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Comments
And you need to have the dealer do the door lock thing with a VAG-COM computer, unless you have access to one.
I had to drag a service man into the car with me to show it to him.
My headlights are fogging up and the speddo is overstated by about 5%!
The speedo being off by about 5% is normal for the Passat. See related posts at vwvortex.com and clubb5.com. This is why if one is to upsize the tires, to allow for a speed decrease to even out the issue.
-Craig
Nordstrom service...
Just where does that come from???
It's just part of the game. Salespeople should go though each and every feature of the car. Explain now things work. That's why they make commission off each customer. The customer deserves the one to one attention after the sale/during delivery.
And I don't think me paying $24k for a Passat GLS (1.8T, leather, luxury, monsoon, 5 speed) is considered "Costco" like. And there are those paying close to $40k for the same car with an 8 cylinder engine. Is THAT Costco like? Do THEY get an explanation of the little button behind the steering wheel? If not, then your point is moot. If they do, then there's no reason they can't explain it to us "lowly" GLS/GLX buyers.
Either way, the model VW is using sucks.
As a side note, when it comes to service, I don't expect a red carpet. I don't expect a loaner. I don't even expect the certified VW tech to not overfill my oil each and every time. I get all the posh treatments from our Lexus dealer (and yes, they do have a red carpet leading into the service department).
-Craig
All sales people need to do is to explain enough of the car to get the sale. They'll have to adjust per customer.
I asked two dealerships how the Bi-Xenon system works, I didn't expect them to know the answer, lo and behold they didn't. I don't think of them any less.
So I used to sell computers....sometimes telling the customer too much info may cost you a sale, which has happened many times to me.
Sometimes you get lucky and the sales person actually owns the car you're looking at.
I got a kick out of my sales person when I took delivery. He told me that 87 octane gas was perfectly fine for the 1.8T. So I pointed out the manual states that 91 is recommended, but 87 CAN be used with lower performance and economy. He said the book was out of date. Hmmm...
He then proceeded to tell me to leave the side mirror adjustment nipple in the middle position so I won't accidently hit it and move a mirror. So I asked him if that would burn out the mirror elements since the middle position turns them on. He looked befuddled, and said "Yea, you're probably right. Leave it on either left or right." Now, how many other poor saps did he tell the middle position theory? How many resulted in burned out mirror elements? In his little office space, there were litterally 100's of photos of prior customers. Granted not all had Passats, but many did.
THIS is what I'm talking about, and THIS is not rare in the car sales industry.
-Craig
I happen to disagree, based on my experience. Others may feel differently
I stand behind...read the manual.
standard features and things like the Steering wheel illumination will increase the price...
To more basic things things...some do not even know the Warranty Package...That would be one of the first things I would want to know, along with the 6 Standard AirBags..."Six airbags???"
and ABS all around???
Just an observaion...not a rant. My customer base is 98% VW FANATIC; so for me, these things
are moot...just stuff I hear in my walk arounds
of the showroom...
The training doesn't go over every single feature a product has. It only goes over the features which they deemed it necessary to bring in a sale.
To the consumers...we have the internet, in addition to the sales brochures. We use the internet to learn more about the car before a purchase, forums like these will help us. Because of the resources available to us (and them) many times we walk in knowing more than the sales person who went through the "official" VW sales training or reading its sales documentation.
How many of us read the "Membership Agreement" we get with each credit card we subscribe to? Or the EULA we get from Microsoft? Not many.
Reading the manual is great to look up information about a question one might have about a particular subject such as "What oil should I use?". But would someone look up "How to turn off steering wheel lights"? I don't think so, unless they already KNOW it can be done somehow.
I agree that VW training goes over the essentials "to sell a car". But that's the beginning. It's like learning how to drive. They teach you basics in driver ed, and there is a nifty book to read. But does that teach you absolutely EVERYTHING there is to know about driving? No. That mostly comes with experience and the desire to better ones self at driving.
This isn't a slam against just VW salespeople. It's salespeople in general. Very, very, very few of them take the opportunity to better themselves by learning, on their own, about the line of vehicles they're selling. Handing someone a brochure and say "read this" isn't acceptable. Again, this appplies from Kia all the way up to Mercedes/BMW/Lexus.
For example, when purchasing our '01 RX300, I knew that one couldn't get the upgraded stereo (pre-Mark Levinson) with Navigation. So I quizzed our salesman to see if we could get it. He had to go ask someone/look it up for 10 minutes. Why didn't he know that? Again, lack of interest in their own profession.
How would a manual help that?
-Craig
Colin
Funny thing I can't find parts either!
Funny thing I can't find parts either!
http://web.njit.edu/~rxp0835/b5/
Click on Info Base. It's self explanitory from there.
If you want better bulbs:
http://www.autolamps-online.com/products/orderform.htm
The 2001.5+ models use H7's for both low and highbeam. Select the H7 VisionPlus 12 volt 55 Watt (H7 12972VP). They're brighter and whiter than stock.
-Craig
I have 11,000+ miles on my car. I see myself replacing them after the winter (about once a year).
-Craig
I'll chaulk that up as another one on my side.
-Craig
How would a manual help that?
Have you tried www.lexus.com and doing your own research before stepping into the dealership?
Since this is townhall.... Have you tried this site http://www.edmunds.com/new/
The brochure for the 01 RX300 is also helpful to see what options are available, what are the standard features, and basic warrranty terms.
If owners don't read the owner's manual....it's their own fault, not the dealership.
I prefer to deal with a regular person, face to face. That's my personal preference.
This is like every occupation...there are people who are passionate about what they do, and there are people who need a paycheck.
Your best ammunition is to be the best informed consumer you can be before you step onto the sales floor. This applies to cars, highend audio/video equipment, highend cameras, etc.
And by the way, I read my Passat owner's manual cover-to-cover the night I brought the car home. In many regards, it's possibly the least informative manual I have run across. No details about changing light bulbs, no details about how to change to oil, vitually no maintenance info at all. Now that I think about it, I don't even recall seeing a bulb chart or a fuse chart. My 1997 Accord manual beats it in many ways.
I agree. The 4.0L W8 was MY solution to the Tiptronic lag 'issue'. I was familiar with it, from having driven friends' 1.8 and V6 Passats with the Tip.
- Ray
Sad that there will not be an R40 Passat (like the R32 Golf)
Luckily...we got resources to take care of the DIY people around.
And yes, I did go to lexus.com, read about the RX300, was in the RX300 forum for a year, knew all the issues/problem areas to look out for, knew what to pay, what to say, etc. But I don't think I'm the typical car buyer. I'm a car nut (like most of us here in the forums are) and researching cars, to me, is fun. But most other couldn't be bothered by it and rely on the salespeople to give full, accurate information. If they can't provide it, they aren't doing their job.
I don't expect it. I never have. But the point is that they SHOULD be providing it.
-Craig
Knowing as much as you do about VWs, could you live with yourself knowing that you sell highly problematic cars like the Beetles/Golfs and Jettas?
Maybe that's why the salespeople are ignorant! Speaking of which, the salesman at Chapman we talked to knew a lot about the Passats - even the speed sensitive volume control! I was impressed.
I understand at least the basic info someone needs.
Nity-grity details of little features...I don't expect them to know that.
wear item warranty: 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first
Luckily, I got a job at the beginning of July.
-Craig
Kia could build a car with bigger dimensions than all those you have and give it to us cheaper. Does that mean it's a better car?
Dimensions are only a small fraction of the equation.
Driving experience/feel/feedback. Handling. Emergency maneuvering. Egronomics. Chassis stiffness/responsiveness. Suspension dynamics. Seat comfort. Heating/Cooling capability.
These are just a few of the items that one has to drive the car, extensively, to get feedback on. Did you actually rent/buy these cars for a week at a time before you came out with the results? The Ford Taurus is based on 10 year old technology and should probably be at the bottom of the list, no matter how much leg room it has.
If you want practical, look at the Passat Wagon. It'll haul more than any of your 18 sedans, handle the same, and only costs $500 more.
-Craig
One thing's really holding me back though... I don't know how to drive clutch.
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=windshield+wiper+blades&btnG=Froogle+Search
Maybe all car owners can learn something from this loser. Read your manual. You never know what kind of cool things you'll find.
BTW ... you had said: "Your dealer should be able to give you this information and an order number so you can keep track of things" ... does that mean there is somewhere online for *me* to check on the status or simply that the dealer can check for me?
After picking out my car in the lot it took about 1 1/2 hours to get it. It was covered in plastic. They even added the dealer logo to the trunk lid. There was just a bit of plastic along the passenger door window but everything else was well prepped. Of course they washed the car and when I finally drove away it started to rain (figures). I should add that my leased '98 Camry needed to be picked up by Toyota since local dealers wouldn't take it. It's a long story. The VW dealership took care of that for me.
But it still doesn't have all the intangibles that will draw a Passat buyer over. It's a lot more refined than the pervious generation, but still far off from the Passat's level of refinement - surprising considering how old the Passat design is in car years.
CR should have someone sit inside the Accord at night, and then have them sit inside the Passat - that is the kind of intangibles that the Accord still doesn't quite have to beat out the Passat IMHO.