Issue with new car

Olinda99

for me, your requirement were made extremely clear at the point of sale (sounds like you couldn't have been clearer) and the salesman agreed with your requirements. They form part of the sales contract.

I would simplify your demands and concentrate on the voice feature. Contact the dealer one more time by letter or email - name the salesman and say you want the feature activated (or £250 refund). Keep the letter short and simple - a couple of sentences long 

If they refuse then go to LBA and court - the judge will decide but you sound very plausible and could easily win

born_again

TELLIT01 said:

Hoenir said:

TELLIT01 said:

The satnav info being woefully out of date doesn't surprise me.  On my car it is updated by SD card which is only updated once a year, and the information was about 18 months out of date before the SD card was released.  The manufacturer then stopped creating any updated cards just a couple of years after the model production was ended.  Consequently my satnav now has maps which are at least 4 years out of date.

On my vehicle updates were provided free for the first 3 years. Subsequently you have to pay for this to be done. Cheaper and easier to use Google maps as and when. . 

When you purchase a car with satnav built in, you shouldn't have to revert to a 3rd party system after 3 years.  T

Many people do it from Day 1, as many built in sat nav are not as good, user friendly or updated as other systems.
Which is why the like of Android Auto & Apple Car Play are one thing many people look for in a car.

Ditzy_Mitzy

Olinda99 said:

for me, your requirement were made extremely clear at the point of sale (sounds like you couldn't have been clearer) and the salesman agreed with your requirements. They form part of the sales contract.

I would simplify your demands and concentrate on the voice feature. Contact the dealer one more time by letter or email - name the salesman and say you want the feature activated (or £250 refund). Keep the letter short and simple - a couple of sentences long 

If they refuse then go to LBA and court - the judge will decide but you sound very plausible and could easily win

The only trouble with this approach, I suspect, is that the need for a subscription/extra fees to activate features within Volkswagens is explained within the company's website: https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/connected-services/we-connect/all-services.html.  They provide a full list of the 'benefits' of subscribing.  In addition, an internet search for '£250 Volkswagen activation fee' (or similar) provides a wealth of results about paying for voice activation.  

OP: did the salesman say anything at all about the need to pay this fee?  

Incidentally, my only experience with voice-control came via a hired Ford Transit.  Initial jocularity vis a vis pretending to be Michael (Michaela?) Knight quickly turned to frustration after the damn van started haranguing me about something to do with the radio.  My overall feeling was of being somewhat short tempered with Miss Short-Wheelbase.  Is it really worth having?  

400ixl

TELLIT01 said:

When you purchase a car with satnav built in, you shouldn't have to revert to a 3rd party system after 3 years.  T

You don't, it will continue to work, you just won't see newer roads.

You can continue with it as is, or pay to get the maps and other services updated and available.

Or with VAG cars you can *cough* hack it for free *cough* to get the updates.

Alternatively as suggested you can use Android Auto / Apple Carplay if supported from day 1 or at 3 years for alternative options.

I have both and switch between them depending of what I need at the time.

eskbanker

floppy26 said:

born_again said:

Did you say exactly features you were talking about?
As in my experience a sales person will have little idea on any features from a old car compared to a new one. Many struggle with differences between features on their new cars.

I didn't list each and every feature, no, but i did make it clear that if it was on the T-Roc it would also be a requirement on the new car. The sales guy had already offered me 2 other Tiguans but, once i pointed out there were features missing (compared to the T-Roc), i said i wasn't interested in those. 

If you made a detailed feature comparison in order to reject other cars, then to a certain extent you've released the sales person from any obligation they might have had to do so for you on the one you did go with.  In any case, I suspect that you'd struggle to convince a court that 'my new car must have all the same features as the old one' is a valid component of the contract....

photome

TELLIT01 said:

Hoenir said:

TELLIT01 said:

The satnav info being woefully out of date doesn't surprise me.  On my car it is updated by SD card which is only updated once a year, and the information was about 18 months out of date before the SD card was released.  The manufacturer then stopped creating any updated cards just a couple of years after the model production was ended.  Consequently my satnav now has maps which are at least 4 years out of date.

On my vehicle updates were provided free for the first 3 years. Subsequently you have to pay for this to be done. Cheaper and easier to use Google maps as and when. . 

When you purchase a car with satnav built in, you shouldn't have to revert to a 3rd party system after 3 years.  T

I have had 2 new cars in last 4 years and reverted to a third party system on the first day as Google maps is way better then any car sat nav

even if I relied on the car sat nav I wouldnt expect it to be continually updated

floppy26

400ixl said:

VAG group cars maps can be updated over the air or by download to SD card provided the subscription is up to date which it should be on a new car.

Saying you want the same options as another model in a different range even by the same manufacturer is going to be difficult to replicated as different models within the range on different years will have different trim levels and different options which could be added.

If Android Auto is essential and its going to be an unknown amount of time before there is a fix, then you could purchase an adapter (AAWireless is the best one out there) and convert the wired AA to wireless that way.

Thanks for the suggestion - I saw the same recommendation on a Tiguan Forum site and gave this a try but this too failed - I have tried 3 different wireless Android units from Amazon and, regrettably, none of them worked.  

floppy26

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

The only trouble with this approach, I suspect, is that the need for a subscription/extra fees to activate features within Volkswagens is explained within the company's website: https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/connected-services/we-connect/all-services.html.  They provide a full list of the 'benefits' of subscribing.  In addition, an internet search for '£250 Volkswagen activation fee' (or similar) provides a wealth of results about paying for voice activation.  

OP: did the salesman say anything at all about the need to pay this fee?  

Nothing was mentioned at all by the salesman about activation fee - i was never told this feature wasn't part of the car until i went to use it. The blatant 'you need to purchase this feature' which displayed on the infotainment system was the 1st i knew that it wasn't pre-activated. Only then did i look into why it wasn't activated and that it would cost me £250. 

floppy26

MeteredOut said:

born_again said:

floppy26 said:

Hi.

I purchased a brand new Volkswagen car (from stock) in December '23. Prior to purchasing, I had a long conversation with the sales person that i wanted the new car to have all (if not more) of the features which were already available on my then-current car (a '21 plate VW T-Roc). I also questioned whether the infotainment system was also still the same as because I was aware that Audi (the brand my partner drives) had changed the way the phone connects tot he car (a long story but i explained it all top the sales guy) and was assured all remains the same so i arranged a collection date.

On date of collection, on the hand-over, it was noticed that there were 3 stone chips on the front of the car and I was also unable to connect my phone to the Android Auto system wirelessly (which should be a very straightforward process). I was told the VW dealers will arrange for the stone chips to be sorted and, when this was being done, they would also address the Android Auto issue (if i hadn't resolved it).

I spent several hours the following day trying to connect the phone and/or identify the issue to no avail BUT did find that this was a common problem with other owners of the same car (VW Tiguan). I also noticed that the SatNav software was 18 months out of date. All of this was relayed back to the dealership and they assured me it would be sorted when they tackled the stone chips. 

Early January, they sorted the stone chips and said everything else had been done but the Audroid Auto still wouldn't connect. I had tried several different android phones so i knew it wasnt a phone issue... After speaking to one of the VW Engineer techies, it turns out that VW are aware of an issue with the connection issue (and have been for several months) and are working on a 'fix'. Until this fix is available there is nothing VW can do and i would have to 'plug' my phone into the car if i wanted to use the system. 

I left eh dealership and later that day then noticed that i was also not able to dial a phone contact using the 'voice control' feature from the steering wheel button (a message appears saying i have to purchase this feature at £250).( This was also a working feature of my previous car). I phoned the dealership and expressed my concerns over this and the Android Auto issues and said i felt i had been mis-sold the car and would like the 'Voice control' activated a gesture of good will - they refused.

I have since re-visited the dealership and expressed my concerns and again asked for the Voice control to be activated as a good will gesture but been told no because that would be to the satisfaction of the customer and VW wont pay the £250 (yep, thats exactly what i was told).

So, to date, i have tried liaising with the dealership (and got nowhere), complaining to Group1 VW head-office (no response) and even contacting VW directly who repeat the answer that ' there is a problem with the Bluetooth connectivity and that until there is a fix i would need to hardwire'. Personally i think this is totally unacceptable and that i have been misled into buying a car not fit for purpose.

So i ask you kindly for options... a) What are my options in taking this further and b) am i making too much out of this?

Appreciate any feedback.

<snip>

As in my experience a sales person will have little idea 

<snip>

Fixed that for you

OP, did you get anything in writing from the salesperson, or have they since agreed that they said the features were on the new car?

So, Its now been over 8 weeks since i contacted the Dealership with a formal complain and told them i want to reject the car under ConsumerRights etc (and explained why). I've heard nothing at all back from them. I have also been ontouch with VW_UK Customer Service and they've done absolutely nothing (and its been 6 weeks). The car is on PCP so I've contacted VW Finance (on 29th Feb) and explained everything to them too and said i wish to reject the car. I've contacted them on 3 additional occasions and (as of 28th march) they still hadnt allocated it to anyone and also told me not to call back).

I emailed VW CEO and within 48 hrs had a call back - 3 phonecalls later (last one being this week) i've been told that VW-UK cant interfere... my issue is with Finance and the Dealership. 

Where do i go from here? I've heard numerous reviews that the Ombudsman is waste of time because they primarily side with the big business... I've contacted BBC Watchdog but, undersrtandably, heard nothing back.

Any help gratefully recieved

born_again

You will have to wait till Finance look at it. Which is never quick with S75. As they will be  working with dealer to sort.