German Quality ?

[snowy55]

Cos Toyota have never had any issues right

But it is how they deal with their problems.
Do they deny the problem for years?
Do they put people on 3 year waiting list, loose the list and then make you reapply?
Do they come up with some half baked cure?
Etc, etc.

 

[Judyl]

I had 3 Ford cars before my Cali. A Mondeo and 2 Cmaxs. They were all very reliable and had no major repairs. I did 108,000 miles in the Mondeo. I had a one off opportunity to buy a camper van when I was made redundant and went for a VW because they seemed to be reliable and long lasting. However in the 3.5 years I have owned it I have replaced the control computer for the camper (£1000ish) , have a worn joint in the steering which will be another 1000 to replace, the air con has failed , yes about another £1000 to fix and various other costly issues. The table retainer has been replaced by bluetack as the VW way to fix it was a very expensive replacement of the whole table. It has done about 45,000 mile and last time I was at the VW garage they suggested it was about time to replace it as it was getting old and might be less reliable. I am also in the endless loop waiting for the roof to be fixed . I had great difficultly in finding anyone who could do check the gas, roof, internal batteries , I had foolishly assumed that since VW make the whole van they could do such things too. Much as I love the layout of the Cali, now Ford are going to be bringing out an automatic gearbox I would look at vans based on the transit if I was ever lucky enough to be in a position to replace the cali.

 

[Ambler]

I can only speak of my own experience with Toyota. In 2007 we bought a 2 year old Rav 4. Admittedly it does low miles but the only spend has been on services and normal wear and tear items like tyres and disc pads.
I know that they had a problem with some 2006-2009 Diesel engines. If the fault developed within 7 years Toyota replaced the engine. I could not envisage VW doing this.

 

[Digger]

I have been with VW cars and vans for almost 20 years and seem to have either been lucky or fortunate but feel for those hit with reliability problems. Will those attending the factory visit be able to voice the complaints raised in the forum?

 

[briwy]

I started having Skoda Octavias as company cars years ago. Mainly because of paying a lot of tax on Audis, BMWs, Saabs etc. Of course I got the usual jokes but within a year nearly everyone was doing it. Super reliable, over about half a million miles had one bad experience when a dual mass flywheel gave up and took the gearbox with it. Excellent service, always done really well and on time. Might be something to do with the fact that often they are not always using the the latest VW technology but proven kit.
Had three Skoda's of our own now without any problems at all.
If Skoda ever did a camper I'd be first in line.

 

[Stuart]

Maybe one day

 

[panadero]

Might be something to do with the fact that often they are not always using the the latest VW technology but proven kit.

Same with Dacia; beats mother Renault in reliability charts due less electronics.

 

[Spitfire]

But it is how they deal with their problems.
Do they deny the problem for years?
Do they put people on 3 year waiting list, loose the list and then make you reapply?
Do they come up with some half baked cure?
Etc, etc.

Yes they do. Hence they found themselves on the wrong side of a $1.1 billion class action lawsuit concerning vehicle safety, and have had plenty of major issues and high profile recalls.

 

[snowy55]

a $1.1 billion class action lawsuit

Unfortunately "class action lawsuits" aren't available in this country or I'm sure something along those lines would have been done about the roof corrosion fiasco.

 

[Mervyn kennedy]

VW do trade on their reputation from past years which is being eroded by their current contempt of their customers.
At my last car change I swapped a VW for a Kia. I will never ever buy a VW car ever again.
If there was a viable alternative to the California I would buy that and completely rid my life of the vile company that VW has become.

Jus get rid of it then and convert a Hiace and then you will be free

 

[Spitfire]

Unfortunately "class action lawsuits" aren't available in this country or I'm sure something along those lines would have been done about the roof corrosion fiasco.

Roof corrosion and unintended acceleration with alleged fatalities aren't exactly in the same league. I'm with Mervyn - Hiace sounds like the way to go.

 

[potem]

I had been the proud owner of my first ever VW for less than 5 minutes this morning and had traveled 0 mm when I had my first problem today. Would not start. VW showed their class then, jump starting it and doing a full diagnostic test showing that the battery was perfect and nothing was wrong. I queried if it was usual for VW's with nothing wrong with them to fail to start. Apparently it isn't. The current advice is that if you leave the key in the ignition for ten minutes this can drain the battery, even if you have no electrics running. I asked if they thought it would be a good idea if VW highlighted this feature in their advertising, but they thought that the company would be unlikely to take up the idea. Nor were they keen on the idea of lending me a second van so I had it handy if I needed a jump start in the morning.
Below is a picture of Marvin recuperating after the struggle of travelling the 10 yards to the workshop after the jump start.

