Delivery delays???

[Moosevan]

Hi all,

Hope someone can shed light...

We currently run a T5 Caravelle Executive for our son through Motability. After several years of trying to get the dealer(s) to accept random canbus/electrical issues (most significantly repeated failure of electric sliders), the vehicle was due to be changed back in September. Unfortunately, VW , in their infinite wisdom, decided to build as White LWB MANUAL Shuttle when one with an AUTOMATIC had been ordered! Paperwork read Automatic on EVERY copy, including delivery docs - shame it had a 6-speed stickshift. How can you forget to put an Auto box in and suddenly find you've stuck a manual one in instead?

Back to Conversion company, re-order, told it would be an "express build" and would be fast tracked as it had been VW's mistake! Mistake?

This took from 9th Sept to 6th Nov!

Now delivered to the UK and due to be 'in build' at the converters around 12th November. I call yesterday (19/12/17) for an update to be told: "sorry sir, your van is finished, but we can't register it, we've just had a message from VW."

Naturally, I query what is going on, to be told that VW have put a 'STOP' on all T6 Caravelles being taxed/delivered as they " haven't been correctly registered with the Authorities." OK, Dieselgate and now not being registered correctly - what the heck is going on with VW? Why aren't they being honest about it? Scared of negative publicity? I wonder...?

This apparently means delivery will be delayed into the middle of January 2018!

Does anyone have any idea what is going on?

Yours,

A very confused (& not very happy) Moose.

 

[CaliStu]

Order delays to come?

 

[Moosevan]

Bu33er!

Spoke to Motability today & their specialist team said they were being 'drip fed' & that there had been a slight delay, but not what it was. Thanks for the link, I'll pass it on to Motability tomorrow - apparently they have 86 T6's which have just been stopped from delivery today - and NOTHING to tell clients!

 

[Loz]

Would they be prepared to move it to the converter on trade plates in the mean time and register it for you after the conversion?

 

[Moosevan]

Oh, I wish!

Nope, been told today that the best I can expect is mid January & that Motability Operations hadn't been warned of any delays until this afternoon (embargo placed yesterday) Impressive PR, eh?

Leaves us with a T5 with huge random electrical issues - including, but not limited to: random operation (or not) of both electric sliders, jamming of the sliders in part-open or part-closed position, continuing to close onto passenger when 'touch sensor' doesn't register blockage, throttle either 'bogging down' on acceleration out of a junction then (randomly) going 'full-bore' to massive wheelspin & driveshaft tramp, lazy restart on Bluemotion engine cut out (almost been tail shunted 6x in the last month alone due to slow restart!) & as for the fuel economy - how many "Software Updates" does it take to really mess it up - gutless wonder!

Am I impressed? Hmmm.

Am I a rookie? Not really. Not an expert by any means, but we've run Dodge & Chevy custom vans for 20+ years & in the middle of a full on resto of a G20 with a 350 V8 which we've owned since '96.

I should be able to expect better in respect of a vehicle costing almost £40k new.

Maybe I'm just a grumpy old git whose tolerance for BS & lies is less than zero now...

 

[DaveyB]

Well that really is a bag of poo. Sounds like you have a horrific van. Why you even thinking of getting another? I don’t know why we are surprised that VW can/ are/ would behave like this after dieselgate. They don’t care, they face millions in U.S litigation, does it change their ways or bring them to their knees. Nope.
I love my van, but would I have one with a Euro6 Diesel engine. Nope.
Who loses out, us the customer. I also wonder what this does for the residuals? Does anyone know yet whether this is just Eu6 or does it transcend to the Eu5 as well.

 

[Moosevan]

Sorry, hadn't made myself clear

We had no choice as to replacement vehicle through Motability. The options which can cater for our son's needs (seating layout for equipment needed ) are either VW Carvelle SE or Exec 2 - 2 - 2 seating, not benches!

OR, at vastly greater cost, Mercedes Vito LWB. Unfortunately, the Vito has a lower seat top to roof height than the VW, meaning the specialist seat won't fit.

The Transit MAY have worked, with an aftermarket 2 - 2 - 2 seating configuration, but the Auto only came out after we had placed the order for our 'new' van.

PLUS, the residuals for VW are way higher than for any other converted van (I wonder where this will go in the future as a result of the 'scandals'?)

Also, for Loz... The van is already at the converter's & all conversion work was completed yesterday, which was when I was told there was a stop from VW. Hence my grumbles.

