Those who have a Vin - please help

[ur85q]

You and me buddy!!

Got my VIN from my dealer but still not registering on the WW tracking system. Expected date of delivery is end of Oct.

Soooo ... I got a call from the dealer the other day saying there's been a delay ... some BS story about how there was an R50 on board the boat that had to be swapped out in Copenhagen, and that mine would now be arriving more like the end of November rather than the end of October as promised.

The sales guy insists that he has always told me the truth ... that the car was already on board a ship when I put my deposit on it a month ago (and therefore the end-October promise). I guess I am supposed to believe that it has taken the boat a month to sail some 400 nautical miles - in what looks to me to be the wrong direction.

The kicker in this story is that I only went in to this particular dealership because they told me they had one in stock (albeit it was the managers car with a hundred kms on the clock), which I could have immediately. It was only on finalising the deal that they "realised" that the car wasn't available, and that they could get me one that was already enroute instead. Nice one.

So now I'm looking at the clause in my contract about how they are going to loan me a car for the duration of the delay ... who wants to bet that they give me a Corolla as a "suitable replacement"?

For the record - the dealership is Chatswood Classic Cars in Sydney. I've bought many cars in my life, and can say I've never been this disappointed about the experience before in my life.

[vossy]

I rang those guys in sydney when looking for my car and they had a white one there who i spoke to salesman about he was then suppose to ring me back and didn't so I rang again and he still did not ring back so I gave them the ass.

I tell you these VW saleman must think they are selling ferrari's because most of them have their head up their ass.

I was also told the end of october but I don't have a clause about a lone car, gee I hope its not the end of november or I might have to buy a ford.

[Swallowtail]

Damn... I feel your pain ur85q.. that sucks. Can you get in contact with the dealer principal? Or maybe a letter to the new VW Aus boss - she's been interviewed on carsales and says she listens to end customers.

[kgbAgent]

Personally I am getting HIGHLY concerned about some of the stories I am reading here. Assuming less than 10% of OZ buyers find & participate in this forum it appears to me the VWA have a huge problem with their dealer network in Australia & a huge issue with their delivery & build systems. This is just in the Passat forum yet I hear that the same issues are across the whole VW range

These are some of the issues that concern me:

• Lack of Stock - I am expected to buy a car without even being able to ogle one let alone test drive !
• Consistent blowout in "promised" build/ delivery timeframes
• Advice that a VIN # is necessary to stop a dealer selling your order under you
• Say there are no changes to MY10 options then come September all these other options are available
• Rumours that because these options are changed a lot of vehicles with (for eg reverse camera) are not factory installed as it is now a separate option
• Seemingly lack of communication between VWA & the dealer network
• Very few positive dealer reviews

Coming from 20 years of positive experiences with Subaru ( and certainly no 5 month delivery crap - I can get a new Rolls built faster ) I am worried that I may have leapt into a quagmire of ineptitude and lack of care.

It may be soon time that disgruntled people here take these issues collectively into the public domain.

Cheers

[gregozedobe]

You are assuming that what you read here is a fair representation of the average VW ownership experience.

Human nature being what it is, people with a gripe will go out of their way to to find somewhere they can express their dis-satisfaction, whereas most people who are totally satisfied don't even know a forum like this exists.

Look at the how many Golfs and Passats have been sold (lots and lots), then look at the number of people in each forum that regularly post (nowhere near as many).

Have a look at the 3rd post in this thread by Ex-car bloke, he describes this situation very well:

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/late-model-t5-problems-still-exist_topic44222.html

[ur85q]

Hooray - my car is now registering on the WW tracking system! It's on OTELLO, due in to Melbourne on 6/11. I guess it will take some time to unload, clear customs, truck up to Sydney, go through dealer prep, etc ... so much for the end of October promise, but at least it is now registering!