Dear VW
I have been your loyal customer for the better part of ten years, and I’m writing to tell you why that’s changed.
For a long time, I’ve been satisfied with my Jetta because of its great mileage and quality construction. Even though diesel prices have skyrocketed over the life of my car ownership (presently $4.99 in Chicagoland), my car mileage softens the change, giving me an average of more than 50 miles to the gallon.
And in 2003, the well-made craftsmanship of the car became extremely important to me, when I almost totaled it in a bad car accident involving black ice. I and the three passengers survived, in part due to the way the car was made. More than once, therefore, I’ve been very thankful to be driving a Volkswagon. Because of my high satisfaction with my vehicle over the past few years, I’ve told friends, family, coworkers and fellow bloggers about it. To be honest, I fully thought I’d buy Volkswagon again.
Unfortunately, I no longer feel that way. My car is currently at just over 87,000 miles, and a mechanic tells me that cars like mine should last well into 200,000. Yet, for over four months, my car’s been having fairly major mechanical problems: strong burning chemical smells, inability to pick up speed, high RPMs. Yet no warning lights have come on at all. I’ve taken the car in to my local Volkwagon dealership four times now.
Each time, the mechanics tell me nothing is wrong. Each time, I bring the car home and it smells like it’s on fire, it can’t speed up on the road and it goes into overdrive while under 40 mph.
I’m sure you understand how frustrating this must be, especially when you factor in not only the safety concerns, but also the time involved in transporting a vehicle back and forth to the dealership.
Now that gas prices are lower than diesel and now that I am losing all hope of my car’s returning to normal, I am wondering if I should just sell it. Next time, I think I’ll buy a Honda.
Filed under communication, customer service, the everyday |
6 Responses to “Dear VW”
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Wow, I have been eyeing Jetta TDIs, and for awhile I never saw any with less than 150K-200K miles. To the point where its like, what is this thing, Iron Man? Hopefully somebody comes along with insights… maybe different mechanics?
Sean, strangely, your comment gives me hope. Beyond this whole smelling-like-we’re-on-fire thing, my Jetta TDI is great, very reliable. SIGH.
I support your Honda desires. I have been a Honda girl since 2001, and while I am on my second Honda (the first was totaled in an unfortunate accident), I am a huge fan. I love my little 4-door Civic, and it gets pretty great mileage (I think it’s something like 35 mpg). Not crazy good, but definitely good enough. And I love my car. I got it in 2004 when my 2001 was totaled, and I loved that little 2001 so much that I just got the 2004 version of the exact same car (my dad had a friend at the dealership making the price of a brand-new car very very good; otherwise I would have probably gone used).
I had a VW Passat a few years ago that was a total lemon. Nothing but problems. Been rolling in a Honda Civic for the past three years and have had no major problems!
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I heart my Honda. Even though it’s a 1992 Honda, and it has nearly 160k miles on it. EVEN though I had to put $550 in it last month - because, hey…that’s only a little bit more than my husband’s car payment!!
Hondas are amazing. However, I’m sorry your car is giving you trouble!! It’s such a helpless feeling when the car mechanics have all the knowledge and power.