It's easy to get into the mindset that all VW dealers should act/be the same, but it's not the "Dealer" that sets the margins and targets on their cars, it's the dealer overarching 'Group' and how the individual dealership is performing (end of month etc etc). The bigger the group (Inchcape, Lookers etc), the bigger the discount available and more wiggle room they have, due to their bigger turnover. You are less likely together a great deal at a small local dealer than you are at a big group owned dealer. That's not to say you won't get one, but it's less likely.
I have 3 VW dealers closer to me than the dealer I eventually purchased from, but they are all smaller groups (Marshall, Motorline, Driftbridge) so they wouldn't match and/or beat the Carwow quote I took in (shown in person on my phone) to the Inchcape dealer.
The important thing to remember is if you are buying new then you do NOT need to take in any finance quote, because VWFS finance figures are fixed, the only variables are your deposit, OTR price of the car and any p/x you may have. All the dealer needs is the "cash price" (after discount) being offered, and a screenshot is suffice.
Personally I don't like DTD, they muddy the waters for consumer buyers in thinking they are getting consumer deals, when in reality the vast majority of customers are fed into their business/fleet service. I know it doesn't make any difference for the end costumer, but as this thread has proven, it sets expectations that cannot be matched/beaten by regular dealers. A salesman who earns a couple of hundred quid from a car is not going to want to waste his time on somebody wanting something that leaves him hardly anything.
Carwow is the best indicator of what a consumer can achieve, and still get the proper new car buying experience. I could have saved another £200 going through DTD, but I chose not. I went onto Carwow, specced my car and got the quotes, went into the dealers and asked them if they could/would match, and I didn't play games. The dealer who matched it got my business, and they offered the free servicing as the sweetener. I was honest, they were honest, job done.