Seattle Volkswagen dealer – Chaplin’s Bellevue Volkswagen | Seattle VW to Tacoma VW dealer | King County
Welcome to your Bellevue Volkswagen and Seattle area Volkswagen dealer. Welcome to Chaplin’s Volkswagen. We are conveniently located in Bellevue which makes us the perfect choice if you’re looking for a new or used Bellevue Volkswagen dealer as a Seattle Volkswagen customer, or Tacoma Volkswagen customer.
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Pressure from salesperson to "Buy Now"
Low
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How did you first contact the Dealership
Phone
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Did you purchase from the Dealership
Yes
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Would you Recommend this Dealership
No
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Name of Your Salesperson
My Chaplin's Bellevue Volkswagen reviewThey had to know there was something wrong with the transmission when they sold me a 2006 Jetta TDI, I did. 6 months later the tranny begins failing because of the water in it. The tranny had been shifting a little hard when cold from the very time I bought it. Any one at the dealer knowing how these cars shift should have recognised the problems. Sold As Is I am know stuck with 5500 in repairs.
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Vehicle serviced for
Repair
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Accurate estimated wait time
None Given
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Would You Recommend this Dealership
No
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Vehicle year
2006
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Vehicle make
Jetta
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Service Technician
Jesse/Dennis
My Chaplin's Bellevue Volkswagen reviewPurchased car – February 2009 @ 37K miles
At time of purchase, told that car had been thoroughly inspected for any needed repairs and that it had passed safety standards. Inquired as to brake wear, sales person had service staff inspect, service said brakes were fine (above minimum brake wear amounts) with approximately a year of use left on them.
SERVICE HISTORY
– Called first night to return car for faulty defoggers on side mirrors. When dropping car off, had service tech come outside to check rear taillight unit. Listed the following problems:
o Side Mirrors: Mirrors covered with opaque film, unable to see through them at night
o Taillight: Rear passenger unit collecting moisture inside.
– Next dropped off car to have brakes checked due to squeaking noise when brakes applied
o Brakes: Was told brakes were fine and that “sometimes noise will occur”.
– Dropped off car again as brake noise had escalated and engine seemed to be running rough.
o Brakes: Was told that rear brakes had to be replaced immediately as they were below minimum wear amounts
§ When asked why this was contrary to information previously given, service desk contacted sales manager who approved brake replacement based on faulty service inspection of brakes at time of purchase
o Engine: Was told that all tests had been conducted and engine running rough could not be replicated
– Dropped off car again as moisture was collecting inside front headlight and rear passenger taillight units. Indicated that engine still seemed to be running rough and that there was a rattling noise coming from the rear. Due to continuing issues, asked service desk to thoroughly check the car for any needed repairs prior to warranty running out.
o Lights: Was told that seals were broken and replacement units would be installed.
§ Replacement headlight unit installed without beams being tested/adjusted for accurate placement. Beams aimed at such a high level that other drivers consistently flashed at me assuming brights were being left on.
o Engine: Was told that engine running rough could not be replicated
§ Service tech offered to have me come in to replicate problem. Being that I work full-time my boyfriend (who drives the car as often as myself) drove all the way over to Bellevue and was greeted by service tech who said they had (after another attempt) been able to replicate problem. Indicated that I was using too high of an octane of gas, and that using regular octane from a quality source (Shell or Chevron suggested) would fix problem
o Rattle: Was told that a few bolts had been left off leaving something not tightened down after the previous brake repair and that this had now been corrected to eliminate the rattling noise
o Additional Repairs: Was told that car was thoroughly inspected for any needed repairs and that no additional repairs were found
– WARRANTY ENDS –
– Console airbag light came on during a Saturday afternoon trip out of town. Called Chaplin’s immediately
o Was told that person scheduling service appointments had just left and no service tech was available until Monday morning. Advised to call back Monday to inquire about necessary service.
o Was told that it was “probably not a safety issue” but that a call back on Monday would be needed to confirm.
– Called Monday, confirmed that no safety issue existed, scheduled appointment for following week when loaner car was available
– Called the morning of appointment and was connected with service receptionist. Asked to speak with service tech for questions regarding outstanding service issues.
o Service receptionist said that was not possible as no one was assigned to my car until I dropped it off for repair. Asked if I could be assigned a service tech right now so that I could ask questions about outstanding issues. Service receptionist again indicated that there was no one available to speak with me and I had to be physically dropping the car off to be assigned a service tech. Asked a third time whom she could connect me with to discuss questions I had regarding outstanding issues. Receptionist indicated she would “try to find someone who wasn’t busy”. Was left on hold for 10 minutes then asked to repeat what I needed and the type of car I had. Finally connected me with a service tech (Jesse) who pulled up original appointment information.
o Was told that appointment had been entered as an “alarm repair”.
