Got my own taste.

[kellyyysayss]

So, as many of you know on here, I'm fanatical about my local dealership (Burlington VW). I always think that people over-react when their dealers jerk them around, but I keep my mouth shut since I was the more fortunate one with a honest dealership.

Until yesterday.

Around Christmastime, when I needed an oil change and I didn't feel like doing it myself (also a gift from the family) I decided I would take it into VW for a change and a courtesy inspection by one/two of the mechanics I trust there. They told me my CV (passenger) boot axel was torn. This didn't surprise me, as I was doing hour-long trips in snow and ice. Shame on me, I thought.

I took it in yesterday, Thursday, as it's nearing my birthday and I want any issues handled before I'm done my semester at the U. Oil change, CV boot axel repair/replacement, and a full check to make sure there are no other problems. I mentioned a concern about a fuel smell, bad gas mileage, and a spongey (what I thought) brake pedal.

I called Thursday night around 6:30pm so I could pay and pick her up. Apparently she hadn't been touched ALL DAY. I was carless and frantic about my schedule and they let her SIT THERE, and didn't give me the courtesy of telling me! Fine, not that big of a deal. They promise me they will do the work first thing in the morning.

9:36am today, Friday, they call me. I am pretty sick and not in the best mood, to the point where I didn't attend any classes today (which has never happened before). I am told that my boot needs to be done, and my brake pedal is the way it is because I need new rear pads (they claimed they had only 1,000-2,000 miles left on them) and rotors. Both are expensive jobs, even with my discount, were around $370 each, plus an oil change, so we're looking around $800. They also tell me my brake fluid is over-filled, and want me to pay for a flush. $900 at this point.

My problems being as they are the only one who I let touch my car besides myself, they overfilled my brake fluid. Why should I pay for their mistake? They didn't deny it, yet didn't admit to it. I will syphon it out myself, since nothing is wrong with the fluid! How dumb. Then get THIS, I put the car on the lift, I have relatively new pads in the front from when I purchased the car. Nothing is wrong with my rear rotors and my rear pads have around 40% left, which is safe and acceptable. No leaks in any cylinder. The pedal is like that because my brakes are wearing and it's getting warmer out, no biggie. My boot axel was NOT torn. The clamp was gone and replaced with a zip tie! I knew the zip tie was there because my mechanic said he was going to do that to hold it together, and so grease wouldn't fling out. There was no grease, but a little dry rot residue, probably from a rotted clamp.

Replaced the clamp. $50.

I just miss the honesty from my dealership. It looks like I over-stayed my welcome. And for that, I will never be returning except for parts here and there.

[Tico4Life]

Sorry to hear the dream puffed for you. Been there done that. That's why most of us don't trust/like dealerships, guess it was a good run for you.
Good thing you are not a fool when it comes to cars so your money is warm and cozy at the bank where it should be.

Hope you feel better

[Yello_jellybean]

Sorry this happened to you Kelly.

Good thing you are a smart girl and checked it out for yourself.

Feel better soon.

[VA bugn]

STEALERSHIPS!!!!
now multiply that times several other folks in a day only difference is you know your way around an auto!!! Good Save!!

[kellyyysayss]

Thanks all!

I was really taken back by how shady and how much they went to jerk my chain. I've been loyal and I've brought in plenty of customers for them. I even bake cookies and whatnot for them just about every time I come in! Man, if only it wasn't such a dream.

I am really grateful I know my way around cars. The look they gave me when I said I was going to throw it up on the lift myself and work on it was suspicious in itself when I was leaving the dealership. That's when I KNEW something was up!

Such a shame it happens to others.

I really wouldn't be surprised if they took my cv boot clamp off and replaced it with a zip tie saying it's bad, for ****s and giggles.

Better $50 than $900!

[iluvmyVersa08]

It's unfortunate that dealerships act this way.

I too have always taken my Nissan to the dealership near my home, where I purchased my vehicle from. However, a newer NIssan dealership opened up about 20 mins away. They give me coupons all the time for $27 oil changes (as opposed to $50 at my 'home' dealership). The new place also never pesters me to change additional items (or service) and they gave me a huge car wash bucket full of detailing supplies. So far the service from them has been impecable, to the point where I have not visited my home dealership in over a year.