As far as customer relations, Motability is the single biggest purchaser of VW Shuttle/Caravelle in the UK. For VW to keep this from them is unforgivable, considering their client base! IMHO.

 

[DaveyB]

Oh I see. Even more of a PITA then when there is such little alternative options that can cater for you your needs.
What really worries me about all of this is what VW will do to make the engine comply. I know a few folk who were affected by dieselgate, and the software upgrade completely turned their cars into gutless barely driveable lemons.

 

[Moosevan]

Davey, that is exactly what happened with our T5. Went in for a routine service (reasonably brisk & economical 140 BHP turbo) and came out absolutely gutless & drinking fuel! I reckon we lost almost 10mpg.

When I challenged the dealer's service manager, I was told there had been a "software upgrade" & that I was imagining any loss of power/performance. Yeah, right!

I'm sure this is behind the throttle lag when pulling out of junctions - almost like driving an early 80's turbo car where the snail is fitted at the bottom of the downpipe!

I think I should paint this one bright yellow before it goes back! I just pity the poor sod who ends up buying it in good faith

 

[former member]

Your T5 reminds me of our 2012 180 California; a ridiculously long list of issues.
VW certainly isn’t handling this latest issue well at all. Hope you get it soon; despite some of what you read on here, I reckon the T6 is a far better van overall.

 

[Moosevan]

Update as of today. NOT looking good!

Emissions problem forces Volkswagen to halt production of California, Caravelle, shuttle and window van

 

[Deleted Member]

Feel sorry for you guys and your position, not what you want to hear.

I've had a load of panel vans delivered just before Christmas, the dealer didn't mention my own Kombi was going to be delayed (due April), but this article says otherwise.

 

[Moosevan]

Having had a chat with the Editor at Honest John, apparently VW customer service team have asked to get in touch with me to explain where our van is in the system. I already know where it is! It's sitting in the yard at the WAV conversion company along with 15 other customers vehicles
At what point do businesses go under financially with this amount of stock sitting and unpaid for - especially as most have lifts, hand controls, dropped floors etc which have all had to be bought in and installed.

I have NO issue with the conversion company. Indeed, they have my sympathy as they're being kept in the dark too - as are dealers. As for VW getting this wrong after dieselgate and being so flaming secretive... I'm furious!
I wonder how badly detuned the T6 will be to pass the new NOx levels?

 

[SofaKing]

It seems like a technical measure is needed, but all t6 are sold to comply with euro6. So, what about the other ones already on the road?

 

[rod_vw]

See this thread on the California forum ** Important News: New Vehicle Registrations on Hold

It seems that the embargo of registering vehicles only applies to M1 variants, i.e. passenger carrying capability BUT not a Kombi which is N1. Look at your V5 for the M1 or N1 variant.

No deliveries of M1 types now expected before March at the earliest?

Rod

 

[Moosevan]

Update info time...

Following the article from Honest John last week:

Emissions problem forces Volkswagen to halt production of California, Caravelle, shuttle and window van

No-one at VW seems to know (or want to share) how long this could take to resolve, or what may need to be done to enable existing T6 M1 vehicles to become compliant with the relevant NO x emissions standards. Another software update (detune) on the way? Will the vehicle you bought actually still be the vehicle you saw in the showroom and wanted?

This issue could be running into mid-February & some sources apparently allegedly even think mid-March. Not good.

Reuters article below:

VW says halts multivan deliveries amid emissions 'uncertainties'

 

[Deleted Member]

My VW commercial rep was in yesterday, he says they simply haven't been told anything at all. They are as uninformed as the rest of us.
He said they have 2 Cali's sat waiting to go out, the customers have waited the best part of 12 months for delivery and now the rep has to try and explain why they can't have them.

 

[SofaKing]

I guess the engineers need to come up with a solution that need to be tested and verfied first...

Another guess is a recall on delivered vans like the ea189- dieselgate

 

[Blitz]

Picked up my van today from the dealership. Big VW comercial group and the sales guy knew nothing about the delays. He googled it to check and found the articles. I’m sure he genuinely didn’t know and had no reason to be evasive with me anyway

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Bit of a concern. My Shuttles due a service shortly around its second birthday in February. Had planned on main dealer for warranty reasons. Think I'll maybe put it in early before VW get chance to come up with a software fix/farce and potentially ruin it's current characteristics.

I wonder what's different with respect to the M1 and N1 engines?