Incompetence has a reference...VW Philwest.

My Amarok recently experiences a major mechanical breakdown due to the incompetency of Phil West VW Somerset West maintenance staff. I bought this Amarok from Master Cars Duttons in Sasolburg and experienced the best service I have received from any VW branch. I bought this Bakkie as an investment to have on holidays and experience all the best of South Africa by going off-road. I did the upmost best to keep this bakkie in tiptop shape since this bakkie needs to be running for 100 000 kms and more. This was my pride and joy. This bakkie went on his 120k km service on the 11th of January 2018 and I paid R12 000.00 on the service where Phil West replaced the timing belt etc…quite an expensive service but I paid it since this will be the best for the bakkie in the long run. Immediately (Within 5km) after I received the bakkie back from Phil West, my dash board lighted up with errors stating my engine cooling has malfunctioned. I phoned Phil West to deliver this message and they responded by they forgot to fill-up the bakkie with coolant after service and instructed me to fill-up with water. Since I knew better, I did not fill up with water and purchased VW approved Coolant to top up the coolant tank. This solved the problem…only it wasn’t the only problem they had given me. Around +- 2000km after the service I was traveling on the N2 back from the CPT airport to strand (at night) and had a massive mechanical breakdown. I was stranded on the infamous highway fearing for my life. I had to contact my personal insurance company to tow me to Phil West and asked my parents to come and fetch me which cause financial burden on them and me. The next day, I went early to VW to discuss the matter by personally arranging transport to VW and to my work place (personal financial support). The whole day I have phoned VW Phil West (on the hour each hour) but did not receive any feedback with regards to the status of my bakkie. At the closing of the day, I had to arrange transport for the following day since I was needed in Wellington and did not know what is the story was with the Bakkie. When this transport was available, I decided to drive to VW to determine first hand what the problem was. When I arrived I was given very little attention and was advised to consult the service manager to the receptionist to the workshop manager etc… Till one of the case managers informed me that the timing belt has malfunctioned and my engine needs excessive repairs. They did however, informed me that they will cover the cost of the repairs and at the time could not give me a courtesy car since nothing was available. Therefore, I proceeded to travel with the transport I had to arrange myself. The next day a courtesy car and had to arrange transport to VW Phil West at my own expense. From when the Bakkie was (still is) at Phil West, I’m yet to receive any feedback with regards to the status of the repair and ETA of completion? In more than 6 week…DID I NOT EVEN RECEIVED 1 CALL FORM THEM. I have been actively following up with them daily, weekly leaving countless of messages and till this day have not received any feedback. This is pathetic service and really considering dropping my support of the VW brand at all. The thing is, if these technicians are so *********** to replace a timing belt, how are they going to effectively rebuild an engine? What warranties and guarantees do I have that they don’t mess up like before? In effect, I do and will not trust anything that come out of the workshop. Therefore, I decided to sell the bakkie.

I tried selling my bake through Phil West to get some reliable factor back again by purchasing a new Amarok but Phil West doesn’t even want to settle the bakie. They are only offering R20k discount on a R500k+ Amarok. It is meaningless. I just just cover all of the expense and service cost I had to pay them to stuff up the Amarok. When I tried Phil West to buy the bakkie from me I needed to pay in R50 k of my personal saving just to get it settled. I are not even prepared to settle the car for me. I’m so discussed by this whole ordeal, that before Philwest my bakie was perfect and reliable and my pride and joy. And now it is just a eyesore that will not be the same anymore...and the worst case I need to pay VW Philwest R50k to get rid of their stuff up.