Still shopping...

A6 All/ S6 All
#24

Im with you on the switches and the little buttons with visible ware. I cant stand that.

Good for you. As always post pics everyone loves pics.

As for the scan tool. Vag com has a huge lock on the market with a inside relationship with someone at VW AG as its been explained. So its going to be hard to find or beat all the abilitys of the Vag com tool.

The other tools are ok for reading and checking clearing codes etc but they dont tend to give you in depth information like vag com will. So depending on what your looking for the extra money for vag com might be worth it.

#25

Pics coming… I gotta figure out how to make my phone not take 8mb pics :slight_smile: Dam Lumia’s.

#26

Suck it up and buy VAG-COM, best thing you’ll ever do with any Audi let alone an S6! Likewise, hit the list of recommended minimum maintenance items, chump change to eliminate much frustration.
Keep a spare CR2032 in the house as well as your glovebox. They don’t last long - maybe six months.

Instead of buying new tires, search your local Craigslist and find a set of C7 20" wheel with tires. Likely you’ll find a set of takeoffs for $1k - wheel and tire upgrade for the price of a set of tires.

Check out the Audiworld classifieds for a vendor selling the upgraded silver start button - takes all of 1 minute to fit. The rest of the switchgear shouldn’t be too bad, otherwise there’s fleabay. Equally, good for replacement badges.

3M has a great kit to refurbish headlights - best to remove them to do it - might as well while you’re replacing the air filters with K&N.

Carbon trim is silly $$$ to replace and rare used - maybe someone’s got a DIY fix?

And don’t forget to enjoy - they’re just awesome.

#27

^^ great tips, thanks :slight_smile:

Pulled the codes… Bad airbag sensor drivers side, coolant pump error A/C system, no connection to either the AMI or the CD changer/TV tuner(?? wut), TPMS unable to connect.

It’s been sitting in the driveway since Sunday night and there’s a quarter size oil puddle. Haven’t had time to register it or really look at it honestly - seems to drive ok. No CEL, so that’s good…

Probably reg it tomorrow

To do list for the weekend;
Break out the headlight polishing kit
buy new tires and probably TPMS
maybe pull out the resonators and install straightpipe and x pipe.
Wash it!!

#28

Had similar situation with oil leak from my car after I bought it. Ended up being an engine out service to replace almost all (if not all) of the gaskets. I have the service sheet, but you get the gist… Maybe not a big deal. But I don’t really know since I’m a bit new to this and have recently had a bunch of gaskets replaced.

#29

Quarter size isnt bad but if the belly pan is on it could be worse. The biggest issue is the oil cooler that is located just on the passenger side of the block. If you get these cars a good thrashing and they dont have a good PCV unit and top mount oil seperator it looks like it tends to overwhelm the oil cooler seals.

The best case is that its the valve cover gaskets as that is a normal maintantence thing. If the oil spot is almost right in front and center then that can be the oil filter o rings and thats not too bad to change and its something your probably going to be looking at soon anyway if you pull the intake manifold to check to see if the flap is broken and if the car needs a carbon clean.

#30

…Apparently The car has a new intake assembly 3140miles ago along with valve cover gaskets on this receipt I found. No line items for labor - so NFI if it was carbon cleaned (doubt it).

Is there a spot anywhere for a catch can? With all the issues with the separator, I almost want to just bypass it and use a catch can. Bellypan wont come off until I can get it on a lift at my dad’s shop…

#31

not to hijack (still waiting on pics compugeek! ;D)

but i found an S6 listed for super cheap on autotrader. 160k miles. owner is light on maintenance details, but is going to get me some pics of the interior and odo. assuming PPI checks out, is there anything really bad that could happen? the car runs - figure it will be due for a carbon clean, injectors/coils/etc.

#32

If your getting a PPI ask them to check the compression and post the numbers here. dont accept just them telling you the numbers are all within a percentage ask them for the actual compression numbers. That will give you a good idea on the motor.

Your in the right direction with the maintanence injectors coils gaskets the JHM intake spacers are all good starting points.

If you can have them prove the car passes readyniess and get any codes if they have any. Feel free to post them here. We can tell you what that means.

#33

Ug - I’m finding so many little things with this car… I know you guys know what I’m talking about.

Current big issue; smartkey is acting dumb. Have to get a replacement ASAP. There’s an unplanned $300 bite outta the cash stack. : / EDIT $197.36 NIOCE!!

18 current faults. Everything from “coolant pump” to a non- working AMI and CD changer to front airbag sensor to battery coding faults. I’m assuming it’s gonna be interesting chasing all of them down - thankfully NO engine codes, full readiness test…

back seat has water damage on the leather I didn’t notice. Seems like every carbon trim panel has a crack in em somewhere, the tie rod ends are in desperate need of replacement (do I need to do the inners at well?), front CV’s feel like they’re slightly binding during tight turns, wheels look like crap, there’s 4 tires on the car, but no two are the same - 3 of them are 245/35’s of diff manufacture the 4th is 264/35 - who does that? Headlight washer cover is missing, chrome is starting to bubble on front grill, back seat warmer switch wheel is pushed in/broken. on and on and on, nickel by nickel.

