posted 03-01-2004 02:40 PM            

Wife purchased a 2001 TDI new. She slid off the road in '02. No visible damage but 2 days later the serpentine belt blew. I replaced it at a mechanics (non VW) close to my work at 48,000KM's. Belt blew again at around 49,500 so we decided to go the insurance route and get it fixed at the WATERLOO, ONTARIO CANADA VW DEALERSHIP on Weber St. That cost 2G's approx to fix and it was covered on the claim. My definition for the word repair: TO FIX ALL DAMAGES AND RESTORE TO PREVIOUS STATE... Belt blew again at 68,000KM's. Made her pay for it($100) Mass Air Flow Sensor at 72,000. Made her pay for half($400). Window Drop at 84,000 then again at 90,000.

So we are good up to 148,000 then bam! the Serpentine belt blows again. We take it to CROSBY'S in KITCHENER ONTARIO thinking that they would give us a better idea of the "recurring" problem. CROSBY quotes my wife $3,000. Aparently "everything" needs to be replaced. I called CROSBY fuming and the price dropped to $1500. I then explaind to CROSBY's our situation and they agreed that a belt blowing off in that frequency would set off some alarms and that the other dealer (WATERLOO) should have handled it differently. I called the WATERLOO dealership with my plea and they wanted nothing to do with me. I told the Sales Manager that "they were losing 2 customers for life". his reply: "ok, bye." {click}

I took the car to TOYOTA right down the street from the WATERLOO VW on Northfield Dr. They fixed our car for $350 bucks! The best service I've ever gotten from a car dealership. And guess where they got the parts? WATERLOO VW!

Quick price breakdown:
Engine Cover: $450(VW), $320(Toyota)– BTW it’s a piece of plastic
Idler Pully: $140(VW), $60(Toyota) – BTW it’s a skateboard wheel
Serpentine: $92(VW), $30(Toyota) – it’s a piece of rubber

I called VW Canada. Nothing they can do. I called the GM of the WATERLOO Store, "I guess we lost your business then."

WOW. VW must be raking in the cash to just blow off 2 customers. But what they don't realize is they lost 6 customers in that deal. 1 co-worker, 3 friends, myself, and my wife.

Im hoping for more with this post and many more to come.

Piss on ya VW

posted 03-02-2004 10:44 AM         

Serpentine belt or TIMING BELT?

I don't see a serp. belt causing $2k in damage?

If it was the T-belt, was the tensioner and rollers replaced too? If not, the dealer did not follow your instructions, and owes you some money!