VW Customer Care

I see so many negatives about VW Customer Care and wonder why the polar difference between my experience and so many others. Allow me at least to say something positive...

Most here know that my 2013 turned belly up. Roadside Assistance was a total joke. (The joke being on me.) So past the inconvenience and expense of delivering my broken car to my dealer, my negative experience turned positive.

In recognition of their support from the moment my car arrived until my new 2014 was delivered, I sent a nice letter to my dealer. I complimented and thanked them for their advocacy, their honesty, and their caring. Further, I requested that my letter be forwarded to VW Corporate.

Early last week a call from Roadside Assistance... Apologies made once again, a promise to improve, and a gift card to somewhat compensate. Not by any means was this expected, but a nice gesture all the same.

Then a personal letter yesterday directed to be sent by Mr. Michael Horn (VWoA President & CEO ). It became immediately obvious that corporate knew the whole story about my experience and somebody high up in VW management wasn't happy with what had happened, nor happy with VW's initial response.

The upshot? Along with a further apology, a promise to improve, and thanks for my letter and being a loyal customer, yet another gift card. Again totally unsolicited and unexpected. But this is really the way it should be!

I guess what I'm saying is that there must be some underlying reason why some of us are blown off and others so well treated. Are some of us approaching VW from the wrong end of the pipeline? Perhaps those of us with generally poor experiences aren't being directed to the right folks within VW. There has to be a logical explanation.

One piece of advice that has merit... Know your dealer and the relationship of your dealer with VW. Our initial purchase was based upon both price and intuition, not knowledge, and we got lucky. When the chips were down it was our dealer who did all the legwork, who had a good relationship with the district rep, and who made a really bad experience into something unexpectedly good.

What I'm getting at is that it seems identical vehicles sitting at different dealers carrying the same sticker price might not be identical after all. While the vehicles may physically be the same, there will be an underlying value in one versus the other. Just consider this before you sign the purchase agreement. In my experience it made all the difference.

To get good service from a retailer of any product:
1. Go in with a positive attitude.
2. Explain your problem in a calm, facts-only voice.
3. Bring donuts.
4. Ask, don't demand.

I used to work for Union Carbide. One of my associates had to deal with the spouse of an employee who died on the job. When she went to meet with him, she was told to do whatever she thought best to help him out. The spouse treated her so rudly he only got the minimum package instead of a lump-sum one year's salary plus extensions on health insurance coverage and an enhanced retirement contribution to his wife's pensiion plan.

Great info Nord! Sounds like your experience just may uplift the future experiences of VW owners! X2 on what Dog said, While I cannot publicly name drop my employer I work in a industry where I Personally deal with on average 20-30 people a day with mobile products almost everyone has in there pocket. I always go over and beyond when its a pleasant exchange and will spend double the time setting everything up and educating a pleasant customer. I must say that no one will willingly want a rude or physically abusive customer (we get lots of them) hanging around any longer than needed.

Nord,
That mirrors my experiences with VW over the years. Never got a letter from the CEO, but did get a very nice one from the regional manager in Portland, OR, once. We bought our first new VW in '79 (a diesel Rabbit) and have always been treated fairly and honestly by our dealers over the years.
Thank you for sharing this--it makes up for the more normal fare of venom and mistrust.
One thing I learned a long time ago is to write/phone/email when you are satisfied, not just when you have a problem.

Cheers.

Never had a problem with a Dealer regarding honesty. Incompetence in/of the service bay/service writer has been observed on occasion.

I once bought a car from a used car dealer, I dealt with the principal himself.... and found out later that he was a convicted HORSE THIEF. ( I was happy with the deal. )

You often get treated as you deserve.... Be reasonable, GET reasonable in return.

Bill

40X40 said:

You often get treated as you deserve.... Be reasonable, GET reasonable in return.

Bill

Click to expand...

"You get more bees with honey" comes to mind.

(...maybe we've just discovered why bees are dying everywhere...sigh...)

Tdijarhead said:

"You get more bees with honey" comes to mind.

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I think you are looking for: 'You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.'

Which has been attributed to damn near everyone in every quote book ever published!! LOL

You had the right idea!

Bill

40X40 said:

I think you are looking for: 'You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.'

