[speedmiester]

Three year AMC plan is brilliant. Thats a welcome relief after the initial hiccup.

Do update the thread regularly and drive safe.

[uvmallya]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

Three year AMC plan is brilliant. Thats a welcome relief after the initial hiccup.

Do update the thread regularly and drive safe.

Surely will update the thread on the performance of the car in the days to come. Will drive safely because I "Love Cars & Live Cars".

[Schoudhury]

I guess all is well that ends well,so hopefully you will enjoy your car to be fullest now .
And also we all have to wait for few days to make sure that the issue is completely fixed and then give a thumbs up to VW.
Keep us all posted .

Cheers.

[adimicra]

I feel happy for you man!
Finally your patience has paid of. Do you know what exactly was the problem and why it was not rectified in the earlier attempts?

I wish that you don't have this problem or any other major problem in the future and enjoy many happy miles with your car.

VW has mismanaged the situation and it should have been resolved much earlier. Also, it is sad to know the attitude and response from VW corporate.

But the 3 year AMC is some compensation at least for all your troubles.

drive safe and hope to see a detailed review of your experiences with the car (apart from this issue)

Originally Posted by Schoudhury

I guess all is well that ends well,so hopefully you will enjoy your car to be fullest now .
And also we all have to wait for few days to make sure that the issue is completely fixed and then give a thumbs up to VW.
Keep us all posted .

Cheers.

Even if the issue is fully resolved, I don't understand why would you give a thumbs up for this. It has been delayed a lot and should have been resolved earlier.

[uvmallya]

Originally Posted by adimicra

I feel happy for you man!
Finally your patience has paid of. Do you know what exactly was the problem and why it was not rectified in the earlier attempts?

I wish that you don't have this problem or any other major problem in the future and enjoy many happy miles with your car.

VW has mismanaged the situation and it should have been resolved much earlier. Also, it is sad to know the attitude and response from VW corporate.

But the 3 year AMC is some compensation at least for all your troubles.

drive safe and hope to see a detailed review of your experiences with the car (apart from this issue)
I was never able to meet or talk to VW technicians at any time nor did I see them at the dealers workshop premises. The only information passed on to me by the service advisor was that the Turbo Charger unit has to be replaced. Even when the Turbo Charger unit was replaced last month the problem had persisted. So this time they have changed the engine harness wiring & that might have done the trick. VW has definetely mismanaged the situation which could have been resolved much earlier. Even though I managed to get the email Id,s of their top brass and sent them polite mails, I did not receive a single line by way of a courteous reply from any one of them. I wish that they would learn to handle such situations in a much better way in future. I will surely keep updating the performance of my car as and when I have something to say. Thanks a lot guys for your best wishes.


Even if the issue is fully resolved, I don't understand why would you give a thumbs up for this. It has been delayed a lot and should have been resolved earlier.

Well probably the thumbs up was for the reason that the matter has been resolved at last. There could be many reasons for the delay but we surely cannot pin point which one caused it. VW have to pull up their socks and attend to the after sales complaints with greater attention and speed up their rectification if they have to survive the competition in the Indian Auto Industry.

[adimicra]

Originally Posted by uvmallya

I was never able to meet or talk to VW technicians at any time nor did I see them at the dealers workshop premises. The only information passed on to me by the service advisor was that the Turbo Charger unit has to be replaced. Even when the Turbo Charger unit was replaced last month the problem had persisted. So this time they have changed the engine harness wiring & that might have done the trick. VW has definetely mismanaged the situation which could have been resolved much earlier. Even though I managed to get the email Id,s of their top brass and sent them polite mails, I did not receive a single line by way of a courteous reply from any one of them.

That is not hearterning to know! You should have been told what exactly is the problem. VW owes you a better explanation for all the troubles you have gone through.
The attitude of VW corporate is quite baffling. My experience tell that in such situations, the top corporate guys normally do get back with polite response and the whole resolution process gets expedited! Not in this case though!

Originally Posted by uvmallya

Well probably the thumbs up was for the reason that the matter has been resolved at last. There could be many reasons for the delay but we surely cannot pin point which one caused it. VW have to pull up their socks and attend to the after sales complaints with greater attention and speed up their rectification if they have to survive the competition in the Indian Auto Industry.

Definitely a Thumbs up as the problem is resolved, but I am against giving a thumbs up to VW for this, as the original poster mentioned.

SO, you going back to Mangalore? May be you can post your experience of the Bangalore-Managlore drive and unlike other times, you should be able to enjoy your drive this time. I have done this route 5-6 years back in my bike and that too at night and it was a nightmarish experience! DOn't know if things are better now!

[uvmallya]

Originally Posted by adimicra

That is not hearterning to know! You should have been told what exactly is the problem. VW owes you a better explanation for all the troubles you have gone through.
The attitude of VW corporate is quite baffling. My experience tell that in such situations, the top corporate guys normally do get back with polite response and the whole resolution process gets expedited! Not in this case though!



Definitely a Thumbs up as the problem is resolved, but I am against giving a thumbs up to VW for this, as the original poster mentioned.

SO, you going back to Mangalore? May be you can post your experience of the Bangalore-Managlore drive and unlike other times, you should be able to enjoy your drive this time. I have done this route 5-6 years back in my bike and that too at night and it was a nightmarish experience! DOn't know if things are better now!

Well VW did owe me an explanation on the problem front. My job card mentions the problem as "Check Engine Malfunction". Many Team BHPians have given their opinions on this thread as to the reason for this problem. My personal feeling is that there was a problem with the engine wiring which was causing it. The turbo charger was functioning normally when the pre heating glow light went off and got cut off again when the light started to flash again. Hence it could be a wiring/sensor problem. The first response to my problem was from a VW official who saw my thread and requested a Moderator on Team BHP to give him my contact. It is only then that the whole process of "really attending to the problem" began. I am going back to Mangalore and will surely post my experience on the drive and the road condition. I usually take the Bangalore - Mysore - Mangalore route because at the moment it is the best option in my opinion even though it is about 30 odd kilometres extra drive. Incidentally I heard that it has been pouring in Mangalore since last night & still is raining very heavily. This is bound to effect the already bad roads along the coastline.

[imjimmy]

Originally Posted by uvmallya

The first response to my problem was from a VW official who saw my thread and requested a Moderator on Team BHP to give him my contact. It is only then that the whole process of "really attending to the problem" began.

What happens if a person is not on Team-bhp or does NOT feel inclined to post the problem here? Will they NEVER get their cars fixed? VW engineers should have looked into this problem on priority basis, the first time the car was taken to the service center. Persistent niggles like these can quickly spell disaster for a new product. I surely expected better service from VW, not least because it is such big car maker in Europe and China.

Now, I'm a big fan of German well built cars, but hearing stories like these, I am almost in two minds whether to cancel our booking for the Vento. While the car is an unbeatable package, I wouldn't be happy if no one responded to emails or did not attend to car-problems in a timely fashion. No matter how good the product is, sub-par after sales service can take it down. Quickly.

Anyway, thanks Mr Uvmallya for sharing your experience. Very insightful indeed. Hope you get many enjoyable years of trouble free ownership experience on your excellent Polo.

[uvmallya]

Originally Posted by imjimmy

What happens if a person is not on Team-bhp or does NOT feel inclined to post the problem here? Will they NEVER get their cars fixed? VW engineers should have looked into this problem on priority basis, the first time the car was taken to the service center. Persistent niggles like these can quickly spell disaster for a new product. I surely expected better service from VW, not least because it is such big car maker in Europe and China.

Now, I'm a big fan of German well built cars, but hearing stories like these, I am almost in two minds whether to cancel our booking for the Vento. While the car is an unbeatable package, I wouldn't be happy if no one responded to emails or did not attend to car-problems in a timely fashion. No matter how good the product is, sub-par after sales service can take it down. Quickly.

I do agree that every person is entitled to their problem being looked into by VW technicians irrespective of whether or not they belong to any forum. VW has just launched new car models in India and definetely cannot afford to rest on their brand name. I think they are the 2nd largest car manufacturer in the world now. I too am a big fan of German built cars and would request you not to cancel your "Vento" booking. My experience with VW could be a one off case and I am sure VW would surely give more attention to their after sales service in future. VW would be opening their dealership at Mangalore very soon and it would be easier for the many VW car owners in our area to have their vehicles serviced/repaired there instead of driving down to Bangalore. I will continue to share my experience with the car with this problem now having been solved. I would also like to appreciate the concern of the Works Manager at the dealership who has been calling me to enquire how the car has been performing ever since the problem has been rectified. Such gestures are small things that makes you feel that somebody is sharing your concern and is trying to make you happy. I hope that all concerned people at VW will take corrective steps to see that their customers are one happy lot.

[Chethan B G]

Uvmallya - Good to know that the problem is rectified.

It is easy to analyse now! obviously, problem was not with the Turbo Charger since it was already replaced once before. Culprit was the cable harness - Mostly with one of the end connector crimps.

Being in the service field for donkey's years, I can understand the frustration. When-ever there is a failure, components/devices are the primary suspects. Even after repeated changes, when problem does not get solved, it can be very irritating for both the service personal & the customer. More so, if the problem is intermittent & the service centre is not nearby. Finally, it takes a lot of conviction & initiative, to change entire wiring harness, since the job is very laborious. Here - I give credit to VW engineers.

With the increase in electronic parts in automobiles, it becomes all the more complicated - since the automobiles are not stationary objects. Today, with the available technology - Most cars do not get stranded on the road. In most situations, it will be drivable with some problems. This is good in a way. But on the other side, it makes the service personal - Complacent. That can be highly irritating.

VW Dealers as of today, do not have experience in handling volume sales / service. It is unpardonable mistake on the dealer's side - If critical spares are not stocked, for emergency usage. This is more than evident, looking at your experience. They should have handled the situation in a much better way. Now that the problem is solved, they also seem to be relieved!!

