Anyone else bought an Approved Used Skoda and found that the warranty is practically worthless? It's supposed to cover "all components" with the usual wear and tear exclusions, which is fair enough, but anything I have raised with my local dealer (rhymes with Timpsons) has pretty much resulted in a "not covered under warranty Sir" response. I've had a few issues with my car - nothing major but still defects/issues that shouldn't happen on a <4 year old car with 30k on it. Still paid nearly £15k for it too.

 

1) Rear demister causes loss of DAB signal - They acknowledged it, but advised it wasn't covered under warranty. Was told I'd need to pay £108 + VAT for diagnostic time while they try and locate the problem. Couldn't advise an estimated time needed to investigate. No worries then... will just write a blank cheque for an issue you might not be able to locate!

 

2) Front assist sensor frequently shows "front assist not available - no sensor view" - Asked the dealer about this.... again not covered under warranty (even Manufacturer's) and requires a re-calibration at £450.

 

They also couldn't find any issue with my car after it broke down and was towed to the dealer last weekend after misfiring and going into limp mode. They actually blamed me and said that because I'd used OBDEleven to check for fault codes before it went in, all the fault codes were wiped and they couldn't see any faults. Definitely hadn't wiped them, and I'm certain it doesn't wipe them either.

 

Severely considering selling my car and moving on to a different brand. It's been a great car whilst working, but now I've found issues the dealership have been absolutely useless and I'm being told to accept faults on a <4 year old car or hand over hundreds of pounds.

 

Amazes me that Skoda are ranked amongst the best Manufacturers for Customer Service! The dealer has also been very rude throughout my dealings over the past few week or two also. Went to pick it up and was just handed the key - no explanation or report of what they'd investigated. Asked if I could have a report of what they have done whilst it was in, was literally told "I can print you a piece of paper saying no fault found". They also phoned me last week and told me I'd only have the VW replacement car for 2 days (was told by VW replacement team it was 5) and when they checked their facts, they didn't bother to call me back or apologise for the confusion/error on their part.

 

TL:DR - Skoda ownership frustrating and disapponting at the minute, local dealer useless and has zero customer service.

Edited 25 September, 20178 yr by ahenners

Hmm, point 1 should be covered (IMO) but point 2, no (again IMO). Skoda can’t be responsible for repair costs if something hits/moves the radar which causes it to stop working. That’s just bad luck. 

 

With that said, dealer sounds a bit **** though.

1 minute ago, SC03OTT said:

Hmm, point 1 should be covered (IMO) but point 2, no (again IMO). Skoda can’t be responsible for repair costs if something hits/moves the radar which causes it to stop working. That’s just bad luck. 

 

With that said, dealer sounds a bit **** though.

 

On point 2) As far as I'm aware nothing has hit or moved the radar. It works some of the time and others it shows the error. This afternoon when it showed I was on a relatively empty motorway so no real reason it should have been unavailable and the sensor unable to work out what was ahead.

 

Seems like an intermittent fault rather than something which has caused it to act this way.

With regards point 2, I have ACC and I have noticed that the sensor can have trouble in certain circumstances for example

 

The blackwall tunnel, sometimes this happens while driving through there

 

The new concreate dividers on the motorway, if the outside lane is too close to the barrier then the system fails. 

 

 

Seems to not like solid walls close to either side of the car basically.

Just in August you posted about a petrol smell and posted a Fuel Pump picture, 

did you have that issue a month ago checked out?

Alot of the time dealers will refuse warranty claims without asking Skoda UK. One reason is labour time charged to the dealer from a warranty claim is less than half of what Joe public pays, they loose money on a warranty claim

12 minutes ago, Headinawayoffski said:

Just in August you posted about a petrol smell and posted a Fuel Pump picture, 

did you have that issue a month ago checked out?

 

I raised it with Skoda Assist who sent an AA guy to take a look. He couldn't see/smell the issue so wasn't too concerned with it after that. Wiped the residue off the fuel pump and neither that or the smell came back.

 

It broke down last weekend and was misfiring like hell with a strong unburnt petrol smell and thick smoke from the exhausts but don't think the two are related really.

14 minutes ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

Alot of the time dealers will refuse warranty claims without asking Skoda UK. One reason is labour time charged to the dealer from a warranty claim is less than half of what Joe public pays, they loose money on a warranty claim

 

This makes sense.. I almost got the impression they hadn't really gone to Skoda - even though they said they had. They were more than happy to quote me a significant diagnostic cost instead...

 

Skoda Customer services weren't particular useful either, raised it with them and they pretty much said it's up to the dealer and the warranty administrator. This appears to be the lovely person I dealt with as mentioned on the original post 

No point messing around, if it is SIMPSONS Skoda as well just saying that.

Tom Jones sung a song that was appropriate for them & it was not Green Green grass of home.

Edited 25 September, 20178 yr by Headinawayoffski

There is of course the car dealer's incredibile inability to find anything wrong with anything which could conceivably be covered by warranty. Skoda dealers pretty good at this.

26 minutes ago, Octy0GG said:

There is of course the car dealer's incredibile inability to find anything wrong with anything which could conceivably be covered by warranty. Skoda dealers pretty good at this.

 

It does seem that way. Car went in with fault codes that mysteriously disappeared and "no faults found". Everything else that was found was "not covered" 

If the warranty says "all components" then it should 'kin well cover all components. 

 

Obviously, some items 'can' be damaged through use, but if there is a clear defect on the car, the dealer needs to attend to it, for free. Including diagnostics. 

 

Otherwise, what's the *#~€ing point. 

 

I have a used approved "all components" warranty until May '18 and I do wonder what it actually covers. I had Columbus concerns earlier in the week when Navigation wouldn't come on (now resolved) and was worried it wouldn't be covered. I was certainly not given any small print to read when I bought the car in May (second hand).  

 

Does anyone know who currently underwrites the Skoda used approved one year warranty? 

4 minutes ago, dunc69 said:

Does anyone know who currently underwrites the Skoda used approved one year warranty? 

 

lawshield  

8 minutes ago, dunc69 said:

If the warranty says "all components" then it should 'kin well cover all components. 

 

Obviously, some items 'can' be damaged through use, but if there is a clear defect on the car, the dealer needs to attend to it, for free. Including diagnostics. 

 

Otherwise, what's the *#~€ing point. 

 

I have a used approved "all components" warranty until May '18 and I do wonder what it actually covers. I had Columbus concerns earlier in the week when Navigation wouldn't come on (now resolved) and was worried it wouldn't be covered. I was certainly not given any small print to read when I bought the car in May (second hand).  

 

Does anyone know who currently underwrites the Skoda used approved one year warranty? 

 

Completely agree and that's how I felt after being knocked back for various things with the dealer that don't work as they should.

 

You should have received a booklet with the car on the approved used cover, but essentially it can be found here in PDF format:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://vwfsinsuranceportal.co.uk/Documents/Skoda/28876_SKODA_NON_VWG_Approved_used_warranty_doc_v1.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwius8XVpMHWAhUFJ1AKHWhJDoQQFghmMAQ&usg=AFQjCNFa23m5Nj9KDAUgPraJqx5MIWhKYw

 

There is specifically an exclusion in there for:

 

"The failure of any fixed or portable in 
car entertainment systems or satellite 
navigation system."

 

Presumably this exclusion does include the Columbus system or any other variant; Bolero, Amundsen etc.

 

Ultimately it's underwritten by the VW Group; "Volkswagen Versicherung AG". Wonder if the fallout from dieselgate is driving some serious penny pinching and cutbacks behind the scenes on various things including avoidable warranty work.

Edited 25 September, 20178 yr by ahenners

Thanks AG & ahenners. 

 

VW's blurb says:

 

What is covered
We will pay for the costs of repairing or 

replacing the factory-fitted mechanical and electrical components of your vehicle that have suffered sudden failure during the period of cover subject to the maximum claim limit and the terms and conditions of this Warranty.

