[TheJezter]

Hey guys,

UPDATE: Since we finally let the cat out of the bag about the "B5 Beat" here at clubb5.com, the reason I'm asking this question is for an upcoming article (hopefully)....

I'm sure many of you are dying to ask the folks at VWoA who build our fine autos lots of questions. So what I am planning on doing is taking all of your questions, compiling them down to 10 or so and getting them submitted to VWoA.

In order for this to work, I better lay down some guidelines.
1. No flames or rants. Obviously if we make them mad, they'll never return our calls.
2. No asking to reveal trade secrets
3. Have fun with this and lets see what we can find out.

So post your questions here and I'll start building a list which I'll edit as more questions come in.

Stay tuned...
-Chris

---------------- THE LIST ----------------------
1. What level of quality assurance does VWoA guarantee and how do they guarantee it?

2. What is VW's current strategy, cost control or focusing on fun sporty design?

3. Why is Volkswagen of America's enforcement of VW Brand Standards so poor with regards to dealership sales and service departments?

4. Discuss the design/marketing philosophy differences between U.S. and Euro versions of the Passat.

5. What steps are VW Service Centers making currently to help improve customer statisfaction and do you feel these steps are effective?

6. What demographic/age group purchases the most Passats and who are you hoping to reach the most with your marketing/advertising?

--------------------------------------------------

 

[D ZIGNER]

Do you know someone or something we don't that will get a better reply to our questions than we might get on our own?

Just curious.

Scott

 

[jeffsu350]

Since many of us question the quality of our cars, sometimes, what about a general overview of the quiality assurance that VWoA goes through to make sure each car is of the correct standards.

 

[TheJezter]

Scott,

I'm not promising anything but I am going to approach VWoA with Thanasi's (The GREEK)'s blessing from clubb5.com and see what happens.

Obviously strength in numbers can only help

Laters,
-Chris

 

[TheJezter]

bump ttt
Keep those queries coming

 

[brianj1591]

Question: does Volkswagen plan on abandoning their philosophy of sporty, fun german engineering for a decent price? They seem to be leaving their core competency behind.

 

[Sharky]

Question: Why is Volkswagen of America's enforcement of VW Brand Standards so poor with regards to dealership sales and service departments?

 

[Altair 4]

Question: Why is Volkswagen of America's enforcement of VW Brand Standards so poor with regards to dealership sales and service departments?

You may want to put this one in bold print, with underline, and italics!

Good one, Sharky!

 

[not_too_shabby]

Why don't some VW service people know how much oil to put in my car, :lol: ? Or what the correct torque spec is for an alloy wheel? Or that most people find fingerprints on the headliner to be ugly.

Maybe you could call this attention to detail...

 

[Sharky]

Why don't some VW service people know how much oil to put in my car, :lol: ? Or what the correct torque spec is for an alloy wheel? Or that most people find fingerprints on the headliner to be ugly.

Maybe you could call this attention to detail...

Your question really falls under my own.

 

[TWhite]

Why can't we get the 1BE sport suspension in America?

 

[m1mason]

why do we hear so much creakin' and rattling in a car like the Passat. While cars that are much cheaper don't make them?

 

[Scuba2001]

What about something like:

Why are the US Spec vehicles toned down so much compared to the European spec models? Is there any way to bring these options that the Europeans have at a reasonable price to the consumer?

Im not sure what exactly this is all about, but hopefully it will be something good. Im looking forward to whats really going to happen with any responses you might get with these.

HTH,
Steve :wink:

 

[Scuba2001]

why do we hear so much creakin' and rattling in a car like the Passat. While cars that are much cheaper don't make them?

This would fall under the quality control, and your question would be considered more as a rant.

Steve

 

[RechtsFahren]

Why does VWoA insist on making so many changes to the cars vis-a-vis the EU versions? Why no sport model here, why don't we get the alcantara sport seats and headliner? I can see how maybe they are de-contenting the car in order to price competitively in NA. Fine. But they also change some things that don't cost extra money. For example, the 1BE suspension costs ZERO extra money to manufacture, yet for some reason it's not even an option here.

As for quality, VW has pretty much admitted publicly they accept product from suppliers on a no-questions-asked basis. Until VW starts policing its suppliers and doing its own statistical sampling to check what is being handed to them, VW will continue to receive defective and/or under-engineered production runs of certain parts and incorporate those parts into customers' cars.

Then the next step will be for VW to take responsibility for the whole product, like Boeing or Airbus does, instead of publicly blaming their suppliers.

Then the next step after that will be to actually listen to customers and take action e.g. we'd like some AM radio reception here in the US. If they'd deigned to listen earlier the coil pack thing would not have blown up in their face quite as badly as it did.

 

[Meltemie]

Question: Why is Volkswagen of America's enforcement of VW Brand Standards so poor with regards to dealership sales and service departments?

You may want to put this one in bold print, with underline, and italics!

Good one, Sharky!

I agree..good question

 

[TheJezter]

bump ttt

getting some good stuff, but lets remember, no rants or flames.

Thanks,
-Chris

 

[Kenny Payne]

Why, when a customer is asked to rate a dealership experience, is anything other than "Excellent" considered a bad rating? When the dealers go begging for "excellents", it makes them look like idiots. And worse, the information that is ultimately obtained by VW on customer satisfaction is probably wrong.

Kenny

 

[rpaller]

Why, when a customer is asked to rate a dealership experience, is anything other than "Excellent" considered a bad rating? When the dealers go begging for "excellents", it makes them look like idiots. And worse, the information that is ultimately obtained by VW on customer satisfaction is probably wrong.

Kenny

VW dealers are not the only ones that exhibit this behavior. My local Chevy dealer is the same, and after I lambasted a service advisor for ignoring my problem description the service manager damn near kissed my ass to fix the problem in my Trailblazer. They beg you to call them if you can not answer all "5's" on the survey.

 

[B5_Passat]

Why, when a customer is asked to rate a dealership experience, is anything other than "Excellent" considered a bad rating? When the dealers go begging for "excellents", it makes them look like idiots. And worse, the information that is ultimately obtained by VW on customer satisfaction is probably wrong.

Kenny

I agree but I think VWOA uses these surveys to determine the amount of vehicles they will allocate to the dealer - so there is some incentive to get the best scores. I imagine there are other incentives as well - free vactions, etc.

I never get surveys anymore - I've must have complained too much in the past. :roll: