I’m contacting you in relation to the story you published in May concerning stolen Volkswagen badges/radar sensors.
Six weeks ago the badge/sensor was stolen from my 2018 VW Golf R while it was parked outside my south-west London house. It has been very frustrating and has rendered many of the safety features on the car useless. I also note that quite a few other VWs have been targeted in the same area.
Like the owner in the article, I initially contacted my local VW garage to get a quote for replacing the badge/sensor and then programming/recalibrating the car. I was quoted £1,100, with the plastic VW badge alone being £240. A local independent garage quoted the same price.
VW has told me that it is eagerly awaiting a remedy from Germany but in the meantime no financial support will be offered. Do you have any advice?
JH, Earlsfield
Given that VW has known for many years that its radar sensors were so easily stolen – it appears to take thieves about 30 seconds – and has failed to address the problem, your best bet is to take the dealer from which you bought the vehicle through the small claims process.
So many VW owners have experienced these expensive thefts that there is a strong case for the argument that the car you were sold has a design fault and was therefore not fit for purpose. The company has denied this and said it cannot be held responsible for the thefts.
VW, of course, could have come up with a cost-effective, at-cost solution to this problem, which has affected owners across the country, but it has decided not to. I imagine its dealers have been very happy to charge for the work at labour rates of £80-£120 an hour.
I have received several similar letters to yours in recent months, and if the company has any sense it will resolve this problem.
If you bring a claim, I suspect the dealer will come up with a financial solution. Let us know how you get on.
We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email us at [email protected] or write to Consumer Champions, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Please include a daytime phone number. Submission and publication of all letters is subject to our terms and conditions.
