Are all main dealers full of S*!T?

coupcoup

Member
VIP Member
Recently had a MOT and service as the first part of my two year extended warranty for my T6 18 plate. Before it went in it was having the stability control, ABS and tyre pressures come on intermittently but wasn't there for the MOT and wasn't there a month beforehand. Anyway, it passed and was serviced. a week later the engine management light comes on. the wee man came out and plugged it in to find it needed a Knox sensor and an ABS sensor. Eventually managed to book it in to the VW Commercial vehicle garage, (don't go through the centralised switchboard go straight to the dealer - if they ever pick up). they tell me the Knox sensor needs fixed and they don't have the part so it'll be a couple days before I get the van back. as for the ABS sensor they said it would need investigating as it was coming back with a broken wire behind the rear light. this would cost a minimum of £150 an hour to repair and it wasn't covered under the warranty, so I'd have to agree to that. They also said it needs front Discs and pads at a cost of £650 cause the pads were down to 2mm and the discs badly scored.

reluctantly, I said to do the work - reluctantly cause everything was pointing to an ABS sensor which would be covered under warranty and felt like I was being robbed. I told them not to do the brakes, I'd get my local garage to do that.

SO two days later, on the Friday, I called to see if it was ready as I hadn't heard from them. The nut technician, or whatever they're called, told me there are two Knox sensors on the van and they'd ordered the wrong one so it was being re ordered on Friday, would be in by Monday and I'd get the van back Tuesday. No point in arguing so I agreed.

When I went to pick the van up after again calling to see if it was ready, ( I feel they should have called me ), the wee lassie asked if I was due to pay anything. Erm. No I said. so she handed me the keys and off I trotted waiting for her to say oh wait you owe us £150, but she said nothing other than we will email you a copy of the warranty work which she never did. .

Long story, I'm sorry ion you've lost the will to live by now, just think how I feel typing it!

Anyway after booking the van into my local garage, I rotated they wheels today as it was overdue. whilst in there I checked the front discs and pads. guess what. 8mm on all the pads. granted the discs are a wee bit worn but nothing like the 2 mm suggested. shower of lying bastards. what's it come to when the main dealer are clearly training their staff to put the fear into their customers in order to profit. at £150 an hour too. I'm now wondering of the extended warranty has to go through VW or if I can take it to the family run garage I trust?

Anyway. steer clear of the main dealers. even under warranty they're trying to rip you off. I wonder how many times this happens and how much revenue they generate from people's fears.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: CAB
Err.....hope not. My T6 18 plate booked for next week in Edinburgh. Got a squeaky pulley tensioner. Hoping they will fix that under the extended warranty. On 35k on the clock so engine not that old.

By the way (without being picky) NOx sensor not Knox...
Shorthand for nitrous oxide.
 
I honestly think it’s all down to who you get when you ring, & which technician gets allocated the job. So you need the stars to align to get a result. It shouldn’t be like this, but it seems to be the way of the world these days.
 
Not just VW, wife's Peugeot gets the it needs brakes at each service. First they said the discs and pads were 60% worn and needed replacing at first service. I asked why they needed replacing at 60 ie 2/3rds worn and why they were worn to that level in 12k miles both to which got a shrug. When it went in for 40k service with brakes I had fitted weeks before they said the same, needs replacing!
 
Not just the dealers , quick fit used to regularly pull this stunt .
Go in for a puncture repair but "sorry sir, it's gonna need a tyre" .
then when they have the wheels off " sorry to report your discs and pads are in a very bad way and it wouldnt be safe to put you back on the road like it is"
So sting the customer for a pair of tyres , new discs and pads.
On inspection they'd fitted one of the pads backwards and left the springs off !! Yeah its apparently ok to put you back on the road like that .
 
Not just the dealers , quick fit used to regularly pull this stunt .
Go in for a puncture repair but "sorry sir, it's gonna need a tyre" .
then when they have the wheels off " sorry to report your discs and pads are in a very bad way and it wouldnt be safe to put you back on the road like it is"
So sting the customer for a pair of tyres , new discs and pads.
On inspection they'd fitted one of the pads backwards and left the springs off !! Yeah its apparently ok to put you back on the road like that .
my mate was a mot tech for quick fit and left as had enough of them robbing poor souls for there hard earned cash!
Last straw was a dear old lady had few ADVISORIES and manager bullied her into having them done at a cost of £1300
 
Err.....hope not. My T6 18 plate booked for next week in Edinburgh. Got a squeaky pulley tensioner. Hoping they will fix that under the extended warranty. On 35k on the clock so engine not that old.

By the way (without being picky) NOx sensor not Knox...
Shorthand for nitrous oxide.

I have used the Edinburgh Newbridge garage a number of times for warranty work and not had any issues with them.

They even suggest using a garage for tyres and pads, as “they (VW) will quote way over the odds”.
 
i feel your pain . . . . two times, ( as we have two vans with VW extended warranty)

but sometimes it works out well. we have had tons of stuff done under warranty that would have otherwise cost a fortune,.

ie DMF, EGR, DMF again, DSG, DPF


**************************************************

@Dellmassive`s - Camper Van Adventure
@Dellmassive`s - T6 Sportline - Van Adventure

**************************************************
 
Recently had a MOT and service as the first part of my two year extended warranty for my T6 18 plate. Before it went in it was having the stability control, ABS and tyre pressures come on intermittently but wasn't there for the MOT and wasn't there a month beforehand. Anyway, it passed and was serviced. a week later the engine management light comes on. the wee man came out and plugged it in to find it needed a Knox sensor and an ABS sensor. Eventually managed to book it in to the VW Commercial vehicle garage, (don't go through the centralised switchboard go straight to the dealer - if they ever pick up). they tell me the Knox sensor needs fixed and they don't have the part so it'll be a couple days before I get the van back. as for the ABS sensor they said it would need investigating as it was coming back with a broken wire behind the rear light. this would cost a minimum of £150 an hour to repair and it wasn't covered under the warranty, so I'd have to agree to that. They also said it needs front Discs and pads at a cost of £650 cause the pads were down to 2mm and the discs badly scored.

reluctantly, I said to do the work - reluctantly cause everything was pointing to an ABS sensor which would be covered under warranty and felt like I was being robbed. I told them not to do the brakes, I'd get my local garage to do that.

SO two days later, on the Friday, I called to see if it was ready as I hadn't heard from them. The nut technician, or whatever they're called, told me there are two Knox sensors on the van and they'd ordered the wrong one so it was being re ordered on Friday, would be in by Monday and I'd get the van back Tuesday. No point in arguing so I agreed.

When I went to pick the van up after again calling to see if it was ready, ( I feel they should have called me ), the wee lassie asked if I was due to pay anything. Erm. No I said. so she handed me the keys and off I trotted waiting for her to say oh wait you owe us £150, but she said nothing other than we will email you a copy of the warranty work which she never did. .

Long story, I'm sorry ion you've lost the will to live by now, just think how I feel typing it!

Anyway after booking the van into my local garage, I rotated they wheels today as it was overdue. whilst in there I checked the front discs and pads. guess what. 8mm on all the pads. granted the discs are a wee bit worn but nothing like the 2 mm suggested. shower of lying bastards. what's it come to when the main dealer are clearly training their staff to put the fear into their customers in order to profit. at £150 an hour too. I'm now wondering of the extended warranty has to go through VW or if I can take it to the family run garage I trust?

Anyway. steer clear of the main dealers. even under warranty they're trying to rip you off. I wonder how many times this happens and how much revenue they generate from people's fears.
No definitely not I use jct600 Hull VW van centre and they are absolutely spot on I even get the master technician there to do some work on my other vehicles in his own time I can’t fault them
 
We had some warranty work done and yes i would say on balance then we did actually get more than our monies worth but each time had to go through the whole "well we have to prove its that and if its not then it won't be covered and then we'll have to sting you" conversation. :rolleyes:.....despite me being a mechanic and knowing what i'm talking about (well half the time) .
 
Recently had a MOT and service as the first part of my two year extended warranty for my T6 18 plate. Before it went in it was having the stability control, ABS and tyre pressures come on intermittently but wasn't there for the MOT and wasn't there a month beforehand. Anyway, it passed and was serviced. a week later the engine management light comes on. the wee man came out and plugged it in to find it needed a Knox sensor and an ABS sensor. Eventually managed to book it in to the VW Commercial vehicle garage, (don't go through the centralised switchboard go straight to the dealer - if they ever pick up). they tell me the Knox sensor needs fixed and they don't have the part so it'll be a couple days before I get the van back. as for the ABS sensor they said it would need investigating as it was coming back with a broken wire behind the rear light. this would cost a minimum of £150 an hour to repair and it wasn't covered under the warranty, so I'd have to agree to that. They also said it needs front Discs and pads at a cost of £650 cause the pads were down to 2mm and the discs badly scored.

reluctantly, I said to do the work - reluctantly cause everything was pointing to an ABS sensor which would be covered under warranty and felt like I was being robbed. I told them not to do the brakes, I'd get my local garage to do that.

SO two days later, on the Friday, I called to see if it was ready as I hadn't heard from them. The nut technician, or whatever they're called, told me there are two Knox sensors on the van and they'd ordered the wrong one so it was being re ordered on Friday, would be in by Monday and I'd get the van back Tuesday. No point in arguing so I agreed.

When I went to pick the van up after again calling to see if it was ready, ( I feel they should have called me ), the wee lassie asked if I was due to pay anything. Erm. No I said. so she handed me the keys and off I trotted waiting for her to say oh wait you owe us £150, but she said nothing other than we will email you a copy of the warranty work which she never did. .

Long story, I'm sorry ion you've lost the will to live by now, just think how I feel typing it!

Anyway after booking the van into my local garage, I rotated they wheels today as it was overdue. whilst in there I checked the front discs and pads. guess what. 8mm on all the pads. granted the discs are a wee bit worn but nothing like the 2 mm suggested. shower of lying bastards. what's it come to when the main dealer are clearly training their staff to put the fear into their customers in order to profit. at £150 an hour too. I'm now wondering of the extended warranty has to go through VW or if I can take it to the family run garage I trust?

Anyway. steer clear of the main dealers. even under warranty they're trying to rip you off. I wonder how many times this happens and how much revenue they generate from people's fears.
Any time mine goes in - which isn’t often now as they just break something that was fine, they tell me I must have a brake fluid change as it’s been over two years… I have a receipt from the saying they changes it at the last service. When I ask them for my money back from that they say why, we changed it - still doesn’t stop them telling me it needs changing. They are like drones on a doom loop and expect £150 an hour for just sitting there spouting nonsense. I guess enough people just pay up and never question them.
 
I had similar experiences with VW. My conclusion was that the warranty wasn't worth the paper it was written on and I would never buy a new VW product again. I'll be going to Toyota for my cars now after 30 odd years of VW's.

Mat
 
No definitely not I use jct600 Hull VW van centre and they are absolutely spot on I even get the master technician there to do some work on my other vehicles in his own time I can’t fault them

That is good to know - I've been using VW Van Centre Scunthorpe since Grimsby closed but I think Hull is technically closer, just bridge toll to add in. I'll give them a try next service because Scunthorpe give you the old 'your brakes are on -1mm' every time, I'm surprised they don't say it when they answer the phone instead of hello.
 
Err.....hope not. My T6 18 plate booked for next week in Edinburgh. Got a squeaky pulley tensioner. Hoping they will fix that under the extended warranty. On 35k on the clock so engine not that old.

By the way (without being picky) NOx sensor not Knox...
Shorthand for nitrous oxide.
Known issue on early T6's. VW changed this item to a different design.
 
The fact that some owners are overjoyed when they get warranty repairs carried out without dispute just about sums it up. That is the service that is contracted and paid for by the owner, it’s not a bonus. The reality is that the vehicle component failed and created disruption to the owner, that shouldn’t be happening in 2024.
 
The reality is that the vehicle component failed and created disruption to the owner, that shouldn’t be happening in 2024.
Unfortunately it's now rife in any area of engineering.

Partially it's our own fault as consumers as it's the natural outcome of looking for something we need at a decent quality but then finding what looks like the same cheaper on Amazon/Ali Express.

It's a one way competition with only one outcome, a slew of cheap as possible parts and an easy bit to chop out is the testing and quality control and just have a "warranty"

It's getting harder and harder to source reliable quality electronics and electrical components even if you're willing to pay the money you just end of paying more for the same cost engineered part.
 
Back
Top