Customer Care - Absolute Arrogance

[18T6]

I’d just like to make public that if you are considering buying a new vehicle that it’s not just the machine you are buying, but being part of the brand.

Without going into the details of owning a T6 from new and the minor issue but massive inconvenience and frustrations caused dealing with it , I have to say that Volkswagen assist, customer service and their representatives have been appalling beyond belief.

Even the customer care through complaint right to the top has been arrogant, “we apologise if you feel that way, but we do everything we can to make things as easy as possible” yet refusing to accept they have an unhappy customer and doing nothing to accept they didn’t make it easy - it cost me a lot of time (hours on the phone over 3 days).

Unfortunately I keep having to speak to the same arrogant customer service manager who is a big part of my complaint and the arrogance problem throughout - they say to speak with the ombudsman if I still have a problem.

To be honest it makes me feel sick to be driving around with a badge that represents such arrogance towards people and if it wasn’t for the hassle and loss I’d get rid of my lovely vehicle out of principal.

Refused to go the extra mile to ensure the vehicle was safe, and then had the cheek to say we look forward to having it in for its first service.

This is so far removed from the community and love of the aircooled community we’ve come from with our ‘79 Bay.

I can only hope someone above customer service management reads this, or puts off a potential buyer of a new Volkswagen, as either would be a good thing.

 

[Pauly]

Ok f*ck it lets have a rant day

Sorry to say i would have to agree with you.

I have had no end of problems with my local dealer and VWCC are just useless, the incompetence of my local dealer is nothing short of astonishing

They have repeatedly handed my van back to me damaged/broken and leaking oil on the floor (all things caused by them !) and when speaking to VWCC they dont give a toss !
There kind offer of a goodwill gesture was just plain insulting, wish i never bothered calling them - apparently its ok for staff to use your van to go shopping as long as they call it a 'test drive' or 'road test'

Like you wasted hours of my life dealing with them and ended up more frustrated afterwards than i was before, the community is great but VW & VAG as a whole are a just a piece of shit organisation who couldnt give a monkeys about any of their customers all they want is your money and as soon as they have it they will just fob you off and lie to you to try and save themselves a few quid here and there

There are a few members on here who never take their vans to VW for warranty work or issues and i never really got it, i now fully understand why they wouldnt want to go to a dealer or let any of their tech-shit-tions (who arent trained mechanics) anywhere near there pride and joys !
I have paid up front for a full servicing package on mine when i bought it and im now debating if i should just forget it and lose the money and use a local independent VAG garage - its sad but im not even sure i can trust them to do a simple oil change

 

[The_Lad]

Agreed i had issues with my supplying dealer, absolutely useless and not willing to rectify basic defects. luckily my local dealer is much better although they were not able to help with the paint defects caused by the supplying dealer so i ended up out of pocket for fixing that myself

 

[18T6]

Ok f*ck it lets have a rant day

Sorry to say i would have to agree with you.

I have had no end of problems with my local dealer and VWCC are just useless, the incompetence of my local dealer is nothing short of astonishing

They have repeatedly handed my van back to me damaged/broken and leaking oil on the floor (all things caused by them !) and when speaking to VWCC they dont give a toss !
There kind offer of a goodwill gesture was just plain insulting, wish i never bothered calling them - apparently its ok for staff to use your van to go shopping as long as they call it a 'test drive' or 'road test'

Like you wasted hours of my life dealing with them and ended up more frustrated afterwards than i was before, the community is great but VW & VAG as a whole are a just a piece of crap organisation who couldnt give a monkeys about any of their customers all they want is your money and as soon as they have it they will just fob you off and lie to you to try and save themselves a few quid here and there

There are a few members on here who never take their vans to VW for warranty work or issues and i never really got it, i now fully understand why they wouldnt want to go to a dealer or let any of their tech-crap-tions (who arent trained mechanics) anywhere near there pride and joys !
I have paid up front for a full servicing package on mine when i bought it and im now debating if i should just forget it and lose the money and use a local independent VAG garage - its sad but im not even sure i can trust them to do a simple oil change

You were offered a goodwill gesture?

I suggested a goodwill gesture that would have had me a smile and cost them next to nothing but they refused.

Perhaps if they want a business transaction I should send an invoice for my time on the time phone, and loss of days without a vehicle.

 

[Tourershine]

It must be a day for it today.
I got an e.mail about an hour ago about the rust spots appearing on my T6. This was because of me having to escalate it after my dealer was informed the claim was rejected because the rust is due to 'outside influences'
I requested detailed proof of how they came to this conclusion, to be told they'd inspected the spots and found 'impact damage' and this is the definative cause of the rust.

Errrr. No one has looked at my van, other than my own dealership whom themselves agreed it was rust from the inside and a valid warranty claim
Case closed (apparently)

 

[18T6]

It sounds like the pressure needs to put on the actual complaints / customer service then work down to the individual issues.

In my case I’m less than satisfied that I was dealt with by a representative that has my interested at heart. If the guy I’ve being dealing with is being paid to be a brutal protector of profits then fair enough, but if it’s customer satisfaction then he needs to be reigned in.

