VW Commercial - Possibly the worst dealer network?

[andrewjh009]

Maybe it is just me or bad luck but the past two weeks I have tried contacting my dealer about outstanding niggles on my new 2015 Cali, when ever I call up the service department is busy and they take down my number and I am told someone will call me back, but nobody ever calls.

So far I am up to 6 calls without a reply

I contacted VWCS on Tuesday and was promised a call back by 5pm - guess what, no phone call back.

I called them again on Wednesday and was again promised a call back - no call

Amonngst this I have also emailed and am at my wits end.

Is this normal from VW Commercial? I have owned BMW's before and there customer care is second to none, maybe it is be because these are just vans?

 

[jts46]

Yes this is normal

John

 

[GrannyJen]

Yes it is normal

 

[briwy]

Agreed.
what is cracking vehicle is let down by the service
Im now sitiing in the dealer waiting for someone to look at our awning problem where the seam has come undone
round trip of seventy miles when I have explained the problem and offer to email pictures.
three visits earlier this year to sort out a simple seat problem.
makes me wonder about getting an older van whjch I can sort out myself like my mgb and midget

 

[MadMechanic]

Sad to say this is so true, right the way through from Sales to service.

When we were looking for a Cali with £50k burning a hole in our pockets not one dealer returned our calls, we have now lost our van for most of the summer holidays due to a fault with the roof that they can't get parts for, we never get any updates or anything from the dealer.

I have owned may cars in my life and although they are all bad, VW Commercial is by far the worst, we are now also looking at the Marco Polo

 

[DavidApp]

This is sad, when you consider the investment we are putting in. I have just come from an Audi car to a California and the difference in customer care is light years apart. I have had to go from a 6 mile journey to a 19 mile journey to a van centre simply because the one in Birmingham didn't even pick up the phone and when they did I may as well have been talking to the cats, no clue and no interest. Luckily when I went to Coventry they were more helpful.

These are not commercial vans, they are expensive luxury vehicles and the customers should be treated accordingly.

 

[MadMechanic]

Does anyone know someone high up at VW? Maybe they could be emailed the link to this thread as I think it will be ongoing for a long time.

 

[MattBW]

When I started looking for a Cali, I enquired online and left a message at the dealers. The first contact I had was from a Customer Service Manager asking how my experience was. I pointed out that her contact was the first I had had.

Still took them a week to get a call. When I was onsite however the dealer spent at least 90 minutes with me and the same again when I picked up the Cali. Maybe that's why they are so hard to get hold of?

 

[X28art]

What about the roof corrosion fiasco, nearly two years on the list to have repairs done and no email updates or phone calls from anyone, permanantly left in the dark.
The Cali is still a great vehicle but when it goes wrong you need to be prepared for many weeks of stress!

 

[DavidApp]

Yes, an 18 month waiting list. I am not sure what the profit mark-up is on these vehicles but it seems the repair infrastructure for this issue is severely under resourced.

 

[timber]

My 2013 has done just over 18.000 miles and has been serviced by Listers of Coventry. Won't go anywhere else although it's a round trip of 110 miles. This is my second Cali that has been serviced by Listers.
I have driven and owned Caterpillar bulldozers 14 foot blades on them large trucks, and various heavy plant and forestry machines . and even driven a tank transporter through Stamford a long while ago.
However the Cali is the best and most enjoyable to drive of any of them.
Hope , Granny Jen that you get it sorted soon
Oh! I forgot to sat my avatar is a little Ferrari tractor that I used to own The roller on the front of it ,I put on so that it would go up steep banks as the front end did hang over rather a lot and tended to dig the front bonnet
into the ground

 

[snowy55]

All the dealers I have dealt with are useless apart from Steve Mann at SMG.

 

[Shaun]

I would agree wholeheartedly , compared with Mercedes Audi and even Landrover they are useless
I too am still awaiting a call back from yesterday morning(VWCS) which I'm sure won't happen if past experience is anything to go by.

 

[GrannyJen]

I have our BMW in for service next week. I defected to BMW four years ago after RangeRover decided that they really did not want to sell me a new Evoque. Instead I opted for an X3 in the drive.

It's only a routine three year service for my Sister's 120D. I've had two phone calls from the service department, one to say was there any particular concerns and that they will offer an end of warranty check at the same time and another to ask if I wanted an MOT doing as I am by one day within a month to when it's due.

Nice coffee, a guaranteed wait time in pleasant surroundings, attention to detail and a willingness to offer good service.

If only BMW made campers

 

[treecity]

Re BMW and Mercedes Benz... my experience has not been great.

We ordered a new B class with electric memory front seats. After a week of driving the car we realising only the driver seat was electric with memory. Back to dealer to be told they forgot to tell us when they handed the car over. It transpired that MB didn't have the parts in the factory so they gave us one electric seat! After a lot of complaining we got some compensation but it was very painful.

Aftersales was worse... my wife was 36 weeks pregnant and we were off on holiday to Cornwall with 2 dogs in car as well. The car just stopped on us when we started the journey. Turned it on and off and it started again so I drove to the dealer we bought it from. It was a day of almost tropical storms as well! Told dealer the issue and that we were about to start a 6 hour drive on holiday, wife pregnant etc... they said they couldn't look at it as they were too busy and that we'd have to book it in! We ended up just going for it and it eventually broke down on us the following day at the cottage we were staying in. Recovery etc was fine but I will never forget being turned away from our local dealer!

BMW... where do I start! Clutch judder, known fault, back and forth to dealer. Eventually, again after kicking up a stink, service guy takes my car home to see if he can replicate the problem. He does and admits it over the phone to me. He than later denies it as BMW refuse to change the clutch. I complained to the highest level and had a full scale row with the Dealer Principal, to the point where he said they would ban me from their dealership if I complained too much!

There's more scenarios with BMW and MB so, in summary, they are all the same! Comes down to individuals.

 

[MadMechanic]

+1 for BMW and Mercedes who both have same approach be it a £20k low spec model or a top of the range 7 series or S class.

We used to get a courtesy phone call before our service, a nice clean courtesy car, tea and coffee served in waiting area along with daily papers. Two days after the service we would get another courtesy phone to check on our experience.

Both my BMW and Merc were worth £30k less than my Cali before people say they can't be compared!

My VW commercial dealer stick me in a room with a coffee machine that needs a degree to work out to use and magazines from 2009, if I decide to have a courtesy car I get a Caddy with no fuel in it and the remains of the last persons packed lunch in the glove box.

VW need to either have special dealers for the California or move it to the car network, we spend a lot of money and expect a better service

 

[GrannyJen]

My VW commercial dealer stick me in a room with a coffee machine that needs a degree to work out to use and magazines from 2009,

Lucky you!

I got stuck with a vintage copy of the Caravan Club magazine

 

[snowy55]

What about the launch of the T6, total shambles.
Rearrange the following into a well known phrase or expression.

wee wee up brewery in a organise couldn't a.

And it's an "International Premier" brand.

 

[philrich99]

We haven't had many problems with our 2014 California, but have found Breeze Van Centre in Totton to be very helpful on the 3 occasions it has needed work. They collected it from our home, called to explain what they had done & delivered it back once the work had been completed. They also follow up with a call to make sure we are happy with work & service.

 

[SusiBus]

Subsequent to our previous meetings with VW over the roof corrosion issue, I have today spoken to our contact at VW HQ with regard to:

1. VW customer dissatisfaction issues

2. Lack of promised information on the T6.

We know that VW have previously monitored this forum, and I suggested it might be beneficial for them to do so again.

My contact was in a meeting when I rang, but she rang back promptly and said she would look into the two issues. Call me naive, but I think it might have given them a wakeup call and I do think as a senior member of the VW team she was concerned.

 

[GrannyJen]

Subsequent to our previous meetings with VW over the roof corrosion issue, I have today spoken to our contact at VW HQ with regard to:

1. VW customer dissatisfaction issues

2. Lack of promised information on the T6.

We know that VW have previously monitored this forum, and I suggested it might be beneficial for them to do so again.

My contact was in a meeting when I rang, but she rang back promptly and said she would look into the two issues. Call me naive, but I think it might have given them a wakeup call and I do think as a senior member of the VW team she was concerned.

I wonder if she has heard of a firm of nationwide Solicitors called Slater-Gordon.

They are specialists in consumer litigation.

If she hasn't heard of them she might have done by close of play tonight.

 

[Taglish]

Suggest you all take your Cali's to Lister's in Coventry, you may have to call back a couple of times, however the techies know what they are doing and sales are responsive

 

[jts46]

Subsequent to our previous meetings with VW over the roof corrosion issue, I have today spoken to our contact at VW HQ with regard to:

1. VW customer dissatisfaction issues

2. Lack of promised information on the T6.

We know that VW have previously monitored this forum, and I suggested it might be beneficial for them to do so again.

My contact was in a meeting when I rang, but she rang back promptly and said she would look into the two issues. Call me naive, but I think it might have given them a wakeup call and I do think as a senior member of the VW team she was concerned.

Not concerned enough about 6+ years cali's they won't repair.

John

 

[Meoncoast]

I know some have had issues with Breeze in the past. In my 3 years of VW ownership
I can only say I have had 1st class service from Breeze Totton van centre and can't fault them.
Including communications, work carried out,fitting work in respect to our van, (not treated as if it is just a builders van) lift into town or home on offer, or loan van or van picked up from home .Even with my recent "stuck down bed issue" I was taken into the work shop met the mechanic who worked on the seat and showed me the part that failed
I am the first to say if I am not happy or the service is poor but will also say when I am happy with service offered.
VW HQ contact has been good appart from roof which the department dealing with were slow to respond and reply. I reckon working in the roof issue department must be one of the worse places to work in VW.

 

[WelshGas]

So she should be. At the rate they are going Watchdog will be doing a special on them before long, VW and their Dealer Network.