Another Main Dealer Tale of Woe

[Hilly64]

Is it me or are my expectations too high?

At xmas got an EML with code for Glow Plug 2 fault so called VW Assist ... again can't fault them but unfortunately being number 2 requires EGR cooler to be removed which he wouldn't do on the drive. 1 or 4 he would of had a go at. No 3 was renewed Nov 23. So VW Coventry here I come oh and whilst the van is in can you check the head unit as noticed a couple of times it became un-responsive and whilst you are doing No2 I will pay to have 1 and 4 replaced. Job done full set of new plugs or so I thought!

• 6 week wait with the promise of a courtesy van, Ok van still runs just a bit slower to start
• Wednesday 19th Feb 8.30 checked in all good and off I trot
• Thursday early afternoon VW finally looked at my van and sent me health check, that's a day and a half having been booked in 6 weeks previous
• Friday call - yep looks like there is a head unit fault will get onto it next week, have you done the glow plugs, no we need to do it all at the same time whilst in the shop
• Next week came and went, few calls chasing with varying degrees of success and generally lack of call backs. Warranty insist we do some software updates? Great crack on,
• Yep done and they didn't work so definitely a faulty head unit
• VW want us to try another software fix, ok, we need a bigger memory card, on its way this afternoon!
• next day, how you getting on? waiting for amazon to delivery a new memory card so we can load the software update from VW
• Yep still faulty, VW Techs at Milton Keynes now say we need to try a new TPI patch to get software to load and work
• Monday 3rd March - is it done, no still can't get software to load, I am now losing patience
• Tuesday 4th March - still no joy .... WTF
• Tuesday 4th March - calls VW warranty support. NO RECORD OF ANY CONTACT FROM DEALER OR CLAIM LOGGED. Listers Customer non support adviser or whoever they claim to be has assured me he has personally made numerous calls to them, has stated they are short staffed, has given me the old "their computer systems are down" excuse. I got straight through and they were helpful. He did squirm when I presented these facts which I suspect he wasn't expecting and then back tracked and said he had been misinformed it was the dealers warranty handler not VW ....WHAT!!! he categorically stated that it was the warranty underwriters he was calling and that they were making him jump through the hoops. What a sh*t job that you have to spend your day lying and making up excuses to cover ineptitude
• Wednesday 5th - I have now lost it, two weeks to fix a glow plug and if necessary replace a faulty head unit. I stated "no more bull***t" I am picking my van up this afternoon. Give me until tomorrow he says
• Today - guess what, head unit is suddenly working as it should, no new unit needed, glow plug 2 done and fault cleared. Sorry can't do 1 and 4 as they are tight and we don't want to break them (cant be ars*d more like). So basically they have done a couple of hours work in two weeks. Past caring at this point as need my van back for the weekend. No new head unit as promised and no full set of new plugs. Will wait for the others to fail under warranty or get them replaced after. Will monitor head unit but at least I now have a record of the issue. I am going to ask for a report by email.
• Now here's the Brucie bonus - here is your van sir, two plus weeks later, replaced a glow plug under warranty but can you now pay £250 to cover your courtesy van insurance for two weeks WTAF AGAIN. So the term GFYS was used a few times. I have spoken to my manager and as a gesture of goodwill we can do £125, really. I suggested 3 days at £18/day and that was me being very very reasonable considering. This was accepted

I hate being twirled, lied too and extorted for my hard earned cash but guess that's the way of the world these days?

Call me cynical but I suspect my van has sat there for the best part of two weeks doing nothing and the dealership has too much work and no competent staff to keep up. If they were just honest and did their best I wouldn't so much mind, but the lies and stories are unacceptable. I even suggested they must be fed up of looking at it?

So that's Leicester out and now Coventry, anywhere in the Midlands left where customers are treated properly and fairly and know what they are doing? I suspect the answer is an independent who have been great in the past but unfortunately not recognised for warranty work.

Sorry for the rant bit it almost feels cathartic to share this with the group, a bit like an AA or GA Meeting ....got me very wound up but over it now

So is it me or is this just the way of the world ????

 

[Chippie1]

Main stealer jokers

 

[JumpShip]

Pretty shocking that .
I don't like my motor going in anywhere these days .

 

[Sasquatch]

I don't like my motor going in anywhere these days .

Indeed. Any decent size garage that doesn't yank your chain is a rarity these days, regardless of the sign over the door. My Volvo has been to the main dealer every year since I bought it in 2005 because they are simply excellent.

Despite that I'd love to save a few shekels and go elsewhere but there simply isn't an independent hereabouts that's both trustworthy and with the necessary expertise to maintain such a vehicle.

There is nothing that makes a main dealer inherently bad or an independent inherently good. There are sheet examples of both everywhere.

 

[Chugga90]

Is it me or are my expectations too high?

