I have a completely stock '98 A6. Without adding a supercharger and dumping tons of $$$ what can I do to this car to give it more torque? Also, what order should I progress? I'm thinking: 1. Intake/CDA 2. Chip 3. Exhaust

And handling... Sway bar or strut bar??? Any quick fixes without going to coil overs?

Let's hear what everyone has to say. I want better handling/cornering and more pulling power without dumping money into PES for supercharger or $1,500 into suspension.

Digi-tec chip (~+18 HP)
ASP lightened crank pulley (O.E. size)
Option: Unortodox lightened Alternator&P/S pulleys(P.S. pulley a bit smaller in size)
Supersprint- exaust manifold
Magnaflow Hi-flow cats
Intake, if you want to squeeze last drop, otherwise don't change it or DIY COAM mod.

If you are FWD, do absolutely the rear sway bar
If you are AWD, you can change rear sway bar but not necessary.
Front sway, if you like a lot of understeer.
Best bet for handling are springs.Rest like sways, struts, TSB, etc. are only touch here and there. Main point is in springs and shocks, not necessary coil-overs.

Understeer with a front swaybar? if you properly setup a sway bar combo it shouldnt increase understeer

I got Neuspeed 19mm for my Quattro setup, and it made a very noticable difference. Didn't totally get rid of understeer, but makes it feel more tail-happy. Definitely a better balance.

I did springs/shocks as well. People say you can run stock shocks on new spings...but it will suck and the shocks will blow soon.

Get Neuspeed/eibach/H&R sport-type springs (race-type if you want to be slammed to the ground) and get Koni/Billstein shocks. Ask around when you do the actual purchase to find out what combo of springs/shocks fit together well.

Thicker front sway bar will always increase understeer.
Thicker rear sway bar will always increase oversteer.

Trick is to tune car to suit your style of drivig, i.e.
FRONT sway bar-
-If you like more understeer than your car have- go for front sway bar.
-If your car have more oversteer than you like-go for front sway bar.

REAR sway bar-
-If you like more oversteer than your car have- go for rear sway bar.
-If your car have more understeer than you like-
go for rear sway bar.

Generaly speaking, this is one of 5-6 Eurocompanies(and biggest in Germany)that make their own softs, with R&D, etc.amongst hundreds that are selling chips.
Last year they opened their US office http://www.digi-tec.us/

Just give them a call or mail them, obviously they keep site updated with latest engines.
If you check VW Passat page you will find chip for V6 2.8L, and those are the same engine codes.
Last year they had it on site.

understand that, i guess i just meant there is a balance when you install both and setup the stiffness properly.. but yeah i agree with your statement.

Have you tried the rs4 cams? do you know anyone who has?