In the market for C5 RS6...tales from the search

[DHall1]

Hello all,

I have been reading the forums for a couple of months as I search for the right 2003 RS6. I wanted to post some of my results and comparisons between vehicles and different dealers. I hope this helps others out there.

Audi dealers: Are they really that arrogant in the light of the current economy? Or have I just visited the wrong dealers? For example, Prestige Audi in Denver has been sitting on a 03 RS for nearly a year. The internet sales guy was a complete prick when I told him I was looking at 2 other cars at other dealers. Its difficult for me to get down there and actually look/drive anything as we live up in the mountains and I travel between Colorado and Arizona. When I finally did get the chance to drive the car....it was filthy from "one of the managers taking it over the weekend." Not a warm and fuzzy feeling for a first experience. Driving a dirty car with bird crap on it does not want to make one put down that amount of cash for a 5yr/old car. Anyways, it did seem to drive fine and remained on my list of potentials. The only downside is the fine rock chips along the front, headlight and fog lens and wheel arches where the PO didnt put clear bra. Big problem with the above car is the price. 42k with CPO but yet the car passed inspection with worn down brakes. 7mm thickness on the fronts. Add 2-3k on top of the price to replace pads and rotors and your pushing 45k for a 50,000 mile RS.

I stopped in this weekend to look at the car and it was alittle cleaner but they wouldnt let me drive it. What? You have to be kidding me. Its a 5yr/old car with 52k not a brand new R8. Give me a break. They wont budge on price and it will sit there another year for all I care. I have driven the car once and it was filthy and thats it????

To compare, we have purchased a similar 03 E55 CPO from Mercedes in Chandler Az this summer. 1000% better experience. We test drove several cars. Came back to the dealer 3 times, each time the E55 was spotless and ready to drive and it was the drive that made the final decision. That and the sales rep worked on the price each time we came back. It was an enjoyable experience and we love the car. Too bad the E55 is not an option for Colorado as we live in the mountains when there.

So what do I do? Keep looking? Give up?

Thanks,
Dave

[DuckWingDuck]

I think you should keep looking. Having driven my friend's E55 kind of hard and a dealer's E55 like it was rented mule, I have to say, it is nothing compared to the RS6. Yea, it's got crazy torque and "more powerful" than the RS6 but the experience is completely different. When my sales guy drove me around in my RS6, I was literally scared. An exhilarating experience to be sure.

Also, I think your experience with that Denver dealership is probably unique. As have been documented several times by Audiphile and several of us, there are some truly odious Audi dealerships.

[DHall1]

Point taken.

To say they were "pricks" is to give them credit.

I run the largest sales territory in my company. I think I know what customer service is all about.

[DHall1]

Well,

Today the sales person at Prestige was to research the brakes and how much it will cost to get new pads all the way around.

Not to my surprise, there was no call back.

I guess indeed that they are too busy to sell cars and would rather have cars sit on thier lot for nearly a year.

What gives?? Does everyone have idiot written on thier skulls? Its time to move on from that place.




Hello all,

I have been reading the forums for a couple of months as I search for the right 2003 RS6. I wanted to post some of my results and comparisons between vehicles and different dealers. I hope this helps others out there.

Audi dealers: Are they really that arrogant in the light of the current economy? Or have I just visited the wrong dealers? For example, Prestige Audi in Denver has been sitting on a 03 RS for nearly a year. The internet sales guy was a complete prick when I told him I was looking at 2 other cars at other dealers. Its difficult for me to get down there and actually look/drive anything as we live up in the mountains and I travel between Colorado and Arizona. When I finally did get the chance to drive the car....it was filthy from "one of the managers taking it over the weekend." Not a warm and fuzzy feeling for a first experience. Driving a dirty car with bird crap on it does not want to make one put down that amount of cash for a 5yr/old car. Anyways, it did seem to drive fine and remained on my list of potentials. The only downside is the fine rock chips along the front, headlight and fog lens and wheel arches where the PO didnt put clear bra. Big problem with the above car is the price. 42k with CPO but yet the car passed inspection with worn down brakes. 7mm thickness on the fronts. Add 2-3k on top of the price to replace pads and rotors and your pushing 45k for a 50,000 mile RS.

