Total DISSATISFACTION from Skoda Customer Care

[Rob-vrs21]

As people maybe aware, I purchased a fabia vrs 1.4tsi in september last year, which from day 1 had problems listed below:

1) Ipod cable not working (not a big provlem)

2) Used 750ml oil in 300mile so told to do consumption test.

3) car cut out making me late for work turned out to be faulty fuel pump.

4) while car was in for fuel pump i asked for engine to be replaced.

5) new engine had a faulty turbo so left me without the car for another week.

6) dash rattles really annoying.

7) sat in traffic on a hill, lights came on dash and hill hold stop working and nearly rolled into someone turned out to be faulty brake light sensor and wiring loom issue.

These fault left me without my car for 40 days plus i did 330miles going backwards and forwards to the dealer plus used a total of 5 litres of oil while i had the car. The car had done 10,000miles when the dealer got it back.

After the final problem i rejected the car and asked for a replacement but i didnt want a fabia, so now i have a octavia vrs which has cost me an extra £3500. I asked skoda customer care to consider making a contribution towards the extra cost i have incurred due to there poor car quality (i understand i didnt have to have a dearer car). The reply i got from Skoda Executive Team was that they have done everything they legally need to do so are not willing to do anymore (fair enough), so i said well i will be looking at every other manufacturer before choosing skoda for my next car, and the i got was "well we are not going to invest in your future purchases", this to me tells me they don't rate there customer service (the octavia i am chuffed to bits with and would of considered another after this but not now) as a family we have spent £60,000 with group and because of the experience i have had its going to be last for a long time.

So overall i had a car for 7 months that i couldn't trust to get me anywhere and 7 months of hassle for skoda to take the car off me give me a new car which i have been charged for a no method of good will or respect for my experiance.

Totally dissatisfied of how Skoda have valued me as a customer.

Edited 8 July, 2012 by Rob-vrs21

[gadgetman]

To be fair you asked them to contribute then tell them you'll be buying another brand.

I'd have pushed them further and harder before dropping such a negotiation killer.

Only option now seems to go legal to recover any substantiated costs incurred or losses.

[Ootohere]

Did i not just read,

He rejected a Fabia and replaced with an Octavia,

is that not the same Brand, ie Skoda/Vag ?

george

[Rob-vrs21]

I accepted the replacement of an octavia on the condition i was getting a cheque for £2700 however the day before i was picking the octavia up skoda refused to pay it, so it left me in a tough position as i wanted octavia however it would of just been principle and shooting myself in the foot. So pursued the money afterwards and took it higher than customer care ad was basically told they dont need to do any more, so...

[Ootohere]

I would look on the bright side, there is a silver lining..

You could have lost very much more money with the Fabia vRS right now

See the drop in value the vRS would have suffered since September even if perfect now.

Much more than just the 20% VAT as you drive out of a showroom plus the normal depriciation,

& then there is the VAT free on offer bit happening now including the vRS.

Verbal agreements are never worth the paper they are not written on.

Without the offer in writing you were stuck.

If you have a letter or Email or even witnesses then you will get your money and costs paid and possibly even compensation for their behaviour.

Tough s,ituation really.

all the best.

george

Edited 8 July, 2012 by sk4gw

[Rob-vrs21]

I would look on the bright side, there is a silver lining..

You could have lost very much more money with the Fabia vRS right now

See the drop in value the vRS would have suffered since September even if perfect now.

Much more than just the 20% VAT as you drive out of a showroom plus the normal depriciation,

& then there is the VAT free on offer bit happening now including the vRS.

Verbal agreements are never worth the paper they are not written on.

Without the offer in writing you were stuck.

If you have a letter or Email or even witnesses then you will get your money and costs paid and possibly even compensation for their behaviour.

Tough s,ituation really.

all the best.

george

Yeah i know, all i can tell myself is iv tried my best and have to move, i mean iv got a brand new octavia vrs for 17,000 so..not all is bad.

I had the cash back offer wrote on the finance agreement but that was from the dealer not skoda. Just one of them things its just a real shame as the dealer have been fantastic through everything and the octavia so far 2000miles in no problems touch wood, an the i like skoda cars but don't think i could have another just out of principle.

Cheer george

Edited 8 July, 2012 by Rob-vrs21

[Clunkclick]

Yea. Give 'em a chance. After all, they"ve only been making, monoque chassis, transerve engined front wheel drive vehicles for the last. 60 years. Takes time to de-snagg everything . . . .

Saw their bloody legs off using the Sale of Goods act.

Nick

Edited 8 July, 2012 by Clunkclick

[Rob-vrs21]

Yea. Give 'em a chance. After all, they"ve only been making, monoque chassis, transerve engined front wheel drive vehicles for the last. 60 years. Takes time to de-snagg everything . . . .

Saw their bloody legs off using the Sale of Goods act.

Nick

Haha, i used the sales of goods act which worked fine and have don't everything they 'NEED' legally for sales of goods act and wont do any more :(

[Aspman]

Mentions of BBC Watchdog, Trading Standards (phone the one local to them not you) and any other consumer focussed TV program or newspaper column.

These things tend to oil the wheels within organisations. If you've got teh offer of £2700 in writing which they have then gone back on I be threatening them with the papers. Daily Fail loves that sort of thing.

[P6bJOHN]

Source out all the car magazines which have annual reliability/customer service lists and send them the details. One well drafted letter cc'd to everyone and Skoda GB. If everyone who had poor quality service from Skoda or their dealers did this they might start to listen. I personally had excellent service from Skoda Customer services, but there appears to be level of dealer/Skoda dissatisfaction which is increasing on this website.

[Rob-vrs21]

Thankyou for that, iv looked at tv programme dont get done get dom, also there is what car, auto express and autocar i am looking at, and i thought newspaper would be a good one cause they thrive off of trouble causing haha

[Rob-vrs21]

Iv just looked at trading standards and it says: products must be as described, could this include the finance agreement that i agreed to (not signed anything but have on paper) originally then when the car got delivered they said no to it

[Aspman]

Give trading standard a call anyway. They've always been very helpful when I've called for advice. They like a good investigation.

[Rob-vrs21]

Give trading standard a call anyway. They've always been very helpful when I've called for advice. They like a good investigation.

I think I'm going to, if theres nothing that can be done then at least iv tried. Thank you for the advice

[250vrs]

Good luck rob, it does leave a sour taste in your mouth especially when it's your pride and joy

I had a similar issue but not as bad so know how you feel!!

Andy

[Rob-vrs21]

Good luck rob, it does leave a sour taste in your mouth especially when it's your pride and joy

I had a similar issue but not as bad so know how you feel!!

Andy

Thank you, yes i mean if the fabia had not been such an issue for me or trustworthy i would of kept the car, i was 20 when i ordered the fabia which i lived 220miles from home with my job where i saved every penny i could to buy the car that took 6 months to be delivered from ordering and then to leave me 30+ days without the car, 330miles worth of petrol backwards and forwards to dealer and to fork out for 5 litres of oil, and yes iv got an octavia which i was promised a cheque for the difference then day the car got delivered to the dealer they refused to pay the cheque leaving me in a very difficult position as m parents were away who could help me and guide me in the right direction and then to be told they dont want to invest in my future purchases just shows how they value my custom.

Plan action is:

- WhatCar magazine.

- see what trading standards think.

- letter to Volkswagen Group showing my disgust.

[250vrs]

Also put a comment in the dealers blog!

If people come to the site don,t join but read, let them see how poor that dealers is!!!!

I have to say with my experience with my dealers I will be taking my car to another to be serviced, and never buy a car from them again!

Andy

[Rob-vrs21]

Oh its not the dealer its Skoda themselves that have no respect for the amount of money i have spent with them.

[250vrs]

Sorry rob crossed wires!!!!

That is a disgrace that they have done that to you, especially when skoda clean sweep,s the awards and then there is people like yourself, and others, who won,t speak out, an absolute disgrace

Keep us posted about it!!

[gianthotdog]

Sorry Rob but sounds like a case of "could try harder" from your dealer.

They have really messed you around. If that had happened to me I would have caused the biggest scene possible!! Dealers don't like big scenes, they are terrible for business.

The dealer has had two new cars registered out of you. You bought your origional fabia from your dealer, your contract is with your dealer!!

They are your best friend before you buy and don't seem to care for you after.

[Rob-vrs21]

Haha its fine.

Yeah i see where your coming from, I'm going into trading standards tomorrow also to see what options i have. I couldn't believe how little they care about customers, i even said im going to speak to vw group as, as a family we have spent £60k+ in the last years kn cars and will from the executive team at skoda just said there is no point as it would just get passed back to him so you can imagine how i feel...Argh!!

Well if you are up on facebook i am going to place a status also saying 'I am off to trading Standards to speak to them about Skoda UK' and tag there official page in it just so it goes on skoda facebook page also as bad publicity.

I will keep an update as to how i get on.

[ardandy]

I had an issue with Skoda (mainly dealer but both involved).

Things only started to happen at Skoda UK once I asked for an official response, ie an email/letter from Skoda stating their position. This has to be done by a department who can make things official and send out a statement which has to be done carefully in their eyes.

A week after I asked it was bounced back to cust services to sort out as those above didn't want it going any further.

I also sent an email to the UK director of Skoda who recieved it and passed it onto his people. Couldn't believe it actually worked!

[Rob-vrs21]

I had an issue with Skoda (mainly dealer but both involved).

Things only started to happen at Skoda UK once I asked for an official response, ie an email/letter from Skoda stating their position. This has to be done by a department who can make things official and send out a statement which has to be done carefully in their eyes.

A week after I asked it was bounced back to cust services to sort out as those above didn't want it going any further.

I also sent an email to the UK director of Skoda who recieved it and passed it onto his people. Couldn't believe it actually worked!

I am still waiting for my letter to confirm what we discussed, but just spoke to trading standards and they have told to send a letter stating that they are breaching contract as the original agreement we agreed i have on paper they have not complied to.

Also i found a nice little poster in my local skoda dealer today when i nipped in, dont know if you all will be able to read it:

[cheezemonkhai]

Actions do speak louder than words, which is why when you leave a person who has chosen you for their new car shafted, they tend not to come back and tell all their mates not to bother too.

[patreeko]

ardandy you did well. I ended up washing my hands of all things Skoda as a result of my dealings with customer services after my fabia cut out totally in lane 2 of the A1.

The throttle body died and was replaced at a considerable cost. I contacted customer services and they basically said, "Tough." I contacted their director who passed it back down the chain to customer services with instructions to tell me, "Tough, not our problem."

Consequence is I sold the car at a massive loss and advise anyone who is contemplating a Skoda of my story and to tell them not to but OV 03 LZP.

Seriously disappointed with Skoda. Will never buy another one of their products.