Very Very disappoint with my new Golf 6 and Dealer

**MultiplexMan** · 24-12-2010, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by bm2amb

Has anyone had their ECU replaced before???

Yes - A long time ago. I had purchased a 1 year old Mk5 Golf GTI at a dealership in VIC. ECU got corrupted during a "pre-delivery service" - low battery voltage during ECU rewrite (another story).

It took ~6 weeks and was complicated by miscommunication between the dealership, VWA and VW Germany. What annoyed me was that I had to call industry contacts to confirm where the "problem" was. I had to chase the issue with all parties - dealer, VWA and VW Germany.

The official reason for the time delay was the requirement to break into a programmed production run to code an Australian spec ECU.

I must admit all parties did try and I did end up with my GTI. It does not detract from the fact that I paid for ~six weeks of registration and insurance for a car I could not use.

BTW VW Germany inventory systems are good. They traced the status of the ECU request based on the VIN.

**mikinoz** · 24-12-2010, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by SilvrFoxX

and... what is the difference my apple friend

An iPhone is considered a consumer accessory in the Apple sphere - disposable component style product, same with the iPod range and the iPad.

Where there are multiple components that can have faults isolated to them, then they will replace these components to enable a fix. After 3 significant parts failure you would be setting yourself up for a replacement unit.

As for Dead on Arrival (DOA), the machine that does not start up out of the box, Apple policy allow a 14 day window for replacement - but this is a bit of a hit and miss affair, and more often than not people want to use their machines that they have custom configured and waited 3-5 weeks for and not wait for a new one to be built (read here the parallels with a car) - and take the repair option - however if it is a stock unit I encourage customers to take a replacement.

In this situation, I think the owner with the issue will handle it to whatever he feels is an appropriate resolve. If he wants a new car, well all the best to him in getting one. I don't think that ACCC have too much of a case in this as the dealer is attempting to resolve the issue - and the DOA policy is not governed by ACCC or any regulator, but the company that manufactures the item.

**SilvrFoxX** · 24-12-2010, 05:19 PM

Thanks.. was most interested in how Apple viewed these things.. I will go to bed smarter ( for a change

)

**Transporter** · 24-12-2010, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by b0son

Sorry, going by the OP's quote ....

So far, its throttle sensor - fail. Now waiting for ECU - that would make it second attempt?

Or does the fact that they never give the car back only count as one overall attempt?

Yep, the car went in for repair and was not repaired and returned to customer as they still work on the original fault.

**MIRSAD** · 24-12-2010, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by Transporter

Yep, the car went in for repair and was not repaired and returned to customer as they still work on the original fault.

.... is there any time frame in which it should be (diagnosed) fixed and returned to customer ... without time frame, even with "3 unsuccessful attempts rule" it can take months and without "lemon law" - you don't want even to think about all disappointment and $ losses.

... and please don't say "reasonable time frame"

**Mountainman** · 24-12-2010, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by SilvrFoxX

Look the engine and drive train are probably the most robust pieces of equipment ( as long as you dont have a Subaru boxer engine that drinks oil)

You are joking surely? My 90TSI has used 4L in 17,000km while my Forester has used none in 209,000km. I have a number of friends with Subarus - including one with over 500,000km - and none have had any trouble with oil consumption. Another friend with an 07 TDI regularly has to top her's up.

**SilvrFoxX** · 25-12-2010, 05:35 AM

Then you don't have friends that have had their Subie's engine replaced due to oil consumption.. it is/was a known issue and why the warning stickers inside the cabin requesting you constantly check your oil and in the boot you were supplied with a carefully packaged oil holder.

Don't get me wrong, my Subaru 2.0R Liberty is very dear to me and hasn't used a drop but the history of the 2.5 litre engines is not a good one.

**Mountainman** · 25-12-2010, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by SilvrFoxX

Then you don't have friends that have had their Subie's engine replaced due to oil consumption.. it is/was a known issue and why the warning stickers inside the cabin requesting you constantly check your oil and in the boot you were supplied with a carefully packaged oil holder.

Well there were certainly none of those things with mine or anyone else's that I know. You just have to talk to the VW/Subaru service centre mechanics where I get both my cars serviced to know which of the two makes has the most problems, and it isn't Subaru. Early 2.5 non-turbo engines had a head gasket problems but not the turbo versions with their closed deck blocks. Both Subaru and VW are proud of their reputations of delivering long term durability (like Toyota also claims) and have earned their reputations in the market place. When you think what VW had to recover from with their first generation of water cooled Golfs and Passats in the late '70's it's quite remarkable.

**Transporter** · 25-12-2010, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by MIRSAD

.... is there any time frame in which it should be (diagnosed) fixed and returned to customer ... without time frame, even with "3 unsuccessful attempts rule" it can take months and without "lemon law" - you don't want even to think about all disappointment and $ losses.

... and please don't say "reasonable time frame"

I can't give you any time frame. But look at the date when the OP was talking to the dealer and the date of the first post. It took only 5 days from happiness to threats with ACCC and lawyers. I can hear some of you saying, “He didn’t threaten anyone yet”; well he did, and publicly in the open forum, which doesn’t help his situation.

To others who just fuel the OP’s frustrations with the negative comments, encouraging to take a legal action and talking tough, while hiding behind the computer screens: Bear in mind that he is the one to deal with the dealer face to face.

To the OP: you just had a bad luck that doesn’t know the holidays

As many people here already said, give the dealer chance to repair it. If the fault is unusual, didn't happen before anywhere, it may take longer to trace it and they don’t want to give you the car back with the partial fix. Pushing it hard will NOT speed up the repair.

I sincerely hope that you get your car back soon.

Merry Christmas to all.