MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: Garth on October 12, 2010, 12:09:06 pm

Title: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Garth on October 12, 2010, 12:09:06 pm
Why is it that the worst place to take your car it it develops a fault is the one place that is supposed to be the best  :confused:

I have yet to find a good main dealer (BMW, Audi, VW, Subaru, SEAT or FIAT) and that's just ridiculous!

After me complaining about my noisy clunking steering to VW Leeds, they had 'never heard of' the noisy steering rack issue before despite it being a valid warranty claim from VW. They said they couldn't find a problem with my car. VW Harrogate confidently said "It's not the rack, both your front springs have snapped!". Well after buying new AP springs and looking forward to fixing the problem.... The garage that are fitting my springs (which is a small independent garage that I actually trust) have phoned me to say they have just taken ther springs out and there's nothing wrong with them  :mad:
They can hear the noise and suspect it is to do with worn top mounts so I am getting them replaced with the new springs. God knows if this will cure the noise now though.

How can the main dealers stand there and confidently talk BS or lie to you and expect to get away with it? Only a couple of weeks ago VW Harrogate replaced a part at a cost of £80 to cure the engine light problem onyl for the 'repair' to make sod all difference.  :sad1:

Don't even get me started about how no VW dealer can fill in the service book properly without having to cross things out or tick the wrong box. My service book looks like a child has had a go at it and that's 3 different VW dealers making a pigs ear of it.

I'm never taking my car back to VW for anything again, I'm fed up with them  :fighting:

Rant over
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: monte on October 12, 2010, 12:42:30 pm
Why is it that the worst place to take your car it it develops a fault is the one place that is supposed to be the best  :confused:

I have yet to find a good main dealer (BMW, Audi, VW, Subaru, SEAT or FIAT) and that's just ridiculous!

After me complaining about my noisy clunking steering to VW Leeds, they had 'never heard of' the noisy steering rack issue before despite it being a valid warranty claim from VW. They said they couldn't find a problem with my car. VW Harrogate confidently said "It's not the rack, both your front springs have snapped!". Well after buying new AP springs and looking forward to fixing the problem.... The garage that are fitting my springs (which is a small independent garage that I actually trust) have phoned me to say they have just taken ther springs out and there's nothing wrong with them  :mad:
They can hear the noise and suspect it is to do with worn top mounts so I am getting them replaced with the new springs. God knows if this will cure the noise now though.

How can the main dealers stand there and confidently talk BS or lie to you and expect to get away with it? Only a couple of weeks ago VW Harrogate replaced a part at a cost of £80 to cure the engine light problem onyl for the 'repair' to make sod all difference.  :sad1:

Don't even get me started about how no VW dealer can fill in the service book properly without having to cross things out or tick the wrong box. My service book looks like a child has had a go at it and that's 3 different VW dealers making a pigs ear of it.

I'm never taking my car back to VW for anything again, I'm fed up with them  :fighting:

Rant over

Garth, I could have wrote alot of what you have just wrote. My service book is a joke. I had a new steering rack fitted under warranty, under a year ago, and just the other day I started to hear a clunk when I am turning whilst reversing.

I don't even want to tell you about the laugh I had with my R32 brake pads, but they told me were sure that the pads in the OSF caliper were the wrong way round.

....Its not even possible. The springs are different.  :confused:
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Kiwi on October 12, 2010, 12:51:05 pm

Basically if they plug in the computer and no fault found they are lost.

Comedy.......................... Computer says "NO"

I had an experience with VW blackburn, wrote all the notes down for them about the problem and how it should be fix, ooohh and the fact the computer will not show any faults, they had the car from 8:30am and phoned me at 5pm to say it was ready for collection. I got there for them to tell me the computer showed no faults.

I wish main dealers would employ real mechanics, not computer operators.

Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Neimad on October 12, 2010, 01:01:07 pm
Last time I was in at my local VW dealer I asked if they could check the diverter valve on my car whilst carrying out some other work after so many people on here found their valve's in a poor state.  The service agent said he'd have to ask the technicians first, then came back, asked what engine I had and on hearing my reply of 2 litre turbo petrol, said that I didn't have one.  Needless to say that I was left wondering whether I'd been the subject of a massive internet hoax, or more likely, these people that I trust with my car don't know the first thing about it...

It does concern me that someone such as I -- a software developer -- can know more about a car than these "trained professionals" whom I trust with one of the most expensive purchases I have ever made.  And I like so many others, including the OP, cannot even console myself that this is a single isolated incident -- it is indicative of the industry as a whole.
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Mako V12V on October 12, 2010, 01:10:53 pm
VW Blackburn had my Ed30 twice to fit the RNS510 sat nav. First time took then 2.5 hours to install but the unit didn't know where I was. Second time they had it for 1.5 hours after i told them where to correctly install the antenna so it would work.
Same result. Took it to Darren on here and 15 minutes later it worked fine. They hadn't even moved the bloody antenna so no idea what they did for an hour and a half.
Useless feckers!
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Garth on October 12, 2010, 01:27:03 pm
At least it's not just me  :grin:
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: keano on October 12, 2010, 01:44:20 pm
VW told me my extended warrenty was now void as i bought it from a car dealer. Despite having the warrenty transfer form signed by the previous owner!

 :sick:
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: no golf clubs at all on October 12, 2010, 03:14:42 pm
VW Jordanhill Glasgow wanted my car for THREE days to investigate and hopefully fix a retrofitted cruise control system that wasnt working (previous owner not me)......this after they had the car for ONE day to look at it!

I took it to an indy and the bloke hooked up his pc and changed a zero to a one and fixed it on the spot and for FREE!

Also last time I was in for a service, they put ordinary oil in! I was amazed they admitted it...so they flushed it out and put in new stuff (so they said) but who can tell...I hate being suspicious but it is rarely straightforward when you visit these places....... :fighting:
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: QD MBE on October 12, 2010, 03:27:17 pm
VW Jordanhill Glasgow wanted my car for THREE days to investigate and hopefully fix a retrofitted cruise control system that wasnt working (previous owner not me)......this after they had the car for ONE day to look at it!

I took it to an indy and the bloke hooked up his pc and changed a zero to a one and fixed it on the spot and for FREE!

Also last time I was in for a service, they put ordinary oil in! I was amazed they admitted it...so they flushed it out and put in new stuff (so they said) but who can tell...I hate being suspicious but it is rarely straightforward when you visit these places....... :fighting:

i had my car serviced by a well known aftermarket tuner.  Got it home, and during my weekly checks, I noticed the oil level was 'way' over the full mark.  I drained off 350ml.

thev tuner said, sorry, but the techie checked the oil whilst the car was on a jack!  WTF!! :fighting:
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Garth on October 12, 2010, 03:31:10 pm
Also last time I was in for a service, they put ordinary oil in! I was amazed they admitted it...so they flushed it out and put in new stuff (so they said) but who can tell...I hate being suspicious but it is rarely straightforward when you visit these places....... :fighting:
Leeds VW did this at my last service. I requested a 'longlife service using longlife oil'. When I picked the car up and enquired they said they had done a time and distance service using normal oil. When asked why they said they had simply copied what had been done on previous services in the log book. I opened the log book and showed them that every single service so far had been long life. Muppets didn't even check teh book or listen to a work I said. Needless to say, I had them drain the oil and re-fill it with the correct stuff
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: FamilyDub on October 12, 2010, 05:30:36 pm

VW Jordanhill told an .:R32 owning acquiantence, who had just enquired about a Haldex service after 20k:

a) 'Intervals were 60k' - I though they were 40k, but turning away business... mmm...
b) And about the same .:R32 - 'That's not even 4WD anyway'

Also, some spotty, fresh out of uni salesman pr1ck told me I couldn't afford a MKVI Golf R when I was peering in the window one day, the last time I was in....

Ok, he was right ( :ashamed: ), but should I ever be able buy one, it won't be that garage that gets my business!
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Russ_leeds on October 12, 2010, 05:40:44 pm
Why is it that the worst place to take your car it it develops a fault is the one place that is supposed to be the best  :confused:

I have yet to find a good main dealer (BMW, Audi, VW, Subaru, SEAT or FIAT) and that's just ridiculous!

After me complaining about my noisy clunking steering to VW Leeds, they had 'never heard of' the noisy steering rack issue before despite it being a valid warranty claim from VW. They said they couldn't find a problem with my car. VW Harrogate confidently said "It's not the rack, both your front springs have snapped!". Well after buying new AP springs and looking forward to fixing the problem.... The garage that are fitting my springs (which is a small independent garage that I actually trust) have phoned me to say they have just taken ther springs out and there's nothing wrong with them  :mad:
They can hear the noise and suspect it is to do with worn top mounts so I am getting them replaced with the new springs. God knows if this will cure the noise now though.

How can the main dealers stand there and confidently talk BS or lie to you and expect to get away with it? Only a couple of weeks ago VW Harrogate replaced a part at a cost of £80 to cure the engine light problem onyl for the 'repair' to make sod all difference.  :sad1:

Don't even get me started about how no VW dealer can fill in the service book properly without having to cross things out or tick the wrong box. My service book looks like a child has had a go at it and that's 3 different VW dealers making a pigs ear of it.

I'm never taking my car back to VW for anything again, I'm fed up with them  :fighting:

Rant over

i also took my car to vw leeds for this and was told there's nothing wrong with the steering rack, but mainly wen reversing i can hear noises coming from it!!!
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Nasir on October 12, 2010, 07:23:59 pm

VW Jordanhill told an .:R32 owning acquiantence, who had just enquired about a Haldex service after 20k:

a) 'Intervals were 60k' - I though they were 40k, but turning away business... mmm...
b) And about the same .:R32 - 'That's not even 4WD anyway'

Also, some spotty, fresh out of uni salesman pr1ck told me I couldn't afford a MKVI Golf R when I was peering in the window one day, the last time I was in....

Ok, he was right ( :ashamed: ), but should I ever be able buy one, it won't be that garage that gets my business!

That's bang out of order! I hope you gave an appropriate response.
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: no golf clubs at all on October 12, 2010, 07:28:02 pm

VW Jordanhill told an .:R32 owning acquiantence, who had just enquired about a Haldex service after 20k:

a) 'Intervals were 60k' - I though they were 40k, but turning away business... mmm...
b) And about the same .:R32 - 'That's not even 4WD anyway'

Also, some spotty, fresh out of uni salesman pr1ck told me I couldn't afford a MKVI Golf R when I was peering in the window one day, the last time I was in....

Ok, he was right ( :ashamed: ), but should I ever be able buy one, it won't be that garage that gets my business!

This was the same garage I went in to look for a rocco for my wife....We got completely ignored, not one sales muppet came near....she went to BMW and bought a Cooper S.
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: dmac1969 on October 12, 2010, 07:29:39 pm
I dont like the sound of this! Ive just got my GTI so have not had the 'pleasure' of using a dealer yet.... :confused:
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Garth on October 12, 2010, 08:01:45 pm
I dont like the sound of this! Ive just got my GTI so have not had the 'pleasure' of using a dealer yet.... :confused:
Simple... don't use one. Go to an independent VW specialst instead
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: skifast on October 12, 2010, 08:19:21 pm
i bought my car used ,after a few months  i had the dreaded ABS problem .the car was 3 years 4 months old with 22000 .took it to vw dealer who charged me  £89 to diagnose and a quote for £1206 to fix,when i asked about goodwill they gave me a printout and told me i did'nt have any.I spoke to the service manager who admitted it was a well known problem but said he could not do anything about it and if i wanted i could ring vw customer service.

fortunately customer service were much more helpfull ,i oniy had a small contribution to make and customer service were calling me twice a day to make sure the garage were doing what they had been told to do.when i went to pick the car up the staff were all of a sudden very helpfull !

then a few week later i had a call from vw doing a survey on how customer service and the dealer had delt with me .i was able to let them know exactly what i thought of the dealer

so if the dealer has been rubbish let customr service know.
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: scooba on October 13, 2010, 05:34:05 am
Unforunatly as you say it isn't a isolated problem , i have a BMW and a Mercedes as well as the ED30 they all fair about the same useless,


we have two VAG dealers both similar distances from home and the service is night and day
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: TopsGTI on October 13, 2010, 10:05:41 am
I have never really had a lot of faith in VW dealerships over the years, the final straw was when I tried to get the software update 6463 for my MK4 R32 it was like I was speaking fluent hungarian  :confused: After contacting 3 seperate dealerships I found someone who had heard of the update!  :fighting:

I tend to find a good VAG specialist these days and avoid the dealers like the plague once my car is out of warranty. At least that way I dont end up with both the "Yes" and the "No" boxes ticked in my service history book!!
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: FamilyDub on October 13, 2010, 12:43:53 pm
Also, some spotty, fresh out of uni salesman pr1ck told me I couldn't afford a MKVI Golf R when I was peering in the window one day, the last time I was in....

Ok, he was right ( :ashamed: ), but should I ever be able buy one, it won't be that garage that gets my business!

That's bang out of order! I hope you gave an appropriate response.

^^^ I'm voting with my feet - they have forever lost my business for servicing and/or sales.
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: no golf clubs at all on October 13, 2010, 02:36:22 pm
Oh that reminds me that same stealership refused to flash my ecu..."unless there were problems"...

(long story but I basically got revo on, fell out with the dealer, asked for it to be reflashed back to stock it took ages and wasnt convinced (due to fuel economy suffering) that they hadnt just tweaked the settings to screw me up)...that revo dealer is now not in business  :happy2:

So I wanted the ecu reflashed to vw most recent version...they refused....wasnt expecting it for free! jeesh  :fighting:
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: FamilyDub on October 13, 2010, 04:33:21 pm

VW Crow Road, Jordanhill - you fail!  :grin:
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Fletch..gti on October 13, 2010, 04:55:27 pm
Well I have been to vw daybrook , Nottingham and vw parkway derby . Parkway lots of times warranty etc
Both have been brill and not charged the earth
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: joesgti on October 13, 2010, 04:55:37 pm
My .:R is in for a major service on the 1st, havnt used VW for the last 3 years but couldnt take the day off to go to statlers so had to make do.  :sad1: wish me luck
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: GOLDENBOY on October 13, 2010, 09:07:28 pm
VW dealer in wolverhampton, never again. Had number problems with them!!!! i could write list size my arm how many times ive been messed around!!! putting wrong oil in car, to not doing work asked for, having take car back cause work not done properly. Poor poor service, people behind desk that are clueless :surprised: Im not only one. I now take the car to vw specialist that way i know things will be done properly and thay know what thay talking about.
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: scotta on October 13, 2010, 11:03:35 pm
Also, some spotty, fresh out of uni salesman pr1ck told me I couldn't afford a MKVI Golf R when I was peering in the window one day, the last time I was in....

Ok, he was right ( :ashamed: ), but should I ever be able buy one, it won't be that garage that gets my business!

That's bang out of order! I hope you gave an appropriate response.

^^^ I'm voting with my feet - they have forever lost my business for servicing and/or sales.
i had a similar issue a few years ago when i went to look at an Audi S2. Sales manager cock wouldnt even let me drive it despite me calling in advance and driving 35 miles to see it. gave me the "will you be buying it today" bollox and when i said "no, ill drive it today then if i like it ill come back with my mechanic to check it over then buy it" the response was "when you come back to buy it you can drive it" Walked away and two weeks later bought my brand new Ibiza Cupra.
Title: Re: Main dealer = clueless??
Post by: Golfgirl on October 14, 2010, 01:44:22 pm
Also, some spotty, fresh out of uni salesman pr1ck told me I couldn't afford a MKVI Golf R when I was peering in the window one day, the last time I was in....

Ok, he was right ( :ashamed: ), but should I ever be able buy one, it won't be that garage that gets my business!

That's bang out of order! I hope you gave an appropriate response.

^^^ I'm voting with my feet - they have forever lost my business for servicing and/or sales.
i had a similar issue a few years ago when i went to look at an Audi S2. Sales manager cock wouldnt even let me drive it despite me calling in advance and driving 35 miles to see it. gave me the "will you be buying it today" bollox and when i said "no, ill drive it today then if i like it ill come back with my mechanic to check it over then buy it" the response was "when you come back to buy it you can drive it" Walked away and two weeks later bought my brand new Ibiza Cupra.

I had the same trouble when I was buying a Mk 4 R32.  The salesman was the most unhelpful ever, so I went somewhere else and bought it.