Saying hello and interested in your thoughts.

[ChunkyMonkeyDude]

Hello everyone. Longtime lurker, first time posting

This site is a good source of information on everything California and has helped us through the ordering, waiting and not buying the things you think you need (but don’t) so thank you.
We are the proud owners of Jarvis, a 2021 Ascot grey ocean now showing 11000 miles.

Our story

We decided like so many on here to get a camper van during the first lockdown and after many hours of research it was narrowEd down to a California as it ticked all the boxes for a family of three. So a van was ordered through drive the deal with an original lead time of (can you believe) 6 months. Euro vans crawley have been really good and David kept us updated throughout. This is the first time ordering a vehicle that takes anything like 6 months to arrive so excitement levels in the family were very high. How many people even track the boat it’s being imported on! Anyway the day finally arrives (9 months later) and my wife and I got the train down south to collect. Our first time seeing Ascot grey in the flesh can you believe is the day of collection and we both love the colour. Paper work done and off we go for the drive home and I turn the air con on and it’s blowing warm air at me ~ so turn around and after a bit of faffing they decide there is no refrigerant in the system and recharge the van. Yippee let the fun begin. So, we are nowJuly 2021 and enjoying the van but after a week the air con blows warm again. A phone call to the euro vans and they said they have a new air con machine and maybe the guy who did the recharge didn’t press the buttons in the right order and they would pay for a local garage to recharge/check. Ok off we go and recharge. Cold air for two weeks the back to,warm. We then booked into our local van centre who say a leak from a rear pipe and they will order one. This is the 2nd week July 2021. The short story is that nearly 1 year on and still no working air conditioning to this day. We have contacted VW customer care and they have raised 5 cases which involve checking a part is on order and then checking the parts system which subsequently returns the status of “on back order“ and they tell me there is nothing they can do and close the case. If I don’t like it I can contact the ombudsman or speak to my van centre but they can do nothing further. In fact when I asked to speak to a customer care manager he asked me why I needed air conditioning (it was then Autumn). We have had all the reasons from Covid, the Suez Canal Brexit and now the war in Ukraine (despite back order going back much further than this). As I write this is seems obsurd I’m moaning when so many other things are going on in the world.

That’s the short version…..and at the end of the day I have a van that doesn't meet the spec of my order and is now potentially limiting our options for travel. Whilst parts are not getting manufactured I wonder how many vans are currently leaving production without air con!

I am interested to know your thoughts and if anyone has a similar tale to tell about VW customer care. In our opinion these vans are great but let down by poor customer care and questions the value of any extended warranties.

 

[kurienp]

Hello everyone. Longtime lurker, first time posting

This site is a good source of information on everything California and has helped us through the ordering, waiting and not buying the things you think you need (but don’t) so thank you.
We are the proud owners of Jarvis, a 2021 Ascot grey ocean now showing 11000 miles.

Our story

We decided like so many on here to get a camper van during the first lockdown and after many hours of research it was narrowEd down to a California as it ticked all the boxes for a family of three. So a van was ordered through drive the deal with an original lead time of (can you believe) 6 months. Euro vans crawley have been really good and David kept us updated throughout. This is the first time ordering a vehicle that takes anything like 6 months to arrive so excitement levels in the family were very high. How many people even track the boat it’s being imported on! Anyway the day finally arrives (9 months later) and my wife and I got the train down south to collect. Our first time seeing Ascot grey in the flesh can you believe is the day of collection and we both love the colour. Paper work done and off we go for the drive home and I turn the air con on and it’s blowing warm air at me ~ so turn around and after a bit of faffing they decide there is no refrigerant in the system and recharge the van. Yippee let the fun begin. So, we are nowJuly 2021 and enjoying the van but after a week the air con blows warm again. A phone call to the euro vans and they said they have a new air con machine and maybe the guy who did the recharge didn’t press the buttons in the right order and they would pay for a local garage to recharge/check. Ok off we go and recharge. Cold air for two weeks the back to,warm. We then booked into our local van centre who say a leak from a rear pipe and they will order one. This is the 2nd week July 2021. The short story is that nearly 1 year on and still no working air conditioning to this day. We have contacted VW customer care and they have raised 5 cases which involve checking a part is on order and then checking the parts system which subsequently returns the status of “on back order“ and they tell me there is nothing they can do and close the case. If I don’t like it I can contact the ombudsman or speak to my van centre but they can do nothing further. In fact when I asked to speak to a customer care manager he asked me why I needed air conditioning (it was then Autumn). We have had all the reasons from Covid, the Suez Canal Brexit and now the war in Ukraine (despite back order going back much further than this). As I write this is seems obsurd I’m moaning when so many other things are going on in the world.

That’s the short version…..and at the end of the day I have a van that doesn't meet the spec of my order and is now potentially limiting our options for travel. Whilst parts are not getting manufactured I wonder how many vans are currently leaving production without air con!

I am interested to know your thoughts and if anyone has a similar tale to tell about VW customer care. In our opinion these vans are great but let down by poor customer care and questions the value of any extended warranties.

