The next Audi RS6 and RS7 (2013/14)

[aussie rs6]

Importing to the EU is WAY easier than importing to the US. We would have to crash test 3 of them, then make modifications, pay for EPA testing, etc.

The USA crash testing keeps a lot of 'special' european cars out of the USA. However, Audi Australia imported I believe 10 C6 RS6's (3 sedans, 7 Avants) into Oz and all sold at US$260k! (note 50% of price is australian luxury import tax- soak the rich is always popular with the voters). Oz population only 22 million. Crash testing not required in Oz for EU compliant imports if already crash tested in EU.

I cannot believe that AOA did not import the C6 RS6 into USA. Even at ~US$130k, it would have I believe sold enough to break even, even after crash test expenses. More importantly, it would have lifted the profile of Audi significntly at the top end of the market as a even a lightly mapped C6 RS6 blows away all the top end merc, bmw opposition plus the cache of a Lamborghini derived V10 modified by Audi.

However that is now history. I cant believe that if the C7 RS6 is as good as it sounds, that AOA will let this opportunity slip again.

BMW and merc go to the trouble of qualifying their top end cars for the US market. Perhaps they are loss leaders and this is the price to pay for enhancing the marques prestige.

just my two cents worth.
john

ps I am a member of the Ayn Rand fan club.

[Brav]

Working on a project with another company to get various models crash tested an approved in the US, and other countries. Might be 12 months down the line, but will be able to convert most non-US spec cars, if there's a market for it.

[chewym]

The USA crash testing keeps a lot of 'special' european cars out of the USA. However, Audi Australia imported I believe 10 C6 RS6's (3 sedans, 7 Avants) into Oz and all sold at US$260k! (note 50% of price is australian luxury import tax- soak the rich is always popular with the voters). Oz population only 22 million. Crash testing not required in Oz for EU compliant imports if already crash tested in EU.

I cannot believe that AOA did not import the C6 RS6 into USA. Even at ~US$130k, it would have I believe sold enough to break even, even after crash test expenses. More importantly, it would have lifted the profile of Audi significntly at the top end of the market as a even a lightly mapped C6 RS6 blows away all the top end merc, bmw opposition plus the cache of a Lamborghini derived V10 modified by Audi.

However that is now history. I cant believe that if the C7 RS6 is as good as it sounds, that AOA will let this opportunity slip again.

BMW and merc go to the trouble of qualifying their top end cars for the US market. Perhaps they are loss leaders and this is the price to pay for enhancing the marques prestige.

just my two cents worth.
john

ps I am a member of the Ayn Rand fan club.

Very good points about the barrier to entry in the US vs. Australia for example. You have to remember that BMW and MB also sell about double the number of cars in the US. This gives them much more room to play with as you say with regards to M and AMG products. With the way European car sales are these days profitability in the US is more important than ever. And you have to remember that VW was losing tons of money every year in the US througout the 2000s so there could still be a culture of thriftiness left.

[RXBG]

AOA has an RS4 avant for show and tell right now. it's definitely coming. no doubt the RS6 will too but they will wait for the RS7 to start selling first.

[MaxRS6]

Hate to be a downer- However; this kid will not be begging AoA for anything. They will end up over pricing it, making it overly difficult to work on, and then charge ridiculous amounts for rather routine maintenance. Shall we replay the issues (tranny, DRC, gas tanks, etc, etc.)?? Those three items alone are not small items and were major components of the car that had failed designs. As all of you know, our current cars are a nightmare to work on (at least that is what every mechanic has told me that has wrenched on it). Each of them complain of the layout and how things are just inaccessible (this is German engineering?).

