@Dellmassive`s T6 T32 Sportline 204 LWB DSG PV MY18 - Van Adventure

Great thread Dell. I’m starting a kitchen near the Oval tomorrow. I hate London and havnt been in 15 years. Wish me luck getting out of bed at 5am rather than 7!!
 
Great thread Dell. I’m starting a kitchen near the Oval tomorrow. I hate London and havnt been in 15 years. Wish me luck getting out of bed at 5am rather than 7!!
Good luck buddy.... I'll be up at 5am, traveling round the M25 merry go round towards Surrey.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
just to update the thread. . .

it seems the droplinks may not have been replaced at the last garage.

as we now have a different noise, like unbolted drop links chattering.

i think they have unbolted it to see if it changed the sound. . . then with all the DMF work going on forgot about it?

who knows, (I've not been under to check as yet.)

anyway, van is booked in at a new garage (lost faith in the other one) . . . . for the knocking and the service which will be due.

this will be min jan24, so watch this space.


so it doesnt look like the last garage replaced the drop-links. . .

but there is a very annoying knock/rattle coming from the front lower passenger side.

its doing my head in.

Now im ALL-IN i thought id call the boys, - called the number, stated a engine knocking noise and request a Silver van guy only please.



and just like magic here they are.

1703086626691.png


now this took some work . . . . . from us both.

noise noticeable from inside the van, but not with the windows open or from outside,

its worse in morning with a cold van, but eases off to nothing when warm.

we had the van jacked up . . . but couldn't hear a thing.

we was rocking the engine, ARB, mounts, revving etc etc but couldn't reproduce it.


1703086609662.png


.

next up i worked out that you can hear it from outside the van if you had your ear to the A-pillar.

on the passenger side only. . .

then i kept a listen out as he wiggled and giggled everything.

but nothing. . .

so after a mid job cup of tea, he said one more go.

i was listening the van through the panels when he cracked it. . .

"its there, its gone, its there, its gone, its there, its gone, its there, its gone, "

"i think i know what it is" he said

some solenoid valve that was supposed to be fixed to the under side of the derv filter has one of the two brackets snapped of.

looks like its got broken during the DMF job . . . and they just stuffed it up in a gap.

until if fell back down.

at which point it started to vibrate against the derv filter, which directly transferred the sounds to the bodywork.

jeez. . . .

a quick call to TPS he had one ordered.

and hour later he was back and fitted the new bracket . . - a right ball ache to fit apparently, which was prob why it got left in the first place.


well done VWCV Assist - top job.


+++++++++++++++

while he was there i asked him to put his eyes on the Bus (our other T6) that looked to me like a cracked front EGR pipe. . .

yes it cracked - i can deal with that for you next week.


sweet . . . the van was already booked in the garage for that but in 6weeks time!!


so i accepted his kind offer to fixing the bus, and once its done ill cancel the main dealer appointment.

+++++++++++++++


so once again the "ALL-IN - warranty - call out- service - MOT" - has done me a solid and saved me a trip to the dealers and had my van fixed on my drive.




FYI - we have the ALL-IN cover on both vans . . .

1703087522761.png










.
 
The Van goes in for its 71K mile service under ALL-IN.

10k service due at 71k miles, so we a tad early at 69k miles . . . but who counting.

small service so just oil and filter + Health Check.


1705495722456.png

1705495748859.png


they report the front discs are 70% worn and the disks are lipped . . . but are so busy they dont want to replace them !!

"you have 30% left to go, thats ages" the Service guy said.

that's almost un-heard of years ago - pads & disk are easy money for them - but just too busy to bother these days.

2x hours @ £130ph = £260=vat labour !!!

Jeez £130+vat ph!!!!


1705495910966.png


same with the tyres 3-4mm on the two fronts.

butthey didnt offer to replace them, just signed off the job as "declined, customer has own tech" - they didnt even ask me if i wanted new tyres !!

