VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS

Honest John Back Room » Legal matters
View Threaded
Fri 8 Sep 2023 17:51
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - Mrdeli

Hello,

I am writing on behalf of a friend. They purchased a 68 plate VW Transport T6 from a VW main dealer, which seemed ideal to get there growing family around in comfort. Although not new it was still expensive at around £40k.

18 months into ownership, the engine has completely failed. The van was recovered initially to an independent local VW specialist who delivered the sobering news of a 9k bill.

They still have finance with VWFS if this helps the situation.

Surely there must be some comeback on the quality of goods supplies - who on earth would ever buy a vehicle for such money and expect a 9k bill 18 months into ownership.

It would be of immense help if anyone could confirm the best direction to proceed in.

Many Thanks Jennifer

Edited by Mrdeli on 08/09/2023 at 17:52

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 8 Sep 2023 17:57
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - Adampr

Which engine and what did the garage say happened to it?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 8 Sep 2023 21:52
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - Bromptonaut

Why did the engine fail?

If it ran out of oil with the level dropping over weeks or months, and the owner hadn't been checking the dipstick it ain't VW's fault.

If, due to a manufacturing fault well known to VAG and the world outside, it put a broken con rod through the crankcase then you might be able to pin it on VW.

I cannot get my son, all but 30, to understand that oil needs to be checked and that if it's not then its absence is your problem.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 08/09/2023 at 21:53

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 8 Sep 2023 22:45
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - bathtub tom

"if only everything was as reliable as a Volkwagen" !

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 9 Sep 2023 07:49
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - FiestaOwner

"if only everything was as reliable as a Volkwagen" !

Plenty of people have Volkswagen group cars and never have any issues with them, myself included.

Plenty of cars (of all makes) get driven or treated with absolutely no mechanical sympathy and are totally neglected. Its not surprising that some of these fail spectacularly.

Now back to the opening post.

18 months into ownership, the engine has completely failed. The van was recovered initially to an independent local VW specialist who delivered the sobering news of a 9k bill.

They still have finance with VWFS if this helps the situation.

Surely there must be some comeback on the quality of goods supplies - who on earth would ever buy a vehicle for such money and expect a 9k bill 18 months into ownership.

It would be of immense help if anyone could confirm the best direction to proceed in.

In this case there is not enough info yet. Why did the specialist say the engine had "completely failed"? What is their diagnosis of what went wrong?

What mileage was on the vehicle when they bought it? What mileage is on it now?

Is there proof, it was serviced to the manufacturers' spec at the specified intervals? When was the last service? Who serviced it?

Did it run out of engine oil? This is something that should be checked by the owner/ driver regularly, was this done?

The OP hasn't said if they have contacted the selling dealer. What is the response from the selling dealer?

Where is the vehicle now?

The OP needs to be able to answer the above points, before anyone can advise on the best course of action.

Edited by FiestaOwner on 09/09/2023 at 07:51

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 11 Sep 2023 19:37
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - Turkish_Emperor

Typically, you don't need to check the oil level that often, unless you know the vehicle is losing oil for whatever reason (mine had a cracked sump and I was aware of it, but even that, believe it or not, only lost less than a teaspoon a day).

I typically check mine around every couple of months (I don't do a lot of miles, around 5000 miles a year). But I am vigilant regarding spotting any oil leaks on the floor beneath where the car is parked etc, and often do lift the bonnet to look at something or other.

I'd suspect that there is/was something seriously wrong with that vehicle - can you tell us how many miles were done with the vehicle since it was purchased (until the date it got wrecked)?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 11 Sep 2023 20:38
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - gordonbennet

Unless there was a warranty in place i can't see that the owner has any comeback on either the selling dealer or the maker, unless its a known fault with the marque and (very doubtful) they are honouring long term failures.

I'm still getting over the shock that even a presumably well appointed mid sized van of that age should command such a price.

As for oil level checking, the vehicle will have had an oil change in the intervening period so even if the owner never checked the oil the servicing garage should have notified the owner that the oil was low and the owner would have kept an eye on the levels subsequently so we should deduct that it wasn't an oil burner.

My suggestion is get a recommended VW indy to diagnose properly, once its established the extent of damage the choices will present themselves.

Edited by gordonbennet on 11/09/2023 at 20:41

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 11 Sep 2023 21:53
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - elekie&a/c doctor
No response from the OP since the original request. Think I’d call this a pass .
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 12 Sep 2023 08:54
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - FiestaOwner

As for oil level checking, the vehicle will have had an oil change in the intervening period so even if the owner never checked the oil the servicing garage should have notified the owner that the oil was low and the owner would have kept an eye on the levels subsequently so we should deduct that it wasn't an oil burner.

Agree with most of your post GB except from the bit I've quoted above.

It's a very big assumption to assume that the owner must have had the vehicle serviced. If it's on long life service intervals, it's maybe not even been due one by the current owner. Also, on this forum you see plenty of posts about missing service history.

I would say that most drivers these days aren't interested in even opening their bonnets, never mind checking any levels, lights or tyres (pressure or condition). Looking up the MOT history proves this point.

I would stand by my earlier comment about many driving with a lack of mechanical sympathy. The phrase "drive it like you stole" it springs to mind.

PCP and leasing doesn't help, as many drivers think why should I care, as I don't own it!

I think the fact that the OP hasn't been back to clarify any points tells its own story. If they want to come back though, I'll be delighted to be proved wrong.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 12 Sep 2023 09:07
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - gordonbennet

And you are are probably right to disagree with my sentence you quoted FiestaOwner, i was, no doubt inadvisedly, applying common sense theory and assumed someone spending what to me is a frankly ridiculous £40k (fashion tax?) on what was probably a 4 year old van would at least have the oil changed every year, regardless of what makers who warrant their vehicles for 3 years or so might suggest.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 12 Sep 2023 12:07
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - galileo

And you are are probably right to disagree with my sentence you quoted FiestaOwner, i was, no doubt inadvisedly, applying common sense theory and assumed someone spending what to me is a frankly ridiculous £40k (fashion tax?) on what was probably a 4 year old van would at least have the oil changed every year, regardless of what makers who warrant their vehicles for 3 years or so might suggest.

I sometimes watch "Just rolled in" clips on YouTube, where garages post horror stories of cars (even high value ones) brought in with 60,000 miles or more on the clock which have never had an oil change.

Most are USA examples, even though many garages there advertise "oil change while you wait" services.

Then there are cars towed behind camper vans with transmission locked and wheels with flats ground on them to the hubs.

The UK is not immune from similar issues as long service mechanics will testify.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 12 Sep 2023 13:44
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - gordonbennet

I too watch Just Rolled In, Galileo, the videos are especially frightening when customers refuse repair and limp away with faults that would cause an MOT inspector to faint and a switched on traffic officer to break a new pen and notebook out.

My first job i worked for probably the tightest and onf the oddest blokes in the county, once he shocked us to the core by agreeing to change the oil on the Diesel Transit (Perkins 4108), nothing came out cold but once hot after poking a stick up its bum a few times some clumps of tar did eventually find their way out, it was good to see first hand as a youngster just how foolish neglecting vehicles is, years later i worked for the complete opposite a haulier who maintained better than anyone i've known before or since, he learned long ago that good maintenance returns far more than it costs and had a steady stream of willing buyers when renewing vehicles, i chose the latter as the example to follow and proved the right choice.

Yes it is odd that people in the States especially would neglect servicing so much, the general ethos out there is frequent oil servicing, one could understand it happening here where people believe the guff about long life servicing, many of whom can't find the bonnet pull.

Edited by gordonbennet on 12/09/2023 at 13:49

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 12 Sep 2023 18:37
VW Transporter T6 - Total Engine Failure - Bought from VW, VWFS - FiestaOwner

And you are are probably right to disagree with my sentence you quoted FiestaOwner, i was, no doubt inadvisedly, applying common sense theory and assumed someone spending what to me is a frankly ridiculous £40k (fashion tax?) on what was probably a 4 year old van would at least have the oil changed every year, regardless of what makers who warrant their vehicles for 3 years or so might suggest.

Going back to 1999, I had a Transporter T4 1.9TD. Very nice and comfy van to drive (or to be a passenger in). So much more pleasant than the Ford Transit of the time. I do get the appeal.

But I agree with you, £40,000 for a second hand van with extra seats and some more windows! The world has gone mad. I regard £40,000 for any car as an exceptional amount of money.

Routine checks which you or I would do, without thinking about, are an alien concept to many.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide

From economical vans to those that have the largest payloads, we have a shortlist for everyone - click to find out which will suit your needs.

Undecided on which van to buy? Our Top 10 shortlists can help...