Norden VW in Edmonton Sucks. - Page 3

Twisted Canuck · #61 07-08-2020, 12:31 PM

And the latest news: I received a letter from AMVIC today regarding my complaint and in a nutshell, they figure everything is okie dokie....

Based on a review of your Consumer Complaint Form and the supporting documentation we
found no evidence of any non-compliance by the supplier and therefore AMVIC has no
grounds to investigate your complaint.
The dealership has refused to give $4000.00 in compensation. It’s a civil matter.

I replied to their email asking if AMVIC thought it was a legitimate sales practice for their licensed dealerships to be representing a demo vehicle as new and committing fraud selling it as such.

As Ken mentioned to me at the early goings of this, AMVIC is thoroughly useless.

I did call the Insurance provider on the extended warranty that they got for my vehicle, to confirm the policy is in effect and that it can't be cancelled by the dealership....at least that is all good, it's paid for in full and can't be cancelled now.

I still am having trouble wrapping my head around AMVIC saying that the dealership was 'compliant' and everything was good....??

Dean2 · #62 07-08-2020, 12:41 PM

The AMVIC thing has needed fixing for many years. They are a total joke. That is one that would be worth your time to write a letter to your MLA and ask him to have someone look into disbanding AMVIC or completely overhauling it with new people and proper regulations. They are every bit as useless as APOS. In fact, pretty much any of the self regulating entities, including the Legal, Doctors, Dental and Accounting societies are all pretty much useless. Consumer protection in Alberta and most of Canada is a total joke, just look at the agency that is supposed to protect air travelers, they are clearly on the side of the airlines.

The good news is, you are making progress.

ATF · #63 07-08-2020, 12:43 PM

+It may be worth telling this story to Service Alberta as well.
They take a pretty dim view of these types of things and could contact the dealer.
I've had pretty good results when they step in.
Oh and stay away from anything go auto.

Twisted Canuck · #64 07-08-2020, 01:32 PM

I hadn't considered writing my MLA but that's a good idea Dean. And you are so right about self policing bodies, leaves the foxes to watch over the hen house.

And the Service Alberta contact is another thing I hadn't thought of. Will look into that as well. This has really turned into a project, which is good as I need hobbies....

bessiedog · #65 07-08-2020, 01:58 PM

Don’t go with the CBC

Reach out to CTV ..... get a reporter.... give them your story and just ask them to make an phone call.

I’ve done this twice,

Once with Apple Canada

Once with Freedom Ford

Worked quick and fast and we’ll both times.

I LOVE the sign protest idea.

midgetwaiter · #66 07-08-2020, 02:43 PM

It’s not even worth an investigation to them? I had a low opinion of AMVIC in the first place but that’s pretty disappointing.

As I know you’re also a Porsche guy I’m curious if this VW experience has spilled over for you? I would have expected VW Canada to be more aggressive about this on your behalf than it sounds like they have been so far. We had a bad VW experience before the Porsche and it was difficult for me to get past that. So far it’s been much better but part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop and them to get all VW-ish about something.

Twisted Canuck · #67 07-08-2020, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetwaiter

It’s not even worth an investigation to them? I had a low opinion of AMVIC in the first place but that’s pretty disappointing.

As I know you’re also a Porsche guy I’m curious if this VW experience has spilled over for you? I would have expected VW Canada to be more aggressive about this on your behalf than it sounds like they have been so far. We had a bad VW experience before the Porsche and it was difficult for me to get past that. So far it’s been much better but part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop and them to get all VW-ish about something.

Yes, I'm not exactly shocked about AMVIC, as I knew they were useless....but to say that fraudulent practices are in compliance is pretty greasy.

I bought my Porsche before the VW, and still love it, but it was also at another GO Auto dealership, and yes I am very soured on them now at this point (and VW in general, though I'm still happy driving the Tiguan). If I was ever to upgrade the Porsche, it wouldn't be at the Edmonton dealership, even though they have treated me very good and I really like my sales guy there. I'd call him and explain the situation. But I expect I will just keep my Cayman and enjoy the heck out of it for a long time to come. It's paid for, and fun, and while it isn't overly powerful and fast, it sure is quick and a pure driver's car. I have a good local guy if I ever need work done on it too, so that helps.

I'm glad I have full bumper to bumper for another 16 months on the VW though.

urban rednek · #68 07-08-2020, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

And the latest news: I received a letter from AMVIC today regarding my complaint and in a nutshell, they figure everything is okie dokie....

As Ken mentioned to me at the early goings of this, AMVIC is thoroughly useless.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean2

The AMVIC thing has needed fixing for many years. They are a total joke.

It is lie perpetrated on the consumer by the same industry it was created to oversee. Another business model created to fleece the very people it is supposed to protect, brought to you by professional snake oil salespeople with the tacit approval of our elected representatives.

AMVIC is loosely modelled on the CMHC scam that worked so well for the financial industry. It is a phony corporation that is portrayed as being there for the protection of the consumer, whom is made to pay a fee to maintain the corporation, while it really exists as a make work, get rich project for the automotive industry.

