I had an excellent experience working with Brandon Simon. His customer service truly went above and beyond from start to finish. Communication was clear, timely, and professional. I would highly recommend Brandon if anyone looking for a great informative experience. Will definitely go back and buy a car when I'm ready!! read more

The service guy Mikki P is an aggressive bully and a documented liar. That last is not my opinion, but rather exactly what Volkswagen Corporate said. Background: We received a notice direct from Volkswagen that our warranty, which had expired in 2025 on a car we had bought from this same dealership, was being extended a full 5 years to 2030, for one item only, the clock-spring (in the steering wheel, controls airbag, cruise control, several other items), which we had already had to pay for out of pocket after the warranty expired once, and had already broken a second time. We took the notice card from Volkswagen which clearly had the VIN number of our car on it to schedule an appointment to get it fixed, and bully / thug Mikki nastily refused. He said our warranty expired in 2025 and he didn't care what the card said he wasn't going to honor it and basically that we were wasting his time. I should have figured something like that would happen, given that they lied to our face when we bought the car years before, costing us an extra $1000 on that sale. I called Volkswagen Corporate immediately after the insulting conversation with liar Mikki, and they confirmed that our VIN number was in the system and that any dealer would see that exact warranty extension in the dealer database, but that there was nothing they could do to get an unscrupulous, dishonest, deceitful dealer trying to skimp on service, who was dedicated to cheating customers to honor the warranty, and advised me to see another dealer. I then called the Service Manager Joe Silva who said he stood by bully Mikki and he wasn't going to honor the Volkswagen warranty extension either. Completely useless. That he even has the word "service" in his title is a joke. (He and Mikki should be mopping up spilled soda in the backroom of a truck stop Burger King at 3 am for minimum wage.) Instead we called Santa Cruz VW who could not have been more professional and welcoming. They looked us up in the system, confirmed the VIN, THEN because my daughter had to drive from far out of town, even though we live only a mile from the Cardinale incompetents, prioritized the warranty repair and had the car fixed in an amazing 90 minute turnaround. So we got to drive 60 miles round trip instead of 2, but given their horrible customer service attitude if we'd had to drive 3 times as far we'd have been better off. I am absolutely going to buy my next car from Santa Cruz VW, and am advising everyone I know to avoid any business with the name "Cardinale" associated with it. By the way, read some other Yelp reviews from this place, and you'll see that automatic denial of ANY warranty extension is what they do, again and again. I was amazed that loud talking hostile aggressive Mikki could stand right there and deny an official notice from Volkswagen Corporate, put in place specifically because this part had a huge failure rate for a decade, and simply ignore it. He is clearly in the wrong profession, and I think he would shine working as a bouncer in a seedy bar where he can intimidate 90 lb skid row drunks and roll them for quarters and dimes in a garbage filled back alley after they pass out. That any business would employ him to interface with the public is beyond comprehension; actually, it would be like employing a 9 year-old boy with a magnifying glass to "interface" with an ant colony. read more

We drove 3 hours to this dealership after finding a used vehicle online at what appeared to be a competitive price. I first reached out on Wednesday, and over the next couple of days we exchanged texts and emails about the car before making the drive there Friday morning. At no point during those conversations were we told there would be an additional $3,000 in dealer-installed add-ons added to the advertised price. Maybe it could have been mentioned somewhere along the way, but unfortunately it never was. Once we arrived, we learned the extra charges included: * $1,500 for a LoJack system we neither wanted nor needed * $1,500 for plastic door edge and door handle protection To put that into perspective, similar plastic edge and handle protection can easily be purchased online for around $50. After spending 3 hours driving there and another 3.5 hours driving back home, the experience felt very much like a bait-and-switch situation. The attractive online price got us in the door, but the actual price was thousands higher due to mandatory add-ons. To be fair, buried in the fine print was this statement: "Vehicles may be equipped with optional dealer installed equipment. Please contact dealer for final price." Unfortunately, I missed that disclaimer before making the trip. Let this be a reminder to others: always read the small fine print carefully and ask for the full out-the-door price before driving long distances to a dealership. I do want to say the sales staff themselves were polite and professional. They even bought us Starbucks coffee Friday morning, which was appreciated. This review is less about the individual salespeople trying to do their jobs and more about the dealership policies they are required to follow. Transparency upfront would have saved everyone a lot of time and frustration. Overall, a very disappointing experience and a huge waste of time. read more

