Wheel Nut Key - dealer didn't supply with new car

[chimpangie]

Hi there fellow golfers, I hope you are all well. I am hoping someone more knowledgeable and experienced than me can help with some advice.


So my 2012 Golf Bluemotion has been making a strange noise so I've taken it to my nearest service centre to check it out (I'm not going to bother you with trying to diagnose the issue as even the service guys are stumped). The noise is not my problem anyway (well it is, but not what has led me here today).


I've received a call from them this afternoon asking me where my "Wheel Nut Key" is. Now I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about until I googled what it was - my apologies, you can stop smirking now The car is less than a year old, purchased new from a dealership. I would assume that it is something that should have been supplied with the car, is that correct? Unfortunately the dealership I bought it from is in Moss Vale (NSW) and I'm in Brisbane. As yet, I have not been able to get in contact with the Moss Vale dealership to confirm. All I know is, that it's not possible for me to have lost it as I've never touched any of the wheels (including the spare) unless it's been to check the tyre pressure or to clean them.


The service centre I have taken it to though (Northstar VW at Kippa Ring) have advised that they can buy a new "lock nut kit" for me for about $110, but they don't have that particular key there to get the existing nuts off, so they will need to try and get the wheels off another way which is probably going to cost around $400-500 in labour charges! The car is obviously still under warranty but they have told me that wheel lock keys would not be covered anyway.


So my questions are - should the dealer have supplied the key with the car and is there any action I can take so they supply it to me retrospectively? Are Northstar VW taking advantage of my inexperience and charging a lot of money for what should be a simple job (according to other threads on this forum I have reviewed)?

[h100vw]

Hi there fellow golfers, I hope you are all well. I am hoping someone more knowledgeable and experienced than me can help with some advice.


So my 2012 Golf Bluemotion has been making a strange noise so I've taken it to my nearest service centre to check it out (I'm not going to bother you with trying to diagnose the issue as even the service guys are stumped). The noise is not my problem anyway (well it is, but not what has led me here today).


I've received a call from them this afternoon asking me where my "Wheel Nut Key" is. Now I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about until I googled what it was - my apologies, you can stop smirking now The car is less than a year old, purchased new from a dealership. I would assume that it is something that should have been supplied with the car, is that correct? Unfortunately the dealership I bought it from is in Moss Vale (NSW) and I'm in Brisbane. As yet, I have not been able to get in contact with the Moss Vale dealership to confirm. All I know is, that it's not possible for me to have lost it as I've never touched any of the wheels (including the spare) unless it's been to check the tyre pressure or to clean them.


The service centre I have taken it to though (Northstar VW at Kippa Ring) have advised that they can buy a new "lock nut kit" for me for about $110, but they don't have that particular key there to get the existing nuts off, so they will need to try and get the wheels off another way which is probably going to cost around $400-500 in labour charges! The car is obviously still under warranty but they have told me that wheel lock keys would not be covered anyway.


So my questions are - should the dealer have supplied the key with the car and is there any action I can take so they supply it to me retrospectively? Are Northstar VW taking advantage of my inexperience and charging a lot of money for what should be a simple job (according to other threads on this forum I have reviewed)?

The key should have come with the car and Northstar are taking the mickey. They should be able to have those off in a few minutes, in my humble opinion. They must deal with it all the time.

Ask if you can watch them do it and take a deck chair and a flask of tea.

Gavin

[ian]

Mate I had the same problem when I bought my Golf , The dealers have a full set they use when they service your car ,it saves them searching for yours , it should of been in the foam tool kit in the centre of your spare wheel , All I did was go to a VW dealer and ask if I could but a key but to buy one you have to buy a bolt as it comes as one , .I think it cost me about $26 , The dealer have a plastic case with the full set you will have to try them until you find the exact one to fit your car from memory there are 50 combinations . Each key has a number stamped on it .

[Umai Naa!!]

Some newer dealers don't have all 5 or 6 different sets of lock nuts though.

If you're willing to do a bit of running around, try a more-established dealership.

[h100vw]

Some newer dealers don't have all 5 or 6 different sets of lock nuts though.

If you're willing to do a bit of running around, try a more-established dealership.

This would be a better move ^^^^^^ There's at least 3 more places to go in Brisbane.

[minke]

It's why I bought 4 bolts and threw away the lock bolts and key. PITA. I've never had a wheel stolen in 20+ years of car ownership and never garaged.

[Idle]

I've had wheels changed by tyre services several times — they have the wheel off as quickly as if the lock bolt wasn't there, and they don't even open the hatch, let alone use the car's key.

[chimpangie]

The key should have come with the car and Northstar are taking the mickey. They should be able to have those off in a few minutes, in my humble opinion. They must deal with it all the time.

Ask if you can watch them do it and take a deck chair and a flask of tea.

Gavin

Haha nice advice Gavin

I thought they were having a lend of me! Such a shame as I was looking forward to being able to get my car serviced locally but not happy now I know they can't be trusted.

[chimpangie]

Mate I had the same problem when I bought my Golf , The dealers have a full set they use when they service your car ,it saves them searching for yours , it should of been in the foam tool kit in the centre of your spare wheel , All I did was go to a VW dealer and ask if I could but a key but to buy one you have to buy a bolt as it comes as one , .I think it cost me about $26 , The dealer have a plastic case with the full set you will have to try them until you find the exact one to fit your car from memory there are 50 combinations . Each key has a number stamped on it .

Thanks Ian. $26 sounds a lot better than $500!!

[chimpangie]

Some newer dealers don't have all 5 or 6 different sets of lock nuts though.

If you're willing to do a bit of running around, try a more-established dealership.

Thanks Umai Naa!! Good advice

This would be a better move ^^^^^^ There's at least 3 more places to go in Brisbane.

h110vw - any recommendations on Brisbane northside?

[chimpangie]

I've had wheels changed by tyre services several times — they have the wheel off as quickly as if the lock bolt wasn't there, and they don't even open the hatch, let alone use the car's key.

hmmm, interesting.....

[h100vw]

hmmm, interesting.....

I do my own work so never been to a dealer except for parts.

There's Norris on Gympie Road and Austral https://maps.google.com.au/maps?ie=U...07947353424031

I don't know anything about their workmanship though.

[chimpangie]

I do my own work so never been to a dealer except for parts.

There's Norris on Gympie Road and Austral https://maps.google.com.au/maps?ie=U...07947353424031

I don't know anything about their workmanship though.

Thanks, will look into them both. First question I will ask is do they have a full set of wheel nut keys!

[brad]

a) Advise the selling dealer of your dilema

b) The repairer should be able to get them off with a big mofo screw driver - the type with the square shaft works well.

c) If (a) doesn't come to the party i have a set of Audi locknuts x4 + the key you can have for a fair price.

PS: did anyone look in the glovebox, centre console or take the spare out to have a look? Mine fell out of the foam holder a few weeks back & was under the tyre.

[chimpangie]

Update:


Moss Vale VW claim the key would have been in the car as they always do a pre-delivery checklist. They are unable to order a new key, they can only order a new full set of lock nuts. Their advice is to take my car to another dealer up here who can offer better service than Northstar.


Northstar have advised that the reason they don't have my key is that they are missing about 4 from their full set. Now that I have advised them I want to take to a dealer that has a full set, they want to charge me for work they have already done on the car!! What? They haven't done anything! I don't think it's fair that I should be out of pocket because they are unable to finish a job when they don't have the right tools!


Northstar also did my 15,000km service a few months ago - Moss Vale said they always take the wheels off and do a full brake check at 15,000 so Northstar should have taken the wheels off then too. Is that legit? Would they have needed to take my wheels off then and is there any chance that they could have lost my key?