I have not posted much here for ages but a few moments ago I recieved a letter from Autosales Bilston. it was entitled "Urgent Safety Notice" and when initially read it gave me the impression that it was serious as it said they had no records of my car having a replacement cam belt fitted.

Well I do remember them changing the belt, at the recommended four years and I payed them ovwer £500 for the privelage!!! As I read on a realised it was basically an advertising stunt as the sixth paragraph went on to say "Thats the scary bit over, now for peace of mind. As long as you replaced your cambelt according to Skoda Auto,s recommendations you can relax"

Prior to the above paragraph there was a dire warning of what might happen if it,s not changed.

I for one dont find this particularly funny and I am seriously considering sending the letter on to the trading standards as it is clearly intended to frighten people. The letter ia headed "Urgent Safety Notice" and I intend to have the car serviced elswhere in future.

If any members of Autosales staff are reading this I would like an explanation, I do not expect this stupidity from agents representing SKODA AUTO.

Edited 1 December, 201015 yr by Silverline

Doesn't sound too much different to the drains insurance cover rubbish i get sent and the boiler breakdown cover with lots of warnings and comments about how many thousands of pounds you would have to pay out if something went wrong.

They prey on the weak and misinformed.

I would suggest you would have a better result if you returned the letter to the dealer and highlighted that as a consequence they have lost one customer. If even just a handful of customers did this, they would soon realise their short sighted stunt was costing them money rather than making them money.

This sort of advertising is really irritating and irresponsible. If I had received it I'd be on the phone to complain and advise them that my next service will be done elsewhere. Easy!!

TBH, it shouldn't cause a problem because those in the know will stop reading it and those that don't are likely to carry on reading it the conclusion, at which point they'll hopefully realise that a) they're fine because the car is serviced correctly or panic and get the cambelt changed soon. OK, so it's an advert and is likely to draw panicked people in, but I don't think there's anything dishonest about the content you've mentioned.

Maybe I'm in the minority though? :wonder:

Well Im sorry but I think it is very very wrong, so you dont think marking a letter " URGENT SAFETY CHECK" a scam? Well I bloody well do. This is not the actions I expect from a concern that up until now I had some respect for.

I contacted AUTOSALES and the person I spoke to denied this was a scam to frighten people but that is not suprising, he is no very likely to admit it is he? Am I been over the top then? I dont think I am, supose someone who hasnt a clue about these matters gets a letter, panics and immediately books their car in for a belt change when in fact it does not need it. This is a sharp dishonest practise and should be stopped.

Im am in two minds about contacting the local trading atandards about it and SKODA UK, the best part is that when I did speak to their service dept once they had my car details up they admitted my car had the belt changed, well i knew that, and it was all a mistake, well you bet it was a mistake becuase I will not be touching this dealer with a bloody bargepole.

SKODA make decent cars but as far as the West Midlands is concerned the dealers are a bunch of crap

SAVILLES of Mustow Green ingored me

ALL ELECTRIC, Halesowen, when they where Skoda dealers tried to scank me by quoting base rates in the hope that i would think they were talking aboput APR.

AUTOSALES Bilston now use underhand tactics the frighten people into having what may well be un needed work by sending letters marked URGENT SAFETY NOTICE.

Great shame really but Im sure the local garage will be happy to service it in future and the next car is unlikely to be a SKODA unless they get a few dealers with some morals

Well Im sorry but I think it is very very wrong, so you dont think marking a letter " URGENT SAFETY CHECK" a scam?

No. A scam would be if you booked our car in for the cambelt service and the charged you for it but didn't bother carrying out the work. A creative mailshot to increase enquiries about cambelt servicing isn't...it's no worse than the Calgon advert showing you what a washing machine clogged with limescale looks like.

dealers with morals? maybe we could get some honest estate agents, warm hearted traffic wardens and mechanics who dont try to rob you blind for a job which takes 15 minutes while we are at it.

I have not posted much here for ages but a few moments ago I recieved a letter from Autosales Bilston. it was entitled "Urgent Safety Notice" and when initially read it gave me the impression that it was serious as it said they had no records of my car having a replacement cam belt fitted.

Well I do remember them changing the belt, at the recommended four years and I payed them ovwer £500 for the privelage!!! As I read on a realised it was basically an advertising stunt as the sixth paragraph went on to say "Thats the scary bit over, now for peace of mind. As long as you replaced your cambelt according to Skoda Auto,s recommendations you can relax"

Prior to the above paragraph there was a dire warning of what might happen if it,s not changed.

I for one dont find this particularly funny and I am seriously considering sending the letter on to the trading standards as it is clearly intended to frighten people. The letter ia headed "Urgent Safety Notice" and I intend to have the car serviced elswhere in future.

If any members of Autosales staff are reading this I would like an explanation, I do not expect this stupidity from agents representing SKODA AUTO.

They keep writing to me: I've had that letter too. I'd never use them again given their patchy attention to detail on services and crap aftersales attitude when my bumper had peeling paint (at the Bridgtown- now Burntwood branch. Their loss, Midland VW's gain.

At the end of the day, it's just a bit of sensationalist advertising. Ignore it, take your car elsewhere.

Edited 1 December, 201015 yr by cjb

I'd be far more concerned at paying £500 for a cambelt change that should cost about £250!

I'd be far more concerned at paying £500 for a cambelt change that should cost about £250!

Actually it was more than that and to be quite fair it was also a service and MOT.

If you dont mind a little drive mate you could do a lot worse than giving the guys at Midland VW a call for any future work, i used to take my mk2 golf 16v there and the VRS had its discs and pads done there last week, highly recommended :yes:

If you dont mind a little drive mate you could do a lot worse than giving the guys at Midland VW a call for any future work, i used to take my mk2 golf 16v there and the VRS had its discs and pads done there last week, highly recommended :yes:

I have just read a referance to this garage in another post, I may well be using them in the future, thanks for reminding me.

I would report them to trading standards - since it is not an urgent "safety check" at all - cambelt is not inspected for MOT after all, it has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with scaring people to part with cash.