VW Commercial - Possibly the worst dealer network?

[Hotel California]

Seems i am the only one who drives with a happy feeling to the dealer....
I drive accros the border in to Holland a + 100 km drive one way to a perfect VW center who does NOTHING else than California , Westfalia and campervans most of them are VW's
Selling Cali's can be done by everyone , solving problems and giving it a full mechanical update motor and camperpart can only be done by somone knowing a Cali inside-out like them....
They only care about campers an not "vans" !
And are official VW , they told me once they had German VW mechanics come over to them for training ( meaning to learn the Germans about the Cali!)...don't know if true but if one can get that done....way to go!

 

[GrannyJen]

Someone now seems to have a focussed mind on resolving my vehicle problem.

No criticism whatsoever of Jason and SMG who I feel have been really committed but sadly not something reciprocated elsewhere in the VW hierarchy. Every time I have spoken to Jason they have been waiting for someone in VW technical to come back to them ...

Sadly it is all leaving a very sour taste in the mouth of someone who has been one of the California's - and VW's - greatest fans. I wouldn't even buy a lapel badge off VW after this.

 

[alstevens]

As suggested in the Granny Jen disappointment thread , what about a combined forum approach ??

 

[GrannyJen]

Thank you Al but my problems are trivial compared to the rotting roof saga, the out of hand dismissal of John Towers claims, and other problems that people face.

A big big factor when choosing my next camper, to be ordered in 2016 for 2017 delivery, will be MB selling the Marco Polo through the domestic dealer network and not the commercial dealer network. I'm buying a vehicle, a luxury vehicle that doubles as a camper, not a van,

and I'm not denigrating the transporter. I've been able to live without my camper because it is my second vehicle, if my living depended on it then I would not touch VW with the longest bargepole available on the planet.

 

[teeboy]

I do sympathise with everyone experiencing poor customer service. I think it is very much down to our chosen dealer - there are a few that get consistently good reviews on here (and some that get consistently poor).

It does appear that any escalation to VWCS is pretty useless.

However the two hottest themes on here are:

1 - There is something wrong with my camper and VW are useless (roof, charging, etc...)
2 - Please give me a price list so I can give you 50-60 grand.

Either number 2 is so great that there is no need to do any customer service, or there are so many customer service problems that they are not focusing on the new release.

Press on with customer services, as when these vans are working they are brilliant - remember the good times and in the bad times - drink the free coffee!

T

 

[treecity]

A big big factor when choosing my next camper, to be ordered in 2016 for 2017 delivery, will be MB selling the Marco Polo through the domestic dealer network and not the commercial dealer network. I'm buying a vehicle, a luxury vehicle that doubles as a camper, not a van,

and I'm not denigrating the transporter. I've been able to live without my camper because it is my second vehicle, if my living depended on it then I would not touch VW with the longest bargepole available on the planet.

I've also been closely watching MB Marco Polo and my local commercial dealer said they will definitely be sold through their domestic dealers, NOT commercial.

 

[GrannyJen]

I do sympathise with everyone experiencing poor customer service. I think it is very much down to our chosen dealer - there are a few that get consistently good reviews on here (and some that get consistently poor).

It does appear that any escalation to VWCS is pretty useless.

However the two hottest themes on here are:

1 - There is something wrong with my camper and VW are useless (roof, charging, etc...)
2 - Please give me a price list so I can give you 50-60 grand.

Either number 2 is so great that there is no need to do any customer service, or there are so many customer service problems that they are not focusing on the new release.

Press on with customer services, as when these vans are working they are brilliant - remember the good times and in the bad times - drink the free coffee!

T

By Monday my Van will have been in the dealers for 26 nights this year. It is quite conceivable that by the end of this year it will have spent more nights in the dealers than I have spent sleeping in it.

All this against a shrug of shoulders attitude of "complex vehicles, things do go wrong:

A year and a bit to sort something out that's been almost basic since Alessandro Volta delivered his paper to the Royal Society in 1799 is nothing to be excited about"

 

[WelshGas]

So that is 26 nights at £100 minimum / night for hotel accommodation + an inconvenience factor, car hire etc. prepare an invoice for VW HQ .

