quattzilla

Anyone on here have experience towing with a C5 S6? I've been considering, but wanted to hear stories from others first.

BiTurbo Pilot

I have to wonder why so many people are so determined to find out what kind of inordinate loads an Audi can haul or tow - even commenting on what other cars are being used to tow - but you guys are forgetting something: these beautiful, competent, powerful vehicles were not designed or intended to tow what many of you are proposing. This goes back to the matter of folks doing something just because they can, not pausing to think of whether or not they SHOULD. The engines in our Audis develop great power and the drivetrains are terrific at getting it to the ground, but they're purpose-built to perform well as single-unit automobiles. The performance criteria for moving people and those for moving heavy loads are pretty different - I wouldn't begin to scheme to use my A6 2.7T to tow our PWCs or ski boat, regardless of its gobs of low-end torque and broad power band - the potential for killing the drivetrain is the main thing with which to be concerned, followed closely by the brakes, which are DEFINITELY not designed for stopping suggested combined loads that may easily exceed 150% of the curb weight of the car itself. That's to say nothing of the suspension, definitely not intended for the kind of tongue loads a 3-or-4,000 lb. trailer can generate. The whole weight and balance thing gets a little dicey with performance sedans, you know....

Ultimately, it's about how much you love your Audi and what it does for you - I've upgraded mine with thought given to what it was designed to do - and, YES, I've pushed the envelope beyond what the factory, bound as they were by risk management and limitation-of-liability decisions, was able to manifest in the production version, but I stick to the purpose for which the car was built. I wouldn't attempt with my F350 dually what I can easily do with my Audi, even though the thing is putting out better than 700 lb.-ft. of torque and accelerates like a freaking Ferrari, and I'd not be found dead doing with my Audi what I can do with my Jeeps (although I HAVE mudded-up my Audi hunting in central Texas!).

Edd W

Yes, I agree in a car modified to the degree yours probably is - you would be liable to melt a piston or more but the stresses on the drive train you suggest would be so damaging are just a fallacy. Yes, any auto box should be treated reasonably gently and the possiblities of screwing up the box with a modded car are even higher. The highest risk is of damaging a clutch while changing under high load - if you always accelerate genetly while towing, it is unlikely you put the transmission under any greater load than a brisk start from the lights with an empty car, possibly less.

In Europe, nobody bats an eyelid at towing with virtually any car, providing you stick within the manufacturers limits.

I suspect the the fear of towing with a car in the US is simply scaremongering created by the US truck manufacturers to create a mindset which causes people to feel the must have a 'truck' to tow anything.

I do not know what the US laws and regs are for towing but I doubt they are that dis-similar from what we have.

I think it is a matter of common sense, I would not hook up a 4000lb ski boat, load it up with all the gear and four people in the car then drive up the Alps, but providing you avoid high nose weight, and stay within what Audi say there should be no issues.

I used to tow a small ski boat with my first Audi 80 sport, which was just a 1800 gti engine in a four door body, it was a great tow car, even pulling it put of the water with the rear bumper submerged. I also used it to tow a single horse trailer quite a lot too with no problems and they are a pig to tow - four wheels and really hard suspension - I do not understand what all the fuss is about?

Kris Hansen

Me either. I've been towing with Audis for as long as I've been driving them - 25 years - and never had a problem specifically related to the extra weight. In fact the brakes work just fine, as long as you drive like you're towing a trailer. You can not go out and hammer the car like you would if it was empty and not towing.

But I've towed 1000 lbs hundreds of miles, up and over mountains, etc, with NO problems. The unit body is very strong back there, and the car is in fact designed with towing in mind, as lots of people tow trailers in Germany.

e292644

Agreed!

E_S

Agree! Like I wrote earlier in this thread, normal unibody cars can tow a *lot* more in Europe than in the US, despite the cars being the same..

Just to give a few examples:
* VW Golf 2.0 TDI: 3500 lbs
* Audi A6 3.2: 4200 lbs
* Mercedes E280: 4700 lbs

This is quite normal and often seen, and I am 100% sure the car manufacturer would not have approved this if it wasn't safe. Most cars are approved to tow almost their own GVWR.

At least I don't see the point in driving a gas-guzzling 6000 lb truck to tow a normal 3000-4000 lb trailer.. (especially not here with gas prices @ 7.50/gallon)

horkn

Keep in mind that All jeep grand cherokees have been unibody, as well as commanders and those are rated to tow 7000 lbs and up. Even ford flexes are rated for 4500 lbs. Gm traverses, enclaves etc have been rated for 4500 or so as well, and even caddy's 1st gen SRX whichw as a modified CTS was rated to tow 4250 lbs.

The vehicle being unibody has nothing to do with tow ratings. Typically, body on frame vehicles have bigger motors and weigh more, thus allowing higher tow ratings.

I think the fact that US has pickups available and large PU based utes makes the tow rating lower for most cars here versus in europe.

I see guys pulling ski boats (ski nautiques and such) with smaller than A6 based vehicles all the time, although I wouldn't tow a inboard ski boat with less than an A6.

PPGOAL

I have a 1" hitch on my A6 which the previous owner used to tow a small trailer for 37k. I now have 176k on the car and never towed anything, but I guess I'm ready if I need to. Otherwise I've been hauling around a couple hundred pounds of steel on my car's a$$ for no reason.

Kris Hansen

couple of hundred? no way.. even a class 3 hitch on a 1 ton truck doesn't weigh that much. My hitch is at most 30 lbs, and the tongue supports 300lbs.