Team-BHP - VW offering 4 year/1 lakh km warranty & 3 free services

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- - VW offering 4 year/1 lakh km warranty & 3 free services (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/205389-vw-offering-4-year-1-lakh-km-warranty-3-free-services.html)

Volkswagen is now offering a standard warranty of 4 years / 1,00,000 km on its cars. In addition to this, the carmaker is also offering free 4 year road side assistance and 3 free services (in 1 year or upto 15,000 km). These will be applicable to all VW models sold in India from January 1, 2019.

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Until recently, Volkswagen used to offer a standard vehicle warranty of 2 years / unlimited km. Free road side assistance was also available for up to 2 years, while free service was at 6 months / 7,500 km and paid service was scheduled at 1 year / 15,000 km. According to the company, the introduction of 3 free services has reduced the service costs by 24-44% across the complete VW range.

In 2018, Volkswagen had also introduced new extended warranty packages. It also offers add-on warranty of 1 year / 20,000 km on existing warranty for up to 7 years / 1,25,000 km.

Link to Team-BHP News

Volkswagen announces its new maintenance package for its range in India.

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Good to see more positive news on the aftersales front from VW. The 3 free service seems an eyewash though. 1 month, 6 month and 1 year. VW does not normally have a 1 month check and the 6 month check is also mostly names sake. So I would see it as 1 free service. That too is a free labor service.

Three free services in 1 year/15,000 km when there's only one required service per year/15,000 km? There is no required service at the 6 month mark.

Sigh, who comes up with this stuff?

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez (Post 4523765)

Three free services in 1 year/15,000 km when there's only one required service per year/15,000 km? There is no required service at the 6 month mark.

Sigh, who comes up with this stuff?

This is VW bowing to the consumer mindset. I have met many a prospective buyer who's ticked off by the fact that VW doesn't offer free service like other manufacturers. I'm guessing they are trying to address this issue with this move.

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez (Post 4523765)

Three free services in 1 year/15,000 km when there's only one required service per year/15,000 km? There is no required service at the 6 month mark.

Sigh, who comes up with this stuff?

Isn't a check-up recommended at 7,500 kms? I think by three free services, they are referring to the 1k, 7.5k, and 15k services that are generally part of the schedule (not sure about VW though). After these 3 so called services, 1 year/15k kms interval is followed.

The 4YW is a welcome move. If they'd given some benefit for people who paid for the additional 2YW (customers before 1 Jan 2019) it would have been a welcome move.
This is the effect of Skoda taking up operations of VW in India I guess.

The 4 years standard warranty is very good. The 3 free service is just optics to satisfy customers used to the same from other manufacturers. It is 1 month, 6 month and 1 year. The 3rd free service (at the end of one year) is just on labor-does not include parts and consumables.

In any case, good to see some proactive steps on the after sales and service in line with our market expectations.

Good move for their higher end cars and diesel engine ones.

The Polo and Vento are so dated (10 year old design now with a 1L petrol for Polo/Ameo :Frustrati ), VW expects people to buy those and keep it for another 4 years just because of their late decisions?

Love the 4-year warranty. However, them screaming about "3 free services" is such a smokescreen. In actuality, just the service at the 1 year mark is free. The two small visits before that don't count as services.

Quote:

Originally Posted by niteshbids (Post 4523806)

This is VW bowing to the consumer mindset.

After almost 10 years of selling the same Polo & Vento in India? Talk about SLOW.

Below is the press release. At first, I thought it's a Skoda press release as they use identical language :D. But then, it probably is written by the Skoda folk now that they're in charge:

Quote:

Volkswagen makes its ownership experience more affordable by reducing the total cost of ownership across its carlines

® The regular service cost has been reduced by 24% to 44% across Volkswagen carlines with the introduction of 3 free services up to 15,000 km or 1 year

® Volkswagen now offers a total of 4 year of road side assistance along with standard vehicle warranty for 4 year/100,000 km

® Beginning 2019, Volkswagen offers 3 free services to its customers across carlines up to 15,000 km or 1 year

® The brand addresses customer concerns on high maintenance costs by reducing the total cost of ownership

® Continues to retain its value-for-money proposition, quality, safety and fun-to-drive experience

Mumbai: Volkswagen, Europe’s largest carmaker today reinstated its commitment to the Indian market by offering affordable ownership experience across its carlines. With a continued focus, the brand has been working relentlessly towards offering a value-for-money proposition to its Indian customers. Taking this a notch higher, Volkswagen today announces an India centric enhanced after-sales approach.

The regular service cost has been reduced by 24% to 44% across Volkswagen carlines with the introduction of 3 free services up to 15,000 km or 1 year

Under the able leadership of Mr. Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, the brand now adopts a more localized approach while retaining global Volkswagen standards of quality and safety. Over the last year and a half, the brand has introduced various initiatives that addresses customer concerns related to after-sales and spare parts availability. To maintain transparency between the brand and its customers, Volkswagen has now placed a standard menu pricing across its dealer workshops in India. The menu pricing comprises of all the costs that a customer could potentially incur, depending on the service required on the respective carline.

Further, in the year 2018 the brand realigned its spare part pricing (as per industry standards) in addition to introducing service value packages and extended warranty options. Customers can now avail special benefits on value added services along with the option of extending their existing warranty by buying add-on warranty options for 1 year/20,000 km whichever is earlier. The maximum limit of availing add-on warranty is till 7 year OR 125,000 km whichever is earlier.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said, “Volkswagen is determined towards providing the best of our offerings to the value driven Indian customers. The brand has been taking conscious efforts towards addressing its key requirement of the customer - high maintenance costs. By adopting an India centric approach, there’s been an overall reduction in the total cost of ownership while retaining the same quality, safety and value-for-money proposition that is expected of a Volkswagen. Thus, it gives me immense pride in announcing an affordable ownership experience for the aspirational Indian customer.”

The 4 year warranty, RSA and 3 free services will be applicable to all Volkswagen carlines sold in India effective 1st January 2019 across the dealership network.

4 year Warranty is a welcome, Addresses one of the most significant concerns of VW customers given the reliability issues. Although 3 free services is eye wash, I think little perks enhance customer showroom experience significantly that can churn sales.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiInJa (Post 4523916)

The Polo and Vento are so dated (10 year old design now with a 1L petrol for Polo/Ameo

Polo is the only car that barely crosses 4 digit sales, rest are triple and double. No wonder they are resorting to pay heed to customer satisfaction, way to go, way more to go.

Quote:

Originally Posted by volkman10 (Post 4523647)

Volkswagen announces its new maintenance package for its range in India.

Any idea how this maintenance package will affect the structure of extended warranty?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj (Post 4523669)

Completely agree, the services are eyewash and just labor excluded. I don't want a car that needs to be taken to the service center 3 times in the first year :)

Volkswagen can list the breakup of service costs upfront for a customer (like what FORD is doing) and make it transparent. This should improve confidence for any buyer.

As a prospective buyer, having information on detailed service cost breakup & spare parts price would be a big advantage. Even matching 90% of that price actually, means the customer will surely appreciate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarik.arora (Post 4523817)

Nope, it is explicitly optional. For instance, your warranty is not void if you do not go for this free check up at 6 months/7.5k. There was never a one month service required for any VW product.

They're offering one free service - that's it!