At xmas got an EML with code for Glow Plug 2 fault so called VW Assist ... again can't fault them but unfortunately being number 2 requires EGR cooler to be removed which he wouldn't do on the drive. 1 or 4 he would of had a go at. No 3 was renewed Nov 23. So VW Coventry here I come oh and whilst the van is in can you check the head unit as noticed a couple of times it became un-responsive and whilst you are doing No2 I will pay to have 1 and 4 replaced. Job done full set of new plugs or so I thought!

• 6 week wait with the promise of a courtesy van, Ok van still runs just a bit slower to start
• Wednesday 19th Feb 8.30 checked in all good and off I trot
• Thursday early afternoon VW finally looked at my van and sent me health check, that's a day and a half having been booked in 6 weeks previous
• Friday call - yep looks like there is a head unit fault will get onto it next week, have you done the glow plugs, no we need to do it all at the same time whilst in the shop
• Next week came and went, few calls chasing with varying degrees of success and generally lack of call backs. Warranty insist we do some software updates? Great crack on,
• Yep done and they didn't work so definitely a faulty head unit
• VW want us to try another software fix, ok, we need a bigger memory card, on its way this afternoon!
• next day, how you getting on? waiting for amazon to delivery a new memory card so we can load the software update from VW
• Yep still faulty, VW Techs at Milton Keynes now say we need to try a new TPI patch to get software to load and work
• Monday 3rd March - is it done, no still can't get software to load, I am now losing patience
• Tuesday 4th March - still no joy .... WTF
• Tuesday 4th March - calls VW warranty support. NO RECORD OF ANY CONTACT FROM DEALER OR CLAIM LOGGED. Listers Customer non support adviser or whoever they claim to be has assured me he has personally made numerous calls to them, has stated they are short staffed, has given me the old "their computer systems are down" excuse. I got straight through and they were helpful. He did squirm when I presented these facts which I suspect he wasn't expecting and then back tracked and said he had been misinformed it was the dealers warranty handler not VW ....WHAT!!! he categorically stated that it was the warranty underwriters he was calling and that they were making him jump through the hoops. What a sh*t job that you have to spend your day lying and making up excuses to cover ineptitude
• Wednesday 5th - I have now lost it, two weeks to fix a glow plug and if necessary replace a faulty head unit. I stated "no more bull***t" I am picking my van up this afternoon. Give me until tomorrow he says
• Today - guess what, head unit is suddenly working as it should, no new unit needed, glow plug 2 done and fault cleared. Sorry can't do 1 and 4 as they are tight and we don't want to break them (cant be ars*d more like). So basically they have done a couple of hours work in two weeks. Past caring at this point as need my van back for the weekend. No new head unit as promised and no full set of new plugs. Will wait for the others to fail under warranty or get them replaced after. Will monitor head unit but at least I now have a record of the issue. I am going to ask for a report by email.
• Now here's the Brucie bonus - here is your van sir, two plus weeks later, replaced a glow plug under warranty but can you now pay £250 to cover your courtesy van insurance for two weeks WTAF AGAIN. So the term GFYS was used a few times. I have spoken to my manager and as a gesture of goodwill we can do £125, really. I suggested 3 days at £18/day and that was me being very very reasonable considering. This was accepted

I hate being twirled, lied too and extorted for my hard earned cash but guess that's the way of the world these days?

Call me cynical but I suspect my van has sat there for the best part of two weeks doing nothing and the dealership has too much work and no competent staff to keep up. If they were just honest and did their best I wouldn't so much mind, but the lies and stories are unacceptable. I even suggested they must be fed up of looking at it?

So that's Leicester out and now Coventry, anywhere in the Midlands left where customers are treated properly and fairly and know what they are doing? I suspect the answer is an independent who have been great in the past but unfortunately not recognised for warranty work.

Sorry for the rant bit it almost feels cathartic to share this with the group, a bit like an AA or GA Meeting ....got me very wound up but over it now

So is it me or is this just the way of the world ????

The dealers in Swindon have always been the best I have experienced. They are an hour and a half trek from home for me. Far less stressful than citygate or cordwallis!

 

[bubbadubba]

This is the sort of story that put me off the "All In" when my van was eligible.
I would hate being fed bullshit and then paying for the privilege!! I get that they are busy but why all the nonsense. Just be honest with people for God's sake.
Hope you find a better dealer as like you I would not be going back there.

 

[RobertO2023]

I’d be reporting the whole fiasco to VW UK Customer Services!

 

[Hilly64]

I’d be reporting the whole fiasco to VW UK Customer Services!

I probably will. Complaint almost typed out in original post. Will be my third complaint lol. First over having to stump up for oil seal tbf got goodwill discount and second for the four visits required to sort eml scr issue. Coventry again. Should of learnt lesson I guess but definitely a disadvantage of the all in plan

A friend has a quality mid range garage that looks after wife’s Q5 never any dramas, Van would have been in a day. He pays his mechanics well and looks after them so retains good staff. Also have a couple of VW Indy’s local that get good reviews. Plenty of options but tied into plan for another 18 months

 

[Matt-T68]

I use Vindis in Northampton. I work in the town so works for me. They have always been spot on whenever I have dealt with them. I am local to Coventry but hear so many stories about Listers it put me right off using them.

