PDA

View Full Version : VW Roadside Assistance!!.....worth the money?



LuvWatch
28-08-2007, 09:59 PM
Having recently been driving a 1992 passat for about 8 years with cheap and cheerful Britannia Rescueas my Breakdown provider (never called them) :Blush:

I am now the proud owner of a 56 plate Passat estate 2.0 FSI, and the current Volkswagon Assistance runs out 27th September.

Do you think, or has someone any experience of VW Assistance? Is it worth the money? Would they be more likely to repair the car if a breakdown occurred as they would have VW dedicated mechanics with (hopefully) the spare parts.

Thanks in advance for any insight, opinions or experience :beerchug:

regards
Derek

a8 tech
28-08-2007, 10:05 PM
Good lads good service and there is a big drive by vag for first time fix and top class service

Quatrelle
29-08-2007, 12:05 PM
I was under the impression that you had permanent free VW cover if you had your VW serviced by them at the correct intervals.

iaint
29-08-2007, 02:36 PM
I was under the impression that you had permanent free VW cover if you had your VW serviced by them at the correct intervals.

Things may be different in France but I certainly had a limited membership which expired a year to the date the car was first registered. However a friend with a golf has a three year membership, he bought the car second hand and the cover was already in place and transferred to him with the car.

I assume that it is free for twelve months but with an option to extend it at the time a car is purchased, which is what the original owner of his golf may have done.

One thing I have been surprised about though, is that VW haven't even written to enquire as to whether I wanted to renew my membership.

Cheers
Iain

Ben
29-08-2007, 05:08 PM
I have vw roadside assistance.

Best money i ever spent. Your a fool if you don't get it.

Used them twice and was very glad of it.

:biggthump:bigok:

Ben
29-08-2007, 05:22 PM
this should explain why i recommend them.
http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=4028

LuvWatch
29-08-2007, 09:27 PM
Cheers guys, the feedback is much appreciated :biggthump

I think I will invest in the roadside assistance £145 for two years :approve:

Let's hope I don't need them :drive:

Regards
Derek

Ben
29-08-2007, 10:46 PM
but if you do need them you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that it was money well spent.

No one likes to have problems, but if you do, you know why we recommended them.

Quatrelle
30-08-2007, 03:55 PM
Just been checking my handbook etc. I have a small (French) brochure (can't remember if it came with the handbook, but it's not hole-punched) entitled Volkswagen Assistance. It tells me that the service is available during the 2-year guarantee, and after that I can prolong it by having the car serviced according to the schedule laid down by VW.

I managed to get a UK handbook off fleabay, and on p.16 of 'Booklet 1.1 Service schedule' it talks about 'LongLife mobility guarantee'. Is that the limited membership mentioned above by Iaint?

iaint
30-08-2007, 04:24 PM
After a quick internet search it seems things may be a little different across the channel.

The UK roadside assistance seems to be similar to breakdown cover provided by the RAC and AA which you pay for after the first year.
http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/services/assistance

But this from the VW France website for anyone who speaks French
http://www.volkswagen.fr/services/volkswagen_assistance/
seems to indicate something different altogether and it does seem to be something you get for life as long as you keep the car serviced in accordance with VW's guidelines.

(To view the French site in English you need to type "Volkswagen assistance France" into google.co.uk and hit the translate this page button, I can't get the link to the translation to work.)

I wonder why there is such a difference between the two countries.

Cheers
Iain

Quatrelle
30-08-2007, 04:48 PM
How does the UK 'LongLife mobility guarantee' I mentioned above come into this? How long are VWs guaranteed for in the UK (more than a year?) and if so, I'm surprised that the assistance doesn't last for more than a year.

iaint
31-08-2007, 08:13 AM
I may be completely wrong here, in which case I stand to be corrected.

VW assistance in the UK seems to be very similar to breakdown cover provided by companies such as the AA and the RAC, in that in the event of a breakdown they will come and either get you going, or tow you to a garage at any time of the day or night. I expect they would also recover your car in the event of an accident whoever was at fault. Not all car manufacturers offer this service in the UK.

The benefits would appear to be you get VW technicians as opposed to technicians more used to working on other makes of car, and a greater chance of them carrying the part you need to get you going.

The downside would appear to be the cost. £145 for two years cover quoted above, whereas I have RAC cover for both myself and my wife for £65 a year.

Now if my car was to fail to start tomorrow morning because of something which was covered under warranty (which incidently Quatrelle is 3 years or 60,000 miles whichever comes first), I would expect to be able to phone VW and have them come and sort my car out during normal working hours, with or without VW assistance membership, as it would be a warranty problem. Having read the VW France description of VW assistance, I suspect that this is the cover you have in France.

What I can't expect however is for them to come to me at midnight on the motorway to tow me home, or come out because of a non warranty issue such as a flat battery because I'd left my lights on.

Have I understood VW assistance correctly?

Cheers
Iain

Quatrelle
31-08-2007, 05:52 PM
Iain - I'm not sure whether it's valid doing comparisons because it's obviously different here. My guarantee is for 2 years only, but with no mention of mileage.

However, the VW Assistance brochure definitely states 24/24, 7/7 at no cost, in 29 European countries.

I'm fairly confident of my French on this, but next time I see a French friend of mine who is a translator I'll get him to run through it.

Unfortunately I was unaware of the comprehensiveness of VW's cover when I insured the car, and paid to have recovery included in the premium - something all French insurers offer. Shan't bother at renewal though!

John