December 2002: To: Gerd Klaus 3800 Hamlin Rd Auburn Hills MI 48326
Dear Mr. Klaus:
I have been an ardent VW lover and personally sold a number of VWs to my friends. I myself purchased the most expensive VW car made 2 years ago, a VW Passat 4WD: a luxury car for over $30,000. So, it is with sadness that I have to write you this letter.
On Saturday Dec 7, I drove from our hometown New Haven, CT, to Manhattan. At 8am, after 2 hours drive, we parked, and I locked the car. I then had to search for something in trunk. But, I made a big mistake: I put the car into the trunk, and then locked it.
I called VW roadside assistance. After the obligatory 10 minute wait, they told me to get a locksmith to open the car. I called a locksmith, waiting 45 minutes in windchill 20 degree weather. They came, and managed to unlock the car. Alas, they could not disable the alarm. Therefore, I could not engage the electronic trunk opening mechanism. The seat ski passthrough was impossible to open from the inside. So, I called VW roadside assistance again (10 minute wait). They told me that I could call a VW dealer...but there was none in Manhattan. They gave me a number in Queens. I called. The Queens dealer, however, has no service department open on Saturday, so there would be no help and information before Monday. By now, it is around 10:30am. The next VW roadside assistance (10 minute wait) told me that I would have to get my spare key. At this point, my spare key is 100 miles and two hours drive away. It is locked away in my house, the keys of which are also on my keychain in the trunk. The only alternative is to break into the trunk, which would do permanent damage. In disbelief, I asked what happens if I do not have my spare key any longer: I was told that this would require ordering a new key from VW through the dealer on Monday. Also, the key would not be available immediately. It is Saturday. What am I to do until then? How long before I can drive the car, and/or get a key? She cannot say. After hanging up and collecting my thoughts, I called roadside assistance again (10 minute wait). This time, I inform the agent that I am desparate, and that the dealer in Queens has no open service department, and that I want to know how expensive breaking open the trunk and repairing it would be. She promises finds a VW dealer with open service. She calls me back with a VW dealer/service rep on the line. She hangs up, and in the conversation, this service rep cannot believe my call: this dealer is located in Giorgia. He also cannot tell me how expensive a trunk repair would cost, and/or how one can get into a trunk, and/or how one can transport the car, and/or what I can do. I also cannot leave the car at its location: NY has high fines for cars left when street cleaning will come around, which would be Monday early morning on my street.
Necessarily, the rest of my day was spent locating a car to rent, driving back 2 hours to New Haven, 1 hour to get someone to open my office and house to locate a spare car key (and I got lucky here!), 2 hours of driving back to NYC, and another 2 hours of driving back my VW from NYC to New Haven. In sum, because I locked my car in the trunk, and there is no VW service to really talk to me, much less to help me find a method to fix a problem, and/or drive the car back, I spent $100 on locksmiths, $50 on rental from an acquaintance, and 11 hours of my weekend's time. I dread to think what would have happened if I had not found my car keys in New Haven, or if I had been farther away, or if someone had stolen all my keys.
Am I the first person to have locked his car keys into his car? Or lost his car keys on a Saturday? Do you not find such an experience appalling?
Sincerely,
Ivo Welch
PS: It was very difficult to find your address. The VW USA website does not list your headquarter address, much less your name. I left an email with the website about 7 days ago, but have yet to hear back. I ultimately got your name by giving up on the website and calling a dealer.