Been to service dept twice in the last two weeks. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Super easy experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Both situations were minor, while I got a good introduction to the facility and staff. The general rule is to avoid dealership because of pricing, but what does incompetence cost? I've been a customer at Lexus of Orlando, Coast Cadillac, Crest Cadillac, and Sunset VW. They've all been great (1). Who do you let work on your car? footnote (1), except the four Ford dealerships where there's a consistent culture of corruption. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]My wife and I had a great experience at Sunset VW in Sarasota from the initial E-Mail from Stephany, our Sales Associate Preston, the Finance Manager Cordale, the Sales Manager Brian, and even the GM Craig.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They were very friendly, accommodating, and definitely valued our time.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It's was also nice to be doing business in a new and clean store with lower dealer fees, lower MV fees and lower prices than our experience with a local dealer. I would highly recommend! JR read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]If I could give this dealership zero stars, I would. My experience with Sunset Volkswagen has been nothing short of a nightmare, and I am writing this review to warn anyone considering doing business with them: do not.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Back in May, we purchased a 2018 Hyundai Sonata with only 67,000 miles on it; a mileage that should not raise major concerns for a vehicle of that year. Within two weeks, we began experiencing engine knocking and other concerning noises after driving less than 100 miles. [[HIGHLIGHT]]When we reached out for help, we were met with silence and deflection. Our original salesman, Michael, who had been all smiles at the time of purchase, suddenly disappeared; no returned calls, no responses to texts.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] From there, everything spiraled: Within 30 days, the air conditioning system completely failed. Within 60 days, the axle and engine mounts went out. Within 90 days, water began leaking into the cabin. By 120 days, the alternator failed. Now, less than six months later, the engine is burning oil at an alarming rate (likely pistons or another major engine component), and the thermostat has failed. All told, I have put over $3,500 in repairs into this car; on top of the $14,000 purchase price. At this rate, I could have bought a more reliable vehicle outright from a reputable brand. And let's be clear; this isn't just about money. These failures are serious safety hazards. A failed axle or engine mount can cause catastrophic accidents on the highway. An alternator or thermostat failure can leave a driver stranded in dangerous situations. An engine burning oil at this rate is not just a mechanical inconvenience; it's a fire hazard and a potential death trap. Sunset Volkswagen sold me a car that could have endangered me, my family, and others on the road. This dealership claims their vehicles are "inspected" and "maintained to the highest quality." That is an outright lie. Either they knowingly sold me a lemon, or they are so negligent in their inspections that they completely missed multiple major issues that became glaringly obvious within weeks. Neither explanation is acceptable. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is obvious Sunset Volkswagen has no interest in accountability or customer care. Once they make the sale, you are on your own. Their silence and refusal to address our concerns speak volumes.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I am writing this review as both a frustrated customer and a cautionary tale. If you are considering buying from Sunset Volkswagen, understand the risks: you may end up with an unsafe, unreliable, and costly vehicle, while the dealership washes their hands of any responsibility.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] For your safety and your wallet, take your business elsewhere. read more

