McBoost's C6 A6 3.0T Avant build topic

[Dan McBoost]

The topic is a big from the future, but I wanted to start where it did:

2021 - 07/24 - Bought home the A6 Avant from Chicago.

I wanted something with more room than the A8L but also more fun than the A8L. I was looking at a bunch of things, but tried finding an A6 avant with the supercharged v6 (which is quite the power plant). It seems that it is quickly becoming the newer audi engine that the old school 5 cylinder parts companies are switching to.

I found one in Syracuse, but it was more whipped than I wanted to get into. I could not find another with that engine within 500 miles and was onto looking for other wagons and even SUVs just for practicality. I asked a buddy about a Mercedes wagon that was on cars and bids. He asked me, what about A6 avants... lol. BUT he then sent me a link to one in chicago, over 700 miles away. I was not that interested in the color (quite silver) but once I called and got the VIN, then asked audi for the specs of the car I found out this was a past CPO car and was LOADED. A Prestige car with extra options.

This is a 2009, the first of only three years of the facelift cars. A total of 1066 over those three years with that engine in all of America.
Black and Ameretto interior
3.0t engine
Prestige package with a few extra options:
(3L4) Drivers side memory
(8EH) Bi-Xenon plus
(4L7) Auto-dimming interior mirror w/ compass
(8K9) LED daytime running lights
(6XM) Exterior mirrors w/ memory, heated, auto dimming, manual folding
(8Q3) Self-leveling headlights
(C1J) 18" wheels
(H6E) All season tires
(2C7) Power adjustable steering column
(8Q6) Adaptive headlights with cornering lights
(2ZS) 4-spoke leather multi-function steering wheel w/shift paddles
(8RY) BOSE sound system
(4K7) Audi advanced key
(9Q4) Trip computer color
(7Q2) DVD Navigation
(CD3) 18" wheels
(7RS) DVD NAR
(QH2) Voice Recognition
(7X9) Rearview camera
(PAW) Cold Weather Package
(4A4) Heated rear seats
(2ZM) Heated 4 spoke multi-function steering wheel
(7Y1) Audi side assist

Once I knew that, this was the ONLY one with all of these options for sale of all of the ones I ever saw while looking.

We (two buddies and I) drove the A8L out there Friday, stayed the night. Went to the dealer in the AM, looked it over in person, scanned it and everything was good. It needs a few parts and some paint to be where I want it, but it is a great candidate so the parts are flowing in already.

The exterior:


The interior:
Driver seat (great condition!):


Door and wood accents:


The roof, it is all ameretto and I love it:


Let the fixes and mods begin.


