Woppum Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Well there was a buzzing coming from the rear of my car so I took it down to the stealers for a test drive. For the first 15 minutes nothing was detected, it was only when I got on to the motorway that the sound became apparent. The techie was in the back and said he thought it could be the rear filter??! That was on Friday morning. I then went home and was on the phone with them back and fourth all day. They were telling me it was being worked on but they could not detect a problem, they will give me a call as soon as they find something. So the day goes on, it gets to 5 o'clock so I thought I'd give them a call to see how they are getting on. After being transferred from receptionist to receptionist and being put on hold for ages, they tell me they cant find X (the member of staff I was dealing with). I said do a call out I need to find out about my car. So they did and sure enough 5 minutes later he doesn’t get on the phone. Another member of staff did! And guess what, my car hadn't even been looked at!!!! I was seething with rage. Anyway he told me the workshop closed in an hour so it probably won't be done toady, or Saturday. So work could start on Monday... Fine what can you do!!! This morning, 8.45am on the way to work I get a call. Its the rear diff sir. After allot of waffle I finally get X to tell me it will cost £3339.45 for a new rear diff and some axle oil. I told X I would call her back when I got to work. I have a think about the situation on the way there and decided, what can I do. I need to do a 600 mile trip on Wednesday and I need the car, so I phone X up and tell her to order the part. She says fine it will come I Tuesday morning and we will car out the work then, and it will be finished by the end of the day. Then I had a think. I thought, £3.5k for a new rear diff... Sounds expensive. I'll do a shop about. I phone AmD and they were very surprised. They kindly made a few phone calls and came back with a figure of close to £500 less than the stealers price, with might I add a similar labour charge (stealers were charging more for parts!!). So of course I phone the stealers back up to cancel the work but I get told: • They have already started work on my car, taking the old diff off. (funny as they said the work was to be done tomorrow!) • The part has been ordered, which then goes on to a computer based system which can not be changed (and they can’t phone the distributor!) But I was not to worry, because for a iny piny little fee of £807 I could pay a handling and labour charge and they would put my old diff back and give me the car back this evening. Now im not even sure I believe that the car had been worked on at all. For all I know the car was sitting in the garage untouched waiting till tomorrow for its operation. I feel utterly cheated there is noting I can do. Not only am I having to spend all this money on a stupid repair, I am lining the pockets of the most unorganised useless dealer in the world! AmD said they would check the car and see if it even needed a new diff, then put it in cheaper. But crucially I trust them, I feel safe when my car is in their hands not in this poxy stealers!!! So I am in a very difficult position, I almost decided to cut my losses and sell the car. But then I realised the only other car I would want is another R32 (I hear you Smudge!). I have to wait until a new package at least as comes out, from another make… Well all I know is I am never buying a VW again. Sorry if this report ahs been all over the place. I have only just got home and have been in a meeting since 4’oclock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Wel all I know is I am never buying a VW again. [/ QUOTE ] Sorry to here about the troubles - out of warrenty already? As for your quote - I would hate to think howmany times I have said that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N3WOB Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Isnt Wopps' an import..so only 2 ywears warranty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted August 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Yeah an import with 2 years. It rant out in June!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N3WOB Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Bad luck You could easily pay not far short of that to swap yours over with another from a dealer in full working order Id be tempted to pay them a visit and inspect just what work they have carried out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan32 Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Get down to the dealers first thing in the morning and demand to see the car. If its not in pieces, get the keys and take your car. Surely there is some warranty cover? I can't believe you destroyed the diff. Must have been a fault with it. Takes so much abuse to break a part like that. Could you get an AmD tech to go down there and inspect the car with you? At least you could have 2nd opinion and the argument to the dealers would be, for that sum of money you want your own evaluation conducted. Either that or a mechanic you know and trust or a diff specialist (there must be a co. that specialises in this). You may even be able to get the AA or RAC to do an inspection, although they may not have the right knowledge of this component. All this may scare the dealers into changing their stance. I once snapped a cambelt on my mkIII 16v and bent all the valves. The local dealers had the car for over a month. I happened to talk to a mechanic at another garage recently who said he remembered working on my car. It was all done in overtime and he made a lot of money out of doing it. In other words, weekends and evenings. £1800 for the pleasure out of my pocket and most of that was labour charges. I'm sure I paid for most of his overtime. Keep us posted and good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32Ash Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Woppum, Did you try going down the road of VW paying at least some of the cost???? You really should push them on that mate. I can't believe they'll force you to cough up thousands for a repair like that so close to the end of the warranty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAYDR32 Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Dont have any of it Wopps!! Your quite within your rights to go back on your agreement. You havent signed anything! I would do as Dan said and get ya ass down there 1st thing, it sounds like they have tried to box you into a corner so you have no choice.. Good luck mate, hope you get it sorted.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiftyPence Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Good luck Wopps, heres hoping AmD figure out its a cheap fix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattcony Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 How many miles on the clock Woppup ? Have you done any trackdays or 1/4 mile, Haldex HPP, just trying to work out what may have caused it ? There ARE diff specialists they usually do gearboxes as well. As long as nothing has broken then it could be rebuilt / refurbished for far less, if you can live with out it for a few days i'm sure it can be done. I have blown diffs on Land Rovers in the past off roading, i've stripped them down my self and had them rebuilt for very little, setting up a diff is a specialist job really. Good Luck anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pomme Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Hiya, im sure you can claim that you have had the propblem now for a while and not been able to book the car in to have it looked at, and also the problem was obviously there when it was still in warrenty so VW should pay. But def as the others say go down there in the morning, and say they have to match AMD's price or your taking it there and then. As you havent signed for any work, and were told work wouldnt start till tom so can change your mind about purchase of work. hth best of luck, let us know how you get on Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 [ QUOTE ] So of course I phone the stealers back up to cancel the work but I get told: • They have already started work on my car, taking the old diff off. (funny as they said the work was to be done tomorrow!) • The part has been ordered, which then goes on to a computer based system which can not be changed (and they can’t phone the distributor!) But I was not to worry, because for a iny piny little fee of £807 I could pay a handling and labour charge and they would put my old diff back and give me the car back this evening. [/ QUOTE ] as already said - tell them to feck off - you've not signed anything - get yourself down there, take your car back and the ordered part is the dealers problem - they'll be able to cancel if if they really want to. VW really should be ashamed with some of their stealers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted August 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 Well I have checked it with fleet (as the company pays for it) and they say to just undergo the work. I don't have time to go down this morning. Its my last half day until I go on a buying trip to Turkey next week so I am chocka! What I will do is get them to tell me every single detail of what they did and why they did it so I have evidence that there was defiantly a problem in the first place. I may also take the part away with me and get a second opinion (if that is possible). I suppose the bright side is my little star is going to be in top working order... but what is next to go. Mileage 37+K Never done a track day. I can drive it hard, but no harder than the next R owner So there really should not be a problem. I asked the dealer what could cause it. They said one of two things; either impact (there was no sign of), or wear and tear (at 37k, must be some defect). The only other thing I can think of is the 10m wheel spacers? Could they confuse the diff or make it work harder, it seems unlikely, but possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattcony Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 If your paying £3.5k I would expect you to be able to take the old one away, I cant see it being on an exchange basis @ that price. Have it looked at and possibly fixed, you may be able to sell it on later to some other unlucky R owner that has the same problem alot further down the line maybe. Can't see the wheel spacers being a problem, I dont think its any worse than running 19's. Its more likley to put stress on the wheel bearings than anything else. cheers matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TP27 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 Is it just me, or is a diff failure on a supposidly 'Racing' engineered road car at two years old and only 37k miles not odd? Surely an R32 should be able to sustain more wear and tear??...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan32 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 I blew a diff up on a 205XS once but in order to do that I had to drive it like an idiot for its whole life. I did 30k in its first year and would drive round roundabouts with the front tyres smoking and then do burnouts (I was young, please don't judge!). The guy at Peugeot asked if I had been rally driving in it as he had never heard of one going before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TP27 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 [ QUOTE ] I blew a diff. The guy at Peugeot asked if I had been rally driving. [/ QUOTE ] Yes, I always thought you had to screw a car to suffer a diff failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 Wopps - if they haven't started work on it yet and you got it back from them would a part-ex for something else not be possible or is the noise very obvious ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langers555 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 What on earth gave you the impression the R32 is race engineered? It's just a TT in drag! Nothing race about it (other than the name). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TP27 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 I think my post says "supposidly 'Racing'", i.e. highlighting my personal scepticism!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted August 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 Well the car is done, and paid for!, but I am writing to VW to complain and push for a warranty claim. The stealer said they have already turned me down, and they are very tuff on imported cars. Whatever, i'll try. Any who while it was in the dealer I asked them to do the usual bits like checking my tyre pressure, and guess what, they found a slow puncture. Turns out a nail is stuck right inside the de de de tyre wall. Well I wasn't going to coat the stealers pocket with £250 a corner so I thought Id take to the local AVS. I thought while im there check all the tyres, so the bloke gets under the car and saw the inside tyre wall was totally bare... totally! I will take some pictures to show you but there is over 4mm left in the middle, 1m on the outside wall and absolutely nothing on the inside! This is the same on both fronts. So now I need to spend a further 700+ squid on 4 new F1 shoes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 OUCH! If you're anywhere near them, get www.amdtechnik.com to do your wheel alignment (they have a laser setup) as this sounds frighteningly like what might have caused the unusual wear, although you would expect wear on the inside of both front tyres. Otherwise half of your £700 will quickly go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted August 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 I was on the phone to Ed at AmD while choosing my tyres. I was so close to getting corsa's. Ed was raving about them until I asked him what they were like in the wet... a pause then the word 'dangerous' came out. Quckly on…Then there was the choice between rosso's, nero's, and the F1's. In the end I had to stay with the F1's as they are fantastic. Unless I know they will be better, im not going to risk the ride getting worse. So I did the sensible thing! To be honest now im just looking forwad to gettign my car back, can't wait to drie her again. I have a sick sick expensive problem. I hope nothing else goes wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 I'm running F1's and I like them. Pretty sure I won't see more than 12k (town, A, B and 20% motorway use) out of them. At £450 for standard 18" all round that's not too sad. Look on the net, most shops will drop price near to best net price, or use the TSN deal buy them private and pay £30 for bal and fit, £20 to get rid of the old ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riz Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 I have a rear haldex diff...... Mmmmm its very heavy though and hasnt been used for a wee while, will need the oil draining and topping up. Riz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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