It’s because they can’t make a car like my Scion tC!
30,000 miles already of 100% trouble free and fun motoring for me! Nothing broken, nothing falling off nothing wearing out, except maybe the tires. I’m even still on my original brake discs and pads even after all these miles with plenty of miles left to go, according to the dealership mechanics. Sounds, feels and drives like brand new. Ones single recall fix for the for the glass sunroof wind deflector reinforcement installation that they did in 45 minutes during one of my free oil changes which was followed by a letter of apology from the company plus a gift. They really care for their customers unlike how VW treats most of it’s customers in the US. Best recent “”gift”" from Toyota is the cost of my first major service for the 30K interval. 78 bucks!! Not the 200 to 300 bucks that my Passat used to cost me to get major interval service even way back in the late 90’s. Read this and learn VW! And to think that my 05 Scion tC costs me over $5K cheaper than what my Passat cost me back in 97.

Edited by Chombi on 02/04/08 at 3:33 AM

Edited by Chombi on 02/04/08 at 3:34 AM

VWoA reported January sales. http://www.media.vw.com/

Sales for January of 2008 were down 13.2% from January of 2007 figures.

Dismal figures for a company that last year was talking about turning a profit in North America by 2009!

Finally a story with a happy ending! The water pump on my 2000 jetta gave out last week. The car has 55k miles. The dealer informed me that the water pump was not part of the power-tran. warranty. I checked my owners manual to discover that it is covered, so I called VWoA customer care line. The rep. admitted that the primary water pump is covered but not the secondary. I asked her to call the dealer to verify, which she did begrudgingly. After talking to the dealer she told me that it was the primary and would be covered, but only if I could provide all the appropiate service records. She said that the dealer claimed he had told me this.I called the dealer back and he said to bring my records in and they would evaluate them to see if any discount could be applied.
A couple of days later I called the dealer and was told my car was ready. The outstanding balance was $560,(which included an oil change). When I got there I asked to speak to the service manager. I asked him about evaluating my service records and he told me VWoA never got back to them about the warranty. I dropped all my service receipts on the counter and said lets call them now, I have the ‘phone number. He excused himself for about 90 seconds. When he came back he told me that VWoA had spoken to his boss and the repair was covered. My bill went from $560 to $40 just like that.
I suspect that they had already submitted a bill to VWoA and were tring their luck to see if they could get more money out of me. Obviously VWoA doesn’t pay dealerships the same hourly rate that customers pay for maintenance.

First off, let me start by saying I’m not here to bitch, whine, or complain. I’m here to warn others about Volkswagen of America (VWoA). The first VW I ever purchased was a 2006 Jetta VE in 02/06 and I loved it. But, I wanted more power than the 5-cyl could produce so I purchased a 2006 2.0T Passat in 09/06. I loved this car too but I wanted to modify it and since it was a 6-spd auto you can’t add a larger turbo down-tube because of where VW placed the transmission oil cooler, so chipping it is a bit silly. It was a great car nonetheless but I still wanted a little more power than the standard 200HP. So, in 04/07, I get the Big-Daddy … The 3.6L 4Motion Passat. This car has power, agility, gadgets, and is the biggest piece of shit I have ever driven. It is plagued with problems too numerous to detail.

So, I do what everyone else does and take it to the shop. For the first time I get the full VW treatment that you all are complaining about. I get the run-around and the technical hide-the-salami. I’m not an auto mechanic but my dad was, and I’m a Systems Analyst with a Master’s degree in Math. I’m not an idiot and neither is anyone else here. And yet, the service department blows off everyone of my complaints as “”not-reproducible”" even though I have demonstrated the faults to the service adviser on test drive after test drive. Apparently, it’s not enough to show the service adviser the fault, the technician working on the vehicle must also see it on his own. No, you can’t actually show it to him because NO ONE sees the Great Oz!

A few of these trips to the local dealer motivates me to call VWoA’s Customer Advocacy center. What a laugh! Those people can’t even spell advocate much less understand what one is. What they told me was, “”We will honor our warranty.”" I told them the car is broken, fix it. They replied, “”We will honor our warranty.”" The car is still plagued with no resolution in sight so after purchasing 3 VW’s in less then 2 years, and my wife purchasing 4 in the same time frame for a total of SEVEN brand new cars in 2 years, I will never do business with them again. They can kiss my ass!

My anger and frustration is not about having a crappy car. EVERY automaker screws up and releases some junk products. It happens. But, only VWoA gives you the finger when they do it and that isn’t acceptable. I had a long talk with a Toyota customer Service rep and she was appalled. So was Infinity, GM, and even Ford. Ford was shocked! Ford! The bottom line here is you should ask yourself, “”Am I prepared to receive no support for this product after I buy it?”", before you purchase anything from VWoA.