§ After correction made to repair type, Jesse entered information regarding the additional remaining outstanding issues including
· Headlight: Beams adjusted incorrectly
· Wiper fluid dispenser: Adjusted incorrectly
· Taillight: Continuing moisture in rear passengerunit
· Engine: Continuing to run rough despite 5 tanks of recommended fuel use
– Immediately called back and spoke with Nick Chaplin, Service Manager
o Explained continuing repair issues since purchase of car
§ Nick said that although the work was being done, the service techs were clearly not following up to check that the work was being thoroughly completed
§ Nick also indicated that the service techs may not be fully explaining information if engine running rough was being blamed on type of gas used.
o Explained lack of customer service provided by service desk receptionist
§ Nick indicated that he knew exactly whom I was speaking of and apologized
o Nick said he personally would make a note on the file and be sure to follow up with it the next day to ensure work was done correctly
– Dropped car off that night, completed service check in with Jesse who was still on duty
o Confirmed the following outstanding items
§ Airbag: Light lit up on console
· Was told that safety features were typically not covered under any extended warranty and to check my records to see if there was a deductible
o Having purchased a “premium” warranty which was sold as “covering everything except oil changes and brakes for a $50 deductible”, this information was a surprise to me
· Jesse also indicated that the service tech who called me tomorrow would have more information if I wanted to wait to hear it
§ Headlights: Beams adjusted incorrectly after service completed last time
· Was told that the service area would “go ahead and adjust them”
§ Wiper Fluid Dispenser: Adjusted incorrectly
· Was told this would be corrected
§ Taillight: Continuing moisture in rear passenger unit
· Was told that based on past requests it “may be possible” for them to replace the unit without charge
§ Engine: Continuing to run rough
· Was told they would “take a look at it again”
§ Ratting: Continuing rattling noise
· Was told they would check it out
– Received call from service tech (Dennis) next afternoon.
o Headlight: Beams were now correctly adjusted
o Taillight: Unit would be replaced at no cost as soon as ordered part arrived
o Engine: Running rough could not be replicated. Offered to let me drive with a service tech to replicate the problem. Was told they had done a system “reflash” which “may help”.
o Rattling: Was told that if I wanted to fix the rattling noise it would “cost me a lot in labor hours” to track down.
o Airbag: Light in console due to faulty wires in both front seats and was not covered under warranty with an approx repair cost of $410.
§ I asked them to hold off on wire repair
· Dennis asked “Did Jesse (the intake service tech) tell you about a $103 diagnosis charge”? I clarified that outside of mentioning the possible warranty deductible amount, no other charges were mentioned.
· Dennis put me on hold while checking with Jesse.
· Dennis came back and saying that Jesse said he had. I re-iterated that I was absolutely sure he had not mentioned a diagnosis charge and that the discussion of cost had been limited to the warranty. I also let him know that someone else was with me during the entire conversation and could be contacted to confirm what was and was not discussed.
· Dennis said that it was “his word against yours” so he “didn’t know what to tell me” and that the car was ready for pickup at anytime.
o Windshield Wiper Dispenser – Not mentioned
– Nick Chaplin, Service Manager was called
o Having spoken with him yesterday, Nick was again appraised of the continuing service issues
§ Engine: Nick said that a “system patch” had been run on the engine which should fix it from running rough
· No response on why this hadn’t been done any of the multiple times this was asked to be looked at before
§ Windshield Wiper Dispenser: Nick did not see any record of this being looked at or requested for adjustment
§ Taillight: Nick did not see that this had been repaired or a note made indicating the unit would be installed at no charge
§ Rattling: No discussion
§ Headlight: Beams confirmed as now properly adjusted as this had been missed during the initial unit install
o Nick offered that if another car was wanted due to the excessive amount of service required on this one, another deal could be made but “obviously at a different price” due to the “wear and mileage on the car”.
o Nick asked that a call to the owner be held off until he had a chance to meet with Craig Withey, GM and promised a call back tomorrow.
§ After waiting all day, no call was received by Nick, Craig or the service desk.
· Instead a note was left with the original car salesman indicating to “trade out Veronica for same car, same numbers”.
I emailed the owner (Kent Chaplin) directly with the above information and asking that he contact me with my options. I told him that I loved my car but was very disappointed with level misinformation, shoddy work and in general number of service repairs needed. Kent indicated he would read through the information and get back to me the next morning. The next morning, I received an email from a second service manager named Boris (apparently Nick is NOT the service manager??) indicating they would cut the rate on my repairs (including those which were first requested while the car was under warranty). I have never felt so taken advantage of in my entire life and cannot wait to post this review as many places as possible.
Take your care ANYWHERE else but here. They are the worst service shop I have ever encountered. Better yet, buy a Honda and take advantage of how wonderful Lynnwood Honda is.