Shocking Audi RS6 maintenance costs

You might be surprised to learn how much it costs to run a 2013 RS6. It was certainly more than I expected! The Audi RS6 has now depreciated enough to make it tempting purchase. It's an insane car, but the maintenance is also wild. In this video I'll breakdown everything that went wrong with the car in my first year, and how much I spent.

[billlang]

Your advice regarding a reliable independent garage is spot on. My previous A6 3.0tdi was serviced by Audi and I was very disappointed with the standard of workmanship. While I would have loved the RS6 Avant, I opted for a late 2017 S6 Avant 4.0tt as I was concerned about the turbos on earlier models. I get the oil changed every 7.5k by a local garage who use Quantum Cube 5w30. Only problem I've had is an error code for bank 1 running lean.

[alex_oneill_]

I’d say half that bill was because it was tuned so many times and ragged around. 16 flashes on the ecu counter tells me it was a development car previously

[crowster]

Hi Paul, thanks for the detailed information that your video contains. I’ve been an avid performance car enthusiast myself since just before the turn of the century. Sadly however I’ve had a 9 year hiatus with long term health problems and haven’t worked since 2014. Fortunately my circumstances have recently been resolved and once again I can follow my passion ! Between 1999 & 2014 I owned the massive total of 3 cars. My first a 1998 12 month old UK Honda Integra type R which was part ex’d after only a year for a Subaru Impreza 2000AWD Turbo. This stayed with me until 2005 when I bought another Impreza, a WRX PPP wagon that I kept all the way to 2014. I mention these after seeing some of your other videos on here. I’ve been watching the RS6 C7 since launch and obviously over the years have seen their value decrease to a level where they are now in the realms of possibility with having a half decent income again. I’ve currently been driving my partner’s 2021 Audi A3 40 TFSI e plug in hybrid which has enhanced my desire for the RS6. Your video hasn’t put me off a purchase, but has opened my eyes somewhat ! I’m unsure if you still have the vehicle and if so I’d be really interested in knowing what you’ve had to spend in the year since the footage was uploaded ? I’d also like to ask you what was the mileage of the car when you purchased it, how many miles had you done when you made the film, and what is on the clock now ? It’s quite clear that you hold the RS6 in a special place ( irrespective of the issues with your own model ) and actually give great advice in what to look for and what to be prepared for ! Apologies for the essay, but like yourself I do like to paint a full picture and explain as best I can those things that really captivate me ! Thanks Ian.

[markramsay]

Nice and detailed video indeed. I had a 2017 C7 RS6 from 2015 (so about two years old) until 2022 this year. Did 140, 000 miles in the car and loved it. It was fully loaded with everything and got rid as some of the toys were failing (mostly suspension related). I think AT LEAST 25k over the life time of the car in service etc. I the car for 24K a few months ago and no doubt who purchased it thought what a bargain. But in my life time . 5 sets of tyres, four sets of pads and discs all around, five oil changes, two plug changes etc etc. The car is amazing and I miss it loads, but it eats money. And not even mentioned the 99Ron fuel costs. Now got a sensible RS5 (Ha !) / Mark

[Surfer_Jay]

You sir have purchased a lemon!
I have owned my RS6 from new since 2018 & have spent less than 10% of what you have spent in your first year!
My condolences…

[felixf]

Thank you for the video. Found it very interesting. As a contrast, just had a first 60K service done on my Evolution IX. I'm its original owner. Replaced the belts, pulleys, water pump, etc...as well as a complete fluid flush - two diffs, a transfer case and the trans. Brake fluid, too. We also replaced a few sundry parts that were showing wear. This was done in a specialty high-performance shop. Total cost, about $2100. I love Audi and have an emotional bond to the brand. Would never own one these days, however, due to everything described in the video. As opposed to going through 6 sets of tires and 4 sets of pads in ~60K miles without needing a single repair.

