merlin

Just been into a local VW dealers asking for an extended test drive in a Golf PDI130. The garage claimed they don't do extended drives... is it me but when I'm spending 17k on a car I expect more than a drive round the block. Maybe it's time to give VW customer care or whatever they call themselves a ring.

Gastro

Merlin - dont even bother with customer care - they are quite frankly worse than the dealers....
I wouldnt have another VW ever again after my experience with a new car.......

Gastro

JohnMcC

Cars are good - the dealers are pants.

Jon Jonzz

Find another dealer.

I borrowed an Audi 1.8T for 2 days without a problem. Nice, but too slow, so I bought an S3 instead. I wonder which dealer got my business?

I have an Audi 3.0L quattro on test from today until Wednesday morning.

Sieze

I have to wait over 2 weeks for for them to even look at a problem with my car!

Car's good dealer's bad

GRM

Over the last 50,000 miles in my Golf 1.8T, I've used 3 or 4 Volkswagen dealers.

In general I've found that the closer a dealer is to a major city, the less helpful they are when it comes to sales / servicing / warranty work etc.

Best experience to date was with Barnetts VW in St Andrews (probably not exactly close by for most people on here). They offered to keep my car until they could fix a couple of re-occuring faults, and even supplied me with a courtesy car (Golf TDI 130) for 4 days at 15minutes notice !

I'd highly recommend these guys for anyone in or around the Fife / Central Area.

RON

A mate of mine has a problem with his new golf gttdi150, he basically had his car key nicked about two months ago, his insurance said he wasn't covered for the car being parked up until the locks were changed, the dealer ordered the new locks, which took bl**dy ages to arrive, the car went in, only to find that they were the wrong locks, (how many different types on a new golf?) anyway, the dealer finally relented and supplied a rental car, he is still waiting for new locks again, in the end the dealer had to get his car in, take it apart and photograph the bits they wanted, e-mail the pics to Germany cos no-one could identify what was required, in all, a wholly dissapointing experience! I somehow don't think he'll be going back to this dealer in a hurry.
Ron.

Dracoro

Sent the wrong part! That's the oldest line in the book.
I had my C starting prob fixed at VW and took a lot longer than they said (wrong part sent apparently).
Mind you they took 20% off, valeted the car so I was happy with the final outcome although I had to chase them up which I hate. S'pose I was lucky as I didn't need my car at the time so a few days late didn't really bother me.

Tim-Grove

It took 3 weeks for Renault Wolverhampton to get me a 172 to test but i had it all afternoon, and after all that i had and import a bit naughty i know but sod it i saved 3.5k. Sorry Renault Wolverhampton.

BOB.T

I know where you guys are coming, I had no end of hassle when I bought my car but I've also seen it from the other side. I've worked in dealerships and it can be a right pain ordering new bits! You'd be amazed how many different options they're are for what must seem the simplest bit of the car! Also, a lot of problems stem from the manafacturers themselves by not keeping ahead of the game and keeping dealers informed on changes etc.

Bob

ukhuskynox

VW - Great cars, pants dealers have a look in the latest JD Power survey, they get really bad results.

If I was going to buy another VW i'd buy a very good used example and get it serviced by a non dealer garage !

ianc

Interesting, I found the same disinterest in long test drives etc when looking at a VW...

...BUT... the two skoda dealers I have dealt with (both small family run type affairs) have always been *over* helpful, very communicative, always got parts in quickly, always ensured that VAG foot the bill for anything.

SEAT dealers seemed eager and willing also. Seems that certain parts of VAG could learn from others.

Phill

It really does depend on where you go, I use HWM in Walton and i have had no problems with them.

As said before it changes from centre to centre, if you are not happy with the service tell them, you'd be amazed what can happen !

Phill

Huxley Chick

Guys, you may be able to help me

I am setting up a Customer Support department for 4 VW dealerships so if you have any suggestions for improvements please email me & I can at least attempt to make a small dent in their customer service I may even be able to feed the info back to VW themselves for you.

cheers

HC

Gastro

Huxley,

YHM,

Gastro

NBW

My local VW dealer (Wayside, St Albans) was excellent in arranging test drives. I asked to test drive a Golf 1.8T and a PD150 back-to-back. Saleman said they didn't have both cars in their dealerships, but would try and get hold of them for me to try.

Within a week I was back there, salesman showed me round the 1.8T, handed me the keys and asked how long I'd be. After a 40 minute solo test drive later I was back, and he swopped the keys with the ones for the diesel and sent me out again on my own.

