VW Test Drive - failed at the first hurdle

[Mr E]

Mrs E fancies either a Passat Estate or Touran - she's kicking off a new business around wedding cakes, catering, and various Jamaican sauces and marinades and needs a bit more space together with ease of loading but doesn't want a third vehicle.

So she asks for a test drive via the web site. They leave a message, and it's taken 3 attempts to get them to call back. When they did, she wasn't around so they spoke with me. Essentially they were not interested in arranging a test drive, and the girl on the phone was spouting on about new engines, facelifts, etc. I said that we want to either put or take off the cars from her shortlist.

Following a frustrating 10 mins, I was told to contact my local dealer (which actually isn't my nearest dealer, but hey-ho) directly. I said that they had removed themselves from our shortlist.

I've not had pants treatment for a while, so am a bit peeved. As I'm in a moaning mood I'd like to let them know how they lost a customer at stage 1. Interestingly, the web site says that they cannot respond to emails, and I'm not going to waste a stamp on it. Anyone have an email address for them?

 

[recycled]

Maybe they want you to buy without driving first.
Amazing some people still do that.

 

[Dieselman]

Try starting here:


01628 604 254

Volkswagen UK.

YEOMANS DRIVE
BLAKELANDS
MILTON KEYNES
MK145AN

 

[GrahamC230K]

Just phone or visit the dealer who is closest to you and make correct arrangements and be done with making a fuss!

 

[Dieselman]

I'm inclined to agree with that. I would have thought you would want to visit the local dealer anyway to look at all the models.

 

[BTB 500]

I wasn't able to drive a Sharan V6 4Motion before ordering one; as a very niche model (99% of sales were the 1.9 TDI) there simply weren't any demonstrators. Nearest I got was a used 1.8T petrol.

 

[Mr E]

What riles me is that they wanted to talk me out of a test drive. As it happens, it's particularly inconvenient to go to a VW dealership which is why Mrs E wanted to arrange it on the web site. Everyone else she's contacted has arranged it directly with themselves, or through the dealer who has / will be bringing it to our house.

Is it a daft attitude to want decent service from an organisation, or am i getting too old and crochety for this life?

PS - Mrs E will be the one pushing to make a fuss, should have heard her yesterday going off at an airline! At least she got the result that she should have done in the first place (no other option unfortunately)...

 

[Brett]

We went down to our nearest dealer. They had a 1.9TD and a 2.0TD Touran on the forecourt. We test drove both and left with the 2.0TD! Get down to your local dealer - mine couldn't have been more helpful.

 

[Mr E]

I wasn't able to drive a Sharan V6 4Motion before ordering one; as a very niche model (99% of sales were the 1.9 TDI) there simply weren't any demonstrators. Nearest I got was a used 1.8T petrol.

She was not specific - a Touran and a Passat Estate of any description. Once size and such was ticked off (which for what she wants it for can't really be checked in a showroom) then she'd have looked at spec, etc.

Personally if I can't get to try out what I want, I wouldn't buy it. With my Omega, I was gigging every weekend and wanted to check out that I could get the PA and my gear into the back - no prob, have it for the weekend (exact spec that I wanted). Same with the Benz - I wanted a E220 CDi Auto Avantgarde and that's what I got.

Having worked within/on the edge of the industry I can say with hand on heart that I've never seen a demo fleet that doesn't carry all the available base platforms - including VW, Vx, MB, Ford, BMW, etc. I have heard of dealers who can't be bothered to get them in tho. Hence why I'm peeved.

 

[Rory]

You hear so many terrible, terrible stories about VW dealer customer service that I'd be very nervous. There's apparently absolutely no back up from VW UK if you have problems either.

If it's this hard to buy the car, imagine what it's going to be like if there's a problem after purchase.

 

[Mr E]

It gets worse - having just told Mrs E what happened, she tells me that VW actually sent her an email initially, which is how the whole saga started.

Grrrrrr..........

 

[glojo]

I'm sure your happy with the way you buy your vehicles and it is just different from my own method. I personally much prefer going through a local dealer and poor service from them will see me changing brands quicker than you can shake a stick. Sales staff are not noted for their reliability when it comes to the proverbial, "I'll phone you back" m'larky. I would go to my local dealer and if I was genuinely intent on making a purchase then I would request an extended test drive of the differing models I was considering. If this was too much hassle then there is always someone, somewhere that will put themselves out.

Good luck with your quest,
Kind regards
John

 

[Brett]

You hear so many terrible, terrible stories about VW dealer customer service that I'd be very nervous. There's apparently absolutely no back up from VW UK if you have problems either.

If it's this hard to buy the car, imagine what it's going to be like if there's a problem after purchase.

I've had nothing but good service from VW - just shows for every doom and gloom story, there is a corresponding good news story. In 30k miles the Touran has cost me £130 in servicing and a set of front tyres and that is it!

 

[scumbag]

Skoda Octavia estate is what she needs, bigger, more econmical, cheaper, and very good customer service, which is strange as VW own them!

 

[Mr E]

Skoda Octavia estate is what she needs, bigger, more econmical, cheaper, and very good customer service, which is strange as VW own them!

That was one of my suggestions...

 

[Rose Chap]

I had truly hopeless service from every VW dealer within a 30 mile radius of Reading when I bought a brand new Golf GT TDI a few years back.

Its like they had a picture of me in their staff area saying "If you see this man, p*ss him off".

Shame as VW products are quite good.

 

[Mr E]

I'm sure your happy with the way you buy your vehicles and it is just different from my own method. I personally much prefer going through a local dealer and poor service from them will see me changing brands quicker than you can shake a stick. Sales staff are not noted for their reliability when it comes to the proverbial, "I'll phone you back" m'larky. I would go to my local dealer and if I was genuinely intent on making a purchase then I would request an extended test drive of the differing models I was considering. If this was too much hassle then there is always someone, somewhere that will put themselves out.

Good luck with your quest,
Kind regards
John

I usually do work through the dealer - it's just the way that things are at the moment with work and such, online is a bit easier.

I'm just bugged that, having made the initial move, they screwed up so royally. Goes to show that each brand is capable of getting it very wrong.

 

[BTB 500]

I just paid £690 for a service on my Sharan (which I would have avoided if my bloomin' Vito had arrived 2 months ago as planned ... grrr).

On picking it up (unwashed), turned the key and "service now" displayed on the computer ...

This was Whites in Camberley, have used Colborne in Guildford previously without any problems. As with M-B I suspect there are good dealerships (and techs.), and bad ones.

 

[Rose Chap]

This was Whites in Camberley...

They managed to dent my Golf whilst it was being serviced there.

 

[Rory]

I've had nothing but good service from VW - just shows for every doom and gloom story, there is a corresponding good news story.

Looking back though the thread, the doom and gloomers are 4 : 1 up at the moment!

We did own a Polo a few years ago, but I ended up buying it from a dealership about 50 miles away. At my local dealership, I was taken by the arm and led to the door when I asked for a discount! Another one said they didn't do test drives!!