I recently bought a 2001 Y reg Passat. It was advertised as having Traction Control, but I've since discovered that this feature wasn't installed in Passats until August 2002.
Do I have any comeback against the garage that sold the car? Can TC be retro fitted to the car and if so could I ask the garage to pay for this to happen?
The car is still advertised on Autotrader (removed link to avoid naming & shaming - although the link didn't work for me! smokie)
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You need to talk to Trading Standards, but I suspect that all you would be entitled to you is the difference between the value of that model of car with T/C and without T/C, which may be difficult to establish, if it was not an option on cars of that age.
is t/c an option on later models ? - at what cost ? If so, can you find comparable models with and without to establish a price comparison.
The cost of retro-fitting, if this is possible, is probably far more than the difference between cars with and without.
Did you mention the requirement for T/C when buying the car, and what have the garage said ?
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> You need to talk to Trading Standards
This confrontational and litiguous attitude is becoming far too common in my opinion.
Surely trading standards and the law should be the last resort, not the initial reaction.
The dealer describes a lot of cars, and my initial thought would be that an honest mistake had been made.
If I was otherwise happy with the car, I'd go see the dealer, explain the situation and allow him to respond. If he offered a small refund or free service or similar, I'd be inclined to accept with good grace.
If I was otherwise unhappy with the car, I'd point out the discrepency and ask for a refund.
Only if and when the dealer became difficult would I consider trading standards.
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>>This confrontational and litiguous attitude is becoming far too common in my opinion.
Hear, hear.
For all you know the dealer might be totally reasonable. Why not ask him first....
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Can TC be retro fitted to the car
I'm 90% sure I've posted something before about retro fitting TC to a Golf, which included clearly laid out pictures of how to do the job. Not had any luck finding it yet though.
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Ignore that. The 10% of me has just come to my senses. It was retro fitting Cruise control, not TC.
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Do I have any comeback against the garage that sold the car?
Yes. Car not as described.
Can TC be retro fitted to the car and if so could I ask the garage to pay for this to happen?
If you asked them to fit it they would take one look at the cost and simply buy the car back from you.
The car is still advertised on Autotrader and the full description can be viewed at
Nice view of Gleaston Castle you have from your place...... The link includes your postcode.
$$
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I had a very similar situation recently. Car was advertised with an option it turned out not to have. Bloke simply said "I can get something fitted that won't be as good the original equipment in the price you paid or or you can have your deposit back, up to you, no problem".
I chose to have my deposit back and all was amicable. (He then fitted the cheaper option, bunged the price up £200 and sold it about three weeks later, so we were all happy).
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Nice view of Gleaston Castle you have from your place...... The link includes your postcode.
I live over 70 miles from there. The post code belongs to the garage.
I've not spoken to the garage yet. I wanted some more info before I did.
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Cunning!
Back to my original point, it's not as described and Trading Standards would suggest a direct refund. Have a chat with the dealer but make sure you have a print of the ad first..... :o)
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Cunning! Back to my original point, it's not as described and Trading Standards would suggest a direct refund. Have a chat with the dealer but make sure you have a print of the ad first..... :o) $$
I have a print out as well as a screen capture of the on-line ad.
I'd still rather have it retro fitted if its possible, but I'll maybe put the question to him before another week goes by and it ends up too late to do anything.
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With respect, I'd double check your facts. My May 02 Passat was fitted with traction control. I thought it has been standard for some time??
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Further to above, looks like it was n't standard across the range at that time ...............
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Wally,
The correct information is that ESP, or traction control,was first fitted as standard to Passats for delivery in December 2001.
I know - I bought one new - but had ordered the car without it.
Garage stuck to the original price as well.
But shut down soon after!
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I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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What soloution would you like the garage to offer?
Fitting TC will probably be a very difficult job and I wouldn't want the hassle of having to declare the modification to insurance etc.
As for a refund, I'd personally wonder whether I actually cared that much about TC, it's next to useless in most driving situations, it's not like ESP which is far better.
I'd accept a small goodwill payment or something if the dealer offers it...
Blue
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Think traction control is included in the ESP package and no Passat was offered with just traction control.
May be wrong.
Have found traction control effective in climbing snowy hills.
I tried it with the ESP system switched off and things definitely got worse.
Many days I pull out on to a cow manure smeared A6 and the TC light flashes away as it does its thing.Definitely helps with getting up to traffic speed on the main road.
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I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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I bougt a Rover 25 for the wife advertised as having ABS. It didn't and I got my money back.
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>not as described
Perhaps. Was the Autotrader ad a term of sale? You might find that if you didn't mention the ad to him that it was not a term of the sale. If the dealer went on and on to you about the TC, then of course you do have a case.
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My Passat 130 PDI, which was built in May 2001, has got the ESB which I think incorperates traction control.
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Yes, it has definately got traction control. As G.W.S. says, when you accelerate too hard in the wet a light starts flashing, and the engine dies down a bit.
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Yes, it has definately got traction control. As G.W.S. says, when you accelerate too hard in the wet a light starts flashing, and the engine dies down a bit.
Sorry - not in my car. When you accelerate too hard in the wet all that happens is the wheels spin in first or second all the way up to 6000rpm! No engine slowing down, no lights flashing or anything, just rubber being burned off the tyres! What you are describing is ASR. You should have a switch beneath the rear screen demister button to disable it. My car has no such switch.
I have investigated this a bit further and discovered that the car has EDL which is a system that applies a brake to a spinning wheel allowing the other wheel to apply the drive. However this only works at speeds below 25mph and as I've stated, I can get the car up to 6000rpm in second which must be near 50mph.
I have spoken to a VW dealership and they told me that they would not describe ECL as traction control, whereas ASR is a proper traction control system. ASR wasn't introduced to the Passat until August 2002 whereas ECL was fitted as standard from its relaunch in December 2000.
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I've just gone back to look at Parkers spec sheet on the car and noticed that ESP was an £665 option from launch until November 2001 and standard after that.
Am I correct in saying that ESP is a form of traction control? I know it can apply the brakes to an individual wheel to prevent slides etc, but will this work under acceleration as well?
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Am I correct in saying that ESP is a form of traction control? I know it can apply the brakes to an individual wheel to prevent slides etc, but will this work under acceleration as well?
Yes.
IMO the EDL or ECL system you describe could be described as traction control therefore going back to your first question you probably have no come back on the seller.
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IMO the EDL or ECL system you describe could be described as traction control therefore going back to your first question you probably have no come back on the seller.
Sorry - it should have been EDL (Electronic Differential Locking)
Thats not really what I wanted to hear, but the more I investigate, the more I think you're probably correct.
A web description of EDL is as follows....
"EDL or Electronic Differential Locking is a form of traction control that uses the sensors and components of the Anti-lock brake system to effect a transfer of torque from a slipping wheel to a wheel with more traction. When there?s a loss of traction, EDL electronically applies braking to the slipping wheel. That way torque can be re-directed to a wheel with better traction."
I think the first sentence gives the game away.
Oh well!!
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Why not express your disatisfaction to the seller on the basis of the missing TC button and take what ever he offers (if anything), free service, £50, whatever.
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