So wanted to come back and update my review. I went to another spot and they did a compressive diagnostic and gave me great detail on what o needed done. Their price was more and even said be careful about what they said thru ate going. At the end of the day I had it done at Suncoast and had no issues. I still standby the fact that the diagnostic details should have been better prepared, but my car was fixed and the pricing was lower than the other place. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]I am so sad that I have had such horrendous experiences, emphasis on the plural, at this Volkswagen dealership. Everything started out great when I bought my brand new Taos here in 2023. I paid full in cash and was treated kindly... and then when I started coming for maintenance the entire vibe became absolutely unprofessional and unkind[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. I have been scammed, lied to, and told that an oil change costs $800.... I came back in today to ask about brake pads and rotors because come to find out the Taos had a recall on those and they tried to charge me an additional $105 just to look at them. On top of whatever the replacement costs would be (might I add they don't even put pricing on their website making it super easy to scam people). They are legitimately trying to blame me for the way the car is made.... It's laughable. [[HIGHLIGHT]]And inexcusable to scoff in my face as if I'm an idiot (which I may be in the car department lol)... but I am a loyal customer.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My entire family has bought Volkswagens here and it is disgusting that they are trying to scam me and make me pay for the faults of the way the Taos were made INCORRECTLY. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I am truly appalled and sad and will never be recommending anyone purchase a vehicle here or work with the extremely rude staff.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Our two-year old Taos gave us big trouble on our way from Jacksonville to Venice, just 40 miles shy of our destination. [[HIGHLIGHT]]After talking with the dealership in Jacksonville, it was determined that we should stop driving and get a tow.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were able to get the car to Sunset Volkswagen but it was a Saturday so we were stuck in Sarasota until Monday at a hotel with no car. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We got to Sunset Volkswagen early Monday morning to ask if they could just do a diagnostic test on the car so we would know if we needed to get a rental car and return home or stay more time at the hotel[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. The advisor, Austin, said he couldn't get us in just to do the diagnostic because there were others there for oil changes. We ended up renting a car and driving back to Jacksonville. They got the car looked at on Tuesday afternoon and they did the repair. Wednesday resulted in 10 hours of driving which could have been avoided if they only would have done the diagnostic and given us results. We could have stayed an additional day in Sarasota and avoided additional costs and time behind the wheel. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They were not very empathic or supportive of our situation.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]We just bought a 2024 Tiguan from Sunset Volkswagen and are so far very pleased.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Through half a dozen VWs over the last couple of decades, we've been impressed with the local service department and build quality of the VWs. Special thanks this time to the helpful sales professional, Preston Ducas, who patiently waited two years for us to finally replace our Nissan Rogue(*) with the much better VW. As well, the business manager, Cordale Johnson, made the paperwork end clear, thorough, and efficient. (By contrast to VW, the is no glowing review about our Nissan experience) read more

Steve, our service advisor went above our expectations. We were on vacation and our Tiguan's battery died. It was almost closing time for Sunset, so we were told to bring our car over hours once the battery was jumped and leave it using their night drop system. First thing in the morning we received a call with an estimate of time and money. We asked if there was any way to finish it by noon as we had an appointment at 1. They finished the service work early, our battery was replaced and we were thrilled to make our appointment ahead of schedule. Thank you so much for taking care of us "out of towners"! We really appreciated it and will definitely use your Service Department when we move. read more

Great staff and fixed my car in a timely fashion. Very thorough and reliable customer service.

I had the worst experience there. first, I have to say it's not my first time there, the other employees over there are so nice and welcoming! I'm 37 weeks pregnant, and I got stuck with my Volkswagen Tiguan 2021 a few times because of the battery. I had an appointment with Steve which turned out to be a nightmare. He overcharged me 450$ for a battery that cost 200$ while I still have the lease , still valid! I told him I was so afraid to get stuck with contractions and he just took advantage of the situation! After 3 days,I came back for a service that was included in my package -he said I didn't have it in my package and asked again for 300$ service fee. when I showed him in the papers I have that included -he just sent me home and told me the office over there is closed so he can't do my service! he did it when I had a red light on because of the oil engine, I refused to leave and told him I had proof and he just do it on purpose! eventually, he said he would call me back and that he fixed the oil engine- which he didn't!!! I still have the red light what puts me at a risk of driving while I'm almost giving birth! he didn't call me back and he just doesn't care about the clients!! be careful guys. read more

We picked up our new (new to us) 2018 VW Tiguan from Tom Selby at Sunset VW. This is our 5th VW over the last 6-7 years or (we bought used Jettas for our teen-age daughters over the years) so we are very familiar with this dealership and have had good luck with their cars and pricing. It's not a great time to buy a car we know, but they gave us a great deal on our used 2015 VW Passat. Tom was wonderful and very low key as we shopped multiple cars from them and other dealers. The whole process was pretty easy and laid back for buying a car (which I hate to do!) We have never had an issue with our VW's and Tom and Sunset made it easy to once again purchase a VW. read more