Then make any type of modification- AoA will say all warranty is void (yeh, yeh, yeh- I know the argument if the mod didn't relate/cause the damage, blah blah blah). As I posted not long ago, AoA turned down a warranty replacement on a new air intake duct. I purchased a new air duct from Parker Audi (the original one had cracked). Within several weeks, the paint on the new duct was peeling like a snake. AoA said Parker had told them the car had the APR chip- and thus they would not cover the air duct. What kind of bullsh#t is that? The part is small potatoes (approx $150). However; it was the mere point of the issue. How does the APR chip cause paint to peel on a new air duct? The original ducts did not have one piece of paint peeled in the previous 8 years with the APR chip in it for at least 5 of those years.

With that and many other fails at the Audi dealership- I highly doubt I will purchase another RS6 (or Audi for that matter).

My less than .03 worth- Good luck to those that want this thing

[4everRS]

Randy, with the tribulations you've dealt with, I can understand your sentiments. It almost seems as if our cars were a "test" platform. DRC had never been implemented and the transmission was cobbled together. The fuel tank issues seemed to run through their product line. I have to be honest, my wife and I have received much better service with our GMC Acadia, than the RS6. That doesn't seem right to me. It's one of the biggest reasons why I have stayed away from Audi dealerships. When I walk in to one, they look down on me, and generally act as if they don't want/need my business. Case and point: I recently went into carousel Audi with my father who is shopping for a new A8. We walked up to the parts desk as my dad wanted to buy a beanie hat for his granddaughter. I saw a set of nice aluminum pedals and asked if they make them for my car. He asked if it was a manual or auto. I said they're pretty much all autos an he proceeded to argue with me about that. I didn't mind that he disagreed with me, but the tone in which he spoke was what pissed me off. This is just one small example, and not the basis for my thoughts.

I will have a very hard time buying from an Audi dealership due to this. I've had much better luck regarding the mechanics than randy has. I still want the next RS6/7, and would like to buy through a dealer, but not one that treats me like an idiot. As randy said, its the principal of it. Some dealerships are waaaaay too transactional, and need to get a little more service orientated.

[alrightroad]

^^^ this. Agree 110%. Automobile shopping at this price level should be like walking into a fine hotel, resort or restaurant. Audi dealerships should access to something like a sommelier for performance/luxury cars when special interest walks in the door wanting an RS unit. It should be about the experience and not the transaction. Audi needs to take a few pages out of the hospitality industry playbook.

Here is the RS4 avant AoA current has...
http://www.quattroworld.com/2013-aud...ed-in-the-usa/

[jtmdmd1]

The Audi dealership here is the worst of any brand as far as service & salespeople that I have ever dealt with. They do try to make you feel like they are better than you are & that they they are doing you a favor by assisting you. They created more problems on my A6 4.2 during routine maintenance than I ever had before I took it in. I will never buy another car from them or allow them to do anything on a car of mine. Like 4everRS said, I would like to work with a dealership, definitely not this one.

[Qisha]

Dear Friends,

i feel sorry to read about your negative experiences with Audi Dealerships within the USA.

Customer Feedback is greatly appreciated. If you would like to share your experiences with AoA, please write to:

Jeri Ward
Director of Customer Experience
Audi of America, Inc.
(703) 364-7000
2200 Ferdinand Porsche Drive
Herndon, VA - 20171
E-Mail: Jeri.Ward@AUDI.COM

Hopefuly those experiences are the exception rather than the rule

Qisha

[MaxRS6]

^Thank you Qisha.

I will compose a letter to above with documentation of my 168K journey. Some parts of it have been great- I have met some wonderful Audi owners including many on this forum. The car has been an absolute blast to drive when it is running correctly.

However; the negatives have outweighed the positives in my experience. 5 gas tanks in one car is a bit absurd. Did Audi pay for the repair? Yes. Did they do anything about the time and aggravation taking the car in for the repair? Not! Have they agreed to repair it again if it breaks after the recall?? They told me to check in with them if the tank leaked again. However; they would not say with certainty they would repair it again (even if it was the roll over valve that cracked again). This is one simple example. A high end auto (yes- I was one of the idiots that purchased brand spanking new)- owner should not have to endure having to put their car in the shop 4 times for an extended repair of the same issue. Don't even get me started on the DRC and how I was originally treated when that system went south.

