Dealer Scam?

[sloopercat]

Dropped off my 2019 GTI for the TPS recall and to see if the coolant loss was something they would address. So I get a new service invoice sent to me via text, after their complimentary inspection. Tires I knew about, no thanks, and no the now nearly bald PS4s show no sign of abnormal wear indicating I need an alignment. The best part is they want to sell me an alignment service for all my various sensors for only $499. That’s seems like a shameless ripoff.

 

[krs]

Dropped off my 2019 GTI for the TPS recall and to see if the coolant loss was something they would address. So I get a new service invoice sent to me via text, after their complimentary inspection. Tires I knew about, no thanks, and no the now nearly bald PS4s show no sign of abnormal wear indicating I need an alignment. The best part is they want to sell me an alignment service for all my various sensors for only $499. That’s seems like a shameless ripoff.

The cost is legit, that’s about what I had to pay to get my ACC realigned with an alignment.

But do you need it? Hard to say.

 

[sloopercat]

I don’t think my 40K unmolested car needs it. If something is wrong with sensor alignment I would think it would be a warranty item. My loaner has ACC, I hate it.

 

[Diggs24]

Unless it is angry, then no it doesn't need alignment.

 

[The Fed]

You're correct, don't touch the alignment if you don't see abnormal wear. Don't count on free ACC or any other DA adjustments.

 

[sloopercat]

Evidently that scam must work enough times to make it worth their while. How low can they go? It seems borderline illegal to sell you something that is completely unnecessary.

 

[krs]

Evidently that scam must work enough times to make it worth their while. How low can they go? It seems borderline illegal to sell you something that is completely unnecessary.

Everything about dealerships is a joke nowadays, mostly.

Very rarely can you find a person working in one that’s decent to work with. The occasional parts counter employee who knows, but works there for whatever reason. The tech that is down to earth, but still has to follow their policies.

But pretty much every time I have to talk to a dealership, I get prepared for some BS battle.

 

[Jozooka]

Don't the service depts work on commission? That' a terrible business model for the client.

My wife dropped of her car for a warranty audio repair. Service called and said "while it's ON THE LIFT and ALL TAKEN APART" they should replace the engine air filter and cabin air filter for $200...

 

[sloopercat]

I dont generally keep cars a long time. This experience with them says I am not changing vehicles for a while. I understand it’s a business, but I guess I am not stupid enough to continue doing business with them when they are trying to deceitfully take money off me. Don’t these dealers and automakers know that short term gains are going to turn into longer term pain? I had been pondering about a Golf R, but stuff like this, i think I will pass.

That’s what you get when everything is focused on short term gains only. You gain loyalty slowly and can dash it quite quickly. I liked this service department on my only other visit, now not so much. I doubt I would buy a car from them.

Sorry for the rant, I just see a lot of people getting screwed by the $499 alignment service with absolutely zero added value.

 

[sloopercat]

The rest of the story…. I complained in my follow up. According to them, if the rear toe is found out of adjustment, during the $139 alignment, they claim all the sensors need to be aligned for an additional $499.

I still think it’s BS and their incentive would be to find the rear toe out of alignment. The car does not have ACC, so it seems even less likely that this would be required. Again, the tires were down to 3/32 and even.

 

[dtfd]

The rest of the story…. I complained in my follow up. According to them, if the rear toe is found out of adjustment, during the $139 alignment, they claim all the sensors need to be aligned for an additional $499.

I still think it’s BS and their incentive would be to find the rear toe out of alignment. The car does not have ACC, so it seems even less likely that this would be required. Again, the tires were down to 3/32 and even.

wait, the car does NOT have ACC?

what sensors are they talking about then?

 

[sloopercat]

FYI, here is the exact response I got back:

Thank you for your recent service visit. I wanted to apologize about not receiving
a text indicating that your vehicle was ready. We are in the stage of rolling out a BDC,
business development center, in the next few weeks, which should minimize confusion concerning the status of a vehicle. I also wanted to let you know in no way do we conduct business to get into customer's pockets. I've been the acting Manager here for the past twenty two years and I will not under any circumstance conduct business in that manner.
We, as a dealership, have to provide estimates within our manufacturer's specification and your vehicle is equipped with forward collision warning with autonomous braking. This system uses the same module as the Adaptive Cruise Control and VW requirements state if the rear toe is out of specs and needs adjusting, then the technician must perform the camera calibration. If the rear toe is within specs, the alignment is only $139.99, however, the technician does not know if the car needs a full calibration until the vehicle is set up on the alignment machine. The technicians are required to print a before and after printout showing which alignment was required. We would rather give an estimate of $500.00 for an alignment and then give good news when the alignment is only $139.95, versus the other way which would seem deceptive. I have attached your vehicle specifications for your VIN. I thank you very much for your time and your business.

 

[sloopercat]

I went back and read a few historical threads. What makes little sense is IF the rear wheel toe is indeed out of spec and the system still functions, why would you need a sensor alignment when you are bringing it back to factory specs, which should bring it back closer to how the car was setup in the first place?

The loaner they gave me had ACC. What a terrible system. It slows down when there is no need and keeps fighting you for directional control. When I first used it I thought either it had a low tire or it was a very gusty wind. This fighting the system while changing lanes was further aggravated by the more top heavy Taos. If you cannot visually keep your car in lane, should you be driving in the first place? It got better after I figured out how to turn off the lane assist and tone down the ACC, but give me a predictable and controllable system. Too much of big brother the car thinking it knows better. What’s even sadder is that turning off the autonomous braking gives you a constant warning light you can’t extinguish.

Money all better spent on stricter driver training requirements.

 

[Strange Mud]

nice follow up

Mud

 

[golfdave]

I went back and read a few historical threads. What makes little sense is IF the rear wheel toe is indeed out of spec and the system still functions, why would you need a sensor alignment when you are bringing it back to factory specs, which should bring it back closer to how the car was setup in the first place?

The loaner they gave me had ACC. What a terrible system. It slows down when there is no need and keeps fighting you for directional control. When I first used it I thought either it had a low tire or it was a very gusty wind. This fighting the system while changing lanes was further aggravated by the more top heavy Taos. If you cannot visually keep your car in lane, should you be driving in the first place? It got better after I figured out how to turn off the lane assist and tone down the ACC, but give me a predictable and controllable system. Too much of big brother the car thinking it knows better. What’s even sadder is that turning off the autonomous braking gives you a constant warning light you can’t extinguish.

Money all better spent on stricter driver training requirements.

Sounds like it has "Lane Assist" as well as "Automatic Cruise Control".......fecking EU mandates all new cars made to have "Lane Assist" as factory default spec a couple of years ago

Lane assist will cause more problems (which is why I didn't spec it back in 2014 when I got my MK7)... & is totally useless where I am on the back roads.....got a MK8 courtesy car (mine was in for MOT) & every time I stopped the car & got out I had the faff through the touch screen to turn it OFF...as well as the auto-stop-start (which i have shut off on mine via VCDS tricks)