Citygate Volkswagen Van Centre Colindale

I had booked my car in for a service and had explained that I need a courtesy vehicle. I spoke to the bookings department and they had booked me in for a Saturday, with no issues. On the morning of the service, i received a call saying that I cannot have a vehicle car because it was a Saturday, but I could wait for 3 or 4 hours with vehicle. At no point was it stated to me when booking this service that I cannot have a courtesy vehicle due to it being a Saturday. Ive had to rearrange my plans and take more time off work. Disappointing lack of communication
Apr 24th, 2023

Really helpful and friendly for sales and service (and now rental). Credit where credit is due!
Apr 19th, 2023

CONTINUED - PART 2 I finally received a message indicating that my vehicle was ready for collection around 1 pm the next day. However, upon arriving at the service center at 5 pm, I was met with apologies for the delays, but still no information about the soot percentage in the DPF and absolute no mention about it. As my vehicle was being retrieved from around the corner, I requested proof of the soot level. To my surprise, I ended up waiting for another 10-15 minutes for what I believe was them actually conducting the test for soot level % despite being the only customer in the center at that point and also knowing my vehicle had already been finished and waiting collection. Finally, my vehicle was brought out, and I was informed that the soot level was approximately 61%. However, there was no tangible evidence, paperwork, or documentation provided to support this claim. I requested documentation, and after waiting for another 5 minutes, a technician with a laptop came out to plug it into my van to show me the percentage. It was perplexing that they did not have the paperwork or an image of the computer readout, despite claiming to have conducted the test while I was initially waiting and no mention of the server or system still being down. Based on the updated test results, that finally I was able to physically see stated there was 31% soot in the DPF. Upon inquiring about the drastic 50% decrease in soot levels, which were previously mentioned to be significantly higher just five minutes ago, I was met with the dismissive response that "these things happen" and that such fluctuations are indeed possible. However, I find it highly implausible that such drastic changes can occur within such a short span of time, which raises questions about the accuracy and reliability of the quoted cleaning/fixing needs. My recent experience with the VW service centre in Colindale has led me to believe that there may be a group of unscrupulous individuals seeking to extract additional payments for services rendered in order to boost their own commissions. This suspicion was further reinforced by overhearing conversations among the service team members in the waiting area, where they were observed laughing and arguing about not wanting to take on a new customer whose vehicle was still under warranty, as it would not generate additional income for them. Subsequently, I escalated the matter to the head office and requested to speak with the regional manager or an appropriate authority. However, I received a call the following day from the sales manager of the branch, who provided vague explanations and responded with long pauses and awkward silences when confronted with my concerns. Moreover, when I requested documentation of the work performed on my vehicle for verification purposes, I was informed that not all the information was updated on my account and therefore could not be provided. Based on the evasiveness and lack of accountability displayed by the sales manager, it is evident to me that attempts were made to deceive and evade responsibility for the issues I had uncovered. When I insisted on speaking with a superior, the phone was abruptly disconnected, leaving me dissatisfied and frustrated with the level of service received. I would welcome the opportunity to be contacted by Volkswagen to further discuss the matter and seek an explanation for the discrepancies and inconsistencies witnessed at their branch. Specifically, I request to review the documentation of work actually performed on my vehicle, as well as any available footage or proof to confirm that the work was indeed carried out, and not merely parts ordered for personal use by the mechanics outside of VW, as I have heard of similar issues from previous VW apprentice mechanics that these crooked schemes are done.
Apr 17th, 2023

Good service good customer
Apr 6th, 2023

This is a 2 Part Review as its too long for one submission! I must express my dissatisfaction with the service I received at the VW service center in Colindale for my VW T6 van. As my van was still under extended warranty, I brought it in for a routine service about a month ago. However, shortly after leaving the service center, I noticed that the engine warning light had come on and I received a message indicating an issue with the auto start/stop system. I promptly contacted the branch to report the problem, but their response was dismissive, instructing me to call back in two weeks if the issue persisted. After two weeks, I called again as the problem was still present, and I scheduled an appointment for a check-up and repair two weeks later. During this call, I also requested a comprehensive inspection of the van's gears, over a couple of days including cold starts and after short drives, as I had noticed issues with the gear shifting. The following day, I received a call from the service center, informing me that the gears were functioning properly (after checking once?), but they had identified that there was an excess of 0.5ml of oil during the service, which had triggered the warning light. However, they also informed me that the DPF (diesel particulate filter) required a full clean/regeneration at a cost of 350. I pointed out that the warning light and auto start/stop system message could be indicative of the DPF issue, as per information on the RAC website, which explicitly mentioned "deactivation of automatic Stop/Start" as a symptom. To my astonishment, the service center dismissed my concern, stating that online information is not always reliable, and that the RAC website was not a credible source. However, the information on the RAC website directly correlated with the issues I had experienced following my service at their branch. I expressed my disagreement and refused to pay for the DPF clean/regeneration, as I believed that the issue could have been addressed earlier when I initially reported it. The service center then offered a reduced price of 250 due to the delay in addressing the issue caused by their own negligence. Despite the discounted price, I declined and instead requested to know the percentage of soot in the DPF, as it would allow me to assess the severity of the issue. However, the service center claimed that they did not have the information readily available and will find out and call me to update me. I had to follow up with the service center after a day or two, as I had not received any further communication. When I inquired about the soot level again, I was informed that the information was not saved on the system due to the server/system issue. This lack of accountability was concerning.
Apr 13th, 2023