Cali issues, please help!

[Stu]

As everyone else has said it appears to be very poor service. Some good advice from Mr T regarding keeping things formal, follow up any phone calls with an email.

I have used VWCS in the past and they are excellent. They will help you reach a resolution.

I'm quite impulsive so if the collection was quite recent I would be driving it straight back there, parking it up and giving them the keys back. I had an 'incident' some years ago with a used car, I took it back to the dealers and parked it across the garage entrance, nothing getting in or out - Didn't take long for them to start listening. :laugh2

 

[bob-on]

Well I've spoken with VW customer services today and told them the issues, they were going to speak with Sales Manager at the garage.

As I'm going to the Volksworld show this weekend (anyone else going?) they're sorting me a replacement Cali to sleep in when I drop mine off so I thought I'd give it a clean before it went back - it's first official wash with me and guess what....... There's loads of parking dents and scratches all over it! :evil: It was dirty when I test drove it and it was pouring down when I collected it, filthy when I got home and this is the first opportunity I've had to look at it properly.

Needless to say I'm fed up with it so I called VW back to inform them of my latest issues and asked them about returning the vehicle, they didn't have an answer but are looking into it and getting back to me.

So Stu, I may well be taking your advice there!

I've taken a small video of the dents and of the cooker area and photographed everything else for my records!

 

[David Eccles]

this is almost unbelievable...and must be one of worst handovers ever surely? And then body damage as well
I sincerely hope VW sort this all out for you..and strike that shoddy dealer from their list.

 

[Dibz]

How second hand is the Cali? is it assured used?

This just sounds beyond ridiculous to me.

Cool off period? is there not protection from this sort of thing that means within the first x days you can hand it back, cancel any finance etc and get money back? where does the responsibility lie?

I think you may need to name the dealership so others have a chance of being extra vigilant if dealing with them.

I really hope you get everything sorted to your satisfaction and something more than an apology

 

[Stu]

So Stu, I may well be taking your advice there!

Rejection is a difficult process because they don't like to take vehicles back but I think if it's in your mind now then don't wait, send a formal letter of rejection to them ASAP and copy VWCS.

It largely will depend on the agreed condition of the vehicle at time of purchase, clearly not a new vehicle but ex demo? Was it first registered by the selling dealer or has it come from somewhere else?

Then you need to consider the outstanding issues, are they significant?

Some other things you can look it is how was it financed, if VWFS or other finance house then they are the legal owners and should be kept informed but they can also help apply leverage in such cases.

How long ago did you collect it?

Did you buy any of the dealer extra's such as GAP and Tyre Protection, Wheel Protection or any other insurances that they like to wind into unsuspecting punters?

 

[Andy]

Bob-on I'm really sorry to hear your latest discovery, the bodywork damage.
I wish good luck in returning it. Don't let this one dealer put you off, they are mostly good.

Keep us informed.

 

[bob-on]

It was supposed to be the Saturday before, then the Wednesday, maybe Thursday and then finally picked it up on Saturday 16th March so less than a week ago. The van was 1 year old on the 17th and I purchased it with 6500 miles on the clock. It was originally sold by the same dealer I bought from, Hatfield, and was owned by a couple that "didn't get along with it" for some reason.

Now I just thought that maybe they preferred a larger holiday vehicle and maybe bought a bigger motorhome but thinking about it now I think that they may have had problems with it and returned it.....just like I'm going to do!

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking this is terrible service, and a terribly presented vehicle. When spending such a large amount of money, (half loan and half savings) then I expect them to bend over backwards to help and provide a good service.

I once owned a Porsche Boxster back in 2002, it was a 1999 model so a few years old and I'd promised myself that by the time I was 30 I'd have a Porsche, at 29yrs 10mnths I remortgaged my house and bought one! I loved it, best car I'd ever owned and although it was cheap compared to most top end Porsches I received impeccable service from the Porsche garages. I couldn't rate them high enough, why can't we receive the same service when buying a Cali? Especially considering they're more expensive than my old Boxster anyway! The mind boggles!

 

[CaliforniaDAN]

Is it worth describing your Cali to see if a forum member had this vehicle previously and give you more information on it's history?

 

[Stu]

I've sent you a PM with some info I have.

 

[bob-on]

Pm'd you back

 

[bob-on]

Anybody hired a Cali from Hatfield VW van centre? If so, what's the details of it?

 

[2into1]

Check the previous owner wasn't a hire company. There seems to be many 12-24 month old ex-hire Cali's that get sold on without their history being obvious. (ie some were registered privately, but with research you can sometimes link the telephone number of that private address to a hire company). You'd think that if 'ABC Cali Hire' took on a van, you'd see 'ABC Cali Hire' on the logbook. The fact you often don't might imply the owners know it will hamper resale values and therefore use a different name.