[dejanstamec]

Thank you man for this, I guess "the most honest" review on an RS6 C7 I've ever seen!
Still as you said, worthy to repair, because its an awesome machine, an all rounder and a real dream car!!

[jyeeeee]

Great video. I have a 2008 Lexus RX400h. Owned for 8 years. My maintenance costs so far have been an oil and filter change every year.

[adogmcdizzle]

I knew these were expensive to run but that is an eye watering amount. I suspect quite a few of these items should be caught in a pre-purchase inspection as they were clearly there before you picked up the car. However I have always avoided Audi to due reliability concerns, despite loving the look of the RS6.

A warranty in this case would pay for itself many times over.

[cajennings]

Brilliantly honest video. It's always been my dream car, but this has made me realise (a bit more!) that I'm still not wealthy enough to own one 😪. Thanks for making this 👍👍

[simonelliott]

Boy you’ve had a time of it! I’m on my second C7 RS6 and I’ve seen every problem you have had over the course of the last 70000 miles or so in both and between both cars. However a few things to consider.

The oil strainer, was done under a recall, and many people had them do PCV valve at the same time.

The rest of the items that you mention are pretty much all things that need to be checked when you buy the car, Fuels pumps can easily be checked, open the oil filler cap and see if you can smell petrol, if you can, then it’s likely the fuel pumps need replacing. Definitely the hose that you mention at the back there, that happened with my first car and that can be expensive to replace if it goes all the way through. It really does only mean that you need to move a clip slightly to get it right however, the replacement part has more clearance.

That said much of what you’re talking about here could’ve been covered by warranty, both my cars have had Audi extended warranties and that cost me about £1100 a year in the first year that has dropped to less than £1000. the second year and third year respectively, during that time they’ve done the fuel pumps, they’ve done the suspension levelling arm, I also had a wishbone as bushes were a problem, complete, realignment and fuel pumps, obviously they also had to do oil and filter at the same time, I’ve got them to do plugs too, as I didn’t want to chance it. I’ve also had the same with the O2 sensor, and again this was replaced under warranty by Audi. The excess on the warranty is £250, so unless you do a really big one, save up the little ones for one visit! That said, once you’ve got on top of these things, these cars are generally really good, but I would definitely say get yourself a warranty. It saves a lot of heartache and wallet ache at the same time!

It sounds like you are very unlucky with the brakes, but nevertheless they can warp my front set on my last. RS6 did just that within about 4000 miles of me having it, when I looked into it, Audi had not long replaced them under warranty for the previous owner of a kind enough to do the same for me. It’s really easy to hammer Audi main dealers, as they don’t always do things as you want them to, however, if you find a good one and someone is prepared to take you seriously on the basis that you own a performance car, not a run-of-the-mill Audi, then you generally get some good service. That said anything that I did to the car that was routine wear and tear replacement that wasn’t covered by warranty I would do through an independent.

Don’t let this put you off buying one, and it’s not a mileage thing either because the fuel pumps can be a problem on the cars with low mileage, depending on when they were built and how little use they have had, as it appears that this can be down to the quality of the petrol you put into it and it sitting around eating through the seals in these fuel pumps.

Once you’ve got on top of these things, you’ll find they are exceptionally rewarding cars, and there’s nothing better for both performance and practicality, especially not on the price, not sure what I’m going to do when this one needs replacing, as I really don’t like the C8!

[KURGAN]

I have a 65 plate A6 Ultra Black Edition. I am seriously considering the RS6 C7 for my next car? I think we all agree you were very unlucky with this beauty! I have had ZERO trouble with mine and I still enjoy driving it everyday. Great vid and very informative.
P.S. I nearly choked on my Digestive when I saw that CD and heard your comment 🤣

[mrkiplingreallywasanexceed]

I worked for VAG for 19 years till 2013 so it's been a while but when you started pointing things out, not even initially noticing your private registration number, I thought that looks like a 2019 car. Because there were no clues on the car and you didn't mention it, I went into the description and was really surprised to see 2013. I notice it's been about two years since this got put up, but since in the clip you mention owning it about a year, presumably you got it in 2020. Anyway, it still looks great - Audi for years (basically from the mid Nineties when the A4 replaced the 80) have unquestionably led the pack for looks and design - I also think build quality, although interesting to see just how many tiny plastic parts there are on it which you just won't find on an Eighties Aston!