 

[Hilly64]

Adding a final line to my tale of woe

• one week later head unit again gone unresponsive, no screen, buttons don't work, can't switch off even with ignition . hopefully they can now get warranty clearance and they can fit a new head unit whilst I wait .... watch this space!

 

[Sasquatch]

Adding a final line to my tale of woe

• one week later head unit again gone unresponsive, no screen, buttons don't work, can't switch off even with ignition . hopefully they can now get warranty clearance and they can fit a new head unit whilst I wait .... watch this space!

Send the dealer an invoice for all the time they've wasted. If they don't pay, take it to small claims.

Their approach to the repair, regardless of whether it was they of VW themselves that dictated it, was clearly not a reasonable one, and it is also not reasonable that they can attempt to minimise their (or VWs) outlay at your expense, time being a commodity that does have value.

 

[Hilly64]

Send the dealer an invoice for all the time they've wasted. If they don't pay, take it to small claims.

Their approach to the repair, regardless of whether it was they of VW themselves that dictated it, was clearly not a reasonable one, and it is also not reasonable that they can attempt to minimise their (or VWs) outlay at your expense, time being a commodity that does have value.

definitely

already had my counter invoice typed out if they insisted on the full 2+week courtesy van expense and they would of owed me! fortunately didn't come to that

(it is their van pictured in car park in my other post lol)

will see what response I now get, I suspect they will do very little until I chase them next week and then I will definitely put a complaint to VW Customer don't Care

 

[Hilly64]

Update

Head Unit still stalling, phoned dealership, they suggested when I picked it up that they had fixed and any further issue is new head unit under warranty and take about an hour to fit while I wait as all updates had been done

now they want to book it in again, potentially run more test and check for later TPIs

I have no idea why they cant just submit a warranty claim now, they have yet to even discuss with the warranty provider

so booked in for 10th April which will be a minimum of another £40 for courtesy van, their answer was the head units are expensive and your doing well relatively!!!! so the all in warranty for peace of mind again is not all in

really - so you have had the van for 2 weeks and not fixed, confirmed twice it is faulty, miraculously found a fix when i put pressure on and now you want more days to go through the same process again ..... isnt there a saying re the signs of madness!

looks like need to log complaint with customer resolutions AGAIN, why is life so effing difficult these days

unfortunately stuck with dealership for time being as another will likely not want to take on after previous work or would mean starting all over again

 

[Sasquatch]

Start issuing them invoices for your time.

 

[bubbadubba]

I would make a call to the another dealer and ask if you can get it looked at there.
They sound like they have little care for the customer, more nonsense excuses by the sounds of it already......why should you pay for a courtesy van anyway?? Never understood that on warranty claims, servicing yes I get that.
The product is faulty and that's why it's there why should it cost the customer anything to get things rectified?

 

[T6Plumber]

My van has been in for a few warranty repairs. One took 10 days & for the other couple it was in for a day or two. Never once paid for the courtesy van. Under Warranty = No Charge I was told by the lady on the desk dealing with it. Rightly so as well!!

 

[Hilly64]

My van has been in for a few warranty repairs. One took 10 days & for the other couple it was in for a day or two. Never once paid for the courtesy van. Under Warranty = No Charge I was told by the lady on the desk dealing with it. Rightly so as well!!

as per my OP post 15 days to do a glow plug and NOT fix the head unit, they want £270, then £125 then £96. I refused all and agreed to pay 3 days = £56 which I suggested was more than reasonable

cant see them turning it round on the next visit in 2 days

I have always had to pay, was £9/day now £18/day that's in 12 months

so warranty visit will likely cost me around £100 but ain't I lucky that they may or may not replace the head unit FOC !

 

[T6Plumber]

as per my OP post 15 days to do a glow plug and NOT fix the head unit, they want £270, then £125 then £96. I refused all and agreed to pay 3 days = £56 which I suggested was more than reasonable

cant see them turning it round on the next visit in 2 days

I have always had to pay, was £9/day now £18/day that's in 12 months

so warranty visit will likely cost me around £100 but ain't I lucky that they may or may not replace the head unit FOC !

Yeah that’s not good mate. You’d think all approved VW dealers would be singing from the same hymn sheet with regards to things like that, but doesn’t seem to be the case unfortunately.

 

[Phil_j89]

We aren't all the same, although there is definitely less good compared with bad.

 

[Leon48]

VW VAN CENTRE Cardiff are the worst I’ve ever dealt with,a real nice introduction to these kinds of bull shit artist,glad my warranty is well and truly finished…