Used car from dealer - issues within 30 days

[paradigital]

Sod the warranty or the usual rejection process, VW offer a 30-day no quibble guarantee on used vehicles.

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/idhub/content/dam/one...

[ZX10R NIN]

Nuisance said:

Thank you Coldel. Appreciate the advice.

OP if you're happy with the rest of the car I'd give them the chance to repair BUT I'd also get it in writing that should the fault reoccur within the following 30 days then you'll be expecting a full refund.

They can & have agreed to this on a number of occasions so maybe that's a compromise that can work for you.

[Nuisance]

Thank you to the last 3 posters. Very helpful, particularly Trevor.

I do really like the car. It offers everything I need and I like how it drives, when it behaves. The suggestions about letting them attempt one fix and have it in accepted in writing that I'll reject if it reoccurs within a given time frame is perhaps the way I'll go.

I'm going to continue to think it over.

Thanks very much for all the input.

[Canon_Fodder]

OP it's crucially important to get something in writing to the dealer principle about the fault now - within the 30 day period.

Do that tomorrow I suggest

[MuscleSedan]

Nuisance said:

Thank you to the last 3 posters. Very helpful, particularly Trevor.

I do really like the car. It offers everything I need and I like how it drives, when it behaves. The suggestions about letting them attempt one fix and have it in accepted in writing that I'll reject if it reoccurs within a given time frame is perhaps the way I'll go.

I'm going to continue to think it over.

Thanks very much for all the input.

That's probably the most sensible way to go. My experience with VW warranty was even a simple issue resulted in an immediately defensive attitude from service, along with multiple dealer visits required. Soon came to realise that they didn't really know what they were doing. So I would say yes give them one go at it, but make sure rejection is set in stone if there are further issues, which in all honesty there may well be.

[smithler2023]

Hi I recently had a similar experience to this with a VAG car from a main dealer that might be of use. My car is a 2021 Skoda Superb which immediately had problems with the SOS system going off unexpectedly, the sat nav and the whole infotainment system randomly shutting down etc. I now know this is very common on VAG cars of this age.

I seriously considered rejecting the car within 30 days as the issues were evident even on the drive home from the dealer. As the dealer was some distance away from my house they initially suggested going to another local Skoda dealer to have the issues looked at. However, I ended up insisting they look at it and threatened in writing to reject the car within 30 days if it wasn’t fixed. I remained polite though.

This all worked out and although I had to drive the car back to them they gave me a courtesy car and returned the car to me after the fix using their driver. Since the fix, which in my case was just a full software update, there have been no issues at all and I like the car.

So whilst you could reject in 30 days I recommend giving them a chance to fix it. If you still have problems after that then reject it.
I found this all slightly stressful but the law is on your side, especially in the first 30 days and in general a main dealer should be OK to deal with.

[Bobupndown]

If you allow them to fix it, which let's say it does for more than the 30 days but returns on day 35, are you still able to reject the car under the 30 day rule, if its the same fault?

[smithler2023]

When I was researching this before I looked at the regs and I think the clock stops whilst the car is in for repair so it could end up being over 30 days purely in calendar terms. Personally I wouldn't want to cut it that fine though.

[Nuisance]

Thanks to the above posters, particularly about the Skoda experience.

I'm still undecided on what to do about this. I'm actually leaning towards just giving it back.

[alscar]

Nuisance said:

Thanks to the above posters, particularly about the Skoda experience.

I'm still undecided on what to do about this. I'm actually leaning towards just giving it back.

Are there others available for sale ( as you say you really like the car ) or would you then look for something different ?

[Muzzer79]

Nuisance said:

Thanks to the above posters, particularly about the Skoda experience.

I'm still undecided on what to do about this. I'm actually leaning towards just giving it back.

If you're nervous about ongoing issues, just exercise the 'no quibble' rejection policy in the VWAUC scheme.

But you're at a bit of a crossroads. If you're going to do that, do it now. Otherwise, you'll be in to letting them attempt repairs, etc and then into a legally-driven rejection process.

[loskie]

No quibble exchange
30 day/1,000 mile 'no quibble' exchange policy.

