My VW Guy

Lesson learned. Never take your VW or other German manufactured automobile to anyone other than a specialist with at least 30 years of experience.

I can’t believe they are trying to get away with this scam. This local Bp shop is in my neighborhood and I even worked there when I was in high school. I used to know the owners. Or so I thought. Well turns out Joan sold years ago. That’s was nice having that thrown in my face.

This District Manager, Scott, is why mechanics get a bad name.

I just couldn’t hold any ground with this guy. However,  I think I rattled him pretty good. I made it clear that he obviously ignored my subjective of the problem with Fraulein. Absolutely do not bring your cars to get serviced here! I was having intermittent starting problems and so I dropped my 2000 VW Jetta Automatic Sedan off here a month ago to get fixed. I asked them do you have a VW specialist to look at my car and they said, “yes.” The car did not start for them. So, they replaced my starter.  I paid for their service, thanked them and took my car home.

After one week I had the same issue of the car not starting and again a week later but I got it to start every other time I needed it. It would crank but not turn over. I called the shop and they made me an appointment to bring it in to check it. I brought my car to the appointment with suggestions as to what I thought might actually be wrong. I was told by the service manager that I was wrong and that what I was suggesting didn’t have anything to do with starting the car. Quoting the Service Manager “There are no sensors that have anything to do with starting your car.” I suggested, crankshaft sensor, camshaft sensor, and battery. I chose not to leave my car with them again because of how my suggestions were shot down and the plain fact that they didn’t do the job right the first time. Why should I let them try again using there same methods of guess work.

My car acted up again this week and again today. I brought the car to a VW specialist and they did a computer diagnostic and battery load test right in front of me. Both of my suspicions of the sensors and battery were confirmed in the computer codes.  F.Y.I. North Suburban’s Service Manager actually admitted they did not run a computer diagnostic.

I asked North Suburban to refund the money for the service which did not solve my initial car issue. They refused and said they have warranty on the part that they replaced and service but I have to let them work on my car to see what else could be wrong.  So, I would be paying for any new parts that they would find to replace and service but would not be refunded for the starter work that they previously did even if the starter was not the problem.

The insults just kept coming. They also told me that they don’t trust my word that the car isn’t actually working as of today.  Quoting the manager, Scott says, “why should I trust you that it doesn’t  work and that you aren’t just trying to get money from us.”

Really?!?  And to top it off, the last thing the manager stated was “Good luck taking us to small claims court and I hope you do write the BBB.” #smugashell

P.S. I have it in writing from the VW specialist that there is such a thing as a malfunctioning computer sensor preventing the car from starting.

What really happened was that North Suburban Bp went with their own misdiagnosis and ignored my description of my own car’s symptoms.  Then with trying to crank the engine all day without starting did wear on the battery. So, when they tried to start my car after I dropped it off, after-hours, that evening it didn’t crank or start in the morning because the battery was half dead. Lights and radio still worked but no crank.

Assholes!

They think that they could just throw parts at my car without fully diagnosing the issue as I stated.  They completely disregarded all the information I had to share on how my vehicle was performing. The symptoms remain identical as before I brought it to them and the problem persists.  Intermittent engine failure is what I told ’em as explained above. Engine always cranks when key is turned to start (as long as my battery is charged.) However, intermittently it fails to fire or start and run  which leaves me with a tow truck.

What Happened?

So a month ago, I am preparing for a big end of the session debate for school. So, I go for coffee near our midway campus and when I return to my car, it doesn’t start. I can’t get back to school without trying to get a jump. But after trying with cables it still didn’t start. Now I still had lights and radio. So, I had power.  We only tried the jump just to get a little extra kick. Still no start. Just turning and turning.

No luck and I have to get back to school for my debate. So, I hitch a ride from the woman who helped with the jumper cables and get back to school a half hour or less before debate. We were debating  school dress code policies as a first amendment freedom of expression and I had to argue the affirmative. Straight up uniform.

AnywayI don’t event get to tell my car story to my debate partner when she tells me Prince has died. Oh No!

Well, I go to class but have to skip evening class to get back to car and tow it because it’s required for you to be with your vehicle when the tow arrives.

The diagnosis remains unknown. And we know not to replace the hip joint when the hip works perfectly. Just my car starter. They got rid of my old part. Put in a new starter. Didn’t even check the battery with a load test and they admitted to not using the appropriate computer diagnostic test, of which I paid for. Argh!