GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk5 => Topic started by: hotrod on 12 April 2008, 18:55
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Hi forum buddies,
You’re all aware of the GTI Edition 30 topics in various Golf forums, regarding whether it was ever a limited edition model or not! We now know officially that they’ll produce 2300 units by the end of the mk5’s lifecycle... up from the 1500 originally stated. Also the new GTI 230PS Pirelli ‘Limited Edition’ will be here soon with all the ED30 specs plus a few options thrown in for free. I have now written again to VWUK stating my displeasure and requesting what action they will be taking.
Please see below extracts from my letter which may help you if you’re considering voicing your concerns. All I ask is that you reword the letter (not copy and paste) as I think it would look more professional (imo).
Hope it helps...
Carron Cusworth
Customer Service Centre Advisor
Correspondence Team
Volkswagen (UK)
Yeomans Drive, Blakelands, Milton Keynes MK14 5AN
Selectapost 12, Sheffield S97 3ZU
Dear Carron,
Thank you for your response of the 10th April 2008. However I am unsure which address to reply to as both of your letterheads had different addresses on them... I have replied to both.
As you are aware there has been a frenzy of speculation over the ‘limited edition’ aspect of the Edition 30 recently, and as suspected it wasn’t really a limited edition model after all... perhaps a limited supply, run-out model!
I’m convinced that the pressure applied by disgruntled owners to VWUK has resulted in the very sudden cessation of the Edition 30. It is also disappointing that VWUK stated that a total of 1500 units would be produced and actually 2300 will have been produced by the end of the Mk5’s life cycle. Whether or not you intended to mislead, the question is what will you be doing to correct this mistake?
The appearance of the Golf GTI Pirelli 230PS is also intriguing. This modeI I understand is basically identical to the Edition 30 but comes with different wheels, upholstery, assorted trim and exterior colours and will come crucially with numbered plaques and limited edition status. You have increased the GTI Pirelli retail prices fractionally over the Edition 30 but have now included free front armrest, rear tinted glass and metallic paint... all of which adds up to £660. This is doing Edition 30 owners no favours at all, as many of us paid for these options.
I think the time has come for you to do the honourable thing and properly address these issues.
As a suggestion, you have a database for all the UK’s Edition 30’s, so why not supply retrofit numbered dash plaques and Certificates of Ownership? Also some kind of goodwill gesture to ensure the continued support of your very passionate customers would be helpful.
Please don’t under-estimate the level of feeling over this issue.
Yours.... Hotrod :smiley:
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Would be good if we could actually get somewhere with this.
Perhaps get a magazine involved? Seeing as they all ran the "1500 units only" stories.
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my only worry is all the coverage it keeps getting only draws peoples attention to it, and may do more damage than good, all imo of course
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my only worry is all the coverage it keeps getting only draws peoples attention to it, and may do more damage than good, all imo of course
Very good point, maybe target VWUK first, then if no joy go public???
Power to the people!!! :smiley:
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It would be hard for VW to issue plaq's etc as some Ed30 will have been sold on by the orig owners now.
but you have a point and good luck, i may doctor your letter and send it off too.
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Wouldnt be too difficult to allocate numbers to chassis numbers. Then make contact with people they have on their system, those of which who reply and want it fitted get it done etc. If its been sold on then theres still no reason they shouldnt be able to walk into a dealer and have it done (under *warranty* of course).
As for the contacting publishers and press, its a very good idea but only after VWUK has had a chance to respond and rectify, they certainly did respond to the last letter... Not often a car owner manages to grab a manufacturer by the b***s and cause them to cease production of a flagship model.
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Did VW actually agree that they would only make 1500 or a 'limited number'. Either way I'm sure they have some we reserve the right small print up their sleeve for just such occassions.
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Wonder shall i put a letter in every though i havent actually picked mine up yet? :laugh: even though im the 2nd keeper?
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I'll be writing just as I did last time :angry:
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I will also air my dissatisfaction as I have PAID for the very items they are now giving away free! I do suspect though that although we would like to think a dozen or so letters made them pull the plug on the ED30, that this isn't the case. The decision to bring the Pirelli here will have been made at least six months in advance, and ultimately the decision to finish production of the ED30 too.
I will be doing some digging next week as I have contacts at both VW and Audi that will be willing to help. I am also suspecting that the original number of 1500 was a ploy to generate initial excitement/interest and inevitably sales.
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From a legal point of view, VW have done nothing wrong with the Golf GTI Pirelli. A business or manufacturer can make various 'limited editions' of a certain product. Look at Nokia with all the various incarnations of certain handsets as a good example.
VW have no responsibility for the value of your vehicle being diminished by releasing a newer 'limted' model.
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I know that the 1500 was a factor in me buying the ED30 and am not pleased at VW thinking they can just fob folk off with lame excuses!!
I will be writing a letter too and hope that some sort of satisfactory result can come of this.
