Jude Stratton

04927302 Complaint VW Headoffice Uk, unsatisfactory outcome. Motoring Ombudsman now being contacted.
Re: Volkswagen Polo - GD68 HZN

When a car purchased as Approved Used with 21,000 miles fails three months outside the two year warranty with a failed water pump (under 33,000 miles now) causing a break down at the side of a busy road, requiring Automotive Assistance and a tow a max of 10 miles by the AA, telling your customer that you won’t take responsibility (Headoffice Milton Keynes) because they were retrospectively not able to get the car 40 miles back to where it was brought or to VW workshop when you lodged a complaint with Sevenoaks brand manager after the AA recovery to an independent garage is totally unacceptable, Water Pumps should last at least 60,000 miles. I contacted VW after the garage had verified what the AA report said about the issue, both were emailed to VW Headoffice in the UK. The engine fault codes were listed on the invoice from the garage.

Dear Jude

As per my last correspondence regarding the failed water pump of the above-mentioned vehicle.

I have received a response from (Brand Manager), who has provided me with information on the water pump issue. Based on the information I have obtained, I can confirm that the team has tried contacting you to discuss the issue you have raised and offer further assistance.

However, as you did not want to deal with the team at Group 1 Volkswagen (Sevenoaks) you terminated the call and chose to take your vehicle to an independent garage to replace the water pump.

I appreciate that you have high expectations of reliability and build quality when you purchase a Volkswagen and that any failure is disappointing. However, it is not possible to give a life expectancy for any component. There is always a possibility that a component may fail during its lifetime.

Please be advised that we are not able to comment on repairs that have been carried out on your vehicle. We can only comment on repairs that have been carried out by our professionally trained technical department at an Authorised Volkswagen Retailer, with genuine Volkswagen equipment. I apologise for any disappointment this may cause.

I understand that you would like Volkswagen UK to investigate the possibility of compensating for the trouble caused by repairing your vehicle. Unfortunately, we are unable to directly offer any support for the repair of your vehicle. As the diagnostic test has been completed outside of our Network, we will not be able to investigate further or provide any support on this matter.

Please accept my sincerest apology, we are not able to offer any further assistance at this stage. However, I hope you can appreciate the reasons behind our response.
Should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at the details below. Alternatively, you can respond to this email.

Following the case closure, you may receive a survey about the service that I have provided. This survey is based on myself as a Customer Service Advisor and not the Volkswagen processes or Retailers, on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being good service. I would be grateful if you have the time to complete this, as it will help me to provide the best customer experience possible.

Thank you for contacting Volkswagen UK.

Kind regards

VW Polo 2019 bought as Approved Used from VW Sevenoaks February 2022. Rod track ends needing replacing in less than 2 years through Warranty. Three months after the two year warranty expired May 15th 2024, the car broke down and I had to be towed by the AA to a nearby garage as the Water Pump had failed, had to be towed 10 miles or less and had to pull over immediately as alert on the dash for engine overheating and I lost all power, speed reducing down from being on a busy A road. VW Headoffice have refused to take responsibility as they didn’t see it although they have had the error codes from the dash, the AA report and the invoice from the garage. I broke down about 35 miles from home. it is only VW sevenoaks that serviced the car (Major 12th Jan, break down 15th May) but because the car couldn’t be towed to a VW workshop (too far for AA to tow) VW Customer Service Advisor in Milton Keynes have refused to look into compensation so I’ve less than 33,000 miles on the clock (it had 21,000 when I bought it) and I paid over £12,000, a water pump I am told by the garage that replaced faulty water pump should not fail at such low mileage and age (should last at least 60,000 miles I believe). VW are actually I am told no longer producing reliable cars on the whole any more, the last polo I had ran for 12 years without issue, it was a 2007 plate. This problematic polo is the last VW that I will ever buy. Absolute waste of money, £525.00 forked out for this water pump replacement and shockingly remiss of VW to avoid taking responsibility. The invoice from the garage explains everything, all that was offered was an apology for VW at Sevenoaks for their failure to be able to code a spare key when purchased wasting four hours of my weekend whilst I was in their waiting area, they didn’t even bother to come over to talk to me, I ran out of patience, left and ended up having to bring the car back another Saturday for a second attempt and presumably an apology because when they replaced the track rods under warranty but although they had the car from 07:30, they phoned after 15:00 to say they needed to keep the car ‘overnight’ because they couldn’t get the warranty work approved that they had booked in and the £250 wheel realignment completed in time. During the week, one day of Annual Leave taken only and extremely inconvenient. (Even though I didn’t have to pay it, who charges £250 for wheel alignment?) Rhetorical question. Anyway after complaining suddenly the car was available to collect before the end of the working day. Appalling Customer Service all round.

Updated review: Response from Vw

Totally lost on VW that the AA had to tow my car 10 miles to a garage as the Water Pump Failed and the engine was overheating! Related to approved used polo 2019 plate bought Feb 2022 and three months past two year warranty expiry, water pump failure at under 33,000 miles, vehicle broke down (couldn’t be ‘booked in’ with VW 40 miles away, ). Apology only issued by VW Sevenoaks for appalling service dept. No apology based on the Water Pump failure, customer service has the audacity to ask me to complete a VW Survey based upon my experience of their handling of the case in which they were at VW no actual help whatsoever.

Dear Jude

Thank you for your recent correspondence with Volkswagen UK.

I apologise if this was not the response you have expected.

However, as we will not compensate for repairs carried out at an independent garage. The team at the retailer contacted you to book the vehicle in, and you were not interested in booking the vehicle back in.

Once again, please accept my sincere apology. This is the final outcome, and I will be closing your case as we are not able to offer further assistance.
You may receive a survey about the service that I have provided. This survey is based on myself as a Customer Service Advisor and not the Volkswagen processes or Retailers, on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being good service. I would be grateful if you have the time to complete this, as it will help me to provide the best customer experience possible.

Thank you for contacting Volkswagen UK.

Kind regards

Yodel always deliver recipe boxes on time, in the right place and in good condition. They also shut the gate behind them on the way out as requested (dog lives in the house).

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