Trader Dreamer: Audi RS6 Avant

So how about this, a regular feature.. I spend an un-healthy amount of time looking at Auto Trader and the like, ogling things I’m unlikely to buy any time soon, so why not put it to some use?

We’ll kick off with something a bit ridiculous, the C5 Audi RS6. I have a huge soft spot for RS Avants, and I’ve found one for a very reasonable £10,995, indicating to me that the prices of this once £58k car may have hit the bottom, with RS2’s and B5 RS4’s still fetching around £12k, this car might not have much more to loose. 

 Picture from CarSpy

For your £10,999 you’ll be propelled to 60 miles per hour in around 4 and a half to 5 seconds, reaching 100 in around 11. The top speed as you will expect is limited to 155, though without that limiter the car is said to be able to hit nearly 190mph, so you won’t be wanting for anything on the motorway. At 1840kg you might think it will be a thoroughly disappointing steer like the B5 RS4 for example, but in the suspension you’ll find a clever ‘Dynamic Ride Control’ system which uses interconnected fluid chambers between the Front Right and Rear Left and vice versa to keep the car flat and stable. While the steering isn’t the most feel-some, true to form for a VW Group car, the fat 19” alloys and Quattro system create massive levels of grip, you’d have to be really hooning it to start slipping on a public road. Yes it won’t be particularly involving in the twisty stuff, but it will still be very quick.

It also has enough space fit a fridge in the back, and you’ll look good while you do it. That’s because the C5 A6 has aged rather well, to my eyes at least; you won’t look particularly out-dated parked next to an S5 for example. This extends to the interior you’ll sit in, it’s got all the kit you could want for. Buying a later model brings you the RNS-E navigation that adorns the new RS3 in a very similar form, and what’s also similar is the Nurburgring lap time, both the C5 RS6 and the RS3 lap at 8.20. If you happen to have bought a RS3 and have seen the shaming it’s got in motor magazines, perhaps you should sell it for a £5-8k profit, buy a decent RS6 and keep your £30,000.

When I say keep the £30k I mean it, because you’ll need it for the RS6’s maintenance. A real world 19mpg will attack your wallet, and with 444bhp you didn’t expect anything less than insurance group 20 did you? Tyres will last you about 15,000 miles and set you back £800 when they need replacing. Basic service costs aren’t cheap either, but when something goes wrong, stuff gets really expensive. That clever ‘Dynamic Ride Control’ is prone to failure, costing in excess of £1,000 per corner to repair, meaning many owners have simply chucked it and fitted coilovers. Cambelt change will come around every 40k miles bringing with it a dent to your bank balance between £1,000 and £2,000. The brakes will need looking after regularly too, costing nearly £1,000 for pads and discs all-round.

This is the reality of running a super saloon, but for that money you’ll get supercar rivaling performance. Yes an E39 M5 can be had for cheaper and drives better, yes the E55AMG can match or beat it in nearly every area, but despite this the Audi somehow presents itself as the sophisticated choice, its reeks of class inside and out, and its position as the outside choice makes it all the more interesting. If you are currently selling your RS3 or winning the lottery, here’s a choice of Mugello blue and one Daytona Grey RS6 Avants, proving you don’t need a bright colour to make your car look fast.

Here's some I found:

This one from a private seller on Pistonheads, comes in at the headline £10,995 figure, be cautious though, the relatively high miles and brief description don’t exactly inspire confidence.

The next one comes in at a rather higher £17,995, though it does have half the mileage, and is being sold by a dealer. Being a 54 plate it comes with the later and vastly improved sat nav. The previous owner has made a few modifications including the removal of the troublesome DRC and a remap to 540bhp, it’ll be monumentally quick but remaps can put more strain on the gearbox, which can fail at random and cost you a lot of money.

Another pistonheads private seller, despite the use of CAPS LOCK, has a seemingly well looked after car for £16,000. Again it has coilovers and has also had its brakes and tyres recently renewed.

Specs

0-60 4.7 seconds

0-100 11.8 seconds

Top Speed 155mph

Power 444bhp @5700rpm

Torque 413lb ft @1950-5600rpm

Weight 1865kg
Insurance Group 20
MPG 19.3

Warrenty Direct Reliability Index 150

How many left 889 excluding RS6 Plus (2)