A new diesel MkV 2.0l TDi and smoke... [Archive]

Spoddy

05-09-2007, 10:17 PM

Hi all,

I am relatively new as a VW owner and even newer as a diesel owner, I have a question about smoke from the exhaust....
I also posted this in the "Golf (Type 1J) MkV TDI/GTI/R32 Problems" thread but then found this diesel discussion forum. I hope someone can give me some advice before I go to the dealer next Wednesday (12/9).

The car - 2007 spec 2.0l TDi DSG - The problem - when caught in traffic after a very short while (like a minute) lots of smoke starts enveloping the car and everyone around me, and when accelerating away the cloud of smoke it makes is even more embarrassing.
I have reported this problem to the dealer twice now. The first time they got me to go in and they "tested" it by revving the hell out of it, guess what – no smoke… they then took it out of site for about 5 minutes, came back and said there was nothing wrong…
Anyway, a week later (less than 5k on the speedo) the low oil level light came on – I took it to the local VW dealer and they said it needed a lot of oil to top it up (free at least) and stated that oil usage is normal particularly in the first 35,000km– up to 4 litres an a service interval! but should get better. I have read a bit about this in the forum but I think there is a problem just from the amount of smoke I pump out generally.
Is anyone else experiencing this smoking phenomenon? (The particulate filter is clean)

brackie

06-09-2007, 07:27 AM

You obviously have a problem there. Don't let the dealer fob you off so duplicate the conditions under which the problem arises exactly while the dealer is present. Make the service manager stand there even if it takes all day! If it's using that much oil then it's over and above what you'd expect when rings are bedding in. Is the smoke blue or black?

GermanwithaVdub

06-09-2007, 01:44 PM

i've found a huge amount of fluctuation in smoke blowing depending on fuel. and it gets much better after 10000kms... my oil light came on just before 7k, something to do with the super thin run-in oil they use (i have a feeling your oil light is not something to worry about). anyway, experiment with fuel, you might find that you bought a dodgy tank somewhere. i have had mine smoking quite a lot but then other times its clean and ive basically concluded its fuel. GL with the car.

Seano

07-09-2007, 09:45 AM

GermanwithaVdub

07-09-2007, 01:26 PM

....it sounds to me like there's a problem in the fuel delivery at idle.

Basically, it's over-fuelling and the unburnt fuel is displaying itself as smoke. And when you give some welly...you are developing more smoke for a bit while the engine trys to burn that extra fuel.

Equally, your fuel may not be that flash....full marks to United and the other independents for trying to take on the big boys but their diesel isn't anywhere as good.

"and people really need to get behind independents because without independents, theres no competition" haha gotta love the chaser. i agree though, stick with the big companies and see if it improves.

Spoddy

07-09-2007, 01:41 PM

I am about to go for a drive, son in the golf, me following with a camera....

I'll see what happens and I'll get back to you all

A big thankyou to everyone for the advice

Watch this space....

GermanwithaVdub

08-09-2007, 10:21 AM

vmq i reckon you should write a book on diesels. id be the first to buy it.

edit: yep show us those pictures of the smog spoddy

Spoddy

09-09-2007, 07:48 PM

As I said earlier I went for a drive behind my son and replicated driving in traffic (safer this way...). the scenario was to drive at 10-15kph for about a minute and then accelerating gently for a second or so. These are the results.

Is this white smoke?

PM me for images - I am protecting the innocent - me

Spoddy

09-09-2007, 07:55 PM

1. What colour is the smoke - black, blue, or white?

To tell the colour accurately, you need either to follow the car or to park the car and get out and look at it.

2. Is the colour of smoke the same when you accelerate hard as when the engine is warm and idling?

3. When the engine is warm and idling and also smoking, what is the instantaneous fuel consumption reading (in L/hour) shown on the display?

