VW Golf TDI 2005 Mega Bill - Help!!!

Nixer

I've found VW customer service, both from main dealer and from VW customer care to be mostly !!!!poor and on some occasions rude (I wasn't rude to start with). Consequently my VW goes to an indie VW specialist for the servicing and work that my partner can't do, and fortunately I haven't needed any parts since I had my big argument with VW (which was about a crap plastic clip in the window regulator that they insisted wasn't a design fault despite binning the design after only a few years). My car is going to be replaced soon and it won't be with anything from VAG.

I did read a letter once in the CSMA motoring mag, from some guy praising VW because he had the same window reg problem as I did, and VW (same dealership that was rude and unhelpful to me) fixed it even though the car was out of warranty and was 5 years old (mine was 4 when my clip shattered). I suspected that it was a plant from VW. Either that or the guy bought cars new from them often enough to wring out a goodwill payment as VW doing goodwill on a 5 yr car seems unlikely - they bang on about fair wear and tear as if cars are only meant to last 5 years.

I also agree with posters who say build quality has gone down but the brand reputation hasn't quite gone down with it. I previously had a mk3 Golf which was ok ('cept the glove compartment wouldn't stay shut because of crap design), but was sadly written off for me by an uninsured idiot. I got a mk4 and thought that maybe mine was just a lemon (mechanically sound but tons of electrical niggles) but having looked at Honest John and spoken to fellow Golf and Beetle owners (has your central locking failed yet? Has your boot light ever worked or your clock kept correct time? Does it sometimes lock itself with the keys in the ignition?) it seems that there's either quite a few lemons or the whole brand's gone down the pan.

mikey72

I had a mk2.
Paint was poor, lots of bubbles appeared, and it faded badly.
Very basic inside, and the drivers seat had an annoying "bounce" to it from inside the base.
It certainly wasn't any better than any other brand I've had.

hethmar

Have to say when we were looking for a new car last September (scrappage deal), I was disappointed with the build quality when we looked at new Fords. OH didnt even want to test drive one because he said the interior looked shoddy compared with VW.

vikingaero

tight_arze wrote: »

Nonsense, a Ford does not have the same build quality as a VW. I have driven both (MK1 & MK2 Focus) and VWs (Scirocco, MK4, MK5 & MK6 Golf) and the quality is much better in the VW.

Although Ford did do better in the 2010 JD reliabilty survey (not by much), VW still make reliable cars. Ive owned several VWs and never had anything go wrong with them. We have people on here complain about there French cars, and are told not to buy French cars time and time again. Then one person will pipe up about the reliability of their French car.

I also didn't buy them for image, I bought them because I liked the quality and comfort of them. Also Ford didn't have the same appeal to me knowing they would be worth a fraction of what I paid for it when it comes trade in time.

Sure VW's have better perceived quality on the parts you touch and see. But underneath their engines and electronics are no better.

And depreciation doesn't work out either. Car magazines/dealers/manufacturers love to quote % depreciation based on list prices. What matters is the transaction price and basing the depreciation on that. For example 2 cars, a £21k VW Golf and a £20k Focus. The VW will be on the road for £20k and the Focus for £15k. After 3 years the Golf will be worth £9k and the Focus £6k - so the Golf has lost £11k over 3 years and the Focus £9k. The % depreciation is irrelevant as what matters is how much you have lost and the fact that the VW driver has stumped up an extra £5k in the first place over the Focus driver.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Intersting views on quality.

Can someone explain to me exactly what is quality when referring to a car, and how do you judge perceived better quality from one make to another.

Is it possibly a case of people considering themselves better quality because they choose to by a car driven by others with similar self esteem.

mikey72

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Intersting views on quality.

Can someone explain to me exactly what is quality when referring to a car, and how do you judge perceived better quality from one make to another.

Is it possibly a case of people considering themselves better quality because they choose to by a car driven by others with similar self esteem.

Quality is starting every time, and having only the bits you don't really need dropping off, no matter how you treat it.

cyclonebri1

Brother had the same issue with BMW, his Z4 has to have a new eco at 4 years old, cost £1100. BMW would not pay as they put it down to water ingress but could not find a leak. He was actully told "you must have left the boot open in the rain" :mad::mad::mad:

chunder

the big issue is for most people that when it comes to vw engines they are far superior to other makes, how many ford focus's do you see at 300000 miles that havent had fuel pumps or major engine work, at my garage we see anything from sub 5000 miles to 500000 and it seems that vw are out on top even though i hate working on there over engineered suspension, doors,electrics etc etc etc...
drive like a bus, handle like a bus but go like stink off the lights lol

all in all, the electrics on any modern car are to be honest PANTS!!! they all suffer with electrical issues some more than most, now they are thinking about using fibre optics instead of wires:eek:
As for OP well worth trying to get some form of contribution to help pay for this as this seems very early in its life to replace IMHO, vauxhall used to do an AWCA claim towards payment though it had to be done by dealer....

hethmar

For me, getting the new VW was a confidence booster - I feel very safe in the car which makes me a more confident driver. I didnt feel the same when I test drove any of the other cars we had on the possible list - there wasnt the same solid feel to them.

TLR_2

tight_arze wrote: »

Nonsense, a Ford does not have the same build quality as a VW. I have driven both (MK1 & MK2 Focus) and VWs (Scirocco, MK4, MK5 & MK6 Golf) and the quality is much better in the VW.

Although Ford did do better in the 2010 JD reliabilty survey (not by much), VW still make reliable cars. Ive owned several VWs and never had anything go wrong with them.

I also didn't buy them for image, I bought them because I liked the quality and comfort of them. Also Ford didn't have the same appeal to me knowing they would be worth a fraction of what I paid for it when it comes trade in time.

You're mental.

So when you're presented with EVIDENCE that Ford are more reliable than VW, you brush it off and continue to state your own delusional opinion? :rotfl: