[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference terri::cars_uk

Title:Cars in the UK
Notice:Please read new conference charter 1.70
Moderator:COMICS::SHELLEYELD
Created:Sun Mar 06 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2584
Total number of notes:63384

2171.0. "Quality.....VW Golf certainly ain't!" by MKTING::WILSON () Mon Nov 01 1993 19:25

I wonder if anyone can beat this for an experience.......

Bought a new VW Golf on 1st Aug. Car had major paint defect and was
returned to local dealer. 10 days later new replacemnt car delivered with
paint fault on n/s door. Again told dealer that I was not happy, but as it was
the door this time, a door from another new donor car would do. This was
agreed, but I would have to wait until a new car in  same colour was ordered....
fine I said. 8 weeks passed until a new car was ordered in the shade. Unfortunately
the shading was not quite right and the door could not be used.

A few weeks ago the drivers door had to be replaced due to an minor accident.
the local VAG dealer has manged to totally botch-up the repair. The RAC inspected
the whole car a few days ago and gave it the thumbs down! They suggest that the
repair be done elsewhere and the car replaced by VAG. I've had it down to another 
repairer for an estimate.My insurance company are now involved too, further 
complicating matters! I showed the report to the manager of the repairer, who hung 
his head in disbelief. 

I currently have a new VW with two unsightly doors, and the dealer and VAG
in Milton Keynes are discussing a THIRD car for me in as many months. My
solicitor is also taking to to them both with regards to the sale of goods
and services acts!

With all the time off the road, the worry and poor service that I've had, I now
realise why VW sales are declining! All the marketing rubbish is not to be
believed

My satisfaction level is zero right now, and even if they give me another car, 
I doubt that I'll buy VW again.

I am sure that I've just been unlucky and many people are happy with VW's. 

I'll provide an update to this on-going saga in due course.

John.  
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
2171.1Paint and quality problemsHLFS00::HAANS_EC-YA AGAIN ... ON MY WAY BACKFri Nov 05 1993 01:5832
    This is about a april '92 VR6
    
    I also had problems with the quality of the paint (Water based ECO
    stuff..). Specially the front of the car was not so fine, some dust
    particels and not so smooth sprayed. But I had no confidence in
    better paint job from the dealer or so and since it is a lease 
    I let them buy of the repaint job. (I also know that the front
    of the car gets worse every mile you drive so....)
    
    Then the worse thing happened, sombody drove into my door.
    New door and repaint of left side of the car done by a 'special'
    assigned repair place with a contract with the lease company.
    
    Picked it up after a week: found a little dent in the new door,
    dust particles onder the paint and a scratch on the C-pillar,
    also not right mounted 'wing extenders?'.  Took the car for the
    weekend and left it again for three days. 
    Now they still fitted the inside of the door wrong and the window
    didn't run smooth, did bring this to my VW dealer.
    Found after a few days that there where finger prints underneath
    the outer clear paint layer, They had it again for three days...
    This time also the paint wasn't as super smooth anymore so it fitted
    better with the quality of the rest of the paint...
    
    Where it al comes down to: People just don't care anymore in the work
    they do, they don't check it and are to easyally satisfied !!
    And no matter which garage/shop/etc you go to, or which brand you buy
    the trouble is the same anywhere.
    
    (Sometimes I get a little tired of it !)
    
    Erik. 
2171.2Jap is better for me!WARNUT::2H0533::Tim_BanksStealth Marketting :-)Wed Nov 10 1993 19:0110
I have had two VWs, a Golf and a Passat, they both had problems but not with 
paint, my experience was with switch gear and speedos failing, plus rough 
running engines.  I think VW quality is over rated, I find the two Japanese 
cars I have to be superior in quality and reliability terms, though not 
perhaps as good in styling and design features.  In terms of worry free 
motoring they are hard to beat!

	Tim
		(BTW one is my lease car, the other is my wifes car though 
technicaly I own it!)
2171.3They've been good for meNEWOA::FIDO_TConation is the keyWed Nov 10 1993 19:189
>I think VW quality is over rated
    
    I know that it's all down to personal experience, but we have had
    absolutely no trouble whatsoever with our VW cars ( 3 Golf GTis and 1
    Golf CL ) despite the high mileage we do ( approx 28,000 miles/year/car ).
    
    Terry
    
    
2171.4TASTY::JEFFERYChildren need to learn about X in schoolThu Nov 11 1993 10:404
> our VW cars ( 3 Golf GTis and 1 Golf CL ) despite the high mileage we do
> ( approx 28,000 miles/year/car ).

Sounds like an impressive fleet!
2171.5WELSWS::HEDLEYLager LoutThu Nov 11 1993 12:1514
>I think VW quality is over rated...

I think they're pretty good mechanically, I used to have a Polo mk.2
which managed to survive over 50000 miles of my driving, which is a
pretty impressive feat for any car!  The bodywork was also pretty good,
surviving a number of scrapes with minor damage (not caused by me, honest!)

Unfortunately, the car was let down by the interior fittings, which
seemed a bit tacky and liable to break constantly, those that actually
worked in the first place; there were endless problems with seatbelts,
switches, locks and wiring.  I wouldn't buy another one (although if
I could afford a Corrado I might be tempted...)

Chris.
2171.6Write direct to VAGEBYGUM::WILLOUGHBYDThe man with no personal nameTue Dec 07 1993 13:1323
I had a minor but niggling problem with a 16V Golf a couple of years ago.
One of the speaker blew just after I got it. The local dealer said they'd 
order one. After about six months and numerous excuses later (including a gem 
about a parts shortage cuased by increased demand for Golfs in the eastern 
block), I finally decided to write directly to VAG. Within two days I had a call 
from the customer services manager apologising for the problem, a call from their 
engineer explaining that they had managed to locate another dealer with the part
and had arranged to ship it to the local dealer, and a call from the local 
dealer to arrange a time to have it fitted.

Interestingly enough, the next time I took it in for a service, there were a 
couple of new faces in the dealers, and there appeared to be a much more 
professional air about the place. I could help wondering if VAG were following
up a number of complaints and had sent the hachet man in.

So the best answer, if your dealer isn't giving you satisfaction, is to bypass 
them altogether and write direct to VAG.

Dave.

BTW My speaker broke several times after that, and I came to the conclusion it 
was either a wiring short or a dodgy radio, but the garage said they couldn't
find anything wrong.
2171.7PEKING::GERRYTFri Dec 24 1993 17:238
    My Dad got a 1993 Golf 1.8.
    
    The brake-fluid reservoir has cracked and had to be replaced!
    First time the VW Garage said they had ever experienced such a fault.
    
    My old Passat is still going strong.....10 years old.
    
    Tim
2171.8GTi ElectronicsMACNAS::BMULQUEENWed Jan 05 1994 12:4111
2171.9OASS::STDBKR::Burden_dSynchromesh gearboxes are for wimpsThu Jan 06 1994 19:048
Check the ground strap on the battery.  On the Mk I Golfs there was a 
problem with a faulty ground.  A simple fix was to run a wire from the 
negative terminal on the battery directly to the engine block (using one of 
the bolts holding the tranny to the engine as the ground point). 

This might help solve your problem.

Dave