Volkswagon Complaint - Not happy . They have made it difficult to replace something as simple as a headlight - Headlight Replacement

Posted by leet60 on 2010-10-22:

When you go to almost all auto repair shops, especially dealerships they will use a guide that gives them the "estimated time of repair" for any issue. If the hourly rate is $70.00 and the repair takes from one minute to 60 minutes you are still charged for one hour. If the guide estimates 70 minutes you would see a charge for 2 hours.

This time is based on the average time a trained technician (note not mechanic) would take to complete the repair.

Posted by Starlord on 2010-10-22:

What leet is referring to is the Flat Rate Manual. It gives the time an experienced technician should complete that repair in. The customer is charged the flat rate, and if the mechanice can't cut that time down, then the shop will not keep him very long. If the flat rate book shows a repair should take an hour and a half, the mechanic is expected to do it in less than an hour. The customer still pays for an hour and a half times the flat rate. The mechanio gets paid for one hour.

Posted by redmx3racer on 2010-10-22:

Just by looking at the "new" Beetle I could tell you it would not be the easiest car to work on. VW's never are easy to work on anyway. Other cars out there are just as hard to change a headlight bulb by the way-09-up Mazda 6's and 2010 and up Subaru Outbacks for example-you have to remove part of the fender liner and bumper cover to change the bulb.

Posted by tnchuck100 on 2010-10-22:

It should be a requirement that all design engineers be required to actually work on their systems before they are released. If they had to change that headlight they would find a better way to design it.

As far as "...make more money in the long run." goes the CEO of today is only concerned with the maximum possible profit for the next quarter.

Posted by momsey on 2010-10-22:

I've had Volkswagens since I started driving. One of the Jettas I had and the convertible Beetle I have now are both really pains in the butt for changing simple things like headlights and taillights. Even in the owner's manual, it tells you to take it to a dealer to get the lights fixed. I'm with the OP on this one!

Posted by raven_on on 2010-12-10:

I bought my first and last one being a 2009 jetta it is not that the vehicle it so terrible it is the customer relations within the whole volkswagen organization that just plane sucks. I owned a Lexus prior to this one now there is just outstanding customer service. I thought I would try something with a little better fuel economy what a mistake this is. I got 60,000km and looking to sell just one issue after another and no decent attempt to solve.

Posted by momsey on 2010-12-10:

P.S. My 2000 Jetta is still on the road. I sold it to my husband's co-worker five years ago and it's still going strong. Probably my favorite car ever.

Posted by trmn8r on 2010-12-10:

I had a '98 Passat from new to 130,000 miles. It was a great car, but has several annoying issues. Such as, two coil packs failed, ignition switch failed, several window regulators failed, a/c compressor failed, water pump froze, secondary air pump failed.

I work on all my cars. The one that was best designed was a '82 Nissan 280ZX turbo. That car was so easy to work on. The only thing that wasn't was the exhaust - had to lower the suspension to put a new one in. Unless you cut it in half with a torch. Best handling car I had as well.