Advice please: been sold a dodgy import by a VW dealer

[Squeeguk]

Well from what I can work out the following is missing from standard UK spec:
1.  Interior sensors for the alarm
2.  Climatic Air Conditioning (you mean Climatronic. People always seem to refer to the standard air conditioning system as climate control, just because it's called climatic.)

The optional extras on the car are:
1. Cruise control
2. Parking sensors
3. Leather seats (but not heated and headrests are not embossed with GTi logo)

The car is 6 months older than I was told about.

So, how much is this car worth compared to a UK spec car?  Any suggestions on the difference in value?

Eddie-NL, do you have an idea of what it would cost to retrofit the air con system, interior alarm and heated seats, I know you are the king of retrofitting! I wouldn't  even consider retro fitting the climate control as it means a whole load of work taking the dash and everything else in the front out to replace the whole system. The labour costs on this alone would be exorbitant. Best bet would be to get them to take the car back and get a proper UK spec car with this kit in.

[RedRobin]

That's the tricky bit, I don't know how much it is worth as an import so I don't know how to calculate the difference :-(

....You paid £12,500 to a fully approved (we assume) VW UK dealership and they misled you. I think you are owed £12,500 whether it's in the form of another car or not. Depreciation while you have owned it is not a factor IMO - It's the principle of misrepresentation by the dealer under UK law.

I think you should name the VW dealer here in due course.

Keep us posted on the progress of your case, please  

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not mod the car in such a way as to contradict its non-UK specification in case it has to be inspected and verified as an import by legal eagles.

[Hurdy]

When I confronted the dealer he admitted it was an import was no different to a UK car.  I checked with my insurance company and they were fine with it being an import and as it was made in the EU they said I didn't even need to bother telling them! (that was Admiral).  So after that I agreed to pick the car up a couple of days later thinking it was fine.

If i am reading this right then you knew it was an import before you actually took delivery from the dealer?

If that is the case then i doubt you will get anything.  You took delivery of the car, were happy with the price you were paying, you knew that it was an import, you saw the car and the specification, so i don't understand what you have to be unhappy about? What does the V5C say with regards to registration date, etc?

If it bothered you then you could have rightfully backed out of the deal before taking delivery?

All my opinion obviously, but also when you approach a dealer you might want to have an idea of what you want to achieve.

He was told by the dealer it was UK spec and it isn't.  

[f1fan]

If i am reading this right then you knew it was an import before you actually took delivery from the dealer?

I knew it was an import after paying but before collection, however I was under the impression it was an import direct from Germany in Nov 2008, not that it had come from Denmark and had been registered in Denmark for 6 months prior to export to the UK.  I also didn't know my car was not UK spec, I was told it was.

If that is the case then i doubt you will get anything.  You took delivery of the car, were happy with the price you were paying, you knew that it was an import, you saw the car and the specification, so i don't understand what you have to be unhappy about?

As I say, I didn't know it's true age, I didn't know it wasn't UK spec (I don't know what full UK spec is, I rely on a genuine VW dealer to sell me a UK car or tell me if it isn't.

What does the V5C say with regards to registration date, etc?

It just says first registered in the UK November 2008.  VW UK Head Office told me it was first registered in Denmark 6 months earlier when I phoned them.

If it bothered you then you could have rightfully backed out of the deal before taking delivery?

I wasn't aware of the truth when I bough the car so how I would I have know to back out of the deal?

All my opinion obviously, but also when you approach a dealer you might want to have an idea of what you want to achieve.

Hence why I was asking what difference in value my car is likely to suffer so I know what value to aim for from the dealer.

BTW.. I'm not approaching the dealer, VW UK have opened a case file on the car and will be approaching the dealer on my behalf to find out what's been going on.

[Eddie-NL]

Go in all guns

They have missold you a car
You have paid a premium for a car that doesn't meet their own standards.

See what you can get out of them

 

[f1fan]

....You paid £12,500 to a fully approved (we assume) VW UK dealership and they misled you. I think you are owed £12,500 whether it's in the form of another car or not. Depreciation while you have owned it is not a factor IMO - It's the principle of misrepresentation by the dealer under UK law.

I think you should name the VW dealer here in due course.

Keep us posted on the progress of your case, please  

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not mod the car in such a way as to contradict its non-UK specification in case it has to be inspected and verified as an import by legal eagles.

I have a feeling this is what VW will offer.  Bit gutted if I have to get rid of the car, I know finding another will be hard work and I don't have another car to drive whilst I'm looking.

I will let you know the full outcome when it's finished.  Thanks for your advice.

[Eddie-NL]

don't take anything less than complete satisfaction and if you are without a car till you find another get them to give you a courtesy car

[smokeybubbles]

It just says first registered in the UK November 2008.  VW UK Head Office told me it was first registered in Denmark 6 months earlier when I phoned them.



BTW.. I'm not approaching the dealer, VW UK have opened a case file on the car and will be approaching the dealer on my behalf to find out what's been going on.

Apart from the fact that the dealer have lied/misslead you, i think that part there is your best point for getting something out of a dealer then.  VWUK can not make a dealer do anything, although they can apply presure and will do so on your behalf. You will probably have a vw exchange agreement valid for 30 days from taking delivery of your car that you could use.

If you have not already spoken to the dealer it might be worth a try.  A nice polite conversation stating your points and suggesting you deserve some form of compensation might work?

Good luck either way.  Dealers should be very open and honest about this sort of thing.

[f1fan]

VW UK are speaking to the dealer today/Monday and will phone me back Monday/Tuesday so I'll just have to wait until next week and see what happens now.

Thanks guys

[Gazza747]

How did you get on? Any news?

[ArildStavrum]

Any news?

[andrewparker]

Maybe they've bought his silence

[scottm72]

wtf, no news, I just read all these posts man and its like someone has chopped of the end of a good film 
let us know how you are getting on dude,
personally I would have had a polite chat with the dealerships general manager whilst waiting for vw head office to get back to me, would have got it into his head that I aint happy and aint going away.
I would if I had to also inform vw head office that I will be going public with this if the conclusion is not to my satisfaction,
at the end of the day an upgraded car would be nice for the inconvenience

[Starshaped]

2008 the forums were full of people crowing about how they had got x amount off a new gti imported,now we have gone full circle,people moaning they have bought an import it was bound to happen.  I dont think the dealer has been particularly devious here,i suspect the info about the car such as the minor spec differences and extra 6 months were not known by the dealer at the time,but luckily for the OP they gave info which turned out to be false so will probably get a good end to it all.

[Frodo-anni]

You've paid good money for a GTi so i'd personally want a full refund, as there are plenty of GTI examples out there certainly for the budget you had, or for the dealership to compensate you and offer you a different car availabel from within the dealer network.

Good Luck.