... the lack of communication from them since the order was confirmed was (and still is) a huge concern to me. I managed to track down the supplying dealer, who reassured me that everything was above board, but the whole "you can check the progress of your order online" thing is virtually useless. My Yeti is apparently being built in week 47 and I might get it before Xmas, but whenever I contact autofinders to see if there's been any change, I'm made to feel as though I'm bothering them.

If you do go ahead and order from them, be prepared to hear nothing for months on end. It's a worry, but that's clearly how they operate. Having said that, I'm on course to save over £2,600........

57A

+1

Yes the savings are good, but the sign of any good company is how they deal with problems when they arise, in this respect they can do much better.

Would I order through them again? ?

Not even with your money!

I also bought a Yeti from Autofinders in July 2010, my experience was similar, good price, pay on collection, web updates few and far between. However V5 has never appeared and repeated enquiries are ignored or fobbed off

Did you ever get your V5? My Superb Estate came from Autofinders on 8 March 2011. To date I have not received the V5, and am constantly fobbed off when I phone. Latest info from the MD is that he has had to sack two colleagues for "irregularities". He goes on to say he can get me a V5 showing me as the SECOND keeper almost immediately, but to get one showing me as the FIRST (which is what the contract specified) he'll need "three or four weeks more". Hmmmm

Did you ever get your V5? My Superb Estate came from Autofinders on 8 March 2011. To date I have not received the V5, and am constantly fobbed off when I phone. Latest info from the MD is that he has had to sack two colleagues for "irregularities". He goes on to say he can get me a V5 showing me as the SECOND keeper almost immediately, but to get one showing me as the FIRST (which is what the contract specified) he'll need "three or four weeks more". Hmmmm

No relationship to DelBoy is there?

Fred

I ordered my Yeti from Autofinders back in March. I have never received a build date. A couple of weeks ago, with my current vehicle on its last legs, I emailed Skoda UK in desperation to see if I could get any info. An automatic response said "we will reply within 48 hours". I heard nothing more until, some 10 days later, I got a letter asking me for my order number.

I had a conversation with Paul Thorley, the MD at Autofinders and he told me that, because of the high demand, they would be happy for me to cancel my order and refund my deposit as they would have no problem selling my vehicle given the demand and waiting list.

When I did cancel, by email, I then got another email from Paul requesting a signed letter to that effect as...

"For a cancellation, we do ask for this to be put in writing in post to us with your signature. We have to provide our supplier a confirmation that you have cancelled otherwise we get fined £500 for changing a name-this is to prevent ordering stock and selling at a premium."

I sent that letter first class on Monday. I've yet to receive any response. I've bought an X-Trail which I'm collecting on Monday. My current vehicle needs about £1k worth of work and I need it for my job so continuing to wait with no indication at all when my Yeti might arrive wasn't an option. Shame really. Perhaps next time.

Cheers

Denis

I ordered my Yeti from Autofinders back in March. I have never received a build date. A couple of weeks ago, with my current vehicle on its last legs, I emailed Skoda UK in desperation to see if I could get any info. An automatic response said "we will reply within 48 hours". I heard nothing more until, some 10 days later, I got a letter asking me for my order number.

I had a conversation with Paul Thorley, the MD at Autofinders and he told me that, because of the high demand, they would be happy for me to cancel my order and refund my deposit as they would have no problem selling my vehicle given the demand and waiting list.

When I did cancel, by email, I then got another email from Paul requesting a signed letter to that effect as...

"For a cancellation, we do ask for this to be put in writing in post to us with your signature. We have to provide our supplier a confirmation that you have cancelled otherwise we get fined £500 for changing a name-this is to prevent ordering stock and selling at a premium."

I sent that letter first class on Monday. I've yet to receive any response. I've bought an X-Trail which I'm collecting on Monday. My current vehicle needs about £1k worth of work and I need it for my job so continuing to wait with no indication at all when my Yeti might arrive wasn't an option. Shame really. Perhaps next time.

Cheers

Denis

Hello Mr Jackson.

I can confirm that this was recieved and actioned on friday this week and we have cancelled the vehicle from the supplying dealership.

We can only agree with your comments that the lack of available information from the manufacturer is very dissapointing and frustrating for everyone involved. The yeti is a magnificent car and year to date our best selling model of vehicle out of every manufacturer that we deal with. The supply problem is well documented throught the vw/audi/seat/skoda products and as you are aware, we try to be as realistic as possible with advised delivery dates when a customer orders a vehicle, using the production guidelines given to us by the supplying dealership.

In the defence of skoda, the supply issues are not limited to just themselves as many other manufacturers, kia, hyundai,land rover nissan to name a few are suffering similar long delivery times. Im sure Skoda uk, the dealerships and anyone else selling the cars would prefer to be able to deliver the sold cars more quickly and hopefully this will happen sooner rather than later.

Paul Thorley

Autofinders

Did you ever get your V5? My Superb Estate came from Autofinders on 8 March 2011. To date I have not received the V5, and am constantly fobbed off when I phone. Latest info from the MD is that he has had to sack two colleagues for "irregularities". He goes on to say he can get me a V5 showing me as the SECOND keeper almost immediately, but to get one showing me as the FIRST (which is what the contract specified) he'll need "three or four weeks more". Hmmmm

Hello "Minotaur"

As you know I have communicated directly with yourself on this situation as soon as I was made aware of it. It is true that, following an internal investigation here, we had to remove 2 members of staff from their posts, not for irregularities, but for not following standard practice. This was a very dissapointing, but nessasary decision.

Our company do not register the vehicles directly, the 1st registration is undertaken at the supplying skoda franchised dealership directly with the DVLA. We take matters such as this very seriously and have requested information from our supplier as to why this situation has happened and also put strict measures in place to ensure this doesnt happen again.

Our company is proud to help many hundreds of customers each year to buy a new car and save them thousands of pounds on their purchase. We aim to do this without compromising the levels of service that any customer deserves. We aim to get this right 100% of the time however we do understand that we do not always get it right.

If you want to contact me directly to discuss this please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards

Paul Thorley

Hi I used Autofinders to buy my Yeti year past June. Steve Taylor was excellent, was kept informed through the process. I saved £2000 compared to the local dealer in Aberdeen. We live in Aberdeenshire and made a few days of trip collecting from Chesterfield (the car was sourced form a Skoda dealer in Carlisle) The registration document arrived in a couple of week.

Bottom line is I will definitely use them again once I replace the Yeti, I am currently thinking of a Greenline !! But will have a longer wait than than last years 12 weeks.

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the update on this. As I said in my earlier communication with you I am fully aware that you were under no obligation to accept my cancellation and refund my deposit and I really do appreciate your agreeing to do that.

Autofinders have never been anything than completely straight with the delivery situation. Unfortunattley my situation changed and I really did need to know when my Yeti was going to arrive and no-one could give me any information whatsoever. I was marketing director of a global IT services business for 15 years and I know that the best way to manage supplier delays is to give customers as much information as frequently as possible. Skoda and / or Skoda UK don't seem to get that.

I'd happily do business with Autofinders again but I won't be touching Skoda until their customer service improves.

Paul, I presume my deposit refund went back to my credit card?

Cheers

Denis

T