Please help, I'm being raped by VW :(

Hi everyone, ok here goes everything;
Started out just wanting a service & a gearbox oil change(I thought this may help on the cold days). I rang Charlie browns who quoted me 149 for the service, but when I asked about the gearbox oil, the reply was 'uhhh errr yeaaaah we can'. That was enough to put me off.
So my next (stupid) idea was to contact my local VW garage, they quoted me 229 for a full service, 110 for the gearbox oil change. I thought I would be leaving it in good hands so was happy to fork out the total of 339 to get it done.
I then recieved a call from vw later that day, saying my clutch was on the way out & they couldn't change the gearbox oil till I had a new clutch (quoted at 380 fitted). Obviously as I need the car to be driven daily I decided to get the clutch done(even though I had no problem with it, the guy at the garage could barely drive it. I think he must be used to a new cars clutch).
Sooo I think I'm having my clutch done when I get another call, 'while we've had the clutch off you need a new rear main seal' (think it's a diff seal?) this was ordered in & fitted at a cost of 120. So the previous clutch quote is now 500 altogether.
They then call me again, 'we can't do your service/gearbox oil as I need a new sump(178.31 fitted). I've not noticed any leaks when I'm parked for a while, so can't see why I'd need a new sump?
I'm guessing if I get the sump something else will come up.
I only went in for a service & an oil change & I'm on my way to a full rebuild .
I'm not happy at all my cars in the garage in bits, I can't even get a second opinion
i didn't expect this from vw

 

VW Fox or Bugatti Veyron?

 

Sounds dodgy to me but it would be good if you told us what car it is, if this is all for a mk2 golf then Im disgusted and they are well and truly taking you for a ride, if its something newer then its bad but they do rip people off.

 

110 for a gearbox oil change!

I am in the wrong game.

Seriously that does sound a little over the top. Why they suggested doing the clutch when it has no effect on changing the gearbox oil. Sounds like they were quiet and needed the work to me. I suppose dealer prices will add up though.
You should have come on here earlier to ask advice. Prior to telling them to go ahead with the extra work.

 

Sorry it's a 1981 mk1 golf gti (1.6)

 

Hmmm, a car like this shouldn't be in a dealers at all.

They don't know the cars anymore and you're getting no value out of sending it there.

 

I've been swamped at work & haven't been on in about 2 week.

 

Ouch, its too late now to do much about it, i would tell them to stop all work and get it trailerd to any old garage to finish the work, tell them your disgusted by how much they have charged you, very simple cars to work on and certainly not something you want to take to a dealer, especially one that is totally abusing your trust in them.

 

hardly raped ,you took a old car to a main dealer and agreed to carry all the work they quoted you on

old cars like this idealy need the owner to carry out some of the work or at least a trusted specialist , next time ask on here first and get a idea if the job is easy to carry out diy , or there might be a local member that can help for beer money

the engine and box oil changes could both be done diy with a little bit of research , done in under a hour and around 50 , things like the clutch and mains seal were most likely not as new anymore like any old car and are best left until they cause you trouble

 

got to ask why did you take mk1 golf to VW main dealer?
car is old and basic, nothing you have listed couldn't be done by a decent local independant garage.

I like it how they can't do your gearbox oil till your engine sump is changed... because they are obviously connected (not!) lol

I think you need to have words with the manager of this dealership as this is completely unsatisfactory.. get them to put it all back together and don't pay them a penny... bad bad times

 

I don't know any respectable garages in my area & wouldn't be able to do the work myself, so I assumed vw would be the best place, I couldn't have been more wrong

 

VW cannot refuse to change your gearbox oil because you need a new clutch - two separate jobs.

If' I'm honest, changing engine oil and gearbox oils is kid's play, and is not beyond anyone. The clutch change you want to farm out I suspect.

Where are you based? Tell them to stop work, run the tab and settle with them.

 

100% agree, quite a few years ago now, I once took 1.6 carb mk2 to VW dealership in huddersfield to just get mixture / CO2 tweaked

They did it for free as it was used as like a history lesson for the technicians under 30years old lol, could see them all crowding round while I was having a courtesy coffee.

Dealership has all the expensive diagnostic tools for the numerous modules on the modern vehicles. This is the advantage the main dealers has over the other garages. These are things that smaller garages are not so good with as the tools (& training) cost and you have to keep up-to-date.

In future look for well established local garage or one reccomended by friends with good experiences of said garage.

 

For that sort of cash you could have driven up to Scotland and I would have changed the oils for you in an hour for 15 labour and 25 for oils and filter.
It could have been even cheaper if you had a sister.
http://www.clubgti.com/forum/showthread.php?t=220150&highlight=pimp+sister

If there is one lesson you learn from this. Make sure you ask on here first if you have any questions about your VW. Always folk here to help you with advice.

 

Where abouts in Yorkshire are you? Theres a good VW specialist I have used in Horsforth called 'The Motorhouse' I used to take my A3 to them. The owner Mark has a very nice MK2 Golf GTi so is still well clued up on older VW's as well as new VAG.

Could be worth a shout? If not then another place is Wormalds Garage in Otley, Fraser and Jack have had a lot of older VW's between them. Decent service also!

 

whereabouts in yorkshire, we do have club members scattered around yorkshire so finding a garage may not be difficult

 

I researched the gearbox oil & bought the drain plug key, but Im not confident enough to do it.

 

Where abouts are you?

 

they told me twice they couldn't change the gearbox oil or service till there was a new clutch. Now there's a clutch they are saying can't do it till I get a new sump.

 

Yep? Tell 'em to get lost.

You don't need a sump to do a gearbox.

Settle up, move on. Take the advice being given out about independents.