1705496105626.png


now for the real kicker. . . . Front Main Oil Seal Leak !!!


1705496146978.png

and guess what "seals are not covered under all in" the chat explained.


and heres the quote they offered me . . . £1158.30 !!!!!!!
its interesting to see whats involved in the job, looking at the parts list below.
new seal, new bolts and new oil. . and 4.5hr labour ( but they have to leave the van overnight before filling with oil, to allow the sealant to set. )


1705496258895.png

well. . . . i gotta say i was gobsmacked.


hold on - i had the front main seal done already, 8k miles ago . . . .

when i had the EGR replaced . . . feb 2023, last year. - 8k miles ago. - as part of the factory extended warranty for years 4 & 5.

so can you sort it out i asked - Nope, you need to go back to that garage and get them to do the job again..... FFS


:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

here we are - the following morning.

No Health check video,

so any proof that the leak is there, so i check myself.

yep its leaking.

1705496584333.png1705496596900.png1705496955604.png



night mare. . . . vans now booked back into original garage for "oil leak - front main seal"

let see what they say !!

its on the VW mothership system as being done. . . so im expecting 24months parts/labour warranty.

or did they not do it? and just re-seal it?


......
 
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Wow dell

Did vw play a circus theme tune as you left? Bunch of monkeys

Don’t even they can even be trusted to drain oil can they… surely
 
Thought it was about time to address the seat base situation. . .

1705837713098.png

its been like this from day one,

and due to me constantly changing the kit under there, i used Velcro and Anderson connectors.

the problem being that the heat of summer and the kit running makes the glue weak on the Velcro and they fall off. - not good.


so the plan is to use some ply woods cur to size and velcro`d in . . . then i can screw kit to that as a temporary permeant thing.


.....

here the idea, wood chopy chopy. . .

1705837906768.png1705837929106.png


was concidering carpet . . . . but i think black paint will be more suitable.

the blacl gloss had gummed up,

so next option was matt black high temp BBQ spray paint...

1705838003952.png

as it turns ok it looks ok, i think . .

1705838052214.png

the adding some velcro to keep it in place. . .

1705838084878.png

screwing the dc-dc charger, MIDI fuse box, Ablemail AMT2-12 to the boards just left the spaghetti on the floor.

1705838148302.png


which is covered up nicly with the decorative base peice. . .

ill add some stand off legs at a later date. . .

1705838193598.png


...


now just have to monitor how hot the new Victron XS gets . . . . its set at 30A for the meantime.

1705838264308.png1705838273184.png
 
looking to get the brakes sorted . . .

pads and discs are normal. . .

but that damaged sensor loom . . .

vw luckily enough gave us the part number. . .


7LA927903F - HARNESS.


1706024786203.png



TPS have it in stock. . .


1706024916686.png


.....

1706024858453.png
 
NUTEXA - Brake Pad & Disc change - How I Done It -
new pads and discs - these look so sweet. !!











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Reactions: CAB
what about : did this cause a noticeable jolt as well as a knock sound?

++++++

Drive train knock – 10-20mph when on/off accelerator. Test drive with tech to witness the issue, possible drive shaft? DSG?

++++++

well this was an odd one . . there was a slight knock through the body that seemed to come from the front left engine area.

on the previous service i had reported to the garage,

they event sent out two tech`s for a test drive, - but reported back "no fault found"

..

as soon as i got back in the van my ears tuned into the super annoying knock.

moving forwards i tried loads of things to reproduce the knock . . which eventually i did.

+++++

i could reproduce the noise by driving as i do every day in traffic 10-20mph when on/off accelerator,

the van would knock as the vans weight transferred from the engine pull to the vans forward inertia . . . a dull clonk-clonk.

i couldn't get it on camera phone as too suttal, so i was about to get out the GoPro, when i just drove back to the garage and asked to take the tech for a testdrive to show him i could now reproduce the knock.

my assumption was an engine mount or something like that.

once the tech heard the sound, his first thought was possibly drive shaft or CV joint?


+++++

the story goes cold from this point, but after 5 weeks when i got the van back " all fixed"

i asked the service advisor . . . . "so what about that knock that your boys couldn't find?"

his reply was "oh yeah - weve replaced the front drop-links."

doh . . . !!

so there was a problem after all.

+++++


what are they?

well they are part of the front suspension system

that connect the lower part of the front shocks to the front ARB (Anti roll bar).

effectively they limit front body roll in corners.



seems they are common available part, and im wondering if this should have been picked up under the recent MOT that VW did?



View attachment 207809

View attachment 207811View attachment 207812

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wanna see more:




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Getting my flywheel replaced and I put it down to that, but getting a jolt when pressing and releasing throttle like the mount is loose on the gear box. Thought it was the fly wheel as that’s knackered fine from rattling to vibrations through cab ‍but could be drive shafts or maybe just drop links. It’s a mine field lol
 
we think my "drive train knock" was related to the suspension drop links. . .

but oddly enough the noise has done after the last round of DMF works.

the tech mentioned it must be because the subframe was out and everything has been refitted - whatever, no noise so im happy.
 

T6 T32 Sportline 204 LWB DSG PV MY18​


Engine Bay for reference.

....


1710404598279.png1710404629105.png1710404646856.png1710404657183.png1710404665531.png1710404683680.png
 
just had the MOT done at VW, under the ALL-IN package.

lost faith in the two local VW CV garages at Loughton & Dartford, so tried the next nearest out of London one.

VW CV Chelmsford.

well so far very impressed, we was onsite at 745am, booked in by 8am.

van was on the ramp by 815am

and we was on the way to work by 915am.

so far the plan to get a garage out of London seems to be paying off.


The Service advisor AMY was efficient and on point.

the waiting area was nice, free vend Tea, coffee machine, . . with TV for radio etc . .

plus CCTV screen showing the MOT ramp. - nice touch VWCV Chelmsford.

1712341175954.png

van on the rollers. . . .

1712341204591.png


and van on the Ramp. . .

1712341228741.png



and we also got a included HEALTH CHECK. . .

+++++++++++++++++++

health check video . . . Cloud link.





+++++++++++++++++++
1712341424257.png



Cost Breakdown​

Please review the items listed below and authorise work that you’d like carried out on your vehicle.

  • Visually Ok
  • Advisory
  • Urgent
  • Not Checked
Condensed Report
Identified Work
ItemStatusPriceInclude
Internal
Warning Lamps--
Interior Lamps--
Horn--
Instruments--
Wipers and Washers--
Seatbelts--
Clutch--
Foot and Hand Brake Operation--
Other--
External
Body Damage--
Trim--
Glass--
Mirrors--
External Lights--
Wiper Blades and Lock operation--
Other--
Under Bonnet
Brake Fluid Condition--
Battery Condition--
Coolant Level / Anti-Freeze Strength--
Engine Oil Level--
Engine oil level full
Power Steering--
Drive Belts--
Screenwash Level--
Other--
Brakes, Suspension and Bearings
Visual Check of Brake Disc's--
Visual Check of Brake Hoses and Dampers--
Visual Check of Brake Pads - Front--
20 percent Worn - Front Brake Pads
Suspension--
Other--
Visual Check of Brake Pads Rear--
20 percent Worn - Rear Brake Pads
Underbody and Steering
Steering--
Drive Shafts--
Hoses--
Oil Leaks--
Exhaust System--
Other--
Other
Service Book--
Digital Service Booklet
Locking Wheel Nut--
Not Fitted
Brake Fluid Due--
Cambelt Due--
Other--
Tyres
Front Right--
7.5 MM
Front Left--
7.5 MM
Rear Right--
4.5 MM - Size
Rear Left--
4.5 MM - Size
Spare--
8.5 MM
Cost of Work Selected£0.00




.

so far very happy.


and will be happy to take either van back for future works.

it was nice to be in a calm chilled environment and not the normal chaos of angry customers and heated discussions at 8am in the morning.


.

Faith now temporarily restored in a dealership.


.
 
The Van goes in for its 71K mile service under ALL-IN.

10k service due at 71k miles, so we a tad early at 69k miles . . . but who counting.

small service so just oil and filter + Health Check.


View attachment 225829

View attachment 225830


they report the front discs are 70% worn and the disks are lipped . . . but are so busy they dont want to replace them !!

"you have 30% left to go, thats ages" the Service guy said.

that's almost un-heard of years ago - pads & disk are easy money for them - but just too busy to bother these days.

2x hours @ £130ph = £260=vat labour !!!

Jeez £130+vat ph!!!!


View attachment 225831


same with the tyres 3-4mm on the two fronts.

butthey didnt offer to replace them, just signed off the job as "declined, customer has own tech" - they didnt even ask me if i wanted new tyres !!

View attachment 225832


now for the real kicker. . . . Front Main Oil Seal Leak !!!


View attachment 225833

and guess what "seals are not covered under all in" the chat explained.


and heres the quote they offered me . . . £1158.30 !!!!!!!
its interesting to see whats involved in the job, looking at the parts list below.
new seal, new bolts and new oil. . and 4.5hr labour ( but they have to leave the van overnight before filling with oil, to allow the sealant to set. )


View attachment 225835

well. . . . i gotta say i was gobsmacked.


hold on - i had the front main seal done already, 8k miles ago . . . .

when i had the EGR replaced . . . feb 2023, last year. - 8k miles ago. - as part of the factory extended warranty for years 4 & 5.

so can you sort it out i asked - Nope, you need to go back to that garage and get them to do the job again..... FFS


:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

here we are - the following morning.

No Health check video,

so any proof that the leak is there, so i check myself.

yep its leaking.

View attachment 225837View attachment 225838View attachment 225840



night mare. . . . vans now booked back into original garage for "oil leak - front main seal"

let see what they say !!

its on the VW mothership system as being done. . . so im expecting 24months parts/labour warranty.

or did they not do it? and just re-seal it?


......


-- Vans now booked back into original garage for "oil leak - front main seal" --




....

so booked the van back in to the garage that done the Crankshaft seal. . .

well - what a mare !!!


dropped it off - but pre-booked hire van from 6weeks ago isn't available !!

1714800918259.png

45mins later they agree to give me a new sales van . . . and ask me to look after it.

(gotta say i love the electric steering on the T6.1, and the auto re-start feature on the stop/start. and like the electric locks as well - but feel the build quality is a bit cheaper than the T6, which i feel is a bit cheaper than the T5.1 and so on. . . . . cost cutting all the way, yet the vans get more expensive)

1714800971910.png

the next day i get a phone call. . .

we cant find a leak on your van - its been on a ramp ticking over for hours, no leak, please come and collect it. -- Hmm ok.

during that night the tracker kept pinging me low battery warnings as they had left it pushed in the corner with the ignition ON - all night !!, by the morning the battery was dead flat and the van had gone off-line,

when i arrived at the garage they said they would get the the van round. . . but i knew it was dead flat.

so they tried jump starting it, but the ghost imobiliser had kicked back in out of VALET MODE as the battery went so flat.

so they couldnt start it. . . . "oh we just need to charge the battery a bit" was the reply.


by now the battery had some power back in it so the van come back to life, including the front dash cam . . . .

1714801366685.png

it was painful watching them trying to start the van . .

in the end i just asked the SA to get the GM so we could get the van started.

+++++++++++

the saga continues . .

taking me out back to the van i asked "so no leak then?" - nope was the reply,

ok - so why did the other garage say i needed a new crank seal?

"dunno "the GM said?


