Hi All,

Got my Fabia vRS Special Edition last Saturday. When I got it, it was slightly pulling to the left and was some "fight" in the seering. The garage said must be tracking but don't have the kit to sort there and then so I said fine will drop it into a local garage. Drove it back up to Leeds and stopped at local garage and they said tacking and balance is fine not sure what it is. So took it to D M Keith today and they have given me a list of problems:

3 Tyres (2 on limit and 1 rear tyre wall buckled must have run flat at some point)

Rear suspension struts

Something like suspension boots on both front and back

Some other boots and bushes and roll bar

and something else can't remember....going to get full list tomorrow

Left the car with Skoda to sort but the bill is like £760! (Suspect tyres and labour account for alot of this)

I am thinking surely this should have all been checked as the garage I bought it from have stamped the book and said they did a full service and cambelt change (which I am also getting Skoda to check)

They gave me a 3 month warranty with the car but not sure this stuff will be covered. Also waiting for the garage to get back to me yet too.

Anyone got any advice please?

Thanks

Most of this wont be covered by a warranty as will be classed as wearing parts.

Don't want to sound to harsh but surely is you were unable to spot 2 worn tyres and fully question why the steering was pulling you should have taken advise from someone that knows a little about cars before parting with hard earned!

I knew 2 of the tires where near the limit but figured I would sort them myself - did not know about the 3rd though.

I figured it would likely be the tracking as had similar issues in the past - did not think it would be all this though. Figured gievn it had been given a full service and check by them and the said it is all fine that this would have been picked up?

If it was from a garage they have to supply a new mot. This obviously hasn't been done and an mot just filled in. I would be going back with the invoice for the work and a threat of legal action for falsely supplying an mot and selling an unroadworthy car.

If it was from a garage they have to supply a new mot. This obviously hasn't been done and an mot just filled in. I would be going back with the invoice for the work and a threat of legal action for falsely supplying an mot and selling an unroadworthy car.

Hi Mate,

It still has MOT until Jan 12. It was a service and supposed "full check over" that was done. So the garage said it was fine and no issues.

Can I still go back and say that to them?

If it was from a garage they have to supply a new mot. This obviously hasn't been done and an mot just filled in. I would be going back with the invoice for the work and a threat of legal action for falsely supplying an mot and selling an unroadworthy car.

Sorry, but why does the garage have to supply a new MOT?

Sorry, but why does the garage have to supply a new MOT?

My question as well.

What you should have done is take the car back to where it was purchased from and get them to rectify the pulling problem at their cost. Despite the warranty and what may/may not be covered by it, you still have your consumer rights and should give the selling garage an oppurtunity to fix it. Don't expect them to pay the whole Skoda bill as the Skoda garage will be looking for work. The rear suspension struts for example is likely to be that the foam bump stops have torn and slid down the strut piston, it is very common on the Fabia and doesn't really affect the bump stop operation.

Yeah the garage I got it from is 1:45mins down the motorway so tricky to get back to and also given the issues did not want to drive it down the motorway hence going to Skoda