2013 Volkswagen CC Review | Consumer reports
U S VW chief says better customer service will raise the quality.
HERNDON, Virginia - Volkswagen Group of America got the warning less than a month after the redesigned Jetta sedan last sale, first responders September to J D Power and Associates Initial Quality complained about noise from excessive wind.
That came as a surprise for Marc Trahan, 57, who had just joined VW as his guru quality of Audi of America.
It was one of the most frustrating problems I had, he said, you would not think that this day and age.
The VW Trahan work is similar to the one he held at Audi dealership Former technician is responsible for helping bolster VW's premium brand.
It's key task VW is a sharp increase in sales in the United States, its mottled reputation for quality remains a major obstacle Improve generally poor showing of the brand in the highly followed in particular the study on the initial power quality remains a challenge and play in the exhibition halls a dealer said that competing brands VW reported a poor quality score VW customers cross-shopping.
In the case of wind noise Jetta, VW has followed the monthly report JD Power following the issue and found less than 50 Armed complaints of vehicle identification numbers, the VW quality specialists visited the homes of 12 Jetta owners from October to February who complained and drove their cars and inspected.
In February, Trahan knew the two things that were causing a noise variance in the mirror housing and door seals that were too narrow.
Some of the problems were caused in the production, so that the assembly plant in Puebla, Mexico, better inspection doors of vehicles were on the line.
April 22, VW has released an update of the vehicle required for all 90,000 Jettas that had been produced and customers offered free pick-up their cars, free retailer and a certificate of 50 gifts for future service mid-August for 82 percent of Jettas were fixed, prompting VW to consider the campaign as a success Trahan, Executive Vice President of the quality of the group, wouldn t disclose how much the cost of updating the VW vehicle.
As VW is trying to boost US sales, it has reduced prices on key models in the United States - including the new generation Jetta and redesigned 2012 Passat - and additional features for US consumers also built a factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee to produce the redesigned Passat.
VW executives know that to achieve a U S sales target of 800,000 vehicles by 2018, the mark must improve the quality in the investigation of power and testing by publications such as Consumer Reports.
Getting to 800 thousand will be a section of last year, the VW brand sold 256.830 vehicles in the United States.
A door of a Jetta is assembled at the VW factory in Puebla, Mexico, VW has solved the quality problems with the Jetta improving the inspection doors of vehicles were on the line.
David Sargent, vice president of global automotive research J D Power, said VW constant poor quality ratings indicate that they made a safe haven t enormous amount of progress.
In terms of the cause, he said that the quality hasn t been a top priority that it was some contrast with brands Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Ford or GM, where they were highly focused on obtaining quality fundamental right of the vehicle.
Sargent said the quality of vehicles costing VW customers.
The perception of reliability is the No. 1 reason why people choose a vehicle against another, he argues that the poor reliability will slow sales is more difficult to grow.
Trahan, an outspoken with a wry sense of humor framework, said the problem of noise from wind Jetta is an example of how VW was the resolution of quality problems in the US with a new rigor and new procedures for German quality and manufacturing executives members of the quality team in the US GET input early in the development of the vehicle, he said.
What we have done is layer on processes that capture more the perspective of customer eyes, says Trahan.
The role of Marc Trahan is the key to the VW brand's effort to reach 800,000 by 2018 U S sales.
While investigating complaints on the ground is a way Hyundai has transformed its image from a laggard in the quality and reliability at an industry leader in 10 years.
Every morning the Hyundai quality frameworks in Korea check a database of complaints on the ground the day before by customers and dealers worldwide.
VW considers each application guarantee When there are four or five complaints about the same problem, Trahan says his team jumps into action as he did with the sound of wind Jetta.
There is a team of 50 members Trahan knows well, having worked with many of the members during his time at the former headquarters of VW Group of America in suburban Detroit.
Trahan returned to Michigan this year after working since 2008 in the VW Group headquarters of America in Herndon, Virginia to be close to the service and technical support staff.
He started in the automotive industry in 1973 as a service technician in Hungerford imports in St. Albans, Vt a VW, Audi and Fiat dealership.
S VW Passat built in Chattanooga, Tenn is a key vehicle in the effort of the brand to increase annual sales U S.
Trahan joined VW as a service training instructor in Chicago in 1979, he was a supervisor development training service for ten years and moved to the Audi brand where he worked as a relationship manager customer, director of product planning and the technical Service and quality He bachelor of business administration from Northwood University.
Warranty claims on vehicles of the VW brand has declined considerably in recent years - 10 percent in the past year alone, Trahan said he did not give specific figures.
Trahan full view glass half of the VW quality, saying that the brand needs to address the recent small things.
He is the last 5 to 8 percent, Trahan said they are details like making sure the climate control panel is completely intuitive, but quite functional.
Some fixes are easy Improving the problems of recognition and sorting voice quality Bluetooth voice needed a software update that will be made when customers bring their vehicles for service, he said, the 2012 VW models have all improved Bluetooth.
But independent measurements say VW has more work to do.
The VW brand was fourth from the bottom of JD Power Initial Quality Survey this year, since 1987, VW lurched down, with the exception of 2009, when he was No. 15 of 27 in 2010, it is fell to No. 31 from 33.
Because VW changes made in the last 12 months Trahan says the results should start showing in surveys outside and studies, I will be very disappointed if we aren t in the top 15 in 2013, I think we can be in volume brands lead.
Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said the VW quality work process has identified all the problems cited in the annual JD Power initial quality study before management got the results and all the elements had a cross measurement, Browning said it will make an impact in forward.
Consumer Reports slammed the next generation Jetta in the most recent comparison of midsize sedans magazine David Champion, senior director of automotive testing magazine said VW was a success during its first years in the United States with cars such as the original Beetle and rabbit first generation because they were extremely reliable, and the rabbit seemed to go forever.
More recently, previous generations of VW cars had the strength and fit and finish - this almost cheap sensation, Champion said they were near a poor man's Audi.
Consumer Reports criticized the VW Jetta designed to appeal to buyers U S Jetta is a shadow of the agile car, well finished, it was once.
But the redesigned Jetta sedan that didnt, he said Consumer Reports said Jetta is a shadow of the agile car, well finished, it was once.
The magazine criticized handling, interior finishing, and 2 5 liter five-cylinder engine.
The only VW Consumer Reports recommends branded vehicles are the GTI, Golf, CC four-door sedan and Sportwagen TDI Jetta - no cars VW developed specifically for the market U S.
Champion said VW improve its quality if the German parent company is determined to change They are probably more serious now than they were in the past to sell 800,000 cars by 2018, you must do a lot to build credibility VW.
A dealer who does not want to be named said that the low scores impact on sales.
I have always felt that Germany has ignored consumer reports Approximately 68 to 70 percent of consumers to postpone the magazine for new or used cars and 100 percent of our competitors used against us when they ask potential buyers which models they are considering.
Wade Walker, President of Walker Volkswagen in Montpelier, Vt is not convinced buyers pay as much attention to power initial quality scores as they did 10 years ago.
The distribution between the scores is not greater than, he did not say greatly touched our sales - me and everyone s VW sales are up tremendously We sell more, even if we are in IQS.
German management has bought into the strategy to increase the U S quality because he has seen improvements can be applied to European markets and key growth areas for VW as Russia and China, says Trahan.
It comes from the top down, so that makes the corporate culture, he said they are more favorable to our activities and efforts here.
This led to the U S market more votes and earlier participation in enterprise product development decisions, leaders say US team Trahan recently evaluated the new generation Golf in 2013 that will use new modular overall cross platform.
We as a group goes much further upstream in the design process - five to six years, says Trahan.
The review is also applied to cars already on sale VW quality and product strategy teams meet quarterly - that shift to month in 2012 - with Ulrich Hackenberg, head of VW brand rd, and his team's last meeting was July 13, and the United States came with 16 quality problems has obtained agreement to address 13 issues; three others are under discussion because of the costs, Trahan said.
Quarterly meetings are held with the head of production of the VW brand and Hubert Waltl his team Trahan said VW Consulting Inc in Port J D experts from energy production and other consultants in factories.
There were surprises Trahan wouldn t detail we found in some plants we are so picky with the quality that we find things that aren t concerned customer In our efforts to correct them, we have a second effect of training on which we create something that did not exist prior to the relevance of the customers.
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