[s-cars] Advice solicited on dealing with VW

[Steve Marinello]

That's the path I'm taking.  Just got back from picking it up and had an 
extended talk with the service manager.  Got the number to call and his 
suggestion on how to pursue it.  He brought up two points; if this one 
is doing it, there are probably others, or will be, and that approached 
the way I intend to (there are 2.0T's out there in Audi's and VW's 
getting much better mileage and this might just be a clean coding 
anomaly) they might just accommodate me rather than go through the 
hassle and alienate a customer(!!).  We'll see.  He's a relatively new 
service manager and my sales person (old motorcycle racer) says she had 
been impressed with him.  I'll deal with VW directly, but keep him in 
the loop.

The old service manager was a great guy, but couldn't deal with all the 
hassles, so he's back doing what he loves...wrenching and managing the shop.

Don't know if Texas has a lemon law...

By the way, in case you were wondering, when the new Passat dashes 
swallow that key fob/interlock, sometimes they don't come out...and 
sometimes the embedded immobilizer circuitry activates in the middle of 
evening rush hour and shuts everything down, too.

Steve

Steve Powers wrote:
> Look at your lemon law if you have one. Then approach it from a "I'm
> sure this is a highly unusual case that you'd like to take a look at
> privately" standpoint. Work with your service manager and let them be
> the go-between with VW (if you trust him).
>
> This approach netted us a brand-new ML500 when our ML430 turned out to 
> be bogus.
>
> Steve Powers
>
> On 5/2/07, Steve Marinello <smarinello at entouch.net> wrote:
>> This is semi-off topic, except for VW and Audi being one.
>>
>> As I noted in an earlier email, the new GTI has been getting lousy
>> mileage.  The stick is rated at 23/32 mpg and probably 98% of the 4500
>> miles on it have been early morning/early afternoon commutes to avoid
>> Houston traffic.  I've only had to slow down on three occasions from a
>> running in the 70 -75 mph range, I think, which may be right there in
>> wrong spot for the 5th/6th transition being at 3000 to 3300 rpm...whihch
>> it shouldn't be because the torque curve is essentially flat from
>> 1800-5000 rpm.
>>
>> In any case, a high of 24.8 mpg, usually around 23.4, and a most recent
>> of 21.9 mpg.  Oil still at max; dry black dust on the tailpipes, which
>> VW says is what it should be.  Dropped the car off this morning for the
>> codes to be pulled to see if they can find a cause.  No codes, oxygen
>> sensor checks out, etc.  The dealer, which I still rate highly, called
>> in the factory tech rep who was across town today and brought him in for
>> a discussion.  Nothing he'll do...but then he hasn't met me yet.
>>
>> Considering the mileage other 2.0T's are getting in A4's , A3's and
>> other GTI/GLI's, this is pretty ridiculous and I am about to start,
>> nicely, having it out with VW about it.  I have no qualms about getting
>> ugly if they play it that way.  The car is leased and I would consider
>> getting an attorney with regard to addressing various options, but would
>> rather not.  I can be about as problematic as any attorney, particularly
>> with the web.  Any guidance would be appreciated with respect to similar
>> occurrences or other thoughts on the subject.  Considering I swapped the
>> S6 sedan to get better mileage for the commute, this is especially
>> aggravating, as it got better, or at least equivalent, mileage on the
>> same drive with 165k+ and bad cats.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any guidance, warnings, etc.
>>
>> By the way, except for the too stiff rear suspension and the shitty
>> mileage, the car is nice...much more appealing to me than the A3.
>>
>> Steve
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>
>