As regular readers will know I will not be going near my local main Skoda dealer again for servicing following abysmal customer service( ??) I experienced in March 2018. I run a 2013 Fabia  tsi estate which I may or may not keep until next year. Before I had the blow up with the dealer the parts department were perfectly happy to let me have parts numbers and prices for the various service parts. However this changed very soon afterwards and I now  have a very bizarre situation. They will not tell me either parts numbers or prices nor will they supply this information to my normal independent. They will though send the parts out by post to my independent if they pay in advance. Not having a part number makes it much more difficult than  it should be to  search for  cheaper OEM parts of course. Having said that, I used to be able to get an original  part number from the internet but I cant now which makes me   definitely think this policy is Skoda wide. Mitchell Skoda say this is simply  a change in their company policy but if that is true it seems very suspicious given our recent history. I dont think it is true as I have friends across the UK who own Skodas and they are finding exactly the same thing in their area. My independent says they have their own factor (as you would expect) but they also say they cannot  deal with Mitchell directly. I know for a fact that they will deal direct  with Vauxhall  and Peugeot to name but two as friends of mine who own these makes also use my independent and  dealing direct is easy and the norm. This makes me wonder if there really has been a change in just Mitchells policy or whether Skoda have issued a directive to all franchised dealers.  Obviously Mitchell will not confirm this but it is mighty suspicious. It really does seem  that Skoda are becoming much more secretive as my title says because I wrote to Skoda customer services very recently  requesting some technical information  I made it clear that  I wouldnt be using Skoda for service and Skoda simply refused to give me the information. They referred me to a pay as you use site based in the Czech Republic instead. These two things together are not  going to make anyone who is dissatisfied with Skoda suddenly start singing their praises of course. Quite the contrary I would say. I can ring Ford or Vauxhall and other car maunufacturers and  can get parts numbers over the phone as can my independent but not Skoda. Do they think that if they make difficulties people who are disaffected with them for all sorts of reasons are suddenly going to start using  Skoda again?   A friend who has a Golf says he can still get parts numbers from his main dealer and he is going to contact VW customer services to ask for technical information and will make it clear that he uses an independent. He fully expects the same response I got from Skoda. In case anyone wonders whether I remonstrated with Skoda customer services I certainly have done and have told them that being referred to a pay as you use site based in     the Czech  Republic  is an absolute disgrace and to reconsider their position. However I am not holding my breath for this to happen as I think Skoda have definitely lost the plot.  My Fabia is a good car but the back up is abysmal and if I didnt have an independent who I trust absolutely I would be in trouble as I simply dont trust either the Skoda main dealer network or Skoda themselves. I would definitely be buying another make if that were the case which wouldnt be a case of doing so voluntarily; rather, because of restrictive policies that Skoda are trying to impose on their customers. I will be very interested to learn if it is just me( highly unlikely in my opinion) or whether other Briskoda contributors have found the same sorry state of affairs. .

Just get your parts from a motor factors with the cars details.

There is nothing special needed in the way of upgraded parts other than for those with timing chain issues.

 

Say here what parts you need, what your car and engine is and others will tell you that part numbers required.

 

?

Who says it at Mitchell Skoda the parts department people?

Ask the Dealer Principal in writing if they will not help, maybe they just dont want you wasting their time when you are not buying parts from them.

TPS will supply your garage of choice or their motor factor should easily, everyone has the same information on consumables and service parts. http://tps.trade 

 

Parts you need are available from places like this. Just put in your Reg Number.

http://livingstonautoparts.co.uk 

Edited 17 July, 20187 yr by Offski

Look here

 

And there are other sites with OE part numbers. Skoda workshop manual for Fabia 2 is also available on line for free.

 

Try Googling....

 

If Skoda is refusing independents access to any servicing related data, then they are breaking the (block exemption) rules.

 

Your car is well out of warranty. Skoda and the dealers are not interested in you, except to make money out of you and perhaps break your car into the bargain. My experience indicates you are better off avoiding them when out of warranty.

