Reply With QuoteDefinitely get in touch with volkswagen assist. They have always been interested to hear things out and should give you a call. Regarding rattles etc, perhaps try and get some video evidence to assist identification.
Volkswagen Fan
I keep typing up a wall of text with all my Austral complaints but feel they are not warranted at the moment as they have been rectified to date.
Austral post-sales seems very poor and I find it relieving that it is not just me that has found this to be the case.
Edit: Oh but I can say that they have lost 2 Golf R sales and 1 Tiguan sale to date as I am recommending to stay clear.
Volkswagen Fan
Definitely get in touch with volkswagen assist. They have always been interested to hear things out and should give you a call. Regarding rattles etc, perhaps try and get some video evidence to assist identification.
New Dubber
Having ordered a Golf R only yesterday,I will keep my eyes and ears open for any rattles etc.Every car manufacturer has problems from time to time but for the customer the problem/s are compounded when the service is less than above average.I have had Honda cars and Ford cars and the service has been outstanding. I had a squeaky driver's seat in the Falcon and went in 4 times.The dealer changed the base,the rail etc it turned out all it needed was some grease in a certain area and the squeak was no more to be heard.
Volkswagen Fan
None of the squeaks and rattles in my R were apparent for the first ~1500kms.Originally Posted by timetaker
All I can say especially just buying an R is that the best support you are ever going to get is the time right before signing for delivery of the vehicle. Try to really disconnect from the fact that you are getting a new toy and be super critical of every element of the vehicle, check the inside for any marks etc (my R had a chip in the shiny headunit surround) as beyond getting in the car and driving away any damage will be assumed to be done by you.
I have just gotten back from morning errands and the passenger side rattle seems to be non-existent or not noticeable at least during that drive but the rear doors, Oh. My. God. the whole B-pillar sounds as though its rubber on rubber shifting around back there...
Volkswagenist
We purchased our new T5 Van from Austral and the salesperson went to great lengths to tell me that "they" had an award winning mechanic on staff WOW , so if you are lucky enough top have your car serviced by this guy you may be okay , not sure how the other poor saps go though . As for issues with rattles from day dot one our two front doors closed with a resounding bounce , when closed you could easily push them inwards quite a few millimetres . I alerted Austral to this problem on first service and as usual a service advisor told me that yes they lubricated the strikers to fix the problem WOW that was pretty clever fix a lousy shutting door by applying more grease to the locks IDIOTS ! The advisor also informed me that the problem may have been caused by the seals hardening , well why not replace them if that's the case . I won't bore you all with other problems as it only raises my blood pressure , suffice to say next service I will not accept the van until that problem has been fixed properly .{and yes I do know how to fix myself it but it's up to the dealer to do the job no right not ME }.
Volkswagen Fan
In relation to the tint I can only recommend people have a look at theirs closely and see if there is bubbling around the edges or even the middle. When I spoke with the girl who manages tint/pp etc I was assured that no car has required more than 2 re-applications in her experience.
It's not that teething problems may exist - it's that there is no real responsibility taken and you are presented with a routine designed to make you feel like they are:
a) doing something special for you whilst,
b) simultaneously resisting any actual effort to correct it, and
c) blaming the vehicle design and "performance nature" for identified issues (which are not present in other vehicles of that type).
It is also clear that they put a LOT of vehicles though there and are pressured to get vehicles through. It's a volume workshop and is definitely not delivering quality. At least I can know who worked on my car recently though.... as there was a big black greasy hand-print on the white bonnet.
Having owned a number of vehicles of different makes I can comfortably say that I like a lot about the VW but purely on service reliability I would not recommend them. There are better brands offering more value and assurance than VW at the local level. A car purchase should include consideration of through life support and costing.... and this is where VW are dropping the ball in my opinion. I like the way my car drives, and have no remaining confidence in the company to back their vehicle.
Ultimate Dubber
Why dont you take it to a different dealer. You are bagging VW service when in fact it is a VW DEALER's service you are having trouble with..
2021 Kamiq LE 110 , Moon White, BV cameras F & B
Mamba Ebike to replace Tiguan
Volkswagen Fan
The dealer represents the company as far as I am concerned. They are the authorised representative of the brand.
The other local dealership I cut from my list early on as they were simply rude and disinterested in engaging a customer. That's not a lone biased opinion either... but in line with numerous individuals with similar stories.
Volkswagen Fan
Thought I'd provide an update to ensure a balanced view of things.
Car was delivered today for review of the tint and some rattles. Loan car was a VW convertible which I thought was nice.
Same very polite desk staff. I made sure my concerns were clearly identified on paper for the tint problems (diagrams) and did a quick road test regarding rattles.
No real success on the road test as the rattles don't occur all the time. Intermittent problems.... what can you do /shrug. I'm frustrated by these but it isn't the service department that's failing here... it's just a PITA at times to show them the problem so they can correctly fix it.
Pickup time:
report states tint inspected and ok. Loose trim identified on hatch fixed, door seals lubricated.
I inspect car:
1. trim still loose..... oops. Nicely fixed now though
2. Tint - seems car was inspected outdoors and with reflective tint you can't see the defects (the standard states no direct sunlight too iirc).
3. Other rattles in rear arm-rest still hard to fault find. Attempting leather protectant to reduce rubbing noise (might allow underlying rattle to be localised). This time they are thinking and actually looking for the fault so I'm pleased at least that is happening.
What I really liked:
The Service Manager wanted to meet to ensure my concerns were met and listened when I explained what had not gone well with the days efforts.
I explained the issue with tint inspection and he looked at it under fluorescent light. Problem is seen and he is in agreement that the glass or tint are an issue and he will take steps to achieve a solution. With that assessment I can be confident that I am at least on a path to having it resolved (not debating it's presence).
So... from today I take away that I still need to be insistent and check the service activity completed. Had I not been a little insistent, or had the Service Manager not taken a personal interest at this point in my 'issues' I'd have had a car with the same problems and generally disappointed attitude. Plus for me was actually having a sense that my concerns were valid and respected.
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