Check out how my car was returned to me from a certain VW dealer in Brisbane!

[harlie]

Agree with the advice on ditching the dealership.

However good luck with Jimmy Mac, he must be so busy these days, I could not get a phone call or email reply from him.

Prestige and performance have grown big - with stories like this no wonder. I started going to Mike in 2008 when he was just mike, you got the guru working on you car. He is now pretty big and the last time I was there he doesn't even have time to say hi, however, I must say the guys in there seem to be on the ball.

One thing to keep in mind though - what happens if you have a failure after warranty? If you have a history of dealer servicing, VWA is a lot more accommodating with helping out. My experience with MK5 injectors was the guys that had been using the dealer got free injectors, those of us who were using indi services had to pay 100%. (About 12 months later VWA came to the party on these, too late for some of us). So are you going to save enough to cover the cost of possible issues. Well in my case I believe I was close. For example - MK6 / Octi2 60k with DSG service - indi are $350 cheaper on this service alone...

[brimway]

My essentially brand new $60,000 Mk 7 Golf R without a scratch on it prior to dropping it off at the dealer on July 1:


Picked it up tonight and thought I should do a once over to be sure there's no scratches and found this:


They didn't tell me when I picked up the car the damage had been done. There's no way you could have done this and not known.

Called them straight away and was told they would fix it. Still fricken annoying! I'll be pushing for a new bar and re-application of opticoat.

So how was your day?

Out of respect of the forum rules, I won't publicly state the name of this dealer so as to not expose the forum to the threat of legal action.

We may have the same dealer, ex-dealer in my case, post #84...

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/...e-69840-9.html

[sVWatt]

*nose tap/wink*

I had the same experience, but not with your N Much Good unamed "gym pie" (oops auto speller) dealer. My dealer forgot I had a dash cam fitted and I saw for myself how the test monkey put it into sport, dropped the accelerator, and bounced it up a kerb to park it on some temporary grass verge. Course I published said video, and it just happened to record the dealer name, as monkey reversed my car onto the public roadside.

[armthehomeless]

So an update...

The Service Manager has confirmed that someone did do this on their driveway. Good that I can stop worrying they are going to try and get out of it.

They will replace all black plastic parts under the front bumper and repair and respray the painted bodywork. Not the best outcome I was hoping for (I wanted a whole new bar), but an outcome nonetheless.

I also got a loan car whilst this was being done and they will pay my detailer to re-apply the opticoat to the front bumper once the paint has cured.

What I find most concerning is that this was done by someone in the workshop and they either failed to tell their Service Manager or they all knew and tried to get away with it. I suppose at least they have admitted liability and it can be resolved.

I've asked a few times to speak with the General Manager there about this (and an few other complaints) and she has never responded to an email or phone message.

After being a customer of this dealership for the past 3.5 years, I've concluded that the after sales care at this dealership is completely lacking. I should have learned from my endless list of bad service experiences when having my Polo "repaired" there....

As I have an extended warranty with VW, I'd like to continue to have my car serviced at an authorised dealer. So I'm calling for comments on the following dealers who are the next closest:

- Austral VW
- Bryan Byrt

I'd particularly like to know your experiences with warranty work and care taken with vehicles.

Cheers

[armthehomeless]

*nose tap/wink*

I had the same experience, but not with your N Much Good unamed "gym pie" (oops auto speller) dealer. My dealer forgot I had a dash cam fitted and I saw for myself how the test monkey put it into sport, dropped the accelerator, and bounced it up a kerb to park it on some temporary grass verge. Course I published said video, and it just happened to record the dealer name, as monkey reversed my car onto the public roadside.

Seems like it

Glad it looks like they fixed it up for you. I've found the current Service Manager (there have been at least 4 there since I have been a customer) easy to deal with. He also did mostly fix the ongoing problems I had with my Polo. Quite often the vehicle was returned to me supposedly fixed...but they hadn't even touched it. In the end, I was sick of going there so much...so I still have problems, but I can't be bothered to take it back there.

[armthehomeless]

Oh, and it's going to be repaired at Hadwens Prestige Collision Repairs. Anyone used them?

[team_v]

For dealership service, i have never heard anyone say a good word about Austral.

[Sunny43.5]

