Dealer charges

[Rudedog]

I just need to share something and get it off my chest but might show my naivety with dealer charges for work done.

Some time back I mentioned that I had an issue with some interior trim where it was bubbling up and peeling when it was exposed to bright sunlight - the parts are the centre console (the matt great surface around the cupholder and EPB button) and the two side pieces - since when I first complained about this I noticed the EPB button had micro-cracks over the Auto-Hold wording which hasn't been caused by anything dropping on it (more of that later).

I raised a warrantee claim for these as no other part of the interior trim had been affected so to me was a defect - unsurprisingly the claim was turned down but the reason given was that I had caused it by spraying silicone on the trim!! I politely said that this was complete BS but that didn't change anything (they even relieved me of £120 for that diagnosis).

I've now decided to have the parts changed as I can't live with them and I'll be keeping my car for as long as I'm able to - my annoyance is around the fact that to replace the centre console you first need to remove the two side trims but my dealer is going to charge me a book time of 1/2 hour to replace them even though they have to come off as part of the work to replace the console - which I think is unfair.

Now the story with the EPB button - my parts department have told me this part is on backorder because of two things - firstly they have said the GTI button is the same part as the one that comes in a Tiguan and they've had some kind of issue ?recall that has used all of the stock up - plus (apparently) the VW EPB buttons all came from their factory based in..... Ukraine, and the factory is now a pile of rubble so the buttons and other parts are having to be made else where which has added to the backlog.

My other problem is that I thought on a Golf the centre console had to come out to replace the EPB button so it would make sense to have this done at the same time which of course I can only do once the part comes in - or can anyone tell me if the button can be changed without pulling the console?

I'm just trying to avoid being charged 'twice' for work to replace parts that have to come off anyway as part of the main replacement work - or is this now standard practice?

[joe6]

Have taken the centre console apart to fit rear usb charging points. Yes the console has to be partially taken apart to change the EPB button as the holding clips cannot be accessed otherwise. It can be a diy job. There is a helpful video on the net.

[Rudedog]

Thanks that's what I thought as well - dealer wants two hours book time to change the centre console and then on top of that 1/2 an hour for the side pieces even though they have to come off to access the console - I suspect they'll also try to charge to change the EPB again even though has to come off to change the centre console - to me this is double charging.

[rowlers]

Dealers make it up as they go along.

A while ago, my heated mirrors didn't work on my Mrs Up GTI. Booked in under warranty. They suspected a BCM or wiring fault. The BCM would be covered, but wiring wasn't. I had to commit to an £800 strip down of the dash, before I knew if it would be covered. I declined...

A read of the manual, and tickle with OBDeleven and it was all sorted. No actual fault, they were coded to only come on with the rear heated screen! Yet the dealer hadn't checked that and wanted to bum me for the dash strip down hours...

I also had to re-arrange the fuses in the fuse box as they'd obviously been fiddling there and failed to replace them properly...

So, yeah dealers, clueless...

[EB2019]

Thanks that's what I thought as well - dealer wants two hours book time to change the centre console and then on top of that 1/2 an hour for the side pieces even though they have to come off to access the console - I suspect they'll also try to charge to change the EPB again even though has to come off to change the centre console - to me this is double charging.

My guess is it's not a thoughtout policy to double charge in this case, but likely just someone on the service counter not fully understanding how or what is required. Its not like the young staff even know what a centre console is in most cases.

On a side note its interesting that you mention the Ukraine factory in rubble, puts it in perspective and makes you think how lucky we are to be able to chat about cars.