GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk5 => Topic started by: adw555 on 01 April 2007, 22:24
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So my 1 free year of VW Assist has now expired....anyone got a better alternative or is it worth just buying another year off VW Assist ?
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I get full AA Cover with my bank account so I just use that
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I think the Volkswagen Assist is £85 well spent.They'll even come out to change the wheel if you have a puncture!
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Just be aware that the VW Assist is now (from 31 March 2007) provided by RAC Insurance Services rather than the AA as before...
On the basis of me chasing up my renewal today - money taken on 23/3, no cover yet received it doesn't look too promising, especially when the call centre tells me it can take up to 28 days for the certificate to reach me...
...on the other hand - aren't the AA stopping night patrols shortly?
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yea..they never bothered sending me out a renewal this year...I think it expired on Friday ....was thinking about Green Flag....I think being in N Ireland I'll never actually get VW Assist...it'll be the AA/RAC or whoever they use over here.
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Is there any significant difference between the performance of the AA and the RAC?
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Is there any significant difference between the performance of the AA and the RAC?
Well, the AA who provide the VW Assist at the moment, have been utterly shyte. Lies and incompetence are two words which keep rolling off my tongue. I only hope the RAC are better, when they actually take over the contract.
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Touch wood.....(no not THAT kind of wood :embarassed:)
I've never had to use VW assist or the AA in the last 6 years.
Has anyone had to use VW assist and had good/bad experiences?
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Touch wood.....(no not THAT kind of wood :embarassed:)
I don't call mine wood, and I'm certainly not embarassed to touch it . . . . :laugh:
I've never had to use VW assist or the AA in the last 6 years.
Has anyone had to use VW assist and had good/bad experiences?
I've had 4 "experiences" with VW Assist in the last 6 months, and also the RAC, and EuropAssist - what do you want to know?
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Just wondering if VW assist will be better or worse in the future if it goes to the RAC :undecided:
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Had 1 example of AA assist and 3 of RAC in the last 3 weeks. Mechanics who come out all fine, call centres are crap, even though you are given a name of someone who will be "taking care of you today", when you ring back you can't be put through to them and end up talking to someone else and hence retelling your story.
Today was a prime example as I had to wait 2.5hrs to be recovered even though I had a 4 year old in the car. After 1 hour was told they would be with me within 20mins as they were in the area dealing with someone else, then watched them drive by with a passat on the back. I then had to ring them to find out what was happening. In the end they rang a guy at home and asked him to start his shift early for me. They kept me on hold today for 10mins even though they knew I was on a mobile then promised to ring me back which they never did.
Mechanic was great followed me to dealer, left them with a full report of problem, drove me to car hire company to arrange car hire (still on my drive from previous days breakdown) and then took me home with the keys to the car on the drive. Intrestingly he told me his responsibility should end when I'm back at the dealer. How your meant to get from there is anyones guess.
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Just wondering if VW assist will be better or worse in the future if it goes to the RAC :undecided:
Well, the RAC have always enjoyed a "better" reputation when compared to the RAC.
However two issues need to be addressed, firstly, the AA vs RAC is only determined if you are an actual member of either, directly ie, you actually carry either an AA or RAC membership card in your wallet.
Secondly, the level of service provided by the "sub-contractor", be they AA, RAC, or whoever, is actually determined in the "primary" contract as supplied by VW Assist.
I personally wouldn't bother paying extra to the "one-car" VW Assist, instead, I would go directly to RAC, and become a full member of them directly.
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Just wondering if VW assist will be better or worse in the future if it goes to the RAC :undecided:
Well, the RAC have always enjoyed a "better" reputation when compared to the RAC.
However two issues need to be addressed, firstly, the AA vs RAC is only determined if you are an actual member of either, directly ie, you actually carry either an AA or RAC membership card in your wallet.
Secondly, the level of service provided by the "sub-contractor", be they AA, RAC, or whoever, is actually determined in the "primary" contract as supplied by VW Assist.
I personally wouldn't bother paying extra to the "one-car" VW Assist, instead, I would go directly to RAC, and become a full member of them directly.
Hi TT,
I got 3yrs vw assist when I took out the servicing, maintenance and tyre package from the dealer, so I was just wondering if anyone had any poor dealings with either AA or RAC as they seem to be the sub-contractors around these here parts :smiley:
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Just wondering if VW assist will be better or worse in the future if it goes to the RAC :undecided:
Well, the RAC have always enjoyed a "better" reputation when compared to the RAC.
However two issues need to be addressed, firstly, the AA vs RAC is only determined if you are an actual member of either, directly ie, you actually carry either an AA or RAC membership card in your wallet.
Secondly, the level of service provided by the "sub-contractor", be they AA, RAC, or whoever, is actually determined in the "primary" contract as supplied by VW Assist.
