Should I upgrade to a RS5 from a 6MT S5?

[boneyxy]

I currently DD a Silver 09 6MT S5. I love it, but it has its flaws. I've had this for a little over 2 years now and put about 45k miles on it with road trips, daily driving and some very occasional track days and autocross.
She is now sitting at around 93k miles and I'm considering upgrading to an RS5. In the 2 years that I've owned it, I've put Bilstein Shocks with H&R Springs. I didn't want to go all out with coil-overs. I've kept up the maintenance, had a carbon cleanup 10k miles ago, changed control arms to 034 when I did the shocks. Most recently I got it a new drive belt along with some transmission fluid before a track day which I ultimately couldn't go to.
I was also told at the shop that the right engine mount is leaking and on its way out, and some other minor things that should be taken care of soon. So all that's coming. Personally I've always wanted an AWE exhaust and a wrap job, but until about a month ago I wasn't sure if I'd be moving abroad so I had held off on those.

Now I have two roads to choose from. Either spend about 10k on this car giving it some love and upgrades that I've always wanted or trade it in, and spend about 20 or more on a blue or black RS5.
I'll list my considerations in order of priority below since this is pretty much how I've been trying to process this.

-TRANSMISSION - Probably the most important- WIll I miss the stick at some point? I know its a dual-clutch; milliseconds shift, and all that. But at the end of a long workday, there is nothing I love more than rowing through all the gears and practicing my heel-toe on off-ramps. That being said, I have and always plan on having a Miata as well. I blew my current one's Head Gasket so that's been a fun project. Also, the S5's manual transmission is average at best, in my opinion. Also my current clutch has never been replaced in 90k miles. So maybe I can upgrade if I keep it. Does it improve the shifts?

- EXHAUST. I'm trying to find a RS5 with a sport exhaust, but even without it, I think it sounds pretty good. But the AWE Touring would be louder. I'm not a fan of wild pops and bangs and I'm not looking for anything too loud or sporty, but just a little more character. The S5's exhaust is too tamed, especially for a V8. So do you think the exhaust on the RS5 is decent if not great?

-DRIVE QUALITY - Of all the reasons I would want a RS5, a little more power is not one of them. The higher-revving engine is attractive though. I've test-driven a RS5 but I couldn't really 'enjoy' it with the sales guy breathing down my neck. Does the RS5 feel noticeably refined? Does it roll less around corners? Does it justify the premium over the S5 in your opinion? Any take on the sports differential?*Any opinions on the suspension? I know its adaptive but not magneride.

-UPGRADABILITY/MODS - Since the time I've had the S5 I've always loved the NA V8 and the only mod I can think of doing on it is a supercharger. However, I would only do this after I've put a ton of miles and when I don't intend to daily it anymore. Probably a couple of years down the line. Also, I would want to do the job myself, and right now I don't think I have the skills or a car lift. So with that in mind what car do you think would be better for the supercharger. Especially with the transmission. Would the Dual-Clutch easily be able to handle it? The S5 would need new tranny internals but that's straight forward and I know they exist. What about the engine internals.*do you know if one is more 'durable' than the other?*

-BIAS - Last but not least. Do you have a Personal preference for either of the cars (if you've driven/lived with both) for whatever reasons.
Thanks for reading!!*

[Sazexa]

I worked at an Audi dealer for some time. I purposely chose the V8 S5 with a manual over the RS5 for two main reasons. The first being a manual transmission. The second being I prefer the B8 look over the B8.5, but that's subjective and I'm in the minority on that one. I've done a lot of work to my S5 to make driving a manual something that you ALWAYS enjoy instead of sometimes enjoy. Even now as I'm selling my car, a manual is a must for me. I also considered price and, for the price difference the RS5 was I could mostly make an S5 drive more "fun" with mods. Mods go further than factory parts in the fun department, most of the time, in my opinion.