DONE/FIXED/BOUGHT

• 2021 - 07/24 - Bought home the A6 Avant from Chicago
  2021 - 07/25 - Ordered: New inner taillights (faded and cracking)
  2021 - 07/25 - Ordered: New driver side taillight (parking light does not work)
  2021 - 07/25 - Ordered: Replacement cargo floor (replacing the carpet damaged one)
  2021 - 07/25 - Ordered: New chrome aluminum shifter surround (pealing off)
  2021 - 07/25 - Ordered: Replacement seat heater control (for the one broken rear)
  2021 - 07/25 - Ordered: New denso coilpack set and plugs from FCP euro
  2021 - 07/25 - Ordered: New air filter and cabin filter
  2021 - 07/25 - Ordered: Clear front parking lenses and LED plate lamps from ECS tuning
  2021 - 07/25 - Ordered: Yellow fogs and yellow laminx
  2021 - 07/26 - Ordered: New visor clips (in black, ameretto is NLA) an extra key, floor mats and cargo mat from Burdick Audi
  2021 - 08/07 - Installed: New Key
  2021 - 08/07 - Fixed: Broken visor clips replaced with new (black as Ameretto is NLA)
  2021 - 08/08 - Mod: Installed the LED rear plate lamps
  2021 - 08/15 - Mod: Lamin-X yellow on the fog lights, as well as yellow bulbs installed.
  2021 - 08/15 - Fixed: Replaced the cargo floor that has some acid or such that ruined the carpet.
  2021 - 08/15 - * - Mod: Dropped it off to Salisbury to check it over and then ARP stage 2, pulleys and a few parts from parts cars.
  2021 - 08/16 - Ordered: Wheels (20X8.5 ET45), tires (245/30ZR-20) and coilovers (Ksport Kontrol Pro).
  2021 - 08/23 - Wheels (tires the other day) are in and getting mounted Saturday.
  2021 - 08/26 - Mod: Coilovers delivered to Salisbury
  2021 - 08/28 - Mod: Tires mounted at Tallmans
  2021 - 09/09 - Ordered: New start stop buttons (4F1905217EVUV)
  2021 - 09/10 - Ordered: Clean OEM S6 front grill
  2021 - 09/13 - Ordered: New plateless front filler
  2021 - 09/21 - * - Picked up the car from Salisbury. Stage 2 93 tune, dual SC pulleys and coilovers all installed. Also inspected
  2021 - 09/21 - Fixed: Replaced the outside driver taillight
  2021 - 09/22 - Fixed: Replaced both inner taillights
  2021 - 09/25 - Mod: The wheels are on! Woot!
  2021 - 09/27 - Ordered: NEW OEM S6 grill.
  2022 - 01/24 - Ordered: Roc Euro intake system
  2022 - 02/12 - Ordered: OEM safety triangle
  2022 - 02/13 - Ordered: OEM R8 coolant and oil caps
  2022 - 03/15 - Ordered: OEM undercover, and upgraded JHMotorsports heat exchanger
  2022 - 04/04 - Mod: Installed the rear triangle, R8 oil and coolant caps, but will need to disassemble the coolant cap to rotate the graphics
  2022 - 04/07 - Ordered: OEM coolant tank and power steering fluid
  2022 - 04/08 - Mod: Took apart the coolant cap and modded it to sit correctly.
  2022 - 04/09 - Fix: New key fob buttons, start/stop buttons, shifter surround, heated seat switch & hatch struts
  2022 - 04/26 - FIxed: Dropped off for the bumper paintwork and other bumper related stuff!
  2022 - 05/16 - Fixed: Picked up. Bumpers painted, grill swapped in, parking lights painted, heat exchanger and new undercover installed.
  2022 - 06/24 - Fixed: Salisbury replaced the water pump, thermostat, various hoses and o rings, did a walnut blast and replaced the SC oil.
  2022 - 07/14 - Mod: Installed the Roc-Euro intake
  2022 - 12/09 - Ordered - Side skirts and rear hatch spoiler from Europe.
  2022 - 01/07 - Bought 19" ET43 peelers for winter mode
  2022 - 01/10 - Bought 225/40R19 Nokian Hakks for the wheels above
  2023 - 01/30 - Mod - Side skirts and spoiler just came in and in perfect shape.
  2023 - 02/08 - Mod - Side skirts and eyelids painted.
  2023 - 03/08 - Ordered: an R8 power steering lid was ordered
  2023 - 03/21 - Mod: Installed the R8 power steering cap
  2023 - 04/29 - Mod: Installed the repainted gloss black cluster surround
  2023 - 05/03 - Ordered: Aluminum paddle shifter extensions in black
  2023 - 05/29 - Mod: Installed Q7 s line wheel, with paddles and dsg paddle extensions.
  2023 - 06/19 - Ordered: New OEM left and right headlights (w/ AFS, w/ DHRC)
  2023 - 07/22 - Mod: Installed the custom BFI shift knob and replaced the broken arm rest latch.
  2023 - 08/12 - Mod: Started installing side skirts and new headlights
  2023 - 08/30 - Mod: Front bumper, new headlights and side skirts installed
  2023 - 09/14 - Mod: Installed the headlight laminx
  2023 - 09/17 - Mod: Installed the headlight eyebrows
  2023 - 09/23 - Mod: Installed the new hatch roof spoiler
  2023 - 10/21 - Mod: Install the 12v cig lighter outlet and bluetooth streaming module in glovebox.

__________________________________________________ _____

[LionKing]

Nice, a couple things I wish my 09 had... Welcome to the "exclusive" club!

Sent from my LM-V450 using Audizine Forum mobile app

[Dan McBoost]

Back on 9-21-21 I picked the car back up from from my indy. Pricey, but well gone through, lower and much faster. Handles fucking amazing.

A zoomed cell photo from today parked and with a bright sunrise:

[arjun90]

How many miles are on your C6 A6 3.0T Avant?

[Dan McBoost]

How many miles are on your C6 A6 3.0T Avant?

~117k, but mainly stored for winter. Sure doesn't show the age much, but definitely shows the Chicago street parking bumper flaws, which is why I am getting those painted ASAP.

[Dan McBoost]

With the wheels last fall:

[Dan McBoost]

So the coolant cap from the R8 goes on the coolant tank (most others as well) with the warning icon upside down and is keyed so you cant do much about it. So I figured out how to take it apart and fix it.

This type of pick tool or such goes in here:


Once you bend the outer lip of the top from the bottom. lift the bottom up and slide the the pick all of the way around it:


It should fall apart once you get all the way around it:


In the photo above you will also notice the tabs and tab voids are different sizes. That makes the top only fit on the bottom one way:


I used flush cutters to widen the bottom, more narrow notch so it was as wide as the other one:


Once you trim them to match, you can snap it back together in the opposite orientation. Fixed (but blurry):

[Dan McBoost]

Today was a productive day fixing/replacing: weak rear hatch struts, broken rear heated seat switch, worn start/stop buttons, bubbling aluminum shifter trim and the worn fob buttons.

[ewmin3m]

I'd definitely recommend a shift knob from BFI, would go great with the amaretto interior :D

I think they have a dark brown to match.

Also wrap/plastidip the silver trim around the gauges. It's crazy how much it changes the interior.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[ewmin3m]

Sorry for the 2x post didn't have a picture then

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[Dan McBoost]

I plan on doing the piano black for the trim, but thanks for reminding me!

[MTL4]

Sorry for the 2x post didn't have a picture then

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

Is that plastidip on both the gauge cluster and the airbag?

[ewmin3m]

Is that plastidip on both the gauge cluster and the airbag?

No just the gauges.
Airbag looks weird cause of the light I'm guessing.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[Callandor]

Looks great! Have you found or had to deal w any exterior rust? I’m reading these cars might have some issues w some areas.

[Dan McBoost]

Mine does not show ANY rust (I would have skipped if it did).

Its is at the body shop currently to repaint the bumpers as it was in Chicago and must have been parking on the streets A LOT. The front has a slight bump which gets fixed and swapping the new grill in (and installing the heat exchanger). The rear just has a lot of paint chips and flaws for the same reason.

Project progress before hitting up Carlisle this year with it and my CQ (my buds MR2 was getting paintwork done there which is just finished up):

[Dan McBoost]

Well after getting it back from the body shop, a few days later I have a coolant leak. I originally figured it was from installing the heat exchanger but alas, it is water pump/thermostat/etc. It is at my go to indy shop now. Let's see how deep this gets.

[-=zipp=-]

What I can recommend to you, since you have keyless, to upgrade to one of these two keys. The older style works well, I had it for a year, but then I switched to the Audi 2020 model and I've been using it ever since. I love it, the quality is top notch, it is heavy, metal and it doesn't have the stupid spring loaded key blade that opens all the time in my bag or pocket.
No coding needed, you just move the PCB from the old key to the new one, plug and play and totally reversible if needed.
Older style:
IMG-20210414-WA0023.jpg

Newer style:
IMG-20210414-WA0025.jpg

[19birel]

What I can recommend to you, since you have keyless, to upgrade to one of these two keys. The older style works well, I had it for a year, but then I switched to the Audi 2020 model and I've been using it ever since. I love it, the quality is top notch, it is heavy, metal and it doesn't have the stupid spring loaded key blade that opens all the time in my bag or pocket.
No coding needed, you just move the PCB from the old key to the new one, plug and play and totally reversible if needed.
Older style:
IMG-20210414-WA0023.jpg

Newer style:
IMG-20210414-WA0025.jpg

Are their any DIYs documenting this? I have the older style key (top) and would love to upgrade to that newer style one, I didn't realize that was possible

[-=zipp=-]

What DIY would you need? Just move the PCB from the old key to the new one. 5 mins job.
Not sure about moving PCB from OEM key of the older style i posted (how do you have this one for C6? They never made those for C6), both of those keys I purchased were made for moving the PCB from the OEM C6 key ˇˇ
old_key.jpg

[Dan McBoost]

It is finally on the schedule for tomorrow! Yes! We are doing the water pump and crossover tube now. He said everything up top looks great so we will hold off on that until the next go around.

[Dan McBoost]

well that escalated quickly, heh. Water pump, thermostat all of the hoses/o-rings and walnut cleaning. Its back together and I should be able to pick it up this evening or tomorrow. I may head up to Summer Camp hosted by Upstate VAG this weekend!