Hey, Got a 2000 VR6 jetta. We ahve plenty of spark from plugs, wires, and coil. But we have a Po300 Misfire code that is in cylinder 5. I compression tested it and its read low compression at only 65pnds. However, the oil is dry, and it is not comsuming OIL or Coolant! WTF is the compression loss…? WE even tried lubing the piston with tranny fluid to see if the piston ring was stuck to the piston..but it still remains

any idea’s…

Sales were down 1.9% for 2007! VW introduced new models, advertised like crazy, and made every effort to sell their crap cars. AND SALES WERE DOWN 1.9%!
Our message is getting out to America! VW cars are junk.
This has got to be another financial disaster for VW group of America. I mean, how many years is VAG going to continue subsidizing sales in America?
VAG is going to have to crack down further on the unions in Germany. They will have to get the work force to actually work 40 hours a week.

What’s the life expectancy of a starter motor?
2002 Jetta 1.8 GLS Auto-5spd about 72K mine seems on it’s way out as it needs few taps now and again before it will make contact and start engine.
Thanks.

FYI: Local VW dealer wants $450 + tax to repair and can’t get to it until next week. I’m checking with local mechanic.

This will be long. I have a 2001 jetta VR6. I drove it off the lot with 66k for about $12,000 (I’m still paying) in October 2006. These have been my problems…
I could have built Noah’s Arc in my car! There was about 3″” of standing water in my floor board! Appearently there was a clog in the drain of the sunroof. This was like 2 weeks after driving it off the lot.
I drove it through winter, no problems. Until a week after my warranty was up. My AC and engine fans stopped working. It made me hate leather seats in South Carolina. I drove all through out the summer with a car that would over heat, and once flashed “”STOP CAR”". There are 2 fans over my engine, neither would come on and as a fail safe for the engine the AC wouldn’t come on either. My car would over heat and leave me on the interstate with the hood popped letting it cool and I end up later for work again. Finally in September, I had some money and took it to a mechanic, he said I’d have to take it to the dealer. Dealer said it was a short in the fuse block.
They replaced the block for 200 dollars. Then 3 days later the EPC light came on, yeah go search the problems wiht that! Now, the lights dim intermittantly, the blinker flashes fast, sometimes I have brake lights, the memory for the seat & mirrors doesn’t work, my cruise control crapped out on me, acceleration is weak…
I called the dealer when it first happened, he said to bring it on in but couldn’t guarantee that I wouldn’t be charged. That light never came on before they worked on it. The EPC light comes and goes, sometimes for days not seeing it. I’ve read horror stories about this little light. I was happy (at first) trading in my ‘95 Saturn for a ‘01 VW.
I just found out tonight about my brake lights, so I’m calling tomorrow. We’ll see how this goes.

I traded in my 2003 GTI today. I take delivery on my new car tomorrow. (Doesn’t matter what the new car is. She’s great. Loaded. Bells. Whistles. She’s hot. Everyone, from Edmunds to Car and Driver to Consumer Reports says so.) Tonight in my garage I sat in my beloved GTI, bagged up my belongings from its bins (floss, FasTrak transponder, garage remote, ChapStick etc.) and just hung out in the seat with a couple of glasses of wine, listening to KFOG on the (pathetic) monsoon radio.

She was the best car I ever owned.

She’s been a total bitch. She cheated on me. She stranded me in remote locations and flashed her warning lamps (such a tease) whenever I strayed more than a few miles from an authorized service center. She made me sweat in the desert, without music, when her AC and radio died at the same time. Her switches and coils failed. Her latches broke. Her finishes peeled. Her windows crashed into her doorsills. Yet…I loved her.

My new car is going to be a joy to own. She’s mature, sophisticated, smart and very well equipped. And low maintenance. But I know I’m leaving a bit of myself behind along with my beloved VW. So be it. I’ve outgrown the drama of our relationship. Love. Hate. Love. Hate. Hate. Hate.

I’ll miss my GTI. And like any relationship, I’ll remember how much fun she was and I’ll conveniently forget how freaking miserable she made me during our 5 years together.

She’ll be on the street tomorrow (whore), drawing both men and women to her with her timeless beauty and willingness to play. She’ll charm whomever succumbs. She’ll be the most fun they’ve ever had.

Then, she’ll make their life hell.

I hope this bitch finds herself in the crusher soon.

Edited by RandyNovak on 12/09/07 at 10:14 PM

Ref. Business Week Article Dated 7/23/07

Terrible company with big problems.