Are 49 defects too many?

[dxg]

Well I made the mistake of washing my car for the first time since it's been back from its elongated stay at the dealers.

I knew about the dodgy paintwork requiring re-spraying, but I noticed that the passenger door (right next to this damaged paintwork) now doesn't shut flush with the body!!

Not happy at all. Could something more have happened to it at the dealers?? I've got photos of it before it went in and the door shuts fine - although it was one of the first batch of defects on the car and the door seems to have "shifted" on its hinges and settled back into the orignal position. I don't fancy having to get the doors rehung every six months.

Obviously I've had the car eight months now (it's spent 3 and half of them in the dealers ) and have only managed to do 3000 miles in that time (500 miles by the dealer).

So I sat down and went through and chronologically listed all the history of defects - it came to 49!!! (Some of them are repeats of the same thing, though). Around a third of them are further damage added to the car by the dealer.

Does anyone hane any thoughts on how to approach my dealer with this? Obviously, I've had enough of the car - it's definately a lemon.

I think I might have had maybe three of four clear weeks of ownership where there was nothing wrong with it.

What are my chances of working something out after all this time?? The last couple of months I've been budgeting for a shift to another VW (Lupo GTI, anyone?) but - frankly - I've had enough of VW (but this is my personal opinion, what other opinion could I be expected to have after what I've been through - maybe I've just been unlucky, but I'll need a lot of convincing to go back to VW after this. In fact, I'd need convincing to go back to VAG).

Has anyone been in a similar situation?? Do you have any strategies that might help me??

To say I'm dissapointed is an understatement. Gutted more like. I love the car on the few days that I haven't found anything wrong with it. But those days are just too few and far between.

Deek (Very unhappy )

(Don't worry, when it comes onto the second hand market - I'll be sure to post its reg up on here so you guys can stay well clear of it)

[Josh_PoloGTi]

Deek

I'd definately get on the phone to VW Customer Services first thing tomorrow morning. List all the faults and if possible list dates.

Tell them that the dealer has had the car for 3.5 Months (HOW LONG??? ) and that you are not at all happy.

Tell them facts first (make sure they write them all down) then tell them about your feelings.

Get a reference number from them and make sure they assure you that someone will look into it for you.

Tell them that it is unacceptable that a new car (especially a Volkswagen - A semi-aspirational brand (thanks to whoever said that before... I like it)) should not have had this many problems in it's first 8 months of life, and that it being away from you for such an amount of time is totally unacceptable. Tell them that there are still unresolved issues with the car but that you cannot keep giving your car back to the dealers to do repairs all the time - You bought this car to drive, not just to "own" !

I really feel for you in this situation, I think it's discusting that you have had this many problems.

Really hope you get this sorted mate. There's always the trading standards/watchdog if VW Customer Services don't help (however they are usually pretty good)

Just remember to be calm and professional on the phone, and don't let your emotions get the better of you, even when you're telling them about how you feel about the situation.

[KarlM]

My advice, don't go back to the dealer.

Go to a solicitor. They love going up against big companies and most use No Win, No Fee.

A similar thing happened to a colleauge of mine with his 206GT, suppose to be brand new.... turns out it had been written off and repaired!!!!!

Someone at the garage had been chucking it about and hit a post! the garage bought it back off the insurnce company, fixed it up and resold it

Sounds like something similar has happened here... Perhaps this was a demo?

Is it a direct VW dealer or a independant?

[dxg]

Yeah, it's all a huge long, downer.

Josh,

I've already been down the VW customer services route. I did get some (nominal) compensation for the first batch of defects, but since then more things have arisen. I did report them to trading standards though, on the recommendation of my CAB.

Basically, VW itself refuse to get involved. They say any discussion about whether the car if of satisfactory quality is between me and the dealer as the contract is btwn myself and my dealer (well, my finance company actually, but that's another story).

I don't know if I should get back in touch. I do now have a spreadsheet with all this listed out. But basically - I'm still relying on the goodwill of my dealer to sort the problems as they arise (i.e. to agree to do the work under warranty). I think if I went back to VW UK again, then that trust would evaporate and I'd be without a local dealer to drive it to when the next thing goes wrong.

