Listers VW Worcester pulling some dodgy tricks

[montstable]

Hi All,

I was wondering if I could get some peoples opinions on a situation that has developed. I bought my Scirocco almost exactly a year ago, six months after that, my mum bought a 5 year old golf from the same dealer. After taking the Golf in for its first service, my mother got a bill for £750, which I thought was particularly high. I told her not to get the work done by them, and when returning home I would have a look at what they were quoting.

To cut a long story short, it turns out they were quoting £350 for a new cam belt. The issues arose as I happen to know that this particular model of golf has a chain and not a belt. I called up the service manger and after much speaking on the phone, he ended up grovelling down the phone and telling me that when I bring the Scirocco in for a service in he will "sort me out".

Is this against trading standards to quote for something that does not exist on the car, and also can I trust taking my car in and getting a discount service from what sounds like a bunch of cowboys???!!??

Cheers

[kenti]

That's horrible. Sounds like the dealer has tried to scam you guys.. Unless they admit having made a mistake with the bill for your mom's car.
I assume it's Golf V with FSI-engine, which does not have a belt but a chain as you say. I have had a Golf like this my self, and the dealer sure would get it if I was invoiced for a belt...
I would probably think twice aboud leaving my rocco at a place like this, but I would absolutely go down and face the service manger about it. It's a sure case in your favor - a fault made by the dealer.

[Cuprabob]

Did they actualy try and charge for a change of cam belt or were they just quoting for it to be done? If it's the later I've came across this before as the service advisors are just programmed to bring it up at a specific mileage / age and are not really familiar with each model.

If it's the former then this is fraud as they are charing for something that has not been done.

[montstable]

Yeah Cuprabob, its the latter, it was only quoted for and I have the written quote. When speaking to the service manager he did say something very similar that they would not have charged for it if they hadn't of actually carried out the work. He also said if he had charged after the work had been done then trading standards would of been all over them.

When my mum was standing there, another lady had a very similar golf, with an equally large bill. Obviously this is pure speculation, but it does make me wonder whether they are actually ripping people off by charging for work that does not exist.

[wigit]

I'd speak to DG Autotech and get it done by an indie

[kenti]

... After taking the Golf in for its first service, my mother got a bill for £750, which I thought was particularly high...

You should choose your words more carefully then. You actually did write that you had gotten av bill for the change of belt. Now that you actually have put the facts on the table, the reply in my former post is not applicable of course...

[ZephyR]

If its a quote - then they are probably doing themselves out of business as most customers will go to another garage that gives them a cheaper accurate quote.

[Scott_mac]

I'm sure a very honest mistake - i know the dealership in question very well and they're refreshingly honest for a car dealership!

[Grampa]

Listers Nuneaton were the first decent VW dealer I managed to find - and I'm in Pembrokeshire!!

Haven't dealt with the service dept yet, but if they're as good as the sales dept I'm sure it will have been an honest mistake, and if they've offered 'to sort you out' when they didn't actually get as far as making a charge, presumably they feel that more than an apology is warranted, so can't really say fairer than that.