I've had my car serv there for 6 years. I brought it thete one day because I couldn't open the hatchback on my 2017 Golf GTI. The tech lifted the hatch release and said he couldn't find a problem. That'll be $176.00 please. The hatch still doesn't release. Went for an oil change today and they said it would be $135.00.....it was $90.00 last year. Never going back there again! read more

Micheal my salesperson was wonderful and accommodating. The staff was friendly on my visits. I had an oil leak 3 weeks after bringing my certified Jetta home and they were very responsive picking it up and bringing it back. I've been waiting since December for a call back from the business manager so I can purchase the supplemental coverage that I'm elligible for. I've left multiple messages with no response. read more

I found an SUV I wanted to purchase at Sunset VW. Having previously purchased an Escalade at Sunset and having a A+ buying experience there I was confident I would receive the same. I went in drove the car, tried to buy it. I was told by the sales mgr it needed to go in the the shop for $1500 if repairs and they would call when it was available. I then receive a call days later that they sent it to the auction for fuel leaks and sibce it was a safety issue they wouldn't repair it. Imagine my surprise yesterday( almost a month later) when I get a call asking if I still want to buy it. " The other deal didn't go through, she backed out. So the SUV is available if you want it but we raised the price". Who is running this place now? Certainly not the owner, GM and sales I have dealt with before. You stood out in a crowd before...sadly not anymore how embarassing in this small town to blantly lie to customers. read more

Rude people, left in lobby waiting for ever, acted like we were stupid when we made an appointment, got mad our car piece was broken, thats why its being serviced read more

Dropped my VW off to have them install a part so the vehicle would reliably start. $400.+ repair.went to pick it up today and it would not start. Was told by service advisor that it worked all day for them. Then he got out of the car and told me I'd just have to keep trying to start it. Then he walked away. I've trying for the last hour and a half. Two hours later it started. There are 5 other VW mechanics I could have taken it to. They won't see any more of my business. read more

Pete, the service manager is the man! Very reasonable on resolving any issues at the store! Thank you Pete!

My wife's Volkswagen has been at the shop for almost 10 weeks. Parts have been ordered, installed, and it didn't do anything. At this point I truly believe they have no idea what's even going on with the car. "Which is only 3 years old, and under warranty" meanwhile we're paying a premium price for a vehicle we don't even get to drive. My pregnant wife and 2 year old daughter are driving in a base Tiguan with 0 safety features which is absolutely ridiculous. My wife has 4 months left on her lease, and I don't think it'll be too much to ask for to let us out of our lease. At the end of the day we've been paying for a car we don't even have, and no one at sunset has any clue how much longer it'll take to get ours fixed. So again, why can't you let us out?? I know for a fact you could, you just don't want to because we don't want another VW. Absolutely worst customer services I've ever experienced. Take your business to Bob Boast Volkswagen, they're willing to help me more than sunset where we bought our car. read more

Looking to buy a VW ID.4 and called to ask questions about the vehicle. The salesperson I spoke with said he would check with their regional VW representative and call me back "in 20 minutes". After 2 hours of waiting I called in again and spoke to another salesperson who said they got busy and the person I spoke to previously would call might right back in a minute. That call never came. At the end of business I called again and left a message with the sales manager describing what had transpired. Two days later I get a call asking what the message was about, I told him what had happened and he was just as clueless as the his sales people about the vehicle. Poor customer service, not knowledgeable at all about the product they are trying to sell. Steer clear of this place. read more

Came to Sunset Volkswagen and had the pleasure of working with Susanne Sanders. She has been so amazing throughout the entire transaction of getting my new lease! She went above and beyond to make sure everything aligned properly with my timeframe and trade in value! She's absolutely the best hands down!! I will be coming back to her specifically when it's time to renew my lease again. read more

