WHY IS MY NEARLY NEW VW GOLF R MISSING SOME BASIC FITTINGS?

Q When I bought my Mk8 VW Golf R second-hand, it lacked floor mats. I was offered a pack by the dealer that included some, but I assumed a car with 7,800 miles would have the original mats (they were not present during the test drive, but I assumed they had been removed for cleaning). It should have been fitted with floor mats at the factory, so am I entitled to expect the car to have them now? There’s also no engine cover, which I understand may be a result of a fire hazard. Any ideas? – GW A It’s common practice for used car dealers (even franchised ones, of which I’m assuming this is one) to remove floor mats from used cars, because it gives them the chance to offer you a pack that includes a new set as part of the sales process – a nice little income stream. That is, I suspect, what happened here.

I’m afraid the logic that you should be entitled to everything your car would have had from the factory doesn’t hold water when it comes to a used car. In this case, the rule of caveat emptor – buyer beware – applies.

Usually, a good-quality set of tailor-made aftermarket mats will cost a fraction of the price of the manufacturer-branded ones. Have a look online – there will be plenty of places to buy something to suit your car.

With regard to the engine cover, there was indeed a recall on a variety of Volkswagen models because the plastic shroud could come loose during “driving manoeuvres with extreme high-accelerating forces”. The loose cover could then come into contact with hot surfaces, melting and posing a fire risk.

In the short-term, Volkswagen’s solution was simply to remove the cover, awaiting the design of a revised part to replace it. I suspect that this is probably what’s happened to your car.

I understand replacement covers are now filtering through to affected cars, but there’s a backlog, so it may be that yours isn’t ready yet. If they claim otherwise, try a different dealer – or contact Volkswagen Customer Services.