I then asked to try a PD130, within a week I was back there for this, salesman apologised profusely that they had not been able to get hold of a GTi, it was instead a SE estate. As I was only really interested to see if the 130 was a little more refined, so this made no difference really.

Couldn't get him to do the deal I wanted, neither would other dealers I tried, so I ordered a PD150 from www.tins.co.uk instead (saved £1300 on cost-to-change).

Cheers
Tim

merlin

Jaffar Motors were my first bad experience of VW dealers. Bought my Golf Driver from Jaffar's back in 1990. They agreed to fill up the tank when we agreed the deal - didn't happen. The salesman said he would pick us up from the station. Didn't mention he would pick us up in my brand new car... The worse thing was the Jaffar mechanic who fitted the alarm. Somehow he managed to mangle the top of the radiator and then put a screwdriver through the gearstick gaiter. Apparently it was his last week and he was leaving under a cloud. Wish he hadn't taken it out on my car though.

Needless to say I wasn't impressed. Over the next 10 years I did get my cars serviced at VW garages but I never returned to Jaffars.

jamesa

Excellent cars and local dealer.

Several Corrado`s and a Golf from `91 to 97`

Have a Mk1 Golf now and never fail to get parts; next day if not in stock.

Rear beam axle (failed due to corrosion) on the daughter`s Polo took ten days from factory - first one they ever had to replace.

Still maintain an enthusiastic relationship with them even though I don`t buy new cars from them.

Have had several Seat`s since (again, superb service) and whilst not quite as well screwed together they are excellent value.

So, maybe Skoda next - a turbo perhaps to replace the P1 ??? - not impressed with Subaru at the Rally GB service area last year so went to watch the Skoda guys instead.

You could say I`m a fan !

merlin

Nat21 - afraid I can't agree there but as Josh L said in another thread yesterday, "Just remember that for everyone that swears by a dealer, there's someone who swears about them."

VW Owner

You wonder why you can get decent test drives anymore !!!!

You go in to dealers make them do all the hard work, they run round the country and find you cars ........ the you P155 off and buy imports !!!!!

You lot need to understand that dealers are trying to make money and not there just for your pleasure !!!!!

The proplem is now adays you walk in to a dealer and the sales person will bend over backwards to help you if your genuine !!!
but to test drive all kinds of cars and then fuc_K off and then import you cars no wonder you cant get cars for long test drives.

The cars in which you are test driving are belong to the dealer and not VW !!!! Dealers are working on Margins too !!!!

If you are going to buy an import go to france and test drive the cars and leave dealers to get on with a very dificult job of fuc_king off you time wasters !!!!

Vate

how polite. NOT.
can't have it both ways. With block exemption and the insistance that each dealer should only sell one make exclusively etc so you can be provided with 'total care from puchase to servicing' you must expect people to visit this UK official representative of that manufacturer to try one of their cars. The removal of block exemption would remove all this cat & mouse BS. What we need are officialy managed service centres supported my the manufacturers themselves. It's the aftersales/service car that is important. Anyone can give a car the once over and with basic consumer rights and a 2 year manufacturer's warranty you don't need to pay £££££££ prices to feel safe with a purchase. The car industry is a bit of a disgrace in the land of free markets don't you agree????

merlin

Thanks for that useful contribution Mr VW Owner - Not...

NBW

VW owner (or should that be VW dealer ), what a fcukwit you are.

If there weren't enough stoopid people around like you prepared to pay the list price, then the dealers would find a way to be more competitive. Yes, a main dealer does have big overheads, but while customers queue up to buy VW's (and they do, at least round my way), then there is no incentive for them to compete on price.

Give it a couple of years though.....

NBW

Oops, double post



[Edited by NBW - 6/13/2002 9:08:28 PM]

NBW

BTW, demo cars are not an extra cost to the dealer, because:

1. They have to have some cars in stock anyway.
2. Demo's cars will be registered at to at least contribute to, if not to win, volume incentives from the manufacturer.
3. Dealer staff get use of these vehicles (and how many pay company car tax for this privilege?).
4. Demo cars are generally well-specced, but sold at or near the list price for the basic vehicle. One demo I looked at was advertised at the full list price, but it had 6K on the clock. It did have about £1000 of options, but in the open market this car would have sold for £1000's below list. Still, some daft bugger will buy it at the price the dealer's asking.....

Methinks VW owner = VW saleman. Ah, bless

SJobson

Recently I drove past what used to be my local VW dealer when I lived with my parents (Jaffar Motors in Redditch). It's now a Fiat dealer. Obviously their service levels got too poor even for VW

[Edited by SJobson - 6/11/2002 3:55:19 PM]