Big servicing cost after 4 years

[jaybee]

I am in a bit of a state of shock after my Roomster's visit to the local Skoda dealer for a 40,000 mile service and MOT. The initial estimate for the service and MOT was just under £400 which seemed a bit high but to which I nevertheless agreed. During the afternoon I received a phone call from the garage to say that the car had failed its MOT because of worn front suspension bushes and that these needed to be replaced at a cost of £330. It also needed a new tyre because one of the front ones was worn on one side because of the fault with the front suspension. By the time the air conditioning had been serviced as well, the total bill came to a tad under £850. When I asked whether the bushes should have needed replacing after 40,000 miles I was told 'these are a wear and tear item'. If this is the case I have to assume that they need replacing at exorbitant cost every 4 years. To add insult to injury I was told that the fault with the parking sensors reported when the car was still under warranty could not be fixed free of charge because this was the first time that they had been able to diagnose the fault even though it had been present for 2 years. I bought a Roomster not only because it suited my needs very well as a car but because I believed that it would be economical to run. This latest experience has shaken my faith somewhat. I had Renault Scenics for many years and these sailed through MOT tests year after year without a whimper from any front suspension parts (one did 100,000 miles). I just have to assume that inferior components have used in the front suspension of the Roomster. I am not impressed to say the least. Next car won't be a Skoda of any description.

[fabdavrav]

Unfortunatly some dealers are rightly known as "stealers"...

The front suspension bushes at £330 to replace is a rip off I'm afraid....the Roomster shares the same front end as Fabia with MKI components. I think they mean the rear bush on the front wishbone (known as the console bush, and is a known weak point)...OEM is £8 each max.......high performance version is £55 the pair plus max 1 1/2hrs work for a dealer!!!!!

Air con should only cost around £80 to "service" (plug into a special machine which empties the refidgerant, weigh it, vacum tests pipwork etc etc).....

May be repost this into the general guides or the other sections as the Roomster section can be a bit quiet!

[xman]

In a word, the OP was ripped off.

Its unlikely the bushes needed replacing at 40,000 miles. My skoda dealer (another "stealer") muttered about these bushes needing changing at 50,000 miles. They didnt actually fail an MOT (at an independent test centre) until the car got to 110,000 miles and even then it was marginal (one side only).

There are 3 types of bushes supplied by Vag now - cross design (soft), semi voided (harder), and solid (hardest) and they all cost under £8 each from TPS. A decent independent will fit both bushes for around £90. My stealer quoted £168.

They saw you coming mate....dont make the same mistake again, go elsewhere.

Contact Skoda UK and complain. If you report a fault, it should be logged at that point. Thats when the warranty applies. Again complain.

[keystonedriving]

Ironic that you should quote Renault Scenics as paragons of virtue! We have one and it's the biggest heap of **** we have ever owned. Just about everything electrical has failed, there is a major design fault on the engine which lead directly to a complete rebuild when the auxiliary drive belt shredded and took out the cambelt (there is no protective cover for the cambelt)!

I had to have the front suspension bushes replaced on my old Fabia, they were done at 110,000 miles undes warantee (back in the days of 3 years unlimited mileage). Then again, I had an exceptionally good local dealer looking after me. Unfortunately they have now changed hands and I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole these days.

It sounds to me like you need a good local VW specialist (not the dealer) to look after you. Over the last 10 years I have had a Fabia, a Polo and now a Roomster - something like 325,000 miles without major problems.

Rob.

[bobspark]

What an absolute shocker. If your keeping the car seek out your nearest independent VW specialist, at least the labour rates will be cheaper.

There are quiet a few threads in these forums about Roomster/Fabia bushes , and it seems they can be a problem, especially given the shocking state of our potholed roads.

I have always done all my own servicing and repairs were possible, but admit changing these bushes would for me be a bit daunting, but thanks to these forums I’m researching the do it yourself option, just in case.

Also make sure the tracking hasn’t been affected, my daughters 12 year old Polo had the front suspension bushes replaced , and a year later the two front tyres needing replacing, as they were worn down to metal on the inside edges.

[dibujo]

Sounds like it would be a good idea to have the bushes checked just before the warranty runs out It's a known issue on Fabia/ Roomster suspension so pity you couldn't have had a contribution from Skoda for the cost.

[richardf]

Mine were changed on extended warranty at just over 4 years at a Seat dealer using the uprated Ibiza bushes. I have a feeling that the Skoda extended warranty may be an essential if you consider ths problem and the two other well known problems of the Climate Control Compressor and the ABS unit.

[xman]

the two other well known problems of the Climate Control Compressor and the ABS unit.

Well known? First I've ever heard of these "problems"..

Edited 4 July, 2011 by xman

[fabdavrav]

Well known? First I've ever heard of these "problems"..

The Bosch ABS unit can have problems......like most ABS units (Bosch or Teves)......most of the time you can send the electronics module off to be repaired (there are well know standard faults)........or if you end up like I did earlier this year with a totally FUBAR unit then thats £1,500 for a brand new one!!!.....Bugger!!! :(

[bobspark]

I have learnt a lot from the various forums ,on cars electronics etc.

But it has to be said with car forums , it’s a bit like heath forums where you can read about things that might never happen to you , and end worrying your self silly.

[fabdavrav]

you can read about things that might never happen to you , and end worrying your self silly.

Thing is at least you will know how to fix it then, and it won't be such a big shock when it happens.....sorry..."if" it happpens..

[richardf]

The point is that all the users forums can't be wrong. VAG ABS units do seem to have "history" across the brands. However, having the brake fluid changed at the correct intervals is reckoned to help. Similarly I suspect that the same is true with the Climate/Air Con Compressors.

But I agree there's no point in getting paranoid about it because breakages are a part of car ownership, as is taking action to prevent problems. Having a history of taking that action may well encourage your VAG dealer to assist financially when problems arise.

[dibujo]

How could you take action to prevent the console bushes from failing? Would it be considered wear and tear if they failed?

[fabdavrav]

How could you take action to prevent the console bushes from failing? Would it be considered wear and tear if they failed?

Don't drive the car?????

It's just a bad design....our roads don't help tho'

Like brake pads and discs......replacable cheap part......just the labour cost.....which shouldn't be that much!!!

[The PM]

Just had the 40k service done on mine, nothing extra and 2 1/2 hours work... Can't comment on costs as its a motability car, but it seems the OP was either being ripped off or got a duff car if there was so much wrong with it... The only comment was that the front tyres are getting low, she was surprised when i said that the were only the second set and the backs were original!

[jaybee]

Thanks for all the comments guys. Just to let you know, I have lodged a complaint with Skoda on 2 counts: the need to change the bushes after only 40,000 miles, and what I was charged to replace them.

[Robjon]

I hope you also remembered to complain about the faulty parking sensors

[jaybee]

Just an update on this matter. I lodged the formal complaint with Skoda Customer Service on 6th July and was assigned a reference number. Having heard nothing I phoned them again yesterday (25th July, 19 days later) to be told that the only progress was that a Case Manager had been assigned. Naturally I requested that he phone me with a progress report as soon as possible. Today I have heard nothing. Skoda boast about their customer satisfaction but this level of customer service is a joke. My expectations are now nil. My thought at the moment is to get rid of this cheap little car full of inferior parts and to go out and buy a proper one, maybe a Jaguar XF or maybe an XJ. This is what I should have done in the first place.

[jrw]

They saw you coming i'm afraid.

Firstly it is out of warranty so why you would take it to a Dealer is beyond me and secondly you didn't have to have the work done...They advised you that they needed replacing. I had an 'advisory' that the brakes needed changing at 21k on my Bora. They got done at 75k and still had about 10k left in them.

Full of inferior parts? You have had 2 front bushes from what i can see?

....and finally you chose a Roomster over a XJ or an XF If you want cheap servicing then i wouldn't have a Jag....I look after an XJ8 - Its about £70 just for the oil for the thing. Aftersales isn't that great either unless you buy a new car from them every year

[jaybee]

So I take it that you think it is OK for:

a) inferior components to be fitted in crucial places such as the front suspension

and

being ripped off by a Skoda Dealer is only to be expected

Also note that the car FAILED ITS MOT on these bushes and I was told that they had to be replaced for the car to pass. There's advisory and advisory. Note that there were other advisories on the car indicating that it is wearing out prematurely (such as brake disks).

The Jaguar bit was meant to be facetious and in hindsight was unnecessary. Apologies.

Edited 27 July, 2011 by jaybee

[jrw]

I wouldn't say after 4 years it is inferior. Also how many miles have you done between mots? Did you get an advisory last year for the bushes? I would imagine it should have been picked up as wearing. If not, they are pulling a fast one, especially at that price.

Secondly it is well known that any main dealers rip you off. Its how they make their money along with finance, payment protection and lifeshine etc.

Even though it failed you still had the option to refuse the offer for them to do the work and have it done at your choice as long as the mot hadn't expired.

[bobspark]

Yes main dealers do indeed rip you off!

That became very clear to me when I purchased a second-hand Golf Estate from a main Toyota dealer, and asked for it to be serviced as part of the deal, and clearly written on the sales invoice as a full service.

I noticed when I got it home the metal oil filter was rusty , so back I went to confront them , and with embarrassment they said they had just checked the levels.

On reflection I don’t know why I didn’t go ballistic .

No I just went home and did the job myself as I have always done for the last 40 years.

With my second-hand Roomster I didn’t bother asking for a service, to be thrown as I couldn’t be sure it would be done. And by doing it myself I can make sure the 1.9 diesel gets the correct PD oil.

In the old days a car service involved quite a lot , adjusting valves, points etc.

Now its all so easy , unless there is a specific problem with the engine management to be dealt with.

The only crumb of consolation for Jaybee is that if the bushes were renewed , at least there was a proper job of work involved, even if it was £100 to £200 to much.

I hope Skoda cough up something towards the cost.

[jaybee]

Have heard nothing from Skoda. I suspect that I will have sold the car before I do.

[bobspark]

Yes they will probably hope that if they string it out for a long time , you will get tired and just give up.

I am afraid you have to be persistent!

Send them another letter.

[jaybee]

Final update on this. I eventually spoke to the UK Customer Services Manager and he said it was not unreasonable:

a) for the console bushes to wear out in 4 years

and

for it to cost £320 to replace them

So there you go. My total bill of £850 to get the car serviced and through an MOT at 40,000 miles was not unreasonable in his opinion. He did offer me free labour for a service next year. I suppose this was something of a gesture. However I won't be able to take advantage of this because I have traded the car in and won't ever be going anywhere near anything made by Skoda again. Yours sincerely, one very dissatisfied customer.