VW New Zealand car or grey import: what's different?
| Imported new by VW New Zealand | Grey import | |
|---|---|---|
| New-car warranty | 5 years or 150,000 km on passenger cars registered from 1 May 2019 | Doesn't apply: the terms cover only cars VW New Zealand imported new |
| DSG gearbox warranty | Covered on factory 6 or 7 speed DSGs | Covered too, under the same terms |
| Standard service at a VW dealer | Yes | At each participating dealer's discretion |
| Cambelt | As the book for the engine says | VW New Zealand recommends every 6 years or 120,000 km |
| Handbook | English | Often Japanese, as most used imports come from Japan |
Does it matter where a VW under warranty is serviced?
On a Volkswagen, more than on many makes. The MTA's general view is that a qualified independent mechanic should be low risk when servicing follows the maker's guidelines. Volkswagen New Zealand's own terms are stricter: they exclude claims where the car wasn't serviced at the set intervals by an authorised VW dealer or service centre, using Volkswagen's own parts.
Roadside assistance is tied the same way. VW New Zealand's terms make it depend on the standard scheduled service being done by a participating approved service centre.
So while that warranty is running, read the terms before you leave the dealer. Once it's finished, or on a grey import it never covered, the choice of garage is yours.
Has your VW got a DSG?
A DSG (direct-shift gearbox) is an automatic built like two manual gearboxes with two clutches, and plenty of Volkswagens have one. Wikipedia lists two common types: the six-speed DQ250, whose clutches run in fluid that needs regular changes, and the seven-speed DQ200 with dry clutches.
VW New Zealand's DSG warranty covers factory six- and seven-speed units for 5 years or 150,000 km, on New Zealand-new and imported cars alike. It excludes work done in a way VW New Zealand hasn't approved, so ask before anyone else touches the gearbox while that cover lasts.
Out of that window, pick a mechanic who works on DSGs regularly. The transmission page covers the signs worth acting on.
What to ask a VW mechanic first
- Do you work on DSG gearboxes, and when is this car's gearbox fluid due?
- Does this engine have a cambelt, and is there any record it's been changed?
- Which oil goes in, and does it meet Volkswagen's specification for this engine?
- Can your diagnostic equipment read Volkswagens and reset the service reminder?
What you can sort before you ring anyone
You can
- Look at the gear selector and the handbook to see whether it's a DSG.
- Find any receipt showing a cambelt change, with the date and kilometres.
- Note how the gearbox behaves: jerky take-offs, slipping or a warning message.
Leave to the mechanic
- Cambelt replacement and the parts that go with it.
- DSG fluid changes and gearbox diagnosis.
- The scheduled service and the service reminder reset.
Where we'd start with a VW
We'd find out first whether the car came through VW New Zealand and whether its warranty is still running, because Volkswagen's terms make dealer servicing matter while it is. On a grey import with no cambelt record, we'd treat the belt as due, since a worn one gives no warning before it fails. Then we'd use a mechanic who sees DSGs every week.