W921 · #69 07-08-2020, 03:32 PM

I have friends who are into VW diesels. They just get used parts from pick and pull. But their biggest complaint about VW is the computer. Apparently you have to be a VW dealer to get into the computer.
Computer controls everything on them. One friend spent thousands so he could get into the computer a ways with an aftermarket rig but there is still a lot he can't do.VW only wants VW working on their cars.

Thats crap about how when a poor guy gets ripped off its always a civil matter and you can't get help unless you can afford a lawyer but if you rip off a business I suspect it would be criminal and the police would be right there.

Albertadiver · #70 07-08-2020, 03:47 PM

AMVIC is just as bad as APOS.

Good to see that you're not taking a knee on this one!! Please keep us posted.

HuyFishin · #71 07-08-2020, 03:52 PM

One of my clients bought a new 2020 VW Atlas last week. 89km brand new the vehicle overheated because the serpentine belt broke.

Broke down on the side of the road. Vehicle turned itself off and didnt allow it to run. Computer just said NOPE.

calgarychef · #72 07-08-2020, 03:58 PM

It seems every dealership has a plethora of these stories.
Fraud, deceit, etc. Yet they go on, there’s precious little a consumer can do and if we try we get treated like crap by the dealership. I have a great story but it doesn’t bear telling here as it’s similar to a million others. I don’t trust dealers, not one bit.

It would be nice if there were real laws to protect consumers.

Cement Bench · #73 07-08-2020, 04:07 PM

What is their definition of non-compliance or compliance?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

And the latest news: I received a letter from AMVIC today regarding my complaint and in a nutshell, they figure everything is okie dokie....

Based on a review of your Consumer Complaint Form and the supporting documentation we
found no evidence of any non-compliance by the supplier and therefore AMVIC has no
grounds to investigate your complaint.
The dealership has refused to give $4000.00 in compensation. It’s a civil matter.

I replied to their email asking if AMVIC thought it was a legitimate sales practice for their licensed dealerships to be representing a demo vehicle as new and committing fraud selling it as such.

As Ken mentioned to me at the early goings of this, AMVIC is thoroughly useless.

I did call the Insurance provider on the extended warranty that they got for my vehicle, to confirm the policy is in effect and that it can't be cancelled by the dealership....at least that is all good, it's paid for in full and can't be cancelled now.

I still am having trouble wrapping my head around AMVIC saying that the dealership was 'compliant' and everything was good....??

Twisted Canuck · #74 07-08-2020, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cement Bench

What is their definition of non-compliance or compliance?

Hell if I know. I just got a reply from them on the question of misrepresenting a demo as new being 'in compliance'. He told me his supervisor had done a registry check (Alberta registry I assume) and it shows me as the only owner, so no grounds for an investigation. Idiots.

I dashed off another letter asking if they think I'm stupid, and if their job is to protect the consumer or the dealership. I told him the dealership could absolutely use it as a demo with dealership plate and not have to register it with Alberta registry, but VW Canada showed it as in-service as a demo almost a full year prior to my purchase.

I also told him I was going to file a complaint with Service Alberta as they actually do protect the consumer and take a dim view of fraud. And that I was going to be writing to my MLA about the incompetence of AMVIC.

Absolute idiots, they have annoyed me as much as the dealership now.

Twisted Canuck · #75 07-08-2020, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bessiedog

Don’t go with the CBC

Reach out to CTV ..... get a reporter.... give them your story and just ask them to make an phone call.

I’ve done this twice,

Once with Apple Canada

Once with Freedom Ford

Worked quick and fast and we’ll both times.

I LOVE the sign protest idea.

That's actually a good idea Bessie, my daughter worked with some of the people who are at Edmonton CTV, I will see if she can put me in touch with one of them.

midgetwaiter · #76 07-08-2020, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

I dashed off another letter asking if they think I'm stupid, and if their job is to protect the consumer or the dealership. I told him the dealership could absolutely use it as a demo with dealership plate and not have to register it with Alberta registry, but VW Canada showed it as in-service as a demo almost a full year prior to my purchase.

You said when you got it there was only 128km on the od right? That doesn’t seem like much use for a demo over a year, very little in fact. More like storage lot, cross town to the detail shop and then back to the dealer for you to pick it up.

I wonder if they actually screwed up the demo paperwork and put the wrong vehicle in demo service or something. Really it makes no difference to you in the end but I would expect a demo to be more like 5000km. There might be somebody out there with a Tiguan they bought as a demo with a full warranty.

Twisted Canuck · #77 07-08-2020, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetwaiter

You said when you got it there was only 128km on the od right? That doesn’t seem like much use for a demo over a year, very little in fact. More like storage lot, cross town to the detail shop and then back to the dealer for you to pick it up.

I wonder if they actually screwed up the demo paperwork and put the wrong vehicle in demo service or something. Really it makes no difference to you in the end but I would expect a demo to be more like 5000km. There might be somebody out there with a Tiguan they bought as a demo with a full warranty.

At this point I just want to give them grief because of how ignorant they were to me, and having to go through VW Canada to even get them to call me. It is very low mileage, and they did pony up for extended warranty. Doesn't excuse them. My local service guy has printed off the paperwork for me showing the in-service date as being over 10 months prior to my purchase, so at least I will have something in writing going ahead.

Their own service guy did tell me though it was registered as a demo....so regardless of the low km, it was misrepresented to me, full stop. And they ignored me when I tried to get it fixed amicably. That was not a very Customer service oriented decision.

Dean2 · #78 07-08-2020, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetwaiter

You said when you got it there was only 128km on the od right? That doesn’t seem like much use for a demo over a year, very little in fact. More like storage lot, cross town to the detail shop and then back to the dealer for you to pick it up.

I wonder if they actually screwed up the demo paperwork and put the wrong vehicle in demo service or something. Really it makes no difference to you in the end but I would expect a demo to be more like 5000km. There might be somebody out there with a Tiguan they bought as a demo with a full warranty.

There is no excusing the endless games these skells play on customers. This is just one. How they stay in business is beyond me. You have to be a masochist to buy from them if you know their history, problem is so .any deal with them in good faith because they have been around 50 years and never know how bad they are till it is too late.

midgetwaiter · #79 07-08-2020, 06:40 PM

Oh yeah don’t get me wrong, I think you should hammer them as hard as you can for no other reason than the terrible service you got. I can’t figure out how they screwed up that bad though. Or if it was intentional fraud how would they ever expect to get away with it?

It’s just weird.

Twisted Canuck · #80 07-08-2020, 06:57 PM

I agree it's weird, but it's hard to believe it wasn't deliberate. When anybody in the service department, at any VW dealership can just pull up the VIN and see the in service date, it's impossible for me to think that the sales and finance crowd didn't know while doing up the contract. I was told that the people responsible were no longer working there. So that's convenient.

Tannerdog · #81 07-08-2020, 07:58 PM

Call CBC Go Public (I know, CBC but...) Sounds like something they would like. The issues always seem to get resolved pretty quick.

Twisted Canuck · #82 07-08-2020, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tannerdog

Call CBC Go Public (I know, CBC but...) Sounds like something they would like. The issues always seem to get resolved pretty quick.

I still have that option in the back of my mind, but am going to try the local CTV first. My daughter works in the industry as a reporter (currently in Tucson) and she worked with a couple of the reporters that are in Edmonton. I'm going to get some contact info and see if they are interested. Just putting together all the paperwork so it is clear cut.

I will keep after it until either I'm satisfied, or bored with making them miserable. So far it's cost them over $2K to cover the repairs and extended warranty....but that's their own damn fault.

Twisted Canuck · #83 07-09-2020, 02:41 PM

Update: got my cheque in the mail today from Norden to cover the cost of the repairs that I had to pay for out of pocket, so I guess I'm doing ok on the whole deal at this point.

I got reading some stories on Go Public, about people who are seriously getting ripped off and abused....made me feel almost bad for wanting to torment Norden at this point, since I got re-imbursed and a very good extended bumper to bumper warranty. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to invest any more time into this or not, as the odds of me collecting anything outside of an actual civil court case are effectively zero....but it has been fun to dish some back their way!

Albertadiver · #84 07-09-2020, 02:45 PM

I'd still go the CTV route.....

Twisted Canuck · #85 07-09-2020, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

I'd still go the CTV route.....

I actually talked to my daughter about that at length yesterday. She said I could do it, but the way things are right now with Covid, BLM, the WE scandal etc, that most of the stations aren't doing a whole lot of public interest stuff in this environment. Her station (and every one she has worked at) get tons of 'story tips' all the time, and often it's people just like me wanting to vent and see somebody get de-pants'ed in public (aka justice being served).....and the fact that they re-imbursed for repairs and extended the warranty almost an extra year, makes them look like 'they did the right thing'. Keep in mind this is from a reporter's perspective, as my daughter she gets a giggle out of her dad when he gets annoyed.

Again, it's a matter of how much more time and energy I'm willing to put into making them miserable. There isn't much left for me to milk unless I want to go to court. I may still have my lawyer send a letter to them, if nothing else it will cost them some to have their lawyer respond.

But my spleen feels pretty good already, fairly vented.

Dean2 · #86 07-09-2020, 03:22 PM

I would say your tenacity and willingness to explore multiple avenues got you a very good outcome and far better than 90% of the people that go up against dealerships, especially one as practised at screwing clients as this one is. Unless you are prepared to take them to small claims court I don't see any way you are likely to get much more out of them. I for sure would not be spending money on a lawyer going forward. Great job over all.

Albertadiver · #87 07-09-2020, 03:32 PM

Well, the good thing is this thread will show up in google searches....

Twisted Canuck · #88 07-09-2020, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean2

I would say your tenacity and willingness to explore multiple avenues got you a very good outcome and far better than 90% of the people that go up against dealerships, especially one as practised at screwing clients as this one is. Unless you are prepared to take them to small claims court I don't see any way you are likely to get much more out of them. I for sure would not be spending money on a lawyer going forward. Great job over all.

Thanks Dean, that's pretty much my assessment at this point as well. Diminishing returns, and I don't want to start running up a big legal bill on a 'maybe'.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

Well, the good thing is this thread will show up in google searches....

Yes it will. Along with my various reviews.