bad experience at Burlington VW in NJ

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Manual preferred

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Location
Chevy Chase, MD
TDI
Passat
Not worth travelling from Maryland to NJ just to go there.
The service and care is lacking and inappropriate. I have a right to my opinions. See you on the radio. Won't be back here.
Mei Mei :mad: :eek:
 

Smalls

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Location
Chambersburg, Pa
TDI
Mk4 Jetta TDI
Care to elaborate a little more to the story? There are always two sides. They seem to be a pretty reputable dealer around these parts and I'm sure, given the chance, they would somehow try and rectify the situation.

Edit:

Like many users, I try not to take things for face value. I want to know the facts before a decision is made. It appears that this user has had nothing but problems with this car. Serviced at numerous dealers. All of the posts read the same way, with tons of conflicting and missing information. Please read the following before you make assumptions of the aformentioned dealer. Since we have no other information to go on.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=404274
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=418117
 
Last edited:

tomo366

TDI Lifer, Member #68
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Location
Kensington, Maryland USA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL TDI
She went there on my recommendation…..I am not sure what the problem is but Chris has been in the Hospital in excruciating pain……I have bought 3 now from him and the 4th is on its way and I know for a fact he has bent over backwards for this person……She sent me a PM saying she Blocked me and she is no longer on this site.....so Folks form your own opinion.....
Worth everything for me to travel to NJ from DC to deal…...
 
Last edited:

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
2018 Tesla Model 3: 217,000 miles
I think the history here has something to do with a clutch problem on her Passat. There is another thread about it somewhere.

I'm really confused why this cryptic thread has been started, but I guess we won't get the full story since she has apparently decided to leave and not come back.

I hope Chris is well again soon... I wasn't aware that he was back in the hospital.
 

Tuco

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Location
Las Vegas
TDI
2010 Jetta
One thing I learned when I briefly worked in sales is that some people have impossibly high expectations, and are impossible to please. The hit and run style post by the OP, without even bothering to explain what happened, kinda speaks for itself.
 

tomo366

TDI Lifer, Member #68
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Location
Kensington, Maryland USA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL TDI
Care to elaborate a little more to the story? There are always two sides. They seem to be a pretty reputable dealer around these parts and I'm sure, given the chance, they would somehow try and rectify the situation.

Edit:

Like many users, I try not to take things for face value. I want to know the facts before a decision is made. It appears that this user has had nothing but problems with this car. Serviced at numerous dealers. All of the posts read the same way, with tons of conflicting and missing information. Please read the following before you make assumptions of the aformentioned dealer. Since we have no other information to go on.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=404274
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=418117
This is not the same car.......this is about the replacement she purchased.....That car was never in Burlington VW for service.....and Chris was not there when she brought the new one back......:rolleyes: But all this is moot!! She said she was leaving the site....
 

tdidieselbobny

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Stafford,NY (WNY)
TDI
'03 Galactic Blue Jetta TDI, '15 Silk Blue Golf Sportwagen TDI
Thread should be deleted and member banned- start a thread like this and then say won't be back.....
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
2018 Tesla Model 3: 217,000 miles
Thread should be deleted and member banned- start a thread like this and then say won't be back.....
While I'm not a fan of the drive-by flaming that Mei Mei just did, I don't think it's over the line enough to delete the thread and ban her. I think all of us are informed enough to realize that this is an unreasonable way to express oneself.
 

20IndigoBlue02

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Location
Was North NJ, now SoCal
TDI
2002 Golf TDI-- deceased
She went there on my recommendation…..I am not sure what the problem is but Chris has been in the Hospital in excruciating pain……I have bought 3 now from him and the 4th is on its way and I know for a fact he has bent over backwards for this person……She sent me a PM saying she Blocked me and she is no longer on this site.....so Folks form your own opinion.....
Worth everything for me to travel to NJ from DC to deal…...
This is not the same car.......this is about the replacement she purchased.....That car was never in Burlington VW for service.....and Chris was not there when she brought the new one back......:rolleyes: But all this is moot!! She said she was leaving the site....
Not to speculate too much, since you said Chris is having medical issues, maybe I suspect that his management overrided the leg-work Chris did for her.
 

