Based on a recommendation from my uncle, I will be acquiring a nice '95 S6 Avant soon. I am excited. What would you all do first? (this is a straight stock series 3a car with no mods and 60K miles). My inkling is to have most of the chrome painted, but maybe new wheels (original 6-spoke) and tires? Assuming all mechanicals are trouble-free, what would you do to a stock S6? chip it?

well, if cost is no object:

1. Driving School (QCUSA or Bondurant, Barber, whatever)
1. abt springs/bilstein shocks
2. Bira brake upgrade
3. 17 or 18" wheels, depending on where you live.
4. RS2 Turbo, Manifold, Injectors, ECU (chip)
5. Exhaust (recommend Stebro, not too loud, 60% better flow through 2.5" pipes, bigger cats)
5. Boost guage
6. Euro S6+ bumpers
7. Six speed trans conversion (keep same box, add new gears)

That should be enough to keep you smiling forever.

On a more limited budget:

1. Driving School.
2. Bilstein shocks (stock springs, maintain height for snow) If snow not an issue, get Eibach (cheaper than abt) springs and matched Bilsteins (when you lower, the shocks must be matched to the spring height so the compression/rebound stasis is in the right place.
3. Drilled rotors, Carbon pads (or comparable)
4. Intended Acceleration Chip
5. Stock wheels, best tires you can afford.
6. Hakka Snow tires if you live where it snows.

This will keep you happy as well, on a much morelimited budget.

Good Luck!

Also, I'm moving from Europe! What should / could I purchase over here that is difficult or impossible to get over there in the USA that I can bring with me. yes, I'll have a 40' container, but all the house stuff needs to fit to, so entire cars won't fit. My experience is that most things are available in the US for a price! Maybe I could bring the Euro S6 bumbers?

- see audi-s-cars.com...there is someone working on this in the US. Might be worth your while to bring those parts over, as well as any other s6+ specific parts. Euro headlights, also.

Abt springs might be cheaper there?

That's all I can think of, (within reason of course)