VW Australia need to change

[Transporter]

There are only 2 dealers in SA and I haven't been in Murray Bridge yet, but I believe they offer the same service as the Adelaide's Solitaire. When we bring the car to the dealer for warranty repair, we always are offered a courtesy car, the smallest we had was a new or just a couple of months old Golf or Jetta. The dealer was always polite, so was any staff I was talking to. I don't think that we can complain much.

If you're not happy with the dealer you're talking to, the first step would be to ask for the dealer principal and if that doesn't solve anything just call VW Australia or even head office in Germany.

But make sure when you deal with the dealer that you're always polite, that including the bargaining when you buy a car, since the bad word spreads quickly these days.

[bombsquad21]

This is an area where Lexus bury V-AG.

They may bury VAG, the abomination that is Brisbane's inner city VW dealer see's to that. But in many cases, they are really not that great themselves. I've had many many dealings with them, service, car purchases, finance etc. Both in Brisbane and remotely when I bought a car from a Lexus dealer in Adelaide. The simple fact is no-one is...Not locally anyways, over the years I have experienced exemplary service from only 1! source. I spend all my money, all my wife's money, all the money for my business and a lot of money for long term employer.

No-one delivers what they say they will..
No-one knows their products..
No-one shows any initiative, up sells or follows through..
Telco's, Cars, Banks, Airlines, ISP's, supermarkets (think about how much money you give them a year). It just goes on and on and on..

Everybody I know who has purchased a VAG product new has reiterated the negative sentiments shared by others, without exception.

I was in LA this past xmas, the retailers their want your money, the car dealers are professional and motivated, they offer service and the staff undergo training.

[Finance_Analyst]

While my own experience was first class, I do find the city dealers around Brisbane are 'muppets'. Australs are pretty bad, Highway don't let you drive on weekends (or so I was told, even though I pulled up in my Merc SLK so they couldn't have thought I was a joy rider). I then called the manager at Highways to tell him he lost a sale and that I would tell all my clients/friends to NEVER go there., plus I would make an offical complaint to VW Australia on their appalling customer service.

But the problem is, most ppl are too lazy to drive a bit further and find better service to make the experience better. VW is like Mercedes was 6-8 years ago, when they were so arrogant that there was no discounting and cars will sell with or without you. Best customer service I find is Lexus or BMW (even if their cars are pretty crap these days).

[kinezo]

Cannot argue with the above topic, hence i cannot speak highly enough of Chris at burwin vw. He is the only person that i trust, who provides exceptional service with the most honest information best to his knowledge. I know a few guys on vwgolf.net and vwwc from interstate who have purchased cars from him just based on his level of service and his ability to do whatever he possibly can to pull a deal through. I have even heard he will hold off from giving you a qoute because he wants to wait for his manager to be in a good mood before he present the proposal to him, to make sure his customer gets the best possible price. I cannot comment on burwin as a whole as i have dealt with some stuck up people there but Chris Seck has been a champ. He is also a car enthusiest and understand the values of owning a vdub or any car. I knwo some people on here will agree with me.........

[kinezo]

Btw, he owns a baller of a passat. Grey passat R36 with black telladegas with soon to be straight pipe exhaust.......hrmmmmmm

[Ideo]

Just to balance it all out:

I bought my Golf R site unseen over the phone from a dealer in Victoria – eastern Melbourne.

I got off the train to walk up to the dealership (they offered to collect me from the station, but I wanted to walk).

I walked into the dealership and there was a sign saying “congratulations to these new VW owners” with my name on it. I was offered coffee and biscuits. I was run through the car for about an hour. I received some key rings and a picnic blanket. The car was missing an ipod cable so I was given that.

Another coffee was offered and the car was driven away to be filled with a full tank of petrol. They then set up the Bluetooth system for me.

Berwick VW. Very good to deal with.

My experience with all Sydney VW dealers except for Phil McCarroll at Waitara and Central Coast VW in Gosford was pretty poor.

[brimway]

Just to balance it all out:

I bought my Golf R site unseen over the phone from a dealer in Victoria – eastern Melbourne.

I got off the train to walk up to the dealership (they offered to collect me from the station, but I wanted to walk).

I walked into the dealership and there was a sign saying “congratulations to these new VW owners” with my name on it. I was offered coffee and biscuits. I was run through the car for about an hour. I received some key rings and a picnic blanket. The car was missing an ipod cable so I was given that.

Another coffee was offered and the car was driven away to be filled with a full tank of petrol. They then set up the Bluetooth system for me.

Berwick VW. Very good to deal with.

My experience with all Sydney VW dealers except for Phil McCarroll at Waitara and Central Coast VW in Gosford was pretty poor.

Here's an old school (sort of) acronym

OINVU

Are you happy with the Viezu tune?

[gecko2k]

Has anybody else the feeling that dealers are normally not very interested to sell (spare-) parts? I am usually after a lot of parts, but most dealerships ignore emails and phone calls when you mention the word 'spare parts' as long it isn't followed by the magic 'replacement DSG box'-suffix. Ka-ching, anybody? $$$$

Gone are the days when dealer staff "know" their product. When I went to get a pair of wiper blades for my MKV Golf,the parts guy wanted the VIN,WTF?

