Warranty work

[Rudedog]

I'd like your option on a few things that have come up after booking my car in today....

Following on from my recent Scottish holiday I thought I'd get my car booked in so a few niggles can be looked at while my car is still well inside it's original three year warranty (although I did buy the extended warranty which takes it to five years).

1 - I now have a creak/groan coming from the front passenger side when I brake/turn right at junctions or on full lock in car parks or if I put that side up on the kerb, only get it when it's dry.

2 - There seems to be cooling fan that comes on behind the AID if my car's been sitting in the sun or if I've been driving for about two hours, the fan makes a noise which doesn't seem right, some times it's louder than the radio, no idea if this is normal but the clicking noise sounds like the fan it catching on something.

3 - Creaking/rattles coming from around the instrument binnacle especially the hard piano black trim, goes away on smooth roads otherwise it's nearly always there in the background.

My worries are with the booking process and what I've been told about the charges I might have to pay even though this is being classed as warranty work....

So I've been told that each item will potentiality incur a £60 investigation fee if THEY can't find the problem, which means on the day if the tech can't hear the creaks/rattles/fan then I'm going to be charged £180 for the privilege!

Also I know franchises have started to charge for their courtesy cars but mine is now running at £15 per day.

What are others experiences of warranty work and my chances of being charged for my problems.

[SRGTD]

Not had any recent experience of warranty work and being hit with the an investigation fee. Last time I had something investigated under warranty (4-5 years ago on a previous car) there wasn’t a charge.

Looking at VW’s website at their menu of fixed price charges for cars over three years old, interestingly the investigation fee also seems to be part of VW’s price match guarantee. Therefore if you’re able to find another garage who’d carry out the investigation work then in theory, VW should match that lower fee. I dare say that the dealer might say those charges on the website are for cars over three years old and your car’s under three years old. However, the charge you’ve been quoted is the same as their published price for older cars, so presumably they’d be going through exactly the same investigation process. Therefore they ought to price match it if you find a garage that’d do it cheaper, subject to the price match terms and conditions. Here’s the link to the content on VW’s website (bottom of the linked page);

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/owners-and-drivers/servicing/pricing-for-cars-over-3.html

And here’s the link to the price match terms and conditions;
https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/idhub/content/dam/onehub_pkw/importers/gb/downloads/owners/2021-volkswagen-price-match-tcs.pdf

Regarding courtesy car charges. My dealer does make a charge for their courtesy cars now - the say it’s an insurance charge. If my car’s having a minor service I avoid the charge by booking a timed waiting appointment so I don’t then need a courtesy car. Waiting at the dealers might not work for you though if you have prior commitments or if you’re having a number of faults investigated where the dealer might need your car for a number of hours to carry out the investigations.

[Rudedog]

Thanks, I'm not sure how my dealer now treats drivers waiting in the dealership I know during lockdown and some time after they were very against it...

On top of this, even though I booked it in yesterday, the earliest they can look at it is the 25th of October!

Not sure how they help drivers with an urgent issue that can't wait but when I had a stuck window in the first two months of ownership they passed me VW Assist and called out the AA as a first diagnosis, in that instance I'm SO lucky the guy who came out stopped short of taking my new door apart on my driveway, in the end it went to the garage and they said that the regulator had some how over-heated?? (didn't charge me for that).

My point is the issues I have are real, I live with the car and can hear/feel them, what if on the day the tech can't replicate them (hopefully they can use the diagnosis computer to make the AID fan run rather than leave the car running for two hours!).

Also I have this niggling feeling that creaky suspension might be treated with a bit of silicone spray to help with turn around times.

Shame really as my dealer has been very good in the past and myself and family have bought all of our VW's from them, issue now seems to be that they are part of a very big franchise (not just VW's) and I've heard they been taken over so staff are feeling a bit jumpy.

[sjw]

I'd like your option on a few things that have come up after booking my car in today....

Following on from my recent Scottish holiday I thought I'd get my car booked in so a few niggles can be looked at while my car is still well inside it's original three year warranty (although I did buy the extended warranty which takes it to five years).

1 - I now have a creak/groan coming from the front passenger side when I brake/turn right at junctions or on full lock in car parks or if I put that side up on the kerb, only get it when it's dry.

2 - There seems to be cooling fan that comes on behind the AID if my car's been sitting in the sun or if I've been driving for about two hours, the fan makes a noise which doesn't seem right, some times it's louder than the radio, no idea if this is normal but the clicking noise sounds like the fan it catching on something.

3 - Creaking/rattles coming from around the instrument binnacle especially the hard piano black trim, goes away on smooth roads otherwise it's nearly always there in the background.

My worries are with the booking process and what I've been told about the charges I might have to pay even though this is being classed as warranty work....

So I've been told that each item will potentiality incur a £60 investigation fee if THEY can't find the problem, which means on the day if the tech can't hear the creaks/rattles/fan then I'm going to be charged £180 for the privilege!

Also I know franchises have started to charge for their courtesy cars but mine is now running at £15 per day.

What are others experiences of warranty work and my chances of being charged for my problems.

Just wanted to say, definitely get the seat sorted! I had the same problem and it drove me mad.

Just so you're aware, my car was gone for _weeks_ with that issue, as they replaced basically the whole seat part by part, eventually getting to the leather... which was on back order. So be prepared for a possible long wait!

[joe6]

Thanks, I'm not sure how my dealer now treats drivers waiting in the dealership I know during lockdown and some time after they were very against it...

On top of this, even though I booked it in yesterday, the earliest they can look at it is the 25th of October!

Not sure how they help drivers with an urgent issue that can't wait but when I had a stuck window in the first two months of ownership they passed me VW Assist and called out the AA as a first diagnosis, in that instance I'm SO lucky the guy who came out stopped short of taking my new door apart on my driveway, in the end it went to the garage and they said that the regulator had some how over-heated?? (didn't charge me for that).

My point is the issues I have are real, I live with the car and can hear/feel them, what if on the day the tech can't replicate them (hopefully they can use the diagnosis computer to make the AID fan run rather than leave the car running for two hours!).

Also I have this niggling feeling that creaky suspension might be treated with a bit of silicone spray to help with turn around times.

Shame really as my dealer has been very good in the past and myself and family have bought all of our VW's from them, issue now seems to be that they are part of a very big franchise (not just VW's) and I've heard they been taken over so staff are feeling a bit jumpy.

Had warranty work done earlier this year. Had to wait for a courtesy car to be available but no question of charge or diagnostic charge as the fault was on the vehicle status on the dash.

Later I had a oxygen sensor 'fault'  and was advised to call vw assist as dealership had 2 week wait for a workshop slot. VW assist came (not AA) and ran a diagnostic and had the problem solved in an hour and that included sorting a fault the dealership had not been able to fix after 2 visits! Very knowledgeable guy and no diagnostic charge or need for a courtesy car. Very happy bunny.😁

Creaking suspension could be the control arm bushes. Some have dealt with this using silicon spray and found it worked.