Bought VW MK7 from VW Dealership with strange sounds

[GolfMatchMK7]

Hi everyone,

Earlier this month I bought a MK7 Golf Match DSG (Used Approved) from VW Dealership. Once making the 150mile journey back to London, I realised that when driving below 20mph I can hear a weird 'clunking' noise which sounds like something may be loose but I've checked everything in terms on interior wise. Also hear a weird screeching/sound from predominantly front driver side when driving over a speed bump.

However, if on absolute perfectly smooth roads (not much in London!) and driving above 20mph the car doesn't make these strange noises

I've contacted dealership who said to avoid the adding another 300 miles on the clock driving to them and back to get it fixed; to instead take it to a local trusted garage and they will be happy to pay for the issue if found.

I took it to my local who have been tried and tested by me for years. They're a busy garage and have no time to mug anyone off. If there is a job to be done they will do it and if not, they will send you on your way with reassurance. I took it to them and they said two front shock absorbers, ballpoints and links need replacing. I was shocked that buying a car from a dealership would have problems like this. I rang VW to tell them this and the manager (proper friendly and helpful bloke) called bullsh*t on it and said there’s no way there’s that much wrong with the car and he insists it comes back to the dealership even if it means sending a driver with a courtesy car to collect it to avoid me having to make the journey.

Has anyone else heard these noises on their MK7 Golf and managed to get to the bottom of it? What if they take the car and tell me they haven't found anything?

The car itself is in a brilliant condition, lovely engine and full service history with VW as well as the most recent major service and cam-belt change done just a month before me buying it. No other issues with it.

 

[golfdave]

Basically get the VW dealer you bought it from to collect the car on a low loader at their expense, & get the garage who did the inspection to put in writing their findings.

I would firstly stall the dealer & get either the AA or RAC to come out & do a car inspection, which will cost you a few hundred, but they will be able to see the car as is & they are more "independent" than your local garage, & will put in a proper report.

You must also put in writing to the dealer head Director (by recorded delivery) that the car is not as per the advert & not as per the sale of goods act...& they have to cover all your costs & fix it at their cost or they have to hand you back your money & you request a full refund.

Basically it looks like the car wasn't properly checked by the dealer before being released & the sales bloke knows bugger all about his operation "at the coal face".

 

[jimlloyd40]

Welcome to the forum. I would let the dealer send a courtesy car. It sounds like they might take care of the problem.

 

[GolfMatchMK7]

Basically get the VW dealer you bought it from to collect the car on a low loader at their expense, & get the garage who did the inspection to put in writing their findings.

I would firstly stall the dealer & get either the AA or RAC to come out & do a car inspection, which will cost you a few hundred, but they will be able to see the car as is & they are more "independent" than your local garage, & will put in a proper report.

You must also put in writing to the dealer head Director (by recorded delivery) that the car is not as per the advert & not as per the sale of goods act...& they have to cover all your costs & fix it at their cost or they have to hand you back your money & you request a full refund.

Basically it looks like the car wasn't properly checked by the dealer before being released & the sales bloke knows bugger all about his operation "at the coal face".

Thanks for the response pal!

I’ve already got AA cover on the car with I think every option on the cover - will it still cost me to bring them out to check the car?
Can’t I just ring and say oh I’ve just heard something on my car can you have a look at it?

Cheers!

 

[GolfMatchMK7]

Welcome to the forum. I would let the dealer send a courtesy car. It sounds like they might take care of the problem.

Cheers bud. I hope they do as I’m not looking forward to a possible conversation where they try to tell me nothing is wrong with it!

 

[golfdave]

Thanks for the response pal!

I’ve already got AA cover on the car with I think every option on the cover - will it still cost me to bring them out to check the car?
Can’t I just ring and say oh I’ve just heard something on my car can you have a look at it?

Cheers!

AA will look at the car, but what you are wanting is a full vehicle report, which is a different item...as if the car has been released with such failures as your local garage states, I would want somebody to inspect it thoroughly to find any other lurking faults!!..

 

[golfdave]

AA reports..get the comprehensive version worth every penny of the £191...

Vehicle inspection - check a used car | AA (theaa.com)

 

[GolfMatchMK7]

AA reports..get the comprehensive version worth every penny of the £191...

Vehicle inspection - check a used car | AA (theaa.com)

Honestly appreciate the advice mate. Will drop an update on here in a weeks time with any progress in getting the issues resolved. Already been 20+ days since collecting car so I think its gone long enough.

 

[GolfMatchMK7]

*UPDATE*
After weeks of hassle and in the region of 20/30 phonecalls (mostly me trying to get an update and getting lazy half hearted responses); The dealership has finally sorted me out a loan car and booked car in for next week. Fingers crossed they fix the issue and all goes well.

