VW emissions software update - disaster

So what was wrong with the car?

fionaanna

fionaanna wrote: »

I'd really appreciate some advice. My car, a 1.6 diesel golf went in for the emissions fix just under 8 weeks ago. Since then it just hasn't been the same. It sounded different especially in 1 and 2nd gear, the fan was staying on after I had turned the engine (it's never done that before) there was a slight burning smell. The amber coil light came on and said engine fault. I brought it to my mechanic he said it was something to do with gases not getting into the engine, presume this is the EGR value. It then broke down on Sunday, had a complete loss of power and had to get a tow truck out, he said he thought it was the dpf filter but didn't have his diagnostics machine to be sure. I have now had it towed to the garage that carried out the emissions fix and they are telling me it's the alternator and that i need a new battery. They are trying to charge me €1200. I mentioned that I have seen online that similar things have happened over people's cars and that it's related to the emissions fix. What are your opinions? Does it sound like it's related to the emissions fix? Apologies for the long post!

Ok so I decided not to pay the VW garage the 1200 because I didn't trust what they were saying. Paid to get my car down to my own mechanic and the alternator the tensioner and the battery are all fine! To say I'm livid with VW is an understatement. I would have paid them 1200 for nothing! And still have a fault with my car.

Oink

Let me get this straight.... A car firm founded by Hitler decided it was good PR to test gas emissions on people.
K, fair enough.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

they planned on gassing a person first , the old legacy still in full swing ...
tha program was great and showed them up tp be the evil scum they are .

rocky

benny79 wrote: »

Well I for one will never buy VW again.. But like most don't they own a lot of other car manufacturers like seat?

It's the VAG group, Skoda, Seat, VW, Audi, Porsche, Bugatti and a few I might have forgot.

VWs seem to also work out among the best for buying new cars on PCP, so the emissions scandal didn't affect them too much here.

benny79

Well I for one will never buy VW again.. But like most don't they own a lot of other car manufacturers like seat?

https://www.netflix.com/ie/title/80118100

darragh o meara wrote: »

Worth a look if you want an insider view to the whole scandal.

Worth a watch alright.

The section about gassing monkeys just shows how far German auto is willing to go to protect its diesel investment.

It even made the Irish papers...
https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/world/volkswagen-under-fire-for-reportedly-testing-diesel-exhaust-on-monkeys-825329.html

VW is still the number one selling car brand in this country so clearly people don't care either way, which is interesting considering the discontent on this thread.

darragh o meara

darragh o meara

Worth a look if you want an insider view to the whole scandal.
https://www.netflix.com/ie/title/80118100

KCross wrote: »

Sure, but do you think €1200 is reasonable and typical for replacing an alternator and battery in any main dealer? I don't think it is... hence the suggestion of getting it fixed elsewhere.

It is what it is, posters here are complaining that it's too expensive but Volkswagen are tied into using their OE parts which are more expensive than OEM or spurious parts.
Of course the price would be less if spurious parts could be used but Volkswagen won't buy outside their parts department, that's the point I'm making.

grogi

Neilw wrote: »

Parts prices between Toyota and VW could be vastly different, the only similarity would be the labour rate.

If similar part with one logo is disproportionally more expensive than with another logo, that's extortion... If only they had some special technology or were known to last much longer than Toyota.

Neilw wrote: »

Parts prices between Toyota and VW could be vastly different, the only similarity would be the labour rate.

Sure, but do you think €1200 is reasonable and typical for replacing an alternator and battery in any main dealer? I don't think it is... hence the suggestion of getting it fixed elsewhere.

KCross wrote: »

I don't think I'm too far out with my prices and thats backed up by post #590.... €475 for everything at a main dealer.

Obviously this dealer has done the calculations and will be able to provide an invoice showing €1200.... that doesn't take away from the fact that its an extortionate price for a fairly routine job.

Parts prices between Toyota and VW could be vastly different, the only similarity would be the labour rate.

Neilw wrote: »

But a main dealer won't use oem parts, they will use the more expensive comes in a vw box part. Could be €400 for the alternator, €200 for the start stop battery, €100 for tensioner, €20 for belt....plus fitting at whatever hourly rate they charge. Maybe €90 an hour plus vat?

I don't think I'm too far out with my prices and thats backed up by post #590.... €475 for everything at a main dealer.

Obviously this dealer has done the calculations and will be able to provide an invoice showing €1200.... that doesn't take away from the fact that its an extortionate price for a fairly routine job.

grogi wrote: »

As long as the production of the OE is in place, the OE and OEM are usually identical, even the branding is the same (apart from the packaging) . It's cheaper that way for the manufacturer. But once the OE production ceases, the quality of OEM parts can go down.

The point I was making originally is they a main Volkswagen dealer won't use hella, Bosch, lemforder or similar packaged parts. They will use OE Volkswagen boxed parts, which may be exactly the same part but will cost more through the dealer parts department.

grogi

Neilw wrote: »

They will be using OE parts, original equipment, genuine vw, in the vw box
Compared to OEM, part made by the same manufacturer who supplies vw such as hella but in their own branded box.

I know the difference

As long as the production of the OE is in place, the OE and OEM are usually identical, even the branding is the same (apart from the packaging) . It's cheaper that way for the manufacturer. But once the OE production ceases, the quality of OEM parts can go down.

