VW Corrosion Warranty

[Conniff]

This thread has been viewed 50,429 times, more than any other thread. This says to me that this is a big problem with a lot of people.

[max_gain]

Crikey !!!!!! Never expected that when I started this thread. My site got hit by 97 users earlier when I looked. Its norm is anything around 8 - 15 per day, not unless I have had a purge on all the web forums whereby it last hit 300 in day...

 

Regardless of all that. The MD of the UK has refused to comment on any form of "Compensation" for UK owners. I fail to see how if they compensate the US customer base, they will get away with not doing the same for the rest of the world.

 

As previously mentioned, VW have put back £4.7bn in the way of dealing with this scandal. But after the US boss in the states was called to congress and told he may be looking at repaying every affected customer their original purchase price, this will increase their original figure by 10 in the US alone. If you multiply that to the 11,000,000 vehicles affected worldwide and say pick a midway between the high end motors and the smaller end stuff of say £15,000 per customer, it equates to a wholesome figure of £165bn ????

 

I would have to question if VW even have that kind of money sat around for a rainy day. That would mean a lot of very P*ssed shareholder who can kiss goodbye their dividends payments for the foreseeable future.

 

Obviously this is all speculation. But like you said previously Conniff, I am sure Chancellor Merkel has the cash to spare !!!!

[Conniff]

I can't see that even the yanks whose first school lesson must surely be 'how to sue someone' would get away with that. The problem hasn't affected the drive and use of the car or the enjoyment.

But, the US being the US, I've no doubt they will give it a go.

[max_gain]

Yes, agree. I would imagine it hard to believe if they pulled that off.

 

The fact is, in the US all the corrosion issues, and other common issues like the electronic steering locking mechanisms failing, but the replacement mechanism not working with the existing CCM (communications and comfort controller if my memory serves me correctly) which also has to be replaced at a cost of £700 just for the CCM is simply covered the US. I have read of owners in the UK having to shell out near on £1000 to have what amounts to a £75 steering locking mechanism replaced. But in the US, no problem sir, take a seat we will get it done in a jiffy,,, or whatever US speak for a Jiffy is ha ha ha ha... The mechanism itself is just a plastic box with a few micro switches. How the hell can’t it work with what’s originally installed in the vehicle ....

 

I bet our friends across the pond must learn the basics of US law and suing for compo in kindergarten ....

 

Don’t forget,,, Where there’s BLAME, there’s a CLAIM …..

[Conniff]

With ref to your last remark, there certainly is.

 

I don't think we push enough. There are lots of threads on here where the case has been good but when advised to take it to court have replied that they can't be bothered with all that, so the winner wins twice.

[max_gain]

I know exactly what you mean. This is where we let ourselves down big time. Retailers and suppliers pretty much know that on that on the whole most individuals just cant be bothered to go to court.

 

But occasionally there’s a curve ball thrown and an individual is prepared to fight it all the way. This is what happened in the case of the gentleman who runs rusting-volkswagen. He got to court, and literally just as they were about to enter the hearing, VW relented and gave him what he was justifiably after. I have a lot of respect for Karl as he paved the way for the rest of us. VW know they can’t win one of these corrosion claims if it went as far as court, because they have set a precedence with Karl.

 

It was the same with the injector problems so I believe. I think it was BBC watchdog who intervened and the almighty VW were made to recall the vehicles. People in the UK never appreciate just how much influence they have when "People Power" is a applied.

[max_gain]

All on a day when the rest of the VAG groups vehicle emissions specifications are being investigated, I highlight the plight of a gentleman I have been assisting with regards to his Anti-Corrosion warranty claim.

 

It would appear that a ruthless COST CUTTING exercise is already taking its grip well within the folds of VW UK.

 

The VW customer has probably the worst case of corrosion spread throughout his car that I have come across. These are the facts

 

 

• All his paint depth measurements are within factory tolerance
  
• He has ROT in both rear and front wheel arches, bonnet, tailgate and doors.
  
• VW's quote to repair the ROT is £8000
  
• They initially asked him to stump up £4000 towards the cost as they were generously giving him 50% factory goodwill towards the WARRANTY claim.
  
• After sending a letter to the current UK CEO whoever he maybe today ??? And issuing VW with a Data Access request to collate information to seek the additional costs of the repairs through the small claims court, he was passed to the team who play "Damage Limitations", ie the Management Executive Team.
  
• The customer paid for an independent vehicle assessors report to evaluate the extent of the corrosion and advise what works needed to be carried out in order to remedy the ROT. The gentleman kindly asked VW to contribute 50% towards the cost of this report. To this day he is still waiting for a response.
  
• VW agree to cover the cost of repairing 75% of the vehicle, claiming it was "Not economically viable for them to repair his entire vehicle under the terms of the Anti-corrosion warranty". They refuse to repair the Rear Wheel Arches !
  
• The customer suggests a payment of 50% of the costs of the original VW quote (a sum of £4000) and he would get ALL the repairs done himself and sign a wavier regarding the existing Anti-Corrosion warranty. IE the anti-corrosion warranty would cease from that day.
  
• VW point blank refuse and offer him a pittance.
  

 

 

So here we have a customer being told his vehicle, which VW are keen to sale you with the idea that your car will easily last 12 yrs and beyond due to their very comprehensive Anti-Corrosion Warranty, being told his vehicle is beyond economical repair. They wont repair it, or give him half what they were prepared to spend on it so he can get the repairs done elsewhere and the amount offered is no way near enough for him to purchase another similar year and model Vehicle.

 

 

Here are examples are the corrosion on the tailgate. The rest of the vehicle is as bad....

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60122[/ATTACH]

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60123[/ATTACH]

[Conniff]

Hello Max. It would seem the only way out of this will be through the courts.

Just because they have been caught out cheating the world and it is going to cost them lots, is no reason to deny liability for their other responsibilities.

 

Gather together the brochures and paperwork that detail the paint warranty and make him a case to take forward.

[max_gain]

Hi Conniff,

 

many thanks for your help once again. I agree, now there's momentum behind anything VW, he would be best to look at court action. The gentleman was initially trying to avoid using any form of social or other media and was hoping VW would simply hear the voice of reason. However, they have just stringed him along. Due to the horrendous nature of his corrosion, I dedicated a page on my site to show all the troubled areas and all the hoops he had to jump through just to get to a stalemate situation.

 

During my initial dealings when I was trying to get my Passat repaired, I looked through all their glossy's and financial reports around the time the car was manufactured and hit them with all their"Quality Missions".

 

I think he was hoping that VW would have come to their senses, seeing as he has given them every reasonable opportunity to fully repair the vehicle or compensate him.

 

To be honest, I have been silently hoping they would not start hacking away at warranty claims, but I guess other than mass redundancies, I guess warranty work is the next easy target. And we all know by experience just how VW attempt to avoid covering issues which are well documented within the industry. You just have to look at the Injector and Injector loom issues these B6 Passats had. If my memory served me right, it was BBC Watchdog intervention that finally made VW UK relent and do a full recall.

 

Cheers

 

Stu