[spyder_p8]

Originally Posted by StarScream

With due respect to ahmadnaik for what is a genuine problem, let's please not jump the gun here. There are a lot of Polo/Vento TSI owners on this forum who haven't experienced such issues -other than the downshifting thing, which in my case has gone away to be replaced by an occasional clunking/thumping mechanical sound.

As others have pointed out, the fault may lie with an entirely different component. Let's please wait before pronouncing this a return of the dreaded DSG issue. If I remember correctly, the DSG issue left many stranded with an unresponsive gearbox - that hasn't happened here. Also, the Australia case mentioned here was not DSG-related. That was a manual Golf.

I have a Vento TDI and iam every bit satisfied with the car and as well as the service. Its hasn't given me any trouble even if i compare that to my Alto which keeps falling apart every day. My colleague in Taiwan owns a Fabia with DSG and absolutely happy with that. But all these facts are just a drop in the sea of criticism( or cynicism ). Any VAG bashing and that topic quickly garners expert comments. The standard template that is always used is " Terrible Service by VW". Your statement is an invalid input.

[poloman]

I am one of the earliest customers of VW in India. My Polo has completed 5 years. I am yet to face a single electrical or mechanical issue in my car. Let us be very frank this forum has a kind of prejudice for VW partly contributed by the moronic dealership network and arrogance they show. Mind you.. some one stole my tyre valve caps from the dealer place. Such is their level of cheapness. But I won't keep quiet if some one bashes the cars they make.

Polo TSI will be the most popular car currently in the forum going by the number of ownership threads. But still isolated cases are getting highlighted and some people coming up with usual 'my decision on hold' kinda statements. Please,you are buying a machine not a perfect creation of GOD. So if you like the car go ahead and buy it.

[Jaggu]

But one does expect decent support from the dealership also. Our car was sent for some minor clean up of paint thanks to bangalore traffic, after being at the dealer for about 2 weeks, was sent back with just one minor patch done and some stupid reasoning. Upon some prodding, it came to be known that few plastic parts were unavailable and hence the excuse.

Rats chewed the battery to ECU cable, right now its been taped and rejoined back. Its been a year plus and no signs of a replacement cable that was ordered.So while the cars may be decent, i never have got a remotely horrific experience even from an el cheap maruti dealership.

VW has a serious issue, similar to Skoda with their dealership, for whatever reasons (mostly financial investment the dealers have put in i guess), the parent company is absolutely powerless when it comes to resolving real customer issue.

This was just my first hand experience. Now i can quote few more but then that won't be first hand.

Ya they have a decent car, so what? I would like to keep it running decently too!!

[spyder_p8]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

But one does expect decent support from the dealership also. Our car was sent for some minor clean up of paint thanks to bangalore traffic, after being at the dealer for about 2 weeks, was sent back with just one minor patch done and some stupid reasoning. Upon some prodding, it came to be known that few plastic parts were unavailable and hence the excuse.

Rats chewed the battery to ECU cable, right now its been taped and rejoined back. Its been a year plus and no signs of a replacement cable that was ordered.So while the cars may be decent, i never have got a remotely horrific experience even from an el cheap maruti dealership.

VW has a serious issue, similar to Skoda with their dealership, for whatever reasons (mostly financial investment the dealers have put in i guess), the parent company is absolutely powerless when it comes to resolving real customer issue.

This was just my first hand experience. Now i can quote few more but then that won't be first hand.

Ya they have a decent car, so what? I would like to keep it running decently too!!

As we speak, i have waited 2 weeks for a steering rake of my alto. That is one of the biggest dealer in Pune and Alto is India's larget selling car. So what should i infer? Shall i blame the dealer or write of Maruti? I would avoid the word prejudice and rather use perception when it comes to VW. That perception is definitely developed by SKODAs way of working. There has been a similar attitude from some Honda dealers as well. They simply go unnoticed because Honda is Japanese and it is easier to give a stick to the Europeans. This despite many Honda engine failures reported recently on this forum alone.

