How to get rusty front wings replaced by volkswagen

[matt925]

Hi all, I posted this as a reply to someone about a similar problem with a Passat but I thought I would put in the Golf section too for people having issues with VW and their lack of co-operation on the subject. Hope it's okay to post it again as it will help other innocent VW owners out.

DO NOT GIVE UP!! Read on - you will get them replaced.

I have a Golf 1.9TDI SE 2004 Reg. (With the usual 12 year anti-corrosion warranty). So..

I went into JCT600 in Hull about my corrosion to the front two wings, sure enough the guy did an inspection and said yes it's corrosion but it's due to the wheel arch lining rubbing on it. Clearly a message about this has been sent to ALL VW staff so they're aware. Anyway, comes back and says we will only pay 70% of the replacement wings as a GOOD WILL GESTURE. To me straight away told me they knew full well they were in the wrong. Why else would they pay a penny?! They said this is also because I haven't had full VW SERVICE HISTORY - absolute rubbish - doesn't make a difference.

So, I argued for a month or so, got nowhere. Then, sent off a small claims form to the court and claimed for £1000 (as that's what the VW guy said it would roughly cost in total for the work to be done). A week later I get a call from a guy from a head office in Sheffield saying, we will cover the full replacement cost and he wanted it booked in ASAP. Clearly they knew they'd lose..

ABOUT TIME!

DO NOT GIVE UP! If it comes to it, just claim under the small claims court - send pictures of the rust along with written confirmation from VW as to "WHY THEY WON'T REPLACE THEM AT 100% COST TO THEM", and you WILL get them done for free in the end..


Anyway mines just been taken in today for them replacing. They just better get them the right colour as they are replacing and 'blending the colour with my doors'. It's an 'approved bodyshop' as apparently VW don't have their own body shops. I'll be making sure it's the exact same colour otherwise they're spraying the entire car. As mine is a burgundy/red colour and am told it will be difficult now for them to match it but at the end of the day, they will have to. Not my problem they built a car that rusts when it shouldnt.

Good luck guys, but do not give up - they are liable and will sort it out if you persist!!

Oh and insist you want a hire car too - I did. Again, they were awkward but what do they expect you to do!?

(I have even been an awkward customer who has irratated them to the max by saying I want the old wings back). I'll sell them - someone will probs buy them if an older car has had a bump and they can't afford new. Again, they weren't going to but I persisted and they are ;-) I just got sick of them fobbing me off for months.

[Teflon]

Congratulations on your success and kudos for your persistence. I'm a great fan of the small claims court. It costs peanuts and there is no comeback if you don't succeed.

I've had the forms in my hand 3 times but the very threat of submitting them has brought a result for me every time. Once was with a dealer (long story), but the sweetest was with a scumbag letting agent holding on to my son's deposit - the propsect of having to travel half the length of the country to our local court got the deposit back plus a nice compo sum for the hassle.

People should be aware that even if held to ransom by a garage or dealer and if you have to cough up to get your vehicle sorted, you can still come back later to try and recover what you paid using the SCC. It's a great tool when being fobbed off and should get a lot more use!

[mbev51]

hi
got my 55 reg done last year, no hassle they said they would pay 100%, as a goodwill gesture. I had a printout of the vw internal bulletin that tells the dealer how to deal with the problem i.e. repair or replace at no cost to customer.

[matt925]

I just can't believe the hassle I've had with them and they have still been very awkward in phone conversations. Not bothered though- the small claim proceeding kicked them into gear .

hi
got my 55 reg done last year, no hassle they said they would pay 100%, as a goodwill gesture. I had a printout of the vw internal bulletin that tells the dealer how to deal with the problem i.e. repair or replace at no cost to customer.

you're lucky- I've not come across many in the forums where they have agreed straight away to do it for free, without first wanting to argue. And I love how they call it a good will gesture. They are ridiculous an anti corrosion warranty is a warranty for the corrosion of a body work from the inside out - which is precisely what has happened on my wings. It doesn't make a difference if it is down to the linings rubbing on the metal. Hope people don't give in and pay part of it themselves as they are just taking the mick out of people.

[mbev51]

the critical thing is to have their internal bulletin document and let them know you have it and they don't have a leg to stand on as it indicates what they should do to rectify the problem. You can offer to read it out to them if they are struggling with the problem. Unfortunately I haven't got it to hand, think there was a link to it in a previous discussion on this forum.

[Buzzoff]

I got both my wings replaced (one showed small rust bubbles) so I asked for both to be replaced, I produced the VW internal documents at the time of the inspection so they knew I was not going to be fobbed off. VW paid 100% of the cost, I had a few issues with the workmanship but in the end it was all sorted, oh the colour match is very good in all light too.

[Fanx_ta_ra]

Hi all, reading this post with interest as my 2004 Golf 1.9Tdi has rust appearing on both front wings and also on the tailgate around the badge/handle. Does anyone have a link for the VW internal bulletin that has been mentioned. I have a meeting this coming Friday with the guy who deals with all warranty issues in my area and would like to go armed to the hilt with as much info as possible so that he does not have any option but to agree to repair. Great forum by the way guys.

[chody]

sorry cant seem to attach the brief dont know why

[chody]

done mate

[manicmike]

Hi,I have a 2002 Passatt Estate and live in Sheffield. Since 15th March I have been trying to get some action from VW. I am at this moment embroiled with VW customer services over corrosion on both front wings. The case relations manager at Customer Care has given me the following get out. The corrosion is due to the rubbing action of the plastic inner wing against the inside of the outer wing this he says is a mechanical action but as the car is older than 3 years the mechanical warranty is void. He went on to say that it is not covered under the12 year anti-corrosion (perforation) warranty as the outer metal wings are not part of thebodywork of the vehicle and so not included under this warrantyeither. I realy can't believe what I am hearing.
On reading the Terms and Conditions : Volkswagen UK
I can't see anything saying that the wings are excluded from it.
Will keep you posted on how things progress. manicmike