Edited 18 July, 20187 yr by xman

Yes, it is the parts department at Mitchell Skoda who are refusing to supply the part numbers.Skoda are definitely  refusing independents access to servicing related data and they must know they are breaking those rules.. I wanted my independent to use Skoda parts which I why I contacted Mitchell Skoda parts dept in the first place but then got told they wouldnt supply the parts numbers. Yes, I can go to other sites and I  will do so but I wanted others to know what is happening with Skoda and parts.  I am  a  customer yet I get referred to a pay as you use site as would my independent  and this was from Skoda customer services so presumably official policy?    I take Georges point about wasting their time but they cannot assume that; I was being genuine and wanted the parts numbers so my independent could buy the parts. Crazy policies in my opinion.                         I

@hetty1 - Tl;dr. Has your Skoda dealer also hidden your return key?

Sorry, I dont understand what Ken means by that. Return the car? Its coming up for five years old  now and it cant just be returned. If Ken can elaborate that would be really helpful.

^^^ The Return Key on your PC / Laptop keyboard.    Space sentences. Easier to read.

Maybe you are on a phone though.

@hetty1 "Too Long; Didn't Read" because it's a wall of text with no paragraphing in it. And Offski's correct about that being where the (carriage) return key came into it.

I use this parts catalogue generally: https://skoda.7zap.com/en/cz/, but as offski says, if you tell us what you're looking for someone will usually help you to find it, some members even have access to the real parts catalogue as opposed to the many pirated sites.

Try to ignore Ken, or add him into the title as 'unhelpful'

 

what you need to remember is that Skoda dealerships have morphed from largely small family concerns to the large multi -"don't care if you're not paying"  outfits that we see from their "older brothers"  guess who,  ( paragraph for Mr O Neill)                             Someone has to pay for the chrome glass/fancy location/ free coffee and approved (at VW) upmarket custard creams     don't take it so hard/seriously   someone  on here will always help   

Its a shame that a serious piece with implications for others has been the object of a  rather pettifogging and certainly ambiguous comment from Ken. I now know what is like to be trolled. Of course I know about paragraphs etc, the lack of them did not detract from what was said. I didnt think someone would be so petty as to object on such puerile grounds. I think Ken needs to get a life; If he responds I will NOT be keeping this going so he needs to look for other ways of getting his fun.

Chill.

 

This is the internet and I've had far nastier bile thrown at me by one member on this site (not on this forum or thread to date). But I take comfort in understanding that the member I refer to is a self aggrandising prat and ignore his smart Alec comments.

 

Rise above it.

 

As for Mitchell Skoda, forget about them and seek advise from another dealer or independent. This forum will always give advice though its best to triple check as some advice is dodgy or downright wrong sometimes! 

 

Edited 18 July, 20187 yr by xman

I find it very hard to read a long block of text not paragraphed.

 

So I will try and say it politely. It would be a lot easier to read your post if it was split up into paragraphs.

 

More people would read it and therefore you would possibly get more helpful suggestions.

 

You could edit it for the benefit of your fellow Briskodians.

 

M8t I don't think its helpful lecturing on grammar. You can understand what Hetty is saying so just leave it be.

I be perfectly honest and frank, I don't really know what this thread is trying to achieve, any product manufacturer will have their own part numbers for units or sub units that is how manufacturers control their parts/assemblies and the assembly of their products and also provide spare parts when required.

 

If I am hell bent on finding alternative sources for OEM parts, and sometimes I am, I'll be doing all my own research probably including using the internet as a resource, I'd never ever expect that any of my local car dealerships would give me the free time to amass a list of all the parts that I might need, just so that I could then go elsewhere and buy them!  

 

For all this stuff maybe try Erwin, you pay your money, use your time and collect the facts you need - no?

I will do as xman suggests and not bother again with any of the  Skoda dealerships.  That was very good advice and it makes sense. I will be dealing 100% with my local independent from now on>  Unlike Skoda they have always been very helpful to me. I do wonder though why Skoda go out of their way to alienate people who might otherwise give them money? Thanks to everyone who responded.

Trouble is, at times you will need them for some parts that are not easily obtainable elsewhere, so using one of the online, maybe not quite up to date always parts listings for VW Group cars, you will get back in control and if you request a superseded part they will normally ignore that wrong part number and order up the current version.

My main issue with any/all the VW group dealerships near me is that they are strategically placed at traffic hot spots so going to any of them involves a lot of inconvenience, even for someone who is retired and so can pick their time.

