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Volkswagen Owners: Dealer & Service Experiences

evfrankevfrank Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Volkswagen
Does anyone have information about experience with dealers in the LA area?
Thanks!
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Comments

  • cybergab1cybergab1 Member Posts: 1
    Anyone out there who has a 2001 VW New Beetle Sport, or a GLS with a 1.8L Turbo who has driven it in snow? I'm at the brink of purchasing a sport, but snow is an important issue for me...need to be able to get up steep hills in snow, and drive in bad snow conditions...am going from a Jeep Grand Cherokee to a VW New Beetle Sport...am about to do a deal tomorrow...
  • akanglakangl Member Posts: 3,281
    I've never driven a new Beetle in snow, but I live near Fairbanks, Alaska and quite a few people own them here. I drive a Jetta 1.8T and its great in the winter, I do use winter tires which help quite a bit.
  • stargazer_1stargazer_1 Member Posts: 1
    hi
    is there any one who can tell me his or her bad/good experiences with the vw. dealer in toronto area, i will appreciate that.
  • sarah233sarah233 Member Posts: 161
    Yesterday I bought a Jetta 1.8T loaded w/goodies. I bought it at Circle Imports in Long Beach. It was very low pressure (it helped that I knew what I wanted and had gotten my mind around leases beforehand), and everyone was very nice. I'd recommend them for sales, based on my experience.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I took my 2002 Jetta to Valley Motor Cars on York Road in Maryland. They did a really nice job cleaning up the car, and didn't change the positioning of the driver's seat as I asked. (That's a big deal to me, as I have a bad back.) They didn't find the darn rattle though, but their service was great and they were very nice. I would definitely recommend them full force.
  • jcp5jcp5 Member Posts: 9
    I have owned my Tulley(NH) 2000 Jetta for approx. 2 yr/48,000 highway miles. Here are the problems I have experienced...

    * The car burns oil rapidly between oil changes and requires maintenance
    * My drivers side AND passenger side window fell into the door and after the secretary told me there was nothing they could do (mind you, it was raining and I had a 1 hr commute home) I had the manager help, if you call it that...I was charged $250.
    * The sunroof is broken (its $85 just for VW to look at it)
    * The Mass Airflow Sensor needed replacement at 40,000 miles ($550)
    * There is a rattling in the passenger side speaker (dealer can’t figure it out but charges for checking)
    * The dash board lights sometimes don’t come on

    Please note that all of these problems are not due to misuse of the car...at one time I ran a car detailing business and I treat the car very, very well and have been disheartened by its problems.

    VW service is horrible!! and the workers are very unsypathethic to any problems. Since its not one problem that recurs over and over I dont qualify for the lemon-law; a loophole if you ask me.

    I will never buy a VW again.
    Feel free to ask me any questions… jeffebay2000@yahoo.com
  • tbaytbay Member Posts: 22
    Just finished reading "Getting the Bugs Out" by David Kiley. Excellent book on how the arrogant management structure works at VW. This book ties in very well with the many rants you find on the net about VW. Also makes you realize how in the auto business more effort is given to advertising than producing a quality product (sort of like the pharmaceutical industry spending more for advertising and promotion than research). All in all a good book for VW fans and detractors.
  • gurdanetgurdanet Member Posts: 1
    " we did not make any penny at it. I tried to do my best to sell you the vehicle that you wanted. You slit my throat by giving me zeros on the survey, so... this conversation is over &*%$#@)" (dead line, hung up)

    - Rich Redling -
    Internet Sales Manager
    @ Ourisman delarship -Laurel, MD

    Response and action taken against me by the internet sales manager at the dealer where I purchased my new Jetta 02 six weeks ago, when I asked why the charged me $335.00 for the installation of splash guards when Driver Gear Magazine advertise those $25 per set of two. And also referring to the survey/rate I gave to VW for their poor service in handling my business.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I took my car to have a rattle fixed in it at Antwerpen VW in Pasadena, Md. on Friday. I left the car on Thursday night, they gave me a 2002 GLS 2.0 Jetta as a loaner. I didn't get back to get my car until Saturday, and there was no problem. They washed it for me (although it still looked sloppy), but they did leave the car unlocked (which I didn't appreciate). But this dealer has provided exceptional service from the beginning. The best on any car (I have had 5 cars in 4 years) that I have had.
  • bluewolfbluewolf Member Posts: 101
    Had a great experience with Chapman VW in Scottsdale AZ. Particularly the internet sales mgr Reeve Luxmore. I got a terrific price on a TDI Jetta and the atmosphere of the purchase from start to finish was low pressure. No high pressure sales on Lojack or extended warranty, scotchgard, etc.

