Posted 5 days ago

Vauxhall dealer key?

So after a lot of faffing we eventually got our replacement car - a Vauxhall Sharan.
Sadly it appears to use some of the "media features" we need a dealer code to unlock them?
We spoke to the dealer and he has stated it's an extra £200 for the code. That's doesn't sound ight - surely it should be activated and the cost of activation included in the price. We where not made aware that this was a thing? What are my options?
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  1. slimy31's avatar
    That sounds pretty standard to me. Many 'optional extras' for modern cars are just software based and the dealer can charge a ridiculous amount to 'switch them on'. Some manufacturers go to extreme lengths, for example BMW used to charge a subscription fee for heated seats!!

    However, looking on forums and Facebook groups often reveal enterprising individuals who will activate the same options for a few quid. (edited)
    ApolloCreedXXX's avatar
    Yep such a big rip off buying cars nowadays!
  2. Mark_Hickman's avatar
    One issue you have is you're calling a vauxhall garage to talk about your Volkswagen
  3. KodaBear's avatar
    What car do you actually have? You’ve said Vauxhall twice but then also said Sharan which is a Volkswagen.

    Vauxhall definitely don’t lock down anything, but German brands especially VW are notorious for making everything an optional extra. In that case if you want to get access to these features you’ll have to pay to unlock it at a main dealer, or depending on the exact setup of your car you may want to just replace the head unit with an aftermarket one of your own to get more features without restrictions.

    In all honesty though, it’s rarely worth paying to unlock features like these.
  4. Mike747's avatar
    Check elsewhere, I've had a car pass code a while ago, pretty sure it was 1/10th of that price. Then youll pay extra to turn stuff on.
    If its not a brand new car check the manual for written down 4 digit codes.
    Also what did you want to add, are you sure the hardware is there to enable it, eg you need a switch to be there for cruise control to be added via the software (edited)
  5. aLV426's avatar
    Author
    I have looked at that many cars this past 2 weeks - it's a Volkswagen Sharan. The dealer code unlocks the bluetooth functionality - crazy that you can't use the built in features to use the hands free feature. I am sure I can make do without spending £200, but had it in the last car (Ford Grand C-Max) and miss it.
    student.223's avatar
    Where do you have to put the key? Is it a code you key into the radio system?
  6. Tom.Wilson's avatar
    What's the age of the vehicle?
  7. aLV426's avatar
    Author
    So I just thought I would follow up - it appears there is a gear box fault and the car is being returned to the dealer tomorrow. So much effort...
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