Manual preferred

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Location
Chevy Chase, MD
TDI
Passat
I didn't say I blocked you. I was screamed at by Chris while I was driving to do probate for my father. I had asked questions about the rate of the interest and I needed clarification and there is nothing wrong with that. I offered to bring him to DC to take care of him with doctors well known with gall bladder and he screamed at me that he didn't need a doctor, he has a doctor and needs to sell a car. I was being nice to him and never screamed at him and could hardly answer while I was driving.
I would have bought 4 cars from him too, but screaming at me like that is a deal breaker. I've had 5 brain surgeries since 2010 and two this year the most recent in August with MRSA in my brain and skull bone from the implant. Through all of this I have never screamed at anyone about all I was managing and going through. I just do what I have to do and plow ahead. The way he was screaming was considered abusive. It was bizarre and really strange. The laminate never got installed. I came back on Monday to get it installed since it couldn't get installed two Saturdays ago when I drove in from Pittsburgh. He said to come Monday Oct 20th. That was the day he was screaming hysterically at me. Yes, he has done a lot for me but then so has every other car dealer. There also was never a statement of FREE OF CHARGE. I did pay my bills. The wood grain laminate wasn't installed and has a bubble. Since I had been there twice, I decided to take the laminate with me and do it in Maryland at my own cost of installation at a detailer.

In addition, the paperwork wasn't done. I kept getting notices from the Maryland DMV that I was going to get the car insurance cancelled (even though I traded it). Geico said to have the dealer send the bill of sale showing the trade to a FAX number in Glen Burnie. Chris said there was nothing more he could do. so I contacted the business woman who I signed the papers with and the manager Gus but no answer so I had to go sit at the DMV for 3 hours and handle the paper work myself. That's all I have to say. That is the story. I am tired and still recovering from Brain MRSA from the implant put in last April and I'm not screaming at anyone. I didn't block Tom. I don't know how to block Tom. Chris hasn't been receiving my emails and was screaming about that as well. No dealer has ever screamed at me before. I didn't block him either, I just wrote to Gus out of concern for him and asked that he not contact me because I don't want to be screamed at and now I don't trust him after those two phone calls. I even brought up helping him to get into the DUKE weight loss program and he said he couldn't do that nor go to Weight Watchers. I found acupuncturists for his nerve pain in his leg because this helped my father with one treatment.
Bottom line, I also did a lot for him and don't deserve to be screamed at. No one is blocked.
Most sincerely,
Mei Mei
 

Manual preferred

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Location
Chevy Chase, MD
TDI
Passat
I also asked for a car wash since I came all that way and the car wash man was out on a shuttle run so there was no one else there that could do the wash. I drove down the road and went to a car wash.
 

3193

Requiescat In Pace
Joined
Dec 11, 2004
Location
Burlington, NJ {35 minutes from Phila Int"l
TDI
all the TDI's on the lot
Well, where do I start,

I swore to myself when I became a member of this club that I would and should not need to respond to any negative jargon or any personal innuendo's or attacks on me or I would just need to excuse myself of the situation and move on.

I started my retail sales career just over 20 years ago and have worked for just 2 car dealers. My first was Burlington VW for just over 10 years, then 8.1 miles away at VW of Langhorne.

In that time, other then an approximate 2 year hiatus as the sales manager of Burlington VW, I have been in the sales dept as a salesperson. My customer satisfaction rating score for these 20 years is 98.67% and I am damn proud of it. I do believe in the fact that you are not going to please everyone you come in contact with, however, I take the mentality that I would like to take that challenge.

I would like to think that I am a different kind rather then the stereotypical salesman many people think and is true about other folks in my profession.

In my career, I have never taken advantage of a single client, even when the opportunity presented itself to me! It is just not in me. I would rather sell 20 cars for the same commission as selling 10 cars as I really enjoy the job that I have chosen in my life.

Believe me when I tell you that I have been hard pressed about this before as the ability as a new car salesman to make a good living these days as the business is going, I have never waivered.

The way I make money in this business is by a quantity of vehicles I can sell and then reaping the rewards of bonuses and VW factory programs designed for the salesman.
Without boring you, once I discount the car and give the factory interest rate to the client, I get paid $125 per car. I then get a quantity bonus from my employer. I then get my largest portion from the VW programs that are offered. I ONLY reap the VW factory awards by having a very high customer satisfaction rating.

I say all this not to get anyone on my side of conversation, just to lay a foundation.

I came on the TDI club just about 10 years ago and joined what was at the time, two other new car dealer salesman that were here on the board. Some of you will remember, Sean(shear)from Wisconsin and Jerry(it's me Jerry) from Alabama. For a couple years, I believe all three of us enjoyed the success of selling VW's to other club members and the friendship many of us members have had together.

Over the next 8 years after that, for one reason or another, I became the resident salesman on the board alone and made it my career to cater to just TDI business. I was selling VW's and forging relationships with folks all around the country and loving every minute of it.
I actually really found out how important(other then the business side of it) how important this club and my dealings were when I was stricken with an illness and was laid up in the hospital for an extended period of time. Between the letters to my hospital room and letters of encouragement here on threads on the club, I actually had many club members from a whole geography of the US come to see me in the hospital.

