Pieter

Extremely disappointed

21 May 2026 My experience with Marshall Volkswagen Bridgwater has unfortunately been extremely disappointing. I purchased what was represented as a near-new Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles demonstrator vehicle with less than 1,500 miles. On the day of delivery, I identified visible cosmetic rectification to the driver-side front panel and door area, including orange peel and overspray inconsistent with what I would expect from a factory finish. My primary concern has never simply been the appearance of the finish itself, but rather that the vehicle appears to have undergone prior cosmetic rectification before sale without this being disclosed to me. I requested: repair provenance, bodyshop details, job card information, dates of the work, and warranty information relating to the repaired area. To date, I have still not been provided with factual evidence confirming that the damage and subsequent repair work were genuinely related to signage removal, despite this being the explanation presented to me. I do not believe it is unreasonable for a customer to expect documentary evidence and clear provenance before simply accepting such an explanation at face value. Following escalation to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK, I was advised that Marshall Volkswagen Bridgwater’s position is that the bodyshop responsible for removing the vehicle signage allegedly carried out repair work without the knowledge or authorisation of anyone at Marshall Volkswagen Bridgwater. The relevant extract from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ response was: “Our final response is that we have spoken with Ash, the Sales Manager at the Van Centre, who has confirmed that his position will not change. He believes that the body shop repaired the issue without informing him of what happened.” Due to the visible concerns regarding the quality of the existing refinishing work, I declined further rectification through the same dealer repair network. Instead, I requested a contribution of £2,000 toward having the vehicle inspected and repaired by a Volkswagen-approved bodyshop local to me, together with compensation reflecting the fact that the vehicle now carries prior repair history which, in my view, negatively affects the provenance and perceived value of what was represented and sold as a near-new demonstrator vehicle. To their credit, Marshall Volkswagen later offered: collection of the vehicle, a courtesy vehicle, repair through an authorised Volkswagen bodyshop, and a 12-month workmanship warranty, or alternatively return of the vehicle for refund minus delivery charges. However, after weeks of discussions, my confidence in the provenance, oversight, and disclosure surrounding the vehicle has unfortunately been significantly affected. I also remain disappointed that I paid for flatbed delivery, yet the vehicle was ultimately driven to London instead. Others may feel differently, but based on my experience I would strongly encourage anyone purchasing a demonstrator vehicle to obtain written confirmation regarding any prior cosmetic repairs, refinishing work, or bodyshop involvement before completing the sale — or alternatively consider purchasing through a dealership where unauthorised repair work by third-party bodyshops is not later presented as the customer’s problem to resolve.