I see nothing that a big hammer can't sort.

Car should never have left the factory in that condition, shocking! I'd def ask for another one, if its been badly put together, what else is wrong that you can't see????

If you do decide to reject that car, then be prepared to wait another 2-3 months for another. I'd give them a chance to correct what is obviously only minor alignment issues.

Do you have special powers that lets you know the car's history from a couple of photos?

As others have said , there's a very good chance that it's badly repaired accident damage and that is not acceptable on a new car.

If it means they need to get a new one factory ordered then so be it - he wasn't going to pick it up for a while so it shoudln't mean that much of a delay and that's still preferable to getting a car that you'll never be entirely happy with.

In fairness to Mannyo, we don't know for sure its damage. The OP did'nt notice scuff marks or damaged lights. I wonder how many cars arrive like this and get "patched up" without us even knowing? The OP viewed the car before it arrived so before it was PDI'ed.

If the OP is'nt happy then he should reject it now, otherwise if he accepts a repair then it might be more tricky, I wonder if the OP has even spoken to the dealer yet? They might well be quite upfront and offer to repair and replace if he's not happy.

Hi there,

I haven't had chance to read the entire thread as I'm just popping out but my advice would be to contact Skoda Customer Services on 08457 745 745 directly, make it very clear you aren't unhappy with the dealers response or attitude (so far) but would like to highlight this issue with SkodaUK and perhaps they could resolve this working with the dealer in question..

James - I need to make it clear right away that, at this time, I have absolutely no problem with the dealer. The car was only delivered a couple of days ago and they've done nothing wrong whatsoever.

Nearside wing rubbed and damaged paint on bottom of A-pillar. Looks like there's a paint excess / drip on bottom of A-pillar. Much easier to appreciate in person than on a photo this one...

Here the paint is thin and mottled (doesn't show that well in photos, especially after downsizing and jpeg compressing) and on a couple of bits on the edge there is no paint at all (black plastic visible - circled in red on photo). Reminds me of my first attempt at spraying my big bumper kit for my mk2 Golf many years ago...

I went back to the dealership this afternoon. The salesman was very good with me and he's involved a manager who I met and we all went around the car together. They were really good about it, confirming all my observations and agreeing it wasn't good. It's going to be fully assessed and gaps measured properly and compared against reference tolerances. It may be possible to correct at the VW bodyshop. They also mentioned sending their own photos and report to the factory. They are going to call me in a couple of days. Rejecting it altogether might still be an option.

Edited 26 January, 201016 yr by wega3k

I agree there seem to be a lot of defects - seems like you have a good relationship with the dealer so thats promising. Stick to your guns and don't whatever you do accept delivery until you are happy.

I would avoid this car like the plague. I cannot believe that it left the factory like this. If it did then all the good work VAG have done with Skoda quality has gone down the pan!! I reckon that the car has been damaged in transit and has been "put right" somewhere in a paintshop where the workers are bored and cannot give a **** because your pride and joy is one of many that has to be "processed" that day.Who knows what defects will surface after you take delivery if you go ahead with the purchase. Let the dealer pass it on to a poor person who knows nowt about cars and cannot see past the shiney bonnet and wheels. Don't feel guilty because there are loads of that kind of punter about and dealers thrive on them!!

Even the worst manufacturers can put them together pretty straight these days. Take your business elsewhere.

Is that supposed to be a new car?! Reject it immediately - looks like accident damage and a very poor attempt to repair. Has your dealer actually looked over the car since it was delivered? PDI'd? If so, I'd be extremely worried they had missed this and no way is it within tolerance!

I'd be worried what else had been done that you couldn't see, should you decide to accept it. I'd say you'd be well within your rights to reject and get the dealer to loan you a car until a replacement arrives. That will hurry things up for sure.

When I collected my car, the Light Assist was missing. Clearly nothing as serious as the damage to yours but I was on the verge of rejecting until the dealer mentioned he thought it could be retro fitted ( it could, it was - I was happy!). But I would have rejected, insisted on a loan car, until its replacement was delivered, wrapped in cotton wool! Don't accept any rubbish from the dealer and don't feel guilty - you're more than entitled to expect the car to be 100% I echo what has been said to contact Skoda UK too.

Let us know how you get on...

Has your dealer actually looked over the car since it was delivered? PDI'd?

No, but remember it only arrived a couple of days ago - 5 weeks before I was due to collect it.

No, but remember it only arrived a couple of days ago - 5 weeks before I was due to collect it.

