damnportlanders: VW OWNERS!

D (

kersy) wrote in

damnportlanders,
@ 2008-01-06 16:19:00

VW OWNERS!
I just brought my bug out west. What is the best VW dealership to go to?

(Post a new comment)

	baloo_ursidae 2008-01-07 06:21 am UTC (link)
	If you already have a VW, why do you need a dealership? If you need a shop, find a shop, they'll be cheaper and almost invariably less shady than the dealership... (Reply to this)(Thread)

	kersy 2008-01-07 06:29 am UTC (link)
	i've always gone to a dealership for things like headlight changes and whatnot. I guess i could find a german autoshop but that seems like such a minor repair for a place that does auto work. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

baloo_ursidae
2008-01-07 06:43 am UTC (link)

If it's just a headlight, go to the 24-hour Thrifty on 122nd, and ask 'em how to replace it (just visit at some oddball hour when they're bored, not busy). On newer vehicles, there's a very good chance your headlight bulbs are easier to change than the light bulb in your fridge.

Also, you might want to search Powell's Books for the Haynes manual for your car. Odds are you won't be properly equipped or feel comfortable tackling every possible repair in the book, but it also covers the routine stuff, like replacing headlights, changing and checking fluids, etc. that you can do in an apartment or truck stop parking lot with a Leatherman tool and a few minutes, and can be had for under $10 in most cases.

Edited at 2008-01-07 06:48 am UTC

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

kersy
2008-01-07 07:14 am UTC (link)

I don't think you understand. This is a german car. I've gone to other places that do not have certified VW repairmen and you know what they did? Let's make a list:

- broke my front bumper
- broke my windshield wipers system
- broke my antenna
- broke the complex headlight piece while trying to replace the light

My car is 10 years old and I'm not going to anyone except a VW certified dealership or auto shoppe.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	_heynow 2008-01-07 09:27 am UTC (link)
	i have a vw as well and i also would not let a non-certified shop touch it. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	trendywendy 2008-01-07 05:21 pm UTC (link)
	You can void your warranty by having a non-dealership type place service your car. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	yoopie 2008-01-07 07:11 am UTC (link)
	my bf does all my VW work, he keeps all our german cars running AWESOME =) (Reply to this)

	yoopie 2008-01-07 07:13 am UTC (link)
	oh and the VW dealerships out here WILL rake you over the coals. I know someone that needed some work done and the price estimate he got was just STUPID inflated. Be warned. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	kersy 2008-01-07 07:18 am UTC (link)
	Oh, I would NEVER go for body or engine work. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

yoopie
2008-01-07 07:28 am UTC (link)

I don't blame you for going the dealership route. I owned a simple chevy back in grand rapids, MI and the damn oil change place totally messed up my oil pan and caused my car to leak a LOT.

I will say that Tim (bf) has owned over 10 if not more VW's and has always done his own work (his uncle owns his own auto shop). No, he is not certified but he certainly knows all of the in's and out's of VW's and Audi's.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	kersy 2008-01-07 07:43 am UTC (link)
	hey! i'm from grap too! Betten always took care of me :) i miss them! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

yoopie
2008-01-07 07:50 am UTC (link)

heh I knew you were from GR. You are friends with my friend Cyrus and you went to MD to visit him once.

At any rate.

if you feel comfortable telling me the car issue I will talk to Tim (bf) about it. He owned a bug, his ex owned one and his sister owns one. He know ALL about them and how to work on them. He has also owned various Jetta's (currently owns one) cabrio's and passats.
He truly knows all the quirks of VW's and because you are a friend of our friend Cyrus, you would only need to pay for the parts and drive to the burbs (where we live) to get your issue fixed. If that sounds decent, let me know. I promise you we don't bite or anything.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	kersy 2008-01-07 08:00 am UTC (link)
	wow. it's a small little lj world ;) could you just ask him the best place to go for general vw repairs like headlight changes and whatnot? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

yoopie
2008-01-07 08:09 am UTC (link)

no problem except to be honest
we have not ever used any of the dealers out here and even though we walked into Herzog Meijer?Meyer....they are the dealership that mega overcharges for things as well as add things that don't need to be done.
Tim does all the work on our cars even the crap that NO ONE wants to do. He just replaced his O2 sensors in his Audi today

There are plenty of V-dub owners out here so if any of them use a dealership, hopefully they will pipe up

Good Luck!! =)

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	db_cooper 2008-01-07 08:34 am UTC (link)
	i had very good luck with Halsey Imports 7721 NE Halsey St Portland, OR 97213 Phone: (503) 256-0182 they have a parts area and service area.... the service was a bit pricey but the parts area is probably one of the best in the area.... (Reply to this)

oh_eryn
2008-01-07 09:07 am UTC (link)

you should go to dick hannah.
it's in vancouver but my friend grace works there and they won't fuck you.
pardon my french.

that's cool, you're from GR.
i think it's supposed to be a smaller place, right?

all the cool people knew my best friend's dad gary, but he recently passed away.

reading over this, it seems kind of all over the place, but i'm tired and cant think hard enough to fix it. haha.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	trendywendy 2008-01-07 05:22 pm UTC (link)
	I agree with going to Dick Hannah. Make sure to mention that you're an Oregon resident so you don't get charged sales tax. If they're not a reasonable place, I've had good luck with Ray Reece at 123rd and Burnside as well. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	_heynow 2008-01-07 09:28 am UTC (link)
	there's a very good place in the goose hollow area right near downtown portland called esquire motor and they do mechanical repair on foreign cars - the did mirror work with mine and did a GREAT job. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	kersy 2008-01-07 07:42 pm UTC (link)
	thank you :) i just made an appt! (Reply to this)(Parent)

ritzcrackerman
2008-01-08 12:41 am UTC (link)

I know the post is already a little past, but but year bug do you have?

If you are still under your warranty, stick with the dealerships. However, the two major ones in Portland are absolutely terrible for anything/everything else. I took our Jetta to Ray Reece, and in fixing our trunk latch, dented the back bumper and lied about it. I had taken a picture of the back with my cell phone as a precaution beforehand, and threw a stink to the clerk, the assistant mgr, etc. No one did anything until I threatened to sue, and then the "actual" manager came out and did something about it. Also, to replace a simple $5 part? $300 in the end, with labor and everything else.

My best experiences have been with Hillside Imports, on Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy and about 42nd or so. The owner is named Rene, and gives excellent service. I have called and asked questions, and he has given me free advice, replaced brake lights for free, and when we got our emissions system serviced, let us borrow a car for a couple days while it was in the shop. We got the Jetta back with a bottle of wine in the driver's seat and cookies in the passenger. Very good experience.

Then, it gets better; VW had a recall soon thereafter on the same exact part we replaced, and Hillside contacted us via phone to come in and sign some paperwork to submit. They took care of it from there, and a month later, VW sent us a check reimbursing us for about 75% of the cost of the service. They took a lot of initiative on it, and are very up-to-date with recalls, notices, quirks for VWs new and old, etc.

(Reply to this)

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