 

[DXX]

No names but my local VW dealership in Plymouth are probably quite good at selling vehicles but don’t seem to have a grip the servicing, warranty or aftersales.
I’ve purchased a used van with a 5 year warranty plan and a pre-paid service package in place.
When I checked in for it’s second service they were not aware of the first service being carried out - seems like a record keeping issue.
I’ve been back twice for warranty repairs which were eventually fixed, I’ve been promised twice that the warranty reports would be forwarded but nothing received despite all my chasing and more useless VW promises.
All suits and smiles I’m afraid.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Just for balance, I’ve no complaints with JCT600 in Sheffield. Even though my van isn’t the van they sold me (I bought a PV off them & had it converted) they have always taken care of it. I had the rusty door seal changed which involved a single call to VWCC & it was sorted there and then. I’ve had 2 vans off them & I’d go back for another. My only grumble is that quite often when you ring them, it goes through to a call centre, which is a pain when you need to speak to a specific person.

 

[Pauly]

No names but my local VW dealership in Plymouth are probably quite good at selling vehicles but don’t seem to have a grip the servicing, warranty or aftersales.
I’ve purchased a used van with a 5 year warranty plan and a pre-paid service package in place.
When I checked in for it’s second service they were not aware of the first service being carried out - seems like a record keeping issue.
I’ve been back twice for warranty repairs which were eventually fixed, I’ve been promised twice that the warranty reports would be forwarded but nothing received despite all my chasing and more useless VW promises.
All suits and smiles I’m afraid.

And guess who my dealer is ?? Snows = shite

 

[18T6]

Just for balance, I’ve no complaints with JCT600 in Sheffield. Even though my van isn’t the van they sold me (I bought a PV off them & had it converted) they have always taken care of it. I had the rusty door seal changed which involved a single call to VWCC & it was sorted there and then. I’ve had 2 vans off them & I’d go back for another. My only grumble is that quite often when you ring them, it goes through to a call centre, which is a pain when you need to speak to a specific person.

Sorry this isn’t relevant to my post, I’m complaining about Volkswagen as a global corporate company, not a used car dealer. Glad you got your rusty seal replaced though.

 

[Tourershine]

Sorry this isn’t relevant to my post, I’m complaining about Volkswagen as a global corporate company, not a used car dealer.

It's pretty normal for threads to represent both sides, and sometimes they even go a little off topic

 

[18T6]

It's pretty normal for threads to represent both sides, and sometimes they even go a little off topic

Yeah I know, but Interesting that Salty Spuds post tried to offer a balance, but further confirmed that it needs an independent to get good service/care.

 

[Spaghetti]

For a bit of VW balance, I called VW assist about my door lock, and had a really genuine guy turn up who is converting his own T5 so we talked campers for a bit while he worked.

After diagnosis, he travelled a 40 mile round trip to pick up the parts and replaced the door lock and battery under warranty. From the first call to him leaving was 5 hours.

 

[Volkywagen]

Had a rusty rotten roof on mine after 9 months from new, VW blatantly tried to deny any kind of fault issue with design etc even though the problem has been through the T5 (.1) and now all the T6s on the factory pop top.
It makes me froth at the lid even more that they still, after nearly 8 years refuse to rectify the problem at the point of manufacture...they must just love throwing thousands at after care warranty work - its absolutely unbelievable.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Sorry this isn’t relevant to my post, I’m complaining about Volkswagen as a global corporate company, not a used car dealer. Glad you got your rusty seal replaced though.

Hmmm! Maybe “balance” isn’t your thing. I’ve no idea where you got “used car dealer” and “independent” from. Your rant was aimed at a main dealer & VWCC. JCT600 are one of the largest VW commercial main dealer groups in the north, my experience of them has been generally positive, as have my dealings with VWCC. I apologise if my experience doesn’t match yours.

 

[Salty Spuds]

For a bit of VW balance, I called VW assist about my door lock, and had a really genuine guy turn up who is converting his own T5 so we talked campers for a bit while he worked.

After diagnosis, he travelled a 40 mile round trip to pick up the parts and replaced the door lock and battery under warranty. From the first call to him leaving was 5 hours.

I don’t think you’re allowed to post anything positive about VW in this thread, the OP doesn’t like it

 

[18T6]

For a bit of VW balance, I called VW assist about my door lock, and had a really genuine guy turn up who is converting his own T5 so we talked campers for a bit while he worked.

After diagnosis, he travelled a 40 mile round trip to pick up the parts and replaced the door lock and battery under warranty. From the first call to him leaving was 5 hours.

That’s reassuring to know they will do that for a duff door lock.

Unfortunately they were less keen to get me out of a vehicle (that was shutting itself down, leaving us stranded on the opposite side of the road) and into a loan car. Then denying the fault ever existed (5 times it did it).

A software reset probably fixed it, but I’ll never be able to prove that - but I can prove that customer service was appalling and unhelpful throughout .

 

[Spaghetti]

Far from ideal @18T6 I admit.

 

[DaveyB]

This is why I won’t go near a main dealer. Only time I ever have was for a warranty issue, then they washed it when I said don’t. Complained to customer service, got nothing more than a shrug of the shoulders and a moronic grin.

 

[Westy78]

It took me three visits to get a door lock changed. First time diagnosed the lock, second time changed their mind and said it was door alignment that was only covered by a 6month warranty and van was 1year old, vwcc wouldn’t help and quoted the 6months with no movement, independent Bodyshop confirmed lock faulty (which I knew all along) third visit lock eventually changed but trim damage.
Going in for 2 leaking sliding windows and rattling DMF next Tuesday - who knows what excuses await me