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Battle of ruggedized AWD wagons

slowrider

Trencher
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Dec 17, 2015
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4,534
Even beaters with weight distribution, gearing, tires and driver.
20200903_143920.jpg
 

doc

Out on the slopes
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Nov 25, 2015
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744
My sister in law has an Audi SQ5, with studded Hakka’s.

The RS6 is an amazing car. He actually has figured out that prefers to drive his two older Avants, though. Might be that both have three pedals? Where we live in New England, there are some great driving roads, but they all seem to be more beat up by the month. Potholes and half-assed road repairs {versus resurfacing} everywhere. The RS6 can be pretty darn harsh on those roads. It’s, in his opinion, really built for the highway systems in Europe. I am not sure how long he’ll own it. For a while anyway. He’s owned his 1995.5 S6 avant since new.
Bought a set of BBS SX wheels with Hakka R3 SUV tires for my wife's SQ5. Thinking I'll be borrowing that vehicle on certain ski days.

Probably posted this before on Ski Talk, but still remember a salesman at the Audi dealer in Glenwood Springs CO telling me that not even the wide open roads of western CO are enough to allow the RS6 Avant to perform to its design capabilities. That wouldn't stop me from buying one, if I had a spare $150k laying around, but the lack of a third pedal might.
 

Muleski

So much better than a pro
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North of Boston
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Nice! That E91 shape is a modern classic IMHO.

We have two. Both 6 speed MT’s. We used to argue over who “got to drive it”…so after a two year search we found a twin.

These are our daily drivers. Both graphite. Both in very nice, non garage queen condition. Great cars…..particularly if you know the “business end of a wrench!”

Have a couple of other cars for the summer, and for the long trips with potential really deep snow and horrendous weather!
 

Muleski

So much better than a pro
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Bought a set of BBS SX wheels with Hakka R3 SUV tires for my wife's SQ5. Thinking I'll be borrowing that vehicle on certain ski days.

Probably posted this before on Ski Talk, but still remember a salesman at the Audi dealer in Glenwood Springs CO telling me that not even the wide open roads of western CO are enough to allow the RS6 Avant to perform to its design capabilities. That wouldn't stop me from buying one, if I had a spare $150k laying around, but the lack of a third pedal might.

Absolutely believe it, and agree with that. Sounds like my brother has a deal for his, for January enclosed pickup and a 2500 mile plus trip to it’s new home. Buyer wanted that exact car, and wants it NOW. Sounds like no big deal to him. My brother will turn a $25K profit.

He and I were talking about wagons, as we always do. And newer overpowered “sportwagons.” Not that there are that many. We have three friends who own AMG63 wagons. 600 hp. 0-60 in 3 seconds. Really? You can’t air one out around here. But, people buy them “because they can.” A lot of overkill. The badges do look good. They are beautifully built.

One of our friends bought one, lightly used, and shortly decided it was just “too much”, and bought an E500 wagon.

Of course we always talk about wagons with some performance to them and manual transmissions. Always. No new ones around!

Amazing how well built some of the older cars are. And relatively easy to work on.

I’ll be interested to see where his search goes. It will probably not be a new car. It will be a wagon.
 

Lebowski

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Vancouver
View attachment 151239



We have two. Both 6 speed MT’s. We used to argue over who “got to drive it”…so after a two year search we found a twin.

These are our daily drivers. Both graphite. Both in very nice, non garage queen condition. Great cars…..particularly if you know the “business end of a wrench!”

Have a couple of other cars for the summer, and for the long trips with potential really deep snow and horrendous weather!
No kidding?! That's awesome.
 

Muleski

So much better than a pro
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He owns one, that he's had since new, and it's a very, very, good one. Pretty exceptional. He also owns a S2 Avant, which is a rare one. They both get driven a lot.

Sounds like he's looking for a lower mileage, A6 3.0T Avant, from the right part of the country. Those are very nice daily drivers. Great highway car, set up well, nice snow/ice car. He had one, sold it, and regrets it to this day. They are out there, but he does not want one with 275K miles.

Will be interested to see how this sale goes. The S6 crowd normally shows up to try to help drive the prices up on their cars. But I don't see any of them buying this one. The only exceptional thing is the mileage, but even then, not a big deal. There are a lot doing well at 250K and much more miles.

Great car if you like to roll your sleeves up. And, very strong on line communities to help. My brother, son, and I have all owned them. More than one in some cases. My son is always looking for the right one. If you really follow them, you get to know the cars. This car, that color, in that city, owned by that guy.

You either love them, or you just don't get it! I think if you saw my brother's parts bin, which now has been whittled down to include just two parts cars, you'd be shocked! Some parts are easy to source, others not so much.
 

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