Besides oil changes, we try to do all other servicing at home (We sometimes change her oil at home, but you can't beat a $27 oil change ... especially in -20C winter weather).
Seeing as how she is only 3, not much else has had to be done (besides changing some wiper blades and air filters).

I feel sorry for the people who do not know any better, and truely trust the dealership. They bring it in for an oil change and they say "Your car needs a, b & c done today as well". They trust the dealership, and because they do not know any better, they get suckered into paying hundreds of dollars when they had only planned on an oil change.

[Smileybug]

I haven't set foot in a dealership in probably 5 years. The last time I had my car in was to have the microswitch in the drivers door replaced. I had an 8am appointment. Awesome. I worked around the corner at another dealership so I dropped my car on my way in and had one of the porters come pick me up at the VW dealer and take me to work. Figured I'd get them to do the same when I went home, as I figured the car would be done. I was 18 and it was my first car. My dad called me a little after lunch asking if I had heard from the dealer. Nope, so he called. Said they were just getting ready to look at it. 5:30pm rolls around...car still isn't touched. Got a ride home. It wasn't until 2:30pm the next day that they even touched my car, and that was only after my dad finally got ahold of the GM of the dealer. He also had it out with them because they never replaced my tires, as was part of the deal upon purchase of the car. Last time I ever let them touch my car. Really though...what's the point of an appointment if they aren't going to touch the car until they feel like it? There is a reason for making appointments!

Once I went to college, I found a really great local shop. Only place that has touched my car in the past 4 years. They're 100% honest with me, and do lots of things at no charge. My mechanic even called me when he was doing my timing belt job to ask if I wanted him to put in a new dipstick assembly since mine was broken. A whopping $6 extra bucks. I told him that he really didn't need to call me for that, but I really did appreciate it. Its nice to not get screwed over being a female getting your car worked on. Helps that they also know I know a decent amount about cars

Hopefully you can find yourself a good shop. Have you checked the TDIclub trusted mechanics list? Most shops will work on the gassers too. And if they can handle a TDI, they can handle a 2.0 for sure.

[2004NBTURBOS]

I highly recommend APTuning in Lebanon PA. VW/Audi only. Sorry you had to go through this. But it was bound to happen sooner the later.

[kellyyysayss]

I do have a new mechanic who I am still developing my trust to, who's a friend of the family. He's worked on my uncle's trucks for years. We will see how it goes, as he was the one with me under the belly of the car when I did my own work.

I think it would be nice to find myself a VW specialist, and more beneficial for the car. But, I need a mechanic within twenty minutes who is reasonable above all, which is what I currently have.

[Opelmania]

Too bad it happened to you too Kelly. You did have a good run though and definitely good you can do a lot of the work yourself. Hopefully you will have the time to do most repairs yourself and save a ton of ca$h.

[Froggy]

See, there is a reason people like me have never even considered getting a New car from a dealership, and this is it. Not only are wallets tight and such to make you want to get a used car (especially for a new driver) but dealerships never seem to care about the people they call their customers.

I've contacted several dealerships in idle inquiries about available beetles, or to have them perhaps keep an eye out for one I might be interested in. I'm very specific in what I tell them I want. But then they just put you into a computer and spam email boxes or telephones with generalized "come visit today" junk. No thank you, I told you I lived over an hour away, I won't be coming in because you have a "sale" going on or because you have a 2008 convertible in baby blue which is nowhere near the green old TDI hardtop I asked you for. And then you tell them to please stop contacting you, and until you actually hit the unsubscribe button or block them, they don't bother listening to you.

I'm both incredibly excited for the NEW new beetle coming out, and leery. My husband and I are moving away from everything we know (and all the problems) to Oregon, and we might possibly get stable enough to get a brand new car for me a year or two after they come out. But I don't want a cheating scumbag hassling me every time I turn around, either. I don't even want a dealership logo on my car- if there is one, I'm not buying it. I can take off a license frame easy. I won't be a walking (driving) advertisement for them.

Perhaps I am one of those who overreact. I'm an idealist personality, and even though I constantly see it out in the world, somehow I am still outraged and surprised that people still have no integrity and act that way on purpose.

I'm glad you knew enough to save your money and check your car yourself. If I didn't have to gasp over a price like that, I'm one of those who might not know any better and would let them rip me off, even with my tiny bit of mechanical knowledge. I'm a salesman's dream except for the available cash part. So good job to you!

