1 reviews | Active since May 2014
Terrible roadside assistance service
I have a 2018 polo vivo that I bought new from VW, I did this so that I know how the car is driven and treated and don't want to sit with another man's problems and especially dont want to end up breaking down in the middle of nowhere. So i came back from Pretoria on 28/11 driving home to Jeffreys bay, and between middleburg and Graaf-reinet my car went into limp mode (not going over 4000rpm or 100km/h)without any warning or warning light coming on. I phoned the gent from VW where I bought the car at about 15:15 to find out what to do since my car is still under warranty, he advised me to phone VW roadside assistance so that's what I did. After explaining to the lady what had happened she phoned a tech guy and phoned me back for a conference call with him, after that call they would send out someone to come have a look and will phone with the logistics, after several calls and about a hour later I phoned and asked if I can ask someone to tow me to Graafreinet?She would find out and phone me back,I was told no I can't tow it and that they would come tow it instead to Kelston in Uitenhage, if they send someone(that according to me was already on his way) it would take him to long as it is Saturday and on weekends it is difficult, I got a call from a tow truck driver from Colesberg(which is 130km in the other direction) just for him to tell me that its to far and that we must get someone from Graafreinet to do it. After explaining this to VW I was told to hold on they would phone me back. All of this took another hour and i was still stranded not knowing what comes next. They got someone from Graafreinet and he phoned to confirm my location, I phoned them to asked what was going on, and I was told that they will collect the car, and now they want to know if i know people close where we can spend the night????or people that can come fetch us???really ??I said no and asked what will happen after they collect my car? They asekd if i have a credit card for reasons i still don't know. I said they want me to put my car on a role back and stand on the side of the road with no way to get home having my brother and two woman in my car(my wife and sister in law), they said they will TRY and get a rental for us but once again its weekend and all the places are closed ,but what is the street address they can send a rental IF they can get one. Really ??? I'm on a road between two towns what street address do they want?? The plot number for a farm nearby.??? I told them in that case ill rather drive the car to Graafreinet as I'm not staying here on the side of the road without a car and it would be dark in about 3hours spoke to the tech guy again and was told its fine nothing major( so if it is nothing major seeing that there is no leaks, and fluids are full why im i stranded for now almost 3 hours???) I got the tow truck halfway and arranged with the driver to give us a lift to Graafreinet. I was told by VW to look for accommodation and they would pay a maximum of R1500 ( so booking for 4 people on short notice is highly unlikely) we got a place for R2000(2 rooms) and they agreed to reimburse me the money upon proof of booking and payment(1 problem solved in 3 hours but still no way home). At around 8pm they confirmed a rental car was booked from PE and would be there between 8 and 10 the next morning, I told them that checkout was at 10 and they confirmed it would be there before checkout on 29/11. Ten past 8am 29/11 i was called by avis car rental and told that the drivers only comes in at 8 half past 8 and would be leaving soon????so after a long back and forth with avis they advised that VW was told last night that the drivers only comes in at about half past 8 and that the car rental is for max 48hours and when returning the car it must have a full tank of petrol.So they (VW) were lying the night before that they arranged the car to be there between 8 and 10( it being 3-4hour drive) because of roadworks we will now be sitting on the sidewalk with our luggage for about 2 hours in a town I don't know. So now waiting in the sun once again i got the rental with less then half a tank of petrol( was told it was discussed with VW) so why was it confirmed with VW that i get a half tank but must return a full tank?? And on top of that i must take a day off work to return a car to PE???
So please i begg you don't drive on a weekend only drive 9-5 Monday to Friday. Secondly ask your car to only break down in tows where you know people but preferably at your own address. Also make sure you have extra money with you,( if you don't you'll probably end up sleeping at the side of the road). Also travel with camping chairs to sit for 3-4 hours getting it started and 2-3 hours waiting the next day for n rental. But if possible try and avoid VW roadside assistance its more trouble then your broken car.
What i still don't know is 1.why they could not send someone to have a look at the car?? 2 why someone from VW could not come and fetch us and give us a VW car?? Is there no one on standby ?? 3.what's going to happen if my car takes more then 48hours to fix??will i be walking to work(16km) till its fixed??4. Most important why they arranged for a FORD rental ??do they not trust their own brand??
And i still don't know where my car is.Is it in Uitenhage at kelston? In Graafreinet?? Still on the roleback on its way??
I was planning on Trading in the car in March on a new VW but after all this I won't go back and buy a VW Again, and after driving that Ford Ecosport I think that is what I will trade my car in for.
