My VW Dealer Declines Aftermarket Upgrades

TDI Believer

Responsible For Global Warming
Joined
Sep 20, 1999
Location
Charles Town,WV
TDI
2012 Touareg TDI
After having my car 1.5 days, Miller VW calls and says they can't install my Bilsteins and Shine springs because that would be modifying the car. I had told them up front this was what I wanted to do and they voiced no problems with it until this morning.

I had them drive my car to the local Firestone shop (good reputation). I will still have my car ready today.

(I can just see the poor slob technician at the dealer: "Gee boss, these shocks and struts are yellow. VW ones are black. Duh, I don't think we're allowed to install yeller ones.")

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

---------------------------
One technician was severely beaten in the making of this post.
 

Birdman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 7, 1999
Location
Near Hagerstown MD.
TDI
Jetta 2001 Died by Truck one snowy day. Jetta 2003
When i called my dealer in Hagerstown (Sharret VW) about in stalling struts in my old TDI Passat the first question i was asked was ARE you suppying the parts. So far they have been willing to install any thing i want them to. They just charge more then someone like firestone But they will do whatever i ask so far.
Did you get a new TDI? what happened to the old one

[This message has been edited by Birdman (edited February 09, 2001).]
 

MineMapper

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2000
Location
UK
TDI
2016 Transporter Kombi
Are you sure they have the right car?

I mean, one look at the BB, and they should know that this was your intention.

Ah well, just another idiot dealer to add to the list....
 

TDI Believer

Responsible For Global Warming
Joined
Sep 20, 1999
Location
Charles Town,WV
TDI
2012 Touareg TDI
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tomo366:
I guess this means Quaife and Clutch are out of the question??<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I wouldn't let the dealer rotate my tires at this point.

There's a foreign car transmission shop in Leesburg that I am going to contact about the clutch and the Quaife. Also, there is apparently a mechanic that works for Stohlman VW that will do the work on the side. I will still do the clutch and the Quaife - just have to find a competent shop to do the work,

Firestone just called. They said the springs and dampers went in beautifully and the car was currently undergoing alignment. Three hours. I am impressed.
 

rgoetz

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 14, 1999
Location
NJ
TDI
None currently
Mine refused to put an after-market (Forge) diverter valve in my wife's Passat. Typical.

------------------
Rob
2000 Golf GLS TDI (UPsolute chip; VNT turbo tweak; K&N; Euro map lights; removed MAF screens, lower airbox screen, and OEM air intake blockages; spare Relay 109; euro badge (red "DI"))
2000 Passat GLS Variant 1.8T (UPsolute chip; Forge DV; K&N; Thule rack & ski box)
Studded Nokian Hakka 1's on both
 

Birdman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 7, 1999
Location
Near Hagerstown MD.
TDI
Jetta 2001 Died by Truck one snowy day. Jetta 2003
I Believe they would. I have had them install 2 higher 5th gears on jettas with no problem. ASk for Mike as your service adviser and Joe for the mechanic
 

Birdman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 7, 1999
Location
Near Hagerstown MD.
TDI
Jetta 2001 Died by Truck one snowy day. Jetta 2003
I Believe they would. I have had them install 2 higher 5th gears on jettas with no problem. ASk for Mike as your service adviser and Joe for the mechanic.
Joe just installed a used TDI engine from VW Parts in the Passat i sold last MAY. Seems the guy ran it with the boost controller or waste gate stuck. When the computer went into limp home mode he just keap resetting it by turning off and restarting the car.
pistons were cracked and showed high heat.
 

Driv'n EZ

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2000
Location
Soot Belchin, USA
Rich, I'm not surprised. I just had the Eibach sport suspension springs installed and had my local tire shop do the work. They have one guy who does alignments. He is excellent. They picked up my car in the am and returned it later in the day with a bill for $156 for labor. The alignment was right on, nothing needed adjustment there.

I really don't plan to have VW do anything else to my car after warranty is over. I will be taking it to a foreign car shop that has an excellent reputation. Or I'll be working on it with the local guys in the TDI club. Let me know what you find with the clutch job. Might be worth it for me to drive from NC to VA.
 

scooby

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 12, 2000
Location
Long Beach, CA
TDI
2011 Golf
In the dealer's defense, they are only covering their own ass. If they install those parts for you, you could hold them responsible if something happens from those parts, even though the warranty should be voided. Remember, we live in a litigation obsessed society, and they are trying to avoid getting sued. VW wont reimburse them if the warranty should have been voided, so they will have to pay for your repair out of their own pockets. This is just common sense "cover your ass" stuff. You can't honestly blame them for trying to avoid lawsuits and loosing their ass financially.
 

GoneDiesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2000
Location
USA
scooby, I understand your post but sometimes the stealerships are going a little overboard. Last week I bought a set of VW wheels and the previous owner kept the wheel bolts. I decided to give VW a call to pick some up and they refused to sell any because the wheels were not purchaced from VW. The parts guy said that they didn't want any liability if the bolts didn't seat right and if anything happened as a result. How lame is that? Everyday my stealership is starting to look like the majority of them.
 

truman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 18, 2000
Location
columbia,MO,usa
TDI
'05 Passat Variant, Still miss the 03JW
I find it hard to criticise the dealers for being overly cautious. If you have a good working relationship with a smaller dealer they might be a little more willing to work with you on mods. A large dealership will have some pretty strict rules born out of previous experiences. An independent garage wouldn't be faced with the same customer relationship/warranty issues.
 
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