For all of you, I thank you for that.

Now I would like to get back to my post here and why I am writing to you.

Approx 6 months ago, I was referred by another club member to the OP that started this thread.

As I always do the first time anyone on the club asks anything from me, I always go back into their history on the club to get a feel for them and what their needs or desires may be.
When I did this for the OP, it was a bit of curiosity as she seemed to be all over the map with her posts and resolutions.

No big deal, I am a car salesman and I need to sell cars so I took it upon myself to move forward. We met and talked and I then realized that she infact has a few personal illness problems and that she just may have not been coming over understandibly in her posts.

She informed me that she had been taken advantage of automotively in the past and I informed her that would not happen with me.

Folks, let me tell you, I could have taken a big advantage over her in our car deal to get her out of her Passat deal and I did not. I generally liked her and told her she had someone on her side.

Here is where the tricky part comes in, and the part I despise doing, however, feel that I have to instead of not responding to this.

Mei Mei does have a valid point about me telling her that I did not need her help personally and I just need to sell cars.

See, she came in last week and told me she really did not like the DSG trans in her 2014 Passat and so I naturally sat down with her to discuss getting a 2015 model with the manual shift again.

I laid out a couple details for her and to try and keep the payments close to her 2014 deal, we could go with 2.9% financing for 72 months or find possibly a close rate to that and grab $750 in dealer cash on 2015 Passat's if we not go thru VW Credit.

She then left for the day and made an appointment with me for Monday, the 20th to come in and get the wood grain finish taken care of.


I was home from the hospital just a couple days and I received a pm here on the club asking me why I was holding back on her when she saw a rate of 1.9% thru VW credit. I then answered her back in a pm stating that I did not hold back on her.

Mei Mei then called me at approx 10:30 in the am and I retuned her call just a bit after lunch on the appointed Monday. She and I were having some phone issues as she was in the car and everytime she spoke, it would break up and I just could not get her to stop talking in a brief to state this, I raised my voice and stated to her to just let me talk. I then stated to her that I do not need her personal help with Duke Univ or any other entities, I just need to get back to selling cars.

I apologies if I raised my voice, however, I do not apologize about my comments.

I was not saying directly to her that all I cared about was selling her a car. I have been on this club with members and talked them out of buying cars when they explained their situations to me.

I just could not sit back and take this on the chin. I have already been dealt with at work and do not need it here as well. I can take constructive criticism, however, no one os going to put me down and talk openly about my health issues.

Chris
 

Abacus

That helpful B4 guy
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Location
Relocated from Maine to Dewey, AZ
TDI
Only the B4V left
Thank you Chris, I suspected there was more to the story and have dealt with people of similar demeanors before, it is difficult. I formed a similar opinion based on past posts but different people are...well, different and they have every right to be.

You are correct in your reputation assessment, that is all we have to fall back upon and it's difficult to both establish and regain should it falter for whatever reason, justified or unjustified.

While I have not dealt with you directly, several people I know have, including one who I consider a close friend, and all have nothing bt stellar things to say about you. If and when the time comes I decide to abandon the B4 platform and go new (GASP!), I'll definitely make the trip to come see you.

Thanks again for the post and wishes for a speedy recovery.
 

nord

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2010
Location
Southern Tier NY
TDI
All turned back to VW. Now a 2017 Hundai Tuscon. Not a single squalk in 10k miles.
Chris,

You sold my son a TDI and he's very happy with the vehicle... And you! Very often we in the general public tend to paint car salespeople with a broad brush. While a poor reputation is deserved in some cases, it isn't in yours.

I might note that many clients have no real idea of how the vehicle retail game works. Many consumers purchase a vehicle without really knowing the bottom line. And in reality the bottom line is all that matters (or should be) for the consumer. Anyone purchasing solely based on a monthly payment without an understanding of the mechanics of the deal should quite probably not be on the other side of your desk.

Your comments about compensation are not necessary, though I appreciate your honesty. Anyone who looks around a dealership must at some level appreciate that the doors don't stay open unless profit is involved. Sales personnel need to make a living just as do we all. There's no sin in any of this. The sin comes when anyone takes unfair advantage of another and I don't see this in you.

