DGW

Bickerton Skoda
1 Gilpin Street
Off Penistone Road
Sheffield
S6 3BL


Tel. 0114 2701111
Fax. 0114 2289001
Web. www.bickertonskoda.co.uk
Email. enquiries@bickertonskoda.co.uk



NB New address.

DGW

Originally posted by Alex - Mon Nov 17, 2003

I traded in my Fabia and bought an Octavia Combi from this dealership and they have proved so far to be excellent.
The purchase was completed smoothly with little hassle a most enjoyable experience unlike Clock Garage Derby.
If i am in Sheffield i will pop into Bickertons and chat with Geoff (the salesman for my purchase) get a cup of coffee and feel like a member of their family a very big thanks to Bickertons and i recommend them wholeheartedly.

DGW

Originally posted by fabia - 14-10-2003, 09:24


sales side are a great bunch of guys really know what they are talking about and seem quite mod friendly a good 11/10
service dept dont know as no dealings with them yet. ?/10
i am very impressed with this garage!

DGW

Originally posted by skomaz - 15-10-2003, 17:52


Opposite to Fabia I'm afraid!


Sales guys didn't really want to know and wanted me to sign on the dotted line before they would tell me what the monthly payments were!


As a result I wouldn't go near them with a bargepole!

DGW

Originally posted by fabia - 15-10-2003, 18:19


who did you speak to? Jeff is a great guy dont know about anyone else though

DGW

Originally posted by skomaz - 16-10-2003, 09:01


Can't remember off the top of my head but it was a couple of years ago... tall thin guy with a 'tache... maybe different now I guess!

DGW

Originally posted by rich1068 - 16-10-2003, 20:09


Actually that sounds like Jeff. I haven't had alot to do with Bickertons but he does seem to have off and on days. We all have them


I'm very interested to know about the service side of Bickertons.

DGW

Originally posted by fabia - 17-10-2003, 15:26


i picked my car up yesterday and a salesman hung around till 6:30 for me even though they closed at 6, when i got home i realised that they had forgotten to fit the lights in the boot (removed to stop the battery draining when on display) Geoff whipped me another set out of a different car and i got a cup of coffee aswell so i am very happy with them and their service
the car was very well valeted and overall i am very pleased to bickertons

DGW

Originally posted by skomaz - 23-10-2003, 13:46


Well it looks like it's 3 to 1 against so maybe I'll try them again for servicing and see how we get on?

DGW

Originally posted by fabia - 29-10-2003, 12:42


Bickertons Are Great
they are now sorting me out with a flick key no problems

DGW

Originally posted by DaveH - Thu Jul 15, 2004

4 experiences now -


1 - Buying = very relaxed atmosphere, unaccompanied test drive, good deal offered, no pressure to buy.
2 - Small problem with rear washer. Told to pop in on Saturday (it was Friday when I rang them up), looked at it straight away, fixed and returned it within 30mins.
3 - Service = Was a freeby service, completed within 2 hrs (2hrs 20mins stated), free coffee, broadband, tv etc.
4 - Warranty - noticed the passenger air vent wasn't operating fully (the louvre bits), forced it and snapped one of them. Ordered a new part (since I did force it), collected two days later but when told the price was £30 asked whether it was a possible warranty claim. Service bloke sorted it for me, zero cost to me.


Excellent service, excellent people. I can't recommend them enough.

DGW

Originally posted by scooby - thu Sep 9, 2004

Bickertons are the MAC Daddies for Skoda!!!!!!

DGW

Originally posted by Quinch - Wed Dec 1, 2004

10k service for Fabia vRS.


Had people staying for the weekend so booked in early Sat am, told it would be 1/2-3/4 hour - while I waited. Arrived at 8:45 to be told 'It's in the queue come back after 10'. Bit irritated, but decided to wait. Eventually finished at 9:30-9:45 after they'd managed to 'push it up the list a bit'


Got home to discover they'd put the job number in the milage box of the service reciept. Apparantly they couldn't reissue with a correct number, but they did send a stamped and signed copy with the alteration.


Despite having only filled up with washer fluid a week or two before I still paid for some more.


Had a good chat with people there, very friendly. They offered to let me test one of the new Octys while they serviced, but Sheffield too icy! Will probably go back in another 10k.