I personally wouldn't bother paying extra to the "one-car" VW Assist, instead, I would go directly to RAC, and become a full member of them directly.
Hi TT,
I got 3yrs vw assist when I took out the servicing, maintenance and tyre package from the dealer, so I was just wondering if anyone had any poor dealings with either AA or RAC as they seem to be the sub-contractors around these here parts :smiley:
OK, allow me to ramble on with some of my musings . . . .
When I was actually working in the trade, the AA had a truely shocking reputation. Bad stuff ranged from the roadside patrols "removing" so-called faulty parts, and then leaving the stranded motorist to purchase a whole new "unit". Classic examples included removing a complete distributor, when say, it simply needed new points or a condensor. Removing carburettors, when at best they would need a simple mixture adjustment, at worst need a repair kit. They would remove all sorts of other bits, starter motors, alternators, water pumps, thermostats - etc - the list goes on. Their repeated official line for doing this was that the patrol would take the affected parts away, get them repaired, and re-fit them - but it never ever happened. It was often thought that either the individual patrols, of the AA itself were submitting the removed parts, to claim some kind of "exchange surcharge" - a nice little backhander if you ask me.
The other damaging aspect to AAs reputation was their recovery service. If you broke down in say Glasgow, and needed to be recovered back to Exeter, your car would be transported from the one AA depot, to the next nearest depot, then another depot and so on. OK, I do remember that their recovery service was called "Relay", but few people were aware that the AA meant that in quite literal terms!
The RAC certainly enjoyed a considerably greater reputation - whereas the AA were so crap, they were repeated "contributors" on the BBC Watchdog programme!
Now, in todays environment, it is probably a closer call between the AA and the RAC. The AA has scrapped all of its night-time patrols, so any call-outs will be tasked to a sub-contractor, whos' quality of service and expertise may or may not be OK. The RAC was purchased by Norwich Union a few years back, and whilst they still seem to be offering a good service, will the RAC ever degenerate in to the same appauling standards as their insurance business - with downright attrocious claims handling, including Indian call centres!
Moving on to re-sold packages, such as those sold as an add-on to your normal motor insurance, or in this specific example, VW Assist - I would personally recommend NOT buying it in this way, for a number of reasons. Firstly, you will not actually become a "member" of the AA/RAC, and loose out on some member-exclusive benefits. Secondly, the terms of the contract as sold by VW Assist (or your car insurer) may or may not be considerably different, compared to being a direct member of the relevant organisation. OK, if you get it free for your first year of VW ownership (or three years free for Audi and Skoda !!), then fairy nuff.
I would personally recommend your own personal membership of either the RAC, GreenFlag, or National Breakdown.
Rgds
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^^^^ Very well put and very intersting, certainly food for thought, just one question TT, isn't Green Flag and their like, just one of the AA-RAC's sub contractors?
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Took delivery of my GTI on March 1st.
Done about 1500 miles then went to Scotland over Easter and had my first brush with trouble.
After crawling through Edinburgh on a hot (well warm) day and just arriving at the hotel, the Engine Temperature warning came on - hadn't noticed the temp increasing as was trying to navigate to hotel.
Opened the bonnet and the resevoir was well and truely bubbling and venting but still plenty of water in it.
Called VW Assist - said they'd arrive in an hour or so and that the guy would call me when he was 5 mins away
so I could go get a beer while I waited.
He was just over an hour but did call.
Turned out to be a very friendly Scot in an RAC van.
Opened the bonnet and the resevoir had emptied.
Soon as he turned the resevoir cap he said it was loose and hadn't been fatened properly
- there's a slight click to close it fully.
Gave it a good examination, topped it up, ran it up to temperature, checked for leaks - all OK.
Been fine since.
So:
- first impression of VW Assist was good, no problems.
- impression of VW Main Dealer PDI - have a guess !
I got him to write out a report, which I will take to the dealer.
We're also members of RAC - for other cars in the family - and on the few occasions that we've needed them, they've been OK. Probably won't renew VW Assist when it runs out.
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Cheers TT, good summation and not a ramble at all :cool:
R U still going to the GTi spring festival and on the club stand?
You'll need to confirm to Vaughn by PM or e-mail if you are
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^^^^ Very well put and very intersting, certainly food for thought, just one question TT, isn't Green Flag and their like, just one of the AA-RAC's sub contractors?
No, Green Flag is a separate company. However, all the major players use sub-contractors, some exclusive, and some subbies will cover any/all of the main contracts, and have the logos on their wreckers to show!
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Cheers TT, good summation and not a ramble at all :cool:
Thanks
R U still going to the GTi spring festival and on the club stand?
You'll need to confirm to Vaughn by PM or e-mail if you are
Bu&&er - I said something in jest, and it got taken out of context! :rolleyes:
Were they actually expecting me, then?? :shocked: