Customer Reviews of Volkswagen Of St Augustine
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Inexcusable Incompetence
by Bryan M on 09/30/2024If I could give a "Zero" star review, I would. Unfortunately the lowest I can go is one. We own a 2018 VW Atlas and have been servicing our vehicle here for the past several years. After countless issues and compounded by inexcusable… incompetence from the service department, we are DONE. The latest, and there is a long list, stems from a problem we had last October...less than 1 year ago. The vehicle was stuttering and maintenance recommended we replace the fuel injectors. (this was done prior to discussing or changing spark plugs btw - another much less expensive possibility that they did not consider.) Fuel injectors were changed to the tune of $3,500 and the problem persisted! Maintenance offered a sincere head scratch in return. Fast forward 11 months and our check engine light comes on. Guess what the diagnosis is now? They are recommending that we CHANGE THE FUEL INJECTORS - AGAIN!!! Not only that, even though it's been only 11 months, the parts are no longer under warranty. They can't even tell me the issue, they have not even tried to find the root cause - just that I need to "replace my fuel injectors". Well sir, I already DID THAT and it DIDN'T WORK THE FIRST TIME!!! WHY WOULD I TRUST YOU NOW?!!! If you want incompetent people, poor systems and "oh - well" customer service, this is your place! But you won't ever see me there again.BUYER BEWARE
by Kim on 10/25/2021This dealership is represented by a unprofessional, belligerent so called "manager" Alexander Short who should be an embarrassment to this owner, his establishment and Volkswagen. He and his sales person misrepresented the inventory and… condition of the "new" vehicles we drove 4 hours to purchase. Vehicles had been burglarized days prior and tried to sell another vehicle in the place. He was extremely rude to the female sales person and had a huge attitude for having to retrieve an approval application from the system. When confronted with the frustration of their lack of regard for peoples time, the long drive and their ample opportunity to tell us that the vehicles were damaged (deal was made that morning) he told our family to "get the [non-permissible content removed] out" and threatened to fight my husband who had just walked into the lobby and had no idea what was happening. My daughter who was purchasing a second car from this dealership reorted this to the owner of the dealership and there has been crickets since his supposed "looking into" the situation. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere.Don't buy used cars online from here!
by Tony on 03/03/2021I found a BMW 128i listed on their site. I live 3 hours away and arrange for a great sales associate (Ben) to take the car to local German shop to have a pre-purchase inspection performed. $150 later this is what I was told by the shop -… they wouldn't take the car if it was given to them. There were 38 error codes and more than $6,000 in easily identified repairs! Four of the cylinders weren't firing, engine bay covered in oil from cracked valve cover, paint coming off the hood, top didn't work, the list goes on and on. I had asked the sales manager what was wrong with the car before I had taken to shop and none of this was mentioned. I can not believe that a major car dealership would even allow something this bad to be on their lot. I feel completely taken advantage of as I think we all have a certain level of trust from a manufacturer dealership. I'm out $150, lesson learned. Never buy sight unseen from this dealership, you have been warned!Deceptive Business and Pricing Practices
by Joey Sharples on 01/31/2021What a JOKE of a dealership! I inquired about a vehicle they had for sale online. I was ready and able to buy, cash in hand. They wanted to charge MORE because I was paying cash and then wanted to add almost $1000 in additional "dealer… fees", not sales tax, but "dealer fees". It was a vehicle they had for quite some time and now I can see why. What horribly unscrupulous business practices! It's dealerships like this that give all dealerships a bad reputation. Do yourself a favor, look elsewhere for your automotive needs. NO buyer deserves to be taken advantage of like they try to at VW of St Augustine!Best experience we have ever had
by Justin on 05/04/2020My wife and I have spent the last two days car shopping and it wasn't until our last choice honestly became the best choice we could of ever made. From the moment we stepped on the lot, we were not bombarded with slick talking salesmen.… After looking I went and spoke with Andrew King. After having many issues with other local dealerships I let Andrew know the first time he was dishonest that I was leaving. Not only was Andrew completely honest with all of my questions, he was the most knowledgeable vehicle salesmen I have ever encountered. He had the answers to all my question and the best part was he was a genuine guy. At Volkswagen of St. Augustine it was the most hassle free pleasant experiance that we have ever had buying a new car. Next time we know our first stop for future purchases.Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review Justin, we truly do appreciate it! We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Andrew. Stay safe out there and have a wonderful day!
Ruined dealer/customer relationship
by BruceF. on 09/03/2019Ten days after purchasing a pre-owned 2015 Tiguan, the vehicle sustained a “major” mechanical breakdown. The breakdown occurred even after passing a “thorough” inspection by the dealership prior to the sale. The repair for the breakdown… involved replacing a valve spring at a total cost of $1,905.77. I contacted the dealership and spoke with the General Sales Manager, Daniel Parker and advised him of the issue. Due to the short length of time (10 days) that had elapsed between the purchase and the breakdown, along with the high cost of the repair, I politely requested to Daniel that Volkswagen of St. Augustine split the repair bill with me 50/50. Most would have been embarrassed by such a breakdown following a pre-sale inspection. Mr. Parker instead chose to assign responsibility and blame to me, a customer that had just spent more than $12,000 in his dealership. His reply: “You purchased the vehicle “As Is” and were offered the opportunity to purchase a warranty but declined, therefore the repair is YOUR responsibility.” I responded back that I “assumed" the vehicle was “thoroughly” inspected, and the dealership "assumed" their inspection meant the vehicle would operate as intended for longer than 10 days after the sale. Unfortunately, both sides were wrong and for this reason, I asked for a 50/50 split. Additionally, had I purchased a warranty it would not have gone into effect until 30 days AFTER the sale anyway. Mr. Parker disputed this fact saying that I would have been covered from day one. The dealership’s Warranty Company however, advised otherwise. Rather than meeting half-way as requested Mr. Parker offered a mere $500, something he attempted to pass off as a “goodwill” offer. I politely refused his offer and again asked to split the bill 50/50, meaning that each side would pay $952.88. After several weeks of delay tactics and numerous opportunities to make things right, Mr. Parker elected to forgo Quality Customer Service over the difference of $452.88. Realizing that I was dealing with an unreasonable individual I chose the $500 rather than receive nothing. It should be noted that these funds were NOT accepted as an agreed upon amount by the two sides. It was only after it became clear that Mr. Parker was more concerned about the money than having a satisfied customer that the funds were received. It should also be noted that, the actual purchase of the vehicle was a smooth process and the sales representatives, Katrina Burton and Richard Hirsh, were true professionals. My low review rating is not a reflection of “their” performance. My issue was my treatment as a customer by the dealership, as represented by their General Sales Manager, subsequent to the vehicle breaking down. I only asked that the dealership be fair, and they were unwilling to rise to the occasion. In the end, a potential for a good dealer/customer relationship was ruined over $452.88. Truly pathetic!We are sorry for the unfortunate breakdown and respect your opinion that the $500 goodwill you received was not enough of a gesture. All of our cars go through a throrough reconditioning/inspection process, but sometimes things happen after that process that we unfortunaley cannot control.
To clarify, a $500 “goodwill” payment would have been greatly appreciated had one existed. The only funds received were $500 towards YOUR half of the repair. If you had paid out additional funds beyond 50%, those funds would have been goodwill. I’m generally not one to post reviews (good or bad) but after the poor treatment received by some at your dealership, I wasn’t about to let this fall by the wayside. And out of eight sites where I posted my review, Volkswagen of St. Augustine was the ONLY one to censor my review and did so in its entirety. Someone definitely has something to hide!
David = Huge Asset
by Dustin_B on 07/12/2019I brought my new-to-me 2013 VW Touareg to this VW dealership. A long story short, David was so transparent and helpful through the process of diagnosing, addressing, and then communicating with me what my car’s issue was. He went above and… beyond to ensure my car was properly fixed and safe to be driven. He’s not only a great service writer, but a genuine and knowledgeable person. Great job, David. I won’t be taking my car anywhere else to be serviced. I appreciate you, and your dealership. Thanks again!SERVICE
by eddie on 02/01/2019would like to say thank you Kevin Eldridge & to all the Service Techs who worked on my car yesterday as to trying to find an issue i'm having with my axles & also kregg who's always been there helping me in getting parts. i've been going… to this dealer since day 1. only Dealer that i would let work on my car.......A+++++++++++"Feathering"; more like "skinning"
by M.Bgs on 10/09/2018I had a very bad experience at Volkswagen of St. Augustine. I own a Volkswagen Passat; it has been continuously serviced for 6 years at Volkswagen. Monday I took my car in for a water pump and timing belt change - the cost was $1,400.00.… No diagnostics were needed by Volkswagen; the car had already been diagnosed with the issue pin-pointed. An appointment was made with information. My car has now been there 2 days and I still do not have it. Today I received a call that the car tires have "feathering" and a barrage of other items that need to be "repaired." Total cost has now reached close to $2,000.00. Wait - I am not buying a used car. The "feathering" of the tires is due to a need for alignment. Did you know that when you get your tires rotated and balanced they do not align them? Perhaps this is common knowledge in the "auto repair" business, but certainly think this should have been brought to my attention. I was also advised by the service technician that I spoke with that "Did you know that you could have your tires aligned and drive down the street and they could require realignment?" What - does that make any sense? The keys were locked in my car, necessitating an extra trip to Volkswagen. I have had to have GFI fluid delivered to me at my job in Jacksonville when I had my car in for service 2 days' prior. Lights are constantly left on after service, thus necessitating extra trips. When I get ready to purchase a new vehicle, it won't be a Volkswagen.Went in for service and bought a car
by Oldrider on 10/02/2018Had my VW convertible in for service. Saw a used vehicle that I liked and bought it. Sale consultant, Kevin Noble made the transaction seamless. Had two small issues with the vehicle which were immediately fixed by the service department.… Pleasure dealing with a company that has the owner on site. Nothing like the big box corporate stores that are high pressure.Made my purchase experience the best
by JUST_JJ on 10/01/2018Thank you St. Augustine VW for working with me to select a 2018 Tiguan SE that met my satisfaction in a new vehicle. Rich Hirsch was super in his presentation and understanding of the features to help me in making my decision. I would buy… from him again when the time comes.New level of Purchase Experience
by JUST_JJ on 09/25/2018Volkswagen will have to come up with a new level of satisfaction above "Completely Satisfied". St. Augustine VW has exceeded this one with my purchase experience. Rich, my salesman went above and beyond to make certain my buying experience… was the best. Thank you St. Augustine Volkswagen.2017 Golf Alltrack
by Golfinguy on 09/12/2018So it was that time of year when dealerships got a lot full of yesterdays news.I figgerd Maybe I could help them unload a low spec version of a not so popular model on me. Originally went to get a Tiguan 4motion but was also considering the… Golf Alltrack.After shuffling a few cars to get to the ones I was interested in I test drove both back to back.Tiguan was good enough for me,but the Golf Was the better buy as it had better base features and was a current model.There was no real difference in price,the Tiguan had better towing capacity but the Golf had more interior space.Took some time and had lunch to mull over the choices as the dealer was prepping both for purchase,they were in the back 40 and needed a bath.Decided on the Golf Alltrack and have been delighted ever since.I like to think of it as my discount Quattro.It gets good mpg and has plenty of space for long drives.The ergonomics are great as everything is driver focused.Visibility is good all around,backup camera and display are easy to see.It has guide lighting at night when you turn,pretty cool feature.rear seats fold down completely so you have plenty of carry capacity.I was looking for this type of vehicle and did a lot of research but features and price the Alltrack was the winner for me.If you find yourself in need of a wagon include the Golf Alltrack in the equation and test drive one before you decide.The base model includes more standard features than most for not more or same money than competitors.Plus it is a VW and all wheel drive.St.Augustine VW will treat you right. They have no haggle pricing that is better than most.I drove 90 miles to check them out and see if they were honest with the pricing and overall customer valuation.I can say that my experience was great.I went there on a Saturday morning and they werenât packed with customers but were selling cars.I had specific cars I was interested in and the salesman took interest in my choices and made it happen. No high pressure pitches,no stress just actually a good time.After an hour or so I asked if they could run em through the detail shop to get the dust and pollen off so I could get a better idea ,no problem. I went to lunch came back and chose the Alltrack.Another hour later,on my way home in my new VW.The easiest car buying experience ever.I can say this,If you are in Florida and looking at a VW go to VW of St.Augustine first.They can get you the VW of your choice at a price you canât pass up.My Golf
by Aus on 07/14/2018I'm very displeased in the first month of ownership of the golf I purchased from you. It was advertised as having new tires, however my front tire almost exploded due to starting to separate. While on a road trip i wasted 6 hours of my day… getting a replacement mainly due to the fact that the car didn't come with a wheel lock key. Please don't disservice your customers and going forward ensure your cars have the wheel lock key. Additionally the car has a faulty wheel speed sensor, airbag, and a steering wheel code.New tires and Alignment
by Shaferma on 07/12/2018Got New tires an alignment, paid about $1,200. The tires came with no warranty info in writhing or by email as promised, expensive tires for no guarantee. After paying in full, and 4 hours after arriving home received phone call… asking for payment for the alignment and suggesting I get new tires. Both of which I had already done. Told them, they are confused and do not call again. 30 seconds later, they called again. Wrote email to general manager explaining and asking do not call. Of course, they called againnew car prep
by alltrack1 on 06/05/2018My car was ready when promised, Jim explained everything tht was done and I was on my way as promised.New vw alltrack
by Alltrack on 06/04/2018The vw of St. Augustine were great to work with as a team. Jim Borum was very knowledgeable and explained the difference in each model. He let me take my time to think it over. The other team members pulled together to give me a great deal.… I am very satisfied.Best damn car service EVER!
by TC on 10/23/2017VolksWagon of St. Augustine BEST damn car service EVER! Thank you Kevin Eldridge! Thank you Sarah Glowatz at Volkswagon of America! After the dealership in Daytona breached their duty; it was so egregious that Volkswagon of American sent… me $200 on a debit card. Volkswagon of America, further found me a dealership that would perform the Warranty work on my car. The dealership that took on that responsibility was Volkswagon of St. Augustine. The Daytona dealership was going to have me rent my own vehicle at my expense. Volkswagon of St. Augustine loaned me a 2017 vehicle to use the entire time my car was in being fixed. What!!!!!! You heard me……. they loaned me a vehicle where the Daytona dealership was going to make me pay for my own. A huge savings for me! Run, run, run from the Daytona dealership to Volkswagon of St. Augustine! I got my vehicle back yesterday and the body work under warranty is absolutely beautiful. I also had some other work done on my car while it was in there and it too is working as it should now. They threw in a free oil change as well. The customer service at VW of St. Augustine was perfect well Volkswagon of St. Augustine is better than perfect! Their prices are lower than the dealership in Daytona overall too. I will NEVER go back to the Daytona dealership again. The extra time for me to drive there was well worth it. VW of St. Augustine has just made a customer for life. I just wanted honest work for honest billing/pay, however this crew went above and beyond just like the good ol’ days in the 50’s! I will never go anywhere else if I can help it. I love you guys and thank you for your integrity! Thank you all! If there is any down side to this experience it would be that they loaned me a 2017 vehicle. (haha!) It makes getting back in my 2007 vehicle feel like I am riding a dinosaur with all the new gadgets and easy of driving that have come out it in the past 10 years. Side note if you haven’t checked out the new VW van that is coming out, do! It is the coolest! Thank you Kevin and your entire crew! Terry Dittbenner HeislerAn extremely positive experience
by obsomers on 10/02/2017My experience with Volkswagen of St. Augustine was extremely positive. I initially contacted the dealership via email, and was promptly contacted by Matt Farnham. Matt and I exchanged several emails over the next couple of weeks. I was… looking for a 2017 GTI Sport with a manual transmission, which was not available locally. Matt contacted other dealerships throughout Florida and was ultimately able to locate the model and trim I wanted and arrange to get it from the other dealer. The process was delayed slightly by Hurricane Irma, but Matt continued to search and keep me informed of the status. The experience was equally positive when my wife and I went to the dealership to pick up the car. Matt was friendly and professional, and answered any question that we had. He explained all of the essentials of the car before we drove it home. I had a few questions about the features and function of the car in the first couple of days after bringing it home. I emailed my questions to Matt and he responded promptly with the answers I needed. Overall, the process was smooth and the experience couldn't have been any better.Thank you so much for the kind words! It was a pleasure working with you and please do not hesitate to let us know if there is anything else at all we can do for you. Enjoy your new car and have a wonderful day!!
Amazing!!!!
by Danielle on 08/13/2017Best and easiest car buying experience ever!!! Everyone was so nice, honest and easy going. No tactics. No pushyness. Buying this car was actually a fun and enjoyable experience. Nick in sales and Daniel the sales manager were both… awesome!!! If you need to buy a car, these are the guys you want to go to. I'll never go anywhere else again. Thank you Nick and Daniel.Thank you so much for the kind words Danielle! It was a pleasure working with you and thank you for choosing us. If you ever need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask. Enjoy your new ride and don't be a stranger!
Great buying experience
by 711750GTV on 08/09/2017I bought a 2017 Jetta for my teenage daughter. They gave an amazing quote online and I went to my local dealer to see if they could match it. The local dealer gave me a lot of excuses that St. Augustine really couldn't sell the car for… the advertised price and there would probably be a lot of hidden fees. Not true. VW of St. Augustine honored the quote and never once pressured me to buy anything additional or upgrade to something more expensive. They treated me with the respect due someone spending thousands of dollars. They took time to answer all of our questions and make sure that we were comfortable with every step of the transaction. It was actually a pleasant experience which unfortunately is so rare these days. I have already recommended them to several friends and I live 180 miles away.We truly appreciate you taking the time to write us a review. Thank you for giving us a chance to earn your business and if you ever need anything else at all, please don't hesitate to let us know. It was a pleasure serving you and have a wonderful weekend!
Volkswagen Atlas
Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
About our dealership
“Driving Extraordinary Relationships,” that’s our motto here at Volkswagen of St. Augustine. We are committed to charitable giving, community involvement and treating customers like people, not transactions. We invite you to experience car buying and servicing the way it should be…with honesty and integrity. Visit us today to find the latest VWs, browse pre-owned vehicles from all makes and models or tune up your car at our award-winning service department. Every vehicle comes with a 3-Day/ 300-Mile Return Guarantee. Additionally, we are St. Augustine’s only Official KBB Buying Center. Just read our reviews as they speak for themselves. We hope to see you soon!
What sets us apart
"Home of the $500 Test Drive"
5-Star Rated Dealer
3-Day/ 300-Mile Return Guarantee
Amenities
- Complimentary Loaner Cars
- Complimentary Coffee
- Cable Television
- Express Service
- Customer Lounge Area
Languages Spoken (1)
- Spanish
Hi Tony, we apologize for your experience, We give customers a chance to buy some of these less expensive cars before we send them to auction. It gives the public a chance to buy them at auction prices before we send them. Alot of our customers want a chance to take it to their own mechanic and have it inspected before they buy it for peace of mind.
by VW of St Augustine on 03/10/2021