I can't find the dealer section so I'll post here.

I have just had a very bad experience with Crawley Down Motors (a newly appointed dealer). The letter I sent to Trading Standards and to Skoda Customer services (below) explains it all!

"I feel I must write and complain about the shameful and fraudulent business practices of Crawley Down Motors, Snow Hill, Copthorne, West Sussex RH10 3EQ.

I booked my Skoda Superb 1.9Pd in for a 20,000 mile service on 30 September, 2004 having first phoned for a quote which was given as

Dealer review section is here.

sounds *very* un-professional and dodgy dealing imo.

ask around ure neighbours see if they've had equally bad dealings with them.

Would seem to me that the only way of getting a good service from MANY of the Skoda Dealers out there is by using the Skoda Franchise you purchased the car from in the first place. Taking your car to a different dealer for servicing to where you purchased it from very often causes issues...

I have first hand experience of this problem with a different dealer. This problem should be resolved by Skoda UK, but they seem unable to fix the issue, in fact that do not seem at all interested in helping!

This is often the opposite reaction with other brands, for example BMW franchises are only too happy to service a car purchased from a different franchise, like wise with Audi etc.

Thanks

Terry

On collecting the car, the first bill presented was for

It does sound a little as if you were expecting this, 4x4. If you were not expecting good service, why did you take the car to this particular dealer?

"deliberately marked the levels and the bottle cap" does sound like incredible attention to detail, and although the story about refilling the system (presumably to the original level since you knew it hadn't been changed) is obvious h*rsesh*t, I can understand them not keeping the old parts handy for you to inspect. What would you do with a used oil filter after you took it off the car?

I would find yourself a better outlet, and trust them a little. Trust works wonders in business relationships.

The screenwash scam is my pet hate, but believe it or not, they do (sometimes) drain it and refill it.

A few years ago my Spacewagon went in for a service filled to the brim with green screenwash. When I went to collect the car I pointed out that they charged me for screenwash that wasn't required - "we always drain and re-fill it sir" was the answer. I checked the car, ready for a ruck and the screen wash was now BLUE

I've now taken to putting a sticker on the screen wash tank asking them not to refill it and leave me the new bottle in the car.

The screenwash scam is my pet hate, but believe it or not, they do (sometimes) drain it and refill it.

Mine is engine flush and gas treatment - eg Wynns or Forte. My local Peugeot garage had a notice on the service reception desk saying, in effect, that these products are good for our profits and will be put in your car and charged to you if we can, regardless of whether or not they are on the manufacturer's service schedule (which of course they aren't), and regardless of whether or not you want them. Snake oil by another name.

was there any indication what the extra

Mine is engine flush and gas treatment - eg Wynns or Forte. My local Peugeot garage had a notice on the service reception desk saying, in effect, that these products are good for our profits and will be put in your car and charged to you if we can, regardless of whether or not they are on the manufacturer's service schedule (which of course they aren't), and regardless of whether or not you want them[/i']. Snake oil by another name.

My favourite Peugeot con was when my local dealer was asked to look at the radio control after they had done work on the dash.They reported it had broken and wanted about

I though the mods would prefer if I didnt name the garage - so I didn't! I also thought if I said I lived near Horsham in Sussex it would identify the dealer So I didn't mention that either!

oops

There are some Skoda dealers who do the Forte treatments with the service. I won't mention any names as they've taken a bit of flack in the past month or so.

Does anyone know what Skoda have to say about these treatments? Would they refuse a warranty claim because it had been used? (Now that would be an interesting argument to watch :P )

My dealer did the Forte thing last service. I queried it and I don't think it will be done again. You do have to keep an eye open when scrutinising the bill at the end of a service. That said, my engine has been wobbling on a regular basis for the last 9 months or more so I wasn't too fussed if another 10 quid's worth of engine treatment went in - it might have helped, who knows?

exactly what is the 'forte' thing?

"Engine tune-up" additive, as Denis said - like Wynn's or Red-X or one of those. Costs

I also marked the screenwash, when it came out of service, it had been filled, I still have the screenwash here to prove it, charged for a full bottle, half in tank, other half still in bottle here, cant complain

I also marked the screenwash, when it came out of service, it had been filled, I still have the screenwash here to prove it, charged for a full bottle, half in tank, other half still in bottle here, cant complain

Yup, and it's a little more annoying when they charge you for screenwash to put in a very small amount, say they've used the official VW screenwash, but are unable to give you the remaining of the bottle

Having said that, I have a good relationship with my dealer, and will ensure I have the screenwash bottle topped up before I take it in.