4. The smoke is only from the exhaust, or from elsewhere under the car?

Smoke is (I think - see images in prev post) white
Hard acceleration (once cleared) in minimal but probably dark grey
From following the car and letting it sit and idle it is not blowing smoke but does as soon as the accelerator is touched. Idle consumption is 0.6 to 0.7l/h
Smoke is only from the exhaust

Mister_duck

09-09-2007, 08:15 PM

My Tdi blows the same mount of smoke as the pictures. mine is only under hard accerlation though. Also my car has got a reflash so that might not be helping the problem. Even when I car was stock it blew some back smoke.

All diesel vehicles will blow a bit of smoke, so im lead to beleive. all the diesel vehicles I have driven have blown a bit of smoke.

GermanwithaVdub

09-09-2007, 11:15 PM

looks normal to me... get some better fuel thats what my money is on. i hope for your sake it is anyway.

Spoddy

10-09-2007, 06:34 AM

Once again a big thankyou for the well considered replies.
vmq6695, you're a legend, I will go through the detail of your advice today and get back to you hopefully this evening.

brackie

10-09-2007, 07:08 AM

I've worked with diesel engines since the early 1970s and I've worked on and used plenty of diesel engines that produce close to zero smoke (I own and operate three diesel engines at the moment).

Very impressive writeup. mate. Can you tell us which diesels you have had particular experience with? VWs? Pugs? Lots of us are keen to learn more about hi-tech diesels as we are pretty comfy with lo-tech motors but fazed by electronic engine management, IP technology and injector improvements developed in recent years.

Write away!

Spoddy

13-09-2007, 09:19 PM

Sure looks like white smoke (but I'll add the weasel words that I've not colour-corrected my monitor; one of the pics looked a tiny bit bluish).

The car used lots of engine oil in the 1st 4,000km but hardly any since in the next 4,000km so I don't think it is oil related.

Your instantaneous fuel burn figure and the white colour suggest that we can rule out overfuelling at idle.
I agree and the VW dealer indicated (yesterday when they had it for the day) as nothing has shown up in diagnostics in that respect.

I reckon the two possiblities to eliminate next are:
(1) air being sucked into the fuel line; and
(2) water in the fuel.
Your Golf is still under warranty, right? Your dealer should look after you. But you can guide the dealers attention!

Warranty - absolutely. only 8,000km on the clock and 4.5 months old...)
They took the cover off the engine and checked the fuel lines and cleaned?/checked the filter. No evidence of leaks or water.

(2) get your fuel filter changed regularly; and
(3) when fuelling your car, look at the fuel to check its colour (water in the fuel is often discoloured; in critical operations, a couple of litres of fuel are pumped into a glass jar and allowed to settle while the tank is being filled, just to see if any water is in the fuel); don't just jam the nozzle into the filler throat and pump away - look at the fuel and see if it looks clear and bright - and then you can jam the nozzle down and fill the tank until the nozzle clicks off.

(2) How regularly?
(3) did this with an independant further up the mountains after asking around another deisel owner's (land rover) recommendation. Clean and $1.289/l

B. I note that you are in the Blue Mts and I therefore guess that you have a big difference between daytime and night-time temperatures.

I live in Glenbrook, not much higher than the hills district... and warmer than Penrith. The car is garaged too.

The dealer and now VW Australia agree there is too much smoke given the way it happens just rolling along on a light accelerator at 15km/r for a few minutes and not after running against the compession or during hard acceleration.
VW Australia requested copies of the photos, which I gave them, and they have since been in contact with me to drop the car back to the dealer to do further checks. This will happen on Wednesday 19th Sept.

Whilst thay had the car they also updated the software for the radio (they said they didn't know what it fixed) and the drivers door LED modules - they said it was required VW fix to stop the LED from staying on after unlocking and staying on whilst driving - It was doing this regularly and super bright and really bad at night. Anyway should be fixed now and time will tell.

The dealer also set the convenience options free of charge for me - very pleasing after they originally said it was a charged service... They were able to set the ones I wanted except for the dipping left mirror on selecting reverse; they found that my car does not have the option. Does this mean that the 2007 spec is inconsistent between early and late versions? They had no idea. The right and left do synchronise though and this is handy.