That's what they told you maybe. Not sure why your sticking up for the dealer, it should have been picked up straight away. There knowling selling you a car with a bodged repair, I'd go with the others and insist on loan car and a newly ordered Skoda. Giving them another chance to fix it will just mean the car is more messed about with.

You're seriously barking up the wrong tree.

Give them the chance to rectify it and dont accept in unless youre 100% satisfied

Good luck

I really wouldn't accept the car after that kind of damage.

It's not the dealer's fault , but it does look like a bad accident repair before they got it , and you shouldn't be expected to have a sub-standard car.

It's in your favour that you have got the dealer on your side. It would (in my opinion) be in both of your interests not to accept that car. If there is an underlying alignment fault, it would be dificult to get the panel gaps 100% and you'll never be happly with a repair. It would be easier for the dealer to either return an unregistered car to VW, offload it to another dealer or register it themselves and later sell it as used.

Sounds like you've got a good relationship with the dealer....hope you get it sorted soon or you'll be spending more time in the blue one. I'd rather have blue than white though as white is becoming the "old" race blue !

No, but remember it only arrived a couple of days ago - 5 weeks before I was due to collect it.

Even so... I don't know how dealers operate but surely they would have had to check it over and sign once delivered, ie to check for any transport damage etc? Reject it mate, stand firm - its the only way to stay in control and show that you are not to be messed with.

I heard once that there are body shops on the ships, to deal with transport damage.......maybe just an urban legend within the trade.

In 2005 i went to a local VW dealer to collect my new Tornado Red MKV Golf GTTDI built to order.

I went out to inspect the car with the sales manager i noticed that there wasn't an even panel gap on the car and the paint on the roof at the back had small black specs in the paint. I told him there and then i was rejectng the car and to order another one to replace it, he offered to have a go at fixing it, i told him i was not prepaired to accept a new car that needed a rework by the dealer to try to get it to factory spec. This was a Friday afternoon he said he would have to contact VW customer services and would not get a reply before Monday. I went home started up my computer logged on to Erwin web site registered, paid for, downloaded and printed the body repair manual, removed the pages that showed all panel gaps. Went back to the dealer on Saturday morning spoke to the service manager gave him the pages and asked him to get the panel gap gauges and go check the car. Spoke to the sales manager on Monday and i asked if the gaps had been checked, they had, i was asked to write to VW customer services stating why i was rejecting the car, a replacement was ordered within the week and the garage supplied me with a new car every six weeks until the replacement was delivered.

Link to Erwin:

https://erwin.skoda-auto.cz/erwin/showHome.do;jsessionid=609C4A08A9304F7E3AFD088E8CE36534.ASTPVWE1

Good luck with yours, stick to your guns.

Edited 27 January, 201016 yr by silver38

silver38 - thanks for that. Interesting.

i personally could never have that car,even it is repaired to a good standard, there will always be that niggling doubt in the back of your mind of not fully knowing what happened to it.

Plus its a brand new car it should be perfect, my friend was a bodyshop manager at a main dealers and they often had to repair scuffs on the corners of bumpers wing mirrors etc, that the salesman had done moving the cars around, but yours is a different kettle of fish.

it could possibly have been done when it has driven off the ferry , i used to work at teesport and they unloaded cars off the ferry at the next dock, i often would go to the top of our silo and watch them drive them off, these blokes have zero respect for new cars, they just want to get them all unloaded and go home.

get another car ordered and wait , it will be worth it in the long run.

Its a shame after the build up to getting a new car. I would hate to be in your situation, after all it is supposed to be a new car and any rectification work that they might have to carry out dilutes this.

I am surprised that the dealer did not pick up on it when they unloaded the car from the transporter. My dealer seemed pretty particular in that regard (even if they did order me the wrong car!).

Quick update....

I've had a couple of calls from the dealership today to keep me up to speed. Full marks to them for communication and service. I'm impressed.

Car is at the VW bodyshop today. The dealership have contacted Skoda and we have an agreement that I can order a replacement car with same terms as this one (same p/x, VAT free - even if offer has ended, 2years 0%) if I'm not 100% happy with the rectified car. Hopefully ready for me to go and inspect on Saturday.

Quick update....

I've had a couple of calls from the dealership today to keep me up to speed. Full marks to them for communication and service. I'm impressed.

Car is at the VW bodyshop today. The dealership have contacted Skoda and we have an agreement that I can order a replacement car with same terms as this one (same p/x, VAT free - even if offer has ended, 2years 0%) if I'm not 100% happy with the rectified car. Hopefully ready for me to go and inspect on Saturday.

Glad to hear that Nick - makes a change to receive a call when they say you will

Edited 28 January, 201016 yr by Brimma