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Depreciation special: 2003 Audi RS6 for Civic Money

Time for another foray into our continuing investigation of German supersedans whose value has plummeted more than 75%. Today is perhaps my favorite example of this group, the Audi RS6. A beast when it was born nearly 10 years ago, it’s no less monstrous today packing. While some choose big-displacement power and some go for turbochargers, Audi decided both would suffice in making an executive saloon that could spank contemporary Porsches. This subdued excess is my kind of indulgence, and watching their prices drop makes my dream garage tingle. The last RS6 we had was $19k with 116k miles. An additional 10k miles on this one brings a $1k price drop, ringing in at that most pedestrian of new-car prices, $17,995. Sure, there’s no warranty and it’ll surely demand plenty in maintenance, but these are massively outweighed by the fun and badass factor in my eyes.

2003 Audi RS6 for sale on eBay

I love this color.

Audi’s S- and RS- models have held a more consistent trajectory than some ///other performance divisions. While perhaps more subtle from the get-go, this has allowed them to be civilized without ever being called “too watered-down,” and this RS6 plays a big role in that family tree. Beefy, scary fast, and unabashedly made for road driving, these are near the top of my Audi RS fantasies. With prices coming firmly into the teens it’s becoming possible to stash a reasonable maintenance account for the inevitable transmission work, skip the brand-new car, and haul some big-boy ass.

-NR

2 Comments

  1. Larry
    Larry February 27, 2012

    So seductive! The RS6 has aged rather well – 450HP, quattro, and so beautifully crafted inside and out with a perfect color combination.

    Unfortunately, those inevitable (and substantial) maintenance and repair expenses will require two monthly car payments – one to pay off the cost of the car itself, and the other build up a sufficient cash stockpile to pay the mechanic when the time comes.

    Despite what the price tag says, this is NOT a $18K car. $30K+ is probably a better estimate.

  2. Howard S
    Howard S March 2, 2012

    I love these cars but its not a question of IF its a question of when the trans is going to fail. Unfortunately the trans in these cars is not up to the task and they all fail without question 100%. Stunning looking with the performance to back it up but the cost of ownership is the barrier of entry not the initial price.

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