Worcester Bosch or Vaillant

[Paz328]

Hello - i'm looking to have a new combi boiler fitted and the choice of boiler is currently down to Vaillant or Worcester Bosch. Both are highly recommended on this forum, and my parents and sister both have Vaillant combi boilers fitted (non-condensing), without any problems.

I had an installer provide a quote who recommended the WB Junior 28i. I asked about the Vaillant, to which he responded that the heat exchangers leak and Vaillant after sales support in not very good. I have read elsewhere on this forum that Vaillant after sales is poor.

The other installer recommended the Vaillant 831 ecoTEC plus, but he didn't mention any problems with the heat exchangers or Vaillant after sales support. Is the leaking heat exchanger a common problem?

For info, the house is an end of terrace 1930's with 7 rads, a hot water cylinder, 2 waters tanks in the loft and the boiler is a Stelrad Ideal WLx - RS50. BTW, both installers are corgi registered.

Thanks,
Paresh.

 

[simond]

The ijunior is Worcester's budget offering only sold in the UK. Bosch boilers in the remainder of EU are made by Buderus and Junkers.

If you want a higher quality Bosch more comparable to ecoTEC you should be looking at their Worcester CDi range of combis, or perhaps a Buderus. Buderus use the Worcester customer service system in the UK, so you get identical service.

Finally, I wouldn't say the Vaillant customer service is bad, it just isn't quite as good as Worcester. But their 6, 8 and 9 series products are superior, in my opinion.

 

[gas4you]

I am a Vaillant approved installer and have never had a HE leak

WB are very good boilers but the junior is nothing compared to the Ecotec Plus 831.

You would need to get a far superior WB to equal the Vaillant.

Vaillant after sales is not what it used to be. Since they aquired Glow Worm c r a p they have let GW handle warranty calls etc, therefore very poor service from non Vaillant engineers.

If your Vaillant installer is 'in' with Vaillant as I am then if you did get any problems he would be able to insist on a proper Vaillant engineer to visit you.

The day I get a GW engineer on a service call is the day I stop fitting Vaillants and they know it

Vaillant have recently torn up all their contracts with their service agents north of Birmingham

 

[chrishutt]

I am a Vaillant approved installer and have never had a HE leak

I believe Vaillant issued a product warning notice about this problem. The leak was from the seal between the heat exchanger and the condensate collector. I think the product warning notice only affected Ecotecs produced from 2005 to 2006. I've come across several Vaillants with condensate leaks from the same place so it may be a more extensive problem than they have admitted.

 

[namsag]

Always makes me laugh when people say that such an such a make is the dogs and best thing since sliced bread then go on to say they after sales service is brill or rubbish.
If the boiler was that good in the first place why would they be calling out the manufacturer enough times under g`tee to know how good or bad the service was...

 

[gas4you]

I have had only 4 call outs over about 80 boilers, none have yet 'broken down' but just things like noisey pumps etc.

My problem is that I know the glow worm numpties who could have been sent out and that is why I won't have them attend if I do make a call

1 bad call out is enough for me to change manufacturer or get compensation

 

[Nixt]

Always makes me laugh when people say that such an such a make is the dogs and best thing since sliced bread then go on to say they after sales service is brill or rubbish.
If the boiler was that good in the first place why would they be calling out the manufacturer enough times under g`tee to know how good or bad the service was...

You're probably right, but those (not all) involved with mainly combi work operate at the p**s pathetic profit end of the market with an increasing number supplying a 'fit only' service for consumers own boiler. It has hence become accepted practice that problems are directed straight to and readily entertained by the manufacturer as many installers don't build any customer service buffer into their margin.

 

[bengasman]

I would not say there is a real difference in quality between Vailant and Worcester. The i and si series are a bit budget and not as good as the cdi. For the small difference in total price I would definitely recommend going for the cdi if your choice went to Worcester. When it comes to after sales service, I rate Worcester as second to none and Vailant as lacking.
I had a call from a customer where I had fitted a greenstar and found the display unit was fried probably due to a pulse or lightning. Called Worcester and they send a guy out the next day to replace the unit free of charge even though the warranty had run out a couple of months. That is what I call customer service.