[noopster]

Congratulations and wish you many years and miles on your beautiful machine! You have been a shining example of how patience, reasonableness and well...more patience!- are an effective weapon against arrogance and apathy of auto companies and their service dealerships. Please ensure that the dealer knows about this thread on TBHP. The fact that you have been so generous with him despite all the problems should hopefully shame him into treating you with respect and attention going forward as well. Look forward to reading your travelogue as well!

[uvmallya]

Originally Posted by Chethan B G

Uvmallya - Good to know that the problem is rectified.

It is easy to analyse now! obviously, problem was not with the Turbo Charger since it was already replaced once before. Culprit was the cable harness - Mostly with one of the end connector crimps.

Being in the service field for donkey's years, I can understand the frustration. When-ever there is a failure, components/devices are the primary suspects. Even after repeated changes, when problem does not get solved, it can be very irritating for both the service personal & the customer. More so, if the problem is intermittent & the service centre is not nearby. Finally, it takes a lot of conviction & initiative, to change entire wiring harness, since the job is very laborious. Here - I give credit to VW engineers.

With the increase in electronic parts in automobiles, it becomes all the more complicated - since the automobiles are not stationary objects. Today, with the available technology - Most cars do not get stranded on the road. In most situations, it will be drivable with some problems. This is good in a way. But on the other side, it makes the service personal - Complacent. That can be highly irritating.

VW Dealers as of today, do not have experience in handling volume sales / service. It is unpardonable mistake on the dealer's side - If critical spares are not stocked, for emergency usage. This is more than evident, looking at your experience. They should have handled the situation in a much better way. Now that the problem is solved, they also seem to be relieved!!

Thanks a lot Chethan. You have personally & through your thread helped me in this unusual sojourn of mine. Unlike the olden day automobiles where any small workshop could attend to the problem, todays cars have to have analysers connected to the engine to have more than a few hundred or even thousand checks to be done to identify the trouble shooting problem. I would go with your analysis of the problem even though I would really never know what the problem was & how it has been rectified. Ultimately it is time for me to enjoy the car now without getting any further problems. VW Dealers were until now handling the miniscule volume of sales of the Jetta and Passat. But with the introduction of the Polo and now the Vento, they will have to deal with much larger volumes of vehicles and give more attention to sales and after sales service as well. Innovative advertising methods have made people catch the attention of VW cars. But people do get frustrated with the attitude of the VW dealers & the unusually long waiting period to get a car. If on top of this, one is disappointed with the after sales service then VW will be losing a lot of prospective customers however much they brag about their German Engineering background.
I am sure that the dealership and VW are surely a relieved lot with the problem in my car being solved.
@ noopster - My friend, the dealership staff (some of them) is very much aware of my thread and I am sure they would be going through all that is being mentioned here. I did not praise or back them without reason. Even though I had not met the owner of the dealership his Sales Manager, Works Manager and few other staff have been very co-operative in helping me out of this situation. I can sincerely vouch for this because I do have experience of meeting and dealing with dealership of other manufacturers in my hometown. Here, it is the VW person who probably caused a lot confusion which resulted in the delay of resolving the problem. Finally all is well that ends well. I wish to thank you for the kind wishes you have expressed.

[Schoudhury]

Originally Posted by adimicra

I feel happy for you man!
Finally your patience has paid of. Do you know what exactly was the problem and why it was not rectified in the earlier attempts?

I wish that you don't have this problem or any other major problem in the future and enjoy many happy miles with your car.

VW has mismanaged the situation and it should have been resolved much earlier. Also, it is sad to know the attitude and response from VW corporate.

But the 3 year AMC is some compensation at least for all your troubles.

drive safe and hope to see a detailed review of your experiences with the car (apart from this issue)



Even if the issue is fully resolved, I don't understand why would you give a thumbs up for this. It has been delayed a lot and should have been resolved earlier.

The thumbs up was only for telling VW that the issue is fixed completely and not for fixing the issue after ages

Mallya Sir,we must appreciate the kind of patience you showed during this whole period , im sure if it would have been someone or as matter of fact me we must have lost our cool by now.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us , im sure this exp of yours will help other also to keep their cool in tough times.

Cheers

[alexkrish]

Congrats Mr.uvmallya,

I have been following this thread since its origin and this is actually a very good news. Your patience has finally won.

Hope and Pray the Almighty that you have a trouble free car experience. Polo is really a very good car in terms of comfort & handling. Am enjoying mine to the core. Thanks a lot for sharing your experiences.

Enjoy and wishing you a loads of happy miles ahead!

[uvmallya]

It has been 3 days now since I got back the car from the workshop. The car has been performing well without any recurrence of the problem until now. The big test could be tomorrow when I drive back to Mangalore which could be a drive of nearly 380 kms. The road from Bangalore to Madikeri is really good and it is the Madikeri - Mangalore section which will be really a testing drive for the car especially it has been raining very heavily all along the coastline. I will give the drive report and the cars performance hopefully on Monday.