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Model specific boards => Golf mk6 => Topic started by: andykram on 21 November 2010, 15:05
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I've said many times on this forum how much I love my MK6 (and my MK2) but this week sees a potential watershed in my future relationship with VW and future purchases thereafter.
The reason I fell out with VW after my disastrous Mk4s wasn't so much the cars (although they were crap) but the total inability of the stealers to fix them.
So this week sees VW Doncaster's 2nd attempt to fix my alarm. I mentioned to them at first service in July that the alarm LED didn't always light up first time round so they checked it out (apparently) and said there was nothing wrong. Sure enough, it still does it and Morty, when doing my Bluetooth install the other week, spotted a load of fault codes on VAGCOM stating that it was a problem with the inclination sensor. I wrote this code down and intend to give it to the technician as he's coming out for a drive to listen out for the 3 or 4 creaks, buzzes and groans I want them to fix as well while they're at it. I'll also tell him that I think they never even bothered hooking it up to VAGCOM in July (otherwise they'd have seen the fault code) and if they don't sort these things out I'll be going somewhere else in my long quest to find a half decent dealer.
For the price of this GTi I could have bought a Lexus and I'm absolutely convinced if there'd have been a fault with that they'd have fixed it no bother so I'll be reminding him of how expensive this car is and therefore, of the level of service I expect. They've got it from Tuesday to Thursday so time will tell whether they've remotely got a clue or not. Somehow, I just know it's going to be the usual rubbish service but I live in hope!!!
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Sorry to hear about your despair, Andy.
This is my first new VW, and my dealership so far (even with small issues) have been brill. Though, maybe thats because I said to them that I'll be back next year to buy my wife a new Polo...?!!
My local dealerships (Mansfield and Daybrook, Notts) didn't even phone me back after I left them messages informing them that I will be buying a new GTi, which I found odd.
But VW Parkway (Derby) were, and so far are, brill.
I bought my last new car from Nissank, and they were dreadful (sales, aftersales and servicing). In fact, they actually forgot to add engine oil during one service, the most basic of things, but were happy to tick their sheet !
Red
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Yes, I'll definitely see what they do with it this week, if nothing else for the comedy value of them messing it up again!!!
One of the creaks in the driver's door they dismissed in July as being "temperature related"!!! What sort of £25k car creaks when it's warm?
Seriously, though, I'll be gutted if they can't sort these issues. At the end of the day I've been living with them for a while now as they don't spoil my enjoyment of the car particularly. It's just that I can't help thinking when you're at this price level the car and the service should be absolutely spot on.
Which is why, in my eyes, the dealers are on trial again.
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Yes, I'll definitely see what they do with it this week, if nothing else for the comedy value of them messing it up again!!!
One of the creaks in the driver's door they dismissed in July as being "temperature related"!!! What sort of £25k car creaks when it's warm?
Seriously, though, I'll be gutted if they can't sort these issues. At the end of the day I've been living with them for a while now as they don't spoil my enjoyment of the car particularly. It's just that I can't help thinking when you're at this price level the car and the service should be absolutely spot on.
Which is why, in my eyes, the dealers are on trial again.
Agreed, when you buy a new car (regardless of price) EVERYTHING should be right.
The temp-related door issue seems an excuse to try and fob you off.
I would escalate this poor service, initially speaking to the manager, also writing to customer services and taking it to independant mechanics (maybe VW specialists) for a second-fourth opinion.
It certainly doesn't seem a common issue and therefore should be fixed.
If all else fairs, escalate to VW UK and threaten them with bad publicity (blogs, reviews papers etc).
Dont stand for this cr*p, Andy, you've spent hard earned money on this to simply let it go without a fiught (esp whilst you have the warranty behind you)
Red
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Andy's problems and his treatment infuriates me. I can remeber too well on how upset VW made me. It even made me sick. I was quite close to suing them.
I wrote to Chris Craft VW MD UK and things started moving in the right direction.
chris.craft@volkswagen.co.uk
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Cheers for that AM1. I'll see what happens on Thursday first.
Interestingly, my first Mk4 only began to get sorted when i got VW UK involved. At that point that particular car had seventeen (yes, 17!!!!) different faults to sort. They got me an individual guy at the dealer who became my personal "fixer" and I dealt with him until it all got sorted.
Also interestingly, that was a small VW dealer in Otley and was the last VW dealer I used who were genuinely good. Unfortunately, they were subsequently sold to a group of dealers and soon closed down. That group of dealers subsequently became the faceless, useless idiots at Leeds' main VW at Elland Road.
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Out of curiosity try pressing round next to the plastic shiny trim strip thats on the door panel as i have read quite a few tails about how the sticky tape does not go all the way round so it creates a creak as it hits the door panel plastic and door pull panel. LIKE MINE DO!!