Good Morning, I have worked in customer service the better part of my life, and I ALWAYS try to focus on the positive experiences, but unfortunately my experience with this dealership was quite distressful. I contacted the dealership to purchase a 2020 GLI. (I was looking for red and manual transmission which is quite rare). I live in the Boston area and this was one of the few available in the country, so I made the decision to go ahead with the sale. After being in contact with a sales agent and Internet manager, I advised them that I would like to move forward with the sale and that I was going to finance through my local bank as I was already approved. (this was occurring on a Saturday afternoon so my bank had already closed for the day). They advised me that the car could still be sold even after offering my credit card and wiring cash. Honestly, that response was discouraging, but I do understand policies. Monday morning arrived and I contacted the dealership right away on next steps. Even though I had secured a loan through my local bank, I decided to finance through the dealer as it would be much easier due to the fact it was an out of state purchase. I proceeded with the financing application as advised, on their website. I received a call almost immediately from their finance manager to discuss the transaction. I informed him that I would like to finance through VW and he informed me that he would process and call me right back. I followed this conversation up with a courtesy email thanking him for his time and efforts. I NEVER heard from them again. I called and emailed several times, all of which went unanswered. The following morning I received an email from the internet manager informing me that the car had been sold. The car had been SOLD????? We were IN THE MIDDLE of this transaction and they sold the car to someone who walked through the door. I am an avid VW driver and have been for 20 years. This was simply unethical and wrong. I was courteous and polite and this is the way I was treated. PLEASE think twice about giving this dealer your business and hard earned money. As I feel its right to always end on a positive note, the car I ended up getting was more than what I originally wanted and I had a wonderful experience at a VW dealer in Colorado (financed through VW at 0%). It all turned out the way it needed to in the end, but I needed to share my experience. Thanks for listening. -Laura from Boston read more

Purchased new vehicle. Same day after 39 miles, a factory defect arose. Turned out to be a common ground wire adversely affecting fuel pump, AC, horn, and right running light. Dealership provided loaner car, found and repaired problem, and were very considerate. read more

Excellent dealership. Great customer experience from management to sales to finance..... Strongly recommend Dario in sales. Buy your next vehicle here and you will be pleasantly surprised with your experience...... read more

I worked with Matt Tooley on getting my new VW. He was very helpful and patient. Great customer service and very knowledgeable! I made the right choice on my new car. :) read more

I stumbled across this dealer via a 3rd party site that was showcasing 1 photo of a car I've been interested in for over a year now. This particular car only had the mileage and price listed, and not much else. I decided I would swing by and have a look. After an unpleasant morning of being offered used cars I didn't want at the local honda, toyota, mazda, and dodge dealerships, I made my way to the lot of Suncoast Motorsports Audi/Porsche/VW. After ten minutes of walking the perimeter of the lot, I found the car. A 2009 Honda Accord Coupe EXL. Only 9897 miles, and at an asking price about $750 cheaper than the current kbb rating. A little backstory, I've been driving my 1998 honda accord coupe since 2002. This past May, I was hit by a drunk driver on siesta key. The damage to my car was appraised at $1300. My car was only worth $1000. I'm now in the middle of an insurance battle to reach an agreeable settlement. So, to add to that, I'm a delivery manager, and having a working vehicle is a non-negotiable standard at my place of employment. Rental cars were driving me bankrupt, and I needed a vehicle stat! Back to my experience, the first person to approach me was Ro Byers. He was friendly, accomodating and wasted no time getting me in the vehicle for a test drive. The car was just traded in, and had not been fully processed yet, which really made the impression that the previous owner took good care of this car. It was also the reason why there was only one picture online. After the test drive was over, I had to really play it cool because I could not reveal my hand on how much I felt this car was just perfect for my needs. I knew to make this happen, I was going to have to be upfront and honest. After all, I'm a severely middle-class american. I can't just expect good deals to fall into my lap with a sub-600 credit score! Ro, listened to my situation with concern and respect. At no point did I feel the judgemental profiling I had experienced at other dealers. Ro, wasted no time drafting up a deal. They would finish processing the car, take care of some of the car's cosmetic problems (repaint bumper, remove pin stripe, remove several minor "dings...) and get me out the door financed with only $1500 down. It was at this point that Ro introduced me to Erik Francey of the financing department. Erik collected all of my financial information and proceeded to start the paperwork. Meanwhile, Ro and I, began negotiating. I wanted the whole car painted and every warranty under the sun, for the full asking price. At the end of it all, I walked out with a 4 year/100,000 bumper to bumper warranty, full GAP coverage for the lifetime of the loan, and a 5 year/unlimited miles warranty on the rims and tires, for about $500 less than asking. I was left incredibly impressed by Ro's negotiating skills, but also of the quick turn around with decisions on the spot by the manager, Mr. Bill Edmond. We reached the agreement just as Mr. Bryan Nicholas approached me. Bryan was the financing departments manager and had an expression on his face that said I was about to get everything I want at a really good rate. He was not kidding! A handshake was struck, and we began the paperwork. I'll leave the details of this part out, except to say, that Bryan's talents in calmy, neatly, and clearly accomplishing this task were monumental. His precision printing, extensive explanation of the exact details within every contract, and ability to keep everything so streamlined, expedited the process to a fraction of the time someone less experienced, would have undoubtedly taken. To say I was extremely impressed would be an understatement. He even offered me a hat for the wait! So, here I sit, in my new car, wearing my new hat, smiling widely as I think back at my experience at Suncoast Motorsports of Sarasota, and how I managed to solve my dilemma, get exactly what I wanted and solve all of my problems, by merely dealing with a group of professionals who wanted my business. Thank you greatly, Ro, Erik, Bryan and Bill! You are all gentlemen and scholars. I applaud you and the efforts you made to make this happen! Huzzah for this dealer! read more