Miike wrote: »

So you mean they'll be using OEM parts.

They will be using OE parts, original equipment, genuine vw, in the vw box

Compared to OEM, part made by the same manufacturer who supplies vw such as hella but in their own branded box.

I know the difference

Miike

Neilw wrote: »

But a main dealer won't use oem parts, they will use the more expensive comes in a vw box part. Could be €400 for the alternator, €200 for the start stop battery, €100 for tensioner, €20 for belt....plus fitting at whatever hourly rate they charge. Maybe €90 an hour plus vat?

So you mean they'll be using OEM parts.

KCross wrote: »

alternator and battery would be about €400 in parts inc vat for OEM(Hella or Bosch) parts.
That leaves €800 in labour? Is that reasonable even for a main dealer?

But a main dealer won't use oem parts, they will use the more expensive comes in a vw box part. Could be €400 for the alternator, €200 for the start stop battery, €100 for tensioner, €20 for belt....plus fitting at whatever hourly rate they charge. Maybe €90 an hour plus vat?

nhg

Got alternator replaced in our Toyota RAV4 d4d last week in the main Toyota dealer €475.00, they mentioned that it was an big job as the drive had to come off so your quote seems high...

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

To be fair, it's not extortion, it's about the going rate for a main dealer repair. They aren't robbing them at that price, that's just what they charge for that job.

There are cheaper places to get it repaired of course, as you say an independent garage with lower overheads using a refurbished part will be able to charge less.

That said, the OP's hands are slightly tied if the car isn't driving as the cost of towing the car to an independent will quickly soak up a lot of the savings made by taking it there.

alternator and battery would be about €400 in parts inc vat for OEM(Hella or Bosch) parts.
That leaves €800 in labour? Is that reasonable even for a main dealer?

I'd still call it extortion. A tow to the local indie and you are still quids in. At €1200 I'd get it towed myself with help from friends.

Unless the Golf is an absolute pig to work on and the alternator is a days work?

It just seems like a lot to me. I've had alternators done before and labour was nowhere near that.

Anyway, I agree with you that the alternator has to be fixed (and paid for) first, one way or the other, before you can start looking at emissions issues.

colm_mcm wrote: »

€1200 isn’t extortion, but it’s shockingly expensive for something that obviously isn’t that well engineered in the first place.

By my definition "shockingly expensive" = extortionate

colm_mcm

€1200 isn’t extortion, but it’s shockingly expensive for something that obviously isn’t that well engineered in the first place.

KCross wrote: »

€1200 for alternator and battery is extortionate.

To be fair, it's not extortion, it's about the going rate for a main dealer repair. They aren't robbing them at that price, that's just what they charge for that job.

There are cheaper places to get it repaired of course, as you say an independent garage with lower overheads using a refurbished part will be able to charge less.

That said, the OP's hands are slightly tied if the car isn't driving as the cost of towing the car to an independent will quickly soak up a lot of the savings made by taking it there.

€1200 for alternator and battery is extortionate. Get that fixed by your local mechanic and then once it's running get it back to the garage for the emissions issues because that's completely separate to an alternator issue.

With cold weather and more use of lights the battery and alternator would be under more pressure and so they could easily develop a fault.

The response from the garage seems reasonably legit to be honest. They aren't ruling out the fact that there could be something else wrong when the car is back running, which they will then consider, but they can't even check for that with a failed alternator.

It's be very unfortunate timing but not beyond the realms of possibility that the alternator has had a sudden failure, stranger things have happened

tcawley29

fionaanna wrote: »

This is the reply i received from them

Further to today’s conversation in relation to the Golf recovered in, we have diagnosed that the alternator has failed and recommend replacing it along with the alternator belt and tensioner and also a battery (as this has failed a battery test). We will need these replaced so we can test drive the car to explore any further issues in relation to the lack of power/poor engine performance you have mentioned to me.
I want it to be made clear to you that the failure of the alternator is in no way related to the emissions campaign performed here last November 2017
However, I cannot rule out the possibility there are further faults in the engine without first driving it.

I've been speaking to the mechanic that towed my car on Sunday and mentioned all this to him and he doesn't agree with them and that the alternator was working when he had it.

If you could get access to the car get in, turn on the lights and maybe even full beams, get out, look. Is it bright?

Yes) Alternator and battery is fine and the garage have some explaining to do.
Don't even tell them you are going to check. Just show up. The element of surprise might go in your favor here. If the battery is removed when you show up then it is possible they may be telling the truth
No) The garage was right

fionaanna

This is the reply i received from them

Further to today’s conversation in relation to the Golf recovered in, we have diagnosed that the alternator has failed and recommend replacing it along with the alternator belt and tensioner and also a battery (as this has failed a battery test). We will need these replaced so we can test drive the car to explore any further issues in relation to the lack of power/poor engine performance you have mentioned to me.
I want it to be made clear to you that the failure of the alternator is in no way related to the emissions campaign performed here last November 2017
However, I cannot rule out the possibility there are further faults in the engine without first driving it.

I've been speaking to the mechanic that towed my car on Sunday and mentioned all this to him and he doesn't agree with them and that the alternator was working when he had it.