I'll post details of any further news after next Wednesdays check.

Again, Thanks for all the help and information.

Spoddy

20-09-2007, 09:31 PM

Wednesday came and went, the dealer had the car for 15 minutes to do some further testing, not sure what but they said they sent the results directly to VW Aus.

Car is still smoking and they said they will be in touch in the next few days when they get a response back.

At least it doesn't appear to affect the performance of the car. Its amazing how it accelerates just as hard up a hill as it does down a hill... Love that torque.

gldgti

24-09-2007, 06:56 PM

sounds like a stange problem to me...

to clarify one issue - overfuelling causes the engine to rev up in a diesel - a diesel engine does not have "mixture" because it is unthrottled. so, if there was too much fuel being injected, engine revs would increase (unless there was load on the engine)..

diesels typically produce white smoke when the injection occurs too late (retarded timing). since the new engines are electronically controlled, i would guess that some sensor that helps the engine management with timing information is reading wrongly or something like that at low revs and zero to small percentages of pedal.

when the problem occurs, do you notice the "diesel knock" is reduced? this is another symptom of retarded timing.

from the sounds of the problem, it seems unlikely that it would be detrimental to the engine, so its nothing to be overly worried about. however, if it is not a running in quirk, then maybe you should suggest about timing to the dealer - surely they can run get injection timing information from the diagnostics program???

hope that helps.

aydan

Spoddy

25-09-2007, 09:28 PM

The dealer contacted me with the instruction to run 2 full tanks of BP diesel through and then make contact with them....

What is so special about BP diesel? Are they going to then ask to use another brand and report back as well?

BP is about 5c/l more expensive out my way....

when the problem occurs, do you notice the "diesel knock" is reduced? this is another symptom of retarded timing.

I don't get to drive the golf very often but I took the opportunity to get out and fill it with BP as it was near to the reserve. In terms of the diesel knock I assume you mean the rattle sound, if so yes it goes silky smooth/quite when it smokes but I assumed it was because of the very gentle accelerator application (otherwise I would run up the back of the car in front...)

Thanks for the info - I am learning a lot from this forum.
I wish I could fill up and not get that diesel on me all the time - is there a secret to filling and keeping the hands dry???

GermanwithaVdub

25-09-2007, 10:16 PM

BP diesel is just the cleanest (i presume that means it has very low sulfur?) so i guess vw wants to rule out any issues with bad fuel which is actually fair enough, considering the amount of horrible diesel sold around town. (i still suspect this might be the problem, but my opinion is much less educated than others in this thread :P) i say this because i lent my car to my mum and she filled it up (at the cheapest possible petrol station knowing her) and the car smoked like buggery that whole tank (much more smoke than in your pictures)

with regards to filling up, when your done filling, just drop the handle of the bowser down so that no more fuel can fall out the nozzle

Seano

26-09-2007, 08:47 AM

I wish I could fill up and not get that diesel on me all the time - is there a secret to filling and keeping the hands dry???

Just do what some of us may do......and most truckies do do. Wear gloves whilst refuelling. I use a single right handed leather riggers glove that I keep under the seat (one day I will get a undertray rope box!!).

Even an old tea towel or some of the servo paper towelling is just as good.

Plus leaving the diesel soaked paper towel on the counter after you pay is a fairly forward way of suggesting that the station should take more care re. the cleanliness of their pumps.....

BeigeJet

26-09-2007, 09:07 AM

.
I wish I could fill up and not get that diesel on me all the time - is there a secret to filling and keeping the hands dry???

Do what I do. I bought some disposable gloves from the supermarket (about $2.50 for 24) and wear one on while refueling. Then you can dispose of at the servo when finished. A box lasts a fair too if you only fill up once a fortnight like I do! And you don't get the smell on hands or in the car!

neil

26-09-2007, 09:15 AM

Plus leaving the diesel soaked paper towel on the counter after you pay is a fairly forward way of suggesting that the station should take more care re. the cleanliness of their pumps.....

Must remember that...great one seano...