DGW

Originally posted by Dazza - Thu Mar 3, 2005

These guys are great. THey took on the warranty work on my first Octy when Barker's of South Milford closed. I bought my 2nd Octy from them and just bought my FAbia vRS from them 01/03/2005.
Sales staff great and friendly, easy going atmosphere
Service staff go that extra mile, even wash the car after a service.
Cannot praise these guys enough.

uncle bulgaria

Would agree with most of the positive comments about this lot. Haven't been a long standing customer, however things like pricing and quality control seemed to have slipped a little from the time I started using them. I know they have a new service manager who is ex-VW, and as such prices seem to have "gone up a little" compared to other dealers in the area, for example £250 was quoted price for supply only of curse control stalk on an Octy 2! every one else was about £100 cheaper!

Also made a comple hash of fitting my towbar electrics, loads of broken/damaged trim; relays & fuses just left hanging loose under the bonnet & live wires pushed through the bulkhead with no gromets!! They will correct their faults however, which is something others won't! On other days they have simply been superb & pulled out all the stops!

I just hope this is a phase as it would be a shame to loose the high standards they used to have!

gord

I've only got 6 days left on my warranty and rear door has started leaking.
I was told they could fix the car before the warranty ran out but didn't have a courtesy car available.
When I explained I need one and the week after I will be away on holiday,they said no problem,we'll fix it when you come back. (for free,after warranty has ended).
Absolutely brilliant service!

Mike UK

We got our fabia from there yesterday (02 plate) was suprised how friendly the service was was shocked we didnt get the hard sell which is unusual for a car dealers!

Actually when we picked the car we arrived 8 mins before the place shut we were offered a coffee and were explained the inns and outs of everything before we signed think the salesman was Tony linsay?

Would definetly use them again

EDIT
Had a few problems with the fabia went in needing the rear washer jet fixing (was leaking into boot) was loosing coolant rear doors were leaking the heating went dodgy probs dodgy flap motor

Collected the car trim was hanging off the bottom of the centre console they clipped it back on for me the usb cable was stretched that lives in the glovebox that comes from the headunit (they were told 3 times about that!)

the car now rattles from the front left of the dashboard was a lot of squeaking from the boot on way back tried back washer didnt work opened boot = boot trim panel on head! its still leaking due to the connector being cracked too!.

On the plus side they seem to have sorted out the problem with the heating and the coolant loss ..shame they overfilled the header tank though!

Very not happy its going back tomorow to get it sorted shame we live in Huddersfield and they are in Sheffield sick of driving there and back.

octimark

I bought my Fabia vRS from Bickertons (March 07) and my experience was almost painless (apart from handing over the cash, lol).

We were originally looking at a 1.9TDi Fabia Estate. We called in one Saturday morning and the place was very busy. We spoke to one of the sale guys and he asked us a couple of questions and then asked if we would like a test drive. We said yes, he took a copy of our license handed us the keys to a demo and told us to come back in an hour or two. Ive never been offered an unaccompanied test drive so quickly before.

We went out for an hour and both really like the car. The place was still really busy and we waited around for the sales guy (who was busy with someone else). He acknowledged us and as soon as he could came over and asked us if we could wait. We waited but we had another appointment so we didnt get chance to speak to him much. The out come of the visit was we liked the car and were interested in a used car (test drove almost new demo) he said come back at a more suitable time and their general policy was to let people have a drive of the car and come back intheir own time, non pressure tatic.

It worked for us and we went back a few weeks later looked at what they had and spoke to Paul (sales). He checked the stock and they only had 1 estate so we had a look at that but it was slightly over our budget (£8,750). We discussed the best deal and after the usual push and pull a bottom line deal was £8,500. They only offered us peanuts for our trade in as thats the best price they could sell it on for. I said the deal wasnt good enough and I would sell ourcar private and come back for a cash deal.

Went back a week later and had changed our minds, we previously had a quick look at an 51 plate Fabia hatch 1.9TDi at £5k ish. I went in to do a cash deal on that one but someone had a deposit on it so we looked through the stock records and through the course of the conversation chatted about the vRS. Paul offered me a test drive and I said it was out of my budget (more than I wanted to spend) but always fancied a drive in one. He said no problem and we took the 06 demo out there and then.

To cut a long story short (its long enough already) by the time I was in 2nd gear I was buying one. Awsome car and VFM you cant go wrong. So the negotaitions started again. 04 plate Fabia vRS, 15k on the clock, £8,500 screen price. The best deal I could manage was £8,200 with 12 months tax, mats, standard 12 month warrenty and brakedown cover. I was dissapointed I couldnt do better but I know I pushed it hard and the sales manager came out and said that was the best they could do.

