Warranty issue with brand new Yeti

[Stouff]

Hi guys,

Picked up my brand new Yeti 1.2 TSi S in Aqua Blue on Tuesday. When the salesman was going through handover with me, he asked me to check I was happy with everything and on first inspection, everything seemed hunky dory. When I was sitting in the drivers seat familiarising myself with the controls I noticed that there was a tiny dent on the leading edge of the bonnet, right in the middle, only visible from the interior of the car, and about a centimetre to the right of this, an obvious blemish in the paintwork. I showed this to the salesman, and to his credit, he said it clearly wasn't right, and that he would let the sales manager know. He phoned me the following day, I took the car back in and they photographed the problem to send to the Warranty folk at Skoda UK. The service manager said they would wait for instructions from Skoda UK, but to expect to be without the Yeti for 4 days. They would provide me with a courtesy car.

Any ideas why it would take 4 days to replace my bonnet? I'm slightly concerned that they're planning to respray the entire car or something? I'd rather that they didn't. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

I'm slightly peeved that they saw fit to put the bonnet on the car when it has clearly been dropped and roughly touched up in a slapdash manner. I suppose that they're in such a rush in the factory that this sort of thing must go on. Would I be entitled to some sort of compensation?

[john999boy]

It's more than likely been damaged after leaving the factory.

[Tech1e]

It will probably be repaired rather than replaced I guess, might need a blow in on wings but as it's new if they can match it well enough might get away with it.

[Tech1e]

Oh and brand new the car is wrapped from the factory, the wrap wouldn't have gone on over damaged paint so I would think it's happened during transport.

[mannyo]

You'll be amazed at just how many new cars have had transit damage repaired before the first owner gets their hands on the keys.

The replacement bonnet would need to be colour matched to the rest of your car, so it cannot be sprayed in advance. Paint takes time to dry, your car has a base coat and clear coat on it and it all takes time.

If the dent is small, then they may opt for a paintless dent removal such as used to remove supermarket dings in which case you may get the car back faster.

[Merlinman]

Don't the dealers have to sign on delivery that the vehicle is delivered to them undamaged?

On that basis it could be your dealer that will pick up the tab?

So probably repair not replace?

Modern repairs can be very good

[Freshacre]

Hi guys,

Would I be entitled to some sort of compensation?

Compensation for what?

[BossFox]

All you'll be entitled to is getting it fixed.

You have suffered no loss, so are not entitled to compensation.

The car still works and is usable.

[ejstubbs]

Any dealer who wants to keep your business would offer you a courtesy car for the time yours is being repaired. A more customer-focussed dealer might also offer a sweetener such as free set of mats, a boot protector or something like that. But "entitled to compensation"? No.

[kenfowler3966]

I remember being in a rover garage many years ago and seeing the salesman touching up a nasty scratch on the wing of a top of range large car, the buyer was due to collect that day. The guy said he hoped the repair would not be noticed, he wasn't even using primer for a scratch down to bare metal.

I had a new company car delivered some years ago and I inspected all the outside, thinking nothing of the delivery driver leaning against the rear side as I went aound. Signed for the car, then when I got home found 2 small dents where he had leant on it to cover them up! Reported to the lease company but would be down to me to claim and repair as not recorded on delivery. Fortunately that corner was remodelled by a lorry a few weeks later and the whole panel had to be replaced.

[Stouff]

Thanks for the replies guys,

I was just glad I spotted the problem on handover, or otherwise, I'm sure they would have contested me over it. To be honest, it's not that bad, but it's more the principle of the thing. You buy a brand new car, wait 3 months for it to arrive, and then it's damaged before I've even collected it. Now, having waited a while to get my hands on it, I've got to take it back and be without it whilst they fix it. And, if it was damaged in transit or in the care of the dealership, then it was underhand to try and cover it up and hope I wouldn't notice (something you might feel was worth a goodwill gesture). In fairness to them, they have said they will provide me with a courtesy car, so it's not all bad. Having said that, I've never collected a new car in anything other than pristine condition so I'm not sure what my rights are in this instance.