[MTL4]

well that escalated quickly, heh. Water pump, thermostat all of the hoses/o-rings and walnut cleaning. Its back together and I should be able to pick it up this evening or tomorrow. I may head up to Summer Camp hosted by Upstate VAG this weekend!

You might as well do it all while you're in there. I just finished doing the same thing on mine and it runs 100x better after.

[Dan McBoost]

From tonight. New grill, JHM heat exchanger is in (cant see it much, its black) corner markers painted to match when the front and rear bumpers were painted.


1920x: https://gallery.mcboost.com/albums/u...IMG_2304WM.JPG


1920x: https://gallery.mcboost.com/albums/u...IMG_4017WM.JPG

Finished a few things on my alltrac, so I figured I should get pics before I swap it with my MR2:

1920x https://gallery.mcboost.com/albums/u...IMG_2335WM.JPG

[G-Can]

What DIY would you need? Just move the PCB from the old key to the new one. 5 mins job.
Not sure about moving PCB from OEM key of the older style i posted (how do you have this one for C6? They never made those for C6), both of those keys I purchased were made for moving the PCB from the OEM C6 key ˇˇ
old_key.jpg

where could I find that exact model, just new case? mine is all beaten up and would like to replace it.

[-=zipp=-]

I'm not sure I understood your question correctly, but you can find them all pretty cheap on AliExpress:
1) Rubber buttons for the old key: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003151056282.html
2) Whole old style key shell (3 and 4 buttons): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32930516585.html
3) New style key shell, bit more expensive, but it has the value as it is a very high quality (that I have): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001926960299.html

Let me know if it answered your question, please

[Dan McBoost]

Love these thread jacks.

[-=zipp=-]

Sorry, I just wanted to give you an interesting tip

[Dan McBoost]

Roc Euro intake is on and sounds amazing.

[jbain2]

Looking good!


Sent from my iPad using Audizine

[DownhillA4]

Love this thing. Making me want to find one now to add next to my B7 Avant S-line.


Bring that thing to the Foliage Cruise in October! www.foliagecruise.com

[Dan McBoost]

Looking good!

Love this thing. Making me want to find one now to add next to my B7 Avant S-line.

Thanks guys! Video of the noise coming soon.

@downhillA4, where is the fall cruise? I am planning on doing the Adirondack Eurofest and/or avantoberfest so far.

[DownhillA4]

Thanks guys! Video of the noise coming soon.

@downhillA4, where is the fall cruise? I am planning on doing the Adirondack Eurofest and/or avantoberfest so far.

Corner of NJ/NY/PA. Think High Point, NJ area.

[Dan McBoost]

I took the avant to ADKeurofest a couple of weeks ago and have been daily diving it since (wife's Q7 is in for service and she is driving my sequoia). It has been a blast.

[Dan McBoost]

A few spring parts are rolling in since I am prepping for Carlisle Import as Audi is the marquee brand this year.

Speaking of rolling I picked up a set of 19' peelers for winter duty and bought a new set of Nokian Hakks (if driving this is ever needed).

[G-Can]

What are those wheels, and what tire size you run?
Also, new grill looks great, what's it from, not sure would it fit on a prefacelift model?

Thanks

[Dan McBoost]

What are those wheels, and what tire size you run?

20X8.5 ET45 245/30ZR-20

Also, new grill looks great, what's it from, not sure would it fit on a prefacelift model?

It is an OEM S6 grill I bough new. I also have an aftermarket one that looks perfectly identical. It was originally lost in the mail and then showed up so I still have it for sale if interested. PM me.

[Dan McBoost]

Figured out the power steering cap too and tossed that on. I am waiting for a bit warmer weather (and getting it out of storage) for the next mods.

[Dan McBoost]

Oh, just noticed I never posted the JHM heat exchanger installed while the bumpers were off (paint work):

[alex--monteiro]

Oh, just noticed I never posted the JHM heat exchanger installed while the bumpers were off (paint work):

How was the install? Lots of cutting into the crash bar?


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[Dan McBoost]

How was the install? Lots of cutting into the crash bar?

Nope, it mounts to the bottom of the crash bar. Install was easy other than removing the bumper for it. Luckily mine was getting painted so it was already off.