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From a legal point of view, VW have done nothing wrong with the Golf GTI Pirelli. A business or manufacturer can make various 'limited editions' of a certain product. Look at Nokia with all the various incarnations of certain handsets as a good example.
VW have no responsibility for the value of your vehicle being diminished by releasing a newer 'limted' model.
i think his main point is the limited edition part of the edition 30, not the pirelli
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It would be hard for VW to issue plaq's etc as some Ed30 will have been sold on by the orig owners now.
but you have a point and good luck, i may doctor your letter and send it off too.
DVLA will have the details. Just like a recall really.
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Go for it boys - typical taking of the pi$$ again by a major car manufacturer whose dealers cannot deliver the proper level of service due to a (too) competitive market :angry: (Bit like politics eh............................ :shocked:)
Like the sound of getting a major motor mag involved :smug:
Yes, the revolution should start here. Get this onto Pistonheads as well :wink:
Cass
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Great work Hotrod.
I still find it hard to believe 'a genuine mistake' is actually a term used to excuse the actions of a multimillion dollar car manufacturer! How stupid do they think we are.
These people dont make mistakes in this way.
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It would be hard for VW to issue plaq's etc as some Ed30 will have been sold on by the orig owners now.
but you have a point and good luck, i may doctor your letter and send it off too.
Good point, but the DVLA would have all the updated details, so the 2nd/3rd owners would get the plaques, etc.
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Wonder shall i put a letter in every though i havent actually picked mine up yet? :laugh: even though im the 2nd keeper?
You might as well, you’ve nothing to lose. The more owners that get involved the quicker we’ll get this resolved.
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Go for it boys - typical taking of the pi$$ again by a major car manufacturer whose dealers cannot deliver the proper level of service due to a (too) competitive market :angry: (Bit like politics eh............................ :shocked:)
Like the sound of getting a major motor mag involved :smug:
Yes, the revolution should start here. Get this onto Pistonheads as well :wink:
Cass
Hi Cass,
I’m not on Pistonheads... any chance you/someone could post it up there???
cheers... Hotrod
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Great work Hotrod.
I still find it hard to believe 'a genuine mistake' is actually a term used to excuse the actions of a multimillion dollar car manufacturer! How stupid do they think we are.
These people dont make mistakes in this way.
cheers john_o,
The older I get the less I like people taking the p!ss outta me, hence the reason for taking a stand... the more the merrier :smiley:
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I’m not on Pistonheads... any chance you/someone could post it up there???
Done - link here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=520978
Cass
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Im not sure if you have all over looked this!! The ED30 was supposed to be limited to 1500 in the UK as far as can remember. There is no reason why brokers or possibly even dealers have not brought in more Ed30's via the european route. There was never anything released to say that the ED30 would be limited in its production... just that only 1500 would only make it to the UK. This of course is not in the hands of VW!
Feel free to correct me if im wrong.. I understand your gripe but i think you may be fighting a loosing battle. VW will already be aware of how they can get out of this issue if it develops into a legal wrangle. The letter stating that they are sorry is just to keep another customer sweet :undecided:
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Im not sure if you have all over looked this!! The ED30 was supposed to be limited to 1500 in the UK as far as can remember. There is no reason why brokers or possibly even dealers have not brought in more Ed30's via the european route. There was never anything released to say that the ED30 would be limited in its production... just that only 1500 would only make it to the UK. This of course is not in the hands of VW!
Feel free to correct me if im wrong.. I understand your gripe but i think you may be fighting a loosing battle. VW will already be aware of how they can get out of this issue if it develops into a legal wrangle. The letter stating that they are sorry is just to keep another customer sweet :undecided:
i think the figures quoted are UK supplied cars though, not imports.
IMO best thing is to stop plastering it all over the net as everyone is inadvertently making the ed30 worth less (the exact opposite of what where trying to achieve)
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I have not read the complete thread so forgive me if this has already been said.
In the information update to dealers from VW dated 9th April 2008 it says on the top of page 3.
To address potential customer concerns about effects this may have on residual values, Volkswagen has been in contact with CAP, Glass's and Emmox. They do not foresee an impact on resale values.
Joe Wilkinson
Product Manager
So basically VW is saying it will not effect values so your unlikley to get anywere. They will prob also use the get out of jail free card on the back of leeflets that says "The specification caonatined in this brochure are for information puproses only and are subject to change.....etc"
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I have not read the complete thread so forgive me if this has already been said.
In the information update to dealers from VW dated 9th April 2008 it says on the top of page 3.
To address potential customer concerns about effects this may have on residual values, Volkswagen has been in contact with CAP, Glass's and Emmox. They do not foresee an impact on resale values.
Joe Wilkinson
Product Manager
Lol! Yeah they would say that. Without starting a debate here, look at it from a buyers point of view. He wants and Ed30.. but there are only 3 in the trader. So he buys one because he knows there are not many about and another good one will be hard to come by. Now he looks in the trader and there are 15 of them... next week there could be even more.. so he just waits a little bit longer before parting with his cash. I think you see where I am going with this. Its not parkers etc that determines the price of the car.. its the market.
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Its not parkers etc that determines the price of the car.. its the market.
Sorry but I disagree. The price of any second hand mass market car (and I include the Ed30 in this, because that's what it is - a Mk V Golf GTI), is determined by the motor industry, specifically Glass's and Parker's guides. They set the value and markdown of any car and that's the benchmark for both trade and private sales.The trade will not give you much over bottom book for it and private buyers will use it as a benchmark to provide a base value for pricing their cars privately. Granted, supply and demand comes into it, but so does colour, spec, mileage and service history etc. Any purchaser who pays over the odds for a production car just because they want it, is either stupid or excessively rich. The Ed30 is unlikely to command such exclusivety, and moreso when the advertised run is exceeded by another 50%. The fact that VW have done this, 'honest mistake' or not (yeah, we all believe that :smug:), whilst attempting to give reassurance to the public over future residual values they cannot possibly control, smacks of further marketing bullsh@t and damage limitation. If they are so confident, they would guarantee the residuals above that of the standard GTI. They should, but they won't.
More availability means more opportunity and less exclusivity and that means lesser residuals.
Cass
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Im not sure if you have all over looked this!! The ED30 was supposed to be limited to 1500 in the UK as far as can remember. There is no reason why brokers or possibly even dealers have not brought in more Ed30's via the european route. There was never anything released to say that the ED30 would be limited in its production... just that only 1500 would only make it to the UK. This of course is not in the hands of VW!
Feel free to correct me if im wrong.. I understand your gripe but i think you may be fighting a loosing battle. VW will already be aware of how they can get out of this issue if it develops into a legal wrangle. The letter stating that they are sorry is just to keep another customer sweet :undecided:
i think the figures quoted are UK supplied cars though, not imports.
IMO best thing is to stop plastering it all over the net as everyone is inadvertently making the ed30 worth less (the exact opposite of what where trying to achieve)
I know what you’re saying 182_blue... and I agree up to a point.
I don’t expect to be posting much more on this subject as it is quite time consuming (and fatigue is setting in). My letters have now been sent to VWUK, we’ll see what transpires over the next couple of weeks.
As an aside have now run the beast in... had a great 90 mile blast through Shaftesbury (Zig-Zag Hill), Salisbury and the New Forest. Rain, sleet, hail and sunshine... reminded me of last weekend at Goodwood.
When is spring arriving???
Keep smiling... Hotrod
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Its not parkers etc that determines the price of the car.. its the market.
Sorry but I disagree. The price of any second hand mass market car (and I include the Ed30 in this, because that's what it is - a Mk V Golf GTI), is determined by the motor industry, specifically Glass's and Parker's guides. They set the value and markdown of any car and that's the benchmark for both trade and private sales.The trade will not give you much over bottom book for it and private buyers will use it as a benchmark to provide a base value for pricing their cars privately. Granted, supply and demand comes into it, but so does colour, spec, mileage and service history etc. Any purchaser who pays over the odds for a production car just because they want it, is either stupid or excessively rich. The Ed30 is unlikely to command such exclusivety, and moreso when the advertised run is exceeded by another 50%. The fact that VW have done this, 'honest mistake' or not (yeah, we all believe that :smug:), whilst attempting to give reassurance to the public over future residual values they cannot possibly control, smacks of further marketing bullsh@t and damage limitation. If they are so confident, they would guarantee the residuals above that of the standard GTI. They should, but they won't.
More availability means more opportunity and less exclusivity and that means lesser residuals.
Cass
Hi Cass, I agree with what your saying about VW and their stance on the matter, it obviously stinks that they have done this and have been able to get away with it. The reason they will not give you a guranteed value for you car is simply because they know that the overrun will have an effect on resale values. So we will have to agree to disagree about parkers etc setting the value of 2nd hand vehicles. Their information is a guide only. Which is gathered from data about car sales. Dealers will always work with percentages not guide values.
Hence it is still the market that sets the price and not the people putting the guides together. If VWsuddenly pumped another 5000 ED30's in to the UK I am quite confident that you would see the price of used ED30's (or GTi's or R32's) for that matter drop quite considerably. In every industry price is determined by both supply and demand.... the car industry is no different. :nerd:
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Fair comment :wink:
Cass
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If you have ever had any dealings with VW UK, as I have, mark my words you are wasting your time. They are a bunch of pen pushers, with no time for their customers.
As for the limited edition of the ED30, firstly who gives a f*ck. Why would anyone buy a car and worry about how much it will be worth based on how many produced? If you really really brought it based on exclusivity and not the car itself, well you have been had.
Come resale the average Joe in the street will probably believe the original press anyway, so in fact by kicking up a big fuss in the forums, it will highlight the potential situation even more.
:nerd: