BRZ vs 2003 Audi RS 6 ...no, seriously.
 

Alright, alright, let's get the obvious out of the way: The Audi RS 6 is not even remotely a similar car to the BRZ. It originally cost about $86,000, which is about $107,000 in today's dollars. It was Audi's flagship model at the time, before the R8 had even been thought of. It is now 10 years old, having depreciated into the low twenty-thousand-dollar range. Of course we know what happens to 10yr-old German automobiles. They break. Often. And it's expensive. Especially for a car with a 40 valve 4.2L bi-turbo V8, a 5 spd automatic AWD transaxle, adjustable air suspension, 8 piston brakes, and 19" wheels. I get it.

So why am I comparing a 4,000lb autobahn bruiser to a 2,800lb flyweight? Well, because I already have a small, lightweight sports car to toss around backroads and the auto-x course. Two of them, actually, and I'm having a hard time justifying a third.

You already know the specs of the BRZ, so let's compare the RS 6:

4.2L aluminum block V8, twin cam, 5 valves per cylinder, bi-turbo
450bhp, 415lb/ft
5 speed Tiptronic automatic transaxle, quattro all-wheel-drive
4024lb curb weight
8 piston Brembo front brakes, 4 piston rear brakes
0-60 in 4.3 seconds, 1/4mi in 12.6, .89g skidpad, unrestricted top speed over 175mph
Interior filled with leather, Alcantara, and carbon fiber

The car is a f%#king monster. In stock form, it accelerates like a space shuttle. With an exhaust and APR ECU tune (~$4800, still cheaper than a Vortech S/C and exhaust for the BRZ!) power output jumps to 520bhp and 538lb/ft. It's luxurious, quiet and solid, and will eat up miles of highway (though it will cost me at an EPA-estimated 16mpg). It's nice enough that true car enthusiasts will take notice, but not so much that all the yahdudes will try to drag race me at stoplights.

Let's make it clear that I have no intention of driving this car daily. I have much more economical cars for that. I want to drive it on weekends, to shows, and perhaps to a track day or two.

There's a particular example near me for sale for $20,500, making it about $6,000 cheaper than a BRZ Limited right out of the gate (employee discount, suckers!) That leaves me with a higher "oh $#!t" budget when something inevitably breaks. Like the transmission, which apparently could fail at any time. I also have lots of plans to modify the BRZ, which is not the case with the Audi. I would be perfectly happy with a set of 19" BBS wheels, Michelin A/S tires, a tune and exhaust. These things again leaving me more money for the 16mpg thirst, 9-quarts-of-synthetic oil changes, 16 front brake pads and 40k timing belt services.


So!
Pros:
-Massive power and torque, easily added to by ECU tune and exhaust
-Adjustable air suspension (this becomes a "Con" when it breaks)
-Former Audi flagship model, inspired by R8 Le Mans car. Technological tour de force
-Super upscale and classy interior (as would be expected of an Audi)
-Understated styling keeps boy racers away
-Less things to modify, because they're already so awesome
-Seats 5 while going at extra-legal speeds

Cons:
-Ludicrous cost of upkeep
-Transmission, in addition to being a slushbox, is a ticking time bomb
-About half the fuel economy of a BRZ
-A fat pig at over 4,000lbs
-10yr-old cars aren't popular right now
-No navigation, Bluetooth, or iPod connectivity

So what would you do? Toyota MR2, BMW 318is and a 2013 Subaru BRZ? Or Toyota MR2, BMW 318is and a 2003 Audi RS 6?

http://www.freewebs.com/irn/audirs6-02s.jpg
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4094/4...e509a532_z.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sEleeXRaZ8...-+Interior.jpg
http://images.europeancarweb.com/fea...e_bay_view.jpg

You'd think with a twin turbo 4.2 V8, it'd be getting even more power than that.

If it was me, on one hand I'd jump all over the Audi.. I love them.. If it is a car that was maintained then, even at ten years old, it should still give years of enjoyment.. On the other hand.. If it has an issue, fuck its expensive to repair.. You already know this... I don't see having the stable with a BRZ.. I see having the mr2 dropped and a BRZ with a nice highway cruiser.. But if that is not an option, then I'd go Audi or other nice cruiser.. I don't see why you'd want two cars that are so similar unless the back seats of the BRZ make it that much better

Well, i'd go for the Audi RS 6.

They're pretty crazy those RS Audis, but the problem with most German cars from that era is that now they needs TONS of maintenance.

I've only seen one RS on the road and it was an RS4, they are very rare.

Its a whole other car from the BRZ, but it be mad fun either choice.


I'd do RS 6 then BRZ. :thumbup:

MR2 and BRZ are two very different cars.

Theres a big difference from the engine being in front of you then to being in the back of your head. :bellyroll:

If you get the Audi, it's got to be an Avant. Why have just another sedan when you can have what was the fastest wagon in the world?

I'd decide which sport coupe you want more, new Subie or your heavily modded MR2.

If you want to keep your MR2 the the BRZ is out and you need to decide if you want that Audi. I don't know why but Audi styling doesn't age so well for me. It seems like they change tail lights/headlights and other cosmetics almost every year. My brother had a new A6 of that generation and it was nice then, but I wouldn't call it a looker now. I remember drooling over an RS6 displayed inside an upscale mall years ago. Really nice new, but the price now reflects demand for the style as well as the cost of maintaining. If it cost you $20 make sure you are willing to spend $30K.

RS 6 Avant isn't available in the U.S. All we got was the S6 and it was just the run-of-the-mill 4.2 V8 as found in the A6 4.2 and the A8.

Normally I'd say Audi... But it's an automatic and no matter how fast and badass the car is, it will always be a boring slushbox. :thumbdown:

I think if you didn't have an MR2 I would say BRZ. But since you have a lightweight fun car and no desire to get rid of it... RS6 all the way if you can be confident it was well maintained and has decently low miles for how old it is. That's a pretty exclusive car. Not many around.

I had an S4 Avant with the 4.2 V8 and loved it. I had it for two years and sold it at 95K miles or so. It was scaring the shit out of me that something big might go like the trans. But as for bruiser/cruiser/wagon autobahn fun it was a blast. I had full header/exhaust, chip and lots of light weight mods. Seriously, if I wasn't afraid of the crazy money you could spend on repairs I would have kept it. The sport edition (S, RS) Audis are pretty cool cars.

I personally would go with an S4 or RS4. The B6 S4 I owned was one of my favorite cars I've ever had. Really a great car in every way. Not as nimble as the BRZ, but that's obvious.

This is a very valid point. However, at some point I could swap an 01E 6spd manual transaxle in; it's been done a few times and people have had good luck doing it. Wouldn't be cheap but it would be better than replacing the slushbox if/when it breaks.

Mhm, I had a 2012 S4 for 6 months when I was an Audi salesman last year. It was incredible! I got to drive a few high-HP Audis like a STaSIS-tuned 2012 S4, 2007 S4, 2007 RS 4, 2011 R8 V10 Spyder, 2012/13 S5, etc. Love me some big, refined, powerful German tourers :) The only time the S4 wasn't fun was when I was trying to keep up with my friend's 240SX with full suspension mods down a windy backroad. The weight of the car started to rear its ugly head!

RS6. Sell the MR2 and 318. The RS6 is an animal. The BRZ is brilliant.

Of course, I have a BRZ and a 2008 M5, so this should come as no surprise. (And a Tahoe for when I need something kind of practical).

I can't imagine it being an easy swap, but if you are capable then I'd say go for it! I really don't want to know how much it is going to cost you, though...

Damn I didn't know that


I kid I kid.. I owned a 93 MR2 turbo.. I'm referring to the sporty nature of both cars.. Both are considered sports cars.. I know they are two different animals.. I think I'd go with a 86 before I'd jump back into my MR2.. It was a lot of fun, just not as rewarding as my FRS

Oh my dayum there's one in NJ for $19888, if that isn't enough to make one think about it, I don't know what is...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RS6-V...orcev4exp=true

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$T2eC16FHJHI...21%7E%7E_4.JPG

I would say since you already have two light weight RWD coupes, go with the Audi RS8.

as a owner of a 08 RS4 6 speed M/T I may say hell yeah get one. I just hate gas price and stupid people try to race you, its a different experience 6 piston carbon brakes will put your eye balls on the wind shield & AWD quattro on snow is all good fun.

if you have the money to keep it running i say go with the rs6

I get it...but it always staggers me that people want super-depreciated (and very complex) German cars. There's a reason it costs a quarter of what it did new. Is it cool? Is it fast? Is it different? Yes, yes, yes. Is it smart? No. I'd rather have a new slow car than an old fast car; especially one that's bound to be ridiculous to fix. Upkeep on a new car you ask? What upkeep?

Yes, and I've been preaching basically the same thing, namely to my friend who wanted one for a daily driver :bonk:. However, as it would not be my primary vehicle and I don't need to depend on it, and because I'm used to cars being broken all the time, this bothers me less so. I figure this is as low as the price on one is going to get; it may not be a 911 Turbo or a Ferrari 360 but it should begin to rise in value once it becomes desirable again.

Also the way I look at it is this: When I get a BRZ, I will want to modify several aspects of it, namely a supercharger kit and full exhaust, coilovers, big brake kit, wheels and tires, interior and exterior styling mods, etc. With the Audi, I want to reflash the ECU and get an exhaust, and install a Pioneer AVIC head unit so I can get navigation, Bluetooth, and iPod connectivity. No need to do much else as it's already suped up from the factory! Yes, brakes cost nearly $2,000 to replace, the timing belt needs to be done at 40k, and it gets 12-16mpg. But I don't plan on driving it more than 6,000mi per year. The money I don't spend on mods I can save for upkeep, hopefully.

Assuming the car is up to date maintenance-wise (I wouldn't buy one that wasn't), if I stagger out the maintenance it wouldn't end up being too terrible. The only real fear is the transmission or something major blowing up and needing several thousand to fix. Then I'd be making payments on a very luxurious paperweight, so yes I'm a little apprehensive in that regard. I guess if I just assume that something will go and budget some extra cash for when it does happen, I'll be OK. It's sort of like buying a 3rd gen RX-7 on the original engine - put away $5k assuming that the apex seals will give out at any moment.

Then again, that BRZ sure is sexy... :drool:

Makes sense. If you want to modify a brz that much might as well wait a couple years get one out of warranty and spend half as much on car acquisition.

Both are too different to give any opinion on.

But they are both great too

Make up your own mind

+1 - you've got 2 other cars already, go for something a bit different.
I can only imagine the RS6 with its twin turbos would be just perfect to add to your current collection.

My brother has a 2003 Audi S6 and its a great car - very fast, handles great for a car of its size and has not given us any major issues.

Good luck with your decision :thumbsup:

Just traded my B5 S4 in on an FR-S today, and I have not regretted it yet...

However, Audi's are a lot of fun, especially the S and RS models, and would be a nice addition to your lineup. The BRZ would be fun, but is a bit redundant in your case. As long as the RS6 would maintain its non daily driver status I say go for it. It doesn't sound like money is a major concern, so if you need to put some money into it to keep it going, just remember you doing so out of choice and not necessity. Don't get mad at the car, like so many other Audi owners do, knowing full well how expensive they are to maintain and repair.

And for everyone that says they are terrible and break to often/too soon, my S4 had 160K miles with the original turbos, still pulled strong and boosted exactly like they should...

If I had a bigger garage and could have afforded it, I would have kept both without a doubt.

:happy0180:

The only think you can compare between these two cars is the color of the:


http://oilreset.com/blog/wp-content/.../CEL_Amber.jpg




I kid I kid. .

Keep your money in your pocket. My vote is neither in your case. I mean how many cars do you need?

Get the RS6. In a couple of years, sell the MR2 and/or 318is and pick up a lightly used FR-S/BRZ to mod.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHAhIY35db...BooThisMan.gif

It'd be a toss up for me, but since you have the MR2, learning towards the Audi.

LOL

Well, I e-mailed about 4 dealerships offering RS 6's for sale... a week ago. No reply. Good job, guys! If you were in new car sales you'd be fired by now! Guess I'll go ahead with the BRZ order...

Maybe they just don't think you're serious since you're emailing them. Clearly they're right since you can't even decide if you want the car and have given up after just one week of emails

Nice ass. Other than that, it's as visually appealing as a banana peel...

do it, my dad has one, with pretty much the same stuff you want to do. Also a stg3++ b5 s4 avant and a turbo 5 90 quattro. I love them all dearly

the curvy look of the new twin is too sexy for many other rectangular 4 door sedan. :)

I work in new car sales. If a sales rep or internet rep doesn't respond to an e-mail inquiry within 15 minutes, they get chewed out by management. So yeah, I'm a little disappointed in their lack of follow-up.

"Hello sir, I'd like to buy your car. I want to give you money for something you're selling. As soon as possible. All you have to do is reply to this e-mail. it will take you about 5 minutes tops to reply."

*tumbleweeds*

:mad0259:

That's great that you work in new car sales, but the markets aren't parallel. You found 4 RS6s for sale. It's a niche car in the first place. A serious buyer of a USED car isn't going to email, they're going to go look at it or at least call. I would imagine that they are getting lots of inquiries on the cars and little, if any, followup. Tire-kickers abound anytime you have a car like that. It's not a known commodity that's available at every dealer bearing the nameplate, it's a used, "as-is" vehicle and without at least laying eyes on it, you have no idea what the condition is.

And you've proven them right by not pursuing the cars further. Your actions demonstrate that you weren't serious, as much as your post on this forum does the same. You were on the fence all along, and emailing you back would have likely been a waste of their time. Without knowing your real intent or the content of the e-mail you sent, no one can be sure, but the fact that you gave up the idea so readily says something, don't you agree?



This reads like: Waaaah. You didn't pay enough attention to me. So, I'll show you, I'm not going to buy your car or even that same car. I'm going to buy something totally different even if it's maybe not what I really want. That'll show you! Waaaaah.

From your previous posts, I think you're better than that. Maybe I'm wrong?

The fact of the matter is not one of the dealerships with the RS6 gives a crap. They'll sell those cars no problem. They'll probably get what they're asking for them. And they'll never know how much you showed them up by ordering a BRZ instead, nor will they care.

I guess I'm not better than that. At least when I post an item up for sale, I have the decency to reply to any legitimate inquiries (I.E. not spam) in a reasonable amount of time. If they can't perform a task as simple as replying to an e-mail, how do I know they have had the competence to perform a proper safety check on the vehicle, that they'll complete the paperwork for the transaction correctly, or that I'll be responded to if I have an issue with the vehicle during the first 30 days of ownership? It says a lot about their professionalism and quality of service if I send an e-mail expressing interest in the vehicle, asking specific questions about it, and no one replies. Damn, I guess I'll just call now. I hope they pick up...

That's just the point. It's a used car, and a rare one. You have no idea if you can trust them, service, or sales. You're on your own, completely, and should approach the deal as such!

And you are better than that!

That's a good point to consider. At least if I get a BRZ I know who I'm buying it from (me), I know who's handling the paperwork (me), and I know who's servicing it (also me, unless it's warranty work).