Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 10:18:54 -0500
Reply-To: Richard Golen <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Richard Golen <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
Subject: Long Delayed Eurovan Fire Update
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi All,
Its been a while since I posted anything on the status on my 93 Eurovan
which suffered a fuel line leak caused fire three and a half months ago. So
far the Eurovan is still sitting at the dealer's. When we last left off, VW
had told me that they would try to help to replace the Eurovan. HA! What a
Crock!
It appears that the only thing VW seems to care about is the customer who
has money to plop down on a new VW, and as soon as the money changes hands
with the dealer, the attitude is "so long sucker"!
Back at the tail end of October, beginning of November, VW had promised a
number of things:
1. To cover my $500 deductable (they admit the fire was their fault)
2. To provide me with a loaner car while VW searched for or had specially
made a new wiring harness for the engine compartment for my EuroVan
The wiring harness would take at least 6 to 8 weeks (in fact it is still 6
to 8 weeks until delivery) to manufacture, so they said. So I asked if
there was some way that we could work something out for a new van. I was
told to find a new Eurovan, cut a deal with a dealership and get back to VW.
A member of the Vanagon list found a 99 left over at a dealership in
Rochester, NY. I cut a deal over the phone with hopes of picking up the new
van during Thanksgiving weekend. I reported my find back to VWoA where I
was told the info would be forwarded to the department that handles "that
sort of thing" and I would have an answer as to what VW would do in a few
days.
The few days lapsed into two weeks. I finally got an answer...NO WAY! I was
told it was VW's policy to buy back a car as part the assisting a customer
into a new car. VW would then fix the car up and re-sell it (probably to
some unsuspecting schmuck). However, it is VW's policy not to repurchase
cars that have had any sort of fire.
Can you believe that? Their design fault caused the fire and now they won't
buy the car back!
So I asked if they would then work something out because my insurance
company will be subrogating the claim, and rather than deal with me and the
insurance company why not cut out the insurance company? Their response was
to let the insurance company subrogate the claim. In other words, as I was
told in Septmber, let the attornies handle the claim.
That was almost a month ago. I was told, however, that a check for $500
would be put in the mail to compensate me for my deductable, because VW was
acknowledging some fault in the fire.
NO CHECK HAS ARRIVED!!!
I called 10 days ago, and the check was "in process". When I querried about
the loaner car, I was told "only if the insurance company doesn't total the
van".
So here I am...no van...no parts...no check...nothing. VW was sure as hell
happy to take my money for the 4 new cars I've purchased since 1986, and
for all of the parts and service on those and other VW's I own....
The lesson here "Drivers...oops Suckers Wanted!"
On the NHTSA front, NHTSA has sent a demand letter to VW requesting VW's
course of action regarding the Eurovan fuel leak situation. VW has until
January 12 to respond in writing. If VW fails to respond, then NHTSA will
beging the process which could lead to a recall.
I'd like to thank all of the Eurovan owners who have filed complaints with
NHTSA....at least we got someone's attention.
I'll be calling VWoA this week to see where my $500 is and how I go about
getting a loaner car.
Ric
