Brinkmen
VW NUT!
- Location
- Meridian, ID, USA
- Car(s)
- 2015 Golf R
Warning. Long story but worth the read if you want the knowledge.
This involves CA state requirement for a front plate and a dealer drilling my bumper after I told them I would sign their waver and not to drill my bumper for a front plate mount.
So here is the story and how VW of America will take care of you, guys and gals. I personally spoke with the 2nd level rep who handles greater San Francisco Bay Area customer service issues at the corporate level. Her name is Libby and she has been AMAZING.
I first contacted Hanlees VW in Richmond, CA after seeing the R on their site, they were the only dealer who gave me a price through Truecar.com. I spoke with the internet sales rep on a Monday before the car was delivered and specifically requested they not drill the front bumper cover for a plate mount. The car was delivered that Thursday evening and the sales person even texted me to let me know it was in early (not expected for another 2 weeks). I again confirmed with them (3rd time) to please not drill the bumper for plates and that I was happy to sign whatever waver they wanted me to. I got there Friday afternoon to find the bumper drilled and front plate mount on the car. As this was not an ordered car and they had agreed to sell the the car at invoice, they showed little to no care about this and had the attitude that if I didn't buy the car, they could sell it to someone else at MSRP or higher within the next 48 hours over the weekend. Which I'm sure they could have.
I went ahead bought the car (first brand new car I've bought in my life) being sad about the front plate mount and 4 holes drilled into my brand new bumper cover but at least happy that I got an awesome car for a good deal all things considered. (About $1200 below msrp.) I had started contemplating a European front plate, then decided I should call VWoA to at least see if they would do anything. I called, spoke to a level 1 rep who said someone would get back to me by close of business the next day, which they did. I spoke with Libby the next day. She did more research then let me know they were going to have the dealer pay for a new bumper cover and make things right. After that process started, we went about going around and around with the dealers parts department for over a month about me bringing the car to them or their body shop, then they decided it would be okay for a shop near me to do the work and they would pay for it. They then said they would ship the bumper to my body shop where it never showed up. (I was not about to leave my car with them and take a loaner after how this had been going down. Also this dealer is an hours drive from my place.)
After all this, Libby (who has been calling me almost every day with statuses) said she would arrange for this to be handled by a dealer closer to me (of my choice by the way). She said we gave them a chance to make it right, but they haven't so now VWoA will pay for and handle this. The original dealer will likely have some repercussions of their actions or lack thereof. Apparently this wasn't the first time she had had issues with Hanlees either. Anyway I just dropped the car off at the local dealer today and am in a loaner Fender Edition Beetle Turbo DSG. They have the new bumper cover now and it had been painted and is ready to go.
Now owning it over 2 months and with about 2600 miles on the clock, I will have my new un drilled bumper. I will also be keeping the original bumper. All of this will be happening at absolutely NO cost to me besides my time and a little gas thanks to Libby and VW of America.
The sad part about this is that all this could have all been avoided had the sales person just made sure nobody messed with the front bumper while doing PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection for thothose who don't know).
Anyway moral of the story, VW of America will go to bat for you if a dealer does you wrong. I hope this helps anyone with dealer level problems. Call VW. They will make it right even if the dealer doesn't.
Whats a good story thread without a few pictures.
Here is with my Mk6 when I picked up the R:
Here is how it looked up until today. I had taken the bracket off:
Side story and warning about Hanlees Hilltop VW in Richmond, CA:
On top of all this bumper cover business. Hanlees finance department took OVER A MONTH to get the payoff check for my GTI to VW Credit. Such that I was getting missed payment notifications and calls from VWC about missing a payment ON A CAR I NO LONGER OWNED!
When I tried to call Hanlees to see what was going on, I got a COMPLETE run around. So bad that I nicely asked the receptionist girl (after I had been transferred like 4 times and been talked off and basically hung up on by a finance guy) if she had any suggestions for me or if I should just go back and call VW of America to try to help. She told me this seems to happen all the time there and said I would likely get help faster by just calling VW. VW couldn't really do much but the problem ended up solving itself and back dating when the payment actually did finally get to VW Credit. They backdated it so I didn't have any fees or have my credit affected negatively. It was almost sent to collections and Hanlees had already sold the GTI I traded in! Lol.