Cheers.

Stouff

[kibby]

Thanks for the replies guys,

I was just glad I spotted the problem on handover, or otherwise, I'm sure they would have contested me over it. To be honest, it's not that bad, but it's more the principle of the thing. You buy a brand new car, wait 3 months for it to arrive, and then it's damaged before I've even collected it. Now, having waited a while to get my hands on it, I've got to take it back and be without it whilst they fix it. And, if it was damaged in transit or in the care of the dealership, then it was underhand to try and cover it up and hope I wouldn't notice (something you might feel was worth a goodwill gesture). In fairness to them, they have said they will provide me with a courtesy car, so it's not all bad. Having said that, I've never collected a new car in anything other than pristine condition so I'm not sure what my rights are in this instance.

Cheers.

Stouff

It's annoying I agree.

I have tried to view the car before they register it in the past as you are in their

hands once registered. As you haven't paid for it then you are in the driving seat to reject it.

I don't know if a rejection of the car is possible under the law and that will be a lot of

hassle and inconvenience.

Reprays can be a problem if the process doesn't match the factory one (hot or cold process).

I suspect the finish is more subject to paint chips than the original paint but could be wrong.

The original paint seems to be quite resistant to chips.

If they get the match slightly wrong can be a problem if you have a front fender repair in the future

as they then have to blend an in-between colour between the bonnet and the front door.

Was a problem in the past, probably better now, so make sure you get a good match and check it is stable

over time.

Paintless dent removal can be an option as you can always have a respray if you are not satisfied...I have had

them done and it was impossible to see the damage afterwards if you get the right guy (mine used to work on a

Honda production line doing 'in factory' repairs and was brilliant).

Edited 4 April, 2011 by kibby

[allena]

You have my sympathy, Stouff.

I'm with you on this. It is extremely disappointing to arrive to collect your new car - after a considerable waiting period - only to find that the thing is not what you might consider to be 'new'. Because in my opinion, a new car - like any other product - should be in faultless condition when you take possession. What is also, and possibly even more, annoying, is that the dealer 'apparently' hadn't noticed the defect - even though they would have had to clean (and presumably, polish) the car in readiness for your collection!

From my own experience, what you now have to be very wary of, is naively only looking at the bonnet when you go to collect the car after the defect has been dealt with! I say this because so far, every defect - or correction of a defect - that Skoda France have dealt with on my Yeti, has resulted in there being a new problem created whilst the car has been in their dealer's possession.

Let me give you just one little example: my Yeti had the protective foils badly fitted by supplying dealer number one. (The problem with them was that they were badly positioned and coming unstuck in places.) After I collected the car from dealer number two, who replaced the foils, I discovered scratches to the paintwork beneath the new foils. And one scratch above the foil too - matching in direction and size. Even a child would realise the logic that I could not have caused those scratches: since they weren't under the original foils, but are now under the replaced ones. Skoda's comment? Let me quote their report I've received today: "It is not possible to know if they (the scratches) come from the garage or if they were present before."

Just make sure, my friend, that when you collect your car, you give it the 'once over' as if it was the day of delivery all over again!

Edited 4 April, 2011 by allena

[dibujo]

Obviously these things happen but what is the point of the Pre Delivery Inspection that the dealer carries out if they then hand you the vehicle with damage? I think it should have been noticed and sorted out before you picked the car up.

[jekyll]

Collected our aqua blue 1.2 tsi on Saturday. It wasn't until later that I noticed a dent in the inside rim of the bonnet right in the centre, sounds exactly the same place as yours. We wondered as because it is exactly central, if it is a "fold" from the manufacture rather than a dent. Maybe other yeti owners could have a look at theirs to see if it is the same before we go down the warranty route?

[kibby]

Collected our aqua blue 1.2 tsi on Saturday. It wasn't until later that I noticed a dent in the inside rim of the bonnet right in the centre, sounds exactly the same place as yours. We wondered as because it is exactly central, if it is a "fold" from the manufacture rather than a dent. Maybe other yeti owners could have a look at theirs to see if it is the same before we go down the warranty route?

