Vw Assist.

[Lord Mfwic]

Hi,

I believe that my van comes with 3 years of breakdown cover with VW Assist from new. Mine is now 2 years old (17 plate) and we are travelling to Europe in the summer.
I recall reading somewhere on this forum that you only get 2 years cover for Europe. Can anyone clarify if this is correct or not.
I've done a search of the forum and can't find the answer.
Thanks

 

[Nigel W]

May I add a question as well please - if you took out the extended 2 Year warranty when purchasing do you get 5 years cover and does that cover Europe
Thanks and sorry if I have hijacked but I did think relevant. We go in June when she will be 3 years old that month.

I have just read the handbook and it says
After Your three year period of Volkswagen’s complimentary Roadside Assistance, You can extend Your Volkswagen Roadside Assistance at specially negotiated rates for Volkswagen customers.
Nothing about the extended warranty tho’

 

[Lord Mfwic]

I've answered my own question by simply calling VW Assist. Not sure why I didn't do that in the first place but I'm going with its a Friday before a bank holiday weekend.
Anyway, The answer is yes, I am covered for 3 years in Europe.
VW assist could not answer your question @Nigel W . They said you will need to contact the dealer who extended your warranty.

Admin. As this thread has been resolved by the OP please feel free to delete at your discretion.

 

[Nigel W]

I've answered my own question by simply calling VW Assist. Not sure why I didn't do that in the first place but I'm going with its a Friday before a bank holiday weekend.
Anyway, The answer is yes, I am covered for 3 years in Europe.
VW assist could not answer your question @Nigel W . They said you will need to contact the dealer who extended your warranty.

Admin. As this thread has been resolved by the OP please feel free to delete at your discretion.

Just a little bit of information I learnt when I rang them
3 years cover only even if warranty extended
Number Plates - you are only covered under the original registration number unless you have rung Assist and got them to change on their system.
So if you have put on a personalised registration number you need to ring them and get the policy details changed.
Hope this helps someone.

 

[Lord Mfwic]

Just a little bit of information I learnt when I rang them
3 years cover only even if warranty extended
Number Plates - you are only covered under the original registration number unless you have rung Assist and got them to change on their system.
So if you have put on a personalised registration number you need to ring them and get the policy details changed.
Hope this helps someone.

Thats good to know. When I rang them they asked for my reg (which is a private plate) and they pulled up my details from that. I will however ring them and ensure they have my changed details.

 

[Nigel W]

Thats good to know. When I rang them they asked for my reg (which is a private plate) and they pulled up my details from that. I will however ring them and ensure they have my changed details.

They couldn’t find me at all from my personalised plate, I had to go and find the original plate and quote that. They then updated.
If they found you from your personal plate then I guess someone has already told them so you might be already sorted.
Have a great holiday, we go June 16th (after I have bought some breakdown cover haha)

 

[teamfly]

From very recent experience abroad, consider additional cover.

 

[Lord Mfwic]

From very recent experience abroad, consider additional cover.

I am rather concerned about how one would get home bearing in mind I'm driving my hotel full of camping kit so a small hire car would not suffice.

Would you care to elaborate ?

 

[DXX]

May I add a question as well please - if you took out the extended 2 Year warranty when purchasing do you get 5 years cover and does that cover Europe
Thanks and sorry if I have hijacked but I did think relevant. We go in June when she will be 3 years old that month.

I have just read the handbook and it says
After Your three year period of Volkswagen’s complimentary Roadside Assistance, You can extend Your Volkswagen Roadside Assistance at specially negotiated rates for Volkswagen customers.
Nothing about the extended warranty tho’

I’m in the same situation; the original purchaser took out Extended Warranty (5 years / 80K miles), however this doesn’t cover VW Roadside Assistance in UK or Europe for the extended period after the initial 3 years are up.
I’m planning on heading off to Europe soon so I checked VW Roadside Assistance prices against other roadside assistance organisations. Unless VW Roadside Assistance serves dinner while they fix your van it looks like Green Flag is a better option.
That said there are always ‘small print’ clauses and introductory offers which change like the wind so shop around.

 

[Nigel W]

I’m in the same situation; the original purchaser took out Extended Warranty (5 years / 80K miles), however this doesn’t cover VW Roadside Assistance in UK or Europe for the extended period after the initial 3 years are up.
I’m planning on heading off to Europe soon so I checked VW Roadside Assistance prices against other roadside assistance organisations. Unless VW Roadside Assistance serves dinner while they fix your van it looks like Green Flag is a better option.
That said there are always ‘small print’ clauses and introductory offers which change like the wind so shop around.

I know it’s mad, VW wanted 106, green flag 80 or I can add it onto my insurance for 55 - it’s a minefield!

 

[teamfly]

Well the small hire car would be a start..... Especially given the 7 metre caravan we were towing. And the issue we would be charged 500euros for each scratch or dent incurred - unlees we paid damage waiver of 10euros a day then only 100euros per scratch /dent. And we had to wash it ( not drive through!!) before return or that was a 100 euro charge...
I phoned them just before Perth, with a view to going to any vw dealer as we were still mobile, but they insisted we meet an AA tech, even after he phoned me and told me he could do nothing. The fact this was outside a vw van centre who refused to look at the van annoyed me a wee bit.
We made it to our campsite in Holland before becoming immobile. Phoned 0900 with tech promised in 60 to 90 mins. Phoned back after nearly 2 hours "mistake, will be another 60-90 mins" then when recovered was taken to a car centre who wouldn't touch van, further delay then off to another garage, by which time it was late Friday and van couldn't be looked at till following week.
Hire car wouldn't have pulled the skin off a rice pudding, far less caravan, 4 people and 4 bikes so told them to keep it.

