1999 Volkswagen Eurovan

1999 VW EUROVAN CAMPER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION HAS UP TO 5 SECONDS OR MORE DELAY ONCE IN DRIVE BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES & VERY HARD DOWNSHIFTS FROM 4TH GEAR TO 3RD (AUTOMATIC). OF NOTE WERE THE DELAYS & HOOPS THAT THE DEALER FORCED ME THROUGH. HAD TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR TRANSMISSION SERVICE & A NUMBER OF TRIPS BEFORE THEY SAID THEY COULD PURSUE ANY WARRANTY. NOTE - HAD TAKEN CAR TO A VW TRANSMISSION COMPANY THAT REBUILDS TRANSMISSIONS FOR VW ACROSS THE NATION. HE DROVE THE CAR & WOULDN'T SERVICE IT BECAUSE HE SAID THERE WAS DEFINITELY A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM INCLUDING 1ST TO 2ND UP-SHIFTING AS WELL. VW SERVICE DIDN'T HELP OR CARE ABOUT TRANSMISSION DEALER'S INPUT. I FORCED DEALER TO ESCALATE IT TO REGIONAL LEVEL THAT TOOK MORE THAN 3 MONTHS TO GET ANY ANSWER (WITH MY NAGGING & CHECKING A NUMBER OF TIME). HIS DECISION WAS THE LONG DELAY FROM PARK TO DRIVE WAS NORMAL. MANY MORE WEEKS LATER I HAD NO ANSWER TO MY ORIGINAL SERVICE COMPLAINT ON THE DOWN-SHIFT PROBLEM. WHEN MY WARRANTY WAS ALMOST UP, I CONTACTED VW AMERICA WHO SAID THEY HAD TO RESPECT DEALERS DECISION, AND MAYBE SEE ANOTHER DEALER. WE ONLY HAVE ONE DEALER & THE CLOSEST OTHER DEALERSHIP IS 3.5 HOURS AWAY OVER A MOUNTAIN PASS. I THEN PURCHASED $700 WORTH OF EXTENDED WARRANTY (2 YEARS OR 24,000 MILES APPROX. DEC 2002) VIA A SEPARATE COMPANY WITH SOME HASSLES. THE SERVICE MANAGER, AFTER I SIGNED THE PAPERWORK, INDICATED THAT I SHOULD BRING IN THE CAR IN A FEW MONTHS (WINKING) & THEY'LL SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR ME. OF COURSE, I WILL NEVER USE THIS DEALERSHIP TO SERVICE MY CAR. THE QUESTION IS, WHO IS FORCING THEM TO IGNORE WARRANTY & POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SERVICE WORK IN THE APPARENT PURSUED OF BOTTOM LINE PROFIT? THE DEALER IS CARRERA MOTORS OF BEND, OREGON. PHONE 541-382-1711. I HAVE ANOTHER YEAR OR 17,000 MILES LEFT ON THE WARRANTY. I NOW HAVE APPROXIMATELY 57,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE SIMILAR SITUATIONS OUT THERE. THANKS.