Mine OK. Not sure of exact spot from your description (inside rim = feature line on bonnet surface??) but looking

at exterior from all angles revealed nothing. Mine Sept 2010 registered.

If by inside rim you mean the side flanges on both sides not bothered as doesn't show unless opening bonnet...

but I guess you don't mean that.

Have noticed cars loaded on transporters have minimum clearance between cars these days (often less than 3")

so not difficult to damage on dodgy bouncy roads/operator rough handling.

Edited 4 April, 2011 by kibby

[Millstone]

You buy a brand new car, wait 3 months for it to arrive,

You only waited 3 months ??

[mike 111]

Collected our aqua blue 1.2 tsi on Saturday. It wasn't until later that I noticed a dent in the inside rim of the bonnet right in the centre, sounds exactly the same place as yours. We wondered as because it is exactly central, if it is a "fold" from the manufacture rather than a dent. Maybe other yeti owners could have a look at theirs to see if it is the same before we go down the warranty route?

Going out to inspect mine now.

[Stouff]

Collected our aqua blue 1.2 tsi on Saturday. It wasn't until later that I noticed a dent in the inside rim of the bonnet right in the centre, sounds exactly the same place as yours. We wondered as because it is exactly central, if it is a "fold" from the manufacture rather than a dent. Maybe other yeti owners could have a look at theirs to see if it is the same before we go down the warranty route?

Jekyll, the plot thickens. Here's what I've got on the edge of my bonnet. You can see the indentation in the centre and to the right the poorly touched up blemish. I wonder if it's a manufacturing fault?

Right in the line of sight for the driver. Not a huge deal, but annoying nonetheless.

Millstone, I know! It is a petrol one, so don't need to wait so long. It may seem like a short wait to some, but it felt like forever to me!

Edited 4 April, 2011 by Stouff

[Millstone]

Jekyll, the plot thickens. Here's what I've got on the edge of my bonnet. You can see the indentation in the centre and to the right the poorly touched up blemish. I wonder if it's a manufacturing fault?

That looks like the sort of mark that a machine/robot would make, the sort of thing that swings the bonnet cover into place in the factory on the assembly line. Probably should have a rubber pad on it and it's fallen off!!

This reminds me of several years ago when I worked for a company importing mopeds from Eastern Europe, we had lots of paint scratched because they insisted on using ordinary slotted head bolts, the srewdrivers would slip and scratch. They said "so" - when we pointed out that if they used cross head (phillips) screws the screwdrivers would not slip and the paint wouldn't scratch and we would not charge them for a complete panel repaint each time - they soon changed...

[Allams Skoda]

I'm not absolutely certain as I don't know for sure how the bonnets are manufactured but I've just had a look at the Yetis on site here and they've all got the little mark, it must be something to do with how they are made. You can't really see it but I found it possible to find the mark by running my finger under the leading edge of the bonnet.

Both the Yeti and the Superb have this, but the Octavia/Fabia/Roomster do not.

[SimonVespa]

My 2010 model Yeti also has the mark. Same as James - not really visible but noticeable to touch. Maybe it shows up more on the darker colours?

S

[Merlinman]

+1

Here too!

Not an issue, paint intact, feel it rather than see it.

Trailing not leading edge of bonnet (ie closest to windscreen)

I wouldn't risk a repair/repaint on the basis of that! (and I'm pretty fussy!)

[jekyll]

Thanks James and all others for checking. We'd come to the same conclusion that it's not an issue and is due to the manufacturing process. Good to know that it's not just us though!!!

[bilun777]

+1

Here too!

Not an issue, paint intact, feel it rather than see it.

Trailing not leading edge of bonnet (ie closest to windscreen)

I wouldn't risk a repair/repaint on the basis of that! (and I'm pretty fussy!)

+2... mine's Storm blue,and invisible to my naked eye,but can be felt by running my finger along the trailing edge

.I'd bet virtually all Yetis have some degree of manufacturing mark here.:wonder: