How The Dealer treats us...was Start of a silly season

[cobram at juno.com]

Michael McLaughlin <mcloffs at mac.com> writes:

> is going to be very happy. Now that leasing seems to be declining in 
> popularity, perhaps they'll actually care about keeping customers  
> after the warranty runs out. But I'm not holding my breath.

Unless there is a major about face, it's not going to happen.  Back when
the dollar was low and the mark was high, they still treated their after
sale customers like unwanted barnacles.  Audi had to implement a special
program for it's flagship V8Q by spelling out the "VIP" treatment they
were supposed to get when the V8Q needed service.  If you read it (the
VIP program has been transferred to R8 & A8 customers, I think) they
basically tell their dealers to treat their flagship customers like most
Asian brands treat ALL their customers. 

I believe the earlier observation in this thread, about the plethora of
competition with decent AWD, will be THE deciding factor when it comes
time to sign on the bottom line.  AWD wasn't my lure, it was the ability
of Audi's to stay in one piece for decades in the rust belt, but that too
is no longer a monopoly item, as even the lowliest of some brands stand
up to the corrosion as only type 44's used to.  The price incentive on
used ones still seems to be a factor though, the higher end model Audi's
do seem to have prices fall much quicker than their Teutonic brethren
once out of warranty.
 
BCNU,
http://www.geocities.com/cobramsri/
"God's a kid with an ant farm. He's not planning anything."