Audi Advocate

[JKN]

To other more experienced Audi owners..
This is my first Audi.. the RS6 and I love it.. except for the Onstar (ok..that isn't really the point of this thread)..

My question is.. has anybody found the "Audi Advocates" of any value at all? I recently have called about Onstar and have determined that they basically add about zero value.. Can somebody prove me wrong? What is their use in the Audi system?

thanks

[Benman]

Unfortunately I've had no contact with mine (doubt he still exists) but there are several members on this forum with "advocate experience" that might be able to help.

Ben:addict:

[Hy Octane]

The advocates are only helpful if you have no idea about your car, its warranty, or how to turn on the radio. Most of them dont have any inside knowledge about the cars and must "get back to you about this" which they dont do well. We here on this board know more than they do. If you want to know if there were any changes for example, to the RS6 from day one to the last day of production, they will ask whoever thy ask, they will be told "no Changes" and thats all you get when we all know there were several changes made. basically, a useless service. They couldnt even find out how much oil these motors were supposed to use.

[JAXRS6]

My advocate has been helpful at times, tho he's certainly no tech and is, after all, paid to tow the Audi line, making the "advocate" title a non-sequitur on occasion.

I had an experience similar to Hy Octane's. It began when I complained about too much steering effort at very low speeds. I was at dealer & the service writer, pointing to three guys outside the window, said "Why don't you ask them?" "They" were visiting from Audi; one had a Germanic accent and said, "ask the dealer to check your Servotronic." Servotronic eases the effort required for low speed steering. So I did.

Dealer tech looked into it, then took me aside. Early RS6s apparently had Servotronic, he said, but by the time my car was made (for Aug 03 delivery), it had been deleted. No way to get it on my car. This was probably last July or so.

Later I brought this up with my advocate. At first he said it didn't surprise him because changes during production are very common, but he'd have to get back to me. When he did, he said Audi denied making any changes during production of the RS6!

My advocate was more helpful on another matter. After my car sat on a dealer hoist for a month due to Audi AG's failure to tell Audi of America that the main engine crank pulley on our cars is the same as on the 2.7T, I complained about poor communication. When the next problem requiring downtime arose, I reminded him of the prior poor communication and said it better not happen again. He got authorization to get my dealer tech on the phone with an Audi tech in Germany. They spoke for about an hour, my wiring harness was replaced as a result, and the problem (failing ECMs & accompanying subpar performance, tranny issues, ESP light on when inappropriate etc.) came to a halt and never returned.

Even tho he can't always help, I try to maintain a cordial relationship with my advocate. He knows the conflict of his title vs. where his paycheck comes from; we've talked about it. But he's the only "advocate" I've got; it's not like I can shop around for someone with more power or influence.

[GoFastKindaGuy]

My advocate has been very helpful. When I first took delivery, I had all kinds of issues with codes, then parts availabililty to fix those. Between dealer and advocate, I got all kinds of energy applied to solving missfire and stalling issues. 16,000 miles later, all is well. I also received winter floor mats and $2,500 toward my Kinesis wheels -- for my inconvenience.

Further, I have also used the advocate to secure a tour of Necharsulm this coming May.

I never had an advocate for any other vehicle I have ever owned. (Talk about no value.) At least Mark went to bat for me.

[JAXRS6]

Originally posted by GoFastKindaGuy
I never had an advocate for any other vehicle I have ever owned. (Talk about no value.) At least Mark went to bat for me.

Well said!:thumb: Mark is my guy, too, and although he can't always resolve everything, he goes to bat for me, too.

To address the original question of what purpose these guys serve, I think it's a perk of owning Audi's high end products that's intended to enhance the ownership experience. Only owners of the RS6 and A8 get them. Everyone else is limited to their dealers; for AOA issues they must call the toll free number and, I suspect, deal with someone different each time who has no idea who they are & probably cares less. At least that was my experience when owning a 98 A4 and 00 S4.

Advocates can't always get the things, or even info, that we want. But they try, or at least Mark does, and we have some convenience in dealing with the same person each time. We don't need to rehash what went before to someone who knows nothing about us or our car(s).

To those of you dissatisfied, I would ask: Have you ever had an Owner Advocate before? None will say yes, I suspect, but if you have, please tell us with whom & how it worked out.

[Benman]

Jax and Go Fast:cheers: ,

It was nice to read your two's positive experience with your advocates. When I posted that I've had no contact with mine, I was merely stating that I've had no need (as of yet), so I couldn't comment on if they are good or not.

Nice to know if I do need one that at least they "go to bat for me". The part about the paycheck is a good one. Even the movie "The Incredibles" brings that up. Where Mr. Incredible is working for the insurance company, his job is to "help" people with their claims. But in the real world it's to save the boss (and company) money. Taking that into consideration, it's easy to see that our advocates can only do so much.

Ben:addict:

[Benman]

Originally posted by GoFastKindaGuy
Further, I have also used the advocate to secure a tour of Necharsulm this coming May.

