VW Golf TDI 2005 Mega Bill - Help!!!

dewling

Hi

I recently had an issue with my VW Gold TDI 55 Plate (57,000 miles) not starting. Took to the VW garage and they said was 95% likley a wiring issue with the Engine Control Unit and would cost £200. Turned out to be the 5% unlikley issue of needing a new one at a cost of £1,000!!! Just before our holiday where it was needed. so had to pay up.

I cant believe that a car of only 5 years old with average miles on the clock would need a new unit like this at such a high cost, I did call VW as the car had had various stuff done on warrantee a year ago, like a new clutch and lots of work on the turbo due to whining noises (unresolved).

Any ideas whether I can go back to VW and ask them to foot some of this bill, or did I just choose the wrong car?

Any feedback much appreciated anyway, technical or customer service led.

JD

Bob_the_Saver

dewling wrote: »

Hi

I recently had an issue with my VW Gold TDI 55 Plate (57,000 miles) not starting. Took to the VW garage and they said was 95% likley a wiring issue with the Engine Control Unit and would cost £200. Turned out to be the 5% unlikley issue of needing a new one at a cost of £1,000!!! Just before our holiday where it was needed. so had to pay up.

I cant believe that a car of only 5 years old with average miles on the clock would need a new unit like this at such a high cost, I did call VW as the car had had various stuff done on warrantee a year ago, like a new clutch and lots of work on the turbo due to whining noises (unresolved).

Any ideas whether I can go back to VW and ask them to foot some of this bill, or did I just choose the wrong car?

Any feedback much appreciated anyway, technical or customer service led.

JD

Modern cars are expensive to repair. A friend of mine just paid £1000 to have what was basically a circuit board fitted to his car - mind you the car was French.

harveybobbles

I assume they phoned you before they fitted it and you gave them authorisation to fit the new ECU?

dewling

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Modern cars are expensive to repair. A friend of mine just paid £1000 to have what was basically a circuit board fitted to his car - mind you the car was French.

Thanks for replying and I totally understand that, anything with 4 wheels and a computer in charge is going to cost when it goes wrong, I think my question was, with something like an ECU going wrong that shouldn't have gone wrong on a 5 year old car (quote the VW dealers who fixed it said it was highly unusual and I was extremely unlucky), do I have any hope of even getting a contribution to the bill from VW if I write to them or is it a waste of my time?

I can accept it either way but I can't help but feel they could do something...

anewman

The dealers won't care now it's been done and paid for. The only suggestion I would make is to complain to HQ or look on some VW/VAG forums for further help on this issue. Make an issue of other manufacturers having 7 year warranties (Kia etc) and say you'll buy from them in future if the issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, and that a solid state electronic item designed to last the lifetime of the car should not fail within 5 years. I would also raise the unresolved turbo issue to make you appear a doubly dissatisfied customer.

In all honesty VW don't make cars as good as they used to (the only good thing they have is the brand reputation).

Inactive

anewman wrote: »

In all honesty VW don't make cars as good as they used to (the only good thing they have is the brand reputation).

Very true, they just charge a premium for their now, mediocre products.

Strider590

^^ Ive been saying this for years....

dewling

Thanks for some really good advice. No I'd certainly not bother with the dealer as they really couldn't care less but I will go back to VW with the points above. I'll let you know outcome. Funnilly enough a very good friend also just bought a Golf GTI and is incredibly dissapointed with it too. Guess they really aren't what they once were anymore.

Lil306

One thing to learn about VAG group.

They are extremely good cars, but when they go wrong don't take it to a dealer unless it's under warranty.

My car suffers from limp mode, I know it's the turbo clogged but VW will say the turbo is gone and needs a new one. Clean it for free or fork out £800 for a new one. No brainer really

BTW, I'd recommend scanning your car for error codes, you'd be surprised at what you find. I had some errors I knew about and others I never had the slightest about.

Alias_Omega

Looking back,

You dont have to use a VW/Audi main dealer for repairs, a local independant VW/Audi garage will be able to provide the same service, and will be far far cheaper.

Try to find one for next time it goes wrong.

harveybobbles

I'm guessing the OP authorised the repair. So they can't really complain after the event...