VW Dealers

[buickfunnycar.com]

Is that based on anything empirical?



I mean, have you gotten a bunch of '09 TDI's on trade-in's at the Ford dealership you work at because people weren't happy with them?

I've done a ton of research on these things. There were a few high pressure fuel pump problems (very few) on the early production '09s but VW seems to have addressed the issue. Reliability numbers according to CR are quite good.


BTW, I am really impressed with what Mullaly has done with the Ford brand in the last few years. They just don't offer what we are looking for right now. (mid-size wagon) The flex is nice, but the mpg is too low and the style does not appeal to either of us.

Ford's got some stellar euro products in the pipeline heading our way but sadly no small turbo diesel's on the horizon...

[69LT1Nova]

My only beef with VWs is their electrical systems go on the fritz (pun intended). A great car otherwise.

[megaladon6]

actually musclecarjohn does have a point. GAS VW's have had constant problems, and as a matter of fact the 09/10 TDi's are having trans problems--with the regular automatic (which is normal for vw) the DSG had some issues which are easily fixed and i think are only on the early ones.
and the diesel can feel a little weird when it goes into it's regen cycle.
but find me a car that hasn't had some sort of issue!
i will never buy a gas vw again, but unless i win the lotto, i'll always have a vw diesel.

[Boatmark]

I guess I have had contrary luck with the gas VW. My mom is still driving my old commuter 05-1/2 Jetta 2.5. I drove it 40k per year the first two and a half years and never spent a dime on it other than one set of Michelins that are still on it at 125k. Had a glitch with the electric trunk release the first month fixed under warranty.

I drove it the other day and it feels as tight and rattle free to drive as the day it came off the lot. I wish my much more expensive Chevy truck felt that good!

As for the price gouging, that is just the way it is on a new vehicle. Some moron will have to have it now and pay his 5k mark-up. Even if he sits on it for another month and pays the two points on the floorplan money he is still money ahead when the moron pays. Just wait a few months.

As for paying cash, its no incentive to the dealer. You finance the car and he makes money on the back end, and is funded in 24 hours. He would rather you finance it.

[megaladon6]

here's a question for ya'. if you check the door tag, was it made in germany or mexico?
i used to track the country of origin. the german ones pretty much never broke, whereas the mexican ones had common issues.
'though my tdi is both. the engine+trans were made in germany and the body in mexico.

[Damn True]

All jettas are assembled in Mex

[megaladon6]

that's not exactly true, they have plants everywhere assembling the jetta/vento/bora/whatever name this month/country.
plus the problems aren't restricted to the jetta.
but soon the passat/replacement will be made in tennessee!

[6'9"Witha69]

I know a few people who have bought VWs recently and they have spent as much time in the service dept as they have in the driveway. Funnniest thing to me is one of these people is one of my direct reports, the loaner from the VW dealership was a Toyota Corolla!

[megaladon6]

but were they diesels or gassers?

[MrQuick]

Anyone know a VW dealer who wants to make a little money instead of no money?

supply and demand buddy. its vat da ppl wants

the wife knows someone at Sonnen VW if you don't mind driving to Marin.

vince

[TonyHuntimer]

Bob Lewis really screwed us back in '01. Now it's Capitol VW.

Bought our '03 Passat in '02 from Stevens Creek VW. Their service department screwed us and treated me like I was some ignorant country-boy when trying to explain what they did to our car (and overcharged us). Didn't fix the problem and told me to read the manual on how to program the heater and A/C. Took it to Capitol Service and they fixed the problem. It was a bad sensor in the A/C head unit. Nobody tells me that I don't know when something is broken and tell me to "Read the F'n Manual". So now Capitol does our service.

The Passat has gone through 3 sets of rear brakes already at 80K. Come to find out...the car was designed with more brake bias to make it feel more like a luxury car that doesn't dip hard in the front when you hit the brakes. VW failed to make the rear brake pads any larger than normal. The rear pads are about a quarter of the size of the front brakes. Behind the scenes, I found out this is a very common feature (problem) with the Passat.

Overall the Passat is great, but have had a serp belt tensioner failed 5K, failed fuel pump at 10K, drivers seat heater failed/recalled at 20K (which forced us to replace the lower seat cushion and heater-not to mention burning my wife's butt pretty good), moon roof limit switch failed at 22K, A/C interior thermostat failed at 45K, deck lid hinges (not the shocks) failed 50K, intake gasket leak at 63K, and water pump failed at 78K. This doesn't include our 1 set of front brakes and 3 sets of rear brakes.

I'm sure you've done research on the integrity of the Jetta. VW's are decent cars (especially the Jetta's and Passat's), but be careful.

This was years ago, but when we talked to a dealer in Bakersfield...they were much more willing to work closer to the MSRP ($500 over -and all cash) than the ones in San Jose were. Who knows, maybe that's even more true now...if the VW dealerships are even open down there. Maybe call the dealers in hard hit areas like Bakersfield and Fresno and see if they're willing to work closer to the MSRP. Just make sure you get it all in writing or buy it over the net. Getting the OK over the phone isn't worth "jack" once they have you in traveling to their dealership and try to "work you over" for add-ons. You're a smart guy.