3 RS6 Questions... (smoke/warranty/wipers)?

[Wacko]

Hi all, happy new year. I was hoping you could help me with three queries I have:

1. Does anyone else get a small bit of smoke from the exhausts for about 30 seconds or so when starting the car after about a week?

2. My warranty runs out in May and I was thinking of having it extended. However I have been told by the dealer that Audi are trying to discourage RS6 owners from doing this and the price is now £1,500 for a year (!!!!) and that in any case the extended warranty is not as comprehensive as the original. Have others on this board tended to entend or not?

3. Apart from a dealer (who are likelt to be v. expensive) anyone know where I can get wiper blades?!? Sounds obvious but it is near impossible to get blades for A6s post 2002!

Thanks all in advance

[W8PMC]

1. In colder weather this is normal, my pipes appear smokey for a good few mins when it's damp/cold, but as the smell is pure emissions, it's nothing to worry about.
2. The price for an extended warranty on an RS6 has always been about £1500, so it's not to discourage. If i was keeping mine, i'd defo take out an extended warranty. A replacement gearbox is about £15,000 fitted.
3. No idea, i'd get them from the dealer to hopefully ensure the correct ones are fitted.

[Rupert]

1. Haven't noticed any.
2.
3. From VAGparts the genuine parts are around £43.72 inc. VAT. From the dealer I paid around £42 inc. VAT. for a full set of 3 wipers.

[Rich_C]

I've just taken out an Audi extended warranty on my RS6 and it cost me £1582. I did try and negotiate them down but allegedly this is a fixed price across Audi UK so there's no haggling to be had. The woman at Audi assured me that this was good as the normal Audi warranty with the exception of wear & tear items (which is probably a bit of a grey area). I'm waiting for the full info pack to come through (takes 5 to 6 weeks apparently) but I did get a little booklet which explains (well sort of) what's covered and not covered ... everytime I start reading I find myself dozing off. As an aside the price of the extended warranty also includes the Audi breakdown assistance.

Paul - do you think Audi would be sympathetic on a warranty claim with all the mods you've had done or do you have a good relationship with your service manager? I know if an electric window motor failed they can't trun round and blame the sports cats but I imagine a gearbox failure or something similar could be a bit difficult to get through. I'm just curious with regard to future mods I do.

Rich.

[rs666]

Just replaced my wipers all round at a cost of £43. But when putting them you can see that by buying just rubbers from Halfords and replace them. Saving about £30.

So I'll do that next time.

[GaryC]

I haven't noticed any smoke on startup after a week of inactivity.

£1500+ for warranty is pretty outrageous, and I'd find it rather galling to pay so much, particularly as the equivalent on a porsche would be £725. In my case a decision to extend the warranty would most likely be dependent on how long I planned to keep the car. If I was going to sell the car when it's 4-5 years old I'd probably extend the warranty for peace of mind and as a useful selling point. If I planned to keep the car until it was over 6 years old I'd probably chance it.

Cheers,

Gary.

[Wacko]

Thanks guys. £15k for a gearbox!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ouch.

[shimmy]

Hi all, happy new year. I was hoping you could help me with three queries I have:

1. Does anyone else get a small bit of smoke from the exhausts for about 30 seconds or so when starting the car after about a week?

2. My warranty runs out in May and I was thinking of having it extended. However I have been told by the dealer that Audi are trying to discourage RS6 owners from doing this and the price is now £1,500 for a year (!!!!) and that in any case the extended warranty is not as comprehensive as the original. Have others on this board tended to entend or not?

3. Apart from a dealer (who are likelt to be v. expensive) anyone know where I can get wiper blades?!? Sounds obvious but it is near impossible to get blades for A6s post 2002!

Thanks all in advance

1. yes notice this every time I start up when the cars been standing (over xmas hols)

2. same info i have had

3. no idea

[W8PMC]

I've just taken out an Audi extended warranty on my RS6 and it cost me £1582. I did try and negotiate them down but allegedly this is a fixed price across Audi UK so there's no haggling to be had. The woman at Audi assured me that this was good as the normal Audi warranty with the exception of wear & tear items (which is probably a bit of a grey area). I'm waiting for the full info pack to come through (takes 5 to 6 weeks apparently) but I did get a little booklet which explains (well sort of) what's covered and not covered ... everytime I start reading I find myself dozing off. As an aside the price of the extended warranty also includes the Audi breakdown assistance.

