Newbie Help for an A6

[br8knrun]

Hello All,


I'm thinking of purchasing an '04 A6 (S-type or S-line, I think) 2.7T with 99K miles. But, I'm kind of hesitant because the owner stated the there's a "small" leak in one of the turbos from the oil feed. I don't know how much he's been driving it with the leak. Plus, a guy I know says that '04s a problem childs so to speak and that S-Type/Line weren't made that year. I apologize for being a newbie and if I posted in the wrong section. Thanks in advance!!

[4rings2turbos]

Howdy! You'd love the car if you buy it. 99k I good mileage and it's a nice executive sedan.

First and best question is: will you be wrenching yourself and are you okay with about $200/mo in maintenance and upkeep? If you're okay with that then pretty anything that car will throw at you you'll be able to handle.

It is an S-line and '04 I the only year the C5 was offered with an S-line.

At that mileage the timing belt needs to be done if it hasn't been. If you can wrench it's easy to do in a weekend with about $300 I parts and about $50 for the cam bar and crank pin (don't try without it).

An oil feed leak isn't a good thing and can be bad if it's a big leak. But unless he's POSITIVE it's the oil feed I'd consider that the cam plugs, cam chain tensioner on the passenger side or the back of the valve cover gaskets are leaking down onto the turbo hardware. These engines are pretty leaky and all the seals on the heads are real suspect.

Feel free to ask any more questions. If you have any more details or pictures we can probably give some more pointers.

[frankwizzle]

Don't listen to that guy (that said 04s are problem child's), he doesn't know what he's talking about. The s line was only available in '04. It is a little more reliable as they have an updated torque converter seal, a very common and expensive issue with these cars. Some non s line models from late 04 also have the updated TC seal, you'd have to check the vin.
A slight leak in the turbo means it's on its way out. Either the oil seal is bad or the oil feed line is leaking which will lead to oil starvation and turbo failure. So unless your ready to spend a few grand to swap/upgrade the turbos, you may want to move on.

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[br8knrun]

Thank you both for your replies!! A lot quicker than the other sites . I'm kind of a weekend "wrencher" so to speak. Also, the check engine light is on and the owner stated that it was "only" the o2 sensor . He's also asking $2300 for it. I want the car and it's pretty clean.

[4rings2turbos]

That's pretty much a no brainer... if you have some money in the bank and a backup car if the turbo does go out then you'd do just fine picking it up. You can get fresh K03s for dirt and if you can wrench then pulling a motor and putting in K03s yourself won't cost too much.

[Arsenal2012]

Thank you both for your replies!! A lot quicker than the other sites . I'm kind of a weekend "wrencher" so to speak. Also, the check engine light is on and the owner stated that it was "only" the o2 sensor . He's also asking $2300 for it. I want the car and it's pretty clean.

Dude 2300? Is it manual? If you pass hit me up I am interested at that price!

Sorry I cant help I am not familiar with the model or turbos.

[4rings2turbos]

No manual trans after 02 with the sedan and no manual S-line (so sad)

[a4kamila6]

No manual trans after 02 with the sedan and no manual S-line (so sad)

I had a chance to buy a black a6 c5 s-line sedan, not avant. didnt buy because it was automatic. car was hot. sure, you can do a swap, but that wasnt in my plans.

i elected to go for the 2000 a6 because of the factory 01e, despite the 158k


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[4rings2turbos]

Facelift has its benefits for sure. But I can't see spending $3k for something I could find factory for 'free'. Just had to be patient when I bought my allroad.

No S-line Avant ever but that would have looked cool. Narrow body 2.7T with those wheels and hatch spoiler. Mmm.

[a4kamila6]

Oh wait, my mistake. I could have bought a saloon S6, thats what i meant. Usually the S6's are avants. I got the s-line confused with the s6 sedan.


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[4rings2turbos]

I'm confused now, you mean C4? C5 S6 never came to the US in Sedan.

[a4kamila6]

It may have been imported, that I do not know, but online, when i was looking for my c5, i stumbled upon a black, i believe 2004, S6 C5 in NY. The reason i remember the car is because every other S6 i saw was an avant, and this one was a saloon, or sedan. The car also had those big 19 inch RS6 wheels. Not sure if they are 19's but they were those sought after rims that many people get reps of because they cant find or afford the real ones. The catch was the car was an automatic. I believe it was the 2.7t engine with the automatic. Maybe the 4.2, I dont remember, so I cant say which motor exactly but I remember clear as day it was a black, automatic, saloon S6.

Should have bought it just to show yall!

It wasnt a fake because I paid like 3 bucks for a vin number search, car came back as a S6, not a rebadged A6.

Ill try to find another one for you man. It was the real deal.


