[urq] What is everyone's opinion about Audi's parts house cleaning?

[n-engelbert at terrans.net]

I spoke with Craig Liechty last weekend at MidOhio about this and he
claims that the ACNA has tried to convey our dilemma to Audi.  The answer
that he says that they come back with is, you create a market and make it
financially feasible for us, and we'll make the parts again.  With at
least three generations of ball joints, and 11,000 total cars, I don't see
how this is possible, and neither does Craig.

I also talked to Craig about the ACI list, and he said that the ACNA was
working with them, and that we ought to be able to get parts off that
list.  I'd email Craig if there's something that you want, and hopefully
he would be able to contact the correct people to get the parts.

I do think this is a way to clear inventory and to abandon support, and
that we'll be even more largely on our own in terms of redesigning
parts/finding suitable alternatives/etc, but maybe that's because I'm
generally a pessimist.

The local VW club is putting together a gtg next month at the VW dealer
south of town that also handles Audi.  I got in a yelling match with the
service advisor there, and called her a liar, when she told me that it
wasn't possible for them to get me a radio code for my 200q20v avant.  The
VW people say it's better now, and there's going to be free beer and food,
but I'm quite leery of going down there.

</rant>

Nathan Engelbert
83 UrQ DA900453
89 90q
91 200q20v avant

> Is this the start of the creation of a proper department to make old
> parts or is this an abandonment of support for their older cars?
>
> I personally think and suspect that its the later, which of course is
> quite infuriating.   If not, why not just start creating those parts
> which are NLA and in demand.  We all know what they are.
> It makes no sense to sell off all old stock which is exactly what one
> wouldn't do if they were going to launch full support for older cars.
>
> I also question Audi's handling of the parts dispatch.  Essentially only
> in German and to members of ACI which is largely a German only club
> now.   I'm a member of ACNA and I don't think ACNA was even give fore
> warning of this move.
>
> The current available parts will go to those in a position to buy the
> parts with purely speculative goals in mind thus merely creating a more
> oportunistic middle man to barter out a limited supply of parts to a
> growing demand.
>
> Quite frustrating and really making me ANTAGONISTIC towards Audi right
> now.
>
> James Bufkin