[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

I can empathize with you! What you've been through is a lot!

But wait!

Which service center is this?
Why haven't you named them?

I think he did say that it was Shaman. Would do well to emphasize that though, unless it's been the same experience with other dealers in Mumbai.

[iron]

Is there a possibility the rat might have chewed a lot more than just the battery.

Some random , partly chewed up wires will throw up warning lights and it is quite difficult to diagnose the issue.

Unless the entire wiring loom is inspected physically the warning lights will keep flickering randomly, talking from personal experience.

[Satishtv]

I feel for you Ahmad. No customer should be put through this.

Can't Team BHP being a reputed forum highlight this to the higher ups at VW?

Just like twitter for example, why don't manufactures join this forum and directly address the customer? Can the forum heads look into this possibility?

Posts like this make potential buyers like myself stay away from VW. Through a process of elimination I had decided to go for the superior DSG automatic transmission in vento over city and Verna. But I am back to square one.

[ahmadnaik]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

Which service center is this?
Why haven't you named them?
Have you tried any other VW SC?
Have you ever tried going to some specialist FNG? I'm pretty sure there will be some in Mumbai!

Trust me, I've intentionally refrained from using names purely out of some misplaced sense of utterly unnecessary and most certainly unrequited decency. But the service centre I'm talking about is South Mumbai - Volkswagen Downtown, Shaman. And the funny thing is, Shaman also owned the Honda service centre when I had my Honda City before the Vento, and I never faced a single issue with regards to service back then.

Originally Posted by Asish_VK

Out of curiosity, Why did you stick to the same service center after all these troubles ? Is it because there is only one service center in your city ? Or did I miss something ?

There are a couple of service centres in Mumbai from what I hear, but let me explain to you why I haven't even tried going anywhere else. My average time for a service centre visit, after I reach it, ranges roughly from 1 to 2 hours. During my 4 years of ownership experience, I have rarely left in under an hour - and this is after getting the customary "the vehicle is washed and ready sir" call. I am also particular about never availing the pick up and drop option since I've always wanted to personally make sure I'm physically present when explaining to the service advisor all the issues I've had with the car. When you also factor in the travelling time it takes to and fro - it all adds up to rather lengthy ordeal, and this is the closest service centre to where I live.

Long story short - the last thing I'm willing to attempt, after all my nightmarish experiences, is a service centre that takes even longer to reach, with a healthy dollop of Mumbai traffic sprinkled into the mix.

Originally Posted by iron

Is there a possibility the rat might have chewed a lot more than just the battery.

Some random , partly chewed up wires will throw up warning lights and it is quite difficult to diagnose the issue.

Unless the entire wiring loom is inspected physically the warning lights will keep flickering randomly, talking from personal experience.

Yup, there was a possibility that happened - and being a rational fairly average thinking human being, this possibility was mentioned to them when I bought them the car. I literally do most of the work for them as far as possible theories and probable conclusions go - and I'm neither a Volkswagen certified mechanic who's supposed to know the vehicles inside out, nor a closet automotive engineer. I'm merely an average Team BHP user, who still gets intimidated by the vast amount of knowledge and experienced majority of the members here possess.

Update on the actual issue: Yesterday my vehicle was finally taken in by the service centre, after I alerted the highest authority who I could get in touch with about the thread I am currently posting on this forum. I'd like to think that worked, but that would be me assuming they actually care about their reputation - which going by my experience is a pretty hard sell. I had also refused to hand over my vehicle without a replacement vehicle - and managed to get a diesel polo from them for the duration my vehicle is in the workshop. Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping they actually solve my issues at the earliest, because even though it's good to have any car instead of none for the time being, driving a diesel Volkswagen in evening traffic can be a truly tiresome ordeal if you're used to a DSG petrol. And I'm hoping Volkswagen realises that as well. I received a phone call from the service centre guys this evening and they told me my "fuel sensor" or "fuel transmitter" or something like that was malfunctioning, which is why the engine oil light was going on, and that totally doesn't make any sense to me. Especially since this the third time the car is going back to the service centre for the same issue - with both the previous times having "other issues" that were resolved and "guaranteed" to have worked.

So at the risk of sounding unshakeably cynical, I'm understandably not convinced by most of what they say anymore. I still think Volkswagen vehicles are awesome when they're working well - and I say this with dread, but I fear I'm too used to the rigidity and high speed stability of the Germans to be able to go back to Hyundai again. In our frustration and low moments, which have been significantly higher than the statistical average for me, we sometimes forget to appreciate the good moments and I must say their vehicles do feel brilliant, despite the abysmal service procedures and less than acceptable customer satisfaction rate.

P.S. - Also, since this is the last time I'm bringing my vehicle to anywhere within a 100 feet of the official VW workshop, I would love to hear from existing Team BHP Volkswagen owners about alternative third party reliable workshops and service centres in South Mumbai. My research has only yielded a single name - 4S Auto - at the moment, but I'd be glad and relieved to hear anyone vouch for any other options.