Heres a video of mine :sad:
http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b361/flogitg/AudioNetPhoto/MK6%20Golf/?action=view¤t=Video-0007.mp4
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BTW: No one has been as badly treated by VW as Snoops. :angry:
He's Saint Snoopy in my eyes. :cool:
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Not a saint a MUG!
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Not a saint a MUG!
You are too much of a gentleman. I've always thought so and unfortunately people like us (PLU) have to deal with people like them (PLT)!
VW = PLT :sick:
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Said it before and I will say it again... stay the fcuk away from VW Leeds!!
They are possibly the worst dealership in history. They have missed the sale of 3 brand new Golfs from myself... something I highlighted before I went in and spoke to someone about a mk6. Didnt make the slightest bit of defference.. i wouldnt even buy oil from them!
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They were equally disinterested when I enquired about my Mk6 so at least they're consistently bad!!!
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Car duly dropped off with list of creaks, groans and alarm problems. Jetta TSi piked up.
It got off to a bad start when the service guy said it was too late to go out with a technician despite the woman I spoke to when I booked it in saying it would be fine.
Went rapidly downhill when the guy said most likely none of the creaks would be covered by warranty. Apparently, "if an adjustment is required to shut up a creak" VW don't pay for this to be done. It's only when a part has failed when they replace it. They only do creaks in the first 12 months. After that you're on your own.
At this point I'm afraid I went on a rant. So I said "You can't fix my £28000 car because it's older than 12 months (16 months - very old!!!!) even though it creaks like my 20 year old Mk2? Yet I could buy a Lexus for £28000 and do you really think they wouldn't fix it?"
He replied it's a directive from VW not the dealer and, to be fair, I had some sympathy with him cos he has to stand there and defend the indefencible.
Anyway, I eventually got a technician to come out with me and witness everything. So now I'm going to see what , if anything, they did. Both the service guy and the technician agreed with the stupidity of VW's stance (well, I could see they did in their eyes, they just weren't allowed to say they did) so I reckon if they really wanted to keep me they could get round it e.g. by breaking a part of the seat squab that was creaking and telling VW it was broken. There's always a way round things.
One thing the technician did say would probably be covered was the creak from the door locks which is a well known issue on Mk6s. We have, indeed, discussed it on here.
How then does this affect my future with VW? Greatly I would say because I can't get my head round a manufacturer of nigh on £30k cars telling me I only have 12 months in which to get creaks and rattles fixed. VW might be saved in this instance by the dealer (I will let you all know on Thursday how they get on when I get it back) but I feel a very strong email to VW UK coming on followed by a search for a new brand.
Rant over.......
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Andy:
You have my complete sympathy and understanding. For sure, VW are not a very customer focused company. Probably the worst I have come across so far. :sick:
I have a centre armrest that rattles other than in the lowest position. Really annoys me as it is now pretty useless in its function of being used in a raised and comfortable position. What did the service boy tell me? 'Don't use it raised'! I said nothing, but looked at him as if he produced the smell of death. He got the message! I might get it sorted, i.e. if I am into necrophilia! :evil:+very :sick:
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I sort of felt sorry for the two blokes I dealt with because they did look as though they agreed with me and understood my rant. I suspect they must get plenty of people on rants when the so called "build quality" VW is so renowned for lets people down.
I actually said to them if it had been a £6k Fox I wouldn't have been so bothered but at nearly £30k it really is hard to accept.
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I sort of felt sorry for the two blokes I dealt with because they did look as though they agreed with me and understood my rant. I suspect they must get plenty of people on rants when the so called "build quality" VW is so renowned for lets people down.
I actually said to them if it had been a £6k Fox I wouldn't have been so bothered but at nearly £30k it really is hard to accept.
I felt the same when I dealt with the Warranty Manager. She was completley tongue-tied by VW directives and seemed to be running scared. Who said the Third Reich is dead? Heil Hitler Herr Piech, Heil VW! :angry:
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I better get mine looked at at some point if its only 12 months :shocked: As i was leaving it till the 1st service. :sad:
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i drove with the stereo off for the first time in i dont know how long. the number of rattles and things shaking about was shocking... now granted my car is hardly tidy so it could have been a few loose items, but I went in a friends 8yrs old BMW coupe and not a rattle, sqeek, or shakey plastic in sight.
Im already looking for my next car.... vw is not on the list* :lipsrsealed:
although i could be tempted by the black R down my road :evil:
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Mine is pretty rattle free, I must admit. But then, I've only done 2800 miles and am not a Crash Bandit! :evil: :grin:
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Mine is pretty rattle free, I must admit. But then, I've only done 2800 miles and am not a Crash Bandit! :evil: :grin:
well yes.. 20k+ and a couple of prangs, and a number of visits to dealers something is bound to go wrong :undecided:
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Just over 2000miles on the clock and mine has quite a few rattles, It does put me off driving it sometimes :sad: Including the door tick tick of the door trim panels as shown in the video i posted earlier in the thread :cry: which this trim ones are the ones i have no idea how to fix if i run out of time. :sad:
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Just over 2000miles on the clock and mine has quite a few rattles, It does put me off driving it sometimes :sad: Including the door tick tick of the door trim panels as shwon in the video i posted earlier in the thread :cry: which this trim ones are the ones i have no idea how to fix if i run out of time. :sad:
If you don't know, then VW will certainly fail! Don't bother. :wink:
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This has already cost VW a potential sale as the wife liked the look of the forthcoming Golf convertible. I've told her in no uncertain terms there's not a chance in hell of me buying a VW without a roof. Convertibles creak anyway so if she wants me to buy one from a company who won't sort creaks beyond 12 months then she can think again.
I might be swearing here on this forum but if she wants another convertible she'll be getting either an Astra (100 000 mile warranty as we'd buy it new with our GM points) or another Saab.
By the way, the Saab's alternator failed last night. Yes, this is annoying but s*** happens. Anyway, got it towed to our excellent dealer in Harrogate at half 9 last night. They fixed it today without any prior notice from us (due to the lateness of its arrival last night) and the dealer managed to get us a £200 contribution from Saab towards the cost.
Spot the contrast in service and commitment from the manufacturer and its dealer.......
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^ I know exactly what you meen im trying to say no too. :smiley:
If you don't know, then VW will certainly fail! Don't bother. :wink:
If i get the parts disc and elsawin then i stand a chance to see how they are attached. (Need to get arse inbto gear on this one)
I think i remember steveP saying something about these trims in the past too but just cannot find it :undecided: :undecided:
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When I took my car to the dealer with a cracked headlight surround (plastic part securing the light) I was told they only offer a 6 month warranty on broken parts as it may well have been user error!!! I specifically asked about creaks and was told its the same 6 months!! They obviously just make up the rules as they go along.
Needless to say they replaced the headlight under warranty after a good moan.
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All the above is really screwing me.
I dumped Alfa becasuse their after market service & support was pooos poor - and it looks as though VW are ran by the same people. To give 6 months for this and 12 months for that is pretty crap. If it's not in any small print then surely the warranty should cover such eventualities?
Ava
[Frozen in Gateshead]
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All the above is really screwing me.
I dumped Alfa becasuse their after market service & support was pooos poor - and it looks as though VW are ran by the same people. To give 6 months for this and 12 months for that is pretty crap. If it's not in any small print then surely the warranty should cover such eventualities?
Ava
[Frozen in Gateshead]
It's always going to be dealer specific. My Old man has a 3 year old Alfa GT. It's had a few niggles and problems and his Alfa dealer have bent over backwards to make it right and for him not to be inconvenienced. He now sings their praises.
nick
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All the above is really screwing me.
I dumped Alfa becasuse their after market service & support was pooos poor - and it looks as though VW are ran by the same people. To give 6 months for this and 12 months for that is pretty crap. If it's not in any small print then surely the warranty should cover such eventualities?
Ava
[Frozen in Gateshead]
It depends imo who you delt with at the dealers. I knew one of the techs at newcastle and the parts lad. Both knew what there doing the others well its fun to watch :grin:
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Update
Well, the dealer rang today saying they'd fixed "most of my issues". As an example, they'd ordered a new seat base to cure the creaking from there. In other words, this "adjustment isn't covered" is nonsense. I don't believe for a minute I need a new seat base to cure a creak but if a dealer says this to VW they get paid. So it boils down to the dealer making an effort and so far Donny at least seem to be trying hard to sort things.
Interestingly, the alarm fault that came up on Darren's VAGCOM doesn't come up on the dealer's computer so they've sent a technical inquiry to VW UK at Milton Keynes to try and sort that one out. We'll see what comes from that. They're happy for me to keep the Jetta until everything's sorted so fair play to the dealer so far.
It may be ready tomorrow but that depends on the technical inquiry. I will keep you informed though.
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Well, last Wednesday came and went, I couldn't get to the dealer Thursday to Saturday anyway so I was expecting to pick the car up today but alas, no. They're stumped by the alarm problem. They changed the door control system today but the fault with the alarm LED is still there so they're onto plan B now. Or plan Z.
Not too fussed since I wouldn't be using it in the snow anyway so I'll keep the Jetta until they've found the problem and sorted it. At least they're trying to sort it and not just giving me the car back so we live in hope.
