VW Customer Service - still awful

Previously I brought up the issue of my Onstar service being terminated in
my 2004 Passat. Opinions about its usefullness aside - I like the service.
I wrote a letter to VW complaining about the fact that they knew about the
problem in 2004 but continued to sell the vehicles anyway. I just received a
phone call from VW headquarters in Michigan. I was offered $500.00 towards
the purchase of a new vehicle. Would it have Onstar - no, could I use it to
buy a Toyota - no, could they explain why they wouldn't upgrade the
vehicle - too expensive. 6 VW's and this is my last. They wonder why they
can't build market share. VW had great customer service and relationships -
it seems like a long time ago.
David

On Apr 16, 9:10 am, "D&LBusch" > wrote:
> Previously I brought up the issue of my Onstar service being terminated in
> my 2004 Passat. Opinions about its usefullness aside - I like the service.
> I wrote a letter to VW complaining about the fact that they knew about the
> problem in 2004 but continued to sell the vehicles anyway. I just received a
> phone call from VW headquarters in Michigan. I was offered $500.00 towards
> the purchase of a new vehicle. Would it have Onstar - no, could I use it to
> buy a Toyota - no, could they explain why they wouldn't upgrade the
> vehicle - too expensive. 6 VW's and this is my last. They wonder why they
> can't build market share. VW had great customer service and relationships -
> it seems like a long time ago.
> David

It is that sort of short-sighted idiocy that loses individual
customers. It is venues like this one that lose VW perhaps-dozens of
customers. Who then tell their friends such that it may become many
more. Ripples spread. What is so sad is that your experience is not
limited to brand or expense, but to the general failure of customer-
service throughout many industries. If any vehicle company does not
understand the concept of Brand Loyalty right down to the tips of
their collective and several toes, they are simply dead. It is only a
matter of how long it takes for the corpse to stop twitching.

My opinion on On-Star notwithstanding, it has its very real uses, and
for a company to deliberately obsolete its utility is unconsionable.
At least with my wife's Saab (model-year 2001) losing On-Star was
something that Saab could not plan for back-then. VW could and chose
not to.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

> wrote in message
ps.com...
> On Apr 16, 9:10 am, "D&LBusch" > wrote:
>> Previously I brought up the issue of my Onstar service being terminated
>> in
>> my 2004 Passat. Opinions about its usefullness aside - I like the
>> service.
>> I wrote a letter to VW complaining about the fact that they knew about
>> the
>> problem in 2004 but continued to sell the vehicles anyway. I just
>> received a
>> phone call from VW headquarters in Michigan. I was offered $500.00
>> towards
>> the purchase of a new vehicle. Would it have Onstar - no, could I use it
>> to
>> buy a Toyota - no, could they explain why they wouldn't upgrade the
>> vehicle - too expensive. 6 VW's and this is my last. They wonder why
>> they
>> can't build market share. VW had great customer service and
>> relationships -
>> it seems like a long time ago.
>> David
>
> It is that sort of short-sighted idiocy that loses individual
> customers. It is venues like this one that lose VW perhaps-dozens of
> customers. Who then tell their friends such that it may become many
> more. Ripples spread. What is so sad is that your experience is not
> limited to brand or expense, but to the general failure of customer-
> service throughout many industries. If any vehicle company does not
> understand the concept of Brand Loyalty right down to the tips of
> their collective and several toes, they are simply dead. It is only a
> matter of how long it takes for the corpse to stop twitching.
>
> My opinion on On-Star notwithstanding, it has its very real uses, and
> for a company to deliberately obsolete its utility is unconsionable.
> At least with my wife's Saab (model-year 2001) losing On-Star was
> something that Saab could not plan for back-then. VW could and chose
> not to.
>
> Peter Wieck
> Wyncote, PA




>> Unfortunately today's business practices of running a
product for 5-7 years or so until it peaks and killing it is the norm. On
star isn't particularly useful. Granted, in an emergency its useful for tow
calls,police, ect. Which is how it was marketed. It also cost a premium.
Its nothing more then an operator connecting you to towing, police or
ambulance services. Using GPS to locate you. Anyone can do that themselves.
For less cost. Cell phones or GPS is better.And are always improving. And
it got a bad rap when it was discovered it was being used to track people's
whereabouts, and their traveling habits,and what stores they shopped at.
For marketing purposes. It was also used to listen to conversations by law
enforcement. Without your consent. It certainly tramples on your privacy
rights . Its a marketing tracker that was forced upon people in a take it
or leave it fashion. To get you to buy things later. In return you get to
pay for an operator to call you a tow truck for a monthly charge you don't
see. Short term profits work for short term managers. Wall Street still
rules. Onstar had run its game. The only thing that jumped out at me is.
The mistaken view that VW wonders why they can't build market share. They
do not wonder about it.They do not want more market share. They have
protected themselves from competition, Very well indeed. By limiting
production. They get to sell cars they want us to buy. Not the ones we want.
For instance, A 5 cylinder engines instead of a four cylinder in a mid
level car. Marketed as an entry level car. So they cannot expand. It
would screw them up big-time. They would have to build and offer another
lineup. The US is still the sideshow. And nothing more.

Oddly enough I have to replace the onstar module because of water leak
damage. The list price is $1700 & change.




"D&LBusch" > wrote in message
...
> Previously I brought up the issue of my Onstar service being terminated in
> my 2004 Passat. Opinions about its usefullness aside - I like the
> service. I wrote a letter to VW complaining about the fact that they knew
> about the problem in 2004 but continued to sell the vehicles anyway. I
> just received a phone call from VW headquarters in Michigan. I was
> offered $500.00 towards the purchase of a new vehicle. Would it have
> Onstar - no, could I use it to buy a Toyota - no, could they explain why
> they wouldn't upgrade the vehicle - too expensive. 6 VW's and this is my
> last. They wonder why they can't build market share. VW had great
> customer service and relationships - it seems like a long time ago.
> David
>

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 18:59:31 -0400, "Lost In Space/Woodchuck"
> wrote:

>Oddly enough I have to replace the onstar module because of water leak
>damage. The list price is $1700 & change.
>
>
>
>
>"D&LBusch" > wrote in message
...
>> Previously I brought up the issue of my Onstar service being terminated in
>> my 2004 Passat. Opinions about its usefullness aside - I like the
>> service. I wrote a letter to VW complaining about the fact that they knew
>> about the problem in 2004 but continued to sell the vehicles anyway. I
>> just received a phone call from VW headquarters in Michigan. I was
>> offered $500.00 towards the purchase of a new vehicle. Would it have
>> Onstar - no, could I use it to buy a Toyota - no, could they explain why
>> they wouldn't upgrade the vehicle - too expensive. 6 VW's and this is my
>> last. They wonder why they can't build market share. VW had great
>> customer service and relationships - it seems like a long time ago.
>> David
>>
>
I hate paying for Direct TV but my wife wants to watch a show that is
on no other on the air service. She also likes Flip That House. I
could do without the expense. I do not have a cell phone. I do have
one for work but it gets disconnected from me when I walk in the door.
It stays on th ecounter on the weekends. The cell service is spotty
where I live so it does not ring half the time anyway.

I guess what I am saying is I certainly would not miss Onstar if I had
it and it was taken away. Last time I wrecked I do not recall getting
out of the car. I guess Onstar would have called the police. But that
was before Onstar was around. Yes there might be value in Onstar but
there is value in seatbelts, shoulder restraints, upright seats, head
restraints properly adjusted, reinforcement metal in the doors, air in
the tires, good brakes, and air bags. I still drive my 87 truck which
lacks the safety features of the 2003 Jetta. No Onstar for either.

I guess that most VW customers don't want it so why offer it.

I have onstar on my new Chevy trailblazer, but when the free year is up it's
over. At about $16 per month for someone to tell me how many miles are on my
vehicle, or I need to oil change, rotate the tires, etc... I shouldn't be
permitted to drive.


"Jim Behning" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 18:59:31 -0400, "Lost In Space/Woodchuck"
> > wrote:
>
>>Oddly enough I have to replace the onstar module because of water leak
>>damage. The list price is $1700 & change.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>"D&LBusch" > wrote in message
...
>>> Previously I brought up the issue of my Onstar service being terminated
>>> in
>>> my 2004 Passat. Opinions about its usefullness aside - I like the
>>> service. I wrote a letter to VW complaining about the fact that they
>>> knew
>>> about the problem in 2004 but continued to sell the vehicles anyway. I
>>> just received a phone call from VW headquarters in Michigan. I was
>>> offered $500.00 towards the purchase of a new vehicle. Would it have
>>> Onstar - no, could I use it to buy a Toyota - no, could they explain why
>>> they wouldn't upgrade the vehicle - too expensive. 6 VW's and this is
>>> my
>>> last. They wonder why they can't build market share. VW had great
>>> customer service and relationships - it seems like a long time ago.
>>> David
>>>
>>
> I hate paying for Direct TV but my wife wants to watch a show that is
> on no other on the air service. She also likes Flip That House. I
> could do without the expense. I do not have a cell phone. I do have
> one for work but it gets disconnected from me when I walk in the door.
> It stays on th ecounter on the weekends. The cell service is spotty
> where I live so it does not ring half the time anyway.
>
> I guess what I am saying is I certainly would not miss Onstar if I had
> it and it was taken away. Last time I wrecked I do not recall getting
> out of the car. I guess Onstar would have called the police. But that
> was before Onstar was around. Yes there might be value in Onstar but
> there is value in seatbelts, shoulder restraints, upright seats, head
> restraints properly adjusted, reinforcement metal in the doors, air in
> the tires, good brakes, and air bags. I still drive my 87 truck which
> lacks the safety features of the 2003 Jetta. No Onstar for either.
>
> I guess that most VW customers don't want it so why offer it.