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[4rings2turbos]

Hmm, that's crazy! I believe you for sure, but it's still a bit sketch. Would have been cool to own for sure!

Engine aside though, it's so nice to row them yourself, right?

[a4kamila6]

You mean the manual gearbox? Well to be honest with you man, I am just learning to drive a manual car properly. I learned to drive with my automatic b5. I have the general concept down, finding the gears is no problem. For me right now, figuring out the clutch pick up point and rev matching has been challenging. I literally drive like a grandma who just learned to drive when im in the a6. Not going to sit here and say I am the master of the stick shift. Not just yet.

And I just looked online and you are correct, seems like the only S6's that were sedans were made for the euro market. The one I saw must have been imported at some point.


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[4rings2turbos]

We've all been there! My first manual car (aside from a GTI I had for a few months like 8 or 9 years ago) was my current allroad. I could drive manual for years but I too wasn't very good at it. Had trouble matching up downshifts. But after 3 years I'm pretty good. Can shift crisply and quickly, rev match downshift, launch. Still have trouble with deciding what gear if I'm at higher speeds and I want to suddenly take off. But the situation comes up so infrequently that I might never get that down pat.

[R490]

You mean the manual gearbox? Well to be honest with you man, I am just learning to drive a manual car properly. I learned to drive with my automatic b5. I have the general concept down, finding the gears is no problem. For me right now, figuring out the clutch pick up point and rev matching has been challenging. I literally drive like a grandma who just learned to drive when im in the a6. Not going to sit here and say I am the master of the stick shift. Not just yet.

And I just looked online and you are correct, seems like the only S6's that were sedans were made for the euro market. The one I saw must have been imported at some point.


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I learned how to drive on a manual car, but still haven't mastered it yet. The clutch on these cars is really strange, I could shift much smoother with my old A4. The throws are also MASSIVEEEEEEEEEE with the 01e.

[4rings2turbos]

Agree with you there^ but I do find that I like the 'action' on it. Just a little notchy and the spacing is nice. Good box to be confident with.

Anyone here driven a Porsche 914? The most hopeless gearbox ever haha. It's like playing Plinko finding the right gear.

[R490]

I've personally never driven a 914, but I'd love to have one some day. The later generation 911 SCs were also notoriously "interesting" to shift. You'd have to let the synchos rev up, too fast and you'd grind it.

I'm a bit of a Porsche nerd, but have no time or space for one at the moment.

[4rings2turbos]

I have a huge soft spot for Porsches. A member on here with a B5S4 is coming over to use my garage at some point this winter. He has a 964 turbo and has offered to let me drive it :O

[Royal769sr]

No manual trans after 02 with the sedan and no manual S-line (so sad)

I have an 03 with manual 6 speed

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[4rings2turbos]

Is it early 03? I'm curious. Maybe 03s did come with manual. Would you wanna give me your VIN so I can check the build date in Elsa?

[Royal769sr]

Sure. Wauld54b73n006893

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[Royal769sr]

Let me know

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[frankwizzle]

Is it early 03? I'm curious. Maybe 03s did come with manual. Would you wanna give me your VIN so I can check the build date in Elsa?

There were 2004 manuals too. The cool thing about the manual BELs is that they use the old-style turbos/DPs so ko4s/k24s/etc designed for the b5s4 bolt right up

[Royal769sr]

Not true

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[Royal769sr]

BEL you Have to change DPs. To fit the early style turbos

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[Royal769sr]

I know because I have removed mine and gone stage 3 oem rs6 turbos.

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[a4kamila6]

APB engines had i believe the oval shaped down pipe flanges while the BEL engines had round or circular shaped down pipe flanges. It could be the other way around, but i know thats the difference, one is round, the other is more elliptical or egg shaped.


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[4rings2turbos]

All manual engines had APB flanges.

A6 sedan was really offered with manual trans in 03 and 04??

[Royal769sr]

Okay. I just went and looked and it does seem that they are the same.
Weird you would know they all have the same flanges but didn't know they had 03 04 manuals

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[Royal769sr]

I think I remember going through this before. I bought some DPs from an s4 thinking they would work but reading the forums I thought they wouldn't fit. Then I just decided to go with the RS6s and would need new DPs anyway.

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[Arsenal2012]

All I want to know is what happened to the OP lol

[Royal769sr]

Lol

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[CAL4.2]

First and best question is: will you be wrenching yourself and are you okay with about $200/mo in maintenance and upkeep? If you're okay with that then pretty anything that car will throw at you you'll be able to handle.

Funny you mention it. I'm averaging $193 a month in maintenance/repairs after 2 years of C5 ownership which includes a mix of DIY and Indy Shop wrenching.