I stopped in this weekend to look at the car and it was alittle cleaner but they wouldnt let me drive it. What? You have to be kidding me. Its a 5yr/old car with 52k not a brand new R8. Give me a break. They wont budge on price and it will sit there another year for all I care. I have driven the car once and it was filthy and thats it????

To compare, we have purchased a similar 03 E55 CPO from Mercedes in Chandler Az this summer. 1000% better experience. We test drove several cars. Came back to the dealer 3 times, each time the E55 was spotless and ready to drive and it was the drive that made the final decision. That and the sales rep worked on the price each time we came back. It was an enjoyable experience and we love the car. Too bad the E55 is not an option for Colorado as we live in the mountains when there.

So what do I do? Keep looking? Give up?

Thanks,
Dave

[DuckWingDuck]

Ya, I agree. If they don't want to sell you the car, then don't give them your business. As an aside, when you buy the car, you can stipulate certain things that you would like the dealer to take care of before you take possession, i.e. things like tires, brake pads, etc.

[BLITZEN]

My .02 is to look nationwide on Autotrader. There's far too few of these cars to limit to a local search. And, Yes, it sounds like the Denver dealer certainly doesn't deserve to get your business.

Though I live in Utah, I bought my RS from a dealer outside Chicago. They were really nice and had the complete history of the car. One of their customers bought it new and had just returned it. After paying $1000 to have it shipped (cheaper than gas plus the airfare), when I got it I was unhappy about some curb rash on two wheels which they had not mentioned. A quick call to them and they offered to pay for the repair completely, without me having to ask. Otherwise, it's been a dream.

Along those lines, my real concern for you is that (since you live up in the mountains and since your Denver dealer is so lax) you will have problems with the high level of quality service and maintenance these cars require. What do you plan to do about Maintenance checks every 10k miles, etc.?

My first visit to the Salt Lake dealer for maintenance made me decide to never go back. I'm now driving my car 30 miles to have it serviced in Provo UT. But these new guys are good and they always treat me to a demo car while they have my RS.

Good Luck!

[DuckWingDuck]

I have to reiterate what Blitzen said. I didn't do enough research on my car before I purchased it and ended up paying too much for it. The amount I overpaid wasn't by much but nevertheless, could've saved myself some money had I looked across a winder spectrum as Blitzen has said.

Hell, I didn't discover the forum until after I had purchased my car. Had I been here for even a month before the purchase I daresay I could have saved some money.

[DHall1]

Agreed,

I have limited my search to the western region. I will not buy without a personal inspection and negotation process.

There are other service dealers in the Denver metro and along the front range for the RS. I live in Breckenridge....1hr drive to Denver.

Its really too bad about Prestige in Denver. Its no wonder thier dealership has never grown. They are still in the rat hole of a location along Colfax in west Denver. So far that car is near the tops of my list even with the slight rockchip damage along the front.




My .02 is to look nationwide on Autotrader. There's far too few of these cars to limit to a local search. And, Yes, it sounds like the Denver dealer certainly doesn't deserve to get your business.

Though I live in Utah, I bought my RS from a dealer outside Chicago. They were really nice and had the complete history of the car. One of their customers bought it new and had just returned it. After paying $1000 to have it shipped (cheaper than gas plus the airfare), when I got it I was unhappy about some curb rash on two wheels which they had not mentioned. A quick call to them and they offered to pay for the repair completely, without me having to ask. Otherwise, it's been a dream.

Along those lines, my real concern for you is that (since you live up in the mountains and since your Denver dealer is so lax) you will have problems with the high level of quality service and maintenance these cars require. What do you plan to do about Maintenance checks every 10k miles, etc.?

My first visit to the Salt Lake dealer for maintenance made me decide to never go back. I'm now driving my car 30 miles to have it serviced in Provo UT. But these new guys are good and they always treat me to a demo car while they have my RS.

Good Luck!