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

It's this sort of attention to detail that I like. Does anybody's dealer wash the car when you have a service???

*Update*

Skoda got back today having spoken to the dealer - a quick precis is that they support the dealer but the dealer is offering a free service next time. I haven't decided what to do yet, but I am minded to refuse the offer as I have no wish to return to a (IMHO) dishonest and uncaring dealer.

Also, Clarion have become an unofficial dealer, offering grey imports I believe. With new European legislation, it will NOT void your warranty to have a service there. I have no connection with Clarion and should you choose to have your service performed by them I would urge you to get confirmation that the warranty will not be compromised!

I would accept the offer of a free service since it should come with a gold-plated guarantee that it will be done by the book...........or else.

I have no connection with Clarion and should you choose to have your service performed by them I would urge you to get confirmation that the warranty will not be compromised!

Skoda UK have recently updated their FAQs - and this one in particular:

Can I go to a non-Skoda retailer for servicing?

You are of course free to choose where you have your vehicle serviced. However, we would always recommend that a Skoda Retailer is used as they receive full training in the servicing of Skoda vehicles and are kept up to date with technical information. Having a service completed at a non-franchised retailer will not in itself invalidate the warranty. However, should any difficulty arise that is deemed to be as a direct result of incorrect/incomplete servicing, any remedial work required would not be covered under your new vehicle warranty.

I think that care should be taken with these newly appointed dealerships, now that Skoda is becoming more mainstream, it appears to have attracted interest from established dealers looking for new franchises to take on. A local multi-franchise dealer to me has just taken on Skoda and started off which some advertising giving the impression that they taken over from the long established dealer. Interestingly, when I visited the multi-franchise dealer, before buying my Furby, they basically said that Skoda

my local dealer T.A.Porter&Son near Colchester in Essex is one of the longest running Skoda dealerships in the country and there customer service is brilliant.

they are always helpful and can never do enough to help.

would recommend to anyone in the Essex area.

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

its true it is especially made for "fan jets"

its true it is especially made for "fan jets"

As someone who thought this was highly dubious, i took K's recommendation about a year ago and bought 2 bottles of the VAG screen wash concentrate.

All you need is 1 or 2 cap-fulls each time you top up the washer bottle.

As i said, i bought 2 bottles 1 year ago...

I'll be opening the 2nd bottle next week i think. This stuff lasts for ages.

So if you use so little, why do they use a whole bottle during the service? :confused:

Our dealer has said "We make more money on warrenty work/serviceing than we do on anything else" so they are being honest with us (at the moment) but we have taken to phoning/emailing Skoda UK first with any questions we have because we have found that we know more about what we want than the dealers. For instance the rear brakes "grumbling" on the Fab vRS. The dealer said it didnt exist but we pointed out that Skoda UK knew about so they should ask them. Picked the car up to find Manager of Dealership talking to us and then saying "ALL Fab vRS we have sold have this problem". Cant wait for the first service now thou!

For instance the rear brakes "grumbling" on the Fab vRS.

Is this the problem that I have - Mine let out a loud noise, akin to a cow mooing when I'm going slowliy in reverse.

Yep, mine does that. Posted on here about it. Got in touch with Skoda UK, told the dealer. Skoda looking into it. (For the last few years it seems)

My Octavia hasn't gone in for service yet[i've already changed the oil at 12,000 miles]but when I bought it I was told that Skoda servicing would be cheaper than Volkswagen prices.Skoda wanted to charge me