They don't honor thier warranty, the light wasn't working on 2025 Atlas and they said it is not covered because it has hit on the back door, not even being rude when I drop the car, they end up charge me 275$ for inspection which I didn't ask for it .. read more

The services department is horrible! When I called to check on vehicle they said they did not have it. Then I had to fallow up an hour later to see if they found it. The second time they never even looked at the vehicle. I was told they did not do that service. It was dropped off for an oil change and service. CARDINAL DO BETTER. If you want any type of service don't go here. And if I could given no stars I would have. read more

If I could give zero stars, I would. Be warned--this place charges a minimum of $240 per hour for labor, which is absolutely outrageous. I was charged over $3,800 for basic repairs and maintenance--$2,000 of that was just labor. And for what? I had to return because the job wasn't even done right the first time. To make matters worse, the customer service is terrible. Mikki Priela is rude, dismissive, and clearly lacks both honesty and professionalism. As for the manager, Jose Silva--who goes by "Joe"--instead of helping resolve issues, he'll argue with you like you're the problem. Avoid this place at all costs. Save yourself the time, stress, and money, and take your car somewhere that actually values their customers. read more

After my experience at Cardinale I'm obliged to file a complaint with the Bureau of Automotive Repair, and I encourage everyone to do the same. Cardinale refused to honor the extended emissions warranty on my tdi, lied to me about what was happening with my car, and caused me quite a bit of stress. As far as I can tell, it's their official policy to do anything, say anything, to avoid honoring the extended emissions warranty on these diesel vehicles. It turns out a warranty isn't much good if the company won't act in good faith! So, I'm reporting this criminal organization to the Bureau of Automotive Repair; complaining to VW Customer Cares; and talking to my attorney. read more

If you want to NOT to be heard, nor listened too & not have anyone take into consideration the issues with your car by all means waste your time & money here. Ask for Marlene! She will speak to you like those trained customer service agents over the phone that have zero empathy for your situation & concerns with your car. She'll give you a scripted speech that benefits their service center only! Better yet write a review about them that will certainly cause them to not do business with you! Even better write the dealership's GM an email. You'll get zero response there as well! That in & of itself should speak volumes as to their lack of concern, communication, care to make it right with customer's! Marlene, John "Guru" Peña, perhaps you should all be better versed in having a bit more empathy for someone's situation and learn proper communication! Don't waste your efforts here! Go to Santa Cruz VW. Although they maybe further you'll be treated with the utmost respect, empathy & most of all acknowledged & heard! read more

My experience was only with the service department. I was concerned about all the negative reviews, but my car's recall work had to be done by a VW dealer, and other locations in Santa Cruz, Sunnyvale, and San Jose had no better Yelp reviews overall. My experience was excellent. Easy to make an appointment, service advisor Catherine in person was friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable. The work was done in a timely fashion, finished before expected. I can recommend Cardinale Volkswagen's service department without hesitation. read more

My mom brought her car here a few months back for an engine check up light that came on . They charged her $2000 for absolutely BS work . Her car gave out a few days ago BECAUSE The oil was never switched out , they didn't warn her about the oil in her car , so it messed up her engine on top of that never switched out parts of the engine that was needed to be switched out . Only minimal maintenance & switched out her parts with AutoZone parts NOT original Parts ! Now her car is messed up & we No longer trust this dealership . I honestly would never come here for any engine maintenance or car maintenance. They're liars and thieves keep your car for weeks on end just to do Nothing but let it sit . Either they need to rotate that whole team to trustworthy people or shut down . NOT COOL VOLKSWAGEN! read more

In all my years being a mechanic, I have never been REFUSED, a part number. The 2.5 star review for this place is an understatement.