Oh, and if you ever question why the screenwash is expensive, they'll probably say it's specifically formulated stuff to work well with the fan washer jets. "Normal" screenwash isn't "fan washer jet" certified

Would seem to me that the only way of getting a good service from MANY of the Skoda Dealers out there is by using the Skoda Franchise you purchased the car from in the first place. Taking your car to a different dealer for servicing to where you purchased it from very often causes issues...

I have first hand experience of this problem with a different dealer. This problem should be resolved by Skoda UK' date=' but they seem unable to fix the issue, in fact that do not seem at all interested in helping!

This is often the opposite reaction with other brands, for example BMW franchises are only too happy to service a car purchased from a different franchise, like wise with Audi etc.

Thanks

Terry[/quote']

We must be lucky our dealer (Winchester Motor Co) are fantastic & we didnt but either Octavia from them, Admitedly they used to be a VW Dealer so thats perhaps where the good habits came from

Stuart

Never had a good main dealer service on any car yet they all seem to try and claw a few extra pounds out of you examples. Charging for air filters when a KN panel is fitted, Charging for key / alarm batteries and one of the latest from Toyota was new discs and pads on an 18month old rav4 with 19000 on the clock.

When I phoned up for the quote on the Rav 4 I was going to be away on business so I offered to send a cheque up for the quoted amount, the guy said " I couldn't do that as something else might need doing like the brake discs and pads" gues what happened I got a call saying the front discs and were shot. I must admit that I do check all parts before servicing and after as there is a trend at all main dealers to rip you off for a you pounds here there - experience spans the following main dealers ford, saab, toyota & skoda

I tend to specify down to the letter want I want at a service and if its not on the list they must phone me, stops any "mis-understandings"! Typically at a service I leave a note taped to the steering wheel saying.....

1) NO screenwash

2) NO air filter

3) Flush engine before re-filling with oil on passanger seat (millars xfe-pd)

4) DO handbrake

5) DONT touch any bulbs, wipers or other consumables

6) DONT replace any parts unless on service, please phone x if unsure

Then watch the bill tumble and watch that they dont just generate a standard bill! This gets me a 10000 oil change down to

Andy, if you give them a list of things not to do, will they still stamp your Service Schedule indicating that they have done the specified service?

My dealer has no problem doing that as long as the service has been done to spec. So the oil I give him has to comply with vw spec's for example. Corners are not cut but un-needed changing is avoided. Also he knows that my 2 cars are needed 24/7 and will do me a basic service in under 2 hrs if booked first in the door at 8am. Dealers appreciated honesty and give & take. Have said that though some are better than others.....

It does sound a little as if you were expecting this' date=' 4x4. If you were not expecting good service, why did you take the car to this particular dealer?

[/quote']

It's just that this is a well known scam so I check! The reason I used this dealer was simply geography - they are less than 10 miles from home whereas Clarion in Worthing are 35 miles away. The supplying dealer is 250 miles away (Lightcliffe in Halifax). Incidently, I trust Lightcliffe and Clarion absolutely, but that trust has been earned from previous business dealings.

Trading Standards have responded to say that they are watching the dealer closely now but (disappointingly) Skoda Customer Service have yet to respond to me.

A few years ago I had a BMW and at every service there was a box in the boot with the replaced parts laid out neatly, except for the oil filter. There was, however, the empty box that the oil filter came out of so the requests I made of the dealer are not unknown in the industry.

Having reached an age where I find myself agreeing with everything said on the BBC's "Grumpy Old Men" programme I can only suggest to anyone who thinks that I was a bit anal in doing the checks that I did that I have seen it all before. If I'm paying 200 quid upwards for what is little more than a bl**dy oil change then I expect them to do it by the book and I'll check it accordingly!

Clarion in Worthing are 35 miles away.

IIRC haven't Clarion stopped being a Skoda dealer? Ballamy's in Shoreham is a new Skoda franchise (though their Saab franchise are long-established and apparently good). Probably won't save you much difference over going to Worthing though...

Rob.

I also marked the screenwash, when it came out of service, it had been filled, I still have the screenwash here to prove it, charged for a full bottle, half in tank, other half still in bottle here, cant complain

My "local" dealer (Freeborn of Southampton) did the same and left the half-full bottle neatly and securely strapped in the boot for me.

As for what not to do at the service, I asked them to leave the air filter as I'd just changed that and it wasn't touched (of course I checked it ) and anything else they highlighted I knew about and they didn't push me to have them fix it. Everything else was as expected and the quoted price even went down

Chris