And, yes - it is three and half months. There was 3.5 weeks in November last year (ECU) another week before that (panel adjustment) and another full week (paint). Then there was the latest saga which was either 6 or seven weeks. Then you have to add in all the 2 and 3 day sessions that it's had for ecu, rattles, more paint, sorting out the front bumper, and so on. So it's got to be at least 3.5 months. I got a bit of a fright when I added it all up. I know I've done about 2000 miles in total in two different hire corsas.

It's a good job I can walk from my house to my work and from my work to my dealer... (it's about 3 miles in total)

Karl,

I'm pretty sure that nothing has happened to the car after it left the factory.

When I took my insurance details in so they could get its road tax as new, I did see the car before it was registered and had just arrived in the dealers and still in their storage yard. It was still covered in protective stickers (door sills and instrument binnacle) and the alloy centre caps weren't on. So I'm pretty sure it hadn't been driven before I got it. Did have 5 miles on the clock, though, but I think I'm safe from the 206 situation - blimey!

I'm dealing with a main, franchised dealer. I don't think they've done anything to the car to make it the way it is, other than minor damage that's happened as a consequence of them trying to fix the problems. The ones that are obviously and black and white cases, they've repaired without question (like dents and scratches) but other stuff (like oil on carpet and scratches on gearknob and door handles) are harder to prove it was them, so they've not done anything about them.


Oddly, I have thought about the solicitor route and gave up after the first few local ones I called all said they don't do comsumer law.


Just fed up. Back again to saving to clearing the finance, and getting shot. But I will loose a small fortune.

Deek.

(Off to autotrader to look at Fiat Barchettas...)

[dxg]

Well, I've owned a couple of Fiats before and know what to expect. They have a known problem with their variable valve timing and the early ones have bonnets and boots that dent when you close them with your hand (the metal's 0.7mm thick - now 0.9mm).

A good second hand one (I don't think I'll ever buy a new car again ) is half the price of a Lupo GTI and is only slightly slower (about half a second).

They're definately a "unique" car (supposed to be styled to look like a boat flowing through water - the "odd" front intake and "weird" spolier that continues behind the front wheels is supposed to represent the bow(sp?) wave). Not that rare on the continent, but definately individualistic in the UK (the left hand drive only might have something to with it).

Hairdresser?? Where's my curling set...

Insurance is the only downside I can find - all to do with the LHD problem.

Maybe I'll hang onto my car until September when the New Polo GTI gets announced. Then make a final decision on VW then. Possibly. Until next week when the wind blows in a different direction.

Deek.

[dxg]

Also I should point out that there is an upside to all my dealer trips...




the huge amount of free valeting that's been thrown at the car. I think I've needed to wash it about four times since I've had it (takes a few hours though - black!) - the rest of the time it comes back from dealer spotless (well apart from the possibilty of oil stains, scratches and dents)...

In two weeks it's booked back in for another week to get resprayed, so in three weeks time when it comes back polished and hopefully "sorted", I'll be feeling the sweet VW love all over again.

For about a week, until something else breaks...

Deek.

[dxg]

The most amazing door handles that apparently freeze solid (as does the handbrake)

See, the Fiat owenrship experience is kinda different to what the VW one is supposed to be

[Petrified]

http://www.ckinsurance.co.uk/barchetta.htm

[KarlM]

See, the Fiat owenrship experience is kinda different to what the VW one is supposed to be

Yeah! you can't get into the car to see whats wrong with it.

No to be fair my dads got a Punto GT. Nice little motors

[dxg]

http://www.ckinsurance.co.uk/barchetta.htm

Hadn't noticed that before. I'll give them a call in the morning.

I also have to speak to this company in London (DTR) that specialise in Fiat and Alfa coupes to see if they take trade-ins, and if they would take a onlyslightlynotasgoodasitshouldbe VW Polo!!

Cheers!!

[dxg]

The Fiat's I've had have been pretty bomb-proof.

Once wore out the distributor on a 903cc pushrod, 4 spd Fiat Uno by driving it at 80 for an hour or so (Edinburgh to Aberdeen) in third gear - changed down at roadworks, forgot to change back up. The stereo was so loud, I couldn't hear it screaming!!

Next day, It was misfiring "just a tad" , but still ran.

Fitted a new dizzy cap and rotor arm and everything was well...


Another punto had one coil fail in five years of ownership - that was all that went wrong.

Deek