Best Buy tried installing something in the dash of the car and ended up crashing the car's computer system and they didn't know how to repair it, so we brought it in to Cardinale for repair, which Best Buy is going to pay for. We wanted to give a high five to Marlene the lady at the front desk. She was very knowledgeable and thorough. She told us the wait may be several hours (and it was) but she was kind enough to check on us in the waiting room to give us updates and to see if we were ok or if we needed anything. They did finally find the source of the problem and they returned the car to us after a courtesy clean-up and carwash. Thank you, Cardinale Volkswagen. read more

Cardinale Volkswagen - Nice refreshment area - Oil Change Stations Near Me - Salinas, California

Sales: 3.5 came in one day after totaling my old commuter. Was in and out with a new car in about an hour pretty impressive coz I had to be at work soon after. Service/parts: 4.5 mainly deal with the service advisor Marlene. Excellent customer service from her and always tries to accommodate times as the service for Volkswagens are very time consuming. Extremely friendly service from her probably the best service advisor I have ever dealt with hands down. read more

Cardinale Volkswagen - Complimentary coffee/teas and cold waters - Oil Change Stations Near Me - Salinas, California

everything should improve! no service department no interest whatsoever they don't understand their electric cars ..... total cluster! read more

I have taken my current car to four different VW dealerships so far. Cardinale has been the worst of them all. They originally told me I had to show them the actual warranty document to get my prepaid service. Everywhere else was able to pull up my info by my VIN, which they eventually ended up doing. Then they threatened to charge me $185 to check an engine light warning while the car is still under warranty. They told me I can only use Chevron or Shell gasoline in my vehicle or that I void my warranty on the same car that VW sold me telling me I could use ANY type of 87 octane gas! When I protested all these unusual policies, the service manager (who said it was his first day) told me, "I came in just looking for a fight!" I will NOT be using this dealership ever again!! read more

This company is worse than what I hear from everyone. My DFP light came on and brought my vehicle to the Cardinale dealership. They said that I need a new DFP system. It cost me $2,500. The light comes back on again within 4 months. I didn't want to go back to Cardinale. So I took it to a reputable mechanic in town, and the fault code was for Cardinale to update the software of the DFP system they put in 4 months ago. I took it back to Cardinale. They are telling me I had a check engine light on and I need a new thermostat. Which I did not have a check engine light on when I brought in. That cost me $1,700, and they even charged me $400 for updating the software. Then, 2 months later, the DFP light comes back again. This time they are telling me that I need a new Catalytic Converter, and it will cost me $3,700. They are so unprofessional. It's hard to believe they are a dealership. They don't return your messages. They don't know the previous services they performed. It's a mess. At this point, I have a feeling I was getting scammed. I towed my vehicle to another dealership 50 miles away. The DFP regeneration is costly at a dealership, but I got it done with $864. And nothing was wrong with my Catalytic Converter. I heard so many people complaining about this company. It really is all true. I recommend everyone to stay far away from this place. read more

If you want sub par workmanship and sub par customer service, get your car serviced at cardinale volkswagen. Mikki helped me initially. Took my Mazda there because cardinale mazda does their service at their Volkswagen store. Oil change and tire rotation. Come to find that they rotated my tires and lost one of my lug nuts. Honest mistake, right...and I'd have patience typically. But I traveled 30 min to have my service done. Mikki told me to get a hold of him to have it replaced. When I called back to get a hold of him, left a message, no call back. Left another message at their service department, no response. Poor, poor, poor. Starting to wonder if the oil change was even done properly. Bummer because they're the only certified Mazda service center on the peninsula. Mazda should look at who they are letting represent them. Maybe somebody like DGDG should be taking over, at least they take pride in their service. I will NEVER be taking any of my cars there again. I'd rather drive to San Jose than deal with unprofessional lackluster service at cardinale Mazda or Volkswagen. read more

I had the pleasure of working with Nick in making my first big purchase: a beautiful 2020 Tiguan and he and John made the process so smooth! Their entire time was so helpful and welcoming. 10/10 recommend! read more