    Chapman's number: 480.949.7600
  • jcp5jcp5 Member Posts: 9
    I have owned my Tulley(NH) 2000 Jetta for approx. 2 yr/48,000 highway miles. Here are the problems I have experienced...

    * The car burns oil rapidly between oil changes and requires maintenance
    * My drivers side AND passenger side window fell into the door and after the secretary told me there was nothing they could do (mind you, it was raining and I had a 1 hr commute home) I had the manager help, if you call it that...I was charged $250.
    * The sunroof is broken (its $85 just for VW to look at it)
    * The Mass Airflow Sensor needed replacement at 40,000 miles ($550)
    * There is a rattling in the passenger side speaker (dealer can’t figure it out but charges for checking)
    * The dash board lights sometimes don’t come on

    Please note that all of these problems are not due to misuse of the car...at one time I ran a car detailing business and I treat the car very, very well and have been disheartened by its problems.

    VW service is horrible!! and the workers are very unsypathethic to any problems. Since its not one problem that recurs over and over I dont qualify for the lemon-law; a loophole if you ask me.

    I will never buy a VW again.
    Feel free to ask me any questions… jeffebay2000@yahoo.com
  • angels7angels7 Member Posts: 1
    has anyone had trouble with their vw beetle's transmission? WE have had several problems, first with the window on the drivers side. They did fix that after a bit of talking. Then the starter went out(they thought) We took it to the vw dealer in Lansing. They said their was nothing wrong with it. We brought it home and yes it did work for 2 weeks. My son drove it and braked for a deer with the car in neutral, the car just stopped working after that. Our local mechanic said possible clutch or starter problems. We then took it to the vw dealer in Kalamazoo, mi. They said it was the clutch and the transmission. 4500.00. VW said they should be able to cover the transmission, as we checked back the next day they said no they couldn't because of mistreatment of the transmission!! Let me know if others have had anything similar to this. asmith__60@hotmail.com
  • oldgearheadoldgearhead Member Posts: 7
    Has anyone had any experiences good or bad with this dealer? I am considering a VW and they are the nearest dealer but still 75+ miles away so I don't want to be stuck with one of the "bad" dealers I have heard of in so many stories.

    Thanks
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I took my car to Russel VW yesterday, on Route 40 in Baltimore, Md. They were outstanding! I had this rattle that my purchasing dealer could nont find, and it was getting to me very badly. The shop foreman went with me on a ride, and found it instantly! They ordered parts for the car, and will have a car waiting for me in the morning when I get there (when the parts come in next week) so the car can be worked on while I am at work. And also, the car was cleaned inside and out when I picked it up yesterday around 6pm. Also, they paid for a rental car from 11am to 6pm for me as well. A truly outstanding experience!
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Russel VW in Baltimore, Md. (http://www.russelautomotive.com) has this oil change deal going on. You get 4 oil changes and 2 tire rotation per year, for the next EIGHT years, for $150 for regular oil and $250 for synthetic. Check it out if you are in the Baltimore area, definitely worth it!
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Took my car there, and they fixed it right up. The only problem I had was that 2 packs of chewing gum went mysteriously missing while the car was there, and there was also a couple of greasy fingerprints near the driver's door (I am calling the dealer tomorrow about the fingerprints). I got a loaner 2002 Maxima though, and the car was all fixed when I picked it up in the evening. They even made allowances for me because I was running late from work. Very good service!
  • sgerlachsgerlach Member Posts: 17
    VW dealership in Glendale, CA - service agents are very professional and call you to update you on status of vehicle. However, mechanics seemed very inexperienced. Example; on two separate occasions I was told that problem was caused by mechanics forgetting to lubricate two pieces of metal or by mistake hitting some switches.

    I have "heard" that Santa Monica dealership has good mechanics but extremely busy. Need to make an appointment.

