dealer problems

[damiank250]

hi all,

just thought i would seek your opinions on the following. Live in the West Midlands - bought car from Stratford VW but use Tamworth and Sutton usually for any servicing/Warranty work as its more local. Booked car in for 2nd service at redditch VW on this occasion as more suitable slots available. Car serviced fine and happy so far. 1 week ago air conditioning starts making strange noises and no cold air coming out. Phoned VW Redditch and told might just need a re gas but sounds were unusual so would investigate under warranty. When i dropped car off i said if its just a re gas then please call me and i will get it done elsewhere (wasnt paying £80 to re gas). NO phone call recieved all day so went to pick car up and was presented with a bill for £80 for a re gas and that they had tried to call me 3 times. Refused to pay etc arguement with service advisor etc before manager intervened and agreeed i had not authorised charge and cancelled the bill. On checking my car found mirror damaged and scratches and chips on the paintwork which was not there before (Like something had been dropped on the bonnet and roof) Got the service manager out who agreed to full repair, full valet etc. dropped off car this morning and told it would take a few days and that only a petrol polo 1.2 availble as a courtesy car(Got around 300 miles to cover next few days). Was intially told to drop off at 7.45 am and it would be ready at 5.30pm same day.

Is this reasonable? what else should i seek from them? already have service plan with one service left - have 14 months left on 3 year pcp deal.

[dimexi]

I always think - as long as they have rectified the damage they caused, it's all square. If you had loss of earnings incurred, do them for that as well.

Then I'd complain to VW HQ for being given such shoddy service; that ought to kick them into gear and get them to review processes

[RocMan]

It's frustrating but I don't think you can really ask for anything else, they are putting it right but I can understand your point. Unless it takes longer to get your car back then I'd sit tight with the Polo but if it takes longer would kick up a fuss. I had a similar kind of experience after buying my Roc - it needed a clutch and flywheel replacement and I ended up without my car for 2 weeks as a rare part broke removing the clutch and it had to be sourced from Germany. Had a Micra for one of those weeks which was torture!

[butchcannon]

Agree with the above. Yes, it'sd damn shoddy service, but at least their rectifying it. Based on some of the stories you hear about dealers not owning up to creating problems etc I'd say that's not a bad result

contacting HQ to let them know is a good call

as for the Polo, as long as you're not doing hundreds of miles a day, jsut enjoy it. I had a 1.0 UP coutesy car for a day - under powered but fun as you could just use all the power all the time!

[Gilez]

Although not ideal, I am always happy to have a courtesy car. Although typically not as enjoyable to drive as the Roc, it is mileage and wear and tear on their car and not yours. Just keep it until it is convenient to drop it back.

I bought my car from WV Redditch and have had a bit of a game with them in the past but, to be fair to them, they have always come up good in the end after a bit of an argument.

[dimexi]

Hahaha I agree with above! I always get rubbish courtesy cars, but then decide I wanna drive to the ends of the earth and back because it's not wear and tear on my car ..

Trip from lowestoft to landsend anyone?!

[RocMan]

Hahaha I agree with above! I always get rubbish courtesy cars, but then decide I wanna drive to the ends of the earth and back because it's not wear and tear on my car ..

Trip from lowestoft to landsend anyone?!

That's a good point, you have to take advantage. After the Micra I got a Juke Nismo and did Sleaford to Lake District and back (did about 450 miles), in one day!

[wigit]

i think the sign of a good dealership is how they deal with things when it goes wrong, they seem to forget that news of bad service spreads quicker than good service

i don't get wound up on courtesy cars as nothing is faster than a loan car

[bowen159]

Have used Redditch VW before. Service team were poor to say the least. Purchased a Black Rocco Exclusive edition from Derby Parkway (wanted the cream and black leather option ). When I got Home (Redditch) I found the horn didn't work and the armrest racket broken. Phoned Redditch VW and they said it would be covered under warranty. When I arrived, I was informed by the service department that neither would be warranty repairs and chargeable. Said that because I purchased the car from Derby, they wouldn't cover warranty repairs. Woman on the service desk was a right jobsworth. Avoid Redditch VW.

[dimexi]

Hahaha I agree with above! I always get rubbish courtesy cars, but then decide I wanna drive to the ends of the earth and back because it's not wear and tear on my car ..

Trip from lowestoft to landsend anyone?!

That's a good point, you have to take advantage. After the Micra I got a Juke Nismo and did Sleaford to Lake District and back (did about 450 miles), in one day!

I went into my local dealers today to drop off my car for a warranty check, and I got a Scirocco 2.0TDi as a courtesy car . Pretty chuffed with that really. Shame I wont have the chance to drive to land's end . But I might give it a good go

[Gilez]

Have used Redditch VW before. Service team were poor to say the least. Purchased a Black Rocco Exclusive edition from Derby Parkway (wanted the cream and black leather option ). When I got Home (Redditch) I found the horn didn't work and the armrest racket broken. Phoned Redditch VW and they said it would be covered under warranty. When I arrived, I was informed by the service department that neither would be warranty repairs and chargeable. Said that because I purchased the car from Derby, they wouldn't cover warranty repairs. Woman on the service desk was a right jobsworth. Avoid Redditch VW.

