A woman buys a brand new 2025 Volkswagen and has major issues within a month of purchasing. Now, she’s asking if she has legal grounds to get her money back.

In a TikTok that’s generated over 2,500 views as of this writing, VW owner (@walkerflockaflame) shares her recent issues when trying to get service done at the dealership.

“Don’t Buy A Volkswagen”

On Dec 12, a TikTok user posted a video warning viewers that buying a new Volkswagen is not worth it.

“Don’t buy a Volkswagen. I should have listened to my dad when he told me not to,” she begins.

She then describes a long series of inconveniences that led her to make this decision. The VW owner mentions her issues first occurred when her airbag sensor went off, so she took the Volkswagen in for repairs. They ask her to bring it in a few days later, on Monday, so she does. 

After dropping off the car, she was told that she can come back once they call her a few hours later with a diagnosis. Well, she never got a call, so she calls them herself shortly before closing and gets bad news.

“He tells me that it’s an issue with the sensor, the airbag sensor. If I were to get into a car accident, the airbag would not go off. The car cannot be fixed today or within the next two weeks because the part needed to fix it is on back order, and it’s also coming from Germany. So that will make it take longer,” he shares.

The dealership gave her a loaner car in the meantime. She asked about VW buying back the car where the worker allegedly laughed at her.

“That negative equity would be insane,” they responded.

“In my head… you know what’s insane? Buying a brand new 2025 car and having safety issues like a month into having it,” she thought to herself.

She mentions that she contacted Volkswagen corporate and that they did not give her the outcome she was hoping for. After recieving this response, she’ll be getting a lawyer involved to see if this VW will qualify as a lemon.

Is It True That They Disproportionately Take Longer To Service Through The Dealership?

Service delays aren’t unique to VW, but they are also not uncommon, especially with parts shortages and technician bottlenecks across the industry. Dealers nationwide are reporting longer wait times for appointments and repairs, driven by lingering parts and labor supply issues since the pandemic, which hit imported brands particularly hard. 

VW vehicles often require specific OEM parts that aren’t stocked in large quantities, meaning some repairs can drag on if a needed module is back-ordered. 

“Part manufacturers have a shortage of raw materials they need to make the parts that are in demand. Plus, there are labor shortages at the factories making the parts. Together these are causing a massive vehicle parts supply chain disruption and shortage,” per Thelen VW.

It’s not strictly a German parts conspiracy, but the combination of global supply chains and demand peaks can definitely stretch out wait times.

What Can You Do To Fix This If You Drive A VW?

If you’re stuck waiting on a part or repair, don’t just sit on it. It is important to document everything, including repair orders, notes about backorders, and ETA promises. Ask for written estimated arrival dates and status updates. Try calling VW Customer Care yourself and escalate to a service manager if needed. 

If delays are long and the defect is serious or repeated, you can explore state lemon law remedies or the manufacturer’s arbitration programs, which the TikTok creator mentioned in her video. 

Additionally, some owners even try a second authorized dealer to see if they can source the part faster. It is also important to always ask about loaner or rental coverage while you wait, as it’s often included.

Motor Biscuit reached out for a statement to Volkswagen via email and @walkerflockaflame via TikTok direct message.

@walkerflockaflame I forgot to mention how the car I test drove had features that the car they brought me afterwards did NOT have. It was slightly different and unfortunately I didn’t notice the small differences till leaving the lot (at this point it was too late to do much) #volkswagen #donotbuy #fyp @volkswagen ♬ original sound – walkerfl__