22 replies to this topic

[AJH]

Bought a new Octavia Estate 4 years ago and it is rusting.  Skoda Warranty denied the claim on the basis that the car had been damaged and re-painted...which it hasn't.  I took the matter up with the so called "Customer Services" who have shown no interest whatsoever.  Until this episode I had been very happy with the car, so much so that I intended buying a Superb Estate this Autumn.  Not so now.

Don't deal with this company!

[Nick_H]

AJH, on 01 May 2010 - 08:38, said:

Bought a new Octavia Estate 4 years ago and it is rusting.  Skoda Warranty denied the claim on the basis that the car had been damaged and re-painted...which it hasn't.  I took the matter up with the so called "Customer Services" who have shown no interest whatsoever.  Until this episode I had been very happy with the car, so much so that I intended buying a Superb Estate this Autumn.  Not so now.

Don't deal with this company!

Why do they think the car has been damaged and re-painted ?

[Longdog]

AJH, on 01 May 2010 - 08:38, said:

Bought a new Octavia Estate 4 years ago and it is rusting.  Skoda Warranty denied the claim on the basis that the car had been damaged and re-painted...which it hasn't.  I took the matter up with the so called "Customer Services" who have shown no interest whatsoever.  Until this episode I had been very happy with the car, so much so that I intended buying a Superb Estate this Autumn.  Not so now.

Don't deal with this company!

Sorry to hear about your issue, I've only had one warranty claim with my Octavia and that was dealt with brilliantly and I've found my local dealers service to be first class - better than that of some of my previous cars.  Don't let one bad experiance put you off buying a car that you'd planned to buy, just go to another dealer.

good luck with whatever you decide to purchase next.

Paul

[AJH]

Nick_H, on 01 May 2010 - 08:42, said:

Why do they think the car has been damaged and re-painted ?

They sent an inspector who checked the thickness of paint etc and he declared that he was "almost 100% sure" that the car had been damaged.  I checked with the main dealer who supplied the car new and he confirmed that no work had been carried out by  them and suggested that the damage and repair (if it exists) probably happened in transit from the factory.  However, it seems that there is no record of this.  If damage has indeed occured, Skoda are covering the matter up.  In any event, it is not my problem and, as the matter has been going on since February, I am now considering legal action.

[AJH]

Longdog, on 01 May 2010 - 08:46, said:

Sorry to hear about your issue, I've only had one warranty claim with my Octavia and that was dealt with brilliantly and I've found my local dealers service to be first class - better than that of some of my previous cars.  Don't let one bad experiance put you off buying a car that you'd planned to buy, just go to another dealer.

good luck with whatever you decide to purchase next.

Paul

Thanks Paul.  I don't have an issue with the dealer who has tried hard to help but 'Customer Service' simply do not return his calls.  He is hitting his head against a wall!  I also have made about 10 calls to Skoda, sent them high re. photo's etc. but with a total lack of response.  They will really have to do something serious to get me to buy another car from the VW Group!

[Nick_H]

AJH, on 01 May 2010 - 08:57, said:

Thanks Paul.  I don't have an issue with the dealer who has tried hard to help but 'Customer Service' simply do not return his calls.  He is hitting his head against a wall!  I also have made about 10 calls to Skoda, sent them high re. photo's etc. but with a total lack of response.  They will really have to do something serious to get me to buy another car from the VW Group!

Would it be possible to get a third party opinion ? If you do and he says it has never been painted could you take them to Small Claims ?

[jrw]

Go to Trading Standards and threaten small claims.  Its taken me 18months to get 2 new wings put on my 5 year old Bora but that was a gesture of goodwill which I wasn't happy about as quite clearly it is a warranty/manufacturers defect issue.

It was a long drawn out process, emails everywhere but don't give in.  Take your car to an independent VAG approved body shop ( I took mine to Shorade in Cannock) and get them to assess it - goes well for trading standards and small claims then.

[AJH]

Yes Nick, it's on the cards for next week.  Thanks

[AJH]

jrw, on 01 May 2010 - 09:20, said:

Go to Trading Standards and threaten small claims.  Its taken me 18months to get 2 new wings put on my 5 year old Bora but that was a gesture of goodwill which I wasn't happy about as quite clearly it is a warranty/manufacturers defect issue.

