Great vehicle but terrible dealer network

[awayinmevan]

Pompey breeze ok always seem to look after me ok

 

[Guy/Louise]

We have dealt with two recently. SMV commercials in Yeovil - really excellent service, when I made it clear about not having oil marks left in the van, thankfully their reply was they won't allow any mechanics to de so sloppy, and they were right. Van was as I left it. The other dealership was Heritage VW Dorchester. Again, brilliant service, and even cleaned the van despite only going in to fit some front mud flaps!
Currently dealing with Snows VW of Plymouth (issue with decals they commissioned via a 3rd party), and have to say, so far they have bent over backwards to take full responsibility for the issue....taking Pearl in next week to get sorted, so will see what the 'hands on' experience is like.

I’m still waiting for a return call from Snows, went in for the blinds to be sorted, I rang the afternoon on the day after drop off, nothing done, and unable to do the work due to sickness. I went down to collect and was assured that I would get a call to rearrange a slot... that was last Tuesday...
I get that people get ill... No call to say the job was postponed, no call to rearrange... I’ll ring them on Tuesday, see what they say!

 

[TOADY]

I share your disappointment with the quality of the main dealer network.
In many ways.
Honestly, and even speaking to so called California trained staff leaves me rolling my eyes with their lack of knowledge.
My inaccurate main beam adjustment was a real bore, as was trying to get the truth re which leisure battery does what.
Many wasted hours.

 

[WelshGas]

I share your disappointment with the quality of the main dealer network.
In many ways.
Honestly, and even speaking to so called California trained staff leaves me rolling my eyes with their lack of knowledge.
My inaccurate main beam adjustment was a real bore, as was trying to get the truth re which leisure battery does what.
Many wasted hours.

I think I would struggle to explain which Leisure Battery does what, as they are wired in parallel thus making the equivalent of a 12 v 150 amp hour battery which power all the Habitation equipment.

 

[TOADY]

I think I would struggle to explain which Leisure Battery does what, as they are wired in parallel thus making the equivalent of a 12 v 150 amp hour battery which power all the Habitation equipment.

Yes what you say is correct, thank you.
BUT my California Supplement handbook gives me a specific list of battery allocated demands.
It states that the wardrobe battery only runs the heater. After a couple of power issues over several days wild camping I found this is not the case.
There are a few other errors but...
Not one VW dealership could confirm my findings. Only after special access to info enabled through VWCS confirmed my findings.
The issues I have experienced with VW are too complex and boring to write here.

 

[WelshGas]

Yes what you say is correct, thank you.
BUT my California Supplement handbook gives me a specific list of battery allocated demands.
It states that the wardrobe battery only runs the heater. After a couple of power issues over several days wild camping I found this is not the case.
There are a few other errors but...
Not one VW dealership could confirm my findings. Only after special access to info enabled through VWCS confirmed my findings.
The issues I have experienced with VW are too complex and boring to write here.

Which vehicle/year do you have? I don't recollect anything like that in my California Supplimentary Handbook.

 

[Digger]

I must live a charmed life as my dealer has been brilliant and the service staff take good care of my van. I think that making an effort to build a relationship makes a difference.

 

[TOADY]

 

[WelshGas]

View attachment 31738

Ah, I see now. The California Supplimentary booklet is very generic and poorly translated.
Covering the SE/Ocean and the Coast, not available in the UK and also having the Diesel Parking Heater as an Option.

All the Habitation 12v equipment is connected to the 12 v Leisure Battery under the Passenger Seat.
The SE/Ocean have the Parking Heater and Electro-hydraulic Roof as standard. Therefore they have the 3rd battery or 2nd Leisure Battery to provide the extra power. This is located under the wardrobe and wired in Parallel with the Battery under the Front Passenger Seat.
The only thing connected to the Rear/Under wardrobe Battery is the 12v output from the Mains Charger.

 

[TOADY]

Ah, I see now. The California Supplimentary booklet is very generic and poorly translated.
Covering the SE/Ocean and the Coast, not available in the UK and also having the Diesel Parking Heater as an Option.

All the Habitation 12v equipment is connected to the 12 v Leisure Battery under the Passenger Seat.
The SE/Ocean have the Parking Heater and Electro-hydraulic Roof as standard. Therefore they have the 3rd battery or 2nd Leisure Battery to provide the extra power. This is located under the wardrobe and wired in Parallel with the Battery under the Front Passenger Seat.
The only thing connected to the Rear/Under wardrobe Battery is the 12v output from the Mains Charger.

Yes WelshGas, that ties in with my findings on my SE by a process of disconnections. Thanks fir the clarification.

 

[TOADY]

I must live a charmed life as my dealer has been brilliant and the service staff take good care of my van. I think that making an effort to build a relationship makes a difference.

