only one who can justify (or not) the price difference. 14k is a lot of money that can be used in many different ways. Also consider depreciation. The market is not kind to used luxury sedans, especially now. That is a factor.

[davepjr71]

Yeah I currently have a 2012 A6 and I am going to be having the same type of conversation next spring..

2018 A6 vs 2017 S6 vs 2018 S5 Sportback
Main factors for me are repair/maintenance costs, reliability, but v8s are getting scarcer and to me you just cant replicate v8 exhaust sound with a v6.

For you, with a 14K disparity I think it would come down to whether you are going to mod. With the A6, you can mod the heck out of it, and still be less than 34K. Or you can buy the S6, keep it stockish and enjoy the v8 rumble and power, but live with higher insurance and maintenance.

For you I'd go S5 if prices are close. The S5 has the same 3.0 as the same model year A6 but it is tuned a little, is lighter and more performance items on board. My buddy has a '16 A6, 333, and really wasn't impressed with it compared to my '12 A7, 310.

[gk1]

For you I'd go S5 if prices are close. The S5 has the same 3.0 as the same model year A6 but it is tuned a little, is lighter and more performance items on board. My buddy has a '16 A6, 333, and really wasn't impressed with it compared to my '12 A7, 310.

In jrhgto's case the '18 A6 does not have the same motor as the '18 S5.
The A6 is the 3.0T supercharged 340HP and the S5 is the 3.0T Turbo 354 HP. (conservative... more like 397HP)
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find...&id=38581#tab4
In that case for the same price it might be a no-brainer...if you don't need the space you can step up to a newer generation with more power than the A6 by choosing the S5.
I still don't understand your last sentence though. Are you saying a '16 A6 with 333HP was worse than a '12 A7 with 310HP, or just not as much a jump as you expected from +20HP?

[christianb5s4]

In jrhgto's case the '18 A6 does not have the same motor as the '18 S5.
The A6 is the 3.0T supercharged 340HP and the S5 is the 3.0T Turbo 354 HP. (conservative... more like 397HP)
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find...&id=38581#tab4
In that case for the same price it might be a no-brainer...if you don't need the space you can step up to a newer generation with more power than the A6 by choosing the S5.
I still don't understand your last sentence though. Are you saying a '16 A6 with 333HP was worse than a '12 A7 with 310HP, or just not as much a jump as you expected from +20HP?

The CREC feels more refined and power delivery is smoother than the gen1 3.0T, so it feels less immediate in terms of power delivery. Might be what he's referring to in terms of not feeling quite as punchy. But the CREC is definitely quicker it just might not feel that way.

[jrhgto]

In jrhgto's case the '18 A6 does not have the same motor as the '18 S5.
The A6 is the 3.0T supercharged 340HP and the S5 is the 3.0T Turbo 354 HP. (conservative... more like 397HP)
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find...&id=38581#tab4
In that case for the same price it might be a no-brainer...if you don't need the space you can step up to a newer generation with more power than the A6 by choosing the S5.
I still don't understand your last sentence though. Are you saying a '16 A6 with 333HP was worse than a '12 A7 with 310HP, or just not as much a jump as you expected from +20HP?

Yeah, I am leaning toward the S5, it has the latest tech, is lighter and sportier and looks great. My only concerns are:
- turbo lag compared to my Supercharged A6 (though its a lot faster overall)
- Room (I am a big guy and need the shoulder room, but it only seems like it has mayb1 1-2 inches less shoulder room than my A6)
- Ugly Non-Moonroof sunroof that sits on the roof like a slab of plywood

jim

[gk1]