 

So, odd that infotainment is excluded! It's electrical is it not? It's a rip-off. 

26 minutes ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

 

lawshield  

 

I think they administer but don't do the underwriting.

 

3 minutes ago, dunc69 said:

Thanks AG & ahenners. 

 

VW's blurb says:

 

What is covered
We will pay for the costs of repairing or 

replacing the factory-fitted mechanical and electrical components of your vehicle that have suffered sudden failure during the period of cover subject to the maximum claim limit and the terms and conditions of this Warranty.

 

So, odd that infotainment is excluded! It's electrical is it not? It's a rip-off. 

 

Agreed bit rubbish. Given you control a good chunk of the car through it, it's a slight inconvenience if it dies. It's a factory fitted component that should last the lifetime of the vehicle, and therefore should be covered imo.

 

It seems the warranty is only as good as how hard your dealer is prepared to push for a warranty claim. Based on what AG mentioned about the costs they are reimbursed for warranty work, it's not difficult to see why they don't push as hard as they probably could if they only get half as much...

9 hours ago, ahenners said:

It seems the warranty is only as good as how hard your dealer is prepared to push for a warranty claim. Based on what AG mentioned about the costs they are reimbursed for warranty work, it's not difficult to see why they don't push as hard as they probably could if they only get half as much...

 

Skoda are tightening there grip on dealers, bit different but I believe all Skoda arrive from the Factory with the oil on the minimunm mark, the dealer has to put one litre of oil in to take it to the maximum level. The dealer cannot reclaim the price of the oil so again they loose out.  Skoda sell say 20 million cars world wide and therefore save 20 million litres of oil, that a lot of money saved.  I can understand when they reject warranty work without asking.

10 minutes ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

 

Skoda are tightening there grip on dealers, bit different but I believe all Skoda arrive from the Factory with the oil on the minimunm mark, the dealer has to put one litre of oil in to take it to the maximum level. The dealer cannot reclaim the price of the oil so again they loose out.  Skoda sell say 20 million cars world wide and therefore save 20 million litres of oil, that a lot of money saved.  I can understand when they reject warranty work without asking.

 

Interesting if this is actually true, even with the bulk buying the dealers do for oil, it's still a significant cost offloaded by Skoda onto the dealers.

Edited 26 September, 20178 yr by ahenners

Just now, ahenners said:

 

Interesting if this is actually true, even with the bulk buying the dealers do for oil, it's still a significant cost offloaded by Skoda onto the dealers.

 

 

Skoda have stopped fitting the sound proofing under the bonnet, the Octavia MKIII one costs around £20, even more saving

Auric Goldfinger,

 do you want to share where the story on the oil comes from, a technician, sales executive, principal dealer or an-other?

 

Great story, and surely, Autocar, What Car, Pistonheads, Auto Express, VW Driver etc etc etc will want to pick up on that!

Just now, Headinawayoffski said:

Auric Goldfinger,

 do you want to share where the story on the oil comes from, a technician, sales executive, principal dealer or an-other?

 

Great story, and surely, Autocar, What Car, Pistonheads, Auto Express, VW Driver etc etc etc will want to pick up on that!

 

It came from the Service Department from my local dealer. We were talking about the Warranty/servicing on my 230 when it was poorly.  I very much doubt that Skoda arn't breaking the rules regarding low oil providing the dealer puts it to the right level before delivery to the customers.

All the Showrooms in the Skoda Dealers have had major upgrades and the dealers footed the bill, either that or loose the franchise.

So we will know where the source of this truth or fake news / internet myth comes from,

the Service Department of your local dealership, those doing the PDI's.

 

So they say the New Vehicles arrive off the transporters with the Oil at Minimum and they have to put in 1 litre to bring the oil to the 

quantity that the engines should run at, is that right?

 

eg,

if it should be a 4.2 litre capacity it has only 3.2 litres is.

Edited 26 September, 20178 yr by Headinawayoffski