I agree Digger, that’s why I bought from a main dealer instead of any other dealer or secondary converter.
I looked forward to a good and long relationship with the dealership as with other vehicles I own.
This was quickly dashed by the realisation of several serious inaccuracies in describing the vehicle and also several standard items that should have come with the vehicle were absent.
I bought the vehicle in a certain amount of hast due to personal circumstances applying at the time and without full knowledge of the vehicle model specifications.
I set about finding out what I needed to know, that’s when I realised the disappointing standard of dealerships.
I have been using the same Honda dealership for eight years, and the level of service provided there make my experience with VW seem third rate.
I have now found a dealership or more to the point a particular VW employee who has both the knowledge and service ethic I require.
BUT, it’s a special journey of two hundred miles to achieve.

 

[Gasgas]

Vindis Northampton ,very good imho

 

[TOADY]

Vindis Northampton ,very good imho

In all situations we speak as we find.
Vindis were the people I bought my Cal from.
This was two years ago, and after dealing with them and VWCS, I suspect they have had a wake up.
Had I not been in a difficult situation myself I would have happily taken them to court.
They had grown too quickly I suspect as a competitor in the area gave up their dealership.
As you know their premises are impressive.

 

[Del Boy]

After a weekend hiccup at Easter , the van went into Clarks in Edinburgh.
And would you believe it is still there, even though they were told by myself exactly what was wrong!
After the first week I kicked off an was given a vehicle from VW assist, not a Cali though. A vw Tiguan was the best they could do.
Still no word from the dealer, and the fault was a burst roof lifting ram, reported on day one ! Then verified by the dealer on day four, impressive.
Still waiting on the call, but won’t hold my breath.

 

[Snowball1935]

Possibly a bit harsh. I think they are variable just like anything else.
I can only speak from my experience with VW Carrs down here in cornwall, first class service and none of the problems with damage or oil marks. Don’t get me wrong they know how to charge, but all main dealers seam to charge exorbitant amounts.
I think dealers that have a combined commercial vehicle and high value cars dealership might have higher standards of service.

Victor’s post (above) exactly echoes my own experience. My VW garage is also a combined commercial and private car franchise. I have been using this garage for over 20 years, and never had a problem with my two Tourans.
I believe the mechanics on the commercial side of servicing have a totally different attitude towards vehicles in their care.
Bear in mind that Californias and Caravelles are in the minority compared to the large number of often tatty truly commercial vans that pass through the service department, and a mechanic’s mindset is probably geared to treating all vehicles without any thought for the private ownership of California’s and Caravelles.
It may suit VW to include these expensive vehicles in their commercial range, but for service and repairs they should definitely be subject to the same regime as that for private cars.
Where Volkswagen are concerned, the old motto of “the customer is always right” would seem to have no place in their psyche.

 

[Snowball1935]

Possibly a bit harsh. I think they are variable just like anything else.
I can only speak from my experience with VW Carrs down here in cornwall, first class service and none of the problems with damage or oil marks. Don’t get me wrong they know how to charge, but all main dealers seam to charge exorbitant amounts.
I think dealers that have a combined commercial vehicle and high value cars dealership might have higher standards of service.

Victor’s post (above) exactly echoes my own experience. My dealership is a combined one of private and commercial.
It may suit VW to advertise Caravelles and Californias as part of their commercial range but, in my opinion, these expensive vehicles should have their service and repair work carried out in a private car environment.
Imagine the majority of commercial vehicles that go in for service probably being in unvaleted and tatty conditions, and mechanics on the commercial side of the business not having a mindset to recognise a Caravelle or California from the rest of the pack.
In the next week I will be visiting an independent VW specialist garage that has been recommended, and tell them honestly of my concerns and why I need to change my servicing arrangements.

 

[Joker 1299]

Never had a problem with West Yorkshire Van Centre who have a dedicated leisure vehicle operation.

 

[Snowball1935]

Possibly a bit harsh. I think they are variable just like anything else.
I can only speak from my experience with VW Carrs down here in cornwall, first class service and none of the problems with damage or oil marks. Don’t get me wrong they know how to charge, but all main dealers seam to charge exorbitant amounts.
I think dealers that have a combined commercial vehicle and high value cars dealership might have higher standards of service.

I would agree regarding the car side of the business, but not the commercial side. I think the commercial technicians are more usually dealing with hard-worked vehicles that generally show signs of harsh treatment, and the occasional California or Caravelle that is obviously privately owned suffers the same indifferent attention to care in handling.
On a daily basis, we have to face the risks of damage when parking in public places (not to mention the chances of vehicle-to-vehicle contact from careless drivers), so it is frustrating when we have to add the risk of damage when we are paying high service charges for technicians who should at least have the intelligence to treat a customer’s valuable private transport with a duty of care that can rightly be expected.