Sunset Volkswagen - My new '09 Accord Coupe EXL! - Auto Repair Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Dealt with Tom Selby. Sales process was quick and reasonable. Originally had issue but Brian G. Manager handled it quickly. The negotiation process went smoothly and there was no pressure. I would do business again with Sunset. I bought my previous car from Sunset GMC. Also, was a great experience. read more

Made an appointment for a test drive, on arrival there was no car available for a test drive. There were approx. 10 admin and sales staff visible on my arrival, I was the only customer in the building but they didn't have time to inform me. Look at all these Yelp reviews, they are all one star (real customers) or five (the internet manager Mr. Vega must have a full time job putting in all these fake reviews). Bottom line: extremely low performing company, don't buy or try to get service here, you WILL be disappointed! read more

Good purchase experience. Very professional, from the door to associating yourself the vehicle. Nick knows his vehicles very well. Brian goes above and beyond to make sure you get a fair value. I am going on the 40 vehicle club. I was looking at other vehicles but, they made it so easy. Ask for Nick or Brian, you will be in good hands. read more

This is a great dealership! My experience with sales and service has been excellent. Very professional and friendly at the same time.

I cannot say enough about this dealership. I have owned a VW since 2016. I got my very first brand new car here in June of 2016, a Jetta Sport. I was blown away by the customer service from day one. Suzanne was amazing, and even helped me to transfer my items from the old car into the new car, and as a Mom of two boys (only two, at the time), it was not pretty! I was so embarrassed by the mess, but she didn't batt an eye and helped me to transfer everything over quickly so I could be on my way. She sat with me and helped me set up and sync my phone with the car, and showed me all of the features! She was extremely knowledgeable and efficient! Cranston, one of the managers, was also extremely helpful and really made sure that I knew all of the amazing features the car offered. Suzanne called a week later to see how I liked my new car, which I thought was amazing. I then got a Tiguan in 2019, and the service was the same! Fast forward to 2021, and I got myself a brand new Atlas, which I absolutely love! In this short amount of time, I now have two teenage boys and a baby boy. I was SO nervous to bring my 5 month old baby into the dealership. I was terrified he would cry, or have a meltdown...and I would be mortified. Sure enough, he decided he was not pleased with the lack of excitement as I signed papers, and he started to cause a bit of a scene. The ENTIRE staff was incredibly comforting, and helped me to calm him down so that other customers could shop in peace, and I could finish my deal quickly. Once again, Suzanne was amazing and helped me to get everything moved over from the old car (including the car seat!). From management, to sales, to finance, and right over to service, there isn't a single department I haven't dealt with at this location. Every single person I have had an interaction with at this dealership has been knowledgeable, helpful, professional, and extremely efficient. I honestly do not see myself ever buying a car from anyone else! I am a customer for life! Thank you to everyone at Sunset VW for your amazing customer service! read more

