Could Have Done Better!

We’ll talk through the driving experience (positive) tomorrow, let’s talk about what could have been done better in the car purchasing loop.

Sat in the car in the showroom ready to go, to be honest we were delayed by my insurance certificate, we looked over the car and saw that since my Qashqai, the USB connections had become USB C connections, probably not important I thought, but mentioned it to the salesman who said he’d give me a lightning to USB C cable. In the rush well it was forgotten. Why did I mention this? well I,ll explain in a bit.

In an earlier visit the salesman had explained a bit the WE CONNECT, Volkswagen electronic infra-structure for controlling and charging the car, in a nutshell you get a card that opens the charging stations and you are debited the cost, but you can also use We CONNECT on your telephone without the card.

Have you followed so far?

Well this weekend we took it for a spin, we were staying in Laon, 200 or so Kms from home, I’d topped up at work the day before (50 Kms), so I would need to top up in Laon. My first experience of refilling on the road………….This should be easy no?

Pulled up at a municipal refilling point, not compatible with WE CONNECT but walking distance from where we were staying, flash code on the station, telephone connection to a new operator, 50 Euros paid up, but the door on the station wouldn’t open!!!!! (you need a card). Big frustration…………

My VW however told me where the closest compatible refill point was, 5Kms a 175 KW refill point and that’s quite quick (I’ll tell you about that in a later post). As I said before didn’t yet have my WE CONNECT card, well………..I could use my phone, remember.

Here is where the USB c thing comes in: I had used APPLE CARPLAY, didn’t have that on the Qashqai. BUT HERE IS A WARNING it sucks the life out of your I phone battery, 70% in 2 hours. So when I wanted to charge my car without my WE CONNECT card, halfway through the operation my phone died. NOW REMEMBER THIS: NO PHONE NO CHARGE!!!!!

The couple running the service station were nice, I managed to borrow a phone lead and charge my I phone enough to charge my car.

Have you followed?

1. VW could have told me to pre-order the WE CONNECT card or lent me one for 10 days.
2. VW could have warned me about USB c lightning cables or provided them.
3. You may say these are small things, but they are not!!