VW Commercial - Possibly the worst dealer network?

[WelshGas]

Well I have no cause to complain about the Dealership I use.

 

[motacyclist]

I think the perception of the rating of the dealerships is inversely proportional to the desirability of the vehicle they are selling.

eg:-

• Skoda owners have (or did have) low expectations and the dealers try harder.
• Cali owners have high expectations and the dealers don't give a toss 'cos the vans sell themselves. If you want an "automotive quality" camper van there is only one on the market.

I bet the Cali dealers can't believe their luck to have been chosen to sell this unique vehicle!

 

[WelshGas]

Try buying a new, top of the range, Landrover Defender, from a Dealership with a showroom packed full of Range Rovers, Discoveries and Evoques. The Sales people I dealt with didn't even know what the extra lever was beside the gear stick. Even though there was a label on the dash. And don't even get me going on about them sorting out water leaks on a Defender. Did you know that Landcover have an Official " Water Ingress Manual " for the Defender? Unfortunately it involves words of more than 2 syllables so the Dealerships don't read it.

 

[KernowLad]

Must be down to individual dealers; we bought our Defender from a complete duffer (rhymes with car goods) who sold us a dodgy 110xs but the local dealer, Roger Young, is absolutely brilliant.

Same with BMW; got a test drive in Exeter followed by the worst sales patter ever yet the place we bought it from has been excellent. Had a service just week; decent courtesy car, treated well, kept me in touch, very enthusiastic about the car.

Quite impressed at the dealer we bought our Cali from (Preston) but otherwise a bit indifferent to the others.

 

[Neilgbj]

We just put our 2015 van into VW Bury St Edmunds for a few very minor things (bit of a 'snag list'..). Excellent service all round, friendly, helpful.....

 

[T6 CFO]

We just put our 2015 van into VW Bury St Edmunds for a few very minor things (bit of a 'snag list'..). Excellent service all round, friendly, helpful.....

Thats good to hear. Not heard anything on dealership in Bristol. Split between Car and Commercial. I had good dealings with my car purchase, a Touran but that was 11 years ago. Any views?

 

[T6 CFO]

Thats good to hear. Not heard anything on dealership in Bristol. Split between Car and Commercial. I had good dealings with my car purchase, a Touran but that was 11 years ago. Any views?

NB: have popped in and had a chat with salesman a few weeks ago. Gave him my spec and contact details. Said he would call me when he was fully up to speed on T6 so he could properly advise. Liked that! Awaiting call.....

 

[Rich20]

I am very happy with the dealership I use. I was over there a couple of weeks ago and got talking to the salesman who sold us our Cali about the problems other people had experienced at some dealers. Their attitude is that whilst the Cali is based on a van, it is more suitable for the commercial side to maintain them but they recognise that the Cali is a bit special and want to get the experience right. I could not fault the receptionist, mechanic or the thoroughness of the srevice I received.

 

[SeismiChris]

Well, we live in Lowestoft and purchased our Cali from the VW dealership in Bury St Edmunds and I have to say that the level of professionalism/service was second to non that I have experienced with any other dealer. We would most certainly buy from them in the future!!!

 

[calimera]

I am very happy with the dealership I use. I was over there a couple of weeks ago and got talking to the salesman who sold us our Cali about the problems other people had experienced at some dealers. Their attitude is that whilst the Cali is based on a van, it is more suitable for the commercial side to maintain them but they recognise that the Cali is a bit special and want to get the experience right. I could not fault the receptionist, mechanic or the thoroughness of the srevice I received.

Hi . Which dealer ? Live in Devon so keen to know.
Many thanks

 

[Freeley]

Hi . Which dealer ? Live in Devon so keen to know.
Many thanks

If you live in Devon then you need to head to Carrs Exeter - they're a van centre but they know the cali inside out and treat it and the customer properly.
I should get a discount with all the recommendations I give them on here!
It's a 100 mile round trip for me but worth it.

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[Martin]

As Jason says, Carrs are very good and are a nice modern dealership. When you go, make sure you see Peter as he will look after you .. Also mention you are a member of the club.

 

[MCh1777]

We know that VW have previously monitored this forum, and I suggested it might be beneficial for them to do so again.

I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that VW has a £50m-ish/year (say 1,000 Calis +£50k) business in the UK but they only seem to have someone looking at this forum now and again. Astonishing!

 

[T6 CFO]

If you live in Devon then you need to head to Carrs Exeter - they're a van centre but they know the cali inside out and treat it and the customer properly.
I should get a discount with all the recommendations I give them on here!
It's a 100 mile round trip for me but worth it.

Sent from my Galaxy S6

Thanks from me in Bristol. Good to know one nearish

As Jason says, Carrs are very good and are a nice modern dealership. When you go, make sure you see Peter as he will look after you .. Also mention you are a member of the club.

I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that VW has a £50m-ish/year (say 1,000 Calis +£50k) business in the UK but they only seem to have someone looking at this forum now and again. Astonishing!

Yep agreed. Lack of competition seems to be it. Today's headlines on emissions may have them considering their customer relations. Got some bridges to build!

 

[T6 CFO]

Thanks from me in Bristol. Good to know one nearish


Yep agreed. Lack of competition seems to be it. Today's headlines on emissions may have them considering their customer relations. Got some bridges to build!

Shame for good local dealers but the brand is going to take a hit.