But - the good is, no misfires, no codes relating to engine or trans. All the current issues with the car are either cosmetic or annoying. With the exception of the possible oil leak…

Pictures…I need to figure out how to take pictures with my phone NOT at 22mpixels. rofl

http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/690538049.jpg
All the pics I’ve taken are way over the size limit…

#34

Godspeed. The silver lining to that cloud is rather bright. No engine issues is a definite win.

#35

That’s what I focused on, that’s what I got. I’m certain I could’ve gotten a similar good deal on a cosmetically better S6…Hopefully once I get the annoying stuff I’ll start the love-in. Right now, I’m rather “meh”

FYI - the S6 for sale at Audi in OKC has a tune and supersprint catback.
https://www.audioklahomacity.com/used/Audi/2008-Audi-S6-9cfc6fe50a0e0ae717548d63e75e5236.htm

I’m sure they’ll drop even lower. It’s well sorted honestly; had an engine and trans replacement an owner ago, originally a SoCal car serviced by SantaMonica Audi, and by the music selection an Indian Doctor that relocated to OKC as the second owner. It sounded good, drove very well, had poor quality paint (scratches on hood and trunk), most switches inside were in excellent condition. I didn’t pick it up as it has a lemonlaw buyback on the title making it a no go for my credit union.

#36

Seems like a good one but makes sense on the buy back lol. The price is nice too. sucks on the buyback but makes sense considering the potential maintenance costs lol

#37

[QUOTE]sucks on the buyback but makes sense considering the potential maintenance costs lol
[/quote]
well, I was thinking either a) it was a gem in the rough since 48,000miles were put on the car since the engine replacement under warranty (that triggered the lemon law buyback), or b) it was an eternal nightmare moneypit. There would be no in between on this particular car.

The fact that it is tuned with an exhaust kindof suggests the former. I’m somewhat sad I didn’t get this one. The suspension was fresh-ish (certainly compared to the car I bought), it shifted well, sounded fantastic, no error codes…

IMO it’s a great buy on a C6. That title will most definitely hurt resale if the C6S6 ever obtains “classic” status

#38

well, I was thinking either a) it was a gem in the rough since 48,000miles were put on the car since the engine replacement under warranty (that triggered the lemon law buyback), or b) it was an eternal nightmare moneypit. There would be no in between on this particular car.

The fact that it is tuned with an exhaust kindof suggests the former. I’m somewhat sad I didn’t get this one. The suspension was fresh-ish (certainly compared to the car I bought), it shifted well, sounded fantastic, no error codes…

IMO it’s a great buy on a C6. That title will most definitely hurt resale if the C6S6 ever obtains “classic” status
[/quote]
Yeah hopefully someone gets a good deal and saves/revives it

#39

Meyle HD front control arm complete set ordered
Clear lenses and new HID’s ordered (black Friday retrofitsource!)
Alzor wheels ordered
tires ordered
Full interior, footwells, puddle and plate light LED’s ordered
hood and truck struts ordered

Pending;
JHM Tune +cable
JHM Catback
JHM LW front rotors

Weekend to-do;
pull bellypan to find oil leak
oil change
Xpipe and straightpipe the stock exhaust.

#40

awww - can’t edit posts…

JHM Tune ordered. fsckit :slight_smile:

#41

Whelp, went up on the lift today - not good news.

Whole bottom of the engine was soaked. Took 'er on a 250mile trip to my parents house (ballsey, right?) and there was a big puddle under the car this morning. Easily half a quart. Was really spread out though cos of the bellypan. Many many shop towels later, I’m pretty sure it’s from the front of the engine - sides and back seem dry. Mechanic put some UV dye in the oil and I guess we’ll see where its coming from next Saturday.

If it is in the front, I guess I’ll take advantage of all the stuff that can be done while the front end is in the service position :slight_smile:

Oil was gross. I’d been avoiding even looking at the dipstick cos I’m pretty sure none of the service that he said he’d done (brakes, oil and filters), hasn’t been done. : /

#42

Thats a big transformtion list. Great mods. Let us know on the JHM exhaust they are a made to order thing like I mentioned.

Also editing privlages are right around the corner. 150 and you can edit and give karma points

#43

Thats tough. The hidden giant on these cars is making sure the gaskets are good.

The oil filter seal is usually the fist to check and replace due to being part of the check for carbon check for intake manifold and install JHM intake spacers. That leak tends to be right in the front of the motor.

The other two big ones are the lower oil pan that tends to leak only after you put in a new oil seperator and then there is the oil cooler O ring on that distrabution block on the side of the motor. That is a PINA to get to and change. If your doing the lower oil pan gasket that is one to change. Add to that the fun job of the valve cover gaskets and trying to replace the oil drain line on the oil seperator its a bit of work.