Main dealer Complaint!
Discussion
Thought I'd grab your attention!!
I bought a used Volkswagen Golf GTI from a Volkswagen Main dealer on the 04/12/2012.
Buying from a Volkswagen main dealer is something which is supposed to bring peace of mind. Looking through the ‘Approved Used Car’ brochure they advertise on their website it clearly states:
Our skilled, Volkswagen trained technicians carry out a comprehensive workshop inspection of every used car before it can become an Approved Used Car. Any faults identified are then rectified using Volkswagen Genuine parts. Following this, the body and glasswork are given an equally thorough check to ensure that they too reach the standards of an Approved Used Car. Any work required is carried out in a Volkswagen approved bodyshop, again using only Volkswagen Genuine parts. As a final check, the vehicle is taken on a test drive before being taken to our cleaning bays for a full valet. Only then can it be part of the Approved Used Car programme.
(Which we all know is a load of blab but nevertheless should be what you should expect)
I looked over the car as best I could, it was frosty on purchase day and raining on pick up day but as far as I could tell the car was in immaculate condition, as was to be expected from a main dealer.
All was well until a few days later when I was washing the car and noticed a large, deep scratch on the door. This had been half touched in, rather badly. Obviously, this is an unpleasant surprise!!
I' m the type of owner who cherishes his car to buggery, and my cars have remained blemish free in my ownership.
I contacted the salesperson at the main dealer who offered to Smart Repair it.
Needless to say, I had no time to go back to the main dealer I bought it from as I live miles away. I asked whether it was possible to send me a contribution towards a repair I would arrange myself. This was accepted and £30 is currently being sent to my account.
The repair is now complete but the smart repairer has now noted that a second smaller but equally deep scratch was on the rear arch of the car. I couldn’t believe it, and again it has been touched in rather badly. He noted that this one could easily be missed but nevertheless is quite bad!
The Smart Repairer has noted that for the price of the car and above all where I purchased it from I shouldn’t have discovered such deep scratches. According to him there are no guarantees as to whether these scratches might go on to rust at a later date. Again, according to him these faults should have been rectified before the car had reached the forecourt. This car needed to be resprayed in the original colour by a Volkswagen approved bodyshop and not smart repaired.
To be fair I could kick myself and accept that I could have possibly picked up on these scratches but at this time of year, outside, it made it very difficult and perhaps, wrongly, I assumed a main dealer car meant that anything that the car needed attention to would have been fixed...
I’m absolutely delighted with the car but these issues have concerned me, notably the word rust. If the work was to be done by a Volkswagen main dealer I would know at least that there would be a guarantee that if rust was to occur in the future it would be covered by them.
Alternatively, under the 30 days no quibble ‘exchange’ policy I am possibly considering giving the car back.
What would you do and consider a fair course of action?
I bought a used Volkswagen Golf GTI from a Volkswagen Main dealer on the 04/12/2012.
Buying from a Volkswagen main dealer is something which is supposed to bring peace of mind. Looking through the ‘Approved Used Car’ brochure they advertise on their website it clearly states:
Our skilled, Volkswagen trained technicians carry out a comprehensive workshop inspection of every used car before it can become an Approved Used Car. Any faults identified are then rectified using Volkswagen Genuine parts. Following this, the body and glasswork are given an equally thorough check to ensure that they too reach the standards of an Approved Used Car. Any work required is carried out in a Volkswagen approved bodyshop, again using only Volkswagen Genuine parts. As a final check, the vehicle is taken on a test drive before being taken to our cleaning bays for a full valet. Only then can it be part of the Approved Used Car programme.
(Which we all know is a load of blab but nevertheless should be what you should expect)
I looked over the car as best I could, it was frosty on purchase day and raining on pick up day but as far as I could tell the car was in immaculate condition, as was to be expected from a main dealer.
All was well until a few days later when I was washing the car and noticed a large, deep scratch on the door. This had been half touched in, rather badly. Obviously, this is an unpleasant surprise!!
I' m the type of owner who cherishes his car to buggery, and my cars have remained blemish free in my ownership.
