I’m Absolutely gutted.

[Ozzy Pete]

Recently come back from 3 lovely weeks away in France and Spain.
We had booked our van into Sinclairs Gorseinon to have some work done on the Front roof panel which was beginning to blister. Had a price and date for the work which was the day after we came home.
The ferry was late into Portsmouth with “Engine trouble” so we didn’t get home till late on Tuesday night of the 27th September. However we managed to mainly clear the van to take into Sinclairs Wednesday Lunchtime.
We had a “Courtesy call” to say the van would be ready the end of the following week.
It wasn’t, but Monday we got a call to say it was ready and arranged to pick it up Tuesday morning.
Got to Sinclairs and the van was sitting outside their office very wet as it had been raining that night. Had a look the best I could but couldn’t see the finished work.

Drove home and by that time the van had dried of lovely and could see they had done a nice job of the paintwork.

Got to work giving the inside a good clean and everything was looking great.

Later on driving our car back from local shopping I noticed something not right with the roof line. There was a dent half way down the roof. I then lifted the roof and to my horror there was a dent on the other side of the roof as well. Not only that there was a big tear in the bellows one side and a small tear the other.
Got straight on the phone to tell Sinclairs that I would be down straight away.
All I had was a load of bluster, and was told “It’s not unusual to have 2 dents in the roof”

Since then I have contacted the General manager and have an appointment with him at 2pm.
It’s obvious to Sinclairs and myself what has happened, and someone totally inexperienced has lowered the roof with the doors and windows closed.

This is going to be a very costly mistake for Sinclairs.

 

[GrannyJen]

Oh Pete, how awful

How on Earth do "they", so many "expert" dealers, continue to make so many silly but costly mistakes, and again, no recognition that this is someones pride and joy, not a builders van?

I do hope it's sorted amicably and professionally.

Jen x

 

[WelshGas]

Recently come back from 3 lovely weeks away in France and Spain.
We had booked our van into Sinclairs Gorseinon to have some work done on the Front roof panel which was beginning to blister. Had a price and date for the work which was the day after we came home.
The ferry was late into Portsmouth with “Engine trouble” so we didn’t get home till late on Tuesday night of the 27th September. However we managed to mainly clear the van to take into Sinclairs Wednesday Lunchtime.
We had a “Courtesy call” to say the van would be ready the end of the following week.
It wasn’t, but Monday we got a call to say it was ready and arranged to pick it up Tuesday morning.
Got to Sinclairs and the van was sitting outside their office very wet as it had been raining that night. Had a look the best I could but couldn’t see the finished work.

Drove home and by that time the van had dried of lovely and could see they had done a nice job of the paintwork.

Got to work giving the inside a good clean and everything was looking great.

Later on driving our car back from local shopping I noticed something not right with the roof line. There was a dent half way down the roof. I then lifted the roof and to my horror there was a dent on the other side of the roof as well. Not only that there was a big tear in the bellows one side and a small tear the other.
Got straight on the phone to tell Sinclairs that I would be down straight away.
All I had was a load of bluster, and was told “It’s not unusual to have 2 dents in the roof”

Since then I have contacted the General manager and have an appointment with him at 2pm.
It’s obvious to Sinclairs and myself what has happened, and someone totally inexperienced has lowered the roof with the doors and windows closed.

This is going to be a very costly mistake for Sinclairs.

Sinclairs! Enough said.

Full repair + Compensation for loss of use.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

Oh Pete, how awful

How on Earth do "they", so many "expert" dealers, continue to make so many silly but costly mistakes, and again, no recognition that this is someones pride and joy, not a builders van?

I do hope it's sorted amicably and professionally.

Jen x

Thanks Jen. Will let you know how we get on today. The dents can be knocked out but the bellows will have to be replaced. We were thinking about putting it up for sale but that will probably have to be in the Spring now.

 

[Elmo3]

What a PITA. The dents should be easily repaired (maybe insist it’s done by an aluminium specialist). Look on the bright side, you’ll have a new roof canvas, maybe with a front opening!

 

[Azteccamper]

Recently come back from 3 lovely weeks away in France and Spain.
We had booked our van into Sinclairs Gorseinon to have some work done on the Front roof panel which was beginning to blister. Had a price and date for the work which was the day after we came home.
The ferry was late into Portsmouth with “Engine trouble” so we didn’t get home till late on Tuesday night of the 27th September. However we managed to mainly clear the van to take into Sinclairs Wednesday Lunchtime.
We had a “Courtesy call” to say the van would be ready the end of the following week.
It wasn’t, but Monday we got a call to say it was ready and arranged to pick it up Tuesday morning.
Got to Sinclairs and the van was sitting outside their office very wet as it had been raining that night. Had a look the best I could but couldn’t see the finished work.

