Re: Cutting a deal with the dealer

[Big Jim <cyng@lamere.net>]

Murray:

   Sorry to hear about the bugs in your new baby. Being just out of the 
2/24,000 means that you've not had the car long, and I know how it is to 
have your new toy crapping up. My sympathies.

   Sounds to me like the dealer is basically a decent place, in light of 
the "deal" that they cut you. I don't think that they'll have a problem 
with covering the work if you point out self-confidently enough that the 
fact that the warning light itself was defective caused the whole problem 
to begin with, and that the light must have been defective from the 
start, which ought to thus be covered under the warranty (twisted logic, 
I know, but anything will sound reasonable if presented in the proper 
manner). Give it a try before you shell out the cash.

   If they don't bite, you've got one more fall-back plan to take 
advantage of before threatening a small claims suit. VWoA Customer 
Service. I don't have the number handy, but it's readily available. Do 
this:

   Before you pay and pick up the car (or afterwards, if it's 
unavoidable), call these folks. Tell them the whole situation, give them 
the dealer's name, act very upset and more than a little annoyed. Speak 
in a strong, self-assured voice. Remember that you are in charge, you are 
the guy who's paying their paycheques, and that you, the customer, are 
always correct. These folks are there to keep the Volkswagon name a 
friendly one, and they'll want to keep you as a loyal customer. They 
won't kiss your arse, but I'm sure that they'll be willing to converse 
with the dealer and strike a mutually-agreeable bargain. If that doesn't 
come to pass, well, then you can threaten with small claims courts. But, 
if VWAG wants to keep any kind of customer loyalty, they ought to gladly 
smile, nod, and suck up the cost.

   Let us know how it turns out. Good luck!
-T
'95GLX
'84GLi

Zip-zap ... zip-zap ... it's Tom ... Tom Boyer ... cyng@lamere.net!
         ... who cares?