Models · Audi
Audi RS6 Avant and RS7 Sportback C7 buying guide
The C7 RS6 Avant and the related RS7 Sportback, sold from 2013 to 2018, use a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with an eight-speed automatic and quattro. The powertrain has few complaints, and most checks concern the chassis.
The versions
- 4.0 TFSI twin-turbo V8 with cylinder on demand, 560PS
- Performance (from 2015): 605PS, with a sport exhaust and 21-inch wheels
- 8-speed Tiptronic torque converter automatic with quattro permanent four-wheel drive
- Air suspension as standard on UK RS6s, or steel springs with Dynamic Ride Control as an option
- RS6 Avant estate and RS7 five-door Sportback
What to check on a C7 RS6 or RS7
3 model-specific things to look at when you view one. They're a starting point, not the full inspection.
Turbo oil supply strainer
What to look for: Ask whether the revised oil strainer for the turbochargers has been fitted, and look for it in the invoices. Note any turbo or engine warning light on the drive.
Why it matters: The 4.0 V8 has a mesh strainer in the turbochargers' oil supply, deep in the valley between the cylinder banks, and if it clogs the turbos can be starved of oil. In the US, the same engine in the 2013 to 2016 RS7, S6, S7, A8 and S8 was recalled to fit a coarser strainer, which went into production in March 2017. A dealer or specialist can confirm whether the revised part is fitted to the car you're viewing.
Dynamic Ride Control dampers
What to look for: Ask whether the car has air suspension or Dynamic Ride Control. On a DRC car, look behind each wheel for oily dampers and listen on the drive for knocking over bumps.
Why it matters: DRC links diagonally opposite dampers hydraulically through central valves. Leaking and knocking dampers are fairly common, and if they're left, they can damage the valves, which cost more than the dampers.
Brake judder
What to look for: On the drive, brake firmly from motorway speed and from lower speeds, and feel for vibration through the steering wheel or pedal. Ask whether carbon ceramic brakes are fitted.
Why it matters: Warped front discs are quite common, often from heat spots after hard use followed by traffic. Standard steel brakes take a pounding on a car this heavy and fast. Ceramic brakes were an option and need their own assessment.
Also in the full guide
- Coolant at the back of the engine
- 21-inch wheels
- The cold start, test drive and paperwork checks for the exact version you're viewing
The full guide to the C7 RS6 or RS7
The CrankSight guide walks you round the car on your phone at the viewing, with every check for the exact version you're looking at: what to look for, where to find it, and what anything you find is likely to cost. As you go it builds an assessment of that car, and if you view more than one, it lines them up side by side.
£29 for the model, used on as many cars as you like, delivered within 72 hours or your money back.
Other generations
Audi RS6 C5 · Audi RS6 C6 · Audi RS6 Avant and RS7 Sportback C8
General points for the model, last checked October 2026. Every car is different, so treat this as a guide to what to look at, not a verdict on any car. CrankSight is independent and has no connection with Audi.