@ChunkyMonkeyDude , the C word has become an excuse worldwide for pathetic customer service. It is appalling. Some may classify these things as first world problems, but build right and the problems will not be there in the first place.

It is the same story everywhere. Tesla is another classic example. Worse customer service than VW.

In my books, good customer service is when people have to step outside of their standard playbook to deal with situations. Breeze Poole misplaced my V5C before delivery. They knew that I had a planned trip. Even without asking, the next day I had a Cali on my drive on loan, until they could sort out a V5C. Now that is customer service.

In your case, customer service would have been - Euro Vans or any other dealer ordering the part and getting it ready for you to replace without you worrying about it.

Can you order the part from a third party such as Euro Car Parts and then get it fixed and reimbursed?

 

[ChunkyMonkeyDude]

Yeah I agree first world problems!

Both the selling and diagnosing van centre just refer you to the customer care line as they have done all they can.

The parts are VW only pipes to the rear evaporator so to my knowledge not available elsewhere.

Your experience from Breeze Poole shows that good customer service pays for itself in the long term as you are sharing it on here.

 

[Ting Tong]

Yet they are still finding parts to build new Calis!! Can’t the pipe be repaired as a temporary fix? We have a refrigerated vehicle service agent near us and they identified and fixed a leaking ac pipe on my old 911 by cutting it and swaging in a new section.

 

[Perfectos]

The parts are VW only pipes to the rear evaporator so to my knowledge not available elsewhere.

Do you know the part numbers of the items required ?

There are lots of specialist VW OEM parts supplier in the market.
VW do not supply general trade / repair companies.

if you know the part numbers you can search the Internet using the VW part code, which will throw up some suppliers.

alternatively try Kernow Transporters, they have extensive stocks of Cali / caravelle / transporter parts

Edit:

820-025 T5 1.9/2.5tdi refrigerant circuit a/c condenser fluid containe

№ Number Description Cnt Date refrigerant circuit a/c condenser fluid container with connecting parts F >> 7H-6-106 000 *AXABDL,BKKAXB AXC,BRR,BRSAXD,AXE,BLJ,BNZ,BPC rhd2.0 ltr.3.2ltr.1.9ltr.2.5ltr. (1) 7H2820722F refrigerant hose 1 (1) 7H2820722D refrigerant hose 1 (1A) 7H2820741D refrigerant...

vwsonline.co.uk

 

[ChunkyMonkeyDude]

Yet they are still finding parts to build new Calis!! Can’t the pipe be repaired as a temporary fix? We have a refrigerated vehicle service agent near us and they identified and fixed a leaking ac pipe on my old 911 by cutting it and swaging in a new section.

Strange that these parts don't exist but as you say new calis are being delivered with the part fitted.

We did think about researching harder to find non dealer repair/replacement but felt that this could lead to problems for us further down the line with warranty. dealers don't need much of an excuse not to honour things these days.

On the plus side these vans are good and is living up to the hype.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Hi @ChunkyMonkeyDude
I’ve had a couple of instances where my aircon was blowing warm air when it should be cold. Cured both times by resetting the flaps as demonstrated in this video. Might not solve your problem but worth a try.

 

[ChunkyMonkeyDude]

Thanks for the info but the lack of refrigerant is the root cause.

As I said this forum is a good source or information and tips.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks for the info but the lack of refrigerant is the root cause.

As I said this forum is a good source or information and tips.

Personally, I can’t see that the leak would be in the rear pipe, but I can see that the leak could be a connection of the said pipe.
Problem is, modern day Dealerships, which ever the manufacturer, don’t problem solve/repair but just replace parts.

In this case if it is a joint it might just require tightening.

 

[Jim2007]

We did think about researching harder to find non dealer repair/replacement but felt that this could lead to problems for us further down the line with warranty. dealers don't need much of an excuse not to honour things these days.

Try these people. They have impressed me:

https://www.sunset-derby.co.uk/

All done to VW specs and your electronic service record updated. Plainly you’ll have to pay, but perhaps getting it competently fixed will shame VWC in to reimbursement? We can but hope.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Strange that these parts don't exist but as you say new calis are being delivered with the part fitted.

We did think about researching harder to find non dealer repair/replacement but felt that this could lead to problems for us further down the line with warranty. dealers don't need much of an excuse not to honour things these days.

On the plus side these vans are good and is living up to the hype.

I’ve owned our van for 13 years and only three things have gone wrong. They are great.

The customer care is appalling to the point where there’s a chance that a trip to a VW garage will actually damage your vehicle.
Hopefully you’ll get it fixed soon and then forget about it and enjoy your vehicle.

 

[ChunkyMonkeyDude]

I agree that it’s more likely to be a joint on the pipe but the dealer will get more money from the warranty changing the whole part.

Thanks for the heads up on a possible supply for the part as I say this forum is such a good source of advice and information. We are going to let VW resolve the fault, however long that takes.

Yes problem aside the van is fantastic and allow the family time that we hoped it would.