Been using BP as recommended by a few members on this forum and my
mileage has increased by around an extra 50 km. I think a combination of
BP and higher tyre pressure also recommended by this forum.

Been purchasing it on Pennets hill rd the first one you come to after the
freeway. Has been stuck on $1.29 for months.which has been cheaper
than most others. Not sure of current price with the big increase of late.

Mister_duck

26-09-2007, 12:50 PM

Bp diesel is all I ever use in my Tdi, Though each service station is not going to be the same with the quality of fuel I would guess

Spoddy

27-09-2007, 08:53 PM

OK, so if the two tanks of BP prove that it is fuel, then fine I can live with that. But if I continue to use other fuels, will that do damage to the engine/injectors/etc? We don't have a BP local to us.

If the smoke is still there after using and staying on BP, should the next step be to pull the injectors? and if VW Aus don't would re-mapping the ECU do the trick or are the injectors independant of that?

There are a couple of 2 TDi golfs in the area and non of them smoke...

Spoddy

28-09-2007, 08:58 PM

Took the car to work today; 194km into this tank. Certainly the economy is great, about 50km up on the estimated distance to empty (830+194=1024). MFD indicates 5.3l/100 from local driving and 4.4 for the trip to work (5.1 for the trip home up the hill to Glenbrook via Hawkesbury lookout - trying to empty the tank faster...)

Anyway, the smoke if anything is worse, now happening when you maintain any speed and then accelerate. Before it was traffic jam speeds 15km/h, now it is at 60, 70, 80 though it may look worse at night but there is a big cloud as soon as you accelerate but then clears. There is a clear lag in acceleration but I am not sure how long the turbo lag should be. Note I am not booting the accelerator just accelerating.

GermanwithaVdub

29-09-2007, 12:15 AM

for some reason the whateveritis coming out of the exhaust shows up so much more at night, ive noticed that as well. thats some very low fuel consumption!

OvaltoJetta

29-09-2007, 01:46 AM

There's been a few comments in this thread about using BP diesel. The info has been very useful, so here's my bit. It is my understanding that in WA which has the lowest sulpher content in the country, all fuel (apart from maybe Woolies / Caltex - hence I dont use it) comes from our local BP Kwinana refinery. That said, I might try a tank from a BP outlet and see if I get further. On the smoke issue, I have been taking notice since this thread started and have found that if I just tonk around I will get a bit of smoke when I next put pedal to metal, but only initially. It then seems OK if I per chance tramp it a second time. It also seems to me that a good run down the freeway once a week, occasionally giving it a bit of freedom, does it the world of good. ........All comments are useful.

Spoddy

06-10-2007, 10:38 PM

Well its amazing how long it takes to run two tanks of BP through... Still on the first tank and 380km still to go.

I'm now going on holidays for two weeks to outback NSW but not in the Golf - in the new Kluger which I wish was a diesel!

So its going to be an eternity...

Spoddy

06-10-2007, 10:40 PM

All comments are useful.

I agree and at the end of the day it may just come down to driving style and the type of fuel. If so its a quirk I will have to get used to now that I am hooked on the diesel.:D

Spoddy

06-10-2007, 10:43 PM

In fact the only good thing I can say about my dealer is that they gave me a set of tyre valve caps for free when I reported that someone had nicked mine when I parked it in downtown Cairns last week).

What sort of caps were they? Mine are just the standard black plastic.

mikinoz

07-10-2007, 09:27 AM

I suggest that you ask if the dealers demo car is the same, and if it is less smokey ask to take that home instead.

Ask if they would use your car as a demo if it smoked that much, and if the answer is no, then that it is only fair they resolve it adequately and promptly.

Also remind them of the new lemon laws that are being passed...

Transporter

19-10-2007, 09:50 PM

Blue smoke from exhaust on VW TDi is almost always caused by engine oil sucked via PCV hose (located @ the rocker cover and going onto air duct).
Disconnect one end and check with your finger inside the hose. There is a lot of information about the problem available on the Internet.

