Didn't realise VW had gotten so bad

Didn't realise VW had gotten so bad

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fatboy b

Original Poster:

9,492 posts

215 months

Friday 21st October 2016
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I bought the o/h a new Golf Cabrio in March on a 16 plate. A 1.4 tsi GT. A lovely car with a great engine btw.

Weeks after purchase, it's back in for rattles. At one point they were going to replace the driveshafts, but 'found' the rattle elsewhere. It's been back 3 times since to fix rattles, and has been in this week. The excuse given this week when dropped off was because VW now use recycled plastics on their trim rolleyes.

The o/h got a voicemail today after the dealer had had it for three days this week to fix three rattles. It said that the three rattles were fixed, but they think they've found two more, but 'could you pick up the car anyway and book it back in next week as we need our courtesy car back'.

Shabby service from a car that's really turning out to be very disappointing. It's been in the garage more in 7 months than my last Jag XF had in almost two and a half years. Can't see us wasting more money on VW group cars again.

2172cc

1,082 posts

96 months

Friday 21st October 2016
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I was a fan of VW for years having run Mk3 and Mk5 Golf's and always thought they had a reputation of being a quality product.They seem to be getting worse not better and the last one, a Scirocco was by far the most disappointing. Constant niggles and things going wrong with it as well as the ever present sound of squeaks and rattles coming from the interior led me to the conclusion they are not what they are cracked up to be. My current car, a Peugeot 208 has done 11,000miles and is still rattle free and in my opinion is significantly better better built than the Scirocco.
Who would of thought that, a French car better than a German?

Rich_W

12,548 posts

211 months

Friday 21st October 2016
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http://dougdemuro.kinja.com/german-reliability-the...

It's all true sadly. German cars are all made cheaply nowadays.

But we still gobble them up like fools laugh

benjijames28

1,702 posts

91 months

Friday 21st October 2016
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I bought into the German vw quality myth, but having spent a few months with my albeit 8 year old Audi, I don't believe it anymore.

Mine has an annoying interior rattle from the passenger door card that comes and goes, the door seals are perished, I've had numerous issues with the car despite its excellent physical condition and full service history.

I'm probably going to try getting 10 to 20k out of it without any major work then cut my losses. If I have to replace say the flywheel, I may have to keep the car for 30 to 40k to get my money worth out of it.

I will be replacing it with a Honda (really liking new shape civic in dark blue with tinted windows and upgraded alloys), or a ford focus zetec s eco boost.

nottyash

4,670 posts

194 months

Saturday 22nd October 2016
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I ordered a new Golf R on 11th August, with a 12 to 16 week delivery.
Just after paying my deposit I read of issues delaying delivery on a Golf R forum so I questioned the dealer after a month about these issues.
They denied any issues, and said my car is pencilled in for a week 46 build (mid Nov) but nothing showed up on my tracker other than "at the factory"
This would mean delivery mid to late December, already a 2 to 3 week delay.
After another month waiting with no news, and seeing lots of upset customers moaning and even cancelling orders I rang again.
This time I was told my order was set to build 00- in other words it wasnt ordered.
Now, I had ordered a night blue car, and am aware of the colour being discontinued so the next news was bound to be cant have the colour I ordered 2 months ago, I cancelled and got a full refund.
I honestly dont know how they sell cars, because I was amazed at the lack of management and communication to dealers.

fatboy b

Original Poster:

9,492 posts

215 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
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Car is in again after a moan to the aftersales manager, who is far from the professional I'd expect. We have a 16 plate Golf 1.6 tdi with 8500 on the clock. It's worse than ours for rattles. Appalling really.

Evolved

3,553 posts

186 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
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They've been slipping for years! Build up and image and slowly lower quaility to maximise profit, no different to Apply IMO having used them since the early 90's

marcusgrant

1,445 posts

91 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
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I bought a 2 year old golf gti in may, that's also been back a few times. The second time it went in for 6 things to be sorted, i got the car back on the Wednesday when I was meant to get it the previous Friday!

Anyway it got delivered to my house and I asked the guy if everything had been done, listed things and he said yes yes. Turns out they'd only done 3 of the things! Didn't even get an apology from the service manager or what ever they're called

Leroy902

1,539 posts

102 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
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Let's not forget the high percentage of cars on the road are German.
There's bound to be more stories about their build quality compared to other brands from other countries.

Sheepshanks

32,522 posts

118 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
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Leroy902 said:
Let's not forget the high percentage of cars on the road are German.
There's bound to be more stories about their build quality compared to other brands from other countries.
If you looked at VW's facebook page you'd never dream of ordering a VW - if nothing else, for the way they just fob people off.

Rich_W

12,548 posts

211 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
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fatboy b said:
Car is in again after a moan to the aftersales manager, who is far from the professional I'd expect. We have a 16 plate Golf 1.6 tdi with 8500 on the clock. It's worse than ours for rattles. Appalling really.
Just a slight tangeant and not specific to you

We accept that the cars are built not as well as say the early mid 90s. The guys and girls at your VW dealer didn't build the car. They aren't responsible for the poor quality parts fitted. They will replace the defective parts and then the new part will potentially have the same problem! Or the car will have multiple problems. They aren't responsible when VW warranty say "not covering that" when they want to fix your car but there's no money in it for them.


Yet EVERY score the customer gives post work carried out at the dealer is about how well the dealer rectified the problems caused by the manufacturer. And whether you were "completely satisfied" (which in itself is a nonsense statement, as short of a go on that fit receptionist, would you EVER be completely? ) when the people that should REALLY be getting in the ear are the accountants and designers at the manufacturer! ;laugh:

Jonnny

29,387 posts

188 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
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Are you in the trade, Rich? Certainly sounds like it wink

2172cc

1,082 posts

96 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
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Rich_W said:
fatboy b said:
Car is in again after a moan to the aftersales manager, who is far from the professional I'd expect. We have a 16 plate Golf 1.6 tdi with 8500 on the clock. It's worse than ours for rattles. Appalling really.
Just a slight tangeant and not specific to you

We accept that the cars are built not as well as say the early mid 90s. The guys and girls at your VW dealer didn't build the car. They aren't responsible for the poor quality parts fitted. They will replace the defective parts and then the new part will potentially have the same problem! Or the car will have multiple problems. They aren't responsible when VW warranty say "not covering that" when they want to fix your car but there's no money in it for them.


Yet EVERY score the customer gives post work carried out at the dealer is about how well the dealer rectified the problems caused by the manufacturer. And whether you were "completely satisfied" (which in itself is a nonsense statement, as short of a go on that fit receptionist, would you EVER be completely? ) when the people that should REALLY be getting in the ear are the accountants and designers at the manufacturer! ;laugh:
I get what your saying and agree up to a point but the perception of a quality product and corresponding after sales service is the issue. VW had worked hard over the years to establish a reputation of being better and more desirable than a Ford or a Vauxhall for instance and I bought into that image. In the past I have been left disappointing with the dealer experience but kept faith with the brand as I believed it to be still superior. All that has changed now and they are in danger of loosing that customer loyalty especially after the emissions scandal.

va1o

16,029 posts

206 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
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I'm slightly disappointed that my 16 month old GTD needs to go back to VW tomorrow, after it went into limp home mode last week with various warning lights coming on. Not impressive in such a short space of time particularly given what these cost new. After 7 VAG cars in succession I'm probably going BMW next time.

Sheepshanks

32,522 posts

118 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
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Rich_W said:
Just a slight tangeant and not specific to you

We accept that the cars are built not as well as say the early mid 90s. The guys and girls at your VW dealer didn't build the car. They aren't responsible for the poor quality parts fitted. They will replace the defective parts and then the new part will potentially have the same problem! Or the car will have multiple problems. They aren't responsible when VW warranty say "not covering that" when they want to fix your car but there's no money in it for them.


Yet EVERY score the customer gives post work carried out at the dealer is about how well the dealer rectified the problems caused by the manufacturer. And whether you were "completely satisfied" (which in itself is a nonsense statement, as short of a go on that fit receptionist, would you EVER be completely? ) when the people that should REALLY be getting in the ear are the accountants and designers at the manufacturer! ;laugh:
The thing with VW UK is they really go out of their way to avoid getting involved - you see that on the Facebook posts I mentioned, where the vast majority of them just refer people back to their dealer.

Or they say talk to the dealer management - when I tried I hit a complete brick wall. To be fair, VW UK did get involved but the dealer wouldn't talk to them either!

fatboy b

Original Poster:

9,492 posts

215 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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Update.

We took the car in last Saturday and gave them a week to sort things. They called wednesday to say that they'd ordered a new turbo actuator. Called today to say they'd ordered some trim. Needless to say it won't be ready tomorrow.

Half of me thinks at least they're taking it seriously and sorting stuff. The other half thinks they're dragging things out a little.

cosworth330

1,299 posts

236 months

Saturday 29th October 2016
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My wife took delivery of a new Mk7 GTI in March 2016 and it's never been any trouble, she's loves it.

Pooh

3,692 posts

252 months

Saturday 29th October 2016
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It is interesting to read this and compare it with my recent Alfa Romeo experience:
2008 Alfa Brera S, sold it at 105k miles, it still drove superbly, burnt no oil and looked almost brand new inside and out. No rattles or squeaks, nothing broke or fell off, it didn't rust and the only reliability issue was that it needed a new timing chain at 96k miles.
2012 Alfa Giulietta 1.4 turbo, sold at 50k miles, no rattles squeaks, in fact it had no issues of any sort.
My view is ignore out of date build quality/reliability reputations and buy what you like.
You can get good and bad cars from any manufacturer.
So far this has worked out very well, even my Maserati GranTurismo was totally reliable and cost me nothing more than fuel, insurance and two rear tyres in 20 months and 11.5 k miles.




fatboy b

Original Poster:

9,492 posts

215 months

Saturday 29th October 2016
quotequote all
cosworth330 said:
My wife took delivery of a new Mk7 GTI in March 2016 and it's never been any trouble, she's loves it.
I guess they've sorted the manufacturing issue where they neglected to put sufficient spotwelds on the front chassis legs connection to the main body shell then rolleyes

Edited by fatboy b on Saturday 29th October 18:39


Edited by fatboy b on Saturday 29th October 18:40

Silverage

2,023 posts

129 months

Saturday 29th October 2016
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I had a mk 7 Golf GTI that had creaks and rattles aplenty. Managed to fix some of them, but then others would pop up. Really took the shine off what is supposedly a premium product. Traded that for a 15 plate Passat, that was totally rattle-free on the test drive, but within a couple of months there were a couple in the dash and one coming from one of the speakers in the rear doors. Also a couple of the magic "assist" systems packed up and had to have all sorts of sensors and other gubbins replaced to fix them, and the driver's side front window came loose, which they did manage to fix after 3 attempts.

Just sold the Passat and bought a Skoda Superb, which is essentially the Passat with different clothes on. The change was really to get back to a petrol engine (the same 220bhp TSI from the Golf GTI strangely enough) as modern Passats only come with diesel in the UK. However, the Superb feels far more solid than either the Golf or the Passat. Not a squeak or rattle anywhere ... yet.