Volkswagen Polo : Test Drive & Review

[Nicky]

Originally Posted by nvssudheer

Any idea how long the 2011 stock of Petrol Polo cars will last? I am planning to get the Highline between October-December. Apprehensive whether this stock with offer will last that long.

Also, what is the OTR of 2011 HL Polo 1.2 after the discounts?

2011 stock is in any case impossible to last till Oct-Dec period as 2012 stock piling up will start by that time.
better buy in Dec 2012 or Jan 2013 instead for 2012 stock as you might get good deal.

[novice29]

+1 to Nicky.
Why do we take a car that is more than one year old by that time? If possible, postpone your purchase to 2012 Dec or 2013 early months so that you can get a good bargain on 2012 models. Almost the same offers will be there for stock clearance if nothing surprising happened :-)

P.S. I always prefer to get the current year model since I intend to keep it for 2 or 3 years only.

[lurker]

What is the waiting period these days on a 2012 Polo diesel comfortline, if any. Any idea ?

[hemanth.anand]

Our 1.6 Polo Highline was due for the 1yr/15k service.
It has completed 8k on the ODO but completed 1year.
My BIL asked me how much would the cost be? I told him that my 1.2 punto 15k seervice cost is 3.5k. (Since my car had a brake pad replacement, I had paid 6K+)
Since it is a known fact that Polo maintenance is expensive I told that it may come up to 10k (It needed no replacements).

He was surprised but then he remembered my statement during the time of buying, that Polo is expensive to maintain.
He chose this car among other options, because of the VW brand image.

He called up VW Downtown on Magrath road to book an appointment.
They gave the appointment on 5th June.
Upon asking, the receptionist in the service area gave the same expectation of 10k.

The car was picked up from home on time and after it reached there, the SA promptly called to enquire about any specific problem- There were none.
He then gave the estimate of 14k. we were like .
On telling that the receptionist gave an estimate which was far different from what he told, he answered saying that the receptionist gave the estimate for 1.2 and not 1.6.
Fine, we said and he told that the car would be delivered on 7th.
Though 2 days is too much for this, wew were not bothered since it is generally not used during weekdays.

Yesterday, 6th of June, We recieved a call from the SA.
To our horror he informed that the car was hit by another car by another customer. The rear left door is dented.
So we asked what should we be doing? He apologised and told that they will repair it at no extra cost but it will consume 2 more days.

We doubt that it was not some other customer but someone out of them would have done this.
But the consolation was atleast he admitted his mistake.

We told him that at any cost we need the car by friday and if there is any scratch apart from what was present when the car was given, we will not accept it.
We didn't have time to go there and see the actual damage.

Should we have done anything differently?
Also guys, is 14k around the average price for 15k service for a polo 1.6?

So much for brand value

[speed kills]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

He then gave the estimate of 14k. we were like .
Should we have done anything differently?
Also guys, is 14k around the average price for 15k service for a polo 1.6?

14k for a service is slightly on the higher side for a 1.6.
A fellow member @HimanshuJ got his 1.6 serviced for 9K in Mumbai.

[CrackedHead]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

To our horror he informed that the car was hit by another car by another customer. The rear left door is dented.
So we asked what should we be doing? He apologised and told that they will repair it at no extra cost but it will consume 2 more days.
...
We didn't have time to go there and see the actual damage.

Someone must visit the workshop to see that the accident damage is minor and that it is being done correctly. Otherwise the dealer could end up delivering the car with a shoddy repair job.

[poloman]

This is not at all surprising. The VW downtown on Mcgrath road is a big joke. Here most of the thing works on God's grace and sheer luck. A workshop which can barely accomodate 25 cars are packed with 3 times that figure. Here even if your car is serviced you cannot leave since there is a queue of cars to come out of a narrow pathway. I had to wait for 3 hours just to come out of this queue during my 2nd service.
There is no standard for the estimates, it may depend on the mood of the SA. My second service bill was as low as 6800.
Forget the customer even God cannot drive the car in the dealer premises. If you want to move one car you have to move 10 other cars out of your way.

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

To our horror he informed that the car was hit by another car by another customer. The rear left door is dented.
So we asked what should we be doing? He apologised and told that they will repair it at no extra cost but it will consume 2 more days.

We doubt that it was not some other customer but someone out of them would have done this.
But the consolation was atleast he admitted his mistake.

Quoting #4507 from the Vento review thread. If yours is a black Polo then the below mentioned incident should be interesting to you!

He got 3 drivers, who started moving cars out of the way and in the process, one of them bangs my car smack into the side of another (serviced, washed, polished, spotless black polo). CRUNCH! All of this while I was standing 1 foot away from my car. What had happened is that this driver, instead of engaging the reverse, puts the car into first and rams into the polo. He then has the gal to walk out and say 'I just took the handbrake off and the car went and banged into the polo'. I gave him a solid peice of my mind, and then went to look at my car, luckily it was the number plate part of the bumper that crashed into the polo and there was not even a scratch on it. However, the polo wasnt so lucky, he will need a new front left door.

Cheers!

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by CrackedHead

Someone must visit the workshop to see that the accident damage is minor and that it is being done correctly.

Thats the problem, this week me and my BIL are very much occupied with work and we can't go there.
We have crossed our fingers and are hoping for the best. I'll update once we have the car.

Originally Posted by poloman

This is not at all surprising. The VW downtown on Mcgrath road is a big joke. Here most of the thing works on God's grace and sheer luck. A workshop which can barely accommodate 25 cars are packed with 3 times that figure. Here even if your car is serviced you cannot leave since there is a queue of cars to come out of a narrow pathway. I had to wait for 3 hours just to come out of this queue during my 2nd service.
There is no standard for the estimates, it may depend on the mood of the SA. My second service bill was as low as 6800.
Forget the customer even God cannot drive the car in the dealer premises. If you want to move one car you have to move 10 other cars out of your way.

A year ago, I remember that the delivery of our vehicle was delayed just because of this reason.

We were thinking of changing the service centre.
After this experience, it will definitely happen.

Originally Posted by volkman10

Quoting #4507 from the Vento review thread. If yours is a black Polo then the below mentioned incident should be interesting to you!

Thank you very much Poloman. It indeed looks like our car

While for some, I hope its not our car but at the same time I hope its our car so that the dealer cannot cook up more stories (he has already done some).
My BIL was in touch with a top official of VW earlier for some other issue.
Mostly Its time that he has to do it again.

[Merril]

@hemant: the car that the driver hit with mine was damaged on the left _front_ door. I'm pretty certain about this. You mention that the receptionist told you that the damage was on the left _rear_ door.

I'm sorry didn't click any pictures or note the registration number.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by Merril

@hemant: the car that the driver hit with mine was damaged on the left _front_ door. I'm pretty certain about this. You mention that the receptionist told you that the damage was on the left _rear_ door.

I'm sorry didn't click any pictures or note the registration number.

This is our car.


He did mention that it was the left_rear_road.
With the date, dealership, vehicle colour, and damage area matching, Its highly unlikely that its some other car.

Anyways, We have told the SA to stop all further works on the car.
We will go there, look at the car and then decide.
Door replacement is the least we will settle for if its more than a scratch.

The dealers play such a big part in spoiling customers' experience of a wonderful product.

We've also contacted some people among the high ranks in VW.
Will update the developments...

[Merril]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

This is our car.
Attachment 937946


The dealers play such a big part in spoiling customers' experience of a wonderful product.

Interesting that these were the exact same words I told the folks at the dealership. Truly, a wonderful product thats selling fairly well being driven into the ground this way by callous dealers. Really disgusting!

[DRIVE_ADDICT]

From my brother's experience im saying this, dont rush your SC guys to complete the work, they will do shabby work at the end.

Recently my brother's Polo went in to SC (VW, Mount road, chennai) for headlight combination switch failure issue, SC guys took 2 months to fix the issue and my brother was left without the car for 2 weeks. When he lost his cool he went to the SC and claim for a replacement car, Then they promised to deliver the car next day and they did. On his way back my brother found that the instrument cluster is loosely connected, it lits up all the warning lights and speedo/Tacho needle stops working but the car runs fine. when he press the instrument cluster it started working back. He is now behind SC again. :(

[vw19d]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Got the following activated in the Polo 1.6, this weekend free of cost!

1.Audible feedback when unlocking
2.Audible feedback when locking
3.Automatic unlocking when ignition key is removed
4.Automatic locking at 15km/h
5.Automatic locking of rear lid (boot) at 5km/h

The entire process takes less than 5 minutes!

Cheers!

Is anyone aware if these features can be activated on a 1.2 CL? I'd love getting these done on my Polo too.

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by vw19d

Is anyone aware if these features can be activated on a 1.2 CL? I'd love getting these done on my Polo too.

AFAIK CL is not available with these features.

Cheers!