There are a few VW Group dealerships who have parts departments that operate online and as you will no doubt know, most of them are multi franchises and lots of parts for a Skoda are also used on SEAT and VW and maybe even on Audis.

 

Edit:- my local VW dealer's parts guy seems to give me discount even on bits like sump plug sealing washers - which surprised me, he is a pleasant young guy who seems interested in his job and cars in general.  I have a VW Van Centre near me in a traffic free area, so easy to get to, but as soon as TPS was switched on properly they just could not order in any parts that where not used on VW Commercials even if I supplied the part numbers, now that was a loss and they were very apologetic about it but powerless to help.

Edited 19 July, 20187 yr by rum4mo

lets make life easier.....What parts are you after?

^^^ Exactly.

Why would an Independent garage / mechanic be wanting to get any general consumables from the local Main Dealers parts department when we are talking VW Group and not Ferrari / Fiat.

Replying to Mick Martin, Mick M. The parts in question are all for the Fabia Mark Two. Oil filter, sump plug seal washer and brake fluid for complete change. I have got prices of twenty five pounds for these three.  I have sorted out the engine oil.  I dont know much about the technical side of cars at all, the theory yes but not the practical. This will be the last service I have done as I intend changing to another make next year and do not want any problems during my last few months of ownership.  Sorry George, I just dont think its worth saving a very few pounds when I am not technically minded, thats why I want original Skoda parts. This is my  very last post on this subject, thank to everyone who responded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah, really basic service parts - as you are now preparing for this car's final service before selling it, and say that you want to do things right, just shuffle up to the parts counter of your local Skoda dealer and pay at the going rate, in fact if you have just been to that dealer for part numbers only, then you seem hellbent on wasting your own time if you came away without buying these few cheap parts?

This is not rocket science.

^^^ Exactly. £1.73 for a Sump Plug plus VAT.  Why would you not buy at the dealership, many Motor Factors say they do not have them listed.

Dont buy a washer.

 

The Oil filter to OEM spec is £5-£9 from any Motor Factors and the Parts Desk might want £9 plus VAT.

Air & Pollen Filter to OEM spec comes from any motor factory cheaper than the Skoda / VW Parts Desk.

Brake Fluid is something surely the Garage you use sources from the Motor Factor / Supplier they get all their fluids from.

 

VW Group do not make Spark  Plugs, Filters, Sump Plugs or Fluids, and because they have VW / Audi on a Box / Container does not mean they are not made by others.

Edited 20 July, 20187 yr by Offski

On 18/07/2018 at 18:30, hetty1 said:

Its a shame that a serious piece with implications for others has been the object of a  rather pettifogging and certainly ambiguous comment from Ken. I now know what is like to be trolled. Of course I know about paragraphs etc, the lack of them did not detract from what was said. I didnt think someone would be so petty as to object on such puerile grounds. I think Ken needs to get a life; If he responds I will NOT be keeping this going so he needs to look for other ways of getting his fun.

 

Most people (myself included) will simply not read a post that has no punctuation, therefore you get less (useful) replies.

Just a thought but if you are near enough to the dealer, ask them for a quote for the part. They will look it up, tell you the price and print it out on paper for you. You then have written price and part numbers to work from. Might work over the phone in an email, etc but face to face is hard for them to refuse! I have not had any issues in the past, obtaining parts numbers except a little reluctance over the phone but it usually gets sorted. My dealer even orders parts. They say they should only do it when paid for but they still do. I offered them payment over the phone but they just order it in anyway. Call or message me when it arrives, too!

3 hours ago, mrgf said:

Just a thought but if you are near enough to the dealer, ask them for a quote for the part. They will look it up, tell you the price and print it out on paper for you. You then have written price and part numbers to work from. Might work over the phone in an email, etc but face to face is hard for them to refuse! I have not had any issues in the past, obtaining parts numbers except a little reluctance over the phone but it usually gets sorted. My dealer even orders parts. They say they should only do it when paid for but they still do. I offered them payment over the phone but they just order it in anyway. Call or message me when it arrives, too!

I'd expect that when your local dealer part's man gets to know that you are not just having a laugh and ordering random parts, they are quite happy to order in the knowledge that you will turn up to pay and collect. Having a good working relationship with your local dealer can make life easier.