    Pasadena VW told my auto shop that VW Glendale had installed the wrong part in the car. I called them since they were going to require me to take the car back to Glendale. Pasadena finally told me the part was correct and apologized.
  • reidkreidk Member Posts: 46
    Would give passing marks to Fox VW in Rochester Hills. They managed to maintain the car w/o creating new problems (something Livonia VW was UNABLE to do), and resolved 2 of 3 'rattle & squeak' problems. (Admittedly the remaining rattle only shows on Really Rough pavement - for locals, think of NB Telegraph, between Schoolcraft & 5 Mile...).
    Would be willing to buy again from Fox. Would NOT be willing to buy from Livonia, even though they are about 40 MILES CLOSER TO HOME. Recent experience with Sales dept while shopping for '01 Mazda - similar to that for Passat in '99 - suggests that their business practices are still on the somewhat shady side. Maybe you can put up with that when buying (if you are Sharp Enough), but you are at complete mercy of their shop when taking a car in. They tried fixing brother's Fiat many years ago: insurance company ended up totalling car after dealership left it out in rain & snow with windows Completely Open + claimed it was 'fixed' even though car body was Clearly not aligned with wheels; then they collapsed the gas tank of VW #1 while in for service; then they managed to break the parking brake cable of VW #2 while in for an oil change. So much for "New Management!" It will be a cold day in H*** before they get their hands on my Passat! (Not that we hold any grudges about past incompetence....)

    Reviews suggest that the overall VW Dealer Experience is rather poor: ranking only slightly higher than for Toyota, and about the same as Honda.... This could be a problem for VW, esp in the face of less-than-stellar reliability. Fun to Drive is great, but the majority of the buying public are NOT willing to be as forgiving as owners of the older British cars.
  • jinkajinka Member Posts: 1
    I am looking to buy a Passat GLS in Boston. As a first time buyer, I would appreciate information on dealers in the Boston area - which dealers to avoid etc.

    Thank you
  • 2boysdad2boysdad Member Posts: 7
    January 02, my wife wanted a Jetta with leather and heated seats, thats it. Armed with a pre-aproved lone of 20k off we went to our local VW dealer, VW Springfield, in Springfield VA. When we got there she was approched by a really nice guy named Taher Ghali, before he could open his mouth, my wife said. I want a Jetta with these options and I'm paying this much, you eat the taxes, make it work! An hour and a half later she signed over her loan check and drove off in her 2002 1.8T Jetta, leather heated seats, sunroof, cd/cassette audio/cruse control on the streeing wheel and alloy wheels. I picked up my 02 1.8T Passat wagon 5 speed. two weeks ago from the same dealer and same salesmen. The folks at the dealership were friendly and I even got a discount on mud guards I put on myself. They also had a large selection of VW's and w8 four motions. So if your in the northern VA area, stop by VW Springfield on Backlick RD. in Springfield VA and look up Taher Ghali.
  • 8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    $84 per hour......ouch
  • oscarkatoscarkat Member Posts: 3
    I recently purchased a GTi VR6 6spd at Fitzgerald Auto Mall. I took a bath on my 2000 corrola but I expected it. I got a fantastic price on the car though. My sales person was very nice but he was new so he did not know to much. The dealership was very relaxed. Now, the bummer, my car broke down 3 days later. I had the car flat bedded to Alexandria VW because I live close to it. I had planned to get my car serviced there anyway. A manager in Service named Wesley Greenway was very helpful. He did not B.S. me at all. He was honest, strait forward and he did not make promises he couldn't keep. He worked very hard and was very patient with me being upset and he got my car fixed right. I will only get my car serviced there now. I feel I can trust Alexandria VW to do service and repairs right. I am also very pleased with Fitzgerald VW in Annapolis. The manager and his wife stayed in touch with me and were very helpful and understanding over my issue of having my brand new car breakdown.
  • 2boysdad2boysdad Member Posts: 7
    I own a 2002 Passat and my wife owns a 2002 Jetta and they both have the same problem. And I was wondering if anyone else has experanced the same. The radio comes with a program to lower the on vol after you turn off the radio. So that if you happen to be playing the radio/tape/cd at a high vol when you turn off the car, when you turn on the car the vol will be lower. I followed the instructions in the manual but can only access the road vol limit. My friends at Alexandria VW and Spring Field VW just looked at me and scratched their heads because we tried five or six in the lot and they all did the same. And don't go in to the entrance of the maintance shop of the Alexandria dealership cause they look at you like your crazy. You have to find a parking space in their really crowded lot.
  • 5speeder5speeder Member Posts: 97
    I recently bought a Passat GLS wagon. I wanted a 2002 5 speed, no leather, with the low VW finance rate. I was fairly flexible on colors and options. I researched all of the dealers' inventories in the area via website or telephone (not all dealers put their inventory at their site!). Then I contacted each dealer who had a car meeting my specs (only found 4!) by phone and made my offer.

    I wound up buying from West Side VW in Minneapolis. The salesman (Harris White) and I came to agreement on price over the phone, and he faxed me the financing paperwork. I agreed to complete the deal based on my final inspection of the actual car (which I hadn't seen yet).

    Harris told me to come over for delivery and he'd have me out in 45 min. to an hour. I got there at 5:20 on a Friday afternoon. We looked over the car, he showed me the features, and sent me into the finance guy. The finance guy gave me papers to sign and said not one word about paint sealant, undercoating or extended warrantys. At 6:05 I was cruising down 394, headed home in my new car.

    This place was no BS, everything the salesman said was true. Best car buying experience I've ever had.
  • rehaydorehaydo Member Posts: 2
    I have owned a Passat with all wheel drive for two years. Six months after I bought the car, I told the dealer the fuel gauge didn't work correctly. It drops suddenly from 1/2 to 1/4 and remains there for over 50 miles. After several attempts to correct it, the dealer contacted the technical support center and was told the operation was normal. I didn't believe it, but now I do. In order for all wheel drive to be installed, the rear floor was pushed up and the tank was reformed into a saddle shape.
    Since the dealer, Bill Britt of Fredericksburg stonewalled me, I bought the replacement sender parts through a mechanic at which point we discovered that the two access panels to the tank below the rear seat aren't big enough to change the sender parts.
    I had another dealer install the parts for me - very nice chap in the service, but it cost me $500 for the parts and service. The result was absolutely no improvement. Tech service was right. It's normal operation, but the normal operation is sad.
    It appears to be a design flaw. How does one measure fuel in two sides of a tank?
    Other than that, the car's fine and runs beautifully, but I'm going to get rid of it. I don't like refueling on a trip when the tank's half full, but reading a quarter. VW's response has been horrible including customer relations. The dealer won't even respond to letters. Tech service refused to send me the specifications for the system - guess there aren't any.
  • netteskynettesky Member Posts: 1
    Hi there... My 2002 Jetta is due for it FIRST maintenance appointment (4300 Miles) and I was hoping to get a recommendation for where I can get my car serviced.

    I bought the car at Boardwalk VW in Redwood City, right after my boyfriend returned the leased Jetta for his ex after the lease expired. They said, please sign here and here and here, and we'll take care of the paperwork. She ended up leasing another Jetta from them, and I bought my GLX from them after getting a better price from their fleet mgr. (Their sales mgr. was a little icky.)

    However, a couple of months after sealing the sale, we get a notification from the DMV asking us to pay up on the expired lease's registration, or risk getting wages garnished! When we went back to them about this, we got the run around and "It's not our fault."

    Now, I don't want to take the service business back to them. We've also moved to the East Bay. I'm hoping there are better service folks who know how to take care of their customers. Can you help?

    Thanks muches!
    'nette
  • lamikedlamiked Member Posts: 1
    I have visited Santa Monica & Glendale, spoke with Pasadena, Van Nuys & Capistrano down south. All except Glendale were with the Internet Mgr. Glendale didn't care about what I wanted. I said Jetta Wagon they said Beetle?!! Pasadena always seemed too busy to talk. Van Nuys was nice, but Santa Monica & Capistrano seemed to really care about what I wanted. E-mails and phone calls were made to verify what I wanted and what type of pricing. Santa Monica is where I ended up as they received an '03 right away and that was a very low key & actually relaxing experience.
  • sgerlachsgerlach Member Posts: 17
    I had the same experience. Glendale didn't seem interested in making a deal - or looking for the car I wanted. Santa Monica was great - relaxed and pleasant experience. Unfortunately, Glendale is the closest dealership for service. My two years of warranty service at Glendale was problematic. Service adjusters were great; mechanics seemed untrained - would fix a problem and another would have been caused (they admitted). Since going to my local mechanic, it's been over 14 months with no problems. Good luck with your new car!
  • philomelaphilomela Member Posts: 4
    I have a 99 Jetta GLS VR6 bought at Gilboy Volkswagen in Whitehall, PA. I now refer to it as German Junk.

