Autohaus Volkswagen

[JaffaCake]

I'd just like to make a statement that in my opinion Autohaus Volkswagen are a useless dealer and I'd recommend that anybody who intends buying a car from them takes their business elsewhere.

A summary of my recent problems purchasing a £24k VW Golf R32.

1) Order agreed

2) Informed of extra mileage to car - approx 140miles.

3) Offered keyring and brolly as a sweetener - These items are standard fit in the car, along with a pen but are regularly removed by dealers prior to delivery.

4) Delivery arranged for "lunchtime" on 29/1/2004

5) Call at 1130 to say that a "manufacturing defect" was found during loading - Defect described as a dent, a scratch, didn't need paint, did need paint, your guess!

6) Forced to accept hire car overnight and delivery at 0800 30/1/2004 - No compensation offered whatsoever for delay.

7) Hire car arrived one hour late with little fuel and no payment arranged. Requested for my own credit card.

8) Car didn't arrive at 0800.

9) Car didn't arrive at 0900 - Call made to chase.

10) Car didn't arrive at 1000 - Call made to chase, told that driver left at 0810.

11) Car didn't arrive at 1100 - Call made to chase - How long from Northampton

12) Car didn't arrive at 1130 - Email to chase.

13) Car didn't arrive 1200 - Call to chase

14) Driver arrives approx 1215

15) Drivers tacho indicates that truck left at 0940 - I was lied to.

16) Car is missing umbrella, pen and keyring. Pen was removed from service manual. Pathetic.

Danny Thompson of Autohaus responded.

"I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for the inconvenience caused by this. As a successful fleet retailer we deliver 800 cars per year and I assure you this is not typical of the experience of our customers. We fully accept that the dent should have been noticed sooner in the quality control procedure and that would have made redundant the need for us to provide a rental vehicle and probably have made this a much more pleasurable experience. Once again I am sorry for the inconvenience caused.

I am currently trying to find out about an R32 pen. I will inform you of my findings"

He also followed up with.

"Keyring and brolly are ordered separately with VW UK, no such pen that I am aware of."

I was never told these wouldn't arrive with the car.

"No one from Autohaus ever mentioned or intimated an 0800 delivery."

I was told by Danny himself that the car would be with me at 0800. I even expressed my surprise at such an early delivery at the time.

"Car was fully paid for on arrival. Hire company policy is to take card details in case of any speeding/parking fines. Hire company were given my personal credit card details immediately."

"Still unaware of any pen. Keyring and umbrella are on way. "

No delivery estimate for the freebies as yet.

No explanation was given for the continual lies I was given about the delivery and why the drivers tacho didn't match the time I was told he left.

No compensation has been given to myself and I've been referred to VW UK's customer service dept. to pursue the matter.

Any questions please post here or PM me.

Regards,

Ben

[BLOCK]

aye the freebies are ordered once the dealer recives the car , its to stop delivery peeps swiping them apparantly.

[bazza_g]

Sorry to hear your experience - not too dis-similar to my VW 'escapade' see link : VW customer service ?

enjoy the motor !! and that noise

bazza

[r32scw]

Sorry to hear about your experience with Autohaus VW Jaffacake.

I also bought my R32 through Danny Thompson at Autohuas VW and have to say that at no point could I fault either his or VW's service, in fact I would go as far as to say it was exceptional and would happily put any return business I have with VW his way. I was kept informed throughout the build/shipping process and actually managed to secure an earlier build slot shaving 4 weeks off the delivery time.

Indeed I had to wait for the umbrella and keyring to be ordered seperately from H.Office - took about 3 weeks in total, but hey, I didn't buy the car for a free umbrella and keyring - it's the sweet sound of that engine and those exhausts that'll keep a permanant grin on your face.

Just enjoy the motor, it's awesome!!

[JaffaCake]

Glad to hear one of us got a good experience mate.

I'm still waiting for my oil...

[Booster]

Jaffacake,

Between myself and my Mrs we have had four cars from Autohaus and I can't fault their service. Always returned my calls promptly and been polite. When the cars have had a fault they have been straight onto the problem.

I know of far worse dealerships in the Midlands, naming no names of course!!

[JaffaCake]

It almost looks like if I chase them about the oil for the 4th time I might actually get a response.

Maybe some people expect different levels of service. I expect people to be a bit more proactive than that and actually get back to me on queries.

[foxy]

Sorry to hear your tales of woe.

Autohaus are the local dealer for me in my local town of Northampton.

I used them when i had my MK3 and the new engine under warranty, etc, etc - and DID have a major bust up with them.

Needless to say, Adrian Pulford the MD got to know me personally after that.

I had cause to try and use the Wayside dealer at Towcester viz-a-viz first service on my 'new' mk4, but expletive limtations on this forum prevent me from saying to much.

Autohaus accommodated my service booking on the spot over the phone for the next morning (less than 12 hours notice!).

I use them for all my parts purchases (and i buy a load of stuff) - they have a great set of guys.

The service folk there are clued-up in general, and return calls when they say they will, and the tech's are pretty good and will listen to you.

On the whole, and on balance - i'd say they were better than average in my experience.