 

[MCh1777]

I was looking forward to specifying my T6 this week. Then I visited my local dealer to get a quote for repairing a punctured air con condenser (a radiator). No customer car parking available so I parked in the only available space and was told off for this! Then I was quoted about £1,200 for the work - low rent premises and customer service; very high rent pricing. Nobody had any idea when T6 pricing/configuration would be available.

And now I have just read all the above threads!

So a message to VW. First, make sure someone in your marketing department avidly reads this forum and acts on the content. Second, you must be mad to upset Granny Jen - your greatest and most articulate advocate. Third, send all your service staff to Audi for work experience before letting them loose on Cali customers.

 

[rippers]

Seriously VW commercial have the worst customer service I've ever experienced out of anyone in the automotive industry and sadly I think its deep routed and rotten from the core as the attitude has been very consistent from every dealer...

Apart from SMG Cowford (only Cowford too!) I have been happy in every aspect from the Steve Mann in parts and vehicle sales with Chris Figg and formally Hugh Ventris. These guys are good despite VW and obviously go against the grain compared all of the others. If I haven't found these guys I seriously doubt I would be a California owner now.

In my opinion there should be a dedicated California service/sales flagship dealership with properly trained staff that haven't had every ounce of enthusiasm ground out of them by the hierarchy of VW commercial.

 

[mchbiker]

First post...after a lengthy period of saving I'm currently preparing for the biggest spend after my mortgage/house! The stories of appalling customer service are quite worrying and needless in an organisation like VAG.

It's not put me off yet but what are people's experience of Preston and Manchester dealerships? Might as well factor that into the decision.

Great forum btw, enjoy the helpful information and hope everyone's problems get sorted real quick.

 

[WelshGas]

Have you checked out the Dealers Review Forum on here?

 

[larrylamb]

Very helpful and knowledgeable salesman at Preston but haven't used the service dept yet.

 

[briwy]

By Monday my Van will have been in the dealers for 26 nights this year. It is quite conceivable that by the end of this year it will have spent more nights in the dealers than I have spent sleeping in it.

All this against a shrug of shoulders attitude of "complex vehicles, things do go wrong:

A year and a bit to sort something out that's been almost basic since Alessandro Volta delivered his paper to the Royal Society in 1799 is nothing to be excited about"

Thats ridiculous jen
These charging circuits arent that complicated. Wehad Mazda Bongos before the Cali, both had LBs charged either from hookup or engine. The units cost around £100. No specalist knowledge required to fit and worked fine over around five years.
I think the main problem is that they do not have enough staff trained properly on the Calis. My local dealer has one specalist Cali guy who is always busy.
The dealer tries hard to help but just hasnt got the facilities to sort Calis quickly.
It took them three hours this morning to look at my awning problem because the Cali guy was busy. Ten minute job to look at it and see it is knackered.

 

[mchbiker]

Have you checked out the Dealers Review Forum on here?

Thanks it's seems both have good reviews so we are blessed with a choice.

 

[Georgiegirl]

First post...after a lengthy period of saving I'm currently preparing for the biggest spend after my mortgage/house! The stories of appalling customer service are quite worrying and needless in an organisation like VAG.

It's not put me off yet but what are people's experience of Preston and Manchester dealerships? Might as well factor that into the decision.

Great forum btw, enjoy the helpful information and hope everyone's problems get sorted real quick.

We were v impressed with Manchester when we bought earlier this year. Gino's first service is due in January so guess we will find out then if the service dept are as good as sales!

It does seem crazy that VW haven't delivered a better after sales customer experience. Perhaps they will have a wake up call when the Marco Polo arrives and their niche market becomes more competitive? Sounds like a few people are thinking of defecting.....

 

[AnneP]

Thanks it's seems both have good reviews so we are blessed with a choice.

