GPS Under Supercharger Kit Alternative: Same OE Parts, Up to $215 Less (Audi 3.0T B8, B8.5, C7, CREC)

If you've been searching for the GPS Under Supercharger Kit (German Performance Solutions) for your Audi 3.0T, you already know the job: the plastic thermostat housing under the supercharger cracks, the blower has to come off to reach it, and while it's off you replace everything else in the valley so you never pay for that labor twice.

Here's what most shoppers don't realize until they line the parts lists up side by side: Vorsprung Autowerk's OE Ultimate Under Supercharger Kit uses the same core OE-supplier parts, Graf, Hengst, and Elring, with a billet aluminum thermostat housing, for $150 to $215 less per generation. On the B8 kit, you also get two extra parts GPS doesn't include. Same job. Same brands. Smaller invoice. Funny how that works.

This guide covers exactly what's in both kits, a price comparison by generation, how to confirm Gen 1 vs. Gen 2 CREC fitment, and the symptoms that tell you it's time.

What Is an Audi 3.0T Under Supercharger Kit?

Audi's supercharged 3.0T V6 (EA837 Gen 1 and the later CREC Gen 2) stacks the thermostat assembly, water pump, PCV valve, heater pipe, and intake manifold gaskets in the engine valley directly underneath the supercharger. None of it is reachable with the blower installed. To service any one of those parts, you or your shop has to:

• Drain coolant and remove the supercharger drive belt
• Unbolt and lift the supercharger off the engine
• Replace the failed part (and ideally everything around it)
• Reinstall the supercharger with new intake manifold gaskets and injector seals

The removal and reinstallation is where the labor bill lives, not the parts. An under supercharger kit (also called an under supercharger service kit or "under-blower" kit) bundles every wear item in that valley so a single teardown covers all of it. Replace only the part that failed and you're very likely paying for the same teardown again when the next plastic piece gives up.

Symptoms: Signs Your Audi 3.0T Needs an Under Supercharger Service

The factory plastic thermostat housing and heater pipe spend years heat-cycling against a hot V6. Plastic loses that fight. Watch for:

• Coolant loss with no obvious external puddle (the leak pools in the valley under the supercharger)
• A sweet coolant smell after driving, or coolant residue visible at the back of the engine
• Engine temperature running higher than normal, especially at idle or in traffic
• Check engine lights tied to coolant temperature or thermostat performance
• Rough idle, oil in the intake, or PCV and vacuum-leak related codes (failing PCV valve)
• A weeping or noisy water pump

Planning a supercharger pulley upgrade, intake valve carbon cleaning, or a ported supercharger? Those jobs pull the blower too, which makes them the cheapest possible time to do the valley.

GPS Under Supercharger Kit vs. Vorsprung OE Ultimate: Parts List Compared

We pulled the published parts lists from German Performance Solutions' own product pages and compared them line by line against ours. The core components are the same OE-supplier brands and, in most cases, the same part numbers.

The B8.5 and Gen 2 CREC kits follow the same pattern. Both brands use a billet thermostat assembly, Graf water pump, Hengst PCV valve (06E103547AH on B8.5, 06E103547AF on CREC), Elring gaskets and injector seals, and the genuine 06E103213 adapter pipe. Gen 2 CREC engines don't use the Gen 1 heater pipe, so neither CREC kit includes one.

Under Supercharger Kit Price Comparison by Generation

GPS prices are the sale prices listed on germanperformancesolutions.com when we checked on September 24, 2026 (regular prices were listed higher). GPS kits are also resold by several large Euro parts retailers; the lowest reseller price we found for the GPS Gen 2 kit was $722.99, still $73 more than ours. Prices change, so compare for yourself before you buy.

Why the gap? We price the kit as a kit, with one reasonable markup, instead of stacking a margin on every individual line item. Every OE-supplier part is the same part number you'd find anywhere else; nobody padded the invoice on the way to your cart.

Which Under Supercharger Kit Fits My Audi? (Gen 1 vs. Gen 2 CREC)

Gen 1 and Gen 2 kits are not interchangeable. The thermostat assembly, water pump, PCV valve, and gasket part numbers change between generations, and even within Gen 1 the B8 and B8.5 kits use different water pump and PCV valve numbers. Match your car below:

Model years near a generation change can go either way. The engine code on your build sheet (or stamped on the block) is the final word, and if you email your VIN to help@vorsprungautowerk.com, we'll confirm the right kit before you order.

What's in the Vorsprung OE Ultimate Under Supercharger Kit

• ✅ Vorsprung billet aluminum thermostat assembly: replaces the factory plastic housing that cracks
• ✅ Aluminum heater pipe (Gen 1): eliminates another plastic failure point
• ✅ Graf metal water pump: OE-supplier quality
• ✅ Genuine OEM Hengst PCV valve
• ✅ Elring upper and lower intake manifold gaskets (x6 each)
• ✅ Genuine VW/Audi PCV to supercharger adapter pipe (06E103213)
• ✅ Elring Klinger fuel injector seal kit (x6)
• ✅ Genuine Audi breather hose and clamp (B8 and 2012 C7 kits)

We may occasionally substitute a gasket for another OE-equivalent brand during supplier shortages. We never substitute hard parts.

Shop by platform:

• OE Ultimate Under Supercharger Kit, Gen 1 B8, C6, 4L: $574.99
• OE Ultimate Under Supercharger Kit, Gen 1 B8.5 & C7: $649.99
• OE Ultimate Under Supercharger Kit, 2012 C7 A6/A7: $674.99
• OE Ultimate Under Supercharger Kit, Gen 2 CREC: $649.99
• Browse all Under Supercharger Kits

Where GPS Deserves Credit

Fair is fair. German Performance Solutions builds a good kit, and their billet thermostat housing is well regarded in the 3.0T community. Their kits also offer an OEM coolant crossover pipe as an optional add-on. If you want to replace the crossover pipe during the same job, we stock a coolant crossover pipe replacement (06E121045BB); check that part number against your car or send us your VIN and we'll confirm. Our point isn't that their parts are bad. It's that the same class of parts shouldn't cost you $150 to $215 more.

While the Supercharger Is Off: Worthwhile Add-Ons

Labor you've already paid for is the cheapest labor there is. These all live in the same service window:

• PCV valve to intake pipe (06E103207AC): common companion failure on B8.5/C7; early-production 2013 S4/S5 take the 06E103207P instead
• Billet supercharger tensioner pulley: replaces the factory plastic tensioner while the belt is off
• TruDrive overdrive crank pulley: more supercharger speed, more boost
• Unzerstörbar crank pulley bolt kit: high-strength hardware for the pulley you're already touching
• Sehr Gut intercooler port upgrade kit: upgrade the intercooler ports in the same teardown

Under Supercharger Kit FAQ

Is the Vorsprung kit a direct alternative to the GPS Under Supercharger Kit?
Yes. Both kits cover the same job and use the same core OE-supplier components: a billet aluminum thermostat assembly, Graf metal water pump, OEM Hengst PCV valve, Elring intake manifold gaskets and injector seals, and the genuine 06E103213 PCV adapter pipe. The Vorsprung kit costs $150 to $215 less depending on generation, and the Gen 1 B8 kit also adds a genuine Audi breather hose and clamp.

How much does an Audi 3.0T under supercharger kit cost?
Vorsprung's OE Ultimate kits run $574.99 (Gen 1 B8), $649.99 (Gen 1 B8.5 and C7), $674.99 (2012 C7), and $649.99 (Gen 2 CREC). GPS kits were listed at $724.99 to $864.99 when we checked in September 2026.

Do I have to remove the supercharger to install an under supercharger kit?
Yes. Every part in the kit sits in the engine valley underneath the supercharger, so the supercharger has to come off to reach any of them.

How do I know if I have a Gen 1 or Gen 2 CREC engine?
Gen 2 CREC covers 2015-2018 A8 and 2016-2018 A6, A7, and Q7. Every B8 and B8.5 S4, S5, Q5, and SQ5, plus earlier A6, A7, A8, and Q7 models, are Gen 1 EA837. Your engine code settles it, or email us your VIN and we'll confirm.

What are the symptoms of a failing thermostat housing on the Audi 3.0T?
Coolant loss without a visible puddle, a sweet coolant smell, higher than normal engine temperature, and coolant-temperature related check engine lights. The leak usually collects in the valley under the supercharger, which is why it's easy to miss.

Can I just replace the part that failed?
You can, but supercharger removal and reinstallation is the expensive part of this job. Replacing the rest of the aging plastic and seals while you're in there avoids paying for that same labor again later.

Is this a DIY job?
It's a moderate to advanced DIY for someone comfortable with cooling and intake work. The kit parts themselves bolt in; most of the effort is removing and reinstalling the supercharger. If you'd rather not, any qualified independent Audi shop can install it in one visit.

Are the parts OEM or aftermarket?
Both, on purpose. The kit uses genuine Audi and OE-supplier parts (Graf, Hengst, Elring) wherever the factory design is sound, and billet aluminum where the factory used plastic that cracks.

Bottom Line

If you were about to order a GPS Under Supercharger Kit, compare the parts lists before you check out. You'll find the same brands doing the same job, and a Vorsprung kit that leaves $150 to $215 in your pocket for a pulley upgrade, fresh plugs, or the shop labor itself. Confirm your generation in the table above, grab the kit built for your car, and pull that supercharger once.

Shop Vorsprung Under Supercharger Kits

German Performance Solutions and GPS are trademarks of their respective owner. Vorsprung Autowerk is not affiliated with or endorsed by German Performance Solutions. Competitor parts lists and prices are taken from their publicly listed product pages as of September 24, 2026 and may have changed since.

Drive the difference. Drive Vorsprung.