It pays to be nice !!!!!

[Gaz_2005_Passat]

I took my 55 plate passat into the dealer today about the whining noise when I change gear., and absolute loss of power.

I have had this car 2500 mile and its been in the dealer 5 times since mid february and everytime I take it in, I smile and tell the service receptionist every car has its teething problems, and once the #y are sorted then I am a happy bunny!

However, with my milage being 56k and so close to being out of warranty I expected to be shafted today as I knew the noise was the flywheel.

Oh yes, the famous VW duallmass flyheel.

Many dealers put any issues to do with the gearbox area down to wear and tear, especially when so many miles have been done.

However, I was phoned at 3pm to be told that I would not be getting my car back until the next morning as the clutch, flywheel and thrust bearings were all defective, I said "no problem, if its broke lets fix it!"

I then asked the receptionist how much it was all going to cost me, grimmacing at the thought, she come back and said "Seeing you have been back and forth with problems, and you have always been ok regarding the problems with the car we are going to cover it under dealer warranty for you sir!"

You could have knocked me down with a feather!!!

So, it pays to be nice to the dealer, dont go in the dealership with the wrong attitude they are ony human after all!!

[Stuart W]

The clutch on my old Mondeo taxi was untouched when I got rid of it at 233,000 miles, so I'd be furious if I had to shell out cash on the Passat at less than 60,000.

My brother-in-law bought my Mondeo and the clutch lasted until 280,000. It was replaced, but a week or two later the engine went belly up. Bye bye Mondeo, new clutch a complete waste of money :aargh4:

Nice to see that you've had a happy experience Gazz, but it's perhaps saying something that your clutch etc has went belly up at a relatively low mileage but you can still come out of it smiling:dunno:

[james_tiger_woo]

I agree with you - I'm on first name terms with the Service manager as I'm there about twice a month for one reason or another (currently the ol' suspension creaking).

When my car was keyed a while back, I was worried about what it might cost - however at the time my car was back in the dealership to get a dent sorted (that was pointed out to me by the salesman (my GF's step brother)) and they just did the scratches without any issue and didn't charge me.

I even get decent courtesy cars (almost always a Passat) and the dealership are nothing but helpful. I'm nice to them, they're nice to me and the treatment I get is head and shoulders above any treatment I've had anywhere, including Audi, BMW, Ford, Fiat, etc.

Be nice - it helps. But be angry nicely. :D

[Gaz_2005_Passat]

Wow 200,000 mile on clutch, thats a taxi drivers fantasy lol.

Dealers work on a 'be friendly and we will reciprocate' basis I think, its all about the customers attitude.

I too had the creaky suspension, it was the bushes on the suspension. The dealer told me that the first fitted busheswerent worth a scoot, where as the after market ones are superb. They were all replaced under warranty, cheers VW :beerchug:

[PNS2007]

I'm in agreement, I visit two local VW dealers and had very good service and discount when I'm cheeky enough to ask for it. They have also loaned me some nice cars as courtesy cars, last time a tiguan (very nice).

My wife has a peugeot (from another dealer) and the ECU went on it and although the garage had the car for a week, each day telling me it would be ready the next, I smiled and was nice to the service guys, in the end it was fixed and they limited the bill to what parts I had (with discount) and didn't charge me for all the hours they had spent spent on it.

Mind you, I'm the same at work, I'll bend over backwards :D to help those who appreciate it, yet those who get funny don't get my full potential!!!!