    I have had all the problems posted by jcp5 except for the broken moonroof. In addition I have had to replace the following:

    trunk sensor
    temperature gauge sensor
    O2 sensor
    catalytic converter
    fuel relay switch

    The O2 sensor, catalytic converter, fuel relay switch have all been replaced within the last 7 wks and now I have to replace the ignition coil pack. On top of that the airbag light has come on and apparently the entire passenger airbag unit needs to be replaced. The ignition problem should have been addressed when I initially complained about it in the first year I had the car.

    This list is supplemented by the currently unfixed problems: driver's seat lever that doesn't work and a gas gauge that works intermittently.

    Naturally, Gilboy Volkswagen's service department and general manager refuse to take responsibility for their ineptitude. And Volkswagen of America just laughs as they take my customer service complaints.

    If you ever consider buying a Volkswagen--DON'T. If you make the mistake of deciding to buy a Volkswagen, go to any other Lehigh Valley dealer but don't go to Gilboy Volkswagen.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Believe it or not, alot of carmakers have horror stories like this. There is a lemon in every carmaker's lineup sooner or later. It's bound to happen. You just got one of them, that's all.

    Sorry to hear of all the problems with the car. Have all these repairs been covered under warranty or not?
  • reidkreidk Member Posts: 46
    Just had the 40K service performed on my '99 GLS V6 (5 Spd). Did it a bit early (39K+) to accommodate schedule & take care of Recall notice (2ndary air vacuum line). Cost seemed high: $356 (without brake fluid change or tire rotation; former done last year; did tires self), but nearest 'not mistrusted' dealer wanted something like $600 (!) to do the job (nearly fainted...).

    At least the car was returned without significant damage (one noticeable scratch across trunk lid; polished it 90% out...sigh... but car has numerous other surface scratches from 3 years driving), and it does run well - seems to have a tiny bit more 'oomph,' and the MPG is Perhaps up a bit, but don't really have enough time to tell that.

    Am still impressed by the Passat - major problems are numerous paint chips (no rust, but the front end has dozens of tiny chips exposing white (?)undercoat) and more 'rattles' than seem appropriate, even though they (mostly) only show up on rough / uneven pavement. Beyond this, the car is going strong - ride, handling, performance, lots of creature comforts (a loaded GLS V6), and I still park at the back of the lot & walk away 'backwards'... Cannot say For Certain that it would get replaced with another Passat - there are a lot of very nice cars out there - but anything else would have to be Very Impressive: after 3 years this car has been nearly problem free, and is still a joy to drive Spiritedly (major standard of comparison: Taurus SHO, 5spd).
  • alexqalexq Member Posts: 3
    My friend who has VW Passat V6 1996 has a lot of bad experience with repair service. Could anybody recommend a good and reliable dealer/shop which is really professional and responsible for the work they are doing. My friend is living in Hinsdale about 20 miles from Chicago. I would be greatful for any info about good repair service for VW Passat in Chicago area.

