skinnywhippet
VIP Member
After 8 weeks on the road we thought we'd seen and conquered the worst the continent could throw at us - communal showers in Slovakia, a scarily steep ferry ramp in Lithuania and evil biting flies in Poland.
But, on the safe and comfortable roads of southern Denmark and into Germany our complacency was shattered by the the flashing dashboard lights of doom.
We pulled off the motorway and stopped under a dark bridge to consider our options. Multiple restarts and curses failed to return the dashboard to normal, so we resorted to the manual, although we knew already what it would say. 'Your vehicle is too poorly to be used and needs the attention of a skilled VW operative. Oh and don't even think of pretending you haven't seen the lights and just carrying on.'
The immediate future didn't look promising - trying to find accommodation in the middle of no-where for two people, two dogs, and a teenager, and then turning-up at Hamburg airport's EasyJet counter with approx. 84 items of luggage to check-in. (We overpacked). It was already past midday.
Then a couple of lightbulb moments. Firstly we remembered that we were in Germany, where every second person works for VW, and secondly, the RNS510 we wished we hadn't ordered does have one use - a database of VW dealerships.
We looked at this and saw one so close that we nearly missed it. The logo was almost obscured by the dot representing us. it was a car dealership, but what the hell. We'd risk driving the 2.2 km to get there.
It didn't start well, the first person we found there spoke no English, but we had noticed a new Cali outside the workshop so retained some hope. Then Eckhard appeared, laptop in hand, and with faltering English several levels above our very faltering German, he explained that he was going to consult the vehicle's brain.
Afterwards he frowned and uttered the dreaded words 'EGR temperature sensor.' He ran off with the V5 and after a while came back to explain that he needed to let the engine cool before they could inspect it, as it could be one of two kinds of sensor, then he'd have to order it in.
He mentioned 'late afternoon' by which we assumed he might be able to persuade a skilled VW technician to give the van a passing glance by late afternoon. He was very sorry indeed that there would be such a delay.
Eckhard took-on a puzzled air when we asked him about local hotels, and eventually the cogs in our brains turned enough times to make the penny drop. The late afternoon Eckhard was talking about was indeed the same day, i.e. only about four hours away, but Eckhard wasn't talking about looking at the van by then, he was talking about having the part identified, ordered, delivered and fitted!
So we passed the afternoon wandering the streets of Tarp, trying not to eat too many marzipan doughnuts, and sure enough later that day we were away. Almost unbelievable, to an English person used to English dealerships. Contrast this to Cheltenham VW, from whom we bought a new Golf a couple of years ago. Similar dashboard warnings manifested themselves, VW Assistance said it needed a dealer, but Cheltenham VW said they couldn't even look at it for two weeks! The car they sold us!
All in all, Eckhard and his very speedy team at Autohaus Tarp are very highly recommended by a very impressed English family with a fully functioning van.
But, on the safe and comfortable roads of southern Denmark and into Germany our complacency was shattered by the the flashing dashboard lights of doom.
We pulled off the motorway and stopped under a dark bridge to consider our options. Multiple restarts and curses failed to return the dashboard to normal, so we resorted to the manual, although we knew already what it would say. 'Your vehicle is too poorly to be used and needs the attention of a skilled VW operative. Oh and don't even think of pretending you haven't seen the lights and just carrying on.'
The immediate future didn't look promising - trying to find accommodation in the middle of no-where for two people, two dogs, and a teenager, and then turning-up at Hamburg airport's EasyJet counter with approx. 84 items of luggage to check-in. (We overpacked). It was already past midday.
Then a couple of lightbulb moments. Firstly we remembered that we were in Germany, where every second person works for VW, and secondly, the RNS510 we wished we hadn't ordered does have one use - a database of VW dealerships.
We looked at this and saw one so close that we nearly missed it. The logo was almost obscured by the dot representing us. it was a car dealership, but what the hell. We'd risk driving the 2.2 km to get there.
It didn't start well, the first person we found there spoke no English, but we had noticed a new Cali outside the workshop so retained some hope. Then Eckhard appeared, laptop in hand, and with faltering English several levels above our very faltering German, he explained that he was going to consult the vehicle's brain.
Afterwards he frowned and uttered the dreaded words 'EGR temperature sensor.' He ran off with the V5 and after a while came back to explain that he needed to let the engine cool before they could inspect it, as it could be one of two kinds of sensor, then he'd have to order it in.
He mentioned 'late afternoon' by which we assumed he might be able to persuade a skilled VW technician to give the van a passing glance by late afternoon. He was very sorry indeed that there would be such a delay.
Eckhard took-on a puzzled air when we asked him about local hotels, and eventually the cogs in our brains turned enough times to make the penny drop. The late afternoon Eckhard was talking about was indeed the same day, i.e. only about four hours away, but Eckhard wasn't talking about looking at the van by then, he was talking about having the part identified, ordered, delivered and fitted!
So we passed the afternoon wandering the streets of Tarp, trying not to eat too many marzipan doughnuts, and sure enough later that day we were away. Almost unbelievable, to an English person used to English dealerships. Contrast this to Cheltenham VW, from whom we bought a new Golf a couple of years ago. Similar dashboard warnings manifested themselves, VW Assistance said it needed a dealer, but Cheltenham VW said they couldn't even look at it for two weeks! The car they sold us!
All in all, Eckhard and his very speedy team at Autohaus Tarp are very highly recommended by a very impressed English family with a fully functioning van.
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