BTW, Go Fast, why not delay the trip till June. They will have "tooled up" for the RS 4 by then and then you could get more for your money's worth.

Production doesn't "officially" start till very end of May so I would think that in June you'll get to see a lot more.:cheers:

Ben:addict:

[GoFastKindaGuy]

Because the window works for us...

...and we've already arranged Quattro GmbH, AMG, Ruf, Porsche (Leipzig, Zuffenhausen and a chance at Weissach), MB museum, Rossa-Bianco museum and possibly track time in CZ.

:applause:

[Benman]

Originally posted by GoFastKindaGuy
Because the window works for us...

...and we've already arranged Quattro GmbH, AMG, Ruf, Porsche (Leipzig, Zuffenhausen and a chance at Weissach), MB museum, Rossa-Bianco museum and possibly track time in CZ.

:applause:
Ahh...:0:

Ben:addict:

[nene]

Sorry JK but I have never even called an Audi Advocate for any reason, thus my knowledge of the process is nill. However, I can fix your OnStar in 1 min flat.
If you want red forever, satisfaction is guaranteed.
If you want green, satisfaction not guaranteed, since it will probably turn red again a few weeks/months later. Changed mine back to green recently, and keeping an eye on it to see how long it lasts. Send me PM and we can meet up.

[LIRS6]

I have had several discussions with my "Advocate" - most have centered around the OnStar red light issue. Although I was promised by my advocate that she would arrange for an Audi tech to speak with my dealer's svc dep't, on the appointed day she was AWOL and had arranged nothing. I got my beast back with a new back-up battery for the On Star which went red again after 1 month. I am not impressed with them. :argue:

[gjg]

Originally posted by GoFastKindaGuy

and possibly track time in CZ.

this is interesting for ne - hey, if you need any help with arrangements in CZ, let me know, and I will try to help.

For that matter I will be in country in May and it would be a pleasure to see you guys in person ... and perhaps give you a ride in real RS6 (now I had to rub this one in no matter what ....)

let me know, I can reschedule most of my May s**t to accomodate your trip when it comes to CZ track time. As a matter of fact I may even look in to meeting you in Neklarsum

George

:thumb:

[GoFastKindaGuy]

Hello George,

I tried to pm you, but your mailbox is full. Therefore, please excuse the public message:

CZ is currently the most tentative part of our trip. It depends upon the availability of our CZ distributor to host us. If it comes together, it will be travelling to Prague on Saturday, 14 May (after visiting the M-B Museum in the morning). I figure close to 5 hours Frankfurt to Prague. We would leave late Monday afternoon, 16 May for Frankfurt. We plan to visit the Rosso-Bianco Museum in Aschaffenburg on Tuesday morning before retuning to the US of A.

If CZ fails, then we'll be hitting as many museums and tuners as will see us on the German holiday weekend. That will undoubtedly rearrange the Museum visits mentioned above.)

Our Necharsulm tour is scheduled for the afternoon of Tuesday, 10 May. All the factory tours require advanced notice and some are closed to others; however, as an RS6+ guy, Necharsulm should be relatively easy to accommodate. If you're serious, please join us.

As to arrangements in CZ, I'll let you know if we need help. Top Prague hotel and restaurant recommendations would be helpful, if it is not too much to ask.

[JKN]

Guys,

I had mistaken the role of the advocate prior to my last conversation with her. I figured they would get quickly to the bottom of things.. figuring that there are only so many rs6 owners and a team of 6 advocates in the US.. they can't be too busy really..

Anyway, she did in fact treat me professionally and, in the end, my assumption that the role had zero value, is, in fact, not my current opinion.

She called my dealer, made them aware of the new techical bulliten, had the dealer call me to schedule for service and then she called me to be sure that all was arranged.. pretty good follow thru really.

[JAXRS6]

Glad to hear your advocate has turned out to be helpful, JKN!:D

For the record, my guy once said they handle the A8L as well as the RS6. I'm fairly sure he said the number of advocates was fewer than six, but I don't recall that for sure & it may have changed anyway. I do recall him saying his clients numbered in the hundreds, which surprised me. Not all of them have been active, of course, but enough have to keep him busy much of the time. Certainly I have kept him busy at times, having had three episodes of serious downtime during my 35K miles since Aug 03 delivery.

Which brings up another role he has played: Providing a shoulder for me to cry on, so to speak. It was very frustrating when, a few months after shelling out more than twice what I paid for any previous car, my "dream car" ended up in the shop for weeks at a time.:vgrumpy: I still own it, in part, because I know he's there if something else comes up.

Not to mention that the RS6's combination of power, AWD, and size fit my wants & needs perfectly!:rs6kiss:

[gjg]

Originally posted by GoFastKindaGuy

I figure close to 5 hours Frankfurt to Prague.


I cleaned up the mailbox and pm'd.

FRA-PRG on Saturday is less than 4 hrs with firmly planted right foot - approx. 520 km (Airport to downtown Prague). Providing there is no stau ..
:thumb: