pi55ed off at main dealer!

[BoilingPoint]

Originally Posted by Lummox

Oh yeah, i've never heard of engines falling out where 'back street garages' have not replaced engine mounting bolts when doing a cambelt. Or five days trying to diagnose a central locking fault only to find the footwell is swimming in water on a Superb. NOT!

The point is... Using a back street garage is better because more often than not the person using them either knows them or lives near to them. And in most cases if the garage makes a mistake they will hold their hands up and rectify it. (That's my experience of them at least).

Also a main dealer should never be anything less than perfect. Why? because that's what you expect them to be. They should know the cars intimately and have all the technical knowledge if any issues arise, close to hand. There really is no excuse for a main dealer not being able to diagnose and repair a fault on the first attempt. Besides everyone knows that Skoda main dealers have a shocking reputation nation-wide.

[fordfan]

Back street garages were very well when cars were simple, these days they are not. Even the most basic of todays current cars have sophisticated communications systems and having the need for specialist tools when doing mechanical work is getting more common.

It is not safe to assume that a main dealer knows the cars inside out, a dealer who has recently got a new franchise doesn't immediately know all that there is to know about the cars.

What is safe to assume is that a main dealer will invest time and money in developing its' staff, premises, equipment and procedures as laid down by the manufacturer.

For anyone to make a repair on the first visit, you need parts, in my experience alot of car drivers out there can't tell the difference between left and right, let alone the difference between a wheel and a tyre.

There is a saying:

'Buy cheap, pay twice'

[BoilingPoint]

Plug in Laptop, Run VAG-COM, contact skoda regarding code (if not sure what it means) fault diagnosed. That coveres most of the computerised electrical faults.

As for the mechanical ones... Well any decent mechanic can sort them.


Sorry.. I fail to see the reason for going to a main dealer. Why pay 2 or even 3 times the price for the same work. At least with the back street garage you can even be there watching them do it and asking questions etc... while they work on the car. So if they do come across any abnormalities, instead of them being covered up and botched you can decide on the spot what to do about them.

Anyway...

'Pays your money takes your chances'

[national]

Backstreet garages sounds a bit iffy
Shirley you mean Kerbside Motors UK

Most of our firemenxxxxxxxxxxx Kerbside Motors have the latest diagnostic tools and provide an even better service than Skoda UK
Plus they have about six non mechanics who clean and polish the car inside and out whilst the service is completed overnight so you do not have to take time off work
Delivered back to your door by 08.00 by the driver who is taken back by the big red shiney machine that accompanied the delivery
Job well done

National

[striding]

My dealer in Bury was great, but they closed and I tried Manchester for the service and MOT. They managed to scrape the front, delivered it back very late, acquire dents above the door as though someone had tried to force the door, charged more than I expected, communicated badly and then denied responsibility for the damage. Not only that, they didn't clear the service indicator or fill the service book in properly. It needed a new tyre, but they did not fit one is they 'could not contact me' despite two phone numbers, and an email address. I'm not going back there again.

They also seemed to have upset the drivers, and the staff left before the car was returned, and so could not be contacted. Is this normal for Skoda dealers?

[Captain Sisko]

Striding you have come to Parkside Bolton.
They aren't listed as a dealer on the Skoda website but they have been selling and servicing them for ages.
I always buy my parts from there

[kit]

maybe i should have slagged off my irish dealer a whole more on here and i might have had some satifaction over the issue of my seat!!!.....rather than a total feck off by skoda and a solicitors bill!!!......and a still fecked seat!!!

k

[finton]

I have a 02 fabia and have always used skoda dealers here in sussex (england) you know I think dealers are dealers once the care is out of warrenty its over the bonet time I have had enough I do whatever repairs I can myself now and that is not much tailgate struts and lights and Im going to get a back street machanic to fix my passanger window becaus I can get *^$"!!(ed closer and cheaper great cars shame about the dealers

[Swoxy]

Originally Posted by vicount

Just had Skoda on the blower, they are keeping my car for another 3 weeks, seems they are putting an entire new engine into my car(something to do with serious over heating), at their expense, they have given me a run around to use for the duration, so it seems that maybe the dealers have come up trumps on this occasion, 3 weeks will tell alot!

Quality result.
Make sure you get the paperwork to back everything up in case you sell the car.

[finton]

I wrote before but I'm new and I think my mesage got lost on the eather.
I just wanted to say in my experiance once the warrenty has worn out you can expect to be thrown over the bonnet and handled very roughly.
I have always used skoda dealers and they have always used me and even though I don't smoke it would be nice to be asked after the event.
I have taken to doing what I can myself and that aint much tailgate struts I bought a pair genuine new parts for £18 and fitted them in less than 5 minuets which was an improvment on the £78 my dealer wanted to replace just one I am not up to doing the passanger window but the machanic in this back street sounds good save me some travel some money and you never know he might kiss me first.
you are not alone finton from sussex

[vicount]

awesome repiles to my post guys and yes it SEEMS that all is going well but i still have 2 weeks before i get my car back,we shall see!

[horse7]

hi vicount,looks like a trip to the small claims court could be on the cards,try ringing your citizens advise people.is there anyone out there who can actually recommend a skoda dealer in dublin or ireland.

[youngsyd]

Not all dealers are the same.

[vicount]

had another phone call from my dealers to say that the new engine wont be in the country till the 20th of this month, they have my car off and on now since mid April, saying that the run around they gave me has been no bother its an 02 fabia with the 5k miles on it than my own even tho mine is 2 yr older, i really just want this over and done with,its dragging it heels now!

[vicount]

still waiting on Skoda, the engine only arrived in the country yesterday, or so i have been told, i wont see my car for another 2 weeks, this is starting to become a tad tiresome!

[jayc20xe]

sounds like a balls to me don't know how it can take so long to get the engine??

Good luck with it though keep us updated to how it works out

[VRSBUZZ]

Never had any problems with my local dealer. All the staff have been fantastic everytime I have needed them! And that includes when mine needed a timing belt and water pump change!! Dont tar every dealer with the same brush, being ex-motortrade myself it really hacks off those dealers and mechanics who are good and do a very good job. And my local dealer is Dennis Horton & sons of Lincoln if you want to know.

Originally Posted by BoilingPoint

What utter incompetence... That is an all to typical story of skoda dealers I'm afraid. That's why I prefer to get mine serviced locally at a back street garage that I know personally and trust.

Me thinks citizens advice is the next course of action.

I hope you get it sorted, especially as they seem to have been replacing parts with no real knowledge of how to fix the fault.

[jayc20xe]

Sounds like your the lucky one it seems that most dealers have a poor service to customers especially here in ireland sure the parts have to come from the uk, but i've ordered parts for rally cars such as diffs and they have came in 1 week why such a long wait just from the uk????

But yes your right not all dealers are bad if you find one that is helpful etc etc then keep using them - its good to build a relationship with them.

The mechanics aren't normally to blame its the suits that cause the problem, but then again i only use parts never service as i do all the work myself save all that money that the labour costs

[jayc20xe]

Bye the way viscount a good mechanic would have the engine changed in 2 days max - i did mine in 1.5 days on my own so why the 2 weeks you've waited long enough it should be prioroty now, if you were paying iy wouldn't take weeks would it????????

[vicount]

well the reason i got for the delay in the engine getting here was that skoda waterford were having trouble sourcing a new engine for that year! i dunno i feel like a mushroom, being kept in the dark and fed bull sh*t!
its been a long wait to have my car back, its been gone since mid april, all going well i hope to have her back by next fri, i do hope so as the run around they gave me has no tax disc or nct (mot) certs, also its tyres are cheap,and deadly in the wet, and i dont honestly fancy driving it much longer!