I have never posted a Yelp review before but the service I received today definitely deserves it. I got in a little fender bender earlier today and part of my front bumper was hanging to the ground, which was extremely concerning with a 3 hour drive ahead of me. I don't remember her name (it started with an M) but she fixed the bumper as much as possible for free and did it in a timely fashion. I am so appreciative of this. She deserves a raise for her awesome customer service! read more

My windshield wipers were working very slowly on my 2012 VW Jetta. I suspected an issue with the motor or wiper transmission and brought it to Sunset VW for service. They diagnosed the problem as an issue with both of these parts and told me it would cost over $1400 to replace both parts. I thought the cost was a bit high. I did ask if the motor was gold plated. I was able to purchase both parts , OEM parts, for $213 at Parts Geek. I also purchased a wiper puller for $15 at Amazon. I am not a mechanic. After viewing a video of the repair on YouTube I was able to do the entire repair in 1 hour and 25 minutes in my driveway, including setup and cleanup. About 15 minutes of that time was used running to the hardware store for a 13 mm wrench. In all, there were 4 nuts that needed to be removed and 5 screws that needed to be removed to completely remove and disassemble both the motor and the transmission. One wiring harness needed to be disconnected from the motor. A plastic cover needed to be removed, no screws or nuts, after the windshield wipers were removed. The only tools necessary were a 10 and 13 mm socket wrench, a 13 mm open end wrench, a 30 Torx, and the wiper puller mentioned above. You might get by without the puller but you might crack the windshield. I figured for $15 it was a good insurance policy. Installing the new parts in the vehicle was easier than the disassembly. I would rate removing and replacing these two parts about as difficult as changing a tire or two. Someone who has done it several times could probably do it in 30 minutes if they had all the parts and tools on hand. It is my opinion that prudence would dictate you get a second opinion before proceeding with a repair on your vehicle at Sunset VW of Sarasota. It may save you hundreds of dollars. I saved about $1200, albeit I did the work myself. read more

Excellent customer service by Mark in the service department. Straight shooter, offered me a loaner without asking, easy to understand bill and very reasonable. I just picked up a used VW from a private seller and I was treated like I was a lifelong customer of Suncoast. Will return read more

Sunset Volkswagen - New 2017 VW Atlas - Auto Repair Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Well, if it couldn't get any worse, I feel that it certainly did. Mark Cobb, the service manager and I spoke today by phone and it didn't go well... I just spoke to Kathrene Fox (from VW USA) and explained that Mark had the opportunity to make our VW experience better, but only spoke aggressively toward me and deferred his and Ken's responsibility for the rudeness we experienced at the Suncoast dealership. I have to admit, being in the customer service business myself, that the one way to keep a customers happy is to offer some sort of incentive to get them back into the fold and when they come back to make sure they are treated well. Mark did not offer anything of the sort - He did offer an apology, but this is not enough. I can see why Ken's attitude is so bad - Often times, the attitude of a company's employees trickle down and it seems that Mark has the same lack of customer service. It appears to me now that this will not be resolved and you have given us no other choice, but to have a bad taste in our mouths in regard to the Suncoast dealership. We will have to drive a bit further and purchase her new car, if a VW at all now, at the dealership in Port Charlotte. Hopefully, they're not owned by the same person. Also, Mark told me that Yelp reviews didn't matter (after he told me rather sharply to HOLD ON A SECOND) and that it's only a place for complaints. This is not true, many people use Yelp and other reviews to make an intelligent opinion of a business before making any decisions. Mark also told me that Suncoast was in the top 5% nationwide, so I was free to review as much as I wanted. As Mark suggested, I certainly will. Again, Mark's (and Ken Levine) customer relations strategy tools need a major brush up. read more

