How far are you from nearest VW dealer?

StoneCrab

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2012
Location
Indiana
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
How far are you from your nearest VW dealer, for service and warranty concerns? I am 90 miles from my nearest dealer and think the VW sales/service network is pretty weak. For a brand that is attempting to conquer America (and the world) I think they are going to need more dealers. I live in a medium size midwest college town, not in remote BFE.
 

ZootsAlures

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2013
Location
Windsor, CT
TDI
2012Passat SE TDI
I'm 11m south from the dealership that I purchased mine from and 13m NW from the next closest dealer here in CT.
 

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.
Thirty five miles and sixty respectively.
 

South Coast Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Location
Mattapoisett, MA
TDI
2009 Jetta TDI wagon
Location of dealers is based on franchise restrictions and size of potential market for investor. Remember, almost all car dealers are small businesses and not owned by a car manufacturer. To open a car dealer would cost at least several hundred thousand dollars in facilities, parts stock, staff training and recruitment and advertising before the first sale.
 

rustycat

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Location
seattle
TDI
2015 passat sel
There are over a half dozen within 30 miles of me. Sadly, I'm not wild about any of them and some I just won't go to. I'm convinced one of them provides faux reviews about their wonderfulness on Yelp.
I will say, for the record, that the new VW of Kirkland dealership, even though it is in a temporary building and has been in business for just 7 months, impressed me in my interaction with their Service manager and would go to them again. That being said, he came over from a Lexus dealership that was owned by the Parent Auto Group, Obrien as they started staffing the new VW dealership.
I had forgotten, until recently, that my first VW purchased from a dealer in Old Saybrook, CT in 1970 was dealer orphaned when the owner took the money, fled with his secretary and went on the lamb. So, guess VW has never been too picky in their acceptance of dealer applications.
 

Palouse

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
Location
Idaho
TDI
2012 Passat SE/sunroof, DSG
90 miles for me. After that 150 and then 300. We've had 2 here the 34 years I've lived here. The first, very well managed with fabulous service, closed in 1980 when the family that owned it retired. A local Chevy dealer then got a dealership in 84 and it was a utter disaster. However I did get a great deal on a 86 Diesel Jetta, but I always drove the 90 miles to Spokane for service.
 

Rico567

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Location
Central IL
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
15 miles from the nearest; wouldn't set foot on their lot for any reason.
65 miles from the next- nothing bad to report, but would I go there for service without some research?
85 miles from the next- they seem OK, but who knows?
180 miles from the dealer where I bought the car. Everything seems positive, through the purchase and their attitude toward service, but we shall see.
 

yamaguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2011
Location
Chicagoland
TDI
2012 Passat SE 6man TDI, 2014 F-350 PSD, 2003 F-350 7.3 PSD, John Deere 2032R, Cub Cadet 882
I bought mine from the dealer in town (~5miles). They found the car with the options and color I wanted and had it transferred. The next closest dealer is about 20 miles, but don't plan to ever go there because my local dealer has been great to me so far!
 

vw_norm

Gone, but not forgotten.
Joined
Jul 22, 2012
Location
Hawaii
TDI
2012 NMS TDI SEL Platinum Gray w/moonrock
250 miles as the bird flies, but might as well be 2,500 miles since Passat's don't swim or fly very well.
 

baja_brewer

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Location
RI
TDI
1980 Rabbit Pickup (1.6 IDI), 1990 Corrado TDI, 2010 Audi A5
20 miles in one direction (on my way to work) and 15 in the other...
 

TDiSkater

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Location
Northern Suburbs Chicago
TDI
2011 JSW DSG Salsa Red
6.8 miles to my purchase dealer (they changed hands and somehow forgot about me, thank the Lord). An even worse dealer to deal with is 8.2 miles. I really feel sorry for people who go there. I go to a dealer 12 miles away, I like them but there are many who have bad experiences (per a recent thread). The only reported consistently good ones are 30 and 35 miles away.
 

skinnyb

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Location
Western, NC
TDI
2013 JSW TDI
About 8 miles. I have bought the majority of mine there. I have bought a couple in another state that is about 100 miles away. Good experiences all around.
 

South Coast Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Location
Mattapoisett, MA
TDI
2009 Jetta TDI wagon
There are over a half dozen within 30 miles of me. Sadly, I'm not wild about any of them and some I just won't go to. I'm convinced one of them provides faux reviews about their wonderfulness on Yelp.
I will say, for the record, that the new VW of Kirkland dealership, even though it is in a temporary building and has been in business for just 7 months, impressed me in my interaction with their Service manager and would go to them again. That being said, he came over from a Lexus dealership that was owned by the Parent Auto Group, Obrien as they started staffing the new VW dealership.
I had forgotten, until recently, that my first VW purchased from a dealer in Old Saybrook, CT in 1970 was dealer orphaned when the owner took the money, fled with his secretary and went on the lamb. So, guess VW has never been too picky in their acceptance of dealer applications.
That was what, 43 years ago?
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
On the lamb:



On the lam:

running from the police. (Underworld.) Richard has been on the lam for a week now. The gang leader broke out of prison and is still on the lam.
 

axnels2

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Location
Denver
TDI
2009 jetta sportswagen
less then 5 miles from 2 VW dealers in SE Denver. A couple of recommended shops/gurus within 20 miles...
 

jck66

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 4, 2001
Location
Greenwich, CT, USA
TDI
12 Passat SE / 14 BMW 535d
3 within 10 miles but I won't go to the one here in town due to bad experiences in the past. I think it gets pretty thin after that, but for us in the NE US, "thin" can mean 25 miles...
 

Michael Aos

Veteran Member
Joined
May 31, 2013
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
TDI
Jetta SportWagen
19.4 miles from the dealer where I bought mine.

The other dealer is 12.5 miles away, but the online reviews are horrible so I've never checked it out. Curiously, my VW originated with this dealer (dealer <-> dealer swap).
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