Which has been attributed to damn near everyone in every quote book ever published!! LOL

You had the right idea!

Bill

Click to expand...

Faulty memory what can I say

nord said:

Then a personal letter yesterday directed to be sent by Mr. Michael Horn (VWoA President & CEO ). It became immediately obvious that corporate knew the whole story about my experience and somebody high up in VW management wasn't happy with what had happened, nor happy with VW's initial response.

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That is awesome. Volkswagen CEO knows and cares about you! Such a nice man.

Could you please let him know that there may be a serious problem with a high number of the 2012-2013 Passat TDI turbos?

Maybe suggest he extend the warranty.

Tyrntlzrdking,

I didn't post to brag. I'd say that between a 2014 replacement for my 2013, the letter from VW Corporate, and the overall concern VW has showed, that Mr. Horn and VW do really care! Otherwise there would have been no letter.

"Such a nice man" almost drips of sarcasm. Whether Mr. Horn is a nice person or just a savvy businessman is pretty much beside the point. The fact that a letter acknowledging and apologizing for a failure on the part of VW is not! And given the content of this letter it's clear to me that VW is well aware of the problem and is willing to go the extra mile here.

The point of my post was to share my experience... What I did and what I didn't do. Given the experience of a few others I elected NOT to call the 800 number and wade through endless bureaucracy. Instead I trusted my dealer to do what he promised and it worked. Your path might be different and I respect you for it.

nord said:

Tyrntlzrdking,
I trusted my dealer to do what he promised and it worked. Your path might be different and I respect you for it.

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Nord,

You seem to be a very nice guy.
I wish I could have an attitude like you, but I see things different.

Your turbo failed at 15,000 miles and your dealer replaced it under warranty.
He did not do this because he likes you, or because he is a nice guy, he did it because it is his job. He had no choice and that is how he makes a living.

A few people here have had their turbos fail out of warranty and had to pay several thousand dollars. Probably see more of this.

I don't know my dealer, have not dealt with him other than buying my car.
He was nice then.

When i need service, I hope he does his job well.

If not, I may call customer service.

Nice to see I'm not the ONLY one who's had issues with VW's RSA. In a nut shell:
Son hit pot hole w/Passat. Popped front right tire. Drove it home. Both wife and son reported the low air pressure light did not come on. Guess VW forgot the NO AIR AT ALL light.

When I called RSA, they said they would be there in 90 minutes. 5 hours later, they showed up. VW said they would come with a pull behind record because there is no place for the flat bed to "tie it down". Flat bed showed up. Oh well, was told the car would be ready Monday at 4. They ended up delivering the car around lunch time Tuesday. Took longer then they thought to get the replacement tire.

I don't put much faith that VW's RSA is tops but it's cheaper (not sure if better) then AAA.

It's nice the corporate reached out. I had some good experiences when dealing with Chrysler and my Jeep. Took them 3 times once to get me the CORRECT parts to install my skid plates. But they had them delivered to my house at no charge instead of picking them up at the dealer. But with that said, I've yet to have one brand bat 100. I hope my experience with my tire won't happen when something REALLY goes south.

And Nord, Tyrntlzrdking not only has a good point, he's right. Doing the job they are required to do isn't being nice, they are doing it because if they don't, people like you, me and Tyrn.. will cost them some customers. Just my 2cents .

tyrntlzrdking said:

That is awesome. Volkswagen CEO knows and cares about you! Such a nice man.

Could you please let him know that there may be a serious problem with a high number of the 2012-2013 Passat TDI turbos?

Maybe suggest he extend the warranty.

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You mean like Chrysler did with their 2011 minivans brakes?
For them, it just took a class action lawsuit..
Another class action is going to get me a new class III hitch system on my 2002 Liberty (because of rear end collisions).

tc1uscg said:

<SNIP>
Son hit pot hole w/Passat. Popped front right tire. Drove it home. Both wife and son reported the low air pressure light did not come on. Guess VW forgot the NO AIR AT ALL light.
<SNIP>

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Seriously? Both SON and WIFE cannot identify a BLOWN OUT TIRE and continued to drive/ride in the car all the way home???

Something has to have been lost in translation here!

Bill

...and this started out as such a nice thread...

tc1uscg said:

You mean like Chrysler did with their 2011 minivans brakes?
For them, it just took a class action lawsuit..

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This may be the only way to get them to admit there is a problem.
Some lawyers are going to make lots of money. Will take years.

tyrntlzrdking, can't you write your own letter? Or have you run out of honey?

Many, perhaps most of us, have decent relationships with our dealers--sales people, service managers and line mechanics. Others prefer to question their ability, sincerity and motives. Others dismiss them as "stealerships".

This post started out to be a record of what VW does right, let's keep it that way. There are enough other posts for you to complain on-or start your own.

Sadly enough there are some of us who will always seem to turn lemonade into a lemon without a second thought. I prefer to think just the opposite until I'm proven wrong.

Negative comments here are a way of life. I expect them. But wouldn't it be nice just once in awhile to allow something nice to be said about a product, a manufacturer, and a good dealer?

Look... I understand the frustration some here have suffered. I understand that some here haven't received very good treatment. It even appears to me that in some cases the fix for a bad turbo has been limited to the component itself and not the entire system as should be done. I do understand and it isn't right!

But all is not gloom and doom and that's my point. Handled properly it would appear that VW Corporate doesn't endorse less than exemplary behavior. Perhaps some of our issues aren't being addressed to the proper people and some here have had the misfortune of speaking to a "drone" in a department that does not much else than handling irate customers.

It boils down (in my experience) to the difference in a name versus a number. In dealing with Case # 1234 there is never a real person involved. In dealing with Bruce Miller, I'm a human being and other humans tend to relate to and interact with me.

Each of you on this board will handle your problems differently. I'm not here to claim that my way is the only or the best way. I shared the path I chose and the results of following that path. Given my results I thought that perhaps some of you in a similar situation might benefit. Certainly no claim on my part that I have the "magic bullet".

Some here appreciate a ray of sunshine on an otherwise nasty day. Others will curse the day for just one ray of sunshine. Human nature I guess.

I'll add a positive on the customer service note. VW South in Charlotte used to be one of the worst places to get your car serviced. I took my beetle in for the 25K oil change (1st was at 5000 and then every 10K afterwards) and they reported all was great on the overall safety inspection. At 27K, I wore through the rear rotars. Don't remember if I got the TSB on here, vortex, or newbeelte, but it was right there in black and white telling the dealers to do a manual inspection of rear brakes on all beetles starting at 15K miles. Next and final misstep was when I dropped it off for another oil change and state safety inspection. I went to pick it up after 5 and it wasn't done because the emissions tester was down. Diesels in NC still don't need emissions tests. They had no loaners and were reluctant to even give me a ride home.

Fast forward about 5 years, and VW South is bought out and is now VW South Charlotte. The new owners sent everyone that had serviced a vehicle through the old garage a $750 credit towards future service. IIRC, you could only use 10% or $200 of that at a time. After taking my beetle back to them for the second timing belt, I sat down with the GM and told him how much better they were to deal with and that they would get continued business from me. Didn't buy the JSW from them because they didn't have any on the lot but service it there. Bought the Golf from there and also continue to service it there.

So, long story short, they continue to have my business because they listen to the customer.

This may be difficult to believe but, my 06 Jetta was in for normal service and found that the rearview mirror was broken (day/night tab). It was under warranty but the dealer had to order a new mirror which would have required me to return for another visit. This dealer (Garnet VW in PA) is not very conveniently located to me. With that in mind, when the mirror came in they called and told me they were sending someone over to my house to install the new mirror. They did just that! A house call! Needless to say, I was impressed.

Treasure a good dealer. Price isn't everything.

Jetta Knight said:

This may be difficult to believe but, my 06 Jetta was in for normal service and found that the rearview mirror was broken (day/night tab). It was under warranty but the dealer had to order a new mirror which would have required me to return for another visit. This dealer (Garnet VW in PA) is not very conveniently located to me. With that in mind, when the mirror came in they called and told me they were sending someone over to my house to install the new mirror. They did just that! A house call! Needless to say, I was impressed.

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Wow, what a superb service! They definitely just raised the bar mile high for customer satisfaction!