[ahmadnaik]

Okay- now I'm getting tired of repeating myself - and frankly this is starting to get annoyingly immature.

"I do not hate Volkswagen, and rather am sold on the quality of the car and the ride and handling, and am also pretty certain they are undoubtedly the best in this segment and price bracket" - Ahmad Naik (that's me in case your wondering)

I have not started this thread to belittle Volkswagen or Germans - not have I started it to praise the Japanese over the Germans. This thread is simply highlighting an issue that is taking agonizingly long to figure out. I have had terrible service experiences with Volkswagen, but I would be lying if I said ALL of them were terrible... Some were absolutely smooth and others were without a single fault as well.

But - it is simple human psychology that dictates the ones that were not good stay even more firmly imprinted in my head.

When I purchased a Volkswagen I had already read about the apparent "terrible service" record - and honestly if you ask me, it's not a gospel truth. There are many members in other cities who have exceedingly positive reviews about their experiences and I highly doubt those members were lying.

Most vehicle service centers in India are poorer than their international counterparts and like I've mentioned above, it's more due to the lack of accountability by consumer courts rather than anything else.

It is important that people also realize that generalizations are typically often misplaced - and unjust to parent companies that are not directly responsible for their dealers.

So- again I say - this thread merely seeks to keep people "informed" and never do I say that Volkswagen deserves to be hated. And I repeat- despite my recent poor experience - I will most probably still go for a Volkswagen next.

Irrespective of comparisons with others, I hope their quality of service improves. And I will keep this thread updated with all the latest developments as and when they occur.

P.S. - Volkswagen has asked for my vehicle to be picked up tomorrow for an inspection by a plant engineer. Keeping my fingers crossed.

@ashua - yes my car is still under warranty.

[Motoringlover]

Originally Posted by ahmadnaik

P.S. - Volkswagen has asked for my vehicle to be picked up tomorrow for an inspection by a plant engineer. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Ahmadnaik - Hope the issue gets resolved per your satifaction, can i please request you update the resolution here in the forum, i am waiting on VW's response for problems such as yours.

Thanks

Motoringlover

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by spyder_p8

As we speak, i have waited 2 weeks for a steering rake of my alto. That is one of the biggest dealer in Pune and Alto is India's larget selling car.

Don't know what you meant by Steering Rake? But doesn't MUL offer zillion other dealership you can opt for and even off the shelf retailers?

With VW we are stuck and if we step out, goes the warranty.

Anyways i partly agree, its the perception and there are bad apples every where. But VW the stats are not great, atleast the ones i know off even compared to the Honda and Hyundai's.

[wilful]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Don't know what you meant by Steering Rake? But doesn't MUL offer zillion other dealership you can opt for and even off the shelf retailers?

I'm guessing (may be wrong) he meant steering rack.

Something always strikes me when I read threads like this. There are obviously issues raised by the aggrieved party which brings in posts that rightly or wrongly criticise the concerned company which in turn brings forth some passionate defense by satisfied users of that automaker.
The point here is that the anguish felt by the affected party is something that the others cannot really feel or understand (unless one has gone through a similar experience) - just like a major disease. I know for a fact that if my vehicle, the company and its dealers give me similar problems, I would be pretty sick and would certainly harbour some pretty strong negative feelings about them - feelings that no amount of reading about other folks hassle free experience with the same product, would wipe away. And I definitely would not take solace from the fact that X company or Y company have some poor products or dealers.
In this case however ahmadnaik has made it amply clear he loves cars from VW even though he has had issues with the service/dealers. He just wants the company to take his concerns seriously and sort out his gearbox issue.

Apologies for this long winded piece but I just had to pen it.

[SriniTSI]

This is super scary. I have recently booked a GT TSI and now considering reviewing my decision. I felt sold to VW for the safety is assures, but I worst I can imagine is me hitting an other commuter that too due to technical glitches. Please advise me, I have the option to cancel the booking without a charge. Any suggestion is absolutely appreciated.

[harsha.muvva]

I have been using vento TDI DSG(bought in november 2014) and did 7600 kms as of today and dint find any of the issues mentioned in this thread, but however i can say that the service experience is strictly average.
My friend who has bought Rapid DSG few months back and did 14k kms is now feeling that his gear box is feeling different compared to what it was 1 month back.After driving his car recently for 300 kms i felt that it is over-revving in some gears especially in D5 and D2, but it is all fine in the S mode, will speak to the SA @ 15k service regarding this!

Luckily both of us have taken extended warranty, so I can expect peace of mind atleast for next 4 years!

[bottle]

Originally Posted by harsha.muvva

After driving his car recently for 300 kms i felt that it is over-revving in some gears especially in D5 and D2, but it is all fine in the S mode, will speak to the SA @ 15k service regarding this!

I have experienced this behaviour after filling with certain petrol pumps, have you used the same bunk for filling up ?

[harsha.muvva]

Originally Posted by bottle

I have experienced this behaviour after filling with certain petrol pumps, have you used the same bunk for filling up ?

Nope. We filled the previous two full tanks from different bunks as we were travelling from Hyderabad to coimbatore via bangalore. But we made sure all the bunks are decent enough.

[gopa99]

Originally Posted by Raikkonen

A bit of technical info as follows:

The clutches and gearbox units in the DSG are operated hydraulically. This function is performed by the gearbox mechatronics module, housed in the DSG. Obviously you need lubrication for smooth functioning of these units, there is fluids in Mechantronics and in Gearbox.

The issue here is VW have been using synthetic oil in their DSG. g[/url]

Thanks Raikkonen, your points suggested makes a lot of sense. Does any owner know if the DSG AT Oils are imported or manufactured locally? This should be printed on the cans.
Synthetic oils some times behaves tricky due to additive separation issues when there is a issue with solubility; this occurs due to minor changes in the base chemistry from vessel to vessel while importing in bulk, commonly reported are due to imbalance of ester groups in the mix.
But if these oils are manufactured in FRG, then chances of the above are very lean. But if it is sourced from Indian companies, then may be there is a doubt!

[ahmadnaik]

Okay- I got my car back from the dealer today and I was told I could use it until the replacement parts arrive. They had given me a convenience car for the last 2 days as well, a nice gesture if you ask me. The technical advisor said they have placed an order for a new "Mechatronics Unit" and will also be making a few changes to some "parts of the gearbox". Sounds like it could possibly solve the issue - but keeping my fingers crossed until the parts actually arrive and are fitted in my car. I will give myself at least a week or two of testing after the new unit is fitted and only then can I say with certainty if the issue has been resolved or not. Will keep this thread updated.

Originally Posted by SriniTSI

Please advise me, I have the option to cancel the booking without a charge. Any suggestion is absolutely appreciated.

Do not cancel the booking only based on my thread. Like other users have clearly pointed out, this could be a one off issue as well.

[Raikkonen]

Not sure where they are procured from. Most probably imported into the country with the DSG, as these came off as complete units. In fact, I've heard of mechantronics being replaced within the DSG (as cassettes) instead of replacing or changing oils to alleviate the issue with false/open clutch.

Mind you, these issues were experienced in DSG's between 2011-2013, so you'd expect the newer DSG to largely be free of these issues - You would hope so!!!

Imbalance of ester groups leading to immiscibility should not lead to catastrophic issues of shorting. We are talking significant ppm levels here and not ppt levels. Guess this is outside the scope of this forum and discussion anyway. Cheers

Originally Posted by gopa99

Thanks Raikkonen, your points suggested makes a lot of sense. Does any owner know if the DSG AT Oils are imported or manufactured locally? This should be printed on the cans.
Synthetic oils some times behaves tricky due to additive separation issues when there is a issue with solubility; this occurs due to minor changes in the base chemistry from vessel to vessel while importing in bulk, commonly reported are due to imbalance of ester groups in the mix.
But if these oils are manufactured in FRG, then chances of the above are very lean. But if it is sourced from Indian companies, then may be there is a doubt!