-TRANSMISSION - As I said, I specifically chose the S5 V8 for the manual transmission. While yes it's a little mushy and "fade" one might call it from the factory, there are several mods you can do here if you're willing, to make it something truly special. I've got the JHM solid shifter linkage which replaces the plastic and rubber-y linkage arm (with like sheet aluminum in one spot lol) for a very hefty, very well built one. The new linkage has metal bushings and bearings, instead of plastic, with a much more rigid mount. It makes finding each gear very precise and mechanical feeling, but not in an uncomfortable way. It makes it feel more old-school race car, but still fun to daily. In fact, MORE fun to daily. I also have JHM's short throw shifter which is also a much heftier unit. The throw is a lot shorter but not comically short where you can't find gears. It also aids in the more mechanical feeling, making you feel ACTUALLY attached to the transmission. A nice aftermarket shift knob (or a whole shifter kit from someone like sportshifters.com) will make you enjoy what you're grabbing and throwing a lot more. I did a braided clutch line which removed vaugeness in the clutch pedal. I did a JHM clutch kit, which can hold more power but doesn't hurt daily driveability. I also did an ECS Tuning lightweight flywheel. Some might not like this mod, but if you want to enjoy every last bit of that manual transmission, a LYFW is a must. It's one of my favorite mods on the car. It's a little rougher around 1,200 RPM and lower but over all between the faster acceleration, deceleration... The throttle blips being LIGHTING fast on down-shifts or free revs? Get one. You won't miss a manual.

- EXHAUST. Bit of a mixed bag here. I think the V8 S5 sounds more... "Domestic." Where as the RS5 sounds a bit more typical European/"Exotic." I love both notes. I think I slightly prefer the S5, but I grew up around muscle cars. The RS5 revving up to 8,500 is no joke though and it screams. Either way, I encourage a custom exhaust set up with an x-pipe. You'll be blown away by the sound. I can send a link to my S5's exhaust and it's certainly unique, angry and throaty, but smooth.

-DRIVE QUALITY - Driveability, in stock form, the S5 likely has the edge. But to get the most out of either car you want good aftermarket parts. This one is kind of washed. The S5 and RS5 don't handle much differently, at all. Maybe slightly due to the center differentials, but the RS5 is also slightly heavier though it has a newer Quattro system that is slightly superior. You'll want coil overs, the control arms you have, strut mounts, a rear sway bar (like 034's), and just some drive train mounts and you enhance the car so much, for either car. If you're keeping it stock, I think the S5 is a bit more forgiving.

-UPGRADABILITY/MODS - I've got basically every mod you can get for the V8 S5, and it shows. In straight line acceleration it's slightly faster than a stock RS5, and that's with me manually shifting. But... A modded RS5 will be way faster in a straight line, too. For handling/suspension, basically all the mods are the same. An S5 can be faster if you dump a LOT more into supercharging it, and that's not everyone's "thing." If you care more about straight-line speed than an all-around balanced car, this is where the RS5 will have the upper. Between the DSG and something like JHM's tune which just the tune ALONE bumps the power at the crank to over 500 HP, it's hard to say no to the RS5. RS5 parts are more though, for mods (except suspension which is shared with the S5). So it's a mixed bag.

-BIAS - Personally, I'd say I'm relatively unbiased. I appreciate them both as they are. If we got the B8 RS5, I'd probably have gotten it and skipped a manual transmission. If we got the B8.5 RS5 with a manual transmission, I'd probably have bought that too. But considering I like the older styling a bit more AND wanted manual, I chose to be slower and mod-up. I strongly considered RS5 engine swapping my V8 S5, and also have strongly considered MANY times over the course of three and a half years upgrading to an RS5 but I never did. Basically, I'll put it this way: If you prioritize 3-pedals over almost everything else, keep the S5. If you prioritize straight line acceleration over 3-pedals, upgrade to an RS5.

[Mrads]

Do it if money isn't an issue.

You won't miss the manual. Try to get the sport exhaust if you can and if you wouldn't be planning on replacing it with an after market exhaust in the short-term. Yes, I have a bias toward the RS. The wide body alone makes me . Contrary to what the other poster said, compared stock to stock, the RS is a marginally better handling car.

I have owned a B8 S5 and currently have both a modded B8.5 S5 and JHM tuned RS5. The S5 was my daily driver but with Covid-19 and only going to the office a few days a week, I hardly drive the S5. The RS5 is my go-to car when I want to have a ton of fun. Dynamic+Manual mode, exhaust valves open and 8500+ redline put a goofy grin on my face all the time.

Parts are more expensive due to the rarity of the car and the model specific parts.

A couple of relatively inexpensive mods (AK, CR-15, driveline inserts, to name a few) + the JHM Stage 2 tune transforms the car. The sky's limit after that. You can dump a ton of cash on some of the exotic exhaust systems alone.