If for any reason, you want to change the car - maybe you have second thoughts, or it doesn't fit in your garage you may be able to exchange it for another of the same price (or higher, with you paying the difference), as long as the vehicle is returned in the same condition as when it was collected and the retailer you bought your car from has an available vehicle in their stock.

For full details of the no quibble exchange please download a copy of the exchange agreement.


Approved used? Policy above

[MissChief]

Get the dealer to agree to them looking at the car with the intent to resolve it but should they be unable to within a set period, four weeks should be plenty I’d have thought, they will still allow you to reject the car and get a full refund. You’re covered, they get a chance to rectify the fault, everyone is happy? Perhaps a good will extension of any warranty they’ve offered as well, six months seems a reasonable amount for any issues to manifest themselves.

[wyson]

The group CEO lost his job after all these software issues. They tried to force software development into a box along a development pipeline centred around the physical / oily bits. They discovered it doesn’t work like that, because software literally controls everything now and have pivoted to having the software determine development cycles for future cars.

Agree with the above poster, give the software update a try under an agreement you will reject the car if it fails to solve the issues. Like a 1 chance affair. Software development cycles take months / years, you definitely don’t want to hang onto a car based on some update that may or may not solve issues in the future.

Have read other manufacturers are struggling with this sort of thing also, so its not just a VW thing.

Edited by wyson on Friday 28th April 12:58

[Trevor555]

Nuisance said:

Thanks to the above posters, particularly about the Skoda experience.

I'm still undecided on what to do about this. I'm actually leaning towards just giving it back.

You're in a good position in that the fault has occured so soon after taking delivery.

If you decide to keep, and let them fix, you'll be in good position in future to demand they fix same issue if it comes back.

Even after 6 months, when it's down to consumer to prove fault was present at point of sale, youd be able to do that, and convince small claims to uphold a claim to repair same fault.

[BertBert]

paradigital said:

Sod the warranty or the usual rejection process, VW offer a 30-day no quibble guarantee on used vehicles.

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/idhub/content/dam/one...

No they don't offer a no quibble guarantee. It's an exchange for a car of equal or higher value that is in stock and available.

There is hardly any chance that they'll have another suitable car in stock.

[HayesDC2]

A friend of mine has had pretty much the same issue with a SEAT, will almost at random throw an error for any radar related system.

It has been in for countless software updates and he is currently trying to get a replacement vehicle via the ombudsman

[CloudStuff]

You get the sense this really irritates a number of "blame the OP" ph'ers:

"Within the first 30 days, if there’s a problem that means your car doesn’t meet these standards, it develops a serious fault or you find that it isn’t what was advertised to you, you can raise this with the seller and ask for your money back. In this instance, you will be entitled to a full refund."

[Muzzer79]

BertBert said:

paradigital said:

Sod the warranty or the usual rejection process, VW offer a 30-day no quibble guarantee on used vehicles.

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/idhub/content/dam/one...

No they don't offer a no quibble guarantee. It's an exchange for a car of equal or higher value that is in stock and available.

There is hardly any chance that they'll have another suitable car in stock.

VW currently have 131 x 2018 onwards, sub-30k mile Touaregs on their approved used site. Will it be identical? No, but there's a reasonable chance of finding something similar.

Anyhow, when I bought a BMW AUC, I was informed that if I wasn't happy for any reason, I could take the car back and they'd refund me, no questions asked, as it's just not worth the hassle and poor publicity for the dealer. I'd be surprised if VW were different.

[Nuisance]

Thanks all again for the input. It has helped me make up my mind.

I've spoken to the sales manager at the dealer and expressed my intentions. I then followed this up with an email stating that I will be rejecting the car. He was disappointed but there was not much he could argue with.


As much as I like the car, I'm not willing to get into a scenario where it causes me ongoing bother. Even if it seems fixed after the first attempt, I'm not chancing it going tits up again. The wife isn't keen on even travelling in it any more with our young child (either before a "fix" or afterwards) given the way in which it randomly decides it knows better than the driver and slams the brakes on - and I'm inclined to agree with her. The trouble with replacing it with another Touareg is that I might end up in the same situation, especially given that other posters here have commented with similar faults with other VAG group cars that must share many of the same components.

I might look at something older with less "tech"