That's the point. I grew up with them and I love them. When I see a tosser at a dealership not knowing **** about VW(s), that just breaks my heart. Nobody asks them to know the exact tyre size of each vehicle ever build by VW, but how many dealership people will:

-know which other car companies belong to VW?
-know what a G60 is?
-know what a Corrado is? (hint: you can't eat it!)
-know which VW vehicles never made it to Australia officially?
-know whether Australian delivered MKII were 2 or 3 doors/8v or 16v?
-can identify a MKI/II Golf as a VW Golf?
-know anything about the brand and it's history?

I could continue that list for days. Has anybody ever mentioned the 2 words "ABF conversion" and the person you were talking to had any idea what you mean?

Or let's turn this question around: how long would a Holden sales person last at a dealership, when he/she wouldn't know what a HX, UC, HR is?

i'll be hanging onto it for as long as it runs. but i think, as i like reliability and good service, my next car will be japanese (good service as in, i know where i'll be buying my next car, and they're good to deal with).

Same here. We ordered a Tig (with DSG unfortunately) and we are hoping to hold on to it for 10 years, but otherwise I don't see any car in current line up that I would really want. Like a car you would hold onto forever to pass it on to your kids one day? Those times are over (at least for now...)

[danielv10]

Has anybody else the feeling that dealers are normally not very interested to sell (spare-) parts? I am usually after a lot of parts, but most dealerships ignore emails and phone calls when you mention the word 'spare parts' as long it isn't followed by the magic 'replacement DSG box'-suffix. Ka-ching, anybody? $$$$

I haven't taken delivery yet and my sales is already ignoring my emails or taking his sweet time to reply/call me back. And I agree that some of the staff at the dealerships have no idea about the cars they sell. Even as a newbie to the VW brand, I knew more about the features of current Golfs and Polos than they did.
I'm dreading the day that I need to take my car back for warranty repair....

[kaanage]

On top of the pi$$ poor sales service (not to mention attitude towards warranty issues ), wouldn't it be nice if VAG kept a decent supply of spares down here rather than always having to ship things from Singapore or Germany. A friend of mine waited SEVEN weeks for a new A3 dashboard to replace one damaged in an accident (the passenger side airbag went off which destroys the dash)

[Ideo]

Here's an old school (sort of) acronym

OINVU

Are you happy with the Viezu tune?

After the poor service elsewhere I was amazed. I was basically chased out of barloworld.

Very happy. Dyno figures coming very soon. Great mid range pull.

[Transporter]

I haven't taken delivery yet and my sales is already ignoring my emails or taking his sweet time to reply/call me back. And I agree that some of the staff at the dealerships have no idea about the cars they sell. Even as a newbie to the VW brand, I knew more about the features of current Golfs and Polos than they did.
I'm dreading the day that I need to take my car back for warranty repair....

Do you know what I dread the most? When today's kids are out of school and replacing those people that serve you today. There was the article in the newspaper by principal from one of the private school; he was saying that the school should start later, so kids get more sleep in the morning because they're spending time with their smart phones and the tablets playing games till late night and are sleepy in the morning.

[mikinoz]

Being asked for a VIN is not out of the ordinary when buying parts from a dealer, though for wiper blades does seem strange.

Reading this thread re-enforces the things that I have say when I get asked about what I think of the VW brand.

"With the dealership experience, it's really a wonder that they are able to sell as many cars as they do here in Australia"

Nice to see your still alive Stan.

[thepowercosmic]

Still chugging along...

Woot woot...hahaha

[Finance_Analyst]

When it comes to love for the product, I would venture to say that most VW drivers/owners are passionate about their car and truly love their cars. They are, after all, an excellent product and the brand seems to nurture a loyalty which is fairly rare these days.

Problem is, when it comes to having to deal with either VWA or a VW dealer, it all turns sour for many owners.

From my own experience of owning, and loving, a MKV Golf GTI and now a Golf R, the thought of having to set foot in a dealer is a worrying prospect and one which I expect and anticipate conflict arising from the nonchalant stance adopted by my dealer (and many others from what I read on this and other VW forums.


My experience in buying my R was very disappointing and now I am bracing for conflict with my dealer regarding a DSG warranty issue. I am yet to respond to the VWA survey and doubt that I will for fear that my dealer will punish me for telling it how it is. As I said, my experience in buying a Golf R was a less than pleasant experience, see post #4 of this thread

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/forums/f97/vw-australia-survey-69426.html

The corporate image of VW with the fancy shop fronts and their clever advertising campaigns, seems to fall apart when it comes to actually looking after their customers and delivering quality after sales service / customer care.

Countless posts on this forum alone, confirm my assertion. Most of us love our cars and generally the VW product, so VWA need to listen to their customers and demand a higher level of professionalism from their dealers.

Have you already got an issue with the DSG after such a short time?