[shashanka]

All my sympathies are with you, Ahmad. And having gone through all the posts here, I can't say that any aspect has been overlooked by the other respondents. Which is why I feel that I can say this : why am I not in the least surprised?

I have harped on this earlier on various threads of the forum, that the German mfrs. (and specifically the VW group) have little interest in the Indian market. They have set up shop here only to take full advantage of the "make in India" programme of the govt, and use it as an export base to Latin America (2.5 lakhs VWs exported to Mexico alone as per the last count!) and 35 other countries. They have zero interest in attending to the needs of the Indian customer, keeping in mind the minuscule sales in the country.

It is only poor us who keep extolling the virtues of VW cars, their "engg excellence", happily forgetting that they took the world for a ride - for years! - with their "cosmic high tech" in the emissions-gate scam, till they were unfrocked in public. And then they tried to brazen it out with their stupefying arrogance!
So I feel that the less said about "German engg. excellence", the better.

[Durango Dude]

I can relate to that feeling of yours, Ahmad! Our family owned a 'lemon' the erstwhile Sipani D-1 sold and serviced in Chennai by the same Chandok family owning the Gurudev Motors, now. The experience was like "Wow"; the lesser said the better! That was the last car my dad owned. The fun part was when we disposed of the car one person to whom we had explained all the things that were wrong with the car bought it from us for an "unbelievable" high sum, that made us laugh when we said good bye! If it has become that unreliable, it's better to move on rather than persist with a car that you've lost confidence in. Sipani D-1 was diesel with the lovely 1.5L BMC engine and rear wheel drive with a huge transmission hump (body) and when we hit a rough patch the crankshaft used to touch the hump with a thump, when it performed flawlessly at times it was a pleasure but most days it was a pain to live with.

[drmohitg]

Sell the car, digest the loss and move on. Life has got more to it than just running from pillar to post trying to get VW give your car another lease of life.
They are not interested.
They are not capable.
They are not motivated.
And lastly from the looks of it, they do not care either.

I don't see any point in spending more than half the month trying to get your relatively new car get fixed. As you said, buy a Hyundai/Honda/Toyota and reach your destination rather than ride the rollercoaster ride called as VW every time you take your car out.

[hatlessgovi]

I wish I could say, "I can't relate to your ordeal," but sadly, I can. I own a May 2015 Polo GT TSI, and on the second day, while the car was being washed, the doors were leaking water. And by leaking, I mean pouring in like a tap. This happened on all four doors, and the showroom where I bought it from claimed it was due to the rubber beading (is that what it's called?). I reached the service centre who literally bent and pushed it in place, claiming the hinges weren't aligned. What's more, the hood release lever was broken on delivery. Within six months of owning the car, the DSG jerk started between D3 and D2, and the service centre claimed nothing was wrong.

Finally, the guy who tests cars following a service drove it and said it needed a software update, and two days later when the car was returned to me, the jerking happened while driving back from the service centre. This time, I left the car there and demanded a replacement, and shot a mail to Volkswagen India head with my official mail ID (I'm a journalist), and the same night, I got a call from his office saying someone will contact me soon, and that he had personally seen the mail. Next morning, the head of VW north India called me and said they can't offer a replacement, but that everything will be taken care of and only then will the car be returned. I finally agreed, and they said they would do a software update, but I wasn't buying it since they said the same once before. So I made them change the mechatronic, free of cost.

While the issues are now gone with the DSG, and maybe a software update would have helped as many have said on this forum with their own GT TSIs, there are still niggling issues with VW itself. Each service is a pain, and leads to some issue or the other regarding the quality of work. On one occasion, they swapped my headlight switch for a malfunctioning one, and denied it. Thankfully, I had picture of the interiors of my car, and even then they said how can we believe its of the same car. They agreed when I threatened to call the cops and write about my ordeal.

It's sad that a brand like VW does this to enthusiasts and genuine car lovers, because just like your Vento TSI, I got the GT for driving pleasure and the safety factor. Before the GT, I had a Polo Highline petrol, but that turn turtled and my friend and I came out without a scratch. Sad, very sad what they do to ordinary people.

P.S. Apologies for posting a long reply and maybe a little off topic. Hopefully when I finally finish my own long-term ownership review it'll help more VW owners and prospective buyers.

P.S.S. I hope when you finally get your car back, you have loads of happy miles, after everything, people like us deserve it.

Shame on you Volkswagen.

[sunil thomas]

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

Got taste of their so called "Expertise" during the service of my Jetta last month. I really hope I wont be regretting buying a VW. All these guys are good at is "Replacing the parts". They have zero troubleshooting skills with zero willingness to do so.

The Pune BUB has around 100 cars daily at its service center for service/repair work. You can imagine why they prefer 'Replacement' policy easily.

I am driving a 2013 model Vento TDI, completed 90,000 km, so far not even a puncture. Service has been extremely good at both Cochin and Chennai. Whichever model one buys, some guys are plain lucky or unlucky. Not replaced clutch or timing belt, running fast and smooth with good fuel efficiency too.

[sourav9385]

*Runs away and hugs his Hyundai i20, pats it on the hood & gives it kisses to the utter dismay and shock of the security guards at the parking lot*

I feel for you, fellow bhp-ian. No person, car enthusiast or not, should ever have to suffer through an ordeal as tough as you have.

It sucks that you experienced so much pain. It shows in the way you've narrated your experience. And while there are those who can and will defend VW stating that their experience has been nothing short of marvelous, truth is other than Japanese & Korean stuff, nothing really works in India in the long run.

Dealers don't have any interest in training their staff, and even if they did, I doubt the capability of the mechanic who, let's be honest, is a mechanic because he couldn't be anything else, to repair a complex piece of machinery.

My 2 cents? Sell the car, and make your peace with another less fun-to-drive-but infinitely-more-reliable brand, and please move on. Life's too short to spend stuck at VW dealerships in India, waiting for some idiot to realize how much you care. If you'd still prefer a German, then it's time to move away from an authorized VW center and look at FNGs adept at handling VWs. All the best!

[Cyborg]

Ahmad, really sorry to hear about your woes!

Hats off to your patience and perseverance with VW Downtown. I agree completely regarding your visiting the centre which is closest to your residence.

While getting justice etc etc all sounds good on paper, in practicality there is no point. Its just a car my friend, there is absolutely no point in wasting precious time in your life chasing them. Just let it GO! Sell off the car once it's up and running again and go buy yourself a City, Verna or a Ciaz.

I urge you to think deeply about my suggestion and choose peace of mind over everything else!

Cheers

[ahmadnaik]

So - Update time, and I have good news! When I was taking the test drive for replacement vehicle, I had informed the Service Advisor about the car veering rather aggressively toward the left - indicating one of 2 possibilities - a misaligned wheel, or low tyre pressure. When I stepped out of the vehicle, the tyre barely had any air. But the service advisor told me with an impeccable level of surety that it wasn't a puncture. - and re-inflated the tyre and gave it to me.

Surprise surprise - the next day it was flat just before I was taking the vehicle out of town. 2 punctures and loads of wasted time later, I was back on the road.

Yeah - just thought everyone would like to know.

[hiren.sharma]

I feel bad and sympathetic for your experiences Ahmad (I know i might sounds like VW ASS right now) but i really don't see any chances of improvement. I own a Skoda as well, completing 3 years next month, I can understand what you are going through since it's the same parent company.

During one of the very recent visits at the Nawab Motors service centre, one of the service advisor had told me "Saar, yeh laala company ki tarah chala rahe hain. Apne rishtedaaro ko job dilwa rahe hain sare ladke and skill nahin dekh rahe (Sir, most of the employees here are relatives or known people of other mechanics, they aren't really focussed on their skill set)".
To which i responded that other workshops might be doing the same things as well. TO which he replied: "They pay here more than other brand workshops because to work on these cars you need to have the required skill set, but they get in via Jack (jugaad) simply because they wish to earn more."

I'm not sure how true his words are but i do keep them as precaution during my visits. I cross question to everything they say to me, I ask them to prove it to me but surely this is not something that promises complete peace of mind.

I wonder when will these things improve !! Excellent Cars supported by ridiculous A.S.S.

[shibujp]

I normally do not reply to these threads basically because other that offer commiserations (which does nothing to help) over the years I have come to the conclusion that neither VW nor it's dealers give a rats ass about these complaints.

And make no mistake I just sold a Polo GT TDI after an extremely rewarding experience which also included any abnormal creak or light triggering frantic research on the internet and prayers. I found it to be an extremely reliable car with just brake cleaning, oil changes and fuel filter replacements.

Improving service is not impossible. VW just need to emulate what Hyundai and Maruti have done. Two years at the most. However the bigger question is what don't they? I feel it lies mostly in the financial relationship between VW and it's dealers. I know nothing of the specifics but I have a hunch that is where the root cause of the issue lies. I believe VW takes a largely hands off approach once they have sold the car to the dealership.

Till then what worked for me is this: Buy a VW for the solid mechanical engineering it has and the build. Get the variant that is lowest on tech - the basic engineering is the same on all variants. Drive it well during the warranty period..like a lot. They have 2 year unlimited warranty. Any low quality component would be replaced during this time. Build up your knowledge on the car and it's systems. Thankfully there is a wealth of knowledge available online and much more easily accessible than the Japanese or Korean cars. Once the warranty is over either perform your own DIY services or get a good FNG. Even then you need your knowledge to ensure he does not rip you off. And oh yeah - a place where you can source OEM or equivalent parts. Because even the oil the Germans use is not available outside.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[Ikonification]

This is any motorist's worst nightmare. I always knew VW were bad in service, but looks like they are even worse. With such a quantum of indifference from their side, this cannot be even classified as a "one-off" case.