I called because I was having my car towed there because it was not working. The lady was extremely rude and said I wouldn't be able to tow the car there until Thursday. My insurance company would not tow the car to our house because it was already stuck at a dealership because the Volkswagen dealership in Seaside closed down without us, knowing. I am very disappointed in the customer service and I will not be going to this place. I'd rather go to San Jose than deal with these rude people. I also used to work at a Toyota dealership and I know that it's very easy to accept in a tows and just label them as a walk-in this behavior is unacceptable to me. read more

Steve sold me a 2016 Volkswagen eGolf for almost $26k when the cars value was only $16k at the time. I liked the car and it was on me for trusting him but I have to warn everyone to stay away from this place. They'll take advantage of you in any way they can. A year later he contacted me numerous times to get me to trade in the eGolf and finance a TAOS instead. Easy and simple go anywhere but here. read more

I am really, really not impressed with Cardinale Volkswagen. We came in to get an oil change and a lightbulb replaced. Originally they wanted to charge over 100 dollars in labor for a lightbulb. I said that seemed like unreasonable for a lightbulb change, and said I would just buy the part and do it myself. Then they called back and said they could change the light for 50 dollars. I agreed to do that because that seemed to be a much better deal. We then received 4 or 5 calls where they tried to upsell a service. We declined, we just wanted to get the oil change and the light changed. They called for us to come pick up the vehicle, and when we arrived, there was a check engine light running on the car. I pointed out that there was no check engine light on the car before we brought it in, and the manager told us that it was not because of anything they did that the light came on, just a coincidence. They said they ran a code scanner and it showed a mechanical issue as the error; something with the manifold. I asked them to re-diagnose the car, and the manager said they could do it, probably tomorrow. I asked that they try to do it today because they close at 5 and there was still an hour and 20 minutes left. Then suddenly, they had time. I came back to pick up the car. They said that the issue was with the WIRING HARNESS. I asked how this could be possible when the code reader showed a "mechanical issue" and what I got was a bunch of convoluted explanations that make no sense. Here's the bottom line: we came to bring our car in to get some basic work. They tried to upsell at multiple occasions. We picked up the car, and it was in worse shape than when we had left it in their care. Think about that for a second, and then make your choice about whether or not to give them your money. read more

Had the pleasure of working with John and Nick to get my new ID4. They went above and beyond to make sure I was being looked after. Great communication and professionalism. Thank you for the new car. read more

Since 2016, I have bought or leased 4 brand new VW cars from Cardinale Volkswagon! The first was a Jetta which I quickly realized was not enough to meet my needs as a Lyft driver, so I traded in for the newer Passat I wrote about in 2017. Then in 2017 I also co-signed for my adopted daughter for her to get a new Jetta. She has since paid it off and loves her car. I traded my Passat in on a 2019 Passat Wolfsburg edition that served me so well, I put 175K miles on it before I was in a accident that left mycar totaled. I am in the process of dealing with a probate situation, but I expect that one day soon I shall be buying another VW. Thank you to the terrific sales team (and family) of Cardinale VW! read more

The sales theatrics were above and beyond. So beyond one of the sales reps who didn't even know my name made sure he was disrespectful to a potential long term customer. Cardinal Volkswagen will not get any business from me. read more

Pésimo servicio, me ventarrón un carro con varios problemas y cada que lo llevo a revisión dicen que es normal! Pero eso si quieren que lo de como enganche para que salga de el problema y agarre uno nuevo, ( solo les interesa vender ) sin importar la satisfacción de sus clientes read more

Imagine being 900 miles from home when your VW breaks down. You know that you are going to be taken to the cleaners by a repair shop. I had an unfortunate experience of dealing with Cardinale Volkswagen in Salinas, Ca. After taking the car there, the Service Advisor Micky called 2 hours later informing me the repairs were going to cost $5000. It felt like a negotiation. After drilling down to what needed to be done, (water pump and thermostat housing) the repair cost was lowered to $3700. I was notified on April 4th the car was done. The price was reduced to $3600. I questioned the 12 hours of labor ($240/hr) charged for the work. They gave some BS excuses for the time it took to complete the work. I returned home and called 2 VW dealers in my area to get quotes for the work done. Two VW dealers told me the work should have taken only 7 hours. Based on that information, Cardinale Volkswagen overcharged for 5 hours of work. To conclude, I was ripped off $1200. They also overcharged for the parts. I have tried to contact the Service Manager. No return calls. Nothing. Honesty and Integrity doesn't exist at this Dealership. Avoid at all costs. I expect a response from them gaslighting me as they did on Google and on other unfavorable reviews. If Cardinale is sincere in resolving this situtation, call me with the phone number on Invoice #VWCS592035 read more