I'd rather ride a BICYCLE before I buy another car here. BUYER BEWARE. We purchased an Audi Q7 here the first year they came out. I believe it was 2007?After only six months, the SUV began to shut down while driving, leaving me stranded on the side of the road. This happened multiple times. Each time I had it towed back to Suncoast. The mechanics "couldn't find anything wrong with the car" and began to tell me that I "must be filling it with regular unleaded gas instead of premium." (Yes, you read this correctly... a brand new $60,000 vehicle that would just QUIT and they told ME I was putting the wrong gas in it BECAUSE I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN an hour south of their dealership and we "must get bad quality gas down here." Premium gas was the ONLY thing that ever went into this car. But this was their only explanation. I kid you not.) After multiple instances of having to have it towed back to Suncoast, they were so generous as to offer to let me BUY a different Q7 - at a much higher cost, considering the "depreciation of mine now". How upstanding, right? All in all, I had the car a full year before finally getting things resolved. That's correct - six MONTHS of fighting with Suncoast. The result? I finally contacted the Better Business Bureau and HAD TO FILE A LEMON LAW CLAIM. Once the Better Business Bureau contacted Suncoast, it took literally three days for them to take the car back. They suddenly decided to work with us. I have NEVER been so angry and frustrated with a business in my life. As you can see, this happened 7 years ago and I'm still bitter. I'll never drive another Audi again thanks to this dealership. read more

I should say that the service department is NOT part of my review. This review is based on my car purchase. I bought a car from Encore about 6 months ago and I have been VERY happy with them. THEY, Encore, have been just as amazing AFTER I bought the car as they were when Selling the car. I have had a terrible experience with VW!! I should have gone back to Encore, maybe my experience is karma. Encore deserved my business. My experience at VW: I was in a hurry so I walked in and made a fair/generous offer to Chuck in the used car section for an 09 Jetta. I told him that I was in a hurry and we moved ahead with the paperwork. After everything was done I came out to find the car dirty. He said they would need some time to detail the car. They did an OK job but after an hour I had to go. I was told to come back so they could finish. I came back to find that I would need to wait for them to finish lunch. In an hour they could get started. I didn't have time to wait that long on top of the time needed to detail the exterior. They did wash the car but were not able to buff the scratches. Chuck was stunned that I wanted the car shinny and new looking. He asked me to point out the scratches. It was just a show, the car has tons of light scratches!! He then went to get a rag. I told him that you can't buff paint with a rag, that's called waxing at best. I doubt he's that dumb and feel that he was trying to get me to believe it had been buffed but I let it slide I was told to come back, anytime, but not during lunch. I came back today to get the scratches done. I was told that I would have to come back. They didn't fix the ipod jack. They told me to come back. They didn't buff the outside and now I'm told that when I come back they are only going to take care of the one scratch that I originally pointed out. He tried to tell me several times that we were all set. That I took delivery and the car was detailed. I went over our interactions in detail until he agreed but still he insisted that everything was done but the one scratch. Chuck told me that is all we agreed on. He is a liar. I have been VERY patient and I didn't nit pick about the dozens of other defects. The scratches in the tint, the missing floor mat holder, the love bug damage etc. I am also VERY pissed that they used something to cover up paint chips but it washed off with the first wash. I have tiny spots of paint missing all over the hood. I don't know how this damage happens but with the amount of damage that the car came with why did they bother covering up the hood damage? I have a 3rd appointment JUST TO GET THE CAR IN DEALER CONDITION!!!!!! I would also LOVE for them to get the EFFING Ipod adapter working!!!!!!!! There wasn't anyone who was capable of opening the owner's manual. SO I DID, it still didn't register with them that it wasn't working. I was told that it was my ipod. I was promised a free car wash if it was not because of my ipod. I asked the guy to put it in writing but he just laughed and said he was a man of honor. They seem to think it's a joke that I have to drive there again, for a 3rd time. I have to take time off and drive 30min there and 30min back home. I want to drive the car through the dealership. I might video my 3rd trip for the benefit of youtube and my future PO read more

