Hot oily smell on a test drive

[jbsiii]

I took a nice 2002 C4 out for a test drive a couple of weeks ago. The drive went well, but when we stopped during the drive to get out and have a look around, my wife and I both noticed a hot oil smell. I opened the trunk and sniffed around the engine compartment, but detected nothing. It was more noticeable just beneath the driver's door. Of course, the dealer claimed to have never encountered it. I'm thinking given the location, it's likely an RMS leak. I didn't get a chance to look under the car, but that seems like the most likely issue.

Any thoughts/advise?

[rb101]

If you drove the car a bit hard, then it's normal. It's tire dust burning on the mufflers.

[jbsiii]

Hmm... I didn't drive it hard, I had my wife with me in the car. Just a nice drive down the freeway at 80.....

[JFP in PA]

Tell the dealer you want to see the car up on a lift, if they balk, walk away.

[dennish]

My 2003 smells like burnt oil after a drive. It's normal. Residual cosmoline on the motor I'm told. BTW, my car uses no oil.

[cobra935o]

I get the burnt rubber smell, not the hot oil, it was concerning at first, but just got used to it as something that had to be normal with the car, as all the inspections I did trying to figure it out came up with nothing out of the ordinary.