Unfortunately, due to me having a previous offence on my license I have to drive up there (150 miles) myself, drop car off and swap with courtesy car. But I’m pleased the ball has finally started rolling in terms of issues being fixed - will update you all after its back!

 

[golfdave]

*UPDATE*
After weeks of hassle and in the region of 20/30 phonecalls (mostly me trying to get an update and getting lazy half hearted responses); The dealership has finally sorted me out a loan car and booked car in for next week. Fingers crossed they fix the issue and all goes well.

Unfortunately, due to me having a previous offence on my license I have to drive up there (150 miles) myself, drop car off and swap with courtesy car. But I’m pleased the ball has finally started rolling in terms of issues being fixed - will update you all after its back!

Did you get an AA report on the car?

 

[MonkeyMD]

Don't know how the AA inspections are now but when I lived there 20 years ago, they were useless. Got an inspection and later on AC didn't actually work and headlights didn't work. They wouldn't honor any repairs saying they worked when they inspected it.

 

[golfdave]

Don't know how the AA inspections are now but when I lived there 20 years ago, they were useless. Got an inspection and later on AC didn't actually work and headlights didn't work. They wouldn't honor any repairs saying they worked when they inspected it.

depends on the level of inspection & if its a so called dealer "AA" inspection or you being a member paying for an inspection....


I know others who have had AA top end inspections which have found a huge lists of faults with the cars...I myself have used RAC inspections as I was an RAC member at the time.....but as the OP has a recalcitrant garage, its his only option, otherwise by using another garage who may or may not put in writing the faults, it gets into a legal battle of which garage is right...

 

[GolfMatchMK7]

*UPDATE*

Dropped car off to dealership a couple days ago. Making sure everything is dealt with properly I insisted that one of their technicians gets in the car with me to hopefully hear the noises whilst I drive - just incase they later say they have found no faults.

Luckily, on the test drive he heard all the noises and had told me there is something definitely wrong with the car and he suspects that the bushes need replacing as well as the rear droplinks and maybe shock absorbers - so my local garage wasn’t lying to me after all! But they will understand more whilst its on the ramp - so now they definitely can’t ring me to say there’s nothing wrong with the car.

He also asked if there’s anything else they should look at whilst the car is here and to save me this journey all over again - so I asked him to look at the rattling speaker on the passenger door, the scratching noise when windows operated on driver door and a loose 12V Cigarette Lighter socket. Might aswell no?

As for courtesy car, they have given me a 70 plate VW Polo 1.0 Manual - which I wasn’t too happy about considering I have a Golf DSG Auto but unfortunately, in my scenario with a previous ban on my license, beggers can’t be choosers!

Will update you all after next conversation with dealership.

 

[GolfMatchMK7]

Did you get an AA report on the car?

Hi bud. I actually rang AA and they said although most dealerships will honour a full report from them - with suspension issues and weird noises, they aren’t able to put it on a ramp due to everything being done on the roadside or your home address - the most they can do in the report is indeed confirm that there are noises and briefly advise on what it may be - which dealerships will be probably not honour as there isn’t a proper diagnosis of problem. They did say I can take it to one of their partner garages to put on ramp, but that would be an extra cost on top of the report cost - so I wasn’t really prepared to spend that type of money for something which the dealership should deal with.

As for getting my local garage to put it in writing for what they discovered, I didn’t ask and I don’t want to bother them with a job they’re not going to do or get paid for.

 

[VDubberinDE]

*UPDATE*

Dropped car off to dealership a couple days ago. Making sure everything is dealt with properly I insisted that one of their technicians gets in the car with me to hopefully hear the noises whilst I drive - just incase they later say they have found no faults.

Luckily, on the test drive he heard all the noises and had told me there is something definitely wrong with the car and he suspects that the bushes need replacing as well as the rear droplinks and maybe shock absorbers - so my local garage wasn’t lying to me after all! But they will understand more whilst its on the ramp - so now they definitely can’t ring me to say there’s nothing wrong with the car.

He also asked if there’s anything else they should look at whilst the car is here and to save me this journey all over again - so I asked him to look at the rattling speaker on the passenger door, the scratching noise when windows operated on driver door and a loose 12V Cigarette Lighter socket. Might aswell no?

As for courtesy car, they have given me a 70 plate VW Polo 1.0 Manual - which I wasn’t too happy about considering I have a Golf DSG Auto but unfortunately, in my scenario with a previous ban on my license, beggers can’t be choosers!

Will update you all after next conversation with dealership.

Why are you assuming your dealer is not going to fix it? They acknowledged the noises. Sounds like they are doing the right thing.
Let it play out before making them sound like they are doing something wrong.
There is also some myth dealers do a detailed inspection on used cars. They don't. They drive them, check the basics like brakes and stuff and put it on lot.
But they are taking care of the issue it sounds like.