“They’re ripping you off.”
Modern cars have turned plenty of once-straightforward repairs into much bigger jobs.
The extra technology is great when it works, but when one component fails, drivers sometimes find that replacing just one small part isn’t possible and that a bigger, more expensive replacement is needed.
That’s what happened to this woman, and the expense is so costly that she’s considering getting rid of the car altogether.
“Whose idea was it for me to get a VW?” asks content creator Em Parsons (@emparsons16) in the text overlay of her trending TikTok, which has more than 12,000 views.
Parsons explains that she bought the Volkswagen because she wanted to upgrade to a three-row SUV. But the cost of a needed repair is making her question that decision.
“I’m just trying to figure out why I thought it was a good idea to buy a Volkswagen when I upgraded to a three-row SUV, because they’re so freaking expensive to fix,” she says.
Her first problem is a damaged headlight. She explains that the LED strip cannot be replaced on its own and instead requires an entirely new front headlight.
“Two thousand dollars; $2,000,” she says.
On top of that, she’s had to get the Atlas jumped three or four times in the last few days when leaving work, picking up her daughter’s medication, and visiting AutoZone.
The car obviously needs a new battery, but she was surprised to find that replacing it wouldn’t be as simple as buying one at AutoZone and having it installed in the parking lot.
Parsons says AutoZone told her it could not replace the battery because it’s too difficult to install and needs to be programmed after installation.
She says Goodyear told her the installation and programming would bring the total bill to about $400.
“It’s $400 because the battery itself is $280 because it’s a Volkswagen, and it’s a V-6, and it’s the tech package,” Parsons says. “So, it has to have the expensive platinum battery.”
“That’s not just what Goodyear’s telling me. AutoZone, O’Reilly’s, and Google all said the same thing,” she says.
And the timing couldn’t be worse with Parsons’ daughter’s birthday coming up and school starting in two weeks. That means big car expenses while there are likely still birthday presents, party supplies, and back-to-school supplies left to buy.
“So, I’m actually just gonna go trade my car in and get a different one,” she says.
In the caption, she adds, “I’m actually so sick of it. There’s always something wrong with it.”
In a post, Humble Mechanic acknowledged that the company had earned part of its negative reputation due to known issues with faulty ignition coils and window regulators, as well as the troubled launch of the 2004 Touareg.
“The truth is, YES VWs break. I have had to fix cars with <10 miles on them. I have had customers get [their] cars bought back because of issue after issue after issue…” he says. “Then there is the flip side. The reason that VWvortex, and TDIclub exist is because people LOVE [their] VWs. If the product was that bad, it would have a hard time earning the following that it has.”
But he also argued that repair forums naturally amplify bad experiences. Mechanics see broken vehicles rather than the thousands that operate normally, while satisfied owners are less likely to go online to announce that they love how their car is running. A Volkswagen’s condition will also be influenced by how well the owner follows up with regular maintenance.
“Remember, the loudest voices are the people looking to complain,” he adds.
Others acknowledge that the brand can require more specialized knowledge. Performance Auto Specialists says that some foreign parts can be harder to obtain, and that European engineering may be unfamiliar to a general repair shop.
That does not necessarily mean every repair requires a dealership. An independent technician familiar with Volkswagen vehicles and equipped to source the correct parts may also be able to complete the work.
The shop cites an estimated average annual Volkswagen repair cost of $676, compared with $652 across domestic vehicles.
YourMechanic found that it cost less to maintain a Volkswagen over 10 years than it did for a few popular domestic brands, including Ford, Kia, Subaru, Hyundai, and Jeep.
People in the comments section couldn’t quite agree on whether they were pro or anti-Volkswagen.
“All new cars are this way.. LED headlights are expensive. New cars are for leasing,” a top comment read.
“When I tell you I drive my Volkswagen like it’s a Bentley because I’m scared to break anything,” a person said.
“We’ve had 6 VW’s and 2 Atlas’s.. they’ve all been reliable and easy to work on. We did the battery ourselves with a hope and a prayer and have never had an issue … also have a V6 se w/tech,” another wrote.
Motor1 reached out to Parsons via email and Instagram direct message, and to AutoZone via email. We’ll be sure to update this if they respond.
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