Just bought a '96 A6 FWD, Auto, used from Audi dealer,51k for $12,900, my 5th Audi. I THINK I got a good deal, despite the fact that Carfax told me car had been in an accident and Audi dealer gave me printout showing transmission replacement @30k mi, they did not sell car new and claim ignorance other than AoA printout info. Before my 6k mi warrantee expires, I was hoping to learn:
1. Why do I have to settle for little or no AM reception in metro Boston, (Audi delta Gala cassette only)? Dealer claims to have checked radio (and antenna amplifier presumably), with no improvement.
2. Does auto trans. have programmable "memory" feature? Mine is winding up to 4-5k rpm before shifting out of 1st. (I understand that use of the A/C compressor saps power when engine is warming up). A friend who also has a '96 A6 said he had his trans. computer reprogrammed, resulting in better low speed pick-up and (the illusion of) better torque as well as upshifting at a more-reasonable 3-4k rpm. Also, the shifter will occasionally stick in neutral when going from reverse to drive (full stop and brake depressed, of course), requiring shifting back to park and shifting again to "drive" before it engages. Interlock problem?
3. I understand that my car was an "entry-level" A6 with cloth seats and power adjustment on driver's side only. Despite that, there are heated seats, cold weather pkg?). The hassle is that there is something rolling around under the l/f seat. Accelerate, it rolls back, brake and it rolls forward. Dealer claims to have checked seat and found nothing loose,(inline fuse for bun warmer?) Tried driving with one hand under seat but it's crowded under there. This is like Chinese Water Torture. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance for any opinions on how to keep car from driving me crazy. I tried to find answers in archives but if I'm redundant here, my apologies. ("You get what you pay for" and "find a new dealer" are acceptable responses, of course.)

Do I miss something? Look, you have several serious problems. The transmission must work as for the factory spec. And radio must receive AM signal. If you on the warranty, dealer must fix it. May be because I am from New York and to "pushy", but I would kick the dealer's butt until he will bring the car to the factory specs. But you just waiting until your warranty will expire... Look at it from other point: If you will miss "0", when you wrote a check to dealer, he will not miss it, why should you? Or from this point: if you will look at this forum, other guys used warranty to fix all tiniest problems, like light of the thermometer on the dashboard. And you do not want to fix transmission!

As I understood from your list, the transmission is most expensive thing to repair. I do not see any reason, why your dealer did not repair it. Again according to the warranty it must work to the factory spec. 5K RPM to switch from 1st gear is not factory spec. If it reprogrammed - ask them to reprogram it back.
If your warranty is about to expire and dealer gives some bull**** about the "reprogrammed" trans - ask to put everything in writing! If you will change your mind later - you will have a proof. Each paper must include inspection date and actual car mileage. In the paper they should acknowledge the problem. Like "yes, the radio does not work and yes we did not find a problem" not like "as per customer's request we checked radio and did not find any problems".
Also keep all receipts about car maintenance.

AoA should be ashamed at the way Audi Dealers treat their customers. I predict they fall even lower on the customer satisfaction ratings this year. I hear they're handing out free samples of vasaleine now when you go to get something fixed. Get used to it because they suck.

I know of three good ones in town,

One of them I go to for little things. Thinks that need to be looked at quickly, they are also the only place that allows me to supply my own parts.

The other two are about equal. They both do a good job, but take a long time to get an appointment with. They also won't tell me if they see anything else wrong because they are so backed up they don't have time to fix it with out a seperate appointment. The first local shop I go to would tell me anything and everything they find. (Of cource I have them show it to me so they are not ripping me off, but its nice to know they will tell me if they find something)

I have been too three other places that work in euro cars / audi specific and they all were TERRIBLE.