Volkswagenn SA no better in service or parts backup than Chinese newcomers.

Before Xmas 2025 I took my 4 year old VW Transporter to a very helpful and professional Knysna Tavcor VW to have an accelleration shudder checked out. They advised that I require a new driveshaft, which they saw was in stock in SA from VWSA. Just after Xmas I was quoted for the parts and service and on 28 December I paid the full amount of approx R46 000 for the parts to be ordered and repairs to be done.Since then I was misinformed, misdirected and ******ed around until about 7 January 2026 when I was informed that VW Parts Div eventually realised that parts were labelled incorrectly and that in fact only half of the part was actually in SA. The whole part had to be re-ordered and I would be told when such a part would get to Knysna. Since then we had to rent a car to get back from our holiday home to Stellenbosch and put up with being deprived of a family car for over a month. My Transporter Crew bus is relatively new(4 years old with 105 000kms) and apart from not expecting such major problems on such a new car that has seen NO abuse, I at least expect an established brand to have parts readily available for repairs. On 12 January I was informed by VW Customer Care that apparently VWSA received news that the needed part would arrive in GERMANY at the end of January 2026. When that part would be able to make its way to Knysna remains a mystery. Until today(29 January) I have received no further word as to what the latest timelines for the arrival of the part at Knysna would be, despite recent attempts to again contact VW Customer Care(Case Ref No ***8). I have always driven recognised, established brands like the Germans or Japannese ones and advised met friends against buying new chinese entrants in the market because of concerns over parts and service backup. Now it seems like Volkswagen is no better than any of the new marques in that respect and therefor do not warrant the premium on price demanded for their products. Needless to say I am extremely disappointed, disillusioned and poorer because of this experience.