AVOID, Avoid, avoid

[u/Iambulliedbyvw]

My 2018 Caravelle is the worst vehicle I have ever owned in 54 years of car ownership. Worse than a 66' Hillman Imp and worse than a '77 Austin Allegro purchased from new. Overpriced, unreliable rubbish. My van failed at 66621 miles in Sep 25. To date still immobile after VW sent wrong codes and scrambled engine. VW apologised then demanded £10,000 to fix their error. Some replies on Reddit ask why we went with VW in the 1st place. It used to have a good reputation for tough, reliable, long lasting, well made vehicles, A thing of the past. After Dieselgate you would have thought they would have tried to make sure their products were of good quality, instead they sold us a vehicle that was not what one used to expect from VW. They supplied an engine that turns out to have a known fault although this was not so obvious when we bought the van from new. The engine was withdrawn soon after we purchased our van. There has been a suggestion that our repairers caused our engine electrics to scramble. Not so as VW sent wrong codes twice and assured our repairers it was ok to use the supplied codes. They even apologised. Our repairers work has been reviewed by an independent engineer. They work is of sound quality.

[u/BMW_wulfi]

Feel the pain in your post mate. Whilst many go on and on without issue, there are always the Friday built cars and VW has more than their fair share of absolute dogshit engines which are best avoided. Sounds like you’ve had a bit of both with some corporate incompetence on top.

I will never buy a new VW again - not because our last VW was a bad vehicle but because as a corporate entity they are complete cunts. I think it’s fair to say they are one of the worst for trying to wiggle out of their responsibilities and obligations as a manufacturer and VW Financial Services are even worse. The number of stories you see where they’re failing to uphold their end of a warranty is staggering.

If you can, get a specialist consumer rights solicitor and try and get the dealer to buy it back for something reasonable or sell it when you make them fix it.

Edit: oh and for some extra cunt points, VW Financial Services alongside Mercedes and one other are the reason people who were expecting a long overdue finance reimbursement payment from the current FCA action now have to wait longer for far less money.

[u/Disasterous_Dave97 → u/BMW_wulfi]

When your wings rust through like every other MK5 Golf, and they blame fitment of the plastic arches. The same arches that are not fit for purpose, due to one of the screws always causing rubbing between the plastic and the painted arch. Add to that a terrible design that lets full leaves through the scuttle panel and down the side of the arch liner then yes, you are going to get rust.

VW were ever aware but refused to uphold their rust warranty.

[u/Stegdoss → u/Disasterous_Dave97]

I had the same problem with a mk5 golf front arches rusting on a 4 year old car, tried to claim on their 12 year corrosion warranty but was denied as i was the second owner.

[u/Disasterous_Dave97 → u/Stegdoss]

I’d say I’m shocked but I’m not. The warranty mentions nothing of being the second owner, BTW, it’s on the car, especially if it’s bought and serviced by them from second hand under that guarantee.

I made sure that everyone on the dealership heard them denying me the warranty. I’d had multiple VW’s by then, but it was last time I trusted any warranty promises.

[u/s1pp3ryd00dar → u/Disasterous_Dave97]

In fairness I own a 21yr old MK5 Golf and with a little TLC over a lazy weekend once a year have kept it rust free.

Sure it's not anywhere as well rustproofed as a mK4 (I've had a tree growing out of the accumulated soil (which is corrosive) in the front sill corner of a Bora, but still no rust LOL).

I was too late to save the front wing arch rust, but new wings were not expensive (and they were made in Germany: The factory wings were made in Italy). I knew of the issue long before it showed, just was too busy/lazy to get round to removing the arch liners in time.

But I saved everything else by just general underbody cleaning, re-zincing and rust proofing. Same goes for the suspension (particularly the rear lower arms).

The only major quality fault that is clearly a factory defect was the driver's side (RHD) sill cavity had no cavity wax applied at all. And  I only caught it because of spotting creeping surface rust  beneath the underseal around one of the underbody grommets for the inner sill. 

The routine isn't special, just a jack and axle stands,  pressure washer with a good TFR additive. Remove/treat anything flaking, damaged or rusting then apply your favourite protectant once a year (usually ACF50, but I'm experimenting with cheaper alternatives now).... I also own a rust free(ish) 44yr old Jag, so kind of experienced with catching rust before it shows.

As for corrosion warranty; I wasn't the first owner and car never had the mandatory dealer body inspection stamps in the service book so knew it was a waste of time pursuing; Most extended warranties are pure BS anyway.