All new bumper cover courtesy of VW of America.
Old one in the back. Lets see you do that in your S3. Haha.
This involves CA state requirement for a front plate and a dealer drilling my bumper after I told them I would sign their waver and not to drill my bumper for a front plate mount.
So here is the story and how VW of America will take care of you, guys and gals. I personally spoke with the 2nd level rep who handles greater San Francisco Bay Area customer service issues at the corporate level. Her name is Libby and she has been AMAZING.
I first contacted Hanlees VW in Richmond, CA after seeing the R on their site, they were the only dealer who gave me a price through Truecar.com. I spoke with the internet sales rep on a Monday before the car was delivered and specifically requested they not drill the front bumper cover for a plate mount. The car was delivered that Thursday evening and the sales person even texted me to let me know it was in early (not expected for another 2 weeks). I again confirmed with them (3rd time) to please not drill the bumper for plates and that I was happy to sign whatever waver they wanted me to. I got there Friday afternoon to find the bumper drilled and front plate mount on the car. As this was not an ordered car and they had agreed to sell the the car at invoice, they showed little to no care about this and had the attitude that if I didn't buy the car, they could sell it to someone else at MSRP or higher within the next 48 hours over the weekend. Which I'm sure they could have.
I went ahead bought the car (first brand new car I've bought in my life) being sad about the front plate mount and 4 holes drilled into my brand new bumper cover but at least happy that I got an awesome car for a good deal all things considered. (About $1200 below msrp.) I had started contemplating a European front plate, then decided I should call VWoA to at least see if they would do anything. I called, spoke to a level 1 rep who said someone would get back to me by close of business the next day, which they did. I spoke with Libby the next day. She did more research then let me know they were going to have the dealer pay for a new bumper cover and make things right. After that process started, we went about going around and around with the dealers parts department for over a month about me bringing the car to them or their body shop, then they decided it would be okay for a shop near me to do the work and they would pay for it. They then said they would ship the bumper to my body shop where it never showed up. (I was not about to leave my car with them and take a loaner after how this had been going down. Also this dealer is an hours drive from my place.)
After all this, Libby (who has been calling me almost every day with statuses) said she would arrange for this to be handled by a dealer closer to me (of my choice by the way). She said we gave them a chance to make it right, but they haven't so now VWoA will pay for and handle this. The original dealer will likely have some repercussions of their actions or lack thereof. Apparently this wasn't the first time she had had issues with Hanlees either. Anyway I just dropped the car off at the local dealer today and am in a loaner Fender Edition Beetle Turbo DSG. They have the new bumper cover now and it had been painted and is ready to go.
Now owning it over 2 months and with about 2600 miles on the clock, I will have my new un drilled bumper. I will also be keeping the original bumper. All of this will be happening at absolutely NO cost to me besides my time and a little gas thanks to Libby and VW of America.
The sad part about this is that all this could have all been avoided had the sales person just made sure nobody messed with the front bumper while doing PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection for thothose who don't know).
Anyway moral of the story, VW of America will go to bat for you if a dealer does you wrong. I hope this helps anyone with dealer level problems. Call VW. They will make it right even if the dealer doesn't.
Whats a good story thread without a few pictures.
Here is with my Mk6 when I picked up the R:
Here is how it looked up until today. I had taken the bracket off:
Side story and warning about Hanlees Hilltop VW in Richmond, CA:
On top of all this bumper cover business. Hanlees finance department took OVER A MONTH to get the payoff check for my GTI to VW Credit. Such that I was getting missed payment notifications and calls from VWC about missing a payment ON A CAR I NO LONGER OWNED!
When I tried to call Hanlees to see what was going on, I got a COMPLETE run around. So bad that I nicely asked the receptionist girl (after I had been transferred like 4 times and been talked off and basically hung up on by a finance guy) if she had any suggestions for me or if I should just go back and call VW of America to try to help. She told me this seems to happen all the time there and said I would likely get help faster by just calling VW. VW couldn't really do much but the problem ended up solving itself and back dating when the payment actually did finally get to VW Credit. They backdated it so I didn't have any fees or have my credit affected negatively. It was almost sent to collections and Hanlees had already sold the GTI I traded in! Lol.
All new bumper cover courtesy of VW of America.
Old one in the back. Lets see you do that in your S3. Haha.
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