Volkswagon of Ocala Service fraud
 

Last Monday I took my Car into Volkswagon of Ocala and turned it over to Caleb to have a new key programmed for the car, an oil change, and a recall done. Caleb said the car would be done in about 2 hours. After 2.5 hours I hadn’t heard from them and went back to the dealer to check on it.

The car was parked out side, not in the service bay. I went in and asked if it was done and the service guys said they needed to find Caleb. One of them said it didn’t look like they started it yet. Sure enough, on their monitor although all the other cars said “in Progress” or “completed”, mine showed up as “checked in”.

When Caleb came out he said it was almost finished, just needed about 30 more minutes to complete the recall. The key and oil change were complete. After 45 minutes I tracked him down again and he had questions about programming the key.

After another 20 minutes I finally got the car with a “brand new” beat up key. After driving it home I checked the oil, it was not close to full.

Three hours later I got the text with the video. Normally they show step by step what they did. This was a 20 second video that said what they were going to do, and then said they did it. It didn’t even show the hood up or the car on a rack.


I suspect Caleb panicked when I got back and he realized he hadn’t turned the car in. Then for the next hour they spent trying to finish the one thing I could check, the key.

I sent an email to the service manager and heard nothing back. When a lady from Volkswagon called with her after service survey I told her the whole story. Still haven’t heard from them. Other than stopping payment on the service I’m not sure what to do.

My first impression was Caleb messed up. Now I’m wondering if this is normal for service at Volkswagon of Ocala, and they always tell people they serviced their car without doing it.

Probably get better results at one of these


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Forget the service manager, go and demand to speak to the dealership manager. The service manager only worries about one thing, getting as many cars as possible through the shop and persuading the car owner he needs the $89.95 valve stem alignment.

👍🤬.

My wife just had her car there for service, no problems from her viewpoint, however, from what I gather they scheduled more cars then they could handle. They provided an uber so my wife and her friend could do some shopping and get lunch, and then an uber to get back to the dealer, she was pleased.

I did finally hear from the service manager, and to be fair, I’d like to tell his side of the story.

He is sure they did all the work. He said after an oil change the oil level can be anywhere in the safe zone, and won’t necessarily be near the top, or over half.

He is sure they did the recall, as he thought it was a software change. When I read him the recall notice “dealer will remove the drain valve from the air intake hose” he said he was mistaken, that must be what they did.

He had no explanation why the car had been pulled from the service bay when it wasn’t done, other than to say that was unusual.

He said they do wipe down the oil cap when changing oil, and had no explanation why it would be filthy with road debris.

He said a vehicle will show up on their status board as “checked in” until the car is finished, and then it will say “in progress”. So at 2:30 in the afternoon mine was the only car still being worked on. The rest were finished awaiting paperwork.

He admitted the video was not what they normally put out, and apologized that it was so bad.

He offered if I was willing to drive the car up there again, they would change the oil, again.

When I said there was nothing they did that convinced me the work had been done he admitted I would just have to trust them.

And I don’t. I challenged the oil change charge on my credit card, paying for the key reprogramming. I’ll get an oil change closer to home, and have Leesburg check the recall.

When a dealer tells me something like that, I thank them and bring the car to the local tire shop and get the stem replaced for free.

And if I need a new battery, I thank them for the info, and bring it to the local tire shop, because they do battery replacements too but they'll actually let me watch them test it. Usually - I don't need a battery at all. And no charge for the test.

It's also where I bring the car when I actually need new tires. The dealer can tell me I need them, that's fine. It doesn't cost me anything for them to tell me that. The dealer is my diagnostician, and the ones who do the exhaust, transmission, major mileage tuneups, the meat and potatoes of keeping the vehicle running. I choose specialists (such as the tire shop, or an oil change shop) for the peripherals.

You got beat up by JENKINS if you haven't read the Hyundia experience
Jenkins owns VW Leesburg.

OP went to Volkswagon of Ocala where all this happened.
:ohdear::ohdear::bigbow:

Go to wildwood tire on 44. The dealerships will be suspect for years to come.

I find most car dealer services are there for finding something else to bag you for.... I prefer Wildwood tire for service.

I have had great service ay VW of Ocala!
 

I have been using them since 2012. I have had exceptional service. Loaner car when the problem is something VW was responsible for. ( Window switch problem. ) Granted, some of the parts are a little high. New battery was ridiculous. After question the cost, My manager told me to pick something from the VW merchandise area. We chose a $60.00 item and walked away happy. I purchased four new tires. When I returned home I noticed I had picked up a nail in one of the brand new tires. I called VW and they explained that it was really not a warranted issue. My rep turned it over to the top manager (Mike) He knew who I was because we have been using them for years. He checked and located a new tire and had me come back. They replaced the tire at no charge!. Sounds like you had the wrong person on the wrong day.

Ohiobuckeye
 

I guess you won’t be getting service done there again & maybe won’t be buying another VW. My grandson bought a used VW & has gotten great service. I’m retired from Ford & what I told you to do, that’s exactly what I would do!

Just another example of why I LOVE car dealers—sales or service, foreign or domestic.

Sounds like a Jenkins Dealership?