 

[WelshGas]

I had been the proud owner of my first ever VW for less than 5 minutes this morning and had traveled 0 mm when I had my first problem today. Would not start. VW showed their class then, jump starting it and doing a full diagnostic test showing that the battery was perfect and nothing was wrong. I queried if it was usual for VW's with nothing wrong with them to fail to start. Apparently it isn't. The current advice is that if you leave the key in the ignition for ten minutes this can drain the battery, even if you have no electrics running. I asked if they thought it would be a good idea if VW highlighted this feature in their advertising, but they thought that the company would be unlikely to take up the idea. Nor were they keen on the idea of lending me a second van so I had it handy if I needed a jump start in the morning.
Below is a picture of Marvin recuperating after the struggle of travelling the 10 yards to the workshop after the jump start.

View attachment 18098

Must be a T6 feature. Had the key in the ignition for a lot longer than 10 minutes and has always started, but then I have a lowly T5.1.
I wonder if they fixed the - Leave key in the ignition, not on, while refuelling and the Fuel Gauge doesn't move to the correct point. Slowly returns to normal function after 48hrs - problem?

 

[calikev]

what kind of battery is that to drain in 10 minutes. i have heard it all now lol.

 

[Alan]

Don't be discouraged
Plenty of happy days ahead
What colour is your van Potem?...really a nice looker

 

[potem]

Don't be discouraged
Plenty of happy days ahead
What colour is your van Potem?...really a nice looker

I'm not discouraged. This is all about adventure before dementia. I was impressed by the mechanic's attitude at least (he did not pretend either that there was not a problem nor that he could find the answer. He is nursing Marvin overnight and assuming he starts I am collecting in the morning)
Colour is Bamboo Garden Green (or rather blue in shade and green in sunlight).
Happy days..........

 

[snowy55]

Me thinks VW are full of BS.
Battery drain after 10 minutes my @rse.

 

[Joker 1299]

Hi Potem, sorry to hear about your handover problems. That sort of thing really shouldn't happen. Great looking van though - love that colour! I thought you were going for badge deletion though? Did they forget the 4motion badge on the front grille?

 

[potem]

Hi Potem, sorry to hear about your handover problems. That sort of thing really shouldn't happen. Great looking van though - love that colour! I thought you were going for badge deletion though? Did they forget the 4motion badge on the front grille?

I hadn't noticed that. I have a hunch that in the dialect of German spoken in VWland 'debadged' translates to 'ignore that. It's just another customer'. Or maybe they wanted to really p*ss me off with the suggestion that the van was capable of motion!

 

[Joker 1299]

I really feel for you and I'm not sure I would have taken it as well as you seem to be. I know it's not the end of the world but new vehicle pick up days should be special! The 4 motion badge should be easily removable by the dealer - keep it as a souvenir! Hope it gets sorted. Steve

 

[motacyclist]

I've had similar problems with cars in the past and cured it by tightening the battery terminals. Most likely something simple like that.

Great looking van

 

[Flood51]

I wish Toyota did a Cali type vehicle.

The two Toyota's I had leaked water. Not what I would call a quality vehicle. Check out Toyota Aygo and water leaks on Mr Google. Last manufacturer I would buy from.

 

[BerndRos]

The two Toyatas I had leaked water. Not what I would call a quality vehicle. Check out Toyota. Argo and water leaks on Mr Google. Last vehicle I would buy.

My Morgan is apparently designed to leak through the bonnet when it rains and get your knees wet, keeps the old sods that own them awake & mildly alert.....

 

[pjm-84]

"Wot" he said above.

Drain a battery in 10min by leaving a key in the ignition = BS. They should have also put a volt meter on the battery to check the reading.

 

[Flood51]

Everyone has to admit that the quality of cars in general has improved drastically from the 70/80's. When Skoda's were compared with skips and BMC's were put in them. But I have to think the German "quality mantle" is fast fading. My Cali was off the road for 4 months in the summer with a reoccurring AC problem, reminded me of BMC cars. Those of us that invest the premium that German vehicles cost hate to admit a mistake down the "pub" so we prolong the German quality myth. Actually Jaguar and the new Landrover certainly compare in style and engineering IMHO. German efficiency is without doubt a myth, having managed a German takeover I was astounded that they had a fax department, with a complete management team of fax supervisors, etc etc when our U.K. Company had got rid of faxes 5 years previously, and that I could not bring my Mercedes S class into the car park because the "figurehead" chairman had an E class. This was the 90's unbelievable. Anyway it was easier to shut the company down than reform it.