Oh, and you can supercharged the RS5. Me, and many others, are waiting for the JHM supercharger. I would rather supercharge a platform like the a RS5 vs a B8 S5.

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[Dogger]

I test drove a manual S5 and had to say it wasn't the kind of gearbox that made me feel like I really wanted the car in a manual. At the time I was also looking at Porsche 997's so it made me biased. I always paddle shift my RS5 and have no complaints about DSG.

I started out shopping for B8.5 S5's in the mid 20's and ended up buying a RS5 lol. So glad I did.

[RVJ]

To each their own...both great cars in their own way. I actually was going to buy the RS5 but ended up going with the S5 specifically for the MT. It’s a great car and once I modded it, it’s a fantastic car. Having said that, my next car will probably be the B9.5 RS5 since manual is no longer an option.

I really don’t think that you’ll be disappointed whichever way you go.

Good luck and once you choose, enjoy and don’t look back!


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[spa]

I am a manual car guy my whole life, RS5 is first dual clutch car, I too thought I would miss manual driving. fwiw I drive paddles/manual mode 100% of the time as I just like that control of shifting when I want or feel the need too. I still feel I am driving a manual car but with a robot working the clutches for me, I absolutely love it... way more than I thought I would.

[Leedaar]

+1 on the RS5, coming from a B8 S5, it doesn’t come close. Skip the sports exhaust and head straight to after market, the blip downshift and roaring redline is enough. I had an AP1 S2k, one of the best manual cars... I do miss the 6 speed at times, but DSG is a different type of enjoyment.

[boneyxy]

oh boy! I have a lot to think about. I had a feeling while writing this post that there will be an overwhelming support for the RS5.

Dynamic+Manual mode, exhaust valves open and 8500+ redline put a goofy grin on my face all the time.

This is probably the biggest attraction of the RS5 and what I'm excited about, but its disheartening to know that its the only of the few things to be excited about. and the wing that comes up lol. I was expecting the RS5 to have significantly better driving dynamics but that doesn't seem to be the case.

If you prioritize 3-pedals over almost everything else, keep the S5. If you prioritize straight line acceleration over 3-pedals, upgrade to an RS5.

And this is what makes this decision so hard. I really do. I feel like I can enjoy a stick more often than a higher-revving engine with dual clutch.

While yes it's a little mushy and "fade" one might call it from the factory, there are several mods you can do here if you're willing, to make it something truly special.

Thanks for this. I wasn't aware that the transmission could be upgraded to have a better feel. That is my biggest complain with this car, I almost always have a hard time shifting at that higher 5.5k-7k rpm range. The way you described it, the mechanical click feeling of shifting through the gears made me giggle with joy. So much so that I reached out to JHM today and got a quote on doing ALL of the transmission upgrades you have as well as the engine mounts I need. I was pleasantly surprised with the reasonable quote.
I checked out your you tube channel for some exhaust ideas. love your ride!!

While yes I can afford to spend about 25 grand on top of the value of my S5 to get in on a RS5, from my estimate, the mods for S5 which include (engine mount, transmission, clutch, short sfhiter and linkage, lightweight flywheel, aftermarket shift knob, exhaust, wrap job, some minor paint job for bumpers), will set me back around 10-11k. and I already love my car, minus the paint, exhaust and transmission quality. I'm not sure if the extra $$ will justify the fun factor of the RS5. I know its up to me to judge that.
On the other hand, the used RS5s I'm looking at all have between 30-40k miles on them, while my car is sitting at 94k. So A lot of maintainence that is coming on the S5 with its age would be avoided for a some time on the RS5. and there is always that excitement of a new car.

The RS5s rims are alright, something I would want to upgrade. The S5's twin spoke wheels are ooofff. I can think of a few wheels I would want to replace them with.

Well, I'll try to make up my mind about this. Fortunately my work's pretty busy at the moment so I wont rush into a decision.

Thanks everyone, for you input on this. Your suggestions definitely gave me better parameters to process this.

[boneyxy]

I had an AP1 S2k, one of the best manual cars... I do miss the 6 speed at times, but DSG is a different type of enjoyment.

+1 on the S2k :P
I can't tell how many times I've thought of replacing my miata with a S2k, but those things have become so rare and somewhat expensive for what they are.

[doug97gxe]

NO

[flyfishing]

supercharge your car instead