Passat TDI's? You're aware that we have three in the family. Two are SE's and the third a SEL Premium. We're perhaps as aware as anyone of the differences between these cars and the differences are considerable. I drive my SE and think to myself that it's a wonderful car. It is! Then I climb into the SEL and think the same thing. Neither is actually better than the other. It's just that they are two examples of very different approaches used to arrive at the same product badge. The SE being a bit more utilitarian while at the same time being very nice and the SEL being able to hold its own against much more expensive cars. I can honestly say that both my wife and I always compare her SEL to the offerings of Audi, BMW, or Mercedes and invariably conclude that we wouldn't trade. We aren't stupid. We're aware of the differences but we've concluded that the SEL gives a lot of bang for the buck... And what other make heads down the highway at 50 mpg and never turns the least of a sweat?

Given the above I find it difficult to understand why one would purchase a SEL DSG over an SE MT, then within a year decide for the other while being underwater from a financial standpoint and then complain that it's somehow your fault for attempting to make a painful deal a bit less so. You do realize, don't you, that there was probably no winning at this one? I sincerely doubt that you've put anyone in a headlock and forced them into a deal. So now you're somehow expected to make a case of buyer's remorse all better? Interesting!

In any case we wish you well and hope for a complete and speedy recovery. Thank you for your honesty and you association here on this board. Now... Go out and sell some more TDI's! (Actually most bought by our members are already sold. You just facilitate the purchase.) Make a few dollars while you're at it and don't apologize for doing so. Oh... And BE WELL!

Our Best,

The Miller Family.
 

Manual preferred

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Location
Chevy Chase, MD
TDI
Passat
I said I won't be back to this thread because I want happiness in my life. I like this site for its great advice but I don't want to talk about sad things that have happened such as being yelled at abusively. You are all men and perhaps men don't get yelled at this way like they are stupid. I remember in the 70s and 80s I bought 3 Saabs. By the time I moved down here from Concord/Cambridge, MA and NJ, I was ready for the 4th and went to Alexandria. I test drove the Saab down there and during the test drive, the salesman asked who was making the decision in the purchase (like where was the man). Then while on the test drive the car broke down and I knew what it was because I knew my Saabs. The salesman didn't know what to do and I popped the hood pulled on the right wire and showed him what to do. I have finished the story of the thread and want to spend positive time this week getting ready for Thanksgiving. I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope you do too. I just wanted you all to know what happens to me, so that it doesn't happen to you.
 

Manual preferred

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Location
Chevy Chase, MD
TDI
Passat
I just saw Chris' post. He was screaming and hysterical. It has not become a he said, she said. but I wouldn't say this if it didn't happen. I really would have bought more cars from there in spite of the problem with the paperwork not being done for Maryland. I pulled the car over because he called me. I couldn't talk because I was on the way to a 10 a.m. lawyer appointment so it was before 10. I told him I would call him back after the lawyer appointment for the probate. It happened to be my father's 100th birthday and I was bringing more than half of the sheet cake over. I talked with him after the lawyer appointment because I didn't know why he called. He said he was not at work and was in the hospital for 4 days. I was sorry about that and was trying to reach out to him as he was screaming. I had asked valid questions in the email. Is there a back up camera in the stick model? He screamed about that. He said he would be over there to meet me at 1 pm. I couldn't get there from the Shore because I was going to the cemetery to plant the flowers I bought and there is nothing wrong with that. It was after all his 100th birthday. Yes, he screamed abusively. I haven't been screamed at like that since 1982 and I swore it would never happen again and on Oct. 20th it did. That is a deal breaker. I'm new here, Yes. You don't have to believe me, but I don't have to sit here and spend time lying. I am not lying.
 

tomo366

TDI Lifer, Member #68
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Location
Kensington, Maryland USA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL TDI
Chris is not only my car Salesman he is my friend!......and me being the person that referred you to him the personal attack on him affects me also! ......the comment that you made above about men is pure BS!.....He offered an apology and obviously you did not accept.....so we all should move on.....I know I am done with this! I will however say this...as I feel this thread is going to be locked....Chris naturally talks in a loud voice and I feel your idea of screaming is different from his I have seen bought sides of the story and feel it is blown out of proportion...this man bends over backwards for Club Members and lately many Club members have been taking advantage of him.....
 
Last edited:

Manual preferred

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Location
Chevy Chase, MD
TDI
Passat
I agree with you, Miller Family. It doesn't make sense to buy a car after buying one in July. I went in there not to buy a car but to get the laminate put on the car. He worked up a deal for a new car which took my breath away. He did this because of a comment I made about not like how the DSG handled and preferred the manual. Suddenly there was a deal in process that I wasn't ready for and he would have a new 2015 ready for me on my return from New England set for Oct 20th. I do best with everything in writing in front of me but it was all verbal so I wrote an email for clarification on the the deal. I have a terrible 6% loan and the plan will pay that off by December with the sale of my father's house. He said he would put me into a 2015 with no money to exchange and the interest would be cut in half. While in New England I saw on the VW website that VW was offering 1.99% which was better. I asked him about that but was in no way accusing him that he was misinforming me. I wanted clarification and as I said I do better in writing. I really am not ready for another new car. You are right. It doesn't make sense to buy a car every few months. The loan will be paid off soon and that was the plan. The reason I had such a high interest rate because my credit rating fell from the high 700s to mid 500s because Amazon did not credit me for paying $1000 to my account. It took a lot of paperwork and phone calls and they finally agreed that they got the $1000 three weeks before and they would show it on the next statement. That together with Home Depot and fixing my father's house to sell impacted the rating. I am now back up in the 700s and the Ally bill will be paid off. I don't need another loan in my life. You are absolutely right on Miller Family. Mei Mei


Chris,

You sold my son a TDI and he's very happy with the vehicle... And you! Very often we in the general public tend to paint car salespeople with a broad brush. While a poor reputation is deserved in some cases, it isn't in yours.

I might note that many clients have no real idea of how the vehicle retail game works. Many consumers purchase a vehicle without really knowing the bottom line. And in reality the bottom line is all that matters (or should be) for the consumer. Anyone purchasing solely based on a monthly payment without an understanding of the mechanics of the deal should quite probably not be on the other side of your desk.

Your comments about compensation are not necessary, though I appreciate your honesty. Anyone who looks around a dealership must at some level appreciate that the doors don't stay open unless profit is involved. Sales personnel need to make a living just as do we all. There's no sin in any of this. The sin comes when anyone takes unfair advantage of another and I don't see this in you.

Passat TDI's? You're aware that we have three in the family. Two are SE's and the third a SEL Premium. We're perhaps as aware as anyone of the differences between these cars and the differences are considerable. I drive my SE and think to myself that it's a wonderful car. It is! Then I climb into the SEL and think the same thing. Neither is actually better than the other. It's just that they are two examples of very different approaches used to arrive at the same product badge. The SE being a bit more utilitarian while at the same time being very nice and the SEL being able to hold its own against much more expensive cars. I can honestly say that both my wife and I always compare her SEL to the offerings of Audi, BMW, or Mercedes and invariably conclude that we wouldn't trade. We aren't stupid. We're aware of the differences but we've concluded that the SEL gives a lot of bang for the buck... And what other make heads down the highway at 50 mpg and never turns the least of a sweat?

Given the above I find it difficult to understand why one would purchase a SEL DSG over an SE MT, then within a year decide for the other while being underwater from a financial standpoint and then complain that it's somehow your fault for attempting to make a painful deal a bit less so. You do realize, don't you, that there was probably no winning at this one? I sincerely doubt that you've put anyone in a headlock and forced them into a deal. So now you're somehow expected to make a case of buyer's remorse all better? Interesting!

In any case we wish you well and hope for a complete and speedy recovery. Thank you for your honesty and you association here on this board. Now... Go out and sell some more TDI's! (Actually most bought by our members are already sold. You just facilitate the purchase.) Make a few dollars while you're at it and don't apologize for doing so. Oh... And BE WELL!

Our Best,

The Miller Family.
 

Manual preferred

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Location
Chevy Chase, MD
TDI
Passat
I'm sorry Tom is taking this personally

Don't take this personally. I just wanted you to give you feedback. You don't have to accept it. It's a free country.
Have a nice Sunday.
Mei Mei


Chris is not only a Car Salesman he is my friend.......and me being the person that referred you to him the personal attack on him affects me also! ......the comment that you made above about men is pure BS!.....He offered an apology and obviously you did not accept.....so we all should move on.....I know I am done with this!
 

nord

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2010
Location
Southern Tier NY
TDI
All turned back to VW. Now a 2017 Hundai Tuscon. Not a single squalk in 10k miles.
Mei Mei,

Personal mail sent your way. I hope at least that it makes you feel a bit better. And thank you for the very nice post. Given your classy reply to me I can only hope that you and Chris somehow iron out your problem.

So... Let's hope.

B
 

3193

Requiescat In Pace
Joined
Dec 11, 2004
Location
Burlington, NJ {35 minutes from Phila Int"l
TDI
all the TDI's on the lot
I apologize one more time for what you may have considered loud and abusive. You are not correct with your allocation that I had a deal and a car waiting for you and thus making you uncomfortable.you had not even seen the new color Fortana Red so how could I have it ready? I just wanted for you to have someone to trust! I am done and please, someone lock this thread as it will get ugly and it is not in the right section anyway.
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
2018 Tesla Model 3: 217,000 miles
I think everything here is worked out. If either party needs to elaborate or say anything else, it can be done in private message.
 
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