Volkswagen India — Door creaks, rattles and others

Address:

Ludhiana, Punjab

Kind attention – Vw India & M/s Lally Motors India Private Limited (Volkswagen Ludhiana, Punjab). Subject – Complaint letter. Respected sir/madam, I’m writing this letter to inform you about my highly shocking and unsatisfactory experience with my latest purchase from Volkswagen, Ludhiana. I purchased a Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 TDi comfortline test drive vehicle from the above mentioned agency bearing Engine No. CLC049049, Chassis No. WVWA1316XDA550294 and temporary Registration No. PB 08 BT (t) 4438 in Mid November, 2013 having done 11, 600 Kilometres according to the odometer reading. As with the purchase of most used test drive vehicles, there were some small issues that needed rectification and I was more than satisfied with the service of the agency as they attended to everything with a smile. Within a week of the purchase, the vehicle’s doors started to rattle about like tin cans. It kept on increasing so much so that the doors were creaking even on plain, smooth roads. I sent it for a check up at the agency and after 2 days, I was assured that the problem has been rectified and was handed the car back. However, the issue remained and creaks kept increasing within days again. Disappointed but hopeful, I sent the car again to the agency where they kept it for 3 days. This time when I got the car back, the creaks were subdued a little but the large amounts of grease kept oozing out of the door handles. They creaks didn’t show up until a week later, on a bumpy road, while driving slowly, the doors creaked constantly. After I complained to the agency again, they said they would fix an anti-friction lamination kit to the door hinges and that the car will be fine. I sent the car again for 2 days and after the work was done, I began to hesitantly utilise it again. By now, I was getting frustrated with the problem and limited the use of Jetta in my life as I was apprehensive as to how it might behave. It behaved fine until again 1.5 weeks later, the doors began to creak. By now, 4 to 5 attempts had been made to rectify the shameful problem on my car. I kept ringing the concerned officials without any positive response. I was told that a special sealant had been ordered and it will be filled in to the doors and the problem would be rectified. Additionally I was also told that Vw’s top engineers will have a look at the problem and will certainly rectify the problem. Vw Ludhiana did not bother to keep in touch with me after making the above claims. The sales manager doesn’t answer calls for a week under such circumstances. After 3 long months and much persuasion only from my side, I was told to bring in my car again. This time the car was at the workshop for 4 days. The Vw ‘top’ engineers had a look, re-aligned the doors and the manager called me saying that your car is 100% ok. I was delighted but the smile vanished after I drove the first few kilometres because the problem was as bad as ever. The new service manager, Mr. Parminder Katoch, who fully agrees that there is a problem in my car is constantly trying to remain in touch with Vw heads but Vw has now run out of ideas and is working on a solution for which I’m paying dearly! The company has shown their shameless back towards a premium product customer by conveying through Vw Ludhiana that Vw can only give a temporary solution at present which is to put a liquid on the doors every week until they work things out permanently. A liquid? Really? Vw top engineers could not solve the problem and the temporary solution being provided to a premium product customer is a ‘magical’ liquid. The promised imported from Germany sealant has been forgotten too. Secondly, Vw is working on a permanent solution based on what? I have the problematic car, then how, where and on what are they testing their methods and it’s reliability? It hasn’t worked till date in 8 to 9 attempts. My case is being used as a look into Vw’s R&D and Vw doesn’t even have my car to test it. What a joke! It has been 8 months now! This is shameless Vw at its very corporate bull best! I feel terrible and I will never buy a Vw or its subsidiary product ever in my life again and will make everyone around me and on social media aware that Vw India is a mere, poor, shameless shadow of Vw Wolfsburg, Germany. I know that because I’ve lived in Germany long enough to recognise the difference. The AC had to be fixed for cooling on the first service. Imagine the quality! General observance - The engine behaviour is noisy and unrefined for this class of car. Thank God for insulation! The jumpy, snappy clutch doesn’t make driving easy. There is limited headroom in the car hence the low seats, poor thigh support, diet seat cushioning for this class of car and low, uncomfortable roof line. Barely enough ground clearance! The interior quality can be matched by cars half the price. The low speed ride quality is bouncy and unabsorbing. The electronic steering has little feel and tends to bite back strongly while steering the car into a corner. Everything feels functional at best and even then, I’m facing problems with the functionality of this expensive car! I have lost all hope now! I have been more than understanding and kept sending the car for repeated checks because atleast some of the Vw Ludhiana staff is courteous but I’m now in serious doubt about the Indian Jetta as a product even. The quality and solidity of the vehicle seems compromised because from day one, it never felt as solid as my previous car, the Skoda Laura, which I have not been able to sell off due to the constant troubles the Jetta has been giving me and I always need a spare car. Due to the constant workshop trips, I could not install a permanent number on the car despite making the registration payment to the authorities concerned until last week. I have 8 cars in the family ranging from a Ford Fiesta to a Skoda Superb and Mercedes E-Class and most of them have clocked over 1 lakh kilometres. None of them have had a problem as acute as the Jetta’s. I spend 17 Lakhs on a Vw Jetta which has the lowest feature list in its class and yet it is the most expensive. As an enthusiast customer, I understand that the money has been spent on chassis, suspension and Vw solidity but in my case, the fundamentals of the brand and its product have gone woefully wrong. I’m the niche customer for whom the Jetta has been built who does not care about gadgets but wants a no-nonsense, solid, stable car. I am sure now that my car has manufacturing defects and Vw is doing baseless R&D over my money and self-esteem and whiling away time. It isn’t a good feeling to sit in your newly purchased Luxury sedan worth almost 17 Lakhs and listen to Maruti Suzuki Alto type creaks from the doors all the time. And it certainly doesn’t form a good impression about Vw in the minds of people who sit in our car and can easily tell the problem which is also embarrassing for us as owners of such a flimsy car in a category where quality should not be skimped upon. As my problem cannot be rectified satisfactorily, I have serious doubts about future problems in the car that may arise and may not be rectified. I do not trust Vw India anymore. I cannot afford to send the car to the workshops every 2nd week after spending such a huge amount of money. Therefore, with all due respect, I request you and Vw India to kindly take back my car as I do not wish to suffer any more even after buying an entry level premium luxury car and my entire money be handed back to me. It is my earnest request that immediate action be taken on this matter failing which I will definitely go to consumer court soon to fight for my right! Thank you. Yours truly, Naren Bimbrahw. Disappointed & dejected Vw Jetta Customer.