It was a long drawn out process, emails everywhere but don't give in.  Take your car to an independent VAG approved body shop ( I took mine to Shorade in Cannock) and get them to assess it - goes well for trading standards and small claims then.

Trading Standards is a good idea, thanks.  I have no intention of giving up...it 's now a point of principle.

[snorbans]

AJH, on 01 May 2010 - 08:38, said:

Bought a new Octavia Estate 4 years ago and it is rusting.  Skoda Warranty denied the claim on the basis that the car had been damaged and re-painted...which it hasn't.  I took the matter up with the so called "Customer Services" who have shown no interest whatsoever.  Until this episode I had been very happy with the car, so much so that I intended buying a Superb Estate this Autumn.  Not so now.

Don't deal with this company!

Have a look at my posting ( #9 http://briskoda.net/...-skoda-watford/) re rust warranty claims.  Experience suggests you will get satisfaction if you doggedly pursue the matter, gather the evidence to support your case and initiate County Court proceedings once you reach a dead-end with the dealer or SUK.  If you have a case, SUK will be keen to keep the matter out of court to avoid the adverse publicity.  Good luck.

[james26]

AJH, on 01 May 2010 - 08:38, said:

Bought a new Octavia Estate 4 years ago and it is rusting.  Skoda Warranty denied the claim on the basis that the car had been damaged and re-painted...which it hasn't.  I took the matter up with the so called "Customer Services" who have shown no interest whatsoever.  Until this episode I had been very happy with the car, so much so that I intended buying a Superb Estate this Autumn.  Not so now.

Don't deal with this company!

Where is it rusting? or any photos.

james.

[AJH]

james26, on 01 May 2010 - 17:41, said:

Where is it rusting? or any photos.

james.

rear wheel arch...plenty of photos

[AJH]

snorbans, on 01 May 2010 - 11:15, said:

Have a look at my posting ( #9 http://briskoda.net/...-skoda-watford/) re rust warranty claims.  Experience suggests you will get satisfaction if you doggedly pursue the matter, gather the evidence to support your case and initiate County Court proceedings once you reach a dead-end with the dealer or SUK.  If you have a case, SUK will be keen to keep the matter out of court to avoid the adverse publicity.  Good luck.

Thanks for the link.  Similar scenario to mine.  If I don't get satisfaction this coming week it is a letter to the CEO of Skoda (any idea who he is please?) followed by a writ in his name.  Hopefully that may focus their minds a bit  Skoda customer services are a shower, they NEVER ring back and also tell lies.  Don't think I will ever buy another one of their cars!

[Hauptmann]

I'm ex-motor industry and my experience is that nearly all lanufacturers will wriggle with corrosion claims.  Often (usually) the warranty only kicks in if there is true 'inside out' corrosion (i.e. the corrosion has to start at the BACK of the panel and then work through to fully penetrate the front, leaving a hole).  Even then they will often just patch up the panel so that it lasts another year or two until the warranty expires.

On a more general note, I do wonder how Skoda dealers have got a reputation for offering good service. My experience of four is that one was slightly above average, one just about OK and two rather dire.

[allan1888]

I think some dealers are better with warranty claims than others.  My local dealer eventually managed to get my bootlid replaced after it cracked at the join and started to rust through on both sides .

[snorbans]

AJH, on 02 May 2010 - 11:29, said:

Thanks for the link.  Similar scenario to mine.  If I don't get satisfaction this coming week it is a letter to the CEO of Skoda (any idea who he is please?) followed by a writ in his name.  Hopefully that may focus their minds a bit  Skoda customer services are a shower, they NEVER ring back and also tell lies.  Don't think I will ever buy another one of their cars!

There's not much point writing to the CEO as your letter will be diverted to Customer Service before he sees it.  For what its worth, my letter is shown below.  It did not  elicit an immediate response, this only happened once the County Court proceedings got underway once the 7 days had passed.  Thereafter things happened quickly!
Let me know if you need any further help.

