Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - Alfie999

Hi,

Just recently put a deposit on a used Voltswagen over the phone. It was a real good deal and I went for it even though it is a 2 hour drive away. Anyway, in my opinion the customer service is very poor and wanted people's opinion if I am just over reacting and if I should do something e.g. complain. I put the deposit down 5 days ago. The sales rep on the phone was extremely eager for me to purchase it through PCP. He also wanted to sell me loads of other stuff e.g. alloy insurance, GAP insurance etc. I already have the money and a trade in car so didn't need a PCP. He rang me several times before he got the message that I am not interested in PCP or any other deal. Since the dealership is so far away we initially agreed that the whole transaction and trading in of my car could be done on one day. Anyway going back to the day I made the deposit. He was not at his desk so he wrote my card details down and said he would process the payment and ring me back. He never did. So I rang back as it was getting close to closing time. He was busy and a colleague said he may ring me the next day instead. The following day he had not rang and it was getting to the middle of the afternoon. I rang the dealership and it was his day off. I had to ring through to the dealerships accounts department to get confirmation that the deposit went through and that I had reserved the car. I requested the sales man to call me when he was back from his day off. The next day funnily enough no call! So again, I rang in and managed to get hold of him. The phone call lasted 50 seconds and he said "I should be able to squeeze you in Saturday but I will get back to you". I asked if he needed pictures of my trade in car since it was all being done on the day and he said "yeh send them through" (this was during the 60s phone call).

I spent half an hour taking good photos and sending an email through to him. He did not respond to the email nor call me back that day. I called him back today and I said "are we going to arrange the day i can pick it up". He said "I though we agreed Saturday". His words of "I should be able to squeeze you in" are suppose to mean that Saturday is all good and confirmed? I then asked for a time and he said 10am. He was about to say goodbye and I stopped him and asked what documents I needed to bring on the day for the trade in. He then gave me a list of stuff e.g. V5, log book, both keys etc. I feel like I am doing all the ringing around and having to ask questions to get information he should be giving me. This conservation was at lunch today and I said please email me by the end of today with details of the agreed pricing e.g. agreed trade in for my car, agreed value for car etc. Has he done this - no!! This car costs over 22k and you would think having put a £1000 deposit down 5 days ago they should be ringing me confirming all the details not the other way round!

Any advice is much appreciated.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - scot22

I have been told I sometimes react too strongly to poor service. However, unless this is a truly amazing deal that you could never get again, preferably closer to home. I would want my deposit back and walk away.

If they are like this now what will the service be if you have a problem, and they have all the money. If this is an example of their customer service before buying( when sellers are usually wanting to impress ) I would have no confidence in them. You are obviously making an efort - they are not..

I became angry reading your account.. In my view, you are certainly not over reacting.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - badbusdriver

This does seem extremely poor service to me, but the one part of your tale I can't get my head round is that you let someone else write down your card details down for them to take the payment at a later time!.

Seriously!, what on earth were you thinking?.

Edited by badbusdriver on 28/02/2018 at 19:19

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - nellyjak

IMO you have already been far too patient and accommodating...I take it you have actually seen driven, inspected this car that you are paying over £22k for.?...as for the card deposit, well, as said...not your finest hour.

Frankly, I would have already walked...there is always another car.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - Finguz

My advice would be to get your deposit back and buy somewhere else, that is way beyond poor service!

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - badbusdriver

Another way of looking at this is to ask yourself, given how difficult it has been to try and put down a deposit to buy the car and arrange the handover, how easy is it going to be to get any problems you may subsequently have with the car dealt with?

It may be too late now, but I think you should back out of it if you can.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - Simon855

If it's a good deal then I can't see much of an issue. I'll agree it isn't the finest service I've heard of but like I said if it's a good deal (I'm guessing it is if you've agreed to buy unseen from a dealer a fair distance away...) then crack on.

Let's remember that tomorrow is the release of the '18 plate, he's probably quite busy preparing for the handover of cars.

It's pretty obvious what documents you need to take for your swapper, MOT cert (if applicable), V5 document, service book, letter confirming no financial interest in the var if was previously under finance etc.

A 20K Golf will be under VW warranty anyway so I'm also guessing that you need not return there for aftersales service anyway.

Just playing devil's advocate here...

Oh, is a Voltswagen an electric Volkswagen?

Edited by Simon855 on 28/02/2018 at 19:50

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - scot22

It is quite standard to give card details over the phone when paying a known/reputable company. I have often done it without any problem. People regularly give details on the internet.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - nellyjak

It is quite standard to give card details over the phone when paying a known/reputable company. I have often done it without any problem. People regularly give details on the internet.

It isn't using the card that's the worry as such..it's the manner in which it was used.

ie. card details written down for later processing.???..that would concern me.

These things are normally done whilst you are on the phone and told that the transaction has gone through successfully.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - scot22

(Duplicate post)

Edited by Avant on 28/02/2018 at 23:42

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - ExA35Owner

As always you are not dealing with the manufacturer. You are dealing with a retailer who displays the branding of the products it sells. So although this dealership is doing Volkswagen's reputation no favours, VW is not at fault.

Buying second-hand cars at a distance always carries risk: if the car is faulty, the law expects you to return the car to the retailer, and this is often problematic. Further, the retailer can't realistically expect you to become a regular customer for service, spares and future sales, so they are likely to work less hard than they would if you were a local.

That said, the next move, assuming you want to do the deal still, is to raise the stakes with a formal letter (not an email) to the top management. If their names aren't visible on the website or letterhead (they should be) then you can find them via a search of Companies House website. Be precise, be brief (one side of A4 if possible), and make very clear what outcome you are seeking.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - FoxyJukebox

I would never ever buy a second hand car without looking at it first, test driving it and talking about it eye to eye with a salesperson.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - scot22

Point taken Nellyjak. I have not had any problems but never been asked to do it for use later. Thanks for the comment -I'll be prepared if it ever happens.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - Miniman777

Suspect salesman has lost interest in the deal as there's minimal commission with no add-ons that do top up his paltry basic - regardless of 18 plate cars, they are sold and paid for.

Given that you've been treated so disgracefully, regardless of the car, I'd tell them to stick it - and I'd cancel my bank card and ask for the deposit back. You just cannot trust what might be done with that information.

Car salesmen are getting a tough time due to market conditions, but forcing you to chase them, deliberate avoidance (try calling using another name!), acting in an unprofessional way does the business no good at all, plus it causes damage to the VW brand. Also worth a letter of complaint to the dealer principal, but dont expect hom to act. Makes you feel better.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - S40 Man


Just recently put a deposit on a used Voltswagen over the phone.

Your small typo made me laugh. Voltswagen is it an electric golf? That's a better babe than e-golf.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - daveyK_UK

full refund, walk away, letter to VW HQ in Germany

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - Simon855

Letter to VW HQ in Germany?

What exactly do you think that would achieve?

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - nick62

Letter to VW HQ in Germany?

What exactly do you think that would achieve

£1.17 into the Royal Mail coffers?

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - Avant

Agree no point writing to Germany, but I presume the VW GB website still has a 'contact us' link where you can Email them.

I did a couple of years ago, asking why new VW cars came with only one year's breakdown cover, whereas Audis, Skodas and SEATs come with three. I got a pathetic reply but at least it was a reply.

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Voltswagen Customer Service - nick62

Agree no point writing to Germany, but I presume the VW GB website still has a 'contact us' link where you can Email them.

I did a couple of years ago, asking why new VW cars came with only one year's breakdown cover, whereas Audis, Skodas and SEATs come with three. I got a pathetic reply but at least it was a reply.

When I had a problem with a Passat, I wast told by VW Customer Service (after coming-up against a brick wall over the telephone) it was pointless writing to them as they would not answer any correspondance, (this was before email was the "default" contact method)!

Edited by nick62 on 02/03/2018 at 10:59

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Volkswagen Customer Service - jthan

I wouldn't hold out much hope with VW GB either, bearing in mind both the general publicity of the last few years and an experience I had about 15 years ago.

My last VW (bought new from the local main dealer, whose standards of customer service then were disappointing too) was a Mk4 Golf GT TDI, which was generally an excellent car that combined great performance, economy and comfort, but twice or thrice suffered the window dropping problem (caused by weak plastic clips), for which they were well-known.

Having found on a US website that VW US were replacing the defective mechanisms there foc up to 7 years under an extended warranty campaign, I wrote to VW GB. They didn't reply in writing, but I was telephoned by a nasty, condescending woman, who lied to me that the US and UK market cars were different and therefore the US point was not relevant.

She also told me that I was a bad customer, in whom VW had no interest, because I did not use their dealer for servicing. (I had serviced that car myself, right from new, because of distaste with the dealer buying experience. My usual habit is DIY servicing from late in the warranty period.) She repeated that, despite my angry protestation that I was a repeat (new) VW owner, and that there were several other (new) VW/Audi owners in my near family.

Our conversation degenerated into an argument, and I have never had another of their products since!

Voltswagen Golf - Advice on Poor Volkswagen Customer Service - skidpan

When I bought the Seat Leon problems with the dealers admin became evident very soon after, errors which potentially stood to cost me loads of money. Dealer was not interested and within a couple of weeks stopped taking my calls.

So I spoke to Seat Customer Services (based at Milton Keynes like VW, probably the same people). They immediately accepted they were issues (probably helped by the fact the car was on a PCP and one of the problems was a potentially miss sold finance product) and had it sorted within days. They even sent me a £200 voucher to compensate for any inconvenience.

The Seat was brilliant and I would buy another (but not form that dealer). Since then bought anther VAG car (Skoda) with no issues and have now ordered a Fabia for the Mrs, so fingers crossed.

What happpens in the showroom is nothing to do with the manufacturer but in my case they were more than helpful.