Yeah, I am leaning toward the S5, it has the latest tech, is lighter and sportier and looks great. My only concerns are:
- turbo lag compared to my Supercharged A6 (though its a lot faster overall)
- Room (I am a big guy and need the shoulder room, but it only seems like it has mayb1 1-2 inches less shoulder room than my A6)
- Ugly Non-Moonroof sunroof that sits on the roof like a slab of plywood

jim

-Latest tech...meh...for me nothing I can get real excited about...could care less about carplay. VC is the only wow factor. Indeed the S5 does look great/sporty.
-I even prefer the daily driving characteristics of the supercharged motor/trans in my '14 SQ5 vs. the S6 even though the S6 is tons faster. It is just the way it delivers power. I have not driven the newer turbo 3.0T to see if there is any throttle lag.
-Agreed, the bane of the coupe + giant sunroof is no place to stow it. The flip side of that is a friend with a Hyundai Genesis sedan remarked (laughed) about how small my standard S6 sunroof was. It has not changed much in decades...pretty much the same as the one on my old 2001 B5. But much less prone to rattles etc than some panoramic roofs.

[christianb5s4]

Smaller sunroof also lets less heat into the car if you live in a hot climate.

[Lost Cosmonaut]

I wish the Competition package cars were cheaper. I want an S6 but I worry about the reliability. The Competition package is the perfect blend, all the looks and go-fast goodies of the S6 with the more reliable drivetrain of the A6. But no, I can get a stupid S6 for $28k and the Competition package has to be rarer than hens teeth and $35k at the lowest. Ugh.

[1flossedS4]

I wish the Competition package cars were cheaper. I want an S6 but I worry about the reliability. The Competition package is the perfect blend, all the looks and go-fast goodies of the S6 with the more reliable drivetrain of the A6. But no, I can get a stupid S6 for $28k and the Competition package has to be rarer than hens teeth and $35k at the lowest. Ugh.

Agreed, better seats on the competition too. The price they want for them is comical. It's like a $10,000 delta over a similar A6 3.0t

[christianb5s4]

The only issue with competition package cars is you lose the ability to have ventilated seats.

[jrhgto]

I wish the Competition package cars were cheaper. I want an S6 but I worry about the reliability. The Competition package is the perfect blend, all the looks and go-fast goodies of the S6 with the more reliable drivetrain of the A6. But no, I can get a stupid S6 for $28k and the Competition package has to be rarer than hens teeth and $35k at the lowest. Ugh.

Yeah it has to be a rarity thing.....A nationwide search of 2017 A6's on cargurus pull up almost 700 cars for sale...out of those 700 maybe less than 15-20 were competitions. Same % for the 200 '18s for sale as well.

[bahula03]

Not sure what y'all are talking about with Competition trim/package "go-fast goodies," only performance bits it has over a 3.0T with the sport package and 20" wheels is 7hp (peak) and the sport diff ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Pretty sure Audi didn't move many of them because how many people are going to walk into a dealership and go, "Hmm, I could have a low milage CPO S6 or an A6 playing dress up as an S6. Tough choice, that."

[Lost Cosmonaut]

Not sure what y'all are talking about with Competition trim/package "go-fast goodies," only performance bits it has over a 3.0T with the sport package and 20" wheels is 7hp (peak) and the sport diff ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Pretty sure Audi didn't move many of them because how many people are going to walk into a dealership and go, "Hmm, I could have a low milage CPO S6 or an A6 playing dress up as an S6. Tough choice, that."

And seats, and body kit, and suspension, and brakes, and trim...

[MattyMarkey]

And seats, and body kit, and suspension, and brakes, and trim...

He probably isn’t classifying those as ‘go fast goodies’. I wouldn’t either. They commanded a premium new, and certainly doing so used.

Not much out there because not many were made/bought. $70k new is no joke, when compared to the $70-74k S6 sticker price. It was a no brainer which to buy.


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[bahula03]

MattyMarkey is spot on. The suspension, tires, and brakes (other than the calipers being red) on the competition are identical to a 3.0T with sport package and 20" wheels. I understand people like and get excited about the bumpers/body kit, and especially the sport seats and flat bottom wheel, but they do nothing to make a car faster.