 

[KernowLad]

Carrs Exeter; good.
Carrs Indian Queens; bad.

That's from experience...

 

[DavidApp]

Had a good experience at the Birmingham VW Van Centre on Monday, very friendly and efficient service. The downside is the location and journey times (1 hour to do 6 miles each way). So for that reason I think Listers in Coventry will be the regular goto. 20 miles away but far quicker to get to.

 

[KernowLad]

Compared to the Vauxhall dealer we had to use, any VW dealer is a joy.

SO bad; not buying a Vauxhall again (not exactly tragic)....

 

[JohnnyP]

I have our BMW in for service next week. I defected to BMW four years ago after RangeRover decided that they really did not want to sell me a new Evoque. Instead I opted for an X3 in the drive.

It's only a routine three year service for my Sister's 120D. I've had two phone calls from the service department, one to say was there any particular concerns and that they will offer an end of warranty check at the same time and another to ask if I wanted an MOT doing as I am by one day within a month to when it's due.

Nice coffee, a guaranteed wait time in pleasant surroundings, attention to detail and a willingness to offer good service.

If only BMW made campers

The service you receive from BMW is very similar to the service I get from the VW car dealerships, courtesy calls before and after, courtesy lifts from and back to the dealer to collect the car and the latest is video messages giving a summary of the MOT result. VW commercial do not have far to look for an example of good service

 

[Heritage VW]

NB: have popped in and had a chat with salesman a few weeks ago. Gave him my spec and contact details. Said he would call me when he was fully up to speed on T6 so he could properly advise. Liked that! Awaiting call.....

I can not see any details for you from visiting looking at the retail guys at the front nor can I see any trace of you having a Cali serviced with us in Bristol, please feel free to message me should you require any further help.

 

[GrannyJen]

I can not see any details for you from visiting looking at the retail guys at the front nor can I see any trace of you having a Cali serviced with us in Bristol, please feel free to message me should you require any further help.

To be fair to the above, they did come back to me when I made an enquiry, one of the three that did, and once I am clear as to what my future plans are then I will be touch again.

 

[Pete Wilkins]

We should not be tarring all VW dealers the same, they are all private company's that deal in VW, I have had dealings with two such company's. Listers and I dealt with Worcester branch where I bought it from and Carrs at Exeter who have done all the warranty work on it. Both company's have more dealerships and different manufacturers other than VW.

I have had no problems with either of these and would recommend both. They both are very modern in the approach to Car/Van dealerships and the workshops are very clean and High Tech with the computer desks well used so different to the past. Nothing has been too much trouble to either of them. They both know the California very well and both sell numbers of them,
It is the people in the dealerships that make or break and give us the service, not the brand they are selling.

To me it should make no difference in the way we are served I expect to be treated the same if I turn up in a beat up VW or a brand new VW, I can only speak as I find, and have had all problems and vehicle issues fixed promptly and well, it causes us all worry and strain as it our money at stake, but I have had all my niggles put right with out a quibble, and love my vans performance and life style.
It is not always the dealers fault, I have always tried to treat them as I would want to be treated, that does not mean I roll over or do not demand a good price and service.

 

[dod4luce]

Maybe it is just me or bad luck but the past two weeks I have tried contacting my dealer about outstanding niggles on my new 2015 Cali, when ever I call up the service department is busy and they take down my number and I am told someone will call me back, but nobody ever calls.

So far I am up to 6 calls without a reply

I contacted VWCS on Tuesday and was promised a call back by 5pm - guess what, no phone call back.

I called them again on Wednesday and was again promised a call back - no call

Amonngst this I have also emailed and am at my wits end.

Is this normal from VW Commercial? I have owned BMW's before and there customer care is second to none, maybe it is be because these are just vans?

So far, I have had only good service from VW Hereford. I had a problem recently, and they called me back and were very helpful. Maybe I have been lucky so far. Or perhaps its my very well rehearsed "female in distress" voice!

 

[jts46]

We should not be tarring all VW dealers the same, they are all private company's that deal in VW, I have had dealings with two such company's. Listers and I dealt with Worcester branch where I bought it from and Carrs at Exeter who have done all the warranty work on it. Both company's have more dealerships and different manufacturers other than VW.

I have had no problems with either of these and would recommend both. They both are very modern in the approach to Car/Van dealerships and the workshops are very clean and High Tech with the computer desks well used so different to the past. Nothing has been too much trouble to either of them. They both know the California very well and both sell numbers of them,
It is the people in the dealerships that make or break and give us the service, not the brand they are selling.

To me it should make no difference in the way we are served I expect to be treated the same if I turn up in a beat up VW or a brand new VW, I can only speak as I find, and have had all problems and vehicle issues fixed promptly and well, it causes us all worry and strain as it our money at stake, but I have had all my niggles put right with out a quibble, and love my vans performance and life style.
It is not always the dealers fault, I have always tried to treat them as I would want to be treated, that does not mean I roll over or do not demand a good price and service.

I use the van centre at Mackworth, Derby. and had no problems either, they pick van up from my house and deliver it back all part of the service.

John

 

[T6 CFO]

I can not see any details for you from visiting looking at the retail guys at the front nor can I see any trace of you having a Cali serviced with us in Bristol, please feel free to message me should you require any further help.

Thanks for the reply. I have the salesmanship details and will be in touch with him.