I've installed MAN PROVENT 200 on my R5 engine in T5 and smoke slowely went away. There will be a lot of oil acumulated inside the intercooler. I've also disconnected PCV hose and check our GolfV and just after 1000 km there was already a lot of oil. At 6,000km I didn't have to top up a single drop of oil yet. From a new we drive that car as it was fully run in, from 1500km I drive it like I'd stalled it, but the engine has to be at least very close to
80 deg.C.

Diesel engines designed for hard work and I don't remember that anybody would drive their truck 20,000km - 50,000km empty, just because the engine is running in. In the best case they don't connect the trailer at first 1,500km. After first 500km diesel engine is ready for work.

GermanwithaVdub

20-10-2007, 02:01 PM

any recent progress? hows the BP diesel going?

Spoddy

20-10-2007, 06:36 PM

any recent progress? hows the BP diesel going?

Well so far so good; generally way less less smoke but I am yet to do the photo thing again under the conditions it was having the problem which I think is required as it is the only way to compare and to see from outside the car. Looking promising though.

I will post the new pics I just have to take them....

busy busy.

Spoddy

20-10-2007, 06:49 PM

Blue smoke from exhaust on VW TDi is almost always caused by engine oil sucked via PCV hose (located @ the rocker cover and going onto air duct).
...

The engine used heaps of oil in the 1st 4,000km so much so the warning light came on and the dealer topped it up (they said it took a lot); since then the car has now done 11,000km and the oil has not moved on the dipstick. The smoke problem was still hapening at the 9,000km mark and we have consumed 2 full tanks and now just starting the 3rd of BP and generally the economy has improved and there is less smoke generally. The smoke has always been more white than blue particularly since the 4,000km mark.

As for checking the oil in the pcv hose - I am yet to figure out how to just take of the engine cover let alone look for the hose ;)

Transporter

20-10-2007, 08:21 PM

The engine used heaps of oil in the 1st 4,000km so much so the warning light came on and the dealer topped it up (they said it took a lot); since then the car has now done 11,000km and the oil has not moved on the dipstick. The smoke problem was still hapening at the 9,000km mark and we have consumed 2 full tanks and now just starting the 3rd of BP and generally the economy has improved and there is less smoke generally. The smoke has always been more white than blue particularly since the 4,000km mark.

As for checking the oil in the pcv hose - I am yet to figure out how to just take of the engine cover let alone look for the hose ;)

Hi Spoddy,
You just need 10mm socket, extension and ratchet, to undo the PCV hose you need a pair of pliers.
But even if you go to VW dealer that you found an oil going in the intercooler you most likely are to get answer that "it is normal and characteristic to diesel engines today". Believe me I'm qualified mechanic with 30 years of experience
and there were the days when engine which was using 0.7L/1000km was considered as worn out and needed rebuild. Except running in period.
A new engine needs run in time but with technology which is superior to that of some 20 years ago we should see less time needed to run in the engine and less oil consumed during that time. However lower viscosity engine oils are easy to get sucked back onto the inlet but that should be not an issue, since many Japanese manufacturers don't have that problem.
I solved it on my cars by installing Man Provent200. Every 5000km I drain approx. 0.5L of oil out of it. Oil which would and up burnt in the cylinder and could possibly glaze the cylinder walls.
That explains to me why some engines always use a lot of oil between oil changes but thanks to the excellent new technology, advanced materials and much closer tolerances between moving parts than in the engines made some 20 years ago such engines can be used for long,long time.

deek

22-10-2007, 04:17 PM

Hey Spoddy,
Spoke to a bloke a couple of weeks ago at the BP at Valley Heights and he was having the same problem as you, his car has done 17,000k and he used about 2 litres of oil. I told about your predicament and he said he might do the same as you and take it back to the dealer.
Cheers
deek

GermanwithaVdub

22-10-2007, 04:49 PM

Spoddy

22-10-2007, 08:24 PM

they will tell you 2L of oil is normal. they told me that 2L was normal after 11 or 12 thousand kms.

Thats right - they told me that 4l / service interval up to 30,000km was "normal" when I had used 2l in 4000km. But my problem is not oil related as the smoke (white) was/is not engine oil related (at least that what the consensus is) and I haven't used any oil since.

BP is having a good impact on the engine though - great economy and less smoke generally.

I haven't been able to get my son to do some testing so I can take photos (he keeps going to the beach on the weekend) but from watching the mirrors there has not been any smoke in the last tank at all (3 tanks now).

GermanwithaVdub

22-10-2007, 11:12 PM

Thats right - they told me that 4l / service interval up to 30,000km was "normal" when I had used 2l in 4000km. But my problem is not oil related as the smoke (white) was/is not engine oil related (at least that what the consensus is) and I haven't used any oil since.

BP is having a good impact on the engine though - great economy and less smoke generally.

I haven't been able to get my son to do some testing so I can take photos (he keeps going to the beach on the weekend) but from watching the mirrors there has not been any smoke in the last tank at all (3 tanks now).

eyyyyyy thats good news. you coming on the summer cruise? http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=9375
thered be lots of people to talk to about your car there i'm sure. plus it'd be nice to have a few newbies along like myself. you could ask some ppl to check out if your car is smoking or not

Spoddy

31-10-2007, 08:09 PM

eyyyyyy thats good news. you coming on the summer cruise? http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=9375
thered be lots of people to talk to about your car there i'm sure. plus it'd be nice to have a few newbies along like myself. you could ask some ppl to check out if your car is smoking or not

Well I don't have any photos of the smoke because there is nothing to take a photo of... well very little and what there is is probably considered normal for a diesel.

So it would appear that 3 or 4 tanks now of BP has improved things.

Thankyou to everyone for all the help and advice. I am still waiting on explanation from VW Aust/Denlo at Parramatta so as soon as I get some news I will post it.

Spoddy

23-11-2007, 07:46 PM

Well I am glad the smoke has gone, but I am really disappointed that I have not been able to get the VW Dealer to reply to my questions on why....

Amazingly, my wife decided that since we only had to pass a few tanks through it would be OK to go back to the local caltex... guess what! Smoke came back.

Am I correct in thinking from Jan08 this should not be a problem as all diesel will have to be the same spec as the BP is already:?:

I hope so as BP out our way is so expensive (142+).

Anyone have a rattle where the external mirror attaches to the drivers door? The dealer "fixed" mine but it is back again and the indicator light (at the bottom edge of the mirror) has stopped working (though I think it stopped when they tried to stop the rattle). I thought the MFD was meant to tell you when a light bullb had blown?

Also (damn it :mad:) my son lost one of the keys! how much is that going to cost and will it casue a problem getting a new one to match the existing etc etc?

GermanwithaVdub

23-11-2007, 07:55 PM

burning the **** fuel will just make your engine and internals dirty and will not have as good economy, wiping out any comparable savings when you buy it. its really not worth buying crap to put through such a nice engine. if someone paid you 5$ to tip a whole lot of sulfur into the tank every time you fill up, knowing that it'd cost you 10$ worth of damage to your car, would you do it? thats what it seems like to me anyway.

it will cost you well over 200$ for a new key plus whatever they charge to encode it. you're best off buying a key from ebay or the net for less than 100 and taking it to them to code (only vw can code it, they have to dload the unique code from the vw computer system overseas)

try 146c average price here for decent diesel... makes me angry since its cheaper for them to buy.

Spoddy

24-11-2007, 09:50 AM

try 146c average price here for decent diesel... makes me angry since its cheaper for them to buy.

This morning the price is 148.9..... I sent an e-mail to the NRMA asking why they are only advocating for petrol when those of us doing the right thing are now being penalised so V8 guzzlers get a better deal....

Spoddy

24-11-2007, 11:19 AM

it will cost you well over 200$ for a new key plus whatever they charge to encode it. you're best off buying a key from ebay or the net for less than 100 and taking it to them to code (only vw can code it, they have to dload the unique code from the vw computer system overseas).