Buying my car was the easiest part! The sales man's are great at what they do. However I needed the front bumper replaced due to a crack it had prior to purchasing the car. Dealing with the service department is where the trouble began. The repair was only supposed to take a day at most as they already had the new bumper. Here we are on day 10. The service department does not answer their phones and when I was able to speak to someone it was their manager Marlene. All she did was blame their mechanic "Eli" whom I've never spoke too and continued to promise she would call me within hours for updates which never happened. I wish there was a direct way to speak her boss. It's a shame I'm making payments on a vehicle that don't work! read more

Horrible customer Service. Took my Tiguan in for 20k warranty service, was promised the service would take 1 1/2 to 2 hours while I waited. Took over four hours total. My car was moved to service area at 1 1/2 hours in. After checking in with service advisor was told by the Service manager the staff had gone to lunch- now at 2 1/2 hours in. At three hours in checked again with service advisor and asked was there a problem and could he tell me why I was promised 2 hours at most and here it was 3? He said it was an also a Mazda repair shop and that The 1 1/2 hour service time was for drop offs only. What? He continued on with some other excuses-- at this point I was sharing with him my disappointment-- The customer service manager Dustin was hovering and did not step in and say a word, tho he could clearly hear how the conversation was going. Finally at four hours keys were practically thrown at me and told car was finished and in the lot-- no one could be bothered to tell where in the lot. Sent an email to the manager with no response. Do not recommend and will not return. read more

This entire experience was amazing. Buying a car is always tedious, but Orlando and the finance team made it as seamless as possible. I ran into an issue a few days later with the film not coming off the dash and Orlando replied immediately, I got it over there, and they took care of it. Great customer service and I love my new car! read more

My daughter had an amazing first car buying experience! From the sales floor at the Mazda side ringing the bell with her to the follow up paperwork signing on the Volkswagen side! The entire staff was great however Nick went above and beyond to secure a great car that fit her budget and was perfect for her! He communicated every step of the way with us and management to seal the deal!! We are Very pleased with the vehicle and deal she was given! Thank you Nick and the Cardinale crew. We will definitely be back when we need another vehicle and we HIGHLY recommend them for a great car buying experience!! read more

100% recommended. They gave me a good deal on a used vehicle. No games like other dealers in the area. If you go in here ask for Nick. He'll make sure you are well treated. read more

Cardinale Volkswagen - Oil Change Stations Near Me - Salinas, California

You can always expect first-class customer service when you're at Cardinale Volkswagen Salinas! This is the third vehicle my wife and I have purchased through Cardinale Auto Group. Nick was our salesman, he was extremely helpful and patient. John Guru, the General Manager, is AWESOME! Extremely helpful and friendly. They had plenty of vehicle options to choose from. Thank you, Cardinale Volkswagen, we love our 23 Atlas!!! read more

Armando, Jesus and Memo were awesome. They helped me and showed me various cars but I had my heart set on this gorgeous BMW and that is what I got. The whole process took around 3 hours and I was driving my new car home. I highly recommend this dealership! 5 stars.. read more

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This review does not reflect on the Dealership nor their Services. Solemnly on three associates that decided to dine and dash. Sunday evening 06/12/22 three associates (unsure of which location Mazda or Volkswagen) came into Buffalo Wild Wings (Main & Boronda) had they ate and drank and decided to leave before paying their tab. That behavior is definitely uncalled for. Hope they return and fix their mistake! read more

Liars. Yes 1 star for Responsive, only to do that bait and switch. Spoke with Internet Manager, David on advertised lead of $2990 down and $199 a month. He confirmed that they had two Jetta's at the price. He verified the price and mentioned that it does not include tax, doc fees and registration which is around $600. Arrived 20 mins later and showed me the 2 cars. After the test drive, he said that they were transparent and no longer charge the $5000 markup that was posted on the window. After agreeing on the advertised terms, the closing manager arrived and wanted approx $5800 down because they had just sold that advertised model plus there was a mark up on their cars. Don't waste your time with them. They are liars and will say anything to get you to their office for the typical "we just sold that car, bait and switch. " read more

Came in for a recall repair. I requested for the front plate to be installed on my car as well. I was given an estimate for installation, which I assumed was fair given I'm too lazy to install it myself. Got the recall completed, 20-point inspection, and even a car wash. Got charged for the plate install, got the brace installed instead. Had to walk back in the dealership to get actual plate installed and wait some more UPDATE: this visit was just for the recall work done to the transmission and the front plate installation. This Monday I went to Santa Cruz VW for the Jetta's first oil change appt. They noticed a leak coming from the transmission. Wednesday morning, it was confirmed the transmission was leaking, rendering CARDINALE VW in SALINAS work on my new car to shit. Santa Cruz have been pretty chill with my previous cars, this time is no exception. They took care of the new leak and sent me home reasonably quick. No condescending service attendants, and reputable work and sales agent. HOLY SHIT, I'M REVIEWING SANTA CRUZ VW POSITIVELY IN A SALINAS CARDINALE VW NEGATIVE REVIEW. Vouching for a dealership, right? read more

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This morning when dropping off my car for service, the lady was unable to locate me or my car info in their system. I took the time to write down all of my contact info for her. She called me 5 hours later to say that my car was ready. When I got to the dealership, I went to the same lady who assisted me in morning and she points to the window and tells me that they had my paperwork. I go to the window to only have the girl ask me if anyone had even called me to tell me that my car was ready. She was unable to locate my paperwork so then she yells to the other lady about where she put my paperwork at. So then the girl gives me some paperwork with someone else's name and I told her that I wasn't signing anything that was not in my name. She gives me attitude and then sends me back over to the lady who assisted me earlier. I tell her what happened and she tells me "Well that's the name that came up under your VIN". I have been the only owner so I'm not even sure how that happened. She then told me to write down my contact info AGAIN and says that she would email me a link to pay my invoice. I do not know what has happened but this is not the kind of service that I have been accustomed to at this location. I bought my car there because I received horrible service at the Seaside dealership and Steve was able to take care of me. I've always had Marlene as my Service Rep and I'm not sure where she is now, but they need her back to teach these clowns about customer service. read more

Brought my car to sale. Eli was great and made the process easy. Was honest and fair.

Buying my iD.4 was straight forward and Steve checked in with me personally through the process. I'm very happy with the car overall. However, the service department has been a nightmare. I took my car in 3 separate times for a window issue that kept happening as soon as I brought my car home. The third time it happened again in the parking lot as I was driving away. I immediately reversed back into the shop because it still wasn't fixed, and it ended up taking over 2 weeks to finish with multiple miscommunications and wasted time throughout the process. I consider myself a patient person, but Marlene's lack of accountability for over-promising, then poor communication and coordination with her team, then putting the blame on me and making me feel like she was bending over backwards for me, etc. was all very horrible. In the end they fixed it. But my car is due for a routine maintenance soon and I am dreading taking my car back. read more

If you like being talked down upon and spoken to like you're stupid please by all means shop at this dealership. I was looking to sell my car with an ad on Craigslist and "Eli" reached out to me. The guy came off super aggressive over the phone from the start. So once he asked me my price I told him I was set on one price and he was not happy whatsoever. Also I would suggest other ideas and he would get even more upset. (Keep in mind he reached out to me, I never wanted to speak to him in the first place.) He kept insisting to bring the car to show him but out of all honesty I wouldn't want to waste my time and gas with a d-bag like him. Luckily Goldstar down the street made me an offer I could not refused. So screw you Eli, and your garbage personality :) read more