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9 days since my last update and nearly three weeks in total without the Beast now. They've been waiting nearly a week for a door control unit to be made and shipped from Germany. Fitted today and it still hasn't fixed the LED problem.
So I have a question. Morty diagnosed a faulty inclinometer sensor when he had the car on VAGCOM the other week. Whatever the dealer hooks the car up to doesn't show this fault so they haven't replaced this sensor. Now I've no idea whether this is what causes the LED to intermittently malfunction but why can't the dealer see a fault Morty's VAGCOM can?
Anyway, the dealer (who to be fair to them have tried everything VW UK Technical have told them and have kept me informed throughout) is again waiting for advice from Milton Keynes and meanwhile I'm beginning to get a bit hacked off with it all. Ultimately I have a highly nickable GTi with no obvious alarm defence, nobody seems to be able to fix it and I'm not prepared to keep such an expensive car which the manufacturer can't even sort. This inability to fix the cars is what sent me away from VW after the crappy Mk4s I had - I fear I'm starting down the same road again. This time, however, it'll be permanent. I won't return and I'll flog the Mk2 too out of protest. I'll be gutted but it's really not good enough.
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So it goes on and on with no solution in immediate sight.
I have a notion that the dealership is attending to the alarm system piece-meal and is following the directives from VW Technical to the letter as they have little or no initiative or the depth of knowledge themselves. At least they are trying. Very trying for you!
Even though the LED is intermittent, have they tried to activate the alarm by activating the inclinometer/motion sensors? Have they at any stage got the alarm sounding? There seems to be no mention of this.
Maybe I am being too simplistic, but if Darren has identified the fault code and they have not, surely the inclinometer should be the first thing that should replaced?
You have now got me a bit worried, and I might ask Darren or Steve to check my car. The reason for this is that, as the car was in and out of the body shop seven times for the rear and front bumper paintings, they might have disconnected the battery. They assured me they had not. Well they had said that before and had as Darren discovered a huge number of fault codes.
I hope you get your alarm and rattles resolved so that you may commence enjoying 'The Beast'.
All the best.
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Cheers am1. I agree totally that that's what the dealer is doing. When they ring me (hopefully today or more likely on Monday) my first line of attack is exactly what you have said - get them to replace the incline sensor or at least try and activate the alarm.
I still don't understand why their computer doesn't show the fault codes VAGCOM does though??
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VW techies have a set work plan that they get from VW before the dealership gets a warranty claim approved. Why your VCDS faults don't show on the VAG equipment is anyone's guess, you can't really say you've been plugging in aftermarket electronics into the ECU or the dealer will probably get really upset. Maybe tell a white lie and say you had an issue with the car and the VW Assist guy did a scan and it found an inclinometer fault(?)
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Andy 2 things mate come round for an hour and you can pick the v7 disc up plus Ill whip your glovebox out and disconnect the inclination sensor and see if it needs re-booting?
See if its just a glitchy module? could also be that the glove box has been taken out and the sensor has not been fitted back in its right place?
All sorts of things could be the problems but until that glovebox is out I cannot give a solution.
Cheers
Darren
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Cheers Darren. I'll see what they say tomorrow and bring it round then.
I did mention this intermittent LED problem at its 1st service in July and they obviously said it didn't show on their computer. But at least I know it was nothing to do with the aftermarket stuff which I've had done since then.
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I am not a Crash Bandit! :evil: :grin:
Er..... :wink:
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Well finally I have the car back 3 weeks to the day since it went in. I'm going to give Donny VW credit cos all the rattles and creaks are gone and the car is now back to its brilliant best. Still love it.
The alarm issue, however, has proven an unsolved mystery in that it will still only engage if you do a lock, unlock, lock routine i.e. the second time you engage it, not the first time. They have changed door control units, inclination sensors (the fault code Darren spotted they did eventually see on their system), checked voltages and God knows what else so I can't fault them for trying. They've also been constantly in touch throughout which also helps as many dealers just don't bother.
Anyway, VW have now told them to strip parts off another GTi and swap them onto mine. Fair enough I suppose but Donny don't have any GTis to swap with so I said I could quite easily live with it until they find a donor car.
Now, I suppose one could argue that VW is effectively admitting they don't know how to fix it. However, I'm feeling magnanimous since I've got my pride and joy back so will let them off. The dealer showed me the file of reports, emails and technical directives that now belongs to my car and it looks like War and Peace but at least I know there have been efforts to sort it.
So, well done Donny for fixing all the other issues. I now have a car that feels like new again. Shame about the alarm but I'll survive with it for the time being and Donny will continue to get my custom.
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Well if I get a few months rattle free driving I'll be happy!!! :smiley: :smiley: