DEALER WOES

[mynewgolf]

My 2015 has been to the dealer on numerous occasions - They have put many parts and sensors on the car - The cars runs quite poorly and hiccups - stumbles - sputters all the time - Very likely a fuel issue - The 2 dealers have not been able to diagnose or fix the car and VW has been involved on an escalated level - The dealers are simply not willing to fix these cars - Mine still has lots of TDI warranty left - The parts suppliers are noticing the same thing - pretty sad - I took the car where I purchased it as a certified VW - They really dogged me - The service tech admitted he felt the hiccups and sputters - The dealer has no codes or dash lights to work with so they easily pawn the car off to VW - All of this after dealing with another dealer for a month who was clueless (They did try though) VW has offered no help so far other than providing info for lemon law cases - Now I feel sheepish for buying a recalled car. Taking it to a real mechanic and spending god knows how much this week - The dealers and VW have proven to be a colossal waste of time and energy.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Some are and some are not. Do you have VCDS to scan it yourself? If not that would be the first thing to get and check. Hard to believe it is acting as you say with no codes. You may be able to find someone near who has it and they can scan for you. Generally they won't touch it for warranty if there are no codes.

 

[hskrdu]

Sorry to hear about your experience. Does your "real mechanic" know TDIs? If not, you may just be complicating matters. Have you done some reading here regarding Mk7 issues? Check the threads with similar symptoms, and find someone with VCDS (or buy a cable from RT) and avoid dealer diagnostics. Spending more money and throwing parts at it is not likely the best method for fixing it.

 

[oilhammer]

If the CKP didn't fix it, I'd suspect an engine harness.

You already have a thread about this.

 

[TurboABA]

You guys in the USA had an incredible AEM warranty.
Make sure you read all of the documents that were available to you, unlike us up here..... there's so many clauses in there, and you have so much to gain if you educate yourselves on that.....
I've spent some time reading some of them just for my own curiosity, and man, am I jelly that I wasn't part of that settlement.

 

[oilhammer]

Incredible on paper maybe, but when it relies on a lot of idiots, or worse, crooks, then it is a very different story. I could literally write a book about the Fails associated with the warranty extension on these cars.

 

[TurboABA]

I agree that fighting for what you're entitled to is quite challenging.... but at least you have that option... unlike us up here who can't even look stuff up any more because some "ricepoint" 3rd party didn't even keep the emissions settlement website going so people can inform themselves.
At least https://www.vwcourtsettlement.com/en/ is still up and fully available for you guys to get clarity from.

 

[mynewgolf]

VW has offered a buyback under their in house lemon law procedure - currently the car is in good hands with a european shop who employs actual mechanics - I am hoping VW will pay for my rental car and the repairs since both dealers in my city have truly failed me and proven to be incompetent - we shall see - I did check out some testimonials and I followed the advice of the camshaft position sensor which did not help I do still love my recalled car that VW cannot fix - I do miss my 03 golf - going on 400k for my nephew

 

[mynewgolf]

Now I am super curious about VWs future offer on a buyback - The dealer offered me 6k on a trade - Assumptions dont seem to lead anywhere and thus I simply take in the facts and acceptance of owning a warranted car that NO-ONE can fix or even wants to try and fix - My last ditch effort at the Euro Specialty shop was a joke! There goes another 200!! I have spent 4k just maintaining and attempting to fix my warranted car - I feel like I may as well move in to the car and get tucked in for some sleep The cost is almost insurmountable - We are going to try the trottle body/flap replacement - If a NO GO then the buy back process begins - Sometimes I just feel like taking the car downtown and giving it to a homeless person

 

[ZippyNH]

VW has offered a buyback under their in house lemon law procedure

There are other cars....even other TDI's...
Not sure why you have stuck with a problem so long....
VW like many dealers (in the NE USA)are struggling to move cars at the moment...
Know I keep getting texts and emails from mine offering $3000 over appraisal value PLUS "up to 60 months" 0%...
So I kinda wonder if the deal is a way to sell a NEW car as opposed to getting rid of a problem.
You might love a TDI, but when mine was totaled out with pretty minor damage, largely due to parts availability that was expected to extend the repair time, I took the hint and moved on.
Know most of the posts you are making are mostly venting, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome...
Frankly sounds kinda insane. You obviously bought somebody's else's problem as you stated it NEVER ran well...so you getting rid of it with it still broken is kinda expected,
Drive more worry less...
Sell it...go buy a car that runs well, TDI or not

 

[mynewgolf]