I have written AoA multiple times. AoA did step up to the plate on some of the issues eventually (gas tank recall and reimburse for repair, KW reimburse for DRC, and a couple other times). For those actions- I give AoA kudos. I will compile these together along with the documenation to the above. I'll consider posting it as an open letter on this forum.

[Chung]

I don't want to pile on too much but I have friends with Audi's (Q5's and A4's) some brand new some used and all have had a poor experience.
With one A4 1.8T it was an oil sludge problem using the dealer for oil changes and recommended service intervals (Audi did not cover the repair as it was just out of warranty).
With one A4, almost new 2011 that burns oil so badly that they cannot make it to the next oil change without adding oil. Audi says this is normal.
And with the Q5 the steering rack was replaced multiple times and eventually returned under the lemon law.

A few have never had an issue but it is sad the game that my friend and I play is who can keep their Audi out of the shop the longest (and my 2003 RS6 is beating a 2011 A4 2.0t)

I hope Audi is successful in turning around this image but from where I stand it is difficult to recommend the brand as a premium brand. I agree with the statement that the luxury car manufacturers should be more like hospitality companies. This article suggests that the company does recognize the issue and are taking steps to solve the problem http://www.adweek.com/news/advertisi...ri-ward-138491

Thanks Qisha for directly engaging us. I know forums are the source of a lot of noise but not necessary a lot of data.

[Stephencl]

Dear Friends,

i feel sorry to read about your negative experiences with Audi Dealerships within the USA.

Customer Feedback is greatly appreciated. If you would like to share your experiences with AoA, please write to:

Jeri Ward
Director of Customer Experience
Audi of America, Inc.
(703) 364-7000
2200 Ferdinand Porsche Drive
Herndon, VA - 20171
E-Mail: Jeri.Ward@AUDI.COM

Hopefuly those experiences are the exception rather than the rule

Qisha

Qisha,

Thanks for providing this communication channel. I have owned a D2 A8, and S8. Two C5 RS6 and an ALMS TT. My experiences at the dealership have been extremely varied. I have had great relationships with the services managers, but crappy relationships with the sales teams.

I would echo some of the sentiment voiced here regarding the arrogant staff that is often on the sales floor. I have also encountered parts people that thought they knew more about the RS6 than me. But I have usually had good luck with the services folks. It was one of these managers that really got behind the DRC recall and insisted that Audi come up with a solution. Sadly, he has left Audi now.

I always knew that Audi would have a difficult time supporting the 100k priced car crowd. It is one of the main reasons I didn't buy an R8,but bought an Aston instead. Aston Martin picks up my car for service and drops it off. I live 45 miles from the dealer. If I need an Aston while my car is being serviced, they make sure I have one to drive, not some rental car.

It is taking the Audi service level to meet the price of their cars that so despartely needs to happen. I want the new RS6 with all my heart. I will lobby hard to get the car into the US in avant form, I will pay whatever they want to charge..but I would really like them to step up and treat me like I paid over 100k for it. This is what AoA really need to focus on.

Just my .02.

Stephen

[aussie rs6]

Sorry to hear of the sub optimal sales and service experience of some USA C5 RS6 owners.

Here in Perth , Western Australia, we have only one dealer for work during the warranty period,the Audi Centre, but I can testify that the service I have received for my C5 RS6 was excellent and also for my current C6 RS6.

I put this down to of course the quality of the people, but also importantly the sales manager Jerome, who works very closely with the Service Department team.

john

[ttboost]

Unfortunately, Audi service here is the same...poor at best...That's why, when we were shopping for a new car, we opted for a brand new VW...almost an Audi, but WAY better service. Man we love this thing..2012 Touareg TDI...
Probably end up keeping the RS6 and continue to work on it and repair it myself...

[MaxRS6]

^Congrats on the TDI- very nice!