I contacted the salesperson at the main dealer who offered to Smart Repair it.
Needless to say, I had no time to go back to the main dealer I bought it from as I live miles away. I asked whether it was possible to send me a contribution towards a repair I would arrange myself. This was accepted and £30 is currently being sent to my account.
The repair is now complete but the smart repairer has now noted that a second smaller but equally deep scratch was on the rear arch of the car. I couldn’t believe it, and again it has been touched in rather badly. He noted that this one could easily be missed but nevertheless is quite bad!
The Smart Repairer has noted that for the price of the car and above all where I purchased it from I shouldn’t have discovered such deep scratches. According to him there are no guarantees as to whether these scratches might go on to rust at a later date. Again, according to him these faults should have been rectified before the car had reached the forecourt. This car needed to be resprayed in the original colour by a Volkswagen approved bodyshop and not smart repaired.
To be fair I could kick myself and accept that I could have possibly picked up on these scratches but at this time of year, outside, it made it very difficult and perhaps, wrongly, I assumed a main dealer car meant that anything that the car needed attention to would have been fixed...
I’m absolutely delighted with the car but these issues have concerned me, notably the word rust. If the work was to be done by a Volkswagen main dealer I would know at least that there would be a guarantee that if rust was to occur in the future it would be covered by them.
Alternatively, under the 30 days no quibble ‘exchange’ policy I am possibly considering giving the car back.
What would you do and consider a fair course of action?
Give it back. There are loads for sale; why suffer a resprayed or repaired example?
Personally it would bug me knowing the side of the car was painted. Smart repairs tend to look crap too - especially in direct sunlight.
Get rid and find another.
ALWAYS ask to view a clean car that is dry and indoors - if there was nothing to hide they would oblige and perhaps run it into the showroom or workshop foe you to inspect.
Personally it would bug me knowing the side of the car was painted. Smart repairs tend to look crap too - especially in direct sunlight.
Get rid and find another.
ALWAYS ask to view a clean car that is dry and indoors - if there was nothing to hide they would oblige and perhaps run it into the showroom or workshop foe you to inspect.
sat1983 said:
All was well until a few days later when I was washing the car and noticed a large, deep scratch on the door. This had been half touched in, rather badly. Obviously, this is an unpleasant surprise!!
The Smart Repairer has noted that for the price of the car and above all where I purchased it from I shouldn’t have discovered such deep scratches. According to him there are no guarantees as to whether these scratches might go on to rust at a later date. Again, according to him these faults should have been rectified before the car had reached the forecourt. This car needed to be resprayed in the original colour by a Volkswagen approved bodyshop and not smart repaired.
To be fair I could kick myself and accept that I could have possibly picked up on these scratches but at this time of year, outside, it made it very difficult and perhaps, wrongly, I assumed a main dealer car meant that anything that the car needed attention to would have been fixed...
Alternatively, under the 30 days no quibble ‘exchange’ policy I am possibly considering giving the car back.
And the smart repairer's word is how a dealer should operate? Its all well and good him giving advice but hes hardly the one to go by is he.The Smart Repairer has noted that for the price of the car and above all where I purchased it from I shouldn’t have discovered such deep scratches. According to him there are no guarantees as to whether these scratches might go on to rust at a later date. Again, according to him these faults should have been rectified before the car had reached the forecourt. This car needed to be resprayed in the original colour by a Volkswagen approved bodyshop and not smart repaired.
To be fair I could kick myself and accept that I could have possibly picked up on these scratches but at this time of year, outside, it made it very difficult and perhaps, wrongly, I assumed a main dealer car meant that anything that the car needed attention to would have been fixed...
Alternatively, under the 30 days no quibble ‘exchange’ policy I am possibly considering giving the car back.
The cars a used car, the marks were clearly on it when you purchased the car so you should have spotted them, the dealer will make an effort to rectify issues on cars but they dont have to repair every single mark, again its a used car. If a dealer was to fix every single little mark how much less would they have to offer you at px? Which again would be the dealers fault for offering a low price, and getting smart repairs done arent always the ideal way to fix an issue.
