VW Service Reception

[garrardrj]

Dropped the ED30 off for its yearly service -  1213 miles since the last one !
Why are reception staff so condescending and fail to listen to what you say ?
or is it just the ones i have met ? He was only interested in offering me the VW Service pack at £379 , he did not listen to what i said and he asked when would i want the car back and i said a time 30 minutes into the future and he failed to even crack a grin .
I hate going to main dealers they always lack any kind of feeling i like and are false clinical places that lack staff that show any kind of passion about what they are doing
I will not use them again , but wonder who i would use that might be different ? Expect i will have to do my own servicing up until the next cambelt !
It really does put me off getting a newer VW where VW service history appears to be important for resale prices .

[Tortaruga]

Receptionists most likely know almost nothing about the mechanics and workings of cars. You wouldn't expect the receptionist in the doctor's surgey to understand much about the nature of your complaint.

You should only ask the receptionist to direct you to the service desk where they will know what you are talking about.

On the plus side they usually have good coffee and chocs.

[richtung]

I guess its all about profit margins and the commission the service staff receive for selling you a service plan.
Can i ask what was the main driver for taking your car to the dealers?

Personally, i would chose an independent specialist over a dealership any day!

Rich

[ArildStavrum]

Dropped the ED30 off for its yearly service -  1213 miles since the last one !
Why are reception staff so condescending and fail to listen to what you say ?
or is it just the ones i have met ? He was only interested in offering me the VW Service pack at £379 , he did not listen to what i said and he asked when would i want the car back and i said a time 30 minutes into the future and he failed to even crack a grin .
I hate going to main dealers they always lack any kind of feeling i like and are false clinical places that lack staff that show any kind of passion about what they are doing
I will not use them again , but wonder who i would use that might be different ? Expect i will have to do my own servicing up until the next cambelt !
It really does put me off getting a newer VW where VW service history appears to be important for resale prices .

are you just upset your gash joke fell flat on it's a*se?!

The guy will be targeted to sell the service plans, I dont have a problem with that! However not listening and the general aloof demeanour is very frustrating.

[garrardrj]

Well the choice is limited in Ipswich . I got the car from them and use them for the VW stamp in the book and the knowledge of the brand .

If there was an independent i would use them but cannot say i have heard of one locally.

The person at service reception i would expect to know everything about what the car was there for ?? or am i being naive ? Didn't seem interested in my car at all and as i hadn't taken his offer of the VW Service pack i then became a second class citizen in his eyes ! He had no conversation at all and when i told him it was my day off and i wanted the car back asap he said "so you haven't got to go to work" in a tone of that my time on my day off was less important .

[ARV_90]

I'm with the OP on this one... I have the same issue with my local VW dealer that is 1 mile from my house... Bunch of lying thieving muppets that I wouldn't take my wheelbarrow there for a service never mind my lawn mower, Had a very bad service experience best part of 10 years ago and have never purchased or taken my cars there again, Do what I did and find another dealer.... I drive 30 miles to Inchcape Shrewsbury cant fault them...Some of them are ok 

[xjay1337]

Had the same thing.

Got told I needed a cambelt change because I didn't keep my service book in the car (I keep it at home safely) and oil change, they started the car with the HIDs on and it caused the right one to not illuminate.

Just need turning off and on again and they will come on fine.

But no apparently they needed to drop the bumper and remove the headlight as there was wiring fault.. !! I'm like mate you see my car and really do you think I'm clueless?

My local one has some proper miserable people.

[rich83]

Well... first mistake... You took your car to a Main Dealer.

Find a good specialist. 

[garrardrj]

Main Dealers are only really ok when stuff is under warranty amd when that runs out people should go elsewhere . I can quite easily do all jobs myself and have done so up until i could afford better cars . I paid £244 today for brake fluid change and oil change (interim service) and mot . When it comes to an oil change again i will do it myself on the ED30 as its a keeper i think , unless someone offers me silly money for it.

Had the MK7 as a courtesy car and that doesn't tempt me to one , but then it was a 1.6tdi se bluemotion , 63mpg while i had it though 

[paulw123]

Ipswich vw are quite small, i have used them, and still wodd if they were competitvely priced. I have found they quote max price, then you have to show them vw website prices and they match it. Recently asked for cambelt water pump change and they would'nt move on it, so i took it to vw chelmsford and saved £45.
Like you say, i was'nt impressed with the staff behind the parts/service desks, they all looked bored, dis-interested. But they are'nt the technicians, so for £45 i gave chelmsford a go and they did a good job. The service desk guy was training a new person up, and i got a good customer experience.
Not that all inchcape know what they are doing. I won't be going back to Colchester after they diagnosed a £1200 deisel pump on my MK4 after having it 4days, when it needed a £89 new egr valve diagnosed by colchester fuel injection. Even when i drove it away they said the egr was'nt the problem, but it was!!

[xjay1337]

Well... first mistake... You took your car to a Main Dealer.

Find a good specialist. 

That's fine for most things.

I needed a radio code.

They said "we need the car here for several hours as we need to send information off to Germany" and I'm like, you need the VIN number and the radio serial number and you get it from the AUTOMATED SYSTEM.

Every other dealer I called would supply it for free but Ridgeway wanted a tenner.
barstewardss.

[GrayMK5GTI]

There's a very cute girl at my local VW reception   

Forgotten how many times I've asked where the parts desk is as an excuse to start a convo 

Thick as sh1t though 

[jbc]

It's poor customer service like this that made me stop taking my car into the dealer. Instead I use their free collection service - they have to come to me to collect the car, drive it back and ring me for payment. No waiting and nobody trying to sell me things - I don't even have to take the day off work. The only hassle is having to book the car in and answer silly questions like is it a hatch or estate - since when did VW make a mk5 GTI estate!

[Stanipkiss]

I had a similar discussion with my local dealer on Saturday morning when I collected my car after they serviced it.
Bear in mind I cleaned the car on Friday night and topped up the screen wash with my sweet smelling stuff.
I dropped the car off and explained to the service reception that the fluid was filled yesterday and no need top it up, Ok they said.
When I collected my car the very same service receptionist was insistent that the washer fluid on my invoice was part of the "service package" and not refundable.
To cut a long story short 10 minutes passed and then the Dealer principle came over and apologised for his staff member and promptly removed the fluid from my invoice, explaining they were all expected to sell "add ons"

Makes me wonder sometimes how they are still in business!

[jonnym]

I have had interesting dealings with VW. Never ever again will I set foot in their place apart from getting parts. I fought the mighty VW and they settled out of court!