If by chance this vehicle was ex-hire, that would strengthen your case against the dealer as they should have told you

 

[Andy]

I have had dealings with Hatfield Van Centre. They do hire out their stock of Californias. Staff also use them.
I put deposit on an 11 plate cali & hired it for 3 days to make sure it was for me. Got cold feet at last minute & asked for deposit back. They were less than impressed & not keen on refund. In my experience is they are no better or worse than anywhere else.
Ended up buying else where cos they did not have what I eventually wanted.

 

[sebking]

Got mine at Lancaster and they were very clear it was one of their ex hires, priced accordingly. Seems underhand to lie.

 

[bob-on]

A bit more of an update for you all.....
I took the van back to the garage and pointed out the faults. They think they can sort them out!

Anyway, they lent me a brand new Cali 180 DSG with 40 miles on the clock. Very nice vehicle, so we continued our journey down to the Volksworld show and set up camp only to find that the gas section had not been connected and the batteries had not been charged!
This meant the lights wouldn't stay on for longer than 10 minutes, the heater wouldn't work and it was a freezing cold weekend. :censor

The only way to get warm or see what we were doing was to sit there with the engine running. Now I don't know if you've ever tried this but when the drivers seat is spun around facing the rear it makes it very hard to press your foot on the brake and reach the keys to turn them......this was made harder by the fact that I had to keep starting the engine as soon as it went cooler or we needed more light! Added to that when you start a Cali the headlights come on, which was shining into another person camping so not the best for them either!

Anyway, I met choplee there and had a good chat with him. Top bloke and really helpful, the same can be said for Laine from SMG! I spoke with him and he told me more in 15 minutes than I'd been told in the whole time I've dealt with Hatfield. So thanks to choplee and Laine.

 

[KJ-88]

Sorry to hear about your shoddy experience so far.

Fingers crossed everything will get resolved.

 

[bob-on]

I heard back from Hatfield yesterday, not bad considering they received my last email on Sunday night so it would be there 1st thing Monday morning!

Anyway, as I have been in contact with VWCS and sent them an email listing every issue I had they've obviously spoken with Hatfield.
Hatfield have said they're going to address every item on my email to VWCS even down to removing the scratched filthy kitchen, sorting the dents, fixing the fridge that doesn't work, the starting issues, the bonnet that's a different colour silver, the stained and filthy interior, missing upper mattress, awning scratches and missing gasket and all the issues with the Kenwood unit.

You couldn't make this stuff up, whoever thought that a Cali could be presented to a customer needing all this sorting AFTER it has been through their 'stringent inspection and full valet'?!
Assured used hey, I think they've not read their own website that states...

"Here at Volkswagen Van Centre (Hatfield) we pride ourselves on giving our customers the highest quality in every area. As part of the authorised Volkswagen Van Centre network, our friendly staff are trained to Volkswagen's stringent standards and are always on hand to advise...."

Let's hope they deliver this time hey! Fingers crossed.

 

[choplee]

All crossed for you Gareth and hope you get her back soon all sorted to restore your faith in the Cali and what joy it's going to bring you and your family for this season and seasons to come ...
It was good to catch up at Volksworld fella

 

[bob-on]

Cheers, lets hope all goes well. Good to meet you at Volksworld too mate. Maybe next time we meet I'll be able to use the cooker to offer you a cuppa!

 

[choplee]

Cheers, lets hope all goes well. Good to meet you at Volksworld too mate. Maybe next time we meet I'll be able to use the cooker to offer you a cuppa!

And have a cold beer as well as keeping warm with the heater

 

[bob-on]

Well we had cold beers for sure, they were stored inside the van! Ahhh, heaters....lovely! I'll find out what they're like soon with any luck!

Even better would be if we didn't need heaters because the summer was so fantastic but somehow I think we'll need them!

 

[CaliGreg]

Just read this lot......I hope VW UK help you sort it all out!

Bear with it, they are great vehicles, we're on Cali number 2 - love 'em.

 

[bob-on]

Another update for you. Just got off the phone with Hatfield and it sounds like they've been doing a bit on the van.

They've changed the marked silver awning for a black one that was on a van in the showroom, I asked for black as it looks better on a silver van than a silver awning, they're not an identical match so not pleasing to my eye!

They've also fitted the bike rack that was promised to me, should be better with that on!

They were unable to replicate the starting issue but are going to replace the clutch switch as a precaution, the fridge is working now too!

They're going to properly valet it inside and out and then look at the dents, I'm assuming they'll use a paintless dent removal firm, they can perform miracles. All this work is hoping to be completed this week so with any luck I'll be picking up the 'perfect' van next weekend!

 

[Andy]

That seems to be a good result. But why could they not have done all that before you collected the van origoinally ????

Will keep my fingers crossed that everything is Ok when you go back to collect.

 

[gatvol]

I have dealt with some crap dealers in my time, but this is truly shocking.

If you have the stomach for it, press for some compensation like free accessories, or at the very least some discounted accessories at dealer cost price. At some places you might ask for a free future service, but my guess is that you would not hand your van back to this lot