By all means try and hand the car back, what could be wrong with the next one?
After_Shock said:
By all means try and hand the car back, what could be wrong with the next one?
This is it- all used cars have issues. However I find these quite bad, especially taking into account that they could turn into rust at a later date. I know that it is the buyer's responsabilty in the end, but with all the babble VW spout on their website surely you would expect deep scratches to be rectfied? I'm not talking a handful of stonechips here!NelsonR32 said:
Get a grip and look up the dictionary definition of used. You had a chance to look at the car...
Why the attitude? Have you looked at the bold writing in my first post? VW's definition of used is clearly that major damage is rectified. It's only 8 months old for christ sake, not 3 years old...
sat1983 said:
Why the attitude?
Have you looked at the bold writing in my first post? VW's definition of used is clearly that major damage is rectified. It's only 8 months old for christ sake, not 3 years old...
My definition of 'major damage' is slightly different to yours, a scratch is minor damage, major damage would be a panel that needed replacing.Have you looked at the bold writing in my first post? VW's definition of used is clearly that major damage is rectified. It's only 8 months old for christ sake, not 3 years old...
Himself said:
My definition of 'major damage' is slightly different to yours, a scratch is minor damage, major damage would be a panel that needed replacing.
Well agreed- but obviously no main dealer would sell a car with a panel in need of replacing. When they say ' our bodyshop takes care of everything' you would think they'd take care of major scratch. And it was major- just tucked away.sat1983 said:
Yep- the buggers were hidden and concealed though. It wasn't until it was gleaming that they became very apparent.
So you and the dealer missed the hidden damage, they've offered to correct the damage, you can return the car if you like, you seem to hold all the balls and still not be happy. sat1983 said:
This is it- all used cars have issues. However I find these quite bad, especially taking into account that they could turn into rust at a later date. I know that it is the buyer's responsabilty in the end, but with all the babble VW spout on their website surely you would expect deep scratches to be rectfied? I'm not talking a handful of stonechips here!
The deep scratches had been rectified hence the touch up on them, im not saying the dealer had done them but you did miss them twice so they cant be 'that' bad. If it was a brand new car you would have a very good argument for getting it re-sprayed but its not.Also the chances of them going rusty, depends on where they are and the material underneath. Bumpers obviously wont rust and alot of cars do use aluminium in panels now, again shouldnt rust.
In reference to your bold writing you picked out of the VW site:
'Following this, the body and glasswork are given an equally thorough check to ensure that they too reach the standards of an Approved Used Car'
Id point you in the direction of the last 6 words or so, the car meets the standards of an approved used car, the used car be can be particularly expansive and then you get into typical wear and tear territory.
Its all well and good saying the dealer should have done x, y or z to the car but the chance you have to pick up on these points is when you view the vehicle. As ive already said dealers arent going to repair, remove and repaint every single physical mark on a vehicle as its simply uneconomical to do so, without hammering the cars completely come px time.
If you dont point the stuff out to be done when you buy the car and agree it will be fixed then im sorry to say thats your fault, if it was damaged after you viewed it and before collection then yes its the dealers issue but I very much doubt this is the case here.
You expected an "immaculate" car (your words), it's a used car, if you want immaculate then you needed to buy a new one, its used, a few marks are to be expected, also your opinion on what constitutes unacceptable marks, scratches etc will differ wildly from someone else's.
Also the Smart Repairers opinion isn't valid in this scenario, it's nothing to do with him and what he thinks.
Good luck in handing it back as well, there will be a get out for the dealership somewhere in the t's & c's.
The dealer doesn't have to help you sort the scratches out, I presume you signed the delivery sheet before driving away, if that is the case then you have accepted the car in that condition.
Also the Smart Repairers opinion isn't valid in this scenario, it's nothing to do with him and what he thinks.
Good luck in handing it back as well, there will be a get out for the dealership somewhere in the t's & c's.
The dealer doesn't have to help you sort the scratches out, I presume you signed the delivery sheet before driving away, if that is the case then you have accepted the car in that condition.
Edited by HTP99 on Tuesday 25th December 11:09
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff