I am writing this review following an extremely disappointing experience with both Volkswagen UK Customer Services and a franchised Volkswagen retailer operating under the Volkswagen Approved Used scheme.

I purchased a Volkswagen vehicle which was sold as a Volkswagen Approved Used car. Vehicles sold under this scheme are marketed as having undergone a comprehensive inspection and preparation process designed to ensure that they meet Volkswagen’s quality and compliance standards before sale.

Unfortunately, my experience suggests that these standards were not met.

After purchasing the vehicle it became apparent, based on the service history documentation provided with the car, that there was outstanding service work due within a short timeframe of the purchase date. This raises serious concerns about whether the vehicle actually met the eligibility criteria required to be sold under the Volkswagen Approved Used programme.

Despite repeatedly requesting documentation relating to the vehicle’s pre-sale preparation and inspection – including the multi-point check (MPC) sheet – this documentation has still not been provided.

The absence of this documentation is particularly concerning because one of the key checks within the Approved Used inspection relates to whether all service work due within a specified period has been completed prior to sale.

If this work was not completed, then the vehicle should not have been sold under the Approved Used scheme. If it was certified as compliant despite outstanding service work, then serious questions arise about the integrity of the inspection process.

Equally disappointing has been the handling of the complaint by Volkswagen UK Customer Services.

Over the course of several weeks I experienced:

• Missed scheduled call-backs from Volkswagen Customer Services
• Repeated lack of responses to calls and emails
• Minimal proactive engagement with the retailer
• Requests from Volkswagen asking me for updates on the situation with the dealership — something that should clearly be managed by Volkswagen when they are handling a formal complaint

Information obtained through a Subject Access Request suggests that Volkswagen UK's involvement with the retailer has been extremely limited, despite the seriousness of the complaint and the fact that the vehicle was sold under a programme that carries the Volkswagen brand.

Volkswagen promotes the Approved Used scheme as providing reassurance and quality control for customers purchasing used vehicles through franchised retailers. However, when a customer raises concerns that a vehicle may not meet the scheme’s own criteria, it is reasonable to expect Volkswagen to take an active role in ensuring that the standards associated with its brand are upheld.

Unfortunately this has not been my experience.

At the time of writing the situation remains unresolved and the vehicle remains unused while a significant amount of money remains tied up in a car that may not comply with the standards it was sold under.

I hope Volkswagen UK reviews how complaints involving vehicles sold under the Approved Used scheme are handled in future, and ensures that customers who rely on the credibility of the programme receive the support and oversight that the Volkswagen brand implies.

Further to this, Volkswagen UK Customer Services have indicated that a franchised Volkswagen dealership selling a non-compliant vehicle under the Volkswagen Approved Used scheme is effectively a matter solely between the customer and the dealership.

A consumer would reasonably assume that where a vehicle is sold under a branded manufacturer scheme, Volkswagen UK would have some degree of responsibility in ensuring that franchised retailers comply with the standards required by that scheme.

A consumer would also reasonably expect that concerns regarding potential non-compliance with the Approved Used programme would receive meaningful oversight and engagement from Volkswagen UK, rather than being dismissed as solely a matter between the customer and the dealership.

Finally, a complainant would also expect that updates provided by Volkswagen UK during a complaint investigation would be accurate and reflect the current situation, rather than information that appears to be significantly out of date.