Lame! Full disclosure: I did not end up buying a car from here, but it was not for lack of trying. I was looking for a Q5 but didn't want the specific color they had on hand. I was told that Q5s are highly in demand and very difficult to get. They would call me if any became available. In the meantime dealers from Tampa and as far away as Melbourne, FL were calling (great guy there by the way) to earn the business. After a month and no call backs (only call-ins from me) I just went elsewhere....where, by the way, it turns out Q5s happen to be plentiful in all types of colors, both new and used.... It got me thinking that if their sales is so lame and unresponsive, I'm just glad I never had to deal with their other departments as well.... read more

I was totally disappointed by Sunset VW this past weekend. While driving up to Sarasota from my home in Englewood my oil light came on. This was particularly curious as I had just had my oil changed, the previous day, at a dealership close to my home. At the time I was about a mile south of Sunset VW. So I slowly made my way to Sunset VW, pulled in, and told my tale of woe to the service department and asked if someone could take a look to see what might be going on and whether the car was safe to drive. I was told, quite abruptly, that they were too busy to do anything with my car (they were open for another hour and someone also told me that the mechanics often work beyond the 1 PM closing on Saturdays). I wasn't even asking for it to be fixed, just to be looked at. They refused. So I wound up having to have the car towed 26 miles back to Englewood. As it turns out the problem was that the oil filter had not been put on correctly, a problem that could have been diagnosed, and solved, by a Sunset VW mechanic in about 2 minutes. At this point, given the recent fiasco with their diesel engines, one would think that Volkswagen would be going out of their way to serve their customers. Thanks for not coming to the aid of a VW owner. read more

Scheduled an appointment for oil change on my VW. Arrived on time; met with svc. writer and got process going. Now, over the course of my driving life, I've had countless oil changes done to many cars, including this one. Normally a quick in and out. After an hour and 20 minutes, I hunted down the svc. writer to ask about the car. Of course he said, it will be done in a few minutes. I asked to speak with svc. mgr. Jesus, what an experience. I was escorted into his office and introduced by the svc. writer. Mgr. didn't bother to get off his ass to greet me. I asked for an explanation for why an oil change would take (now) and hour and 30 minutes. His explanation was that they're very busy - not an answer. I suggested they were either over-booked or under-staffed, to which he took great umbrage. When I pointed out that it had never previously taken this long for an oil change at this dealership, his response was, "no, it always takes this long". So in other words, his response/excuse was 'we're this lame and have always been this lame'. Further, he stated that car would be done in 2-3 minutes. I knew that was bullshit, but I was stuck. Went back to waiting area. Twenty minutes later saw svc. writer pull my car around front. Past experience here says that he will soon come get me to say car is done. I waited; and waited. Finally, I went up to payment counter and found that car and bill were ready. When I asked why I hadn't been informed, of course, no useful answer. So, a total of two hours for an oil change. Two hours. Suncoast VW - for when your time just doesn't matter. read more

The BDC manager at this dealership, Tabitha, called me early one morning a few weeks back to see if I wanted to come check out the Golf R that just arrived. I asked her if it would be ready by the time I arrived as I knew the car would have to be PDI'd. She assured me the car would be ready. Keep in mind that I was leaving work and driving over 50 minutes to get to Suncoast VW. I had an appointment with Apryl. I was running about 10-15 minutes late due to traffic so I gave a courtesy call and the nicest receptionist ever (don't remember her name) told me they'd see me when I arrive, and to be safe, especially around the University exit with the new mall. Great! Love her. So I arrive, Apryl greets me and tells me the car is still wrapped, as if I was supposed to be impressed that nobody has touched it. I told her I was told it would be prepped and ready for a test drive. After all, I'm not buying a $39,910 car without test driving it first. She basically told me "Sorry you were told it would be ready. not much I can do besides wait it out for 2-3 hours. Even then, I don't know if my manager will even let us drive the car since it's so desirable." So not what I wanted to hear. You don't call a hair salon, book an appointment for a cut at 1 PM if the stylist doesn't arrive until 3 PM. That's not how appointment making works. At the end of the day, I am not buying the R from Suncoast VW and will never recommend anyone to this dealership. If you're in south Sarasota to North Port -- head to Port Charlotte VW and they'll take care of you. If you're north, head to Reeves VW and they'll take care of you. read more