"ok, well while we here can we lift the van up and take off the engine under cover, i can keep an eye out for a leak" - sure he said.

van up - cover off . . . . . .


1714801590557.png


and what do i see straight away . . . . GRRRR.

1714801669804.png

an oil leak.

well not a massive leak, but a drop, . . . . that over time will drip and seep, with additional drips to present itself as a oil leak.


"theres the leak" i pointed out!!!!

"hmm yeh" was the reply . . . "it was bone dry yesterday" - yeh right.


anyway, now things are starting to make sense, . . . the drip was from the sump seal corner edge, and not from the actual crankshaft seal.

so, whats happened is when they done the crankshaft seal job, they never refitted the sump properly as its sealed with a silicone like sealant . . and it was this seal that was leaking.


"well obviously it needs redoing". i said to him.

so off i went again, back home. . .

two days later i get a call - "its all done for you, please come get it as we need our new van back"


first thing i done was get under the ramp and check. . . . . . .

we can now clearly see the new sealant. . . . . lets hop they done it properly this time.

1714802042369.png

oh and also they just drained and re-filled my same oil - and didnt use new oil or filter.

before i left i asked them to double check the oil level etc. - which they said was correct.


++++++++++++++++++


great its all done right - not so fast kiddo.


10mins into the drive home. . . . Bang OIL SENSOR Workshop !!!

1714802157785.png

WTH !!!

pull over check oil level - all good


check for a leak - no leak


carry on home carefully and get the van on my ramps to find this. . . . .


1714802307888.png


can you see it . . . . . . . ?


yep the they hadn't re-connected the OIL LEVEL/Quality sensor - causing the ECM to go into fault.

here it is now plugged back-in. - they had left it tucked up on the sub-frame.

1714802406147.png



so honestly you cant make this stuff up, and as I'm writing this i think its unbelievable, but it happened and I've got the pics to prove it.

...


and guess what i emailed the dealer about this and asked for paperwork to cover what they had done. . . . for onwards warranty.

and the fact the van was sent out with the oil sensor.


what did i get back - Nothing,

no email, no phone call, no paperwork, nothing.

its like it never happened !! - and that's just how the garage wants it as they wont admit they done the job wrong in the first place.


lets just say that if i hadn't already lost faith in that van centre before - i definitely have now.


+++++++++++++++

so what happened?

you are going to love this. . . . .

so the van went in for a "Crank Main Seal" under warranty at van center #1 - but they never done it right

having lost faith in VC#1 for other reasons, we took the van to VC#2

VC#2 has the van months later and does the MOT and Service - and miss diagnoses a leaking crank seal(and quotes me £1k to do it)

telling VC#2 id had this done 3mths ago at VC#1 they told me to go back to them.

back at VC#1 they miss diagnosed the leak as a no leak.

highlighting the leak they agreed to redo the sump seal, as it wasn't done correct the 1st time

then failed to complete the job properly - leaving the oil sensor disconnected.

++++++++++++++++



like i said you cant make it up. . .


and i feel sorry for people that are not mechanicaly minded that just have to accept what mechanics and garages tell them as gospel.

luckily i have good under standing to know exactly whats involved and to call out poor service and work.


safe to say i will not be returning to either VC#1 or VC#2.

I've already had some bitd done at the new VC#3 which seemed to go ok. . .



but trust me - as soon as the ALL-IN cover for both vans runs out and VW wont offer me any extened warranty of any kind i will happily be taking my vans to a local-is VW indy that takes pride in there work and relies heavily on recomendation and referal.

VW Comercial should be ashamed of themsilves as the local dealers are just franchise companies that at the end of the day are there to make money - the end result is the dealers are just money making machines for themesilves and the quality of work and customer service sufferes.


sure VW send out a customer satisfaction link after the visit.

but the only true way to tackle these poor garages is to call VW CV UK and raise a claim - the UK center is VW themselves, and above the franchise dealer level, so all the little black marks go against the franchise KPI`s - its the fastes way to get stuff done.


so dont be worried, if you getting poor service from your local VW CV garage then call them out and report it VW CV customer services UK.


I've got them on speed dial these days. . . .



++++++++++


There’s lots of advice and answers to the most frequently asked questions here.

You can chat with us by clicking on the bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.

Feel free to drop into or contact your local Van Centre. Alternatively, you can book a test drive, and for service appointments, you can also book a service or MOT online.

If you really need to speak to us direct, call 0800 783 4909.

You can also email us directly at customercare@vwcv.co.uk.

Also, here are our opening hours:

By phone Monday to Friday 9am – 5:30pm

Via Live Chat Monday to Sunday 8am - 10pm

Please note the Customer Care centre is closed for all English Bank Holidays.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Complaints Procedure
Click here for more information




1714803821196.png



..
 
just had the MOT done at VW, under the ALL-IN package.

lost faith in the two local VW CV garages at Loughton & Dartford, so tried the next nearest out of London one.

VW CV Chelmsford.

well so far very impressed, we was onsite at 745am, booked in by 8am.

van was on the ramp by 815am

and we was on the way to work by 915am.

so far the plan to get a garage out of London seems to be paying off.


The Service advisor AMY was efficient and on point.

the waiting area was nice, free vend Tea, coffee machine, . . with TV for radio etc . .

plus CCTV screen showing the MOT ramp. - nice touch VWCV Chelmsford.

View attachment 235620

van on the rollers. . . .

View attachment 235621


and van on the Ramp. . .

View attachment 235622



and we also got a included HEALTH CHECK. . .

+++++++++++++++++++

health check video . . . Cloud link.





+++++++++++++++++++
View attachment 235623



Cost Breakdown​

Please review the items listed below and authorise work that you’d like carried out on your vehicle.

  • Visually Ok
  • Advisory
  • Urgent
  • Not Checked
Condensed Report
Identified Work
ItemStatusPriceInclude
Internal
Warning Lamps--
Interior Lamps--
Horn--
Instruments--
Wipers and Washers--
Seatbelts--
Clutch--
Foot and Hand Brake Operation--
Other--
External
Body Damage--
Trim--
Glass--
Mirrors--
External Lights--
Wiper Blades and Lock operation--
Other--
Under Bonnet
Brake Fluid Condition--
Battery Condition--
Coolant Level / Anti-Freeze Strength--
Engine Oil Level--
Engine oil level full
Power Steering--
Drive Belts--
Screenwash Level--
Other--
Brakes, Suspension and Bearings
Visual Check of Brake Disc's--
Visual Check of Brake Hoses and Dampers--
Visual Check of Brake Pads - Front--
20 percent Worn - Front Brake Pads
Suspension--
Other--
Visual Check of Brake Pads Rear--
20 percent Worn - Rear Brake Pads
Underbody and Steering
Steering--
Drive Shafts--
Hoses--
Oil Leaks--
Exhaust System--
Other--
Other
Service Book--
Digital Service Booklet
Locking Wheel Nut--
Not Fitted
Brake Fluid Due--
Cambelt Due--
Other--
Tyres
Front Right--
7.5 MM
Front Left--
7.5 MM
Rear Right--
4.5 MM - Size
Rear Left--
4.5 MM - Size
Spare--
8.5 MM
Cost of Work Selected£0.00




.

so far very happy.


and will be happy to take either van back for future works.

it was nice to be in a calm chilled environment and not the normal chaos of angry customers and heated discussions at 8am in the morning.


.

Faith now temporarily restored in a dealership.


.
Good dealership that one, we travelled to collect our 204 dsg kombi in oryx Pearl, from Staffordshire. When we got there the van was as described, but dpf light was on as it had been shunted around the workshop for a week or so.
They cleared and regen whilst sending us off to a great local pub, of which they foot the bill of x2 three course lunches and drinks
 
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