Letter to Simon Thomas

[AAddict]

Bear, I hope you're getting a good discount - I got offered a stock M135i today, 16.5% discount straight off the bat - so you should be looking to get this minimum!!

Which dealer?

PM'd you Bill

[CraigW]

Bear, I hope you're getting a good discount - I got offered a stock M135i today, 16.5% discount straight off the bat - so you should be looking to get this minimum!!

Which dealer?

Bedford. £38k car, 16.5% over the phone. Imagine what I could get if I actually went in there....which I am 

Mark, are you jumping ship as well?

[matchboy]

Bear, I hope you're getting a good discount - I got offered a stock M135i today, 16.5% discount straight off the bat - so you should be looking to get this minimum!!

Which dealer?

Bedford. £38k car, 16.5% over the phone. Imagine what I could get if I actually went in there....which I am 

Mark, are you jumping ship as well?

I'm seriously considering it Craig, yes. It's stressing me out so much that I can't take it anymore!  I've put up with all the various delays but not building the car in BW33 when it was confirmed is the last straw. I've just said to Bill that I'm driving the Beemer in the morning - if my GTI is not built by Friday ie. 1 week I'm going to make a decision. I'm literally so f7cked off its ridiculous - one of the best things in life is buying a new car if you are lucky enough to be able to do so, and VW have completely ruined the experience for me.

[CraigW]

Well whatever you decide to do Pal I wish you all the best. Fingers crossed that you get confirmation your car's been built next week as with Bill going and now possibly yourself, this forum would be a poorer place. As you say, buying a new car should be a really exciting event and the way things have so far panned out for you and some others has been nothing short of scandalous.

Let us know how you get on tomorrow mate 

[matchboy]

Well whatever you decide to do Pal I wish you all the best. Fingers crossed that you get confirmation your car's been built next week as with Bill going and now possibly yourself, this forum would be a poorer place. As you say, buying a new car should be a really exciting event and the way things have so far panned out for you and some others has been nothing short of scandalous.

Let us know how you get on tomorrow mate 

Thanks mate! I would certainly miss the forum!

The M135i deal is such a cracker I'd be stupid to not consider it. Bottom line is if they build it this week ill stick with the GTI as I love it. If they don't ill make a decision. I'm kind of hoping the factory will get their ar7e in gear and make that decision for me  I will never ever buy a new VW though that's for sure.

[Bill_the_Bear]

Thanks mate! I would certainly miss the forum!

The M135i deal is such a cracker I'd be stupid to not consider it. Bottom line is if they build it this week ill stick with the GTI as I love it. If they don't ill make a decision. I'm kind of hoping the factory will get their ar7e in gear and make that decision for me  I will never ever buy a new VW though that's for sure.

Ah a dangerous thing to say!  I basically said this when I was on holiday last week.  I told myself if VW didn't give me a build week by the time I got back to England I'd pull the plug.  By the second to last day I'd basically had it and sent a irritated email asking why I hadn't heard anything (and in retrospect this was the moment I decided to cancel) and sure enough 5 mins later they called to say I had a confirmed BW.   

On the other hand giving them the opportunity to make the decision can help if you aren't sure because when they do make it for you (either way) if you feel annoyed you know for sure what the decision you'll be able to live with really is!

I think Gryzor may have said something like this and at the time I was in annoyed mode but he was right.

[Gryzor]

Ah a dangerous thing to say!  I basically said this when I was on holiday last week.  I told myself if VW didn't give me a build week by the time I got back to England I'd pull the plug.  By the second to last day I'd basically had it and sent a irritated email asking why I hadn't heard anything (and in retrospect this was the moment I decided to cancel) and sure enough 5 mins later they called to say I had a confirmed BW.   

On the other hand giving them the opportunity to make the decision can help if you aren't sure because when they do make it for you (either way) if you feel annoyed you know for sure what the decision you'll be able to live with really is!

I think Gryzor may have said something like this and at the time I was in annoyed mode but he was right.

Rings a bell mate, and it's a really tough call when you genuinely wanted the car (otherwise why order and wait so long?) and find yourself pushed away for whatever reasons.  But, despite what VW may or may not have done, at the end of the day day it's our own choice whether to put up with it with a healthy vent now and again, or dwell on it and let it stress us out to the point of ruining the whole experience.  In such a case, sometimes it's better to let the decision almost be forced on you, and as you say, that way you'll know for sure if it's the right one.

Ultimately they are both fantastic cars, so in many ways it's almost a petty decision, but I mean that in a good way if you see what I'm saying!

[matchboy]

Having driven the M135i this morning (a beast, so much power, it was awesome) I emailed my dealer this at lunchtime:

Hi xxxxx

Just to keep you informed I got a call from BMW yesterday with regards an M135i. They have a stock car available, which I test drove this morning. The bottom line is that they have offered me the same deal as on my GTI - same money down, same part ex and same monthly payments.

I have to say I'm not happy at all with the service I've received from VW. In terms of the way you chaps have handled things I don't have any complaints, but from VW UK and the factory itself this whole experience couldn't have been any worse.

Basically, I need confirmation that my car is being built this week.  It's all ready 2 weeks past its "confirmed" build date and that's just ridiculous. So I need you guys to call whoever you need to call to get me that confirmation please. I accepted the delays up to the point the car was given a confirmed build date as I was told that it never moves once its confirmed. But it has. This delay from the factory is unacceptable given its now 20 weeks since I ordered.  There is literally no point issuing a confirmed build week if its not going to be adhered to. The final straw is the fact that last time I spoke to VW UK they "hope" the car will be built this week (BW35) - this ambiguity is simply not good enough.

Please can you deal with this as a matter of urgency and get back to me at your earliest convenience.  Just to reiterate the BMW is clearly now a very tempting offer, especially as I could drive it away this coming week. I therefore need confirmed details from the factory so I can make my decision.

Many thanks
Mark

Suffice to say in true VW fashion I've received no response. Pathetic.

[Gryzor]

A good letter that I hope gets you an answer mate.  I'd probably like the power too, especially in a car that's not mine and on a short test drive.  But, it really isn't what I'm looking for in an everyday runner.   There's no doubting its ability to draw people away though!

[Bill_the_Bear]

When I left the BMW dealer I did wonder about the effect of cancelling on VW and why people do or do not cancel.  Obviously the answer is easy, it has no effect on VW...however I'll propose an alternate theory anyway:

I wonder if current VW customers who have already owned a GTI or GTD or Scirocco, and maybe have enjoyed these cars for some years are much more willing to wait the delays out.  These guys love the GTI, maybe are used to delays from mk6 experiences, maybe are less surprised by poor information from VW and find it easier to handle.  In contrast those of us who are considering a GTI for the first time perhaps were caught out more by the delays and service and don't have the same love of the legacy of these cars.

I'm generalising, but if the above is true on average then what effect might it have on VW?

Well in time the GTI fans will get older (sorry guys).  We see this already as the mk5 was targeted at guys in their 30s who have fond memories of mk1 or mk2 cars they could get on the cheap in their 20s.  So as these guys get older VW need the next generation to go for the GTI to keep the desirability high.  But, if first time GTI buyers are more likely to have been annoyed and cancel they may be taking a hit here.

As the mk8 and 9 come along I wonder if the ramifications of a bad launch of the mk6 and 7 might have some effect.  Who knows, but maybe... I for one have been put off, and it would be a massive uphill struggle for VW to convince me to go to them next time instead of a 3 series from the dealer that has just helped me out of this current mess.

I do hope VW takes note, but can't say I expect they will.