Hi GermanwithaVdub,

Thanks again for your help.

I have also asked the question in the Mk5 forum
http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=10459

neil

27-11-2007, 07:39 PM

Hey Spoddy.
Have you been keeping the fuel consumption figures for the BP fuel and the
cheaper fuel your back to using.

Spoddy

27-11-2007, 08:23 PM

Hey Spoddy.
Have you been keeping the fuel consumption figures for the BP fuel and the
cheaper fuel your back to using.

Not really - the car is used for mainly short trips to the station (its my wife's car) and my son has been having fun with it the rest of the time...

We were getting below 6l/100km but the last (on Caltex) was 6.9 but very unscientific/uncontrolled.

It has also used a bit of oil lately - wonder if that coincides with the crap fuel? I'm about to book it in for its 15,000km service.

neil

27-11-2007, 08:36 PM

Not really - the car is used for mainly short trips to the station (its my wife's car) and my son has been having fun with it the rest of the time...

We were getting below 6l/100km but the last (on Caltex) was 6.9 but very unscientific/uncontrolled.

It has also used a bit of oil lately - wonder if that coincides with the crap fuel? I'm about to book it in for its 15,000km service.

Hey spoddy.
Thanks.

I believe Oil consumption seems to increase when sons drive.

Spoddy

30-11-2007, 06:53 PM

I'm about to book it in for its 15,000km service.

I have been e-mailing and now ringing the VW dealer to get the service organised and they don't seem to want to know me.

I had been corresponding with them during the early stages of the smoke problem and they had been really good, but now they do not reply so I thought I would ring - well I couldn't book the car in as the fella who took the call was about to book it in and then when I quoted the number plate he back tracked and said I should do it through the consultant that looks after my car and he would transfer me to that consultant.... Anyway I was surprised as I thought the consultant I had always contacted must have left (as he didn't reply to e-mails). He couldn't come to the phone as he was with a customer but would call me back.... He didn't.

Just a bit strange as they have been excellent up until now - I hope I am just being paranoid.:???:

I really don't want to go through it all again as the car is in fact still smoking just I hadn't gone through the test procedure properly before.

gldgti

30-11-2007, 07:01 PM

lesson number 1 : never rely on people in a large business to call you back. its almost never done.

just keep buggin them mate.

Transporter

30-11-2007, 09:31 PM

I have been e-mailing and now ringing the VW dealer to get the service organised and they don't seem to want to know me.

I had been corresponding with them during the early stages of the smoke problem and they had been really good, but now they do not reply so I thought I would ring - well I couldn't book the car in as the fella who took the call was about to book it in and then when I quoted the number plate he back tracked and said I should do it through the consultant that looks after my car and he would transfer me to that consultant.... Anyway I was surprised as I thought the consultant I had always contacted must have left (as he didn't reply to e-mails). He couldn't come to the phone as he was with a customer but would call me back.... He didn't.

Just a bit strange as they have been excellent up until now - I hope I am just being paranoid.:???:

I really don't want to go through it all again as the car is in fact still smoking just I hadn't gone through the test procedure properly before.

I would find independant VW shop and made sure they use right oil in the engine (you can buy oil and filter @ VW dealer and take it to them). It cannot be worst than it already is - I mean the smoke.

deek

03-12-2007, 01:06 PM

pm me spoddy if you want a good mechanic in the mountains.
Cheers
Deek

Spoddy

07-12-2007, 07:54 PM

lesson number 1 : never rely on people in a large business to call you back. its almost never done.

just keep buggin them mate.

It is a funny world.... I received a letter from the dealer saying my car is overdue for a service - dated 3rd December.... I have been trying to get them to talk to me since the 22nd of November.... Anyways I ring the service manager and he listened to my tale and has promised to get back to me on Monday. He knows I have taken my business elsewhere this time. The other dealer now up to speed with the problems and assures me they will do their best to fix it. I also think having sold me a new key $336 + coding yet to be advised) has certainly helped.