Mad at Northland

[Electrofuzz]

Well, now I'm really mad. Too begin with, I struggled with Northland when buying my Jetta off the used side. For weeks I had to make phone calls and chase people around to get some stuff done.

Finally, I take delivery of my car and I'm thrilled. Now comes my first service and they proceed to tell me that my car is missing all three of the plastic covers that go underneath the engine. And they proceed to tell me that they are 100 dollars each. And that I have to pay for them out of pocket.

If this is a certified vehicle, does it not mean I would get the vehicle in original condition?

I'm so sick and tired of the damned VW dealers in this city that I will not be buying another Volkswagon.

I now need to fork out 300 dollars to buy these damned plastic pieces - which I'm sure will just bottom out anyways when I get my new suspension - and of course, my salesman says "Oh. Well, I guess that's your problem with your car..."

Very happy. Very, very happy.

Any ideas? /end rant

[vaggod]

Re: Mad at Northland

Phone vw customer service and complain tell them that you don't think that your car qualified as a certified used car with these pieces missing. Otherwise ask to talk to Darren McNeil (sales/general manager) tell him you are unhappy with what you thought was a certified used car.

That’s all I can think of. In reality though you don't need the plastic pan that is under the engine.

Good luck!
1 (800) 822-8987 < vw customer care line

[Kor]

Re: Mad at Northland

I would argue that VW knew the vehicle was missing those pieces if they did any kind of cursory inspection. This is definitely very borderline and I am surprised the dealership would try to make it stick if you complained. You should nonetheless call VW customer service and outline the situation.

Worst case, do not buy the pieces, they are fairly non-functional.

[Simon]

Re: Mad at Northland

dont worry about the covers, mine got ripped off in the first year and havent ever been replaced. they fall/rip off easily.

[James]

Re: Mad at Northland

you're telling me!

I tried calling northland to set up service 4 times in the last 2 weeks now. Everytime they say they'll put me thru, it rings and rings and rings until it goes back to reception then she says "still waiting?"

"...yup"

Hold again..Repeat this for 20 minutes EACH call (usually Id give up after 5 but I just wanted to wait that long to see exactly HOW shitty the service was)

Eventually I said "Ok, do you guys just not want customers because this is the 4th time Ive called and not been able to get through to a service rep" she said "well, they're all busy right now" ...This particular call was placed at about 1:30 from work..probably a dealerships least busy time.

So I say "well i just called 5th ave and got right through" unfortunatly, I dont want 5th ave doing work on my car because northland tech's are the best IMO so i was told to set up an appt with them.

At this point I ask to speak to the service manager. Ring Ring Ring - Voicemail. Call back, ask to have him/her paged: held for 5 minutes and back to reception saying that he must be on a test drive or something.

2 big thumbs down to NL for this one

edit: Also, when I bought my CPO car they said they would replace the sliding ashtray thing (its been broken since I got the car) and replace the plastic trim on the driver side because its peeling...Neither of which were done.

[aussiefishy]

Re: Mad at Northland

Well, the plastic covers underneath can be obtain if you shop around in the caryard too.. if you know some bodyshop people around town..

mine ripped off 3 years ago and my car ran error free since i got it ripped off..

but i guess it's not the matter of not having it, but the "Certified" thing...

Possible solution:

1. bug the VW canada thing.... not sure if i want to do that...
2. just admitted that you have had a bad day and drive home happy (that's what i would do)
3. sell this one and buy a brand new one!!

service in NL?? no comment... i laugh evertime when they send me letters regarding how important customer feedback are to them...

[Electrofuzz]

Re: Mad at Northland

And I thought the day couldn't get any worse -- but it did.

I go to Husky tonight to fill up. I swipe my card, say yes to a carwash and put my pin in, etc, etc etc. It comes back rejected. Piss me off. So I swipe the card again, put my pin in, etc, etc.. and fuel up. Total comes to 36.99.

