Ok,

So today I left my car into a Skoda dealer and decided to wait. I requested them to reset the Xenon alignment sensor as the self alignment was not working. After an hour and a half I was told that they put the car on the VAG com and it was showing a fault for the sensor and they want to replace it and check the wiring. But to do this will cost £200. I was cracking up! Why didn't they just try and adjust the sensor and save me some money?

So, for the diagnostic check I was charged £70!!

I've had all my services carried out there, plus some other problems sorted and usually everything's been fine. But today I felt like they were treating like somebody who'd never put business their way and never would again.

There aren't many people in NI who have a VAG com. I'll try and find one. But if I don't I think I'll just have to bite the bullet and drop 200.

Anyone had the sensor replaced on their vRS and did it fix the problem? My worry is if I let them replace it and it goes again, then they will just want to replace the sensor.

Thanks for reading my rant! I feel alot better for writing it!

J

Edited 2 February, 201115 yr by Jimi182

If there is a fault with the sensor they won't be able to adjust it.

If they say it needs a new sensor then it might well do, the part will carry 12 months warranty.

Oh we don't use VAG COM btw

Edited 2 February, 201115 yr by Tech1e

If there is a fault with the sensor they won't be able to adjust it.

If they say it needs a new sensor then it might well do, the part will carry 12 months warranty.

Oh we don't use VAG COM btw

They said it may need a new sensor or it may just be a problem with the wiring. So why not check out the wiring first?

Ps what do you use then if not VAG COM?

Thanks,

J

thats the problem nowadays....

we will just hook it upto the computer sir!!!

i took my focus st to the main dealer and told them the exact problem with it as it was a common fault, even gave them the part number i needed to fix it....

they said they could not do that as they had to diagnose the problem themselves, so 30mins later it needs the part i told them... utter bawbags!!!

needless to say my ford ownership never lasted long, shockingly ****e car

Computer says no.....

Anything to separate you from the maximum amount of dosh for the mimimum amount of service.

Indy FTW :yes:

Years ago, the dealers used some kind of tool called something like VAS2343 - was dealer specific, not a tool you can just go out and get.

I wonder if the VCDS owners would get away with sitting outside dealers offering a diagnostic for £10? :rofl: :giggle: Great business opportunity.

Edited 2 February, 201115 yr by anewman

I wonder if the VCDS owners would get away with sitting outside dealers offering a diagnostic for £10? :rofl: :giggle: Great business opportunity.

I wish they would. I just don't think it's fair to charge an hour's labour diagnosing something and then say it'll take another hour at least to fix it by fitting a new part.

Edited 2 February, 201115 yr by Jimi182

I'd just charge a fiver to be honest. A fault scan takes 5 minutes tops, so thats £60 an hour!

I guess problem is once you have done it for them and printed it out, even Skoda will insist on plugging it in to *their* machine.

Wonder what the response would be if you went in, told them the problem, and requested that if the y MUST hook it up to the computer.... that if the fault you told them it has comes back you don't pay the diag?

Yes they will always insist on plugging it into their machine. I understand they're a business and need to make money. But they sure as hell won't be getting anymore of mine and will strongly advise people not to go to them either.

J

Could you not just go in and tell them you wanted them to replace the part.

As in " Hello, can you remove my current sensor and install a new one" Whay would they have to insist on diagnosis. If you tell them you want a part fitted surely that is what they should do.

Could you not just go in and tell them you wanted them to replace the part.

As in " Hello, can you remove my current sensor and install a new one" Whay would they have to insist on diagnosis. If you tell them you want a part fitted surely that is what they should do.

No. I thought the sensor just needed an adjustment. So I asked them to adjust. Why it took so long to diagnose it baffles me!

Really, how long does it take to hook up the car and check for fault codes anyway?

J

A dealer is always going to do their own diagnostic.

We had a guy come in before Christmas with an airbag fault. He told us that he had done a scan and he knew the fault was the passenger side lateral sensor and it needed to be replaced.

We very politely told him we would do our own diagnostic. It turned out the fault was with the driver side and it was a connector that had come off - no parts were needed.

Now, what would have happened if we had ordered the part, fitted it and we then told the customer that it didn't fix the fault? My guess is that the first thing the customer would would have said is "why didn't you check before replacing the part?"

A dealer is always going to do their own diagnostic.

We had a guy come in before Christmas with an airbag fault. He told us that he had done a scan and he knew the fault was the passenger side lateral sensor and it needed to be replaced.

We very politely told him we would do our own diagnostic. It turned out the fault was with the driver side and it was a connector that had come off - no parts were needed.

Now, what would have happened if we had ordered the part, fitted it and we then told the customer that it didn't fix the fault? My guess is that the first thing the customer would would have said is "why didn't you check before replacing the part?"

If I'd come in and specifically asked you to replace a part, then you replaced the part I had asked you to then I certainly wouldn't be putting the blame at your feet. I just feel that if it is my car and I am the customer I should be entitled to go into a garage and ask them to do what I want them to do. I really don't like the way technology is going - i.e. to remove any responsibility for your posessions from you by making everything require that someone with a computer programme must charge you £70 to tell you a problem. One of the reasons I want to get a Mk1 caddy

I'm not sure how Skoda dealers can justify £70 for a couple of minutes work though? It's not like the diagnostic equipment, software updates, and franchise fees (or whatever they're called) cost so much that they need it - plus a diagnostic actually has the potential to bring work which means profit. I think it's just a case of trying to maximise the amount of money they screw out of customers versus the level of complaints they get about the cost - that's the only reason the price is not £80 or £120.

Edited 3 February, 201115 yr by anewman

I'm not sure how Skoda dealers can justify £70 for a couple of minutes work though? It's not like the diagnostic equipment, software updates, and franchise fees (or whatever they're called) cost so much that they need it - plus a diagnostic actually has the potential to bring work which means profit. I think it's just a case of trying to maximise the amount of money they screw out of customers versus the level of complaints they get about the cost - that's the only reason the price is not £80 or £120.

A friend that works in an Audi dealership told me that to have the capabilities to service R8's they dealer has to pay £100,000 for specialist tools :|

So fault code scans are their way of making money back, but I agree £70 for a diagnostic is too much.

Edited 3 February, 201115 yr by C.D-vRS

I don't know, but my guess is the £70 was for more than a simple fault scan. I assume they visually inspected the sensor/wiring/connectors and did basic electrical tests.

If it was £70 for a simple scan, then it would be expensive

I don't know, but my guess is the £70 was for more than a simple fault scan. I assume they visually inspected the sensor/wiring/connectors and did basic electrical tests.

If it was £70 for a simple scan, then it would be expensive

Hi. No they didn't inspect anything. They did a scan and it said on the sheet that the fault required further investigation.

J

A friend that works in an Audi dealership told me that to have the capabilities to service R8's they dealer has to pay £100,000 for specialist tools :|

Yep, the specialist tools for most Skoda dealerships run to that cost too... =].

- Duggie.

But to do this will cost £200. I was cracking up! Why didn't they just try and adjust the sensor and save me some money?

So, for the diagnostic check I was charged £70!!

The way this is worded, it suggests that they charged you the diagnostics fee because you didn't take them up on the offer to replace the sensor for £200...is that correct?

Wouldn't be the first time I've come across dealers who will charge you a relatively high amount for diagnostic work if you don't also get them to carry out the repair work...the justification is that they don't want to pay out a load of money for equipment and training Master Techs only to have them spend their time doing non-profit diagnostic work, only to have people take the results and use it to get someone cheap to do the repair.

The way this is worded, it suggests that they charged you the diagnostics fee because you didn't take them up on the offer to replace the sensor for £200...is that correct?

Wouldn't be the first time I've come across dealers who will charge you a relatively high amount for diagnostic work if you don't also get them to carry out the repair work...the justification is that they don't want to pay out a load of money for equipment and training Master Techs only to have them spend their time doing non-profit diagnostic work, only to have people take the results and use it to get someone cheap to do the repair.

Nope. I had already been told the resulf of the disgnostic and was told about the extra work it would take to fix. No matter what I was still going to be charged £70.

Thanks

J

if you find someone with vagcom local let me know, i wouldnt know how to even start looking?

ps. seen the coillies on gumtree, why you decide not to fit them?

jordan

if you find someone with vagcom local let me know, i wouldnt know how to even start looking?

ps. seen the coillies on gumtree, why you decide not to fit them?

jordan

I was looking to buy a great set of spiders instead. But couldn't get them. Collies going on this Wednesday and hopefully the other set of Spiders I got off here

I'm still searching for someone with Vagcom. If I find someone I'll let you know :yes:

Edited 4 February, 201115 yr by Jimi182