There are other cars....even other TDI's...
Not sure why you have stuck with a problem so long....
VW like many dealers (in the NE USA)are struggling to move cars at the moment...
Know I keep getting texts and emails from mine offering $3000 over appraisal value PLUS "up to 60 months" 0%...
So I kinda wonder if the deal is a way to sell a NEW car as opposed to getting rid of a problem.
You might love a TDI, but when mine was totaled out with pretty minor damage, largely due to parts availability that was expected to extend the repair time, I took the hint and moved on.
Know most of the posts you are making are mostly venting, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome...
Frankly sounds kinda insane. You obviously bought somebody's else's problem as you stated it NEVER ran well...so you getting rid of it with it still broken is kinda expected,
Drive more worry less...
Sell it...go buy a car that runs well, TDI or not

It ran very well for 80k (was a certified VW)- The dealer put lots of parts on it this year and it runs great when it decides to run great - I am so excited for a car payment and higher insurance premiums - problem solved

 

[ZippyNH]

It ran very well for 80k (was a certified VW)- The dealer put lots of parts on it this year and it runs great when it decides to run great - I am so excited for a car payment and higher insurance premiums - problem solved

Nobody says you couldn't buy a DIFFERENT TDI in the same $$ range?!
Just lots of options for people in different situations. Unfortunately you found some cars are just unfixable for unknown reasons without luck or an drivetrain swap.
Know it sucks.. believe me I was hoping my TDI would be fixed, but the reality that a million fragile parts could have been cranked in the impact (in my case), ok for the repair and return to me, then become a neverending series of issues made the fact my perfect low mile TDI was totaled out a blessing...
Unfortunately if you don't turn your own wrench TDI's are getting tougher to own (some VW dealership are no longer serving them) and the 15 TDI is unfortunately much worse than the others....as a SINGLE MODEL YEAR ENGINE, there is little expertise and even fewer parts for them in north America.
You might be lucky. They are great cars when they are running great...mine did for virtually my entire ownership from new...but when it goes sideways, it's IMHO best to RUN. Best of all... ethically I feel good cause my car was totaled, similar with a lemon sale ..it didn't get dumped on an unknowing person, at least by YOU.

 

[Serra M]

In 2016, rather than turn in my 2014 Jetta TDI and get the full payout, I kept the car, took the emissions "fix", the smaller cash payout, got a 10 year warranty and it worked out well. I had pampered this vehicle for the full ten years and always got everything done at the same dealership that I bought it new from in 2014. A month after the warranty was up in 11/2024, here come the typical VW tdi problem codes: P111, P042, P026A, along with the flashing glow plug indicator. Dealership fixed it ("rodent damage"). But back again in a month for another fix (replace throttle body). Ran fabulously well for ONE WEEK. Then drove it up a moderate incline. No power and check engine light on again. Back to dealership: leaking Turbo Charger, Turbo Inter Cooler. The service quote to fix was $7261.58 LOL!!! So obviously they don't want to service the car for me anymore. But they really want the vehicle as a trade in. The body, brakes, tires, interior, and other engine components are in very good shape. However, I don't want to get any further involved with this dealership.

These cars are sort of desirable since I live in CA and they have banned the sale of new diesel cars. What should I do with this vehicle? Trade in? Private sale? Charitable tax write off donation? Opinions PLEASE.

 

[gearheadgrrrl]

How much did the dealer offer you for it as a trade in?

 

[Serra M]

"about $5K." Typical dealer low ball considering they have the service records of all the new factory VW parts they've put in it throughout the last few years.

 

[TurboABA]

So you're thinking an 11 year old vehicle in need of said emission repairs is worth what?

 

[Serra M]

The last repair estimate they gave me was for $7248.00, so if they think anyone would pay that, they must consider the car worth at least that amount, right? This isn't the first time they've tried to get me to sell it to them. Maybe they think it's full of hidden treasure.

This is my second (and last) VW Jetta TDI in 20 years, and I'm off the VW path for now anyway. The next owner will be a private buyer who's into diesel cars, or a different dealership trade in, or a charitable donation.org.

 

[TurboABA]

The last repair estimate they gave me was for $7248.00, so if they think anyone would pay that, they must consider the car worth at least that amount, right?

I doubt it.... I don't think a dealer considers what the vehicle is worth when giving you a repair estimate... the vehicle worth is irrelevant to what it would cost them to repair it while still making a profit.
I'd say a better way to look at it would be along the lines of...... if they are offering you $5k for it broken, and it needs $7k worth of fixes, that would mean it's probably worth $6.5-8k in a fixed condition.

I'd suggest finding an independent shop\mechanic, getting it fixed for 1/2 of what the dealer is quoting you (if it even needs all they are quoting), and keep driving it.

 

[ZippyNH]

+1 on an independent shop... OFTEN 40% less due to the hourly rates being less...with OEM parts
Let's face it, the shiney floors, "free loaners" etc all cost ya...