We purchased our last Van from Austral , I will say this the experience was not a good one . I wanted to trade our 2005 T5 van on a new one [admits here that the new van was a run out model so to speak as it was plated December 2011 and sold to us December 2012 ] any way I took the old van in for valuation to cut along story short the valuer came back and within earshot of myself he told the salesman " its an automatic I would not trust it "with that the salesman came over to me and offered me between $4000 and $8000 for a one owner van with ONLY 140000 kays on the clock . Fully serviced by VW dealers previously and was in perfect condition plus so many extras that you would not find on any other second hand van on their lot . So I stormed out telling the salesman that I could not do a deal with that offer. Now call me stupid but after a few more weeks we decided to buy the new van outright and sell the old one privately , unfortunately no other dealers had the van we wanted at the price advertised . So we bought the new one and I made a point of telling the salesman that I was very angered by the valuers attitude and that it was only that they had the van in stock that we purchased it . Now as for servicing it well first service was also not exactly satisfactory either , I had a very bad experience with another southside VW dealer with our old van which left me with a huge hatred of some of VW 's methods and designs etc. Well the first main problem was a drivers seatbelt which would lock up leaving you trapped in the seat , I was forced to drive 80kms to the dealer to show them the seat belt problem even though I am actually a trained and certified seat belt installer modifier . They would not accept what I had told them that it was faulty and needed to be replaced , so 80 k round trip for a tech to say after 30 seconds in the drivers seat yes its faulty GRRRRR . So when it goes in I told them the doors since day one were closing badly they actually rebounded on the strikers made the supposed superior german engineering and build quality look like the van was built in some third world sweat shop . A Great Wall or Chery doors closed better [remember the TV ads "just like a Golf" not ours . So when I get the van back all they have done is to lubricate the door strikers what a bloody joke , the service advisor trotted out many scenarios of why they made the noise but did not offer to have them fixed . Next visit this will be fixed or someone is going to regret knowing me at the dealer , then there was the Oh your front drivers tyre is down to a dangerous level WTF its only done 15000 kays so they did not rotate the wheels as was scheduled . Checked later with my tyre guru that it was fine for another 15 to 20 thousand not sure if the service tech needed glasses . Then they were very late with the pathetic excuse that the seat belt took two hours to fit WTF if I could not do that myself in under 30 minutes I would shoot myself for incompetence . So when the van is due for next service at Austral they will be fixing the doors and any other problems that have occurred . One good point like most people who are on the ball I always take photos from every corner before I leave it to ensure it comes back the same way it goes in .

[nat225]

A southside vw service offered me tyres rotation and balancing for a fee when i brought my tig for a 2nd yr service
The reason they said was that the tyres would go bald soon if not done (it had done16,000km and i measured 6.5mm of thread depth).

The rears had >7mm. New is 8mm.

I dont mind the cost, but exageration is not nice.

Just like those scammers fr overseas (indian accent) pretending to be a telstra tech saying that ur computer has been hacked and you must turn it on immediately for them to check so ur internet wont be disconnected.. then suddenly $$$$ taken fr ur bank account(s).

[Jmac]

Harlie, sorry if I missed an email or call , I did have a spell back a week or too off sick with flu, im guessing that's how I missed you. Its hard for me to catch the phone during the day as im generally under a car or with a client. I do try to get back as best possible and if I missed mail im sorry about that.
Sorry OP for slight off topic, hope you get sorted out, be terribly frustrating to have that done to your car im sure. Don't let them out of your sight though.

Cheers
Jmac

[Sunny43.5]

Hey Jim have you checked your phone messages left one last week . Howard

[Tom87]

We purchased our last Van from Austral , I will say this the experience was not a good one . I wanted to trade our 2005 T5 van on a new one [admits here that the new van was a run out model so to speak as it was plated December 2011 and sold to us December 2012 ] any way I took the old van in for valuation to cut along story short the valuer came back and within earshot of myself he told the salesman " its an automatic I would not trust it "with that the salesman came over to me and offered me between $4000 and $8000 for a one owner van with ONLY 140000 kays on the clock . Fully serviced by VW dealers previously and was in perfect condition plus so many extras that you would not find on any other second hand van on their lot . So I stormed out telling the salesman that I could not do a deal with that offer. Now call me stupid but after a few more weeks we decided to buy the new van outright and sell the old one privately , unfortunately no other dealers had the van we wanted at the price advertised . So we bought the new one and I made a point of telling the salesman that I was very angered by the valuers attitude and that it was only that they had the van in stock that we purchased it

Mate, you just identified the reason I won't ever buy another VW.

New or second hand.

It is such a shame because they're such nice cars to drive and live with.

I've had similar dealership trade experiences lately. The simple fact is that not even dealers are confident reselling traded Volkswagens due to the shocking longevity reputation problems the brand is experiencing at the moment. Doesn't matter if the problems are perceived or being blown out of proportion, it is happening and there's nothing anyone (but VW) can do about it. The next problem with this is that their wholesale prices are pathetic, so there's just no desire for the dealers to interest themselves in second hand time bombs.

Not good at all. I'm a little surprised you bought another one.

[Sunny43.5]

Hi Tom the only reason we bought another Vw was that unfortunately the Vw was the only model that ticked the boxes , they have the best height at the rear opening to load our two kids in wheel chairs . They drive like a car and they don't ride like a truck . As for reputation according to Cars Guide who gave the Golf 7 Car of the Year last year , they knew of the previous problems and said that those were in the past . But here is what amazed me out of the ten judges awarding the prize not one of them admitted that they would keep one after the warranty ran out , goes a long way to show that motoring journalist are fearful of the reliability of the brand .

[Jmac]

Not many brands these days would give anyone any confidence after warrantyreally, Mercs fall to bits, Beemers too. Back in the 80s and early 90s when I did my time unheard of . If you like it extend the warranty, if you want another go as new as you can afford with warranty. Stuff back then was hundreds to fix in terms of big ticket items its thousands now. Preventative maintenance does go a long way though. Stuff left too long will bite long term but Im very aware of how uncertain times are for everyone these days and can understand why things do get left. Its a tightrope hey.
Jmac