Customer Services
Skoda UK
Selecta Post 34
Sheffield S97 3FA

Dear Sir
Warranty Claim Reg Num xxx
It is now four months since I first reported to Palmers of Watford the appearance of rust on the tailgate of my Octavia VRS Estate.  I understand the vehicle is covered under warranty yet I seem to be no nearer getting the matter sorted out now than I was then.  Palmers have taken photographs; I have taken the car to a VAG approved bodyshop for paint thickness measurements and more photographs: I have provided evidence of the etched VIN details on the tailgate glass and made numerous phone calls to Palmers (contact diary attached) - all to no avail.
Four months is more than enough time for any competent organisation to honour its warranty obligations and so if I don't get a commitment to fulfil these obligations within seven days I intend to start proceedings in the County Court.
Since the whole experience of dealing with Skoda Customer Services has been nothing short of appalling I am copying this letter to Palmers too.

Yours faithfully

[Hauptmann]

Well done Snorbans.  I think dealers and manufacturers continually try to dodge their obligations by a 'war of attrition' against the customer (i.e. allowing things to drag on until the customer gives up). 9 times out of 10 they are in breach of the law, so a threat of Small Claims Court usually spurs them  into action.

[jrw]

Spot on - pretty much what i did!

[AJH]

Hauptmann, on 02 May 2010 - 13:46, said:

I'm ex-motor industry and my experience is that nearly all lanufacturers will wriggle with corrosion claims.  Often (usually) the warranty only kicks in if there is true 'inside out' corrosion (i.e. the corrosion has to start at the BACK of the panel and then work through to fully penetrate the front, leaving a hole).  Even then they will often just patch up the panel so that it lasts another year or two until the warranty expires.

On a more general note, I do wonder how Skoda dealers have got a reputation for offering good service. My experience of four is that one was slightly above average, one just about OK and two rather dire.

Skoda used to be the joke of the car industry then VW took over.  Mechanically they improved dramatically but, as things have turned out, they are still a joke when it comes to service!

[moley]

A few years back I had a Mk1 Octy Combi and the paint started to peel on the tailgate while it was still under warranty. It was due a service, so I went to my local dealer (not the one who I bought the car from) and asked him to sort the tailgate when it came for service. The service manager said that Skoda wouldn't cover it because it had been repaired (which it hadn't)
I emailed the dealer that I bought the car from with some photo's of the paint problem and they responded with a date to bring the car in arranged a loan car. Job done under warranty no questions asked.
So I guess a lot depends on the dealer.

[g7tia@btinterne]

I had a corrosion problem with my Mk 1 Octy Estate on the tailgate near the wiper. The problem here is with the design of the rtear heated window rubbers which hold water on (I think) pre MY 52 cars. This was repaired fairly promptly (only a small arguement) by the dealer under warranty, but the repair was pathetic, with every single error that could have been made present. In my work I am an ISO 9000 auditor and cutting a long story short, the potential cost to a dealer of losing ISO 9000 registration is enormous. This is a very useful weapon to have ready, but you need to be sure of your facts before proceeding in this way. My dad came with me to a meeting with the repairers and the warrany man from VAG. He said to me afterwards that he had never seen anyone wipe the floor with people like I had. All I did was give them the opportunity to dig themselves a hole which they proved expert at doing. That was the only thing they appeared to be good at. The dealer has now gone out of business, but the old staff now work at a newer franchise in my area and still appear to be just as expert. The repair was eventually re-done by a man from the paint manufacturer, Spies Hecker and could have been a better colour match. The bodyshop however then placed the whole car in the oven and managed to melt the radio aerial. They replaced it with the wrong type and lied about the specification of these being changed by Skoda. I then had to advise Skoda Customer Service that I would be reporting the matter to the Police because the dealer had tried to gain a pecunary advantage by deception. Some people refer to this as fraud. The dealer then made a phone call to me asking me to hurry up and get the car back to them to be properly repaired.
My suggestion is be prepared to stand your ground with people who seem to think that customers are mugs.
Good luck.

[Derek R]

Try writing to the MD Robert Hazelwood at Skoda  when i spoke to customer service the girl said the  head office was at Milton Keynes. this could be the address Brunswick Court, Yeomans drive, Blakelands, Milton Keynes MK14 5LR.  This address I found on line i'st the finance for VW, Seat, Skoda Audi.  Address to Skoda Uk Limited good luke.

[vwcabriolet1971]

What sections of bodywork are Galvanised ? This should prevent any serious rusting from spreading even if the body zinc coating is perforated .I sent a Email to Skoda customer services querying the extent of the galvanising treatment before I purchased our new Octavia but never got any reply . Perhaps they are hiding some things from us ?

Edited by vwcabriolet1971, 29 June 2010 - 19:28.