Yes, have bought 2015 Volkswagen GTIs. But when I picked up my three-door (S in carbon steel) earlier this year, something wasn’t right. The front suspension was disturbingly stiff, crashing over bumps and sending a massive shock through the chassis. My first new car – ever – was broken. And then .

Apparently VW ships the new GTI (and presumably all new Golfs) with six plastic pucks to shore up the suspension during shipping. However, some dealers aren’t aware they exist – including mine.

I scheduled an appointment this morning to get things checked out, and when describing the issues to my local dealer, was told there was no chance the pucks were still fitted.

The service manager shoved his hands into the wheel well while it was parked and said, “Nope, don’t see ‘em.” I persisted, asking him to take it for a spin and then put it up on the lift. One of his techs did exactly that, and then this:

These things aren’t new. In the past, VW apparently fitted one – not three – on each side, but they were plainly visible. But on the new Golf, they’re hidden underneath a plastic cover, so some dealers miss them when doing the pre-delivery inspection, despite hanging from the rearview mirror.

Mine slipped through the cracks, as have , as on .

So with the issue remedied, the question now is: what, if any, damage have I done to the suspension? The dealer didn’t seem concerned, but then again, it’s the dealer. Expect updates.