Drove home and by that time the van had dried of lovely and could see they had done a nice job of the paintwork.

Got to work giving the inside a good clean and everything was looking great.

Later on driving our car back from local shopping I noticed something not right with the roof line. There was a dent half way down the roof. I then lifted the roof and to my horror there was a dent on the other side of the roof as well. Not only that there was a big tear in the bellows one side and a small tear the other.
Got straight on the phone to tell Sinclairs that I would be down straight away.
All I had was a load of bluster, and was told “It’s not unusual to have 2 dents in the roof”

Since then I have contacted the General manager and have an appointment with him at 2pm.
It’s obvious to Sinclairs and myself what has happened, and someone totally inexperienced has lowered the roof with the doors and windows closed.

This is going to be a very costly mistake for Sinclairs.

Good luck Pete. Fingers crossed.

 

[soulstyledevon]

You took it to a Volkswagen dealership.
That was your first mistake.
I wouldn’t let a Volkswagen Tech, fill-up the screen washer bottle.
Good luck with getting them to rectify the issue…

 

[Corradobrit]

I really hope they don't pull a 'wasn't us guv' because you didn't spot the damage at the collection. Be ready with a counter argument.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

You took it to a Volkswagen dealership.
That was your first mistake.
I wouldn’t let a Volkswagen Tech, fill-up the screen washer bottle.
Good luck with getting them to rectify the issue…

So if you don’t take it to the “Experts” then who do you take it to for a simple spray job? How do you get FVWSH if you don’t take it to VW?
You Expect that they know how to operate the roof, it’s hardly rocket science.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

I really hope they don't pull a 'wasn't us guv' because you didn't spot the damage at the collection. Be ready with a counter argument.

It was them and they know it. To get that much damage the roof was dropped with no doors open at all. If you can’t rely on the company that actually made them what are you supposed to do?

 

[WelshGas]

It was them and they know it. To get that much damage the roof was dropped with no doors open at all. If you can’t rely on the company that actually made them what are you supposed to do?

More likely the door was open but the Roof Hatch closed. I mean, why would they think of opening the Roof Hatch? Even though the Control Panel stops and tells you.

 

[Amarillo]

More likely the door was open but the Roof Hatch closed. I mean, why would they think of opening the Roof Hatch? Even though the Control Panel stops and tells you.

So glad I have a manual roof.

 

[Elmo3]

So glad I have a manual roof.

I‘m sure VW could manage to successfully screw those up as well!

 

[Amarillo]

I‘m sure VW could manage to successfully screw those up as well!

Yes. It would be dangerous to under estimate the incompetence of VW experts. But at least you cannot close a manual roof with the hatch closed.

 

[ArunAlec]

“It’s not unusual to have 2 dents in the roof”……… I’m convinced VW dealers have an in house competition for giving the most stupid response to customers!

 

[Corradobrit]

“It’s not unusual to have 2 dents in the roof”……… I’m convinced VW dealers have an in house competition for giving the most stupid response to customers!

Its above the section stating a 10-15cm drop on one side of the poptop is perfectly normal and meets specs.

 

[WelshGas]

So glad I have a manual roof.

There are some manual Roof owners on here, over the past few months, that might disagree.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Our van is going in for a service soon. Based on this horrendous experience I’ll be writing up a sign for the dash.

 

[Elmo3]

Yes. It would be dangerous to under estimate the incompetence of VW experts. But at least you cannot close a manual roof with the hatch closed.

True. They’d still leave the windows and doors shut, hanging on the metal bar to pull it down and chew the canvas!

 

[ArunAlec]

Some dealers take even more pride in their f**k ups and display their work on their forecourts….. canvas nicely clamped outside the pop top.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Our van is going in for a service soon. Based on this horrendous experience I’ll be writing up a sign for the dash.

Suggested wording: "VW technicians are not authorised to operate ANY of the controls on this vehicle unless they have first signed a declaration that they have read and understood the User Manual".

 

[yossarian]

Morons not allowed to touch this van.

 

[andyinluton]

The only positives I can see in this thread is that they have only damaged parts of the van that they were dealing with, and there is no mention of greasy footprints or fingerprints being left all over the inside.
This at least is an improvement upon what I would have expected..

 

[clarinetbcn]

There are some manual Roof owners on here, over the past few months, that might disagree.

Are there?

 

[Amarillo]

So glad I have a manual roof.

There are some manual Roof owners on here, over the past few months, that might disagree.

I’m not sure on what authority they might disagree with my gladness.