“I am writing this review following an extremely disappointing experience with both Volkswagen UK Customer Services and a franchised Volkswagen retailer operating under the Volkswagen Approved Used scheme.
I purchased a Volkswagen vehicle which was sold as a Volkswagen Approved Used car. Vehicles sold under this scheme are marketed as having undergone a comprehensive inspection and preparation process designed to ensure that they meet Volkswagen’s quality and compliance standards before sale.
Unfortunately, my experience suggests that these standards were not met.
After purchasing the vehicle it became apparent, based on the service history documentation provided with the car, that there was outstanding service work due within a short timeframe of the purchase date. This raises serious concerns about whether the vehicle actually met the eligibility criteria required to be sold under the Volkswagen Approved Used programme.
Despite repeatedly requesting documentation relating to the vehicle’s pre-sale preparation and inspection – including the multi-point check (MPC) sheet – this documentation has still not been provided.
The absence of this documentation is particularly concerning because one of the key checks within the Approved Used inspection relates to whether all service work due within a specified period has been completed prior to sale.
If this work was not completed, then the vehicle should not have been sold under the Approved Used scheme. If it was certified as compliant despite outstanding service work, then serious questions arise about the integrity of the inspection process.
Equally disappointing has been the handling of the complaint by Volkswagen UK Customer Services.
Over the course of several weeks I experienced:
• Missed scheduled call-backs from Volkswagen Customer Services
• Repeated lack of responses to calls and emails
• Minimal proactive engagement with the retailer
• Requests from Volkswagen asking me for updates on the situation with the dealership — something that should clearly be managed by Volkswagen when they are handling a formal complaint
Information obtained through a Subject Access Request suggests that Volkswagen UK's involvement with the retailer has been extremely limited, despite the seriousness of the complaint and the fact that the vehicle was sold under a programme that carries the Volkswagen brand.
Volkswagen promotes the Approved Used scheme as providing reassurance and quality control for customers purchasing used vehicles through franchised retailers. However, when a customer raises concerns that a vehicle may not meet the scheme’s own criteria, it is reasonable to expect Volkswagen to take an active role in ensuring that the standards associated with its brand are upheld.
Unfortunately this has not been my experience.
At the time of writing the situation remains unresolved and the vehicle remains unused while a significant amount of money remains tied up in a car that may not comply with the standards it was sold under.
I hope Volkswagen UK reviews how complaints involving vehicles sold under the Approved Used scheme are handled in future, and ensures that customers who rely on the credibility of the programme receive the support and oversight that the Volkswagen brand implies.
Further to this, Volkswagen UK Customer Services have indicated that a franchised Volkswagen dealership selling a non-compliant vehicle under the Volkswagen Approved Used scheme is effectively a matter solely between the customer and the dealership.
A consumer would reasonably assume that where a vehicle is sold under a branded manufacturer scheme, Volkswagen UK would have some degree of responsibility in ensuring that franchised retailers comply with the standards required by that scheme.
A consumer would also reasonably expect that concerns regarding potential non-compliance with the Approved Used programme would receive meaningful oversight and engagement from Volkswagen UK, rather than being dismissed as solely a matter between the customer and the dealership.
Finally, a complainant would also expect that updates provided by Volkswagen UK during a complaint investigation would be accurate and reflect the current situation, rather than information that appears to be significantly out of date.”
“After my withdrawal was rejected, I found myself locked out of my trading account. It was stressful, and I felt helpless. However, Mrs. Mercy and her team stepped in and took charge. They worked diligently to unlock my account and recover my funds. Their professionalism and care made all the difference.”
“After my withdrawal was rejected, I found myself locked out of my trading account. It was stressful, and I felt helpless. However, Mrs. Mercy and her team stepped in and took charge. They worked diligently to unlock my account and recover my funds. Their professionalism and care made all the difference.”
“I have just found out the hard way that the sunroof on my Golf GT does not have a manual override if it fails. Also that it will cost approx. £2000 to repair. This is especially bad news if your sunroof is open when it fails.
Who manufactures a car with a sunroof that has no manual override in case of emergency?
This surely is a massive design flaw… which surely VW (the brand) should look into?
West London VW (previously Inchape and under which I bought my car, were taken over by Citygate) have informed me that the earliest they can look at my car is in 2 months time!
As they explained to me, I am not their customer as I bought the car under Inchape not Citygate.
Bottom line, any dealership selling VWs should have a duty of care to VW customers past, present and future.
So who better to report this all to than VW Customer Services… who else can help with VW product failure issues and customer service issues?
Although I was initially told by VW Customer Services that no VW customer should be made to feel alone or without value… this is precisely how I have been made to feel…
If your car is over 3 years old and out of warranty, they will not help you…
Even if you wish to log a (massive) design flaw.
I love VWs - I have only ever bought and driven VWs - but my experience with this, and over time, is that VW ultimately don’t really care about their customers once you have bought the car.
(If there was an option to leave no stars with my review here, that is what I would have done.)”
“Took my passat estate into their garage to have a timing belt and water pump done, as everyone knows this is a big and expensive job hence the reason I wanted a main dealer to do the work for peace of mind. I took my car down to them and couldn't park anywhere, the car park was flooded with cars dumped all over the place so I had to just leave it blocking cars in. My car was left with them over night and returned back to me at my home address the day after. The delivery driver left it on the street so I came out and moved it onto my drive, I then noticed a huge scratch on the roof of the car !. I emailed the service advisor and advised her ( Anna Fletcher ) of this and also the fact the book wasnt stamped ( after her telling me she would double check before it left ). She asked me to come back down and I got the book stamped and she looked at the scratch. She then asked me to wait until her manager was finished chatting so I waited 20 mins then told her I couldnt wait any longer. She told me once she had spoken to him she would email me back but never did. I emailed her again ( so I had everything in black and white ) asking her what was going on. Anna rang me today and basically told me " the scratch could not have happend in there " How could it not have happened in there ? is there some sort of bubble the cars are kept in I don't know about ? I have now threatend them with legal action.”
