Disappointing Experience at Barrie VW - Would Not Recommend…read more
I've had multiple disappointing experiences with Barrie Volkswagen, and after giving them several chances, it's clear that poor communication and a lack of accountability are recurring issues here.
Most recently, I dropped my car off for a scheduled service appointment at 7:40 AM and placed the keys in the drop box, as their Google listing shows they open at 8:00 AM. What isn't made clear is that the service department actually opens at 7:30 AM -- a detail you only find by navigating through their website and clicking into the service section.
By 1:00 PM, I still hadn't received any updates, so I called to ask about the status of my car. I was told that the keys were still in the drop box and that my vehicle hadn't even been looked at because they had already collected keys at 7:30. Since mine was dropped at 7:40, it was simply missed. When I asked why no one contacted me to let me know I'd missed the appointment, I was told, "We don't make missed appointment calls." Their only solution at that point was to look at the car immediately -- over five hours late -- with no accountability for the communication breakdown.
Frustrated, I called the service manager to explain the situation and shared that my husband and I have had multiple experiences where the customer service has been terrible. Her response? "That's not a fair statement." There was no apology, no ownership, and no effort to understand my perspective. Instead of addressing the pattern of poor service, she dismissed my concerns outright. It was clear that customer feedback is not valued, and that service recovery is non-existent.
In a previous visit, I brought my car in due to abnormal noises. I was offered a service, but it was not clearly explained, so I declined it. A few days later, I received a request for feedback, and I replied honestly -- stating that I had lost trust in their recommendations. I pointed out that the technician's own inspection video showed my brake pads were at 8mm and 9mm, which clearly did not require replacement. Only after I shared this feedback did someone respond with a long, detailed message clarifying that the service was not a brake replacement -- information that should have been communicated during the appointment, not after the fact in response to criticism.
It's also worth noting that my vehicle is just over one year old with only 15,000 km, and I've already had to bring it in multiple times. That includes a recall, a reverse camera that stopped working after unrelated service, and most recently, the need to replace two wheel bearings. If this is any indication of how much maintenance this car is going to need, I'm thankful it's a lease -- and I'll be glad to hand it back at the end of the term.
In short:
Communication is inconsistent and unclear
Customer feedback is not taken seriously
Accountability is lacking
And concerns are dismissed rather than addressed
After several attempts to give Barrie VW the benefit of the doubt, I've lost trust in their ability to provide reliable, transparent, and respectful service. If you value professionalism and customer care, I strongly recommend looking elsewhere.