Put a deposit down and apart from a delay in getting the car (it was a trade in on a new SE) which wasnt Bickertons fault although it was starting to get annoying we had no problems what so ever. They checked and cleaned the car within 2 days and when I picked it up went through the documents, handed over the money signed the papers, checked the car and drove off.

It was exactley as described (mint) and had no problems with the car or the service we received.

We also had dealings with Gordan Lamb in Chesterfield and they were exactley as most cars sales places are. Not that helpful (we felt like they were not bothered at all) and wanted a deal done there and then before they would continue a conversation. I did receive a phone call from one of the sales staff informing me of a car that suited our requirements but when I phoned back he basically said if I didnt come and look at it straight away it would be sold quick because it was "so good". I replied by saying I appreciate they cant hold cars without a deposit but I was away on business for a couple of days and would call in on my return. The reply was dont bother it wont be here, so I didnt.

In summary: I would recommend Bickertons and I will continue using them for service and repair work. Every ones entitled to a few short falls along the way and unless they screw up in a big way I think they are way above the competition.

Like anything, it depends on the day you go but give them a try, in several visits we have nothing bad to say about Bickertons. Their attitude and customer service made a refreshing change to the norm.

__________________
I'm not young enough to know everything!

04 Silver Fabia VRS & 54 Silver Octavia VRS........Skoda all the way

GordonC

Hi folks, I'm new to this site so unlikely to be recognised!

I bought my Fabia vrs from Bickertons in February this year and, while I can't praise the garage highly enough for friendly and positive attitude, they just haven't been able to get things right for me. When signing I was told the amount I would be paying and that the DD payment date could be moved as and when, yet once I had signing the paperwork I found the payment stated on the finance document more than the sales order. I was also then told it would be £30 to change the DD date, oh, and that there had been a £100 documention fee added to my finance. All of which I was never told!

They refunded all over payments after I wrote to them which was really pleasing. However, the car is a 55 plate and had done 7k miles when bought it from them, yet:

- rattle from backseat. This I noted on the test drive and was told it was the test plate. Not so.
- rattle from glovebox, as above.
- rattle from speedo-cover when around 2k revs
- all wheels corroded on (clearly never been removed yet Bickertons stamped service book as having been serviced at 7k, how if the wheels have never been off??)
- car pulling to the left, and again 2 weeks after resolved.

I've been back to them 6 times in total and each time they have been very helpful and friendly, yet they have never got to the bottom of the problems. I eventually went to DM Keith (Leeds) who sorted the back seat after 1 visit. The glovebox rattle has never been sorted although Bickertons told me twice they were ordering a part and I needed to come back. Booked in twice to do this yet both times no part had been ordered. The wheels were removed and corrosion sorted during one of the visits. Speedo cover rattle never resolved. Pulling to the left issue resolved but came back. Resolved again and has not come back (touch wood!).

Overall its a really friendly place and salespeople really helpful, but the whole experience was soured by just not getting their act together sorting all these little niggles.

Maybe I have just been unlucky as others I spoke with in the garage said they had a great reputation!

EDIT

Offside back door has now started leaking too. All of the above has happened in 4 months of ownership. Won't be going back.

Gordon

uncle bulgaria

I think this has been a similar problem for me. SWMBO's Fabia came from an even more disasterous dealer, however we bought our Octavia from Bickertons and this was a very good experience. What hasn't been so good has been their sucess rate of fixing faults. I average over 2 visits for each problem they have to fix. The first visit diagnoses "a" fault and fixes that, the second vist is to find that that wasn't the cause of the fault and do another fix!!

However don't think that this is unique to Bickertons, it seems that it is common to most of the VW family (i've had similar problems with both VW & Audi dealers!). There seems to be a code of employing only one "master technician" per dealer. That's the person you want fixing your car!! When this person works on our cars, the sucess rate is far better!

However I will be trying out Gordon Lambs at Chesterfield in the near future as they have a new Service Manager. This guy looked after our family cars previously (another make, at another makes site) & was properly "on the ball!". So if he has shaken things up there, things might be better! They are certainly cheaper! I think I have already commented that Bickertons quote for my second variable service was about £100 more expensive than every other dealer in Derbyshire & Yorkshire!. I asked why they were more than everyone else and was told "we wash your car."

Don't know what the going rate is for a car wash, but £100 seemed to be less than a bargain to me I will miss Shaun, who I understand has now left Bickertons Service Department. I had known him for years (through most of the VW chain), and he was a voice of reason when it came to moderating the final bill. He often used to do things for us at "trade discount" so as to keep the costs in line with other dealers. Good luck Shaun in your future ventures, you will be missed by us (& my wallet!)!