VW touran anygood

TiTheRev

jase1 wrote: »

Modern VWs are no better and no worse than any Ford, GM, or South Korean product when it comes to basic reliability. They are slightly above average, nothing more. Give me a Honda, Subaru or (yes) Toyota any day of the week.

Really??? :shocked:

jase1

Yes. Really. And if you don't see it you're blinkered by the hype.

The Polo I was referring to had a HORRIBLE reliability record, and you know it.

VW make very good interiors. That's it. They also make engines with plastic timing belt tensioners that fail, ABS modules made of cheese, iffy electrics, and in the case of that Polo, poor rust protection.

None of this is especially unusual in the average European box. A lot of cars (French in particular) are a lot worse. But to put VW up on a pedestal is ridiculous.

TiTheRev

jase1 wrote: »

Yes. Really. And if you don't see it you're blinkered by the hype.

The Polo I was referring to had a HORRIBLE reliability record, and you know it.

VW make very good interiors. That's it. They also make engines with plastic timing belt tensioners that fail, ABS modules made of cheese, iffy electrics, and in the case of that Polo, poor rust protection.

None of this is especially unusual in the average European box. A lot of cars (French in particular) are a lot worse. But to put VW up on a pedestal is ridiculous.

Cam belt tensioners are all metal, you may be thinking of water pump impellers which are made in plastic so that IF they fail it wont jam and cause even more damage by locking the timing belt.

The ABS units are the point of this discussion, and have been very well funded by VW under (extended) warranty. I know of no electrical faults with VW's except coil packs in Mk4 Golfs, and every VW comes with a 10year rust warranty, so if it develops rust under the paintwork you can get the job fixed FOC.

I am not putting anyone on a pedestal, but merely defending a brand against uneducated opinions.

jase1

Yes, they are very well funded now, but remind us: how long was it exactly before VW recognised this as a problem? How long has the Telegraph been banging on about it? When was it again that VW started being generous with this component? Would you have been able to be so bold with your comments about VW customer service back in December? Were you one of the dealers, as the Telegraph points out, that were telling customers to email VW direct to get any response only last month?

Or was the Telegraph being "potentially libellous" as well?

VW aren't alone in this -- the MK60 has been used in a number of cars, and most of the other manufacturers have been equally slow to respond. Also VW weren't directly to blame as they bought in the offending item from a third party. But that still doesn't excuse the lack of response from a company that markets itself as second to none.

jase1

http://honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/volkswagen/golf-v-2004/?section=bad

13-1-2010: Typical scenario: "I own a 55 plate VW GTI with 22,428 miles on the clock. At around the 21,500 mark the ESP light came on. Called local service technician (ex VW tech) to undertake a diagnostics check which confirmed ABS unit was at fault. So to start the ball rolling for some goodwill from VW, I took the car to a local Manchester VW dealership for another diagnostics check. Wrote to Customer Care at Milton Keynes early December. On 15th Dec received a courtesy call from Customer Care. They informed me that a case worker would be phoning me in due course. On 18th and 23rd Dec 2009 the case worker called. VW required all service records with genuine VW parts used to be listed. All relevant information sent to the VW case worker at VW Passenger Cars, Selectapost, Sheffield. On 12th January 2010 the case worker contacted me to inform me that VW was not prepared to offer any goodwill for the following reasons: vehicle was purchased from a independent dealer, vehicle not serviced at a VW dealership, vehicle not serviced in the last 12 months. My reply was that the vehicle has only done 8,117 miles since its last service (at 14,311 miles on the 8th May 2008). Also the ABS unit is becoming a common fault within VAG. The reply was, VW might offer 10% towards a replacement unit if the vehicle has the 24,000 mile service undertaken at a VW dealership. After some haggling I managed to get a 30% discount off the unit and agreed to the 24,000 mile service, work to commence early February 2010. Cost of replacement ABS unit was quoted at £1,067.04p. Deduct the 30% and the unit comes to £746.93p. The service cost is £128.77p."

Sounds like fantastic customer service to me. The rest of the review is a model of reliability and good customer service as well, isn't it?

jase1

TiTheRev wrote: »

Cam belt tensioners are all metal, you may be thinking of water pump impellers which are made in plastic

Nope -- the 1.6 petrol engine manufactured around 2003 at least has a plastic tensioner. I've seen the result first-hand.

I know of no electrical faults with VW's except coil packs in Mk4 Golfs,

None at all eh? Oh come on, that's just salesman talk. No manufacturer can claim that. Take a look at that HJ review, and others.

and every VW comes with a 10year rust warranty, so if it develops rust under the paintwork you can get the job fixed FOC.

Well of course any manufacturer can say that. Ford could say that about the old Ka -- it doesn't alter the fact that the Ka is a rotbox of the highest order.

TiTheRev

Bonett & bee?

We have differing opinions on this, so let's just leave it at that, eh?

alleycat`

Op i have a 1.9TDI (2008).

It isn't a refined engine and can be somewhat clattery from cold.
It isn't quiet on the motorway and the stereo (entry level model) sucks.
Some of the fit and finish isn't VW's best and the front shockers were replaced under warranty at less than 18k miles as they had both started to weep.

Other than that it hasn't mechanically or electrically let me down and you can get a lot in it.
It was also surprisingly competent in the snow, to the extent i never missed a days work (NE).
Fuel economy is reasonable for a brick shaped design but isn't stellar.
Nobody will ever mistake you for ayrton senna when driving one either.

As VW's go (i've had a few now) i consider it the least well screwed together internally fit and finish wise.

Overall it has never (touch wood) let me down and with kids and dogs giving it some hammer internally.

I wouldn't, personally, buy another one but i can't fault it for doing a job.

jase1

Hey, I have no problem with VW -- in the main they build decent enough cars, and the customer service is far from being the worst in the business -- I've never claimed anything else. I personally wouldn't buy one, because I feel I can achieve the same level of dependability and customer service at lower cost. Skoda, for example

Your assertion that a 20-year-old knacker of any make would be more reliable than a brand new car from another "decent enough" manufacturer was absurd though. As was your shock at being told that, in reliability terms, Japanese is up there with the very best. As someone who works in the industry, you surely must realise that that is true.

At the end of the day you have your stars, your decent safe bets, and your dogs. In the mainstream (non-premium) market, the stars are Honda/Subaru/Toyota; the decent safe bets are VAG/Ford/Hyundai-Kia/Mitsubishi/Nissan (these days), and the dogs are Chrysler/Fiat (until recently, they seem to be improving)/Peugeot/Citroen and at the very bottom of the pile, Renault (although again they may just be edging into average territory again now after years of garbage). I will accept that GM are at the lower end of the mid-range; acceptable but no more. All IMO of course

Strider590

TiTheRev wrote: »

Having worked at a VW dealership for 7years, I can honestly tell you that we have not had a single return on a modified ABS pump, and most of the ones we've done have been covered fully or at worst mostly by VW goodwill due to the pumps known issues. To say VW don't care is a very broad stroke and verging on libelous, and I would rather have a 20year old Polo that a brand new S-Max every day of the year. The polo would be more reliable and have a longer life

A 20 year old Polo back from when VW did deserve their reputation