Paul - do you think Audi would be sympathetic on a warranty claim with all the mods you've had done or do you have a good relationship with your service manager? I know if an electric window motor failed they can't trun round and blame the sports cats but I imagine a gearbox failure or something similar could be a bit difficult to get through. I'm just curious with regard to future mods I do.

Rich.

Rich,

I've got an excellent relationship with my local Audi dealer & a very good relationship with Audi UK (i've spent more than enough with the buggers), however it is always a worry & a couple of times i've had to stamp my feet, although they replaced my gearbox with no arguement (£15K fitted) & have even given me my 30K & 40K services totally free by way of compensation. This said, i'd not modify to this degree ever again if at all.

[tartan_rob]

Guys - I was quoted £1200 for an extended warranty on my S4 from Audi. The saleman said to me, "If the turbo's go then the warranty price would cover itself. Think of it asif 1 major failrue a year that is already covered/" My retort was: "If I was getting £1200 bills a year, I would sell the bloody car."...so, in essence £1500 seems par for the course with one of these cars...IMO

[Rich_C]

Thanks for the info Paul.

Personally, I decided to get the warranty because I'd only had the car a couple of weeks before the manufacturers warranty ran out. So in an unusual rash of sensibleness I thought it best to have it for peace of mind - although all the time I was thinking "£1500 - that's nearly the cost of a remap". If I get through a years trouble free motoring I'm not sure I could bring myself to pay another £1.5k for another years cover. If it was less than a grand I wouldn't even think twice about it but the extra £500 does make it hard to justify (... understand where I'm coming from or am I just being tight???). I'll see what happens when renewal time comes round.

Rich.

[GaryC]

If I get through a years trouble free motoring I'm not sure I could bring myself to pay another £1.5k for another years cover. If it was less than a grand I wouldn't even think twice about it but the extra £500 does make it hard to justify (... understand where I'm coming from or am I just being tight???).

Totally agree. It's a question of perceived value for money. £800 or so and I'd renew the warranty ad infinitum. £1582 and I just get the feeling I'm being robbed - I only drive the RS6 at weekends, and this would mean adding an overhead of about £20 on each journey I make just to insure against the car going wrong!!!

If one existed, a cheap warranty with a high (e.g. £2k) excess would be ideal, just to guard against worst case of gearbox or engine going bang.

Gary.

[DrB]

I looked at getting warranties from other companies, but most seem to have a limit on the engine size. When I had my B5 S4 Warranty Direct were good. However with the RS6 the only company that I have found are:

http://www.warrantyworks.co.uk/

They have a maximum limit per claim of £2500, but there are lNO limits for the number of claims made. They charge £532.88 for 1 year or £650 for 3 years!

Has anyone looked at their website?

Mark

[Rich_C]

Got my paperwork through today - it's actually backed by Mondial UK (Clicky Click) rather than Audi itself although the wording in their little handbook is the same as the one I got from Audi.

Personally for £1.5k I would have liked a bit of paper covered in Audi badges rather than from an unknown independent company . I know it doesn't matter as long as the warranty is honoured ... just perceived value that's all.

Rich.

[shimmy]

Got my paperwork through today - it's actually backed by Mondial UK (Clicky Click) rather than Audi itself although the wording in their little handbook is the same as the one I got from Audi.

Personally for £1.5k I would have liked a bit of paper covered in Audi badges rather than from an unknown independent company . I know it doesn't matter as long as the warranty is honoured ... just perceived value that's all.

Rich.

I had a good price from Audi Bexley HEath (dealer) for an extended warranty (under £1k) but as they gave me a year anyway did not take it. I had the feeling at the time it was not an Audi warranty which was strange. Might be worth ringing them to see what they offer.