My new 2009 Jetta TDI

[fdnyguy]

Just under 20k on mine and no issues (knock wood??)

Dealership has been dynamic on my free servicing.

My condolences on your situation.

Your experiences with VW seem to be a great way to turn off a VW fanatic.

Again, best of luck.

Stay safe, stay well. Jimmy.

[subsonic]

Spent about an hour and a half at the dealer this morning.  They checked out the car, no codes.  VW asked them to pull certain data and send it to them so the could go over it.  Still waiting to find out if the data showed anything. 

Countdown is 5 days till arbitration.

[subsonic]

4 days.

Got a call from the dealer.  They want me to bring the car back in on Monday morning so they can pull more data from the computer.  They want to pull some sort of stored data stream to see if a Regeneration was happening  when the engine went wonky. 
I have lost count of how many times I have been to various VW dealerships to deal with this car.

[subsonic]

Had to loan a car to my Mother so the Monday appointment was cancled.  Tommorow morning is the official Hearing.  I will be getting a audio copy of the Hearing that I will try and post on line somewhere.  Still can't believe VW is denying the problems exist when I have confirmation of the faults in writing form the supplied VW e-mails and work orders.

[subsonic]

I had my Arbitration Hearing today. 

I won. 

I gotta tell you though, it was a god awful experience.  The VW rep was in no way interested in if the vehicle was actually defective.  He had seen the videos on here of the defects I had made.  He told me so before the hearing.  Once the hearing started, the first thing he did was to say that the actual hard copy dvd I had sent him did not arrive a full 5 buisness days before the hearing.  All of the members on the board had been given copies as well.  Since the rep did not get the hard copy 5 full buisness days before the hearing, he requested that all copies of the video be voided.  Request granted.  When
I mentioned to the chairman that the vw rep had just told me he had watched the videos, I got jacked up immediatly.    They dismissed, declared invalid and threw out EVERY SINGLE FAULT I presented except the power loss issue.  The only reason they even considered it was that two service managers duplicated the fault.  The VW rep and the service manager from seacoast vw immediatly brought up contaminated fuel as the possible cause.  The Arbitration Chairman was in agreement with the VW rep and good old chuck buzzle that the power loss, if not bad fuel, was nothing but turbo lag.  I had to argue and produce paperwork over and over again to dispute the claim.

The chairman told me the he did not want to hear one thing about the voided warranty due to the wrong oil being used.  "Not a manufacturers defect."  not one more thing about it.

The board technical rep compared my tranny noise to the rear differential of a pickup.  "Nothing to worry about."

Other great comments from these guys:

"All sunroofs rattle.  Next isue."

I will be getting a copy of the Hearing on a audio CD.  I will probably listen to it a few times, and then think about posting it online on youtube or something.

Parting comment from the Chairman to me was " Gather your things and get out."

A win is a win I guess, but man alive, owning a newer vw should not be this painful!

[Syncroincity]

VW obviously has more lawyers on the payroll than engineers or businessmen. This ratio will eventually kill the company. Your experience pretty much precludes my ever purchasing a new VW, as I personally know two other folks who've been put through the same mill with gasser cars. I still put most of the blame for faulty cars here in N. America at the feet of the Mexican production plant, using Mexican-made components to assemble "German" cars.

Congrats on winning the case, and thanks particularly for posting and keeping us updated. Spread the word, kids... the only way they will ever change their ways is bad publicity. Just don't sign your name, or you'll have packs of liars... I mean LAWYERS baying at your door. The customer has become the enemy.

[theman53]

How did you win when they threw all of it out? What did you win? Is everything better or what happens from here?

[subsonic]

How did you win when they threw all of it out? What did you win? Is everything better or what happens from here?

They dismissed, declared invalid and threw out EVERY SINGLE FAULT I presented except the power loss issue.

I had 10 reported instances of complete and sudden power loss while driving the car in traffic.  All the times I reported this to the dealers.  The dealers tried to duplicate many times to no avail, or so they said.  When VW turned over the e-mail that went back and forth between the tech's and VW technical support, it showed an example of one time where the fault had been duplicated exactly as I had described.
VWOA could not show a cause for the faults.  VWOA could not show a fix they had done to correct the faults.   Sudden and complete loss of engine power while driving in traffic substantially affects the saftey of the occupants and vehicle.

What I "win" is a new replacement Jetta TDI.  Perhaps a leftover 2009, but most likely a 2010.
They get this one back with 40k plus miles on it, try to figure out what the hell is wrong with it, and then I guess they re-sell it out of state.  I honestly would have just prefered it if the 09 had just worked the way it should have from the get go.

I guess the process takes a month or so for everything to happen.  VWOA needs to supply me with a new  jetta tdi that is equipped the same as my current 09 Jetta TDI Loyal Edition.

[theman53]

Great...now post your vin so when somebody else gets stuck with it they will have a place to start. Post vin after it is out of your possesion though:D

[burn_your_money]

Wow. Well I'm very happy to hear that you won. I hope your new car is nothing like this one.

[rallydiesel]

Sounds like a wonderful experience  . I'm sure they will just sell the car to some unsuspecting person.

[rabbitman]

"All sunroofs rattle.  Next isue."

That's funny!! My rabbit ( read: My rattly, shaky, vibrating, buzzing rabbit) has an aftermarket moonroof and it's never rattled .

[catlin_cava]

"All sunroofs rattle.  Next isue."

I have to go Against VW with that one...Every VW I've ever owned with a sunroof has never rattled. Not even vibrated in cross winds or at high speeds...They where trying to make excuses to make you look bad and like a complainer and I think from what you have posted its going to keep us from buying a new VW anytime soon.

Congradulation on winning thou, hopefully the new car won't be lemon.

[theman53]

The chairman told me the he did not want to hear one thing about the voided warranty due to the wrong oil being used.  "Not a manufacturers defect."  not one more thing about it.

What exactly are you to do then if a dealer won't do anything about it and the arbitration doesn't want to hear it? Basically from what this says is you must sue to get the right oil.

[subsonic]

I guess they mean it was not a manufactorers defect.  I think a argument can be made about vw care free maintenance program.  It comes with the car, the manufactor provides for it through its dealers.  The cost is included in the purchase price of the car.   

I am not sure what avenue you would use to go after a dealer who voided your warranty and damaged the engine by using the wrong oil.  The owners manual is very clear that those are the results of using non 507 oil in the 09.  I dont think small claims court would be able to go high enough.  I guess you would have to hire a laywer and sue in court.   I guess the real way to make it happen would be to get as many owners who could prove the wrong oil was used and go after the dealer in a mini class action suit.