Santrix

Well, in the end the Financial Services Ombudsman upheld my complaint, and they had to pay to have my car remapped back to original software. However now after 11 months there large areas of paint degrading and flaking off exposing bare metal. The largest area the size of a fifty pence piece right in the middle of the drivers door. Also around both rear wheel arches. An independent body shop confirmed the car had suffered moderate damage to both rear quarters and front nearside wing. Body filler and paintwork discolouration are visible and TRUST GROUP will NOT help at all. Trust Group Chief Executive Andrew Hockedy commented (sic) “Its hard to find a three year old car without damage”. I am at the end of my teather with the company now. I have been told it’s going to cost several hundred quid just to cover up the mess. I just don’t have the energy to keep fighting them. When I disposed of my ten year old Subaru Impreza (with perfect paintwork) I was hoping for a nice relaxed drive in a reliable diesel with VAGs legendary build quality. I have been sold a car that should have gone to auction. I think this will be the end of my experiment with VAG group. Trust Group UK have handled this issue appallingly - as the Yeti is a great vehicle generally.

so James, it sounds like you may have flashed around 200 also vehicles in the last 18 months. And you feel that around a handful perhaps have experienced problems that are legitimately related to the update? so would you say then that it would be fair to say around one in 40 cars have a problem following and attributable to the update?

Absolutely! As advised, I've complained to VW Finance, and to the Motor Ombudsman.

This completely opposes what Liam Benbow told me, which is that the update MUST be done. Thank you for the information.

I purchased a 2013 Yeti Tdi 4x4 from Trust Stourbridge in March 2017. All seemed very convivial - nice enough sales bunch (they always are). I checked with the salesman to ensure the car had NOT had the dieselgate emissions fix update, and he confirmed it had not. I requested that it not be installed, and he assured me it would not. We shook hands on it. I was happy. I took along four new Goodyear Vector all weather tyres for them to fit while preparing the car. Everything was going great until a week later I got onto the motorway with the car shaking at 60mph. Ranf them up, and the best they could do was fit me in a week later... The vibration was insane, and I insisted they rebalance the wheels sooner - they agreed to look at it the next day. Took the car in - left with them for 2 hours. Picked it up. Got a few miles down the road, and got back to 60mph - exactly the same. More discussion on the phone. Another long delay until they could look at the car. The whole cabin shook at 60mph. I gave up and took it to Chemix. Every wheel on the car was grossly out of balance - by more than 45 gms. The rear wheels still have the original Skoda factory weights installed, so it was obvious they hadn't even been balanced, either originally, or after Trust had a look at it the second time. £30 quid lighter, I took the car on the M5 - smooth as silk at all speeds. Having noticed a bit of hesitation and poor turbo lag, I took the step of checking my car's VIN against the Skoda emissions database online - and to my disappointment, discovered that the fix had indeed been installed - completely against my wishes and what was agreed upon. For those who are not in the know - the software fix forced the engine to recirculate a much higher volume of exhaust gasses into the intake system in an attempt to lower certain emissions. The problem with this cheap fix by VAG is that the engines begin to soot up very quickly and the Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valves (EGR) ten to burn out or soot up or both, causing the car to break down or go into limp mode. I wrote 3 times to Trust Skoda without a satisfactory response, and ultimately had a telephone conversation with their Brand Manager, Liam Benbow, which is transcribed below. Skoda: From what I have read we have to do the emissions check as part of our Skoda Approved used car check, so the emissions test had to be done as part of that. Skoda: With regards to the 90% that you are looking for, you're covered the first year on your warranty and then it would be down to Skoda UK in whic they would probably deal with you in the same vein as your friend who got that. So that's the line that we would be taking as a company. Me: So essentially, you're unwilling to, I mean the car was sold to me as as not having had the fix applied. Skoda: As part of our Skoda Approved used car check we have to do any outstanding recalls that are on the car. Me: So, that was misrepresented to me - that's not what I was led to understand when I bought the car. Lewis who sold me the car seemed very into cars and mechanics and we had a good discussion about it, and I said I don't want that applying. He checked the service history of the car, he said 'no, last time it was services was before this patch came out, it won't be on there yet' and I said 'well, definitely don't put it on' - he said 'that's fine, no problem.' Me: So essentially I've been sold a car with this software on against my wishes, it's essentially misrepresented. Skoda: As I say, as part of our Skoda Approved used car check, we have to do the emissions recall. Me: So you're giving me no option here but to go to my solicitor. Skoda: OK! Me: I'm staggered that is your answer. I could have been a good long term customer of yours and simply because of this.... what is it, why can't you revert this software? Skoda: Well you can't revert it, and you've got a years warranty and then it's down to Skoda UK. Me: Liam I'll ask you the question again - it's technically possible - I'm a software engineer, I know this is possible - so why are you telling me you can't - is it just because of policy? I know it's technically possible, so you're telling me that for whatever reason you simply don't want to be identified as a dealership that's reverted a car. Skoda: No I'm not saying that no - I'm just saying that as part of our Skoda Approved used car check, it had to have the recall done. It's part of our process when it goes through the workshop. Me: Liam I am shocked, truly disappointed. I'll have to see you in court. Skoda: OK! So, essentially, they blatantly broke the trade descriptions act, and still refused to care. This would leave me with having to prove in court the level of damaged I have sustained as a result, and because I get no legal aid - I'm probably not going down that route. Their attitude towards customer care is beyond the pale. I have been nothing but courteous with them, and have practically begged them to return my car to the state it should be in. After driving a Subaru for 10 years without so much as a burp from the car or dealerships, my experience of buying Skoda has been utterly shameful. Customer service is all about what happens when things go badly wrong - and this experience should warn anyone reading to steer clear of this company. Oh, and whatever they offer you to take this post down, I'll double it!

Langers, I suspect you are right. I am going to see my solicitor tomorrow, but with a heavy heart I think they are going to ask me for documentary proof of what was agreed, after all, with a handshake. As an engineer who is now 50 years old, I should now better than to have trusted a f***ing salesman.

I don't - In my case, I was sold the car having been promised it would not have the fix installed - and hey presto - it has... I only found out a few days ago, and am about to return the car to them/sue them unless they can revert it for me. It's still under warranty otherwise I wouldn't hesitate. It's a Yeti CR170 2013.

Sorry that my first ever post here is a link to a Petition, but on Facebook in the The Volkswagen Diesel Customer Forum (Emissions Scandal) group, we are planning to picket/protest the VW Headquarters in Milton Keynes on 21st June 2017. The petition regards the increasing number of customers with VAG diesels who have experienced breakdowns following the recent emissions updates to their ECU. https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/force-volkswagen-audi-seat-skoda-to-revert-emission-software-updates Please sign and share if you can. Thanks everyone.