JAXRS6
February 6th, 2004, 18:22
That's the message I got when a very pleasant woman named Annette called in response to my letter to Len Hunt, VP of AoA. Her message was that there are so many parts -- not just for the RS6 but also other models -- that it's just not practical or cost effective to stock all parts in the US.
Bummer! So I called dealers for Mercedes-Benz and BMW, and guess what? They don't stock all parts here either.
Triple bummer! So now, I guess, I'll have to await Caddy's new V Series for the CTS (400 hp) & see if it measures up, since car mags have reported 0-60 in 4.6 (although I have yet to see published results of a complete road test). But I'll be proceeding with caution after remembering a bad GM parts experience with my mom's 1994 Buick LeSabre. She mashed a front fender (plastic) in a collision and it took three weeks to get a new one at the dealer -- in Detroit!!! That was about nine years ago, tho, so maybe things have improved. GM does seem to be the current rising star among the Big Three.
In any case, the more I reflect on this, the more I'm willing to give the RS6 more time. It is, after all, an extraordinary vehicle when it's running well, and it has been doing just that for the past 700 miles. I'm also beginning to look at my frustrating experiences with apparent bad gas, plus having to wait 3-4 weeks for an engine crank pulley, as possibly just plain bad luck. I've learned a lot about being careful where I buy gas now, especially here in SW Florida with its heat & humidity that lead to fuel storage issues. And the engine crank pulley, damaged along with the serpentine belt and all other related pulleys, may have been an aberration caused by a stray sticky pebble that somehow got onto the belt.
Then again, given the fact that the fender wells are ventilated to help reduce engine compartment heat, maybe it could happen again!
Meantime I am enjoying the car & will probably take a look at the new Caddy when it arrives. But I will be doing so out of curioisity more than desperation ... as long as no long waits for parts are in my future anytime soon.
Actually, I am awaiting a new ECM, since the one that came with my car shows a bunch of zeros where it should have data from the initial dealer set-up. But this wait is more tolerable because the car is not disabled.
Bummer! So I called dealers for Mercedes-Benz and BMW, and guess what? They don't stock all parts here either.
Triple bummer! So now, I guess, I'll have to await Caddy's new V Series for the CTS (400 hp) & see if it measures up, since car mags have reported 0-60 in 4.6 (although I have yet to see published results of a complete road test). But I'll be proceeding with caution after remembering a bad GM parts experience with my mom's 1994 Buick LeSabre. She mashed a front fender (plastic) in a collision and it took three weeks to get a new one at the dealer -- in Detroit!!! That was about nine years ago, tho, so maybe things have improved. GM does seem to be the current rising star among the Big Three.
In any case, the more I reflect on this, the more I'm willing to give the RS6 more time. It is, after all, an extraordinary vehicle when it's running well, and it has been doing just that for the past 700 miles. I'm also beginning to look at my frustrating experiences with apparent bad gas, plus having to wait 3-4 weeks for an engine crank pulley, as possibly just plain bad luck. I've learned a lot about being careful where I buy gas now, especially here in SW Florida with its heat & humidity that lead to fuel storage issues. And the engine crank pulley, damaged along with the serpentine belt and all other related pulleys, may have been an aberration caused by a stray sticky pebble that somehow got onto the belt.
Then again, given the fact that the fender wells are ventilated to help reduce engine compartment heat, maybe it could happen again!
Meantime I am enjoying the car & will probably take a look at the new Caddy when it arrives. But I will be doing so out of curioisity more than desperation ... as long as no long waits for parts are in my future anytime soon.
Actually, I am awaiting a new ECM, since the one that came with my car shows a bunch of zeros where it should have data from the initial dealer set-up. But this wait is more tolerable because the car is not disabled.