Hello! Just a quick note as you are local to us - we bought our vehicle from VW Kettering in April this year. Pretty rubbish customer service the whole way thru to be honest, but then when we got vehicle back home, we discovered the roof sagged on one side, and control unit not working properly (vehicle one year old). We are 3 hours from Kettering, and so VW Manchester Van Centre in Trafford Park sorted everything for us very efficiently (new hydraulic ram, and new control unit). Worth knowing . . .

 

[mikeringrose]

Hi all,

If someone can tell me the name of the VW corporate entity here in the UK which is in charge of the dealer network, I might be able to find the names and possibly the home addresses of the Directors. I feel sure a letter posted recorded delivery to their home addresses would wake them up. I have done this previously with other faceless corporates and it works.

 

[motacyclist]

BMW... where do I start! Clutch judder, known fault, back and forth to dealer.

I had the same clutch problem with my BMW, all they ever did was a software update. Each time I had to bring it in for assessment, then book it in to be "fixed". Got rid of it in the end, lost a packet on it too, it it was supposed to be good on depreciation.

Prior to the BMW I had a Lexus, the dealership experience was brilliant. (I only changed because of the tax advantages of the low emission engines)

When we were looking for our first Cali neither of the two local dealerships were interested in selling one. In the end it was was bought from - the same Lexus dealer! They also had a Skoda dealership and the MD had bought it from VW GB for his own use .

I wish Lexus did a California ...

 

[pjm-84]

For me its Volvo. I only changed because of the Cali.

The worse vehicle I owned was an Audi. (So VAG was effectively "blackballed"). So when it came to the Cali I had my eyes wide open. (3 years and get rid!). The Cali is a niche in the market and as such I'm prepared to accept the "baggage" (VAG) that comes with it. Sad really in today's age of corporate responsibility

 

[DavidApp]

Credit where it's due, I had a good experience at Listers in Coventry yesterday. Phil Greenfield - Aftersales Manager - was very helpful at getting my vehicle booked in for the roof repair. The parts chap arranged to have posted to me some awning bar clips for the drawer also. I had mudflaps fitted (factory, not the after factory ones) and all went well. I shall be using them again.

 

[rod_vw]

Seems i am the only one who drives with a happy feeling to the dealer....
I drive accros the border in to Holland a + 100 km drive one way to a perfect VW center who does NOTHING else than California , Westfalia and campervans most of them are VW's
Selling Cali's can be done by everyone , solving problems and giving it a full mechanical update motor and camperpart can only be done by someone knowing a Cali inside-out like them....
They only care about campers an not "vans" !
And are official VW , they told me once they had German VW mechanics come over to them for training ( meaning to learn the Germans about the Cali!)...don't know if true but if one can get that done....way to go!

I too have heard of the Camper Centrum Netherland http://campercentrumnederland.nl/ > I was told of their expertees when talking to a Cali owner on a French campsite recently. I believe they can do the roof job in a day.

Rod

 

[Vincent123]

We have just ordered a T6 and all this negativity is a bit unsettling. We ordered the Cali through Guy Vincent at Preston and he was on the case from initial enquiry right through to sorting the fine detail.
Fingers crossed the after sales service is of a similar standard. (BMW customer service is outstanding but boy do you pay for it!)

 

[treecity]

We have just ordered a T6 and all this negativity is a bit unsettling. We ordered the Cali through Guy Vincent at Preston and he was on the case from initial enquiry right through to sorting the fine detail.
Fingers crossed the after sales service is of a similar standard. (BMW customer service is outstanding but boy do you pay for it!)

Congrats! Did you manage to order any accessories AND did you get any discount?!

 

[GrannyJen]

We have just ordered a T6 and all this negativity is a bit unsettling. We ordered the Cali through Guy Vincent at Preston and he was on the case from initial enquiry right through to sorting the fine detail.
Fingers crossed the after sales service is of a similar standard. (BMW customer service is outstanding but boy do you pay for it!)

Don't be too worried about the negativity.

The Cali is a fabulous vehicle, I cannot praise it high enough, and most times if you find a decent dealer then you will get decent service.

There are crap dealers, your dealer has not been mentioned in despatches as one of them, quite the opposite I believe, and it is going to be very unlikely that you will need any other support other than what they can provide.