I wash my car and get home and log online to check my bank balance to see two debits from Husky for 36.99 within 30 seconds of eachother. Really mad now. And Husky won't refund because "they can't verfiy it."... So I got screwed for 36.99. And, even better, this is the second time something like this has happened at a pay at the pump...

So, watch your bank balances closely.

[Khyron]

Re: Mad at Northland

You can get your money back from Husky - contact your bank. 2 duplicate charges in 1 minute from a gas station is pretty obviously an error.

My plastic pieces are sitting in my basement - they make taking off the bumper a pain. Don't pay for them.

Funny about the service request - I got mad at NL for not answering for my 48K service so I decided to try 5th ave. First call was great, answered and scheduled. But a few days later when I blew a tire?

Called, left voicemail on some guys message. Phoned back a few hours later, after bitching, talked to someone who claimed to be a manager, said there was no voicemail (turns out they had it forwarded to a guy who quit). Talk to a service rep who's in the shop. He tells me my phone sucks and that I should shout (I'm in an office with a digital corporate phone). I refuse so he hangs up. I call back again - this time leave a verbal message with a receptionist. Still have not been called back. At least NL answered their voicemail within 30 mins.

Bottom line - both those dealers are fucking moronic with their phones. Pay some kid 10 bucks an hour to answer the damn phone and make appointments or teach the receptionist how to do it. Can you imagine a phaeton owner going through the BS above to schedule an oil change? My buddy has never had trouble making an appointment with Subaru or Acura - maybe because they grasp that it's business? Once you get in, both dealers have great service IMO.

Khyron

[gaffer]

Re: Mad at Northland

Booking services in this town is like pulling teeth.

It cant be that hard to have a service line that rings through to a viocemail and have someone assigned to call people back. Hell, there are answering services in town that will do that for you & even book the appointment.

When ever I get those phone calls from VW asking how my service was I always mention that it is impossible to book a service.

Andrew

[Mr. Burns]

Re: Mad at Northland

I have given up calling NL for service. I just stop in and make my appointments on my way home from work.

[Khyron]

Re: Mad at Northland

I just got a phone survey asking about my 5th Ave service. I gave them 5's for everything except "ease of making appointment" - they got a nice 2 for that. Anything less than a 5 gets noticed by the management sooner or later.

I was told that the Service manager at 5th Ave was fired/left and so they didn't even have one for the last half of November. Maybe that explains part of the problem?

Khyron

[Kor]

Re: Mad at Northland

Weird that service managers seem to turn over all the time...

[gaffer]

Re: Mad at Northland

I was told that the Service manager at 5th Ave was fired/left and so they didn't even have one for the last half of November. Maybe that explains part of the problem?Khyron

I had also heard that, which does not make me too sad. He was a real ***hole. I cought him in a bald faced lie regarding my seats. He said they took pictures & sent them to VW, then accused me of cutting my seats. When I asked for the pictures, he said that they didnt take any. Hmm, so how then did you send them to VW who supposedly denied my warranty claim on them. I told him where he can go, and went to NL who actually sent the pics to VW, and who are replacing my seat cover.

Based on that I dont think I will ever be going back to 5th, even if I have to drive across the city for a simple oil change.

Andrew

[GINCH]

Re: Mad at Northland

I had also heard that, which does not make me too sad. He was a real ***hole. I cought him in a bald faced lie regarding my seats. He said they took pictures & sent them to VW, then accused me of cutting my seats. When I asked for the pictures, he said that they didnt take any. Hmm, so how then did you send them to VW who supposedly denied my warranty claim on them. I told him where he can go, and went to NL who actually sent the pics to VW, and who are replacing my seat cover.

Based on that I dont think I will ever be going back to 5th, even if I have to drive across the city for a simple oil change.

Andrew

Hey Andrew,
I'm sorry to hear about your experience with the old service manager. The stories are true and he has left our organization. Its been a bit difficult over the last 2 months without a service manager however I think they have all done a bang up job. I sincerely hope that you do give us another chance Andrew because you are a great customer of ours for many years!
Sincerely
Derek Niers