Hi everyone,
This is my first post, and sorry it has to be so negative. Go easy on me!
I've wanted a VW Golf GTI for the longest time. I recently found one - a used 2019 with one previous owner (ex-lease). I also just started working for an Auto Group (of which this dealership is a part) and my manager managed to get me the car below cost - which is awesome. The only problem? It's a manual, and the last time I drove one was 11 years ago. But being a car fanatic, the purist in me really wanted one, to re-learn, and enjoy the thrills of driving stick.
I went to the dealership today to test drive the car. Met the sales guy, and he treated me great (being a colleague). I made it very clear how nervous and inexperienced I was driving stick, but he still let me in to the car, reasssuring me that it's forgiving and an easy-going car to drive manually. I drove for about 45 minutes, during which time I stalled a bunch, and let the clutch burn a bit. I offered multiple times to get out and switch but he told me to keep going, that I'd have to abuse the car for a week for the clutch to go out. I asked him multiple times if my novice manual driving was hurting the car, to which he said no. My girlfriend in the rear of the car can attest to this. Anyway, after 45 minutes, I got him to swtich with me as the test-drive had developed into more of a driving lesson, and we switched so he could drive us back to the dealership. Just as he was about to pull onto the freeway, the whole clutch gave out. We had to get towed back to the dealership.
Once back there, we took a couple of DSG models out for a drive which was obviously way better. After those, we went back to hash out some finances. At that point, I was told that the whole clutch needs repairing - a total of around $4,700. But, because I'm an employee of the larger company, I only had to pay $2,500. I was astounded. Firstly, because of how much it is - nearly $5,000 for a clutch on a practically new GTI? But also because that 45 minutes of driving apparently wrecked what is a basically brand new clutch? Something seems very off to me.
We did a deal for a newer car, had that built, and I think he worked the cost of that clutch in to it. But I'm left feeling very sour. I think something is really fishy here, and I'm not even sure if 1) I caused ENOUGH consistent damage to that clutch in the short timeframe to be WHOLLY responsible for breaking it and 2) if such an issue is enforceable.
Any advice greatly appreciated! Thank you guys so much.
P.S. No "well you should never have driven it if you weren't confident enough" - I can drive stick, I just needed to retaught. For some reasons- despite driving my friends older manual car for practice a couple of days earlier and without any issue - this clutch (even on a newer car) was proving to be impossible. Also, at multiple times I was upfront about my inexperience, and the sales guy still let me. On the test-drive, after seeing me struggle, he urged me to keep going, even as far as to say how hardy the clutch was, how it was no problem, how it "can take it". He could have asked me to stop if he thought the condition of the car was in jeopardy.
This is my first post, and sorry it has to be so negative. Go easy on me!
I've wanted a VW Golf GTI for the longest time. I recently found one - a used 2019 with one previous owner (ex-lease). I also just started working for an Auto Group (of which this dealership is a part) and my manager managed to get me the car below cost - which is awesome. The only problem? It's a manual, and the last time I drove one was 11 years ago. But being a car fanatic, the purist in me really wanted one, to re-learn, and enjoy the thrills of driving stick.
I went to the dealership today to test drive the car. Met the sales guy, and he treated me great (being a colleague). I made it very clear how nervous and inexperienced I was driving stick, but he still let me in to the car, reasssuring me that it's forgiving and an easy-going car to drive manually. I drove for about 45 minutes, during which time I stalled a bunch, and let the clutch burn a bit. I offered multiple times to get out and switch but he told me to keep going, that I'd have to abuse the car for a week for the clutch to go out. I asked him multiple times if my novice manual driving was hurting the car, to which he said no. My girlfriend in the rear of the car can attest to this. Anyway, after 45 minutes, I got him to swtich with me as the test-drive had developed into more of a driving lesson, and we switched so he could drive us back to the dealership. Just as he was about to pull onto the freeway, the whole clutch gave out. We had to get towed back to the dealership.
Once back there, we took a couple of DSG models out for a drive which was obviously way better. After those, we went back to hash out some finances. At that point, I was told that the whole clutch needs repairing - a total of around $4,700. But, because I'm an employee of the larger company, I only had to pay $2,500. I was astounded. Firstly, because of how much it is - nearly $5,000 for a clutch on a practically new GTI? But also because that 45 minutes of driving apparently wrecked what is a basically brand new clutch? Something seems very off to me.
We did a deal for a newer car, had that built, and I think he worked the cost of that clutch in to it. But I'm left feeling very sour. I think something is really fishy here, and I'm not even sure if 1) I caused ENOUGH consistent damage to that clutch in the short timeframe to be WHOLLY responsible for breaking it and 2) if such an issue is enforceable.
Any advice greatly appreciated! Thank you guys so much.
P.S. No "well you should never have driven it if you weren't confident enough" - I can drive stick, I just needed to retaught. For some reasons- despite driving my friends older manual car for practice a couple of days earlier and without any issue - this clutch (even on a newer car) was proving to be impossible. Also, at multiple times I was upfront about my inexperience, and the sales guy still let me. On the test-drive, after seeing me struggle, he urged me to keep going, even as far as to say how hardy the clutch was, how it was no problem, how it "can take it". He could have asked me to stop if he thought the condition of the car was in jeopardy.