Apart from that they were great.

 

[teamfly]

Apart from being a bit rude too.
I didn't like being told that I would be charged for any adblue needed at the first stage of explaining the issue and that adblue had been added. They never did charge me for it even after AA tech kept pouring it in till it was dribbling down the side of my only ever washed by me van.....
But snippy attitude of the girl on the phone didn't help a very stressful situation.

Apart from that they were good though...

 

[teamfly]

And waiting 90 mins for the taxi they arranged from the dealer fixing the van ( that had car rental) to take me to their contracted hire company, which I then left and paid my own taxi from.....

But apart from that....

 

[Lord Mfwic]

Well the small hire car would be a start..... Especially given the 7 metre caravan we were towing. And the issue we would be charged 500euros for each scratch or dent incurred - unlees we paid damage waiver of 10euros a day then only 100euros per scratch /dent. And we had to wash it ( not drive through!!) before return or that was a 100 euro charge...
I phoned them just before Perth, with a view to going to any vw dealer as we were still mobile, but they insisted we meet an AA tech, even after he phoned me and told me he could do nothing. The fact this was outside a vw van centre who refused to look at the van annoyed me a wee bit.
We made it to our campsite in Holland before becoming immobile. Phoned 0900 with tech promised in 60 to 90 mins. Phoned back after nearly 2 hours "mistake, will be another 60-90 mins" then when recovered was taken to a car centre who wouldn't touch van, further delay then off to another garage, by which time it was late Friday and van couldn't be looked at till following week.
Hire car wouldn't have pulled the skin off a rice pudding, far less caravan, 4 people and 4 bikes so told them to keep it.

Apart from that they were great.

Did they eventually fix it?
When I spoke to VW Assist today they were rather vague on what would happen if the van could not be fixed on the roadside. They said they would take it to a garage and pay for a maximum of 3 nights B&B (fair enough). I then asked what if the van required longer to be fixed and how would we all get home. The reply was we would have to travel in the breakdown truck that would transport our van back to the UK. Rather surprised by this reply I said " So my wife and I would need to make a 3 day journey from Switzerland back to the UK in a recovery truck with a random stranger for 3 days stopping of a B&B's along the way". VW assist replied "Yes". Now I have nothing against foreign breakdown recovery drivers but I have absolutely no desire to spend 3 days sitting next to one and sleeping in the same B&B and I'm sure they feel the same way about me.
I'm sure this can't be right. I would expect a replacement vehicle of similar size, granted not a camper, but something we can pack our stuff into and we drive that home, they bring back my van and take away the loan vehicle. Is that being unreasonable? bearing in mind it their faulty product/vehicle that has caused me to be in the predicament.

 

[teamfly]

You wouldn't think it unreasonable....

 

[teamfly]

Rac arrival cover through caravan and camping club with European cover or red pennant maybe, a wee bit pricey until you need it.
Realistically our vans shouldn't let us down, and my "no fault found" fault reset Could have been fixed at Carlisle in an hour, but poor service and communication from vw assist meant it wasn't and we were without the van abroad for four days after a really stressful journey. We had the caravan so wasn't bad really once on site and if things got bad we had the arrival cover.
Personally wouldn't want to be deep abroad counting on vw assist.

 

[Dilbert]

Number Plates - you are only covered under the original registration number

Surely its the same system for the 3 year warranty? We have private plates added after initial registration but the VW system recognises the van based on the reg no alone.

 

[Nigel W]

Surely its the same system for the 3 year warranty? We have private plates added after initial registration but the VW system recognises the van based on the reg no alone.

Sorry I didn’t word it very well. The vehicle is registered with assist at first registration. If you later put a private plate on and don’t tell assist the new reg number then when you ring with a problem, quoting your reg number then it comes up as no cover. All it takes is a quick call to say reg changed from x to y and they update. Just saves hassle when you really need them.

 

[Base1388]

Just a little bit of information I learnt when I rang them
3 years cover only even if warranty extended
Number Plates - you are only covered under the original registration number unless you have rung Assist and got them to change on their system.
So if you have put on a personalised registration number you need to ring them and get the policy details changed.
Hope this helps someone.

It will help me !
Awesome fella, ill ring them soon as
Many Thanks

 

[Lord Mfwic]

Sorry I didn’t word it very well. The vehicle is registered with assist at first registration. If you later put a private plate on and don’t tell assist the new reg number then when you ring with a problem, quoting your reg number then it comes up as no cover. All it takes is a quick call to say reg changed from x to y and they update. Just saves hassle when you really need them.

Good sound advice but they did find mine today off my private plate and I've never spoken to them.
I agree it's certain worth a call beforehand just to be sure as I have no idea what the original number plate was so that could be a BIG problem if I needed them and they demanded that detail.