[jason m]

ALWAYS BE THE INFORMED CONSUMER, otherwise you are a dope and will get robbed every time. Always ask to see the damages with the technician present, that way you can get past the sales writer which usually knows little to nothing about the car.

[kellyyysayss]

Originally Posted by jason m

ALWAYS BE THE INFORMED CONSUMER, otherwise you are a dope and will get robbed every time. Always ask to see the damages with the technician present, that way you can get past the sales writer which usually knows little to nothing about the car.

Customers are NOT ALLOWED in the shop area, no matter where you go.

Rather, legally, that's what's supposed to happen.

[jason m]

Originally Posted by kellyyysayss

Customers are NOT ALLOWED in the shop area, no matter where you go.

Rather, legally, that's what's supposed to happen.

That is not correct. In fact many shops will happily bring you back to inspect youre vehicle to see for yourself. Now they will run you right back to the waiting room afterward but they will escort you back to inspect youre vehicle. Ask the service manager at any shopif you do not believe me.

[Fallon]

I asked to see my car and they would not let me see it. Probably another reason not to trust them.I jsut got the work done that was covered under warranty and will be getting my car OUT of there! Good for you for being a smart cookie Kelly.

[2004NBTURBOS]

Originally Posted by jason m

That is not correct. In fact many shops will happily bring you back to inspect youre vehicle to see for yourself. Now they will run you right back to the waiting room afterward but they will escort you back to inspect youre vehicle. Ask the service manager at any shopif you do not believe me.

Yup, my stealership walked me into the shop to explain what they were talking about when I questioned them on a torn CV boot. All shops are different I guess.

[HotDog]

The problem is the Techs that just dont care and only a few will even look at a bug. And VW's policy of replace not repair doesn't help either. I think its stupid and can't wait to open my own shop.

I work at VW because I love the cars not just a paycheque. My customers love me and trust my judgement when things are wrong to fix it with as little damage to their wallet as possible.

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. Look for a tech who actually owns and takes pride in their VW and you'll generally find a tech that cares like I do.

Talking to customers and showing them whats wrong is half the fun! we do it all the time! Flat rate leaves room for that so be sure to inspect everything and ask for your options. I find if I get the chance to show why I need to do something they'll ok it. and I hagel over time too.

If there are a bunch of things that need to be done and it has 4 hours for one thing and 3 for another 5 for the rest but its all related, I'll deal on the time to be sure everyone is happy with the repair. generally I'll clock the time and see how long it took vs the total time to be billed and take an average of the two. seems to make everyone fairly happy. so for that example of 4 - 3 - 5 = 12 and it only took 6 then I'd charge 8 maybe 9 hours. I get a small bonus for finishing early and the customer saves a few hundred and the dealership maintains a 1.5 efficiency on hours billed.

Everybody happy!

[HudsonValleyVDub]

I just wish EVERYONE would feel the same way and stop going to the VW dealership. I just had my TB service and as awful and crooked as they are, the waiting room was PACKED!!! SO, as long as we keep going back, they'll always have someone to screw !

[Zuri]

Sorry to hear about your Dealership experience!

Ever since I bought my NB I've only taken my car to the dealership for warranty covered issues. One time I had it there for something, I asked them to check for a possible leak (and I mentioned I knew that it wasn't oil...just wasn't sure if it was my car or my brother's that had a fluid leak), and they tried to run me up for a new oil pan and several other things, but when my dad and I inspected my beetle, my oil pan was just fine--no leaks!

But now I found a new mechanic, that although he's a bit of a drive for me, he was honest and seems to know what he's doing, especially with VWs.

[HotDog]

Originally Posted by Zuri

Sorry to hear about your Dealership experience!

Ever since I bought my NB I've only taken my car to the dealership for warranty covered issues. One time I had it there for something, I asked them to check for a possible leak (and I mentioned I knew that it wasn't oil...just wasn't sure if it was my car or my brother's that had a fluid leak), and they tried to run me up for a new oil pan and several other things, but when my dad and I inspected my beetle, my oil pan was just fine--no leaks!

But now I found a new mechanic, that although he's a bit of a drive for me, he was honest and seems to know what he's doing, especially with VWs.

Thats just plain wrong... Hope your happy with your new Tech!