    Alex
  • battalax2000battalax2000 Member Posts: 5
    Have a 2001 Jetta Vr6 with 47,000miles. I was putting on about 120 miles a day / 6 days a week for about a year..so they are all highway miles..car is less than 2 years old, and at 41,000miles my check engine light comes on. car's acceleration is terrible now, and my A.M radio reception is now lousy. Smithtown VW replaced knock sensor, cam sensor, knock sensor. In that order, all after about 20 miles the check engine comes on again..acceleration is still terrible. These guys are professionals? $650 bucks later they take the car in for 10 days, now they think a wire in the harness is shorting. But it is in the harness so they have to replace the whole thing...$1100 dollar job...finally got VW to "good will"me the harness at $400. got the car back 10 days later accelerating better. but they did not hook up speedometer. told the dealership I thought the 8 hours labor was unfair, since they just kept replacing sensors that already costy me $650 needlessly....Lou the service mgr could care less. and in between all this my window falls into my door...apparently the plastic that holds up the windows is shattering on a lot of vehicles. I was pissed could not get my window up...I have leather interior, what if it rains? They fixed it supprisingly enough that day in 3 hours....anyway after they did the harness, 10 miles later...guess what....check engine on again...and I find out they set back the timing or something so that I would not notice the loss of acceleration as much...I used to redline at 65oorpm they set it back to about 5100rpm...did not even notify me...seems a bit much....the smithtown dealership in NY is terrible, service is the worst .....the whole ordeal with the unfair pricing led me to telling my story to someone in the showroom, and they went crazy...when I asked the for my receipt on the window repair they refused, so I told them I would not leave without it...and they called the police....what customer service..anyway got to tell my story to 3 other police officers...who would not by a car from that dealership...guess I got something accomplished..any one having similar complaint son windows, radio reception shorting out sensors...service similar to what I got at SMITHTOWN VW in NY? VW customer service is of no help, they say they can do nothing about dealerships the yare independent franchises? Who polices the dealerships? doesn't VW of america care...finally got an address from germany, will keep them posted...and they tell me ther eis no one else I can talk to ..no mediators? is this true....? I kno wI am rambling but I am so frustrated at this point....Thsi car was great till I got to 40000 miles...is that all $26.5K gets me? someone please help......
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
  • electra_risingelectra_rising Member Posts: 10
    PLEASE READ THIS before buying any new Volkswagen!

    I bought my '00 VW GTI 1.8T brand new a couple of years ago from Flow Motors here in Winston-Salem, NC. Despite meticulous care and conscientious maintenance, the vehicle was nothing but trouble from the start.

    Here's a brief rundown:

    I had the car in the shop SIX times to have window problems fixed. (The passenger door glass was replaced twice due to deep scratches caused by the power window mechanism, and the easily broken "retainer clip" which connects the window glass to the door motor had to be replaced several times as well). Try driving 40 miles down the interstate back to the dealership with the driver's window stuck in the "down" position, and you you may appreciate my mood at the time. I had to use vacation time to take the car in for service immediately, as any precipitation would have ruined the interior, and my belongings inside the vehicle were unprotected from the elements, not to mention theft.

    Virtually every exterior bulb -- headlamps, turn signals, and brake lamps -- burned out on this supposedly well-built "German" vehicle within two years of purchase. One headlamp burned out TWICE, despite having been replaced with a genuine VW bulb from the dealer.

    The cheap plastic hinge on the glove compartment door broke twice. The whole door has to be replaced when this happens. (Hey VW, why not use a METAL hinge if you're going to spring-load the glove box for that pleasant "dampened" feel?)

    The clutch went out after only 40,000 miles (a very costly repair). Bear in mind that I did not abuse this vehicle -- most of the miles were accumulated in fifth gear on the interstate.

    The air conditioner started malfunctioning last summer, leaving me drenched in sweat more than once, but luckily started working again. Don't ask why. I hate to think what a new condenser would have cost.

    The turbo blew an intake valve, causing a loud "fluttering" noise during acceleration. The "check engine" light came on as well. The turbo valve cost around $200 to replace, and the part was not covered by VW's touted 100,000 mile powertrain warranty (even though the VW salesman specifically told me that the turbo WAS fully covered by the extended warranty when I purchased the vehicle).

    The six-disc, trunk-mounted CD player was problematic, constantly jamming and generating a bogus "disc error" message. (I had the same problem with numerous newly-purchased CDs, so it wasn't the software.) I had to pull over, pop the hatch, remove the cartridge and "spin" all the discs to listen to any of the CDs. A nuisance to say the least, particularly while commuting or driving in bad weather.

    Disgusted with the constant breakdowns, I threw up my hands and traded in my GTI on an '03 Subaru WRX after the last repair epdisode, during which I was bluntly advised by VW maintenance personnel that my inoperative driver's side window could not be repaired because no replacement parts were available anywhere in the country. (No replacement parts nationally for a '00 model! GET REAL!) It took calls to the general manager and regional service director to finally get the parts by special order, and I drove a rental for a couple of days while they replaced the assembly.

    Now, after absorbing a loss on my trade to avoid more unforseen repairs, I get a letter from VW stating that they're generously extending the manufacturer's warranty to cover certain window problems. (The dealer advised me that VW has known about the problem for years, but refused to issue a timely recall, and will now have to spend a cool $100 million to replace thousands of defective power window assemblies in ALL models.)

    Please, learn from my mistake and CONSIDER ALL YOUR OPTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE CHOOSING ANY VOLKSWAGEN PRODUCT. There are just too many other choices, folks, to be stuck with a sub-standard product that makes for a great test drive but provides poor reliability and dealer service down the road. If you find yourself sipping cold coffee and sitting for hours in the waiting area of your local VW repair shop while the same old defective part in your "German-engineered" vehicle is replaced yet again, you have only yourself to blame. This is a true story, and I have the service records to prove it. (I'm not alone: a friend of mine had a '00 New Beetle that needed a full brake job after only 15,000 miles and started belching black smoke soon thereafter -- another hurried trade-in.)

    Look, I'm not a mechanic or race fanatic who spends a lot of time arguing about which brand is better than another. I'm just an ordinary consumer who expects a $21,000 brand new vehicle to have things like a reliable engine, working windows, a functional CD player and a useable glove box.

    Don't let VW do the same thing to you -- do yourself (and your wallet) a favor and stay away from this "German-engineered" (and Argentinian built) brand until they make quality control and customer service a priority.
  • rickroverrickrover Member Posts: 601
    Odd your profile indicates you own a 94 Saturn and are shopping for a Maxima - did a turbo GTI blow your Saturn's doors off and now your mad so you post a bunch of lies?

    I run into this all the time on these boards - My GTI has been perfect - no regrets whatsoever.
  • 8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    funny...my 02 Golf was assembled in Brazil
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I can see someone having an experience like that with a GTI. I have had a not-so-great experience with my 02 Jetta (mostly rattles though), but not to the extent of those problems.
  • mulfomimulfomi Member Posts: 56
    I have had my 2001.5 Passat for 18 months and I have had some minor annoying things go wrong with it and the dealer has always taken care of it with no problems. I enjoy the car and dont fret over minor issues like headlamps and glovebox doors when I bought the car for the enjoyment of the drive. Dealer was Ed Schmidt in Perrysburg, just south of Toledo, Ohio. Definately would by another VW, and would buy from them. Parents bought a Passat after me and my brother bought an A4.

    Its unfortunate that some people get that lemon and then dont get help from your dealer. Its easy to get mad, but what real good does it do.
  • mauislickmauislick Member Posts: 107
    I know no one really cares about us out in Hawaii but will post any way....

    I have bought two cars a tony VW on Oahu and had my car serviced at Cutter VW maui.......

    both cars were ordered models (02 got wrecked) and now have a new 03 three weeks old......the new one is much tighter than the last......

    I had the other up to about 17k and the only warrenty issues were two DRL bulbs went out and the "rear window lock" switch stopped working.....all were replaced under warrenty No questions Asked. Oil change w/o coupon 29.95 with coupon 24.95 oil filled to second bend in distick above hasmark.....on michelin blew out around 15k with a slash in the side wall....other thatn that the car was great. not rattles squeaks or other wise...
    the new one is even better......
  • bstrongbstrong Member Posts: 2
    Paul Miller VW [Mr Paul Miller's words] tells me that a $2500 deposit I made with Visa for a Touareg delivery in the spring will not be refunded although they cannot deliver the vehicle I need until the fall [I specified in writing "VW telematics by Onstar"]. Who is crazy here? I find it hard to imagine that Visa or VW USA would be sympathetic to a "You have a contract" position by the dealership at this early date when VW wants this launch to be happy for all and initally at least demand is supposed to far exceed supply. At this point I am soured on the whole VW idea - I have been buying new cars for 45 years and never seen this before. Any ideas?
    ....RBS
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I would talk to the dealer manager, and also contact an attorney and/or the better business bureau in your state.
  • paulseattlepaulseattle Member Posts: 3
    hi, my name is paul. i have a 98 passat and it needed a brakejob, replacing the pads and rotors in the front.
    the invoice for the repair included two new original VW rotors at $92.00 each and there was a charge of $44.00 for resurfacing them also. when i questioned the shop asking why would it be necessary to resurface new factory rotors, the answer was: sometime they get deformed by sitting on the shelf and they resurface them routinely every time they put one on.
    does anybody know if this is a justified procedure or is it merely a way of charging a little extra?
  • 600kgolfgt600kgolfgt Member Posts: 690
    I am taking my 2003 Jetta Wolfsburg edition to its first 5000 mile service from the dealer that I purchased the car from. They did a good job on my 1987 Golf GT when they replaced the heater core (under warranty), so I expect the same good service with the Jetta. I'll keep you posted...
  • debbbbdebbbb Member Posts: 3
    tomorrow will be the seventh time that i have take my 2001 golf in for service because the engine light has come on. the dealership (concours motors) says it is the new emissions regulations that make the light so sensitive. that they fix one thing and another is affected. seven times? has anyone else had this excessive problem? my warranty runs out on 12 sep...
  • brozhnikbrozhnik Member Posts: 172
    I like the Passat enough to think I could buy one. For the sake of discussion let's figure a new Passat right now will be as reliable as a new Camry. Ok.. Now.. Several independent mechanics I've asked have said I need to think about another problem. VW, they said, keeps its diagnostic info pretty tightly held, so only the dealers and a few rare specialists can really work on a VW (aside from oil changes, light bulbs, and other generic things). By contrast, every mechanic knows how to fix a Camry, and they can read the computer codes with a Snap-on tools.
    Now: this makes me worry. Simple economics: if someone has a monopoly on anything -- or close to a monopoly -- they have an incentive to charge more, slip in little extra fees, and give you worse service for the buck than someone who has a lot of competition. Esp. when it's something esoteric like fixing a car where the customer doesn't really know when he's getting ripped off.
    But that's theory, at least as I understand it. Anyone have any experience or data to shed light on whether this should stop me from the Passat?
    (P.S. Some personal info, since this consideration depends on personal priorities: (1) I have to drive a LOT more than I'd like, so the car will be past the warranty level of miles sooner than usual: (2) there's a dealer near where I work, but I live far away from work/dealer. If it broke down at home and no local mechanic could work on Passats, I'd be in trouble. (3) I try to approach cars like Mr. Spock. Too bad I'm attracted to the Passat! But I could live with a Camry, Accord, or Mazda6 if it were more rational. )
  • sgerlachsgerlach Member Posts: 17
    I have been using an independent mechanic now that my auto is off VW warranty; I have an extended warranty that lets me select my mechanic. You just need to select a mechanic that has the scanner and software that allows him/her to scan the computer. If my mechanic encounters a problem, he calls VW headquarters - the same thing the local VW dealership did (I was there and heard the phone call).
  • 600kgolfgt600kgolfgt Member Posts: 690
    The 5000 mile service on my Wolfsburg Jetta turned out to be a painless experience. It was done in a timely fashion (about 15-20 minutes) and set me back about $30.

    In the meantime, my fiance test drove a 2003 Passat GLS 1.8, loved it, and wound up buying it
    that day. So the overall experience at the dealer (sales/service) turned out to be very good. The salesman was extremely helpful (without being pushy), and we wound up getting
    the Passat for around $50 over invoice (It helps during the negotiations when my fiance is a purchasing manager who negotiates prices on a daily basis...:-)).
  • sammyairsammyair Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a certified 2001 New Beetle with 23K miles. Within a month the clutch is gone. Neither VW or the Dealer will step up. So I'm stuck with a thousand dollars in expense already. I'll get my money back through litigation. The idiots never considered that they were trying to screw a lawyer.

    My gut feeling is that buying any VW is a mistake. It seems that if anything goes wrong VW is not in your corner as a customer. I also have the feeling that they do not care as to how poorly their dealers perform. Additionally it seems they are not as reliable as they used to be in the good old days.

    I'd appreciate any feedback. Rightnow I think I should cut my losses and buy a Honda or Toyota.
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    the state capital. Nothing but praise here. SMF has two VW dealers. I went to the other one first (18 years back) BIG MISTAKE!!
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