Tbh, it made me wince a bit since I think my decades will be looked on with fondness as the ultimate build quality, in the manner that Mercedes' was the Eighties. Perhaps that's slightly unfair and I might better have described increased complication, rather than decreases in build quality. Certainly the amount of electronics now means it feels inconceivable that your RS6 can be kept going at all til 2053 - whereas there are many of the (ur) Quattro cars still going - a mate of mine has a 1989 20V, but there are also earlier ones that have gone by 40years old. Obviously the rally pedigree made it an instant classic and perhaps even more than that, the commercial success it granted Audi - and a sacred USP which enabled Audi to sprinkle "Quattro fairy dust" on basically everything, means if course there's still a cult following for them. More recently, of course the RS versions became the halo models, with quattro becoming almost mundane. Certainly by the early mid 2000s you could get quattro everything, including 1.9TDI A3s and A4s! I just worry that all cars today are going to be next to impossible to preserve on the road as CANBUS wiring looms eventually crumble - where the hell would you get one in thirty more years' time? Not to mention touch screens and radar cruise control etc - those options sound almost like military hardware (although by the way, ironic I should mention that cos that's exactly how the ur-Quattro started!)

I would be interested to find out if you kept it another year - or perhaps two. You still have it? It sounds, if so, that you were confident subsequent years would be much kinder to the wallet. Incidentally was it an auction car? More probably a private sale but anyway it seemed that it had a fair few faults on it when you first acquired it, which obviously you wouldn't (or shouldn't!) have had from a reputable dealer (whether franchised Audi or otherwise..). In hindsight do you feel any savings made by the presumably lower price paid were retained, if somewhat eroded by the fault rectifying "journey" you described?

And you're not wrong, jees what tremendous things they are. I never tried one like yours but I did get a go in the V10 previous generation one which was astounding. Easily the most accelerative thing I experienced.

Anyway, brought back a few memories!🙂

[Mr.P]

Great honest review, highlighting possible problem points

[alex]

Everything about German cars driving well, but many of these luxe brands having major issues after 3~5 years, is kind of reinforced in this video. Great job. I couldn't handle all of the repairs, let alone the loss of peace of mind on longer road trips.. Keep up the great work

[potcommitted]

German Cars "If you can't afford one New, You can't afford one used". But it sure is fun while it lasts!

[hutchy]

Good to see you back with another video! Big performance cars tend to equal big bucks but the RS6 takes it to another level. Still it’s a car that few people will ever have or even drive. Excellent summary of the costs 👍

[colinmackintoshdale]

Brilliant video. I was close to buying and RS6 (and probably will still do so) but with a teardrop caravan on fields I went for the boring but still quick 320bhp A6 Allroad. Brilliant video though.

[LarsTheV]

I don't know how the market is in the UK, but below 35k pounds (40k euros) would be extremely inexpensive (can't really use the word 'cheap' with these prices). Where I live the cheapest RS6's from this generation, with a lot more miles/kms on it then this one are starting low 50k euros. For me it looks like the cost of the maintenance was already being reflected in the extremely low purchase price for this RS6, unless you guys in the UK are an extremely lucky bunch who get to buy an RS6 this inexpensive on the regular.

[mikealanzo]

Awesome review and vid! Thank you for the red flags, purchased a 2017 S8+ back in march of 2024 with just 21000 miles, don't know much about Audis and their engines, now I do thanks to your informative video! Thank you, best regards / Kean.