VW UK customer service

[Leoflavio]

No, this is not a post designed to complain bitterly about VW UK and its inability to get anything sorted. Instead I think I've finally cracked the illusive code that appears to be engineered specifically to ensure maximum unhappiness between VW owners and the official tech side.

Here it is:

VW UK have no control over the dealers. I finally discovered today (after 9 months of nothing happening) that I am not actually faced with being bounced between the dealer service centre in question (that I have the dispute with) and VW UK (that I thought was intervening on my behalf).
The fact of the matter is that the real power lies with the franchise holder. ie: The dealers head office.

VW UK finally explained to me that as they do not own the dealerships, the power to intervene in fact hovers around the people that hold the franchise. VW explains what it expects and the Franchise Holder executes according to the agreement.

So by way of example:
I have a warranty issue - my car is long past manufacterers warranty now (2 years unlimited), but it stems from that time. In my view, the dealers service department fumbled the ball. However, because the car had just gone over the 2 year limit (and was over mileage for the 3rd year - so I didn't qualify for that) the service department was obviously loath to accept their liability for poor and incorrect advice regarding repairs under warranty - fearing probably that VW UK wouldn't honour it and they would foot the not insubstantial bill.

The conundrum I faced was the service department being more and more vague and my increasingly deperate phone calls to VW UK to intervene.
My frustration levels hit about 24 on a scale of 1 to 10 and I decided that everyone involved clearly had parents that were never legally married.

What was clear to me was that on a human and personal level, the people involved were also in an awkward place. Image owning up to a fumble that could cost your dealership in excess of £6000 - hmmm, jobs are hard to find at the moment so I knew that that would be an issue for the bloke to own up to. I understood that on some level, but it was me that was going to have to potentially pay and be out of pocket when I shouldn't have to - providing I was advised and sorted out as per actual procedure.

The same thing applied to VW UK. Someone there was getting an increasingly irritated ear full and little did I know that there was diddly they could do WITHOUT the dealers service department agreeing to carry out work (but they wouldn't would they, 'cos the'd end up potentialy seriously out of pocket).

Enter the Franchise Holder. A bit like Bruce Lee, but without the yellow shell suit or the screechy moves. TODAY - more than 9 months later I finally made a break through at VW UK. The people to talk to are the ones that hold the franchise deal with VW. This meant that I could finally speak to someone that COULD actually look into thing for me with the potential to make a final decision. There was no point talking to the actual branch as they were becoming vaguer than an election promise by the day, nor VW UK as they quite simply can't do anything.

I found the HQ for that particular group, tracked down who was in charge and finally spoke to someone that LISTENED. Mind you, I had to be very clear to the receptionist that I didn't want to be put through to the branch in question as experience guarantees that I'll end up hyper flustered.

Now lets be clear on a couple of things here. I don't expect any financial contribution at this stage as too much time and mileage has passed by in the intervening months - having said that, it would be a delightful surprise if an offer is made at some point - but I don't live in expectation.

So much of the frustration that I've experienced over this last year could have been avoided COMPLETELY if only VW UK had explained right away that I wasn't forced to deal with the very same person that had a mistake to cover up (in my opinion of course). Instead I could have been refered to the Franchise Holder (usually at the groups HQ) and been chatting to someone that did give a monkeys.

I have no idea if my saga will be resolved at all, but I do know that all of you can save yourselves much head banging and hand wringing if you read the VW Matrix Code and see it for what it is. The Oracle points to the Franchise Holder - it is them that can determine outcomes.

So, in the past I have refered to dealer service departments as being staffed by people with unmarried parents and am also guilty of refering to VW UK's Customer Service Dept as the VW Customer redirection-to-another-marque-department. Its too early to withdraw those vile accusations as I am still smarting, BUT I spoke to someone today - at the Franchise Holder - that listened to me AND took my concerns seriously.

Mind you, I'm over the moon with my independant and shant be moving from them anytime soon regardless of outcome.

I trust that my post may be of some use to someone else out there and help you to get better results quicker and with less angst that I've experienced.

[Bertiec]

I had a problem with an astra the dealer said was not covered by waranty. The rear glass was not seated right and the contact for the hrs was glued on. This caused the window to leak- rotten carpets, electrical faults and a wheel well with a duck pond the result. He claim it was glass and no one covers that. After a sat morning standing with the car outside pointing the faults to people going in to veiw cars he sent the boys out. They soon realised it would not be wise to have police involvement. (it could also be that i am a six three, 20stone ex rugby forward and look a little lived in lets say.) A director was summoned and a loaner handed over. The job was done on monday plus a free valet. For all the agro I splashed it all over the internet. If they realise one custermer is lost they may think twice next time. After all dont get mad get even.