I assume your car was new? If so, this what you were told is utter nonsense. Dealers want to do warranty work as it is guaranteed work and money directly off WV for them.

[bowen159]

No, it's about 12 months old. They said that because the car was purchased from the Parkway dealer (derby), the Listers dealer (Redditch) would not complete the work. They would only complete the work if Derby agreed to pay Redditch to complete the work which they refused. Car had to go back for two weeks while they ordered the armrest from Germany and they gave me a Touran as rental.

[Cuprabob]

No, it's about 12 months old. They said that because the car was purchased from the Parkway dealer (derby), the Listers dealer (Redditch) would not complete the work. They would only complete the work if Derby agreed to pay Redditch to complete the work which they refused. Car had to go back for two weeks while they ordered the armrest from Germany and they gave me a Touran as rental.

The first 24 months of the warranty is unlimited mileage and provided by VW therefor any VW franchise should do warranty work, irrespective of where the car was bought.

The 3rd year warranty, up to a total mileage limit of 60k miles, is a dealer warranty and in which case it's at the dealer's discretion.

If your car is 12 months old then there is no question the warranty work should be done. Speak to VW customer services.

[bowen159]

Yeh, said all that to Redditch Service Manager. Not interested in helping. Should have complained but nerver bothered in the end. Expected better from a VW.

[Cuprabob]

You can't blame VW, it's the dealer franchise and possibly even that particular service manager. That's why you should contact VW customer services and give them the opportunity to resolve the issue. If they don't do anything then youcan blame VW.

[bowen159]

Yeh, I get what your saying but Derby agreed to complete the work without any issues. Warranty repair work should have been covered by all VW franchises. I didn't want to give Redditch the chance to sort it with the attitude they had. At the end of the day, I spent over £20k. Your right though, I should have complained just didn't get the chance working night shifts.

[Cuprabob]

Yeh, I get what your saying but Derby agreed to complete the work without any issues. Warranty repair work should have been covered by all VW franchises. I didn't want to give Redditch the chance to sort it with the attitude they had. At the end of the day, I spent over £20k. Your right though, I should have complained just didn't get the chance working night shifts.

I fully understand but in general people moan all the time about getting poor service but don't moan to the people who can actually do something about it :-)

[IanG]

Having read your story I think you got a pretty good response from your Dealer. My experience is just the opposite. I recently put my car into the local dealer (Inchcape Romford) for a minor warranty issue and they managed to kerb one of lovely 19" Lugano's.

They initially refused to accept liability but after spending a few days "examining their CCTV footage" they agreed to have the wheel professionally refurbished. This would take 4 days during which time I fortunately had access to a replacement vehicle (just as well really because they did not even ask me if I needed a courtesy car).

My Son works at a nearby Honda dealership who have excellent workshop facilities and in fear of further damages at the hands of Inchcape he arranged to keep my car there and remove the wheel so it could be collected by Inchcape. They did collect it and we thought that the repair was proceeding,but in reality the refurbisher did not collect it and they only contacted us the following day to advise that it would not even collected until the following Saturday which would make it almost 2 weeks before I got my car back on the road.They flatly refused to deliver it to the refurbisher so as I could not be without the car for so long we asked for the wheel to be returned and it would be booked in at a later date. They put the tyre back on the wheel and my son drove it home.

I was away on biz until the weekend so the car sat on my drive unused. I went to wash it on Saturday and was horrified to find that the rim was buckled together with a carbunckle in the tyre. I contacted Inchcape on the following Monday and they flatly refused to accept responsibility. They insist that it is pothole damage. There is NO WAY that this has been caused by me or my Son but of course as the car was not kept on their premises and was driven home I cannot prove otherwise. It does seem very coincidental however that the damage was on the same wheel that was due to be repaired......

As the wheel & tyre are considered to be dangerous I have had to replace both at a cost of £688 ( it would have been £788 but they "generously" agreed to provide a £100 contribution which is what they expected to pay for the refurb in the first place. Needless to say I am disgusted with their service and intend to write to VW Customer Services to make my feelings known.It has soured my whole experience of owning this car. For this reason I think that in your case the dealer has been reactive and honoured their obligations to put right the damages. You cannot ask more than that - it's a pity that others are not so honourable and are letting down the good name of Volkswagen.......

[damiank250]

Further update. After getting the car back and the mirror and drivers pillar scratches looking like they had been sorted i started to think that i had been quite lucky. However a couple of weeks later after a fair bit of rain I noticed the scratches had resurfaced and what can only be described as a shoe polish type substance on my fingers as I touched the affected area.

Contacted Redditch vw again who explained the scratched had been "mopped out" not sure what that means. Anyway they have had the car back for the last 4 days to sort again. When I went to collect the car today it is literally covered in scratches on the boot, passenger rear wing and side panel / like it has been parked against or driven passed a sharp bush.

As I picked it up at 6 only the service guy left. The after sales manager who I have been dealing with is away for 2 weeks now. I intend to speak to the branch manager tomorrow - basically the car has been returned far worse than it went in. Apart from sorting it to a perfect standard what else can I do? At what point can I say enough Is enough and demand they pay a proper body shop I trust to fix.

Advice appreciated !

[dimexi]

I am hoping you have alerted VW HQ to this! Horrendous service on their part in redditch