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Turns out I bought a tuned CPO car

mrmatto

Autocross Champion
Location
Jacksonville, FL
Car(s)
2024 GTI DSG
While I'm glad it sounds like you're going to be getting the outcome you want, your analogy doesn't really line up. You didn't buy, or at least intend to buy, a tuned GTI with tuned GTI power. You bought, and expected to get, a stock GTI with stock GTI power. It's more akin to buying an Ecoboost Mustang, then them saying "Sorry, you bought an Ecoboost, but it actually has a 5.0 engine in it. For us to cover it, it has to be brought back to the level you bought.". Now, if they advertised it as an APR Tuned CPO car, or at least that was the assumption it was when you bought it, your analogy would line up. I think the dealer would be perfectly in line to say "We'll honor the CPO warranty, but the tune has to be removed", and let you decide which is more important to you.

Regardless, it doesn't sound like that was the outcome anyway, so you got to have your cake and eat it too.
Your analogy doesn't really change the situation. The point was I bought a car, not knowing it's modified, for the power I experienced in the test drive. I've never driven another GTI. So from a sales perspective and vehicle disclosure perspective, I thought that was a stock GTI. For the dealer to suggest they have to remove power from the car in order the warranty is unacceptable because that power was what I bought. Regardless of the label you want to put on it, the vehicle I bought is the vehicle I expect to retain. And the warranty I bought is the warranty I expect to retain. That is my default position and only until that option is completely exhausted will I be willing to consider a different remedy.

If all of these had been discovered upfront, before the sale, the situation would be somewhat different. But as it is now, the dealer and I have a contract.
 
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EpicTech

Autocross Champion
Location
Houston
Car(s)
MK7 GTI 6sp w/PP
Why all the back and forth? They sold the car under the CPO program and should adhere to what that entails. Doesn't matter if it is stock or tuned. If they do not adhere, you have a contract, so just threaten legal action if they give you any shit, or otherwise try to make you pay for undisclosed fees because the car is tuned.
 

mrmatto

Autocross Champion
Location
Jacksonville, FL
Car(s)
2024 GTI DSG
Why all the back and forth? They sold the car under the CPO program and should adhere to what that entails. Doesn't matter if it is stock or tuned. If they do not adhere, you have a contract, so just threaten legal action if they give you any shit, or otherwise try to make you pay for undisclosed fees because the car is tuned.
The back and forth is because I want to resolve this amicably -- I don't want to have to resort to threats or wait for a big repair and have to litigate/arbitrate it. I will if I have to, but it's not my first choice. The back and forth, I think, is also due to some poor internal communication at the dealership. It seems I've had to state my case and the facts to them multiple times to multiple people before I got some real movement. Always honey before vinegar.
 

mrmatto

Autocross Champion
Location
Jacksonville, FL
Car(s)
2024 GTI DSG
And get them to help pay for your hookers and blow addiction while you're at it.

But really, what are you going to do after this? You can't take it back to them for service.
There are several VW/Audi dealerships in my area, as well as independent shops that specialize in in Euro cars, including multiple APR dealers. I'm not worried about that.
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
The back and forth is because I want to resolve this amicably -- I don't want to have to resort to threats or wait for a big repair and have to litigate/arbitrate it. I will if I have to, but it's not my first choice. The back and forth, I think, is also due to some poor internal communication at the dealership. It seems I've had to state my case and the facts to them multiple times to multiple people before I got some real movement. Always honey before vinegar.
You are handling this correctly. The issue simply is that the sales folks at a dealer v. rarely understand this somewhat complicated situation they are in b/c of the siloed nature of how a car dealer works - service, parts, sales (and VW corp - remember, this is a franchise) are all separarate and don't communicate v. well in my experience. The folks you are talking to sell cars and probably don't understand what TD1, tunes, etc. are/do w/r to a CPO warranty.
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
And get them to help pay for your hookers and blow addiction while you're at it.

But really, what are you going to do after this? You can't take it back to them for service.
Why can't he take it back for service if they agree to cover what VW won't?
 

mrmatto

Autocross Champion
Location
Jacksonville, FL
Car(s)
2024 GTI DSG
You are handling this correctly. The issue simply is that the sales folks at a dealer v. rarely understand this somewhat complicated situation they are in b/c of the siloed nature of how a car dealer works - service, parts, sales (and VW corp - remember, this is a franchise) are all separarate and don't communicate v. well in my experience. The folks you are talking to sell cars and probably don't understand what TD1, tunes, etc. are/do w/r to a CPO warranty.
Precisely. The sales people have been playing middle man between the service people and the owner. Frankly, I don't totally condemn the service team for what was likely one person's screwup in missing that this car was tuned before they CPO'ed it. Even if they ran the VIN up to VW, it's not been TD1'ed yet.
 

EpicTech

Autocross Champion
Location
Houston
Car(s)
MK7 GTI 6sp w/PP
Well he could take it there for service if he wanted to, its a CPO car. The problem is whether or not they choose to play the "it's tuned" game with him. My dealer tried that shit with me once.

... just once.
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
Precisely. The sales people have been playing middle man between the service people and the owner. Frankly, I don't totally condemn the service team for what was likely one person's screwup in missing that this car was tuned before they CPO'ed it. Even if they ran the VIN up to VW, it's not been TD1'ed yet.
Correct - just stay the course until you can't then you can make a decision if you want to invovle a lawyer or if that's worth the time/effort vs. saying "fuck it" and just accepting what happened and moving on b/c you like the car and the warranty drama is really not likely to ever come into play anyway. I'm sure you'll get it sorted to your liking...it's really an easy fix for the dealer (to me) - in writing "yes, we will accept any costs beyond what VW will cover per the CPO warranty".
 

mrmatto

Autocross Champion
Location
Jacksonville, FL
Car(s)
2024 GTI DSG
Well he could take it there for service if he wanted to, its a CPO car. The problem is whether or not they choose to play the "it's tuned" game with him. My dealer tried that shit with me once.

... just once.
I will note that this dealership is known for being "mod-friendly," and, well, they're the ones who installed the tune. So I'm not too worried about that...
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
Well he could take it there for service if he wanted to, its a CPO car. The problem is whether or not they choose to play the "it's tuned" game with him. My dealer tried that shit with me once.

... just once.
That is the whole point of this drama - so he can take it in there and have it fixed under the CPO warranty he was sold. Seems easy for the dealer ot just accept those v. unlikely costs.
 

EpicTech

Autocross Champion
Location
Houston
Car(s)
MK7 GTI 6sp w/PP
I will note that this dealership is known for being "mod-friendly," and, well, they're the ones who installed the tune. So I'm not too worried about that...
that is good to hear, heck the techs at my dealer fight over my car every time I pull up. They all want to drive it lol.
 

MonkeyMD

Autocross Champion
that is good to hear, heck the techs at my dealer fight over my car every time I pull up. They all want to drive it lol.

Time to get a dash cam 😁
 
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