We have the same experience with VW. When I needed to purchase a car for our teenage daughter- My wife (and actually myself) would not even look at Audi as an potential. If the Audi experience had been better, Audi would have been first choice.

We went with the R32 and our VW experience has been terrific. The car was only $20K. However; the service has been as if we purchased a luxury auto. The salespeople were actually hospitable to us, toured us around their facilities introducing us to the various key employees (tech service, manager, etc). Each service has been promptly scheduled and serviced without any drama. They have followed up each service with a call to see if I was pleased with the service, and if there was anything they could do to improve the experience. I've generally responded- "Teach Audi how to service cars and treat their customers- LOL". Our GMC dealership likewise gives 5 star prompt and quality service on my wife's Denali.

I can't tell you the number of times at Audi my car was put on "the back burner" and slow walked through the repair. For one example, when my oil cooler leaked (thanks Audi for that wonderful design)- it took them about a month to do this repair. It should have only been in there a few days. When I addressed this with the service manager the response was generally- "Well the tech is working as fast as he can to get you back on the road". At first they told me the repair would be covered under warranty. After they tore it apart, they decided it wasn't covered under warranty- What a ton of BS!! After the last debacle- Parker failed to diagnose a blown turbo after having my car for over 5 weeks to determine the problem with no boost (it should not take 5 weeks to determine a turbo is shot), I picketed their business for a few days and moved my car to an Indy Shop for service.

I realize there are two sides to each story and I'm sure Parker would respond with (well the car is modified, he does drive it hard, etc, etc,). However; what does that have to do with the level of service and turn around time of repairs?? For example, my radiator sprung a leak. I requested they replace all three radiators, bother intercoolers, all the hoses, etc. After a very long extended time to get this repair done (stating they were making sure everthing was correct), they gave the car back to me a few days before a track event. They said it was ready and they had thoroughly repaired the radiators and hoses. You guessed it- the first day at the track- coolant was spilling out from under the car. They had incorrectly routed one of the hoses right next to a pulley and the pulley had split the hose. Thus; I ended up at a Firestone shop where they corrected (and laughed at the Audi repair) of the hose. I have this chronicled (with pictures) in a thread on this forum. What did Parker Audi do for all this? They offered a $180 credit (heck I paid Firestone $100 for the repair). Jeez- how thoughtful. It ruined an entire track weekend essentially- and Parker was not even embarrassed by their failed service. I don't expect everyone to be perfect, and I know mistakes happen. However; I judge a business (and people) on how they respond to correct issues. I am generally a very patient and understanding consumer. Thus; it takes a lot to upset me and Parker did it in spades.

I do hold myself responsible as I put up with the poor service. I should have cut my strings with Parker far earlier and for that- I too caused myself some of the grief.

AoA did help negotiate a settlement with Parker on my final repair, and I appreciated their assistance. The failed Audi experience mosaic will have me looking elsewhere when I put a bullet in Crazy.

I'll include the above examples (along with some other nice shiny examples) in my letter to AoA. This thread has fired me up to summarize my Audi experience and share with all.

[LUPIN]

How reliable is this source? Looks more like S7 to me. I thought RS7 was supposed to have dual exhaust (not quad) and squared-off old ur-quattro style flares? Grills, bumpers, and mirrors are easy to disguise. The other stuff isn't.

The RS mules often have ''S'' exhaust and ''S'' rear bumper...

This is a RS6, only the front is RS



Also RS5 cabriolet mules had ''S'' rear bumper and ''S'' exhaust.. TT RS also... etc etc

For me, that is an RS7 mule...

[kip]

Dear Friends,


- the Audi RS 7 will be introduced first

I have seen German mags saying the RS6 Avant will be introduced in June 2013 and the RS7 in September of 2013. Is this not accurate?

[4everRS]

I have seen German mags saying the RS6 Avant will be introduced in June 2013 and the RS7 in September of 2013. Is this not accurate?

Not from what Quisha has told us. RS7 will be introduced at the North American International Auto Show.