Running Rough and terrible service

2249 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Mark II, Feb 13, 2007

muppetdodger

Discussion Starter · Jan 14, 2007

I've read many comments about poor service on these forums, but always assumed people exagerrate their problems and make something out of nothing. My experience this week has made me rethink this. I will explain.

Monday 8th Jan 10 am - Went to the local town to pick up some school stuff for my lad. Halfway to town the car started running rough (intermittently) and shortly after I lost so much power I had a top speed of 40mph with my foor flat on the floor. Managed to get home (slowly) and tried again at lunch time. The car then ran fine. Note that no warning lights had come on at all.

Monday 8th Jan 3pm - Car was 1/4 full of fuel but I knew I had a trip on Tuesday so I filled up with diesel, then drove to school to pick up my lad. Car was going like a bomb. Halfway home the car started running like a dog again, and this time I was restricted to 20mph going up hill ( I was even passed by a high speed Fendt tractor!)

Got home and decided to ring VW assistance. No problem they were with me in 1 1/2 hours. They subbed to AA, who subbed to the local recovery people. Recovery driver clearly wasnt even going to attempt to fix the car, so rang his head office who told him to haul it to Silver Street Motors in Taunton. This done I rang garage on Tuesday am to see what was happening. They said they hadnt looked at it, but would later. This went on to Wednesday, when I made a surprise visit to SSM who still hadnt looked at the car. They have one mechanic authorised to look at car who the said was away til Monday, so they said they would look then. I was then told that if I want the loan car any longer I had to pay for it!! (because I have the car on Contract hire!!)

Spoke to VW assistance who extended the loan for one day, and I have paid for it for the weekend!!!

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muppetdodger

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jan 14, 2007

Having made a fuss the car was moved to Heritage in Bristol on Thursday, but again the car wasnt looked at until Friday 4pm. Mechanic told me on Saturday they think the car has petrol in it not diesel. i had no receipt for the diesel (bear in mind the fault began before I filled up!!) so I was stuffed. He then said they werent doing anything until Monday, when they would sample the fuel (not yet done for some reason). He said if this was the problem then I would have it back on Monday pm.

However, today I have obtained a copy of my fuel receipt which shows ?70 worth of DIESEL! Chuffed to bits cos I was thinking I had had a senior moment.

Has anyone had similar running problems? I feel there is something major wrong and they are trying to blame the fuel in order to cover for it. Call me cynical. There is definitely not petrol in the fuel - I am 100% sure of that.

The service I have had from the following; Silver Street Motors, VW Assistance and Heritage has been nothing short of scandalous. They have treated me like the dirt off their shoe. Is this a contract hire issue - though I feel to see why it should be!

Any comments would be welcomed, sorry to go on about it for so long!

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CovRob

· #3 · Jan 14, 2007

Sounds appalling. No matter what method of buying the car was used...should make no difference to the after-sales service, particularly with running faults.

You really seem to have drawn the short straw in your experience with VW Assist...other posts on here have had nothing but praise for them. (Not so a lot of dealer experiences.)

Keep us updated with the outcome.

Rob

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Kaine

· #4 · Jan 15, 2007

purchase method is irrelevant - remember however you funded the car, the dealer and hence VW received full payment

I had a poor experience with my last dealer - they would try and scam my wife everytime she went in - trying to overcharge her for certain things plus also trying to fob her off with a 'Lupo' on many occassions even though we had waited for a larger car

Some dealers just dont have a clue :roll:

Hope things improve for you

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muppetdodger

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 13, 2007

Well back again. Finally got the car back last monday 5th Feb almost a month after it packed up. The saga went on and on, turned out that I had put in some 'dirty' fuel which had bunged up the system and 'damaged' the fuel pump. Fine, my problem. My issue is with the way this was dealt with.

Having found my fuel receipt, Heritage agreed that I hadnt put petrol in. Stripped it down, cleaned out tank, replaced fuel filter, to the tune of ?600. Then they found it still wasnt running and felt the pump may have been damaged. Had to wait 2 days for a diagnostic tool, and when the pressure was tested it was all over the place. Fine change the pump I said - ok sir, but we need to remove the engine to do this, our engine dropping frame is being used on another car and the replacement pump will take 3-4 weeks to arrive as VW dont have any!!!

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muppetdodger

Discussion Starter · #6 · Feb 13, 2007

As you can imagine i wasnt best pleased. Looking at a bill of ?3-4000 pounds to get it going! Communication was crap (in fact it was non existent!) At this point I contacted a friend who owns three VW garages to seek his view. He said it was possible the pump may not be in stock, but was surprised at the unhelpfulness of the garage. He asked his service manager to ring the dealer and speak to their service guys and see what the story was.

Well. I have never seen such a change in attitude. Suddenly I was being bombarded with updates, the pump arrived in 4 days and it was miraculously fitted without taking the engine out!! What a reversal. Total bill came to ?1900 in the end, but I had also incurred 4 weeks rental of a replacement! Just goes to show that these people take you for a ride until they realise you know someone a bit more important than themselves!!!!

As a footnote, my insurers agreed to pay for the repairs, and I think I'll end up paying the hire, but at least the car is back. The car is due to go back to the lease company anyday, and as a direct result of this treatment I have ordered a new Ford Galaxy with all the bells and whistles from my local ford dealer. I know you will all say that is a big comedown, but it is vastly cheaper to run, vastly cheaper to buy, has much more room, goes like stink, the wipers work properly, tyres will last more than 14k and it is kitted out very well. Above all else the dealer has been extremely helpful (lets hope this continues!). I cant see me ever buying a VW again on the back of this experience.

I've enjoyed these boards and will keep in touch with them, but not as an owner in future!!

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Mark II

· #7 · Feb 13, 2007

Hi Muppetdodger - you really do seem to have received the 's****y' end of the stick.

What baffles me most is why the fuel filter didn't prevent this 'dirty fuel' from getting through to the pump but I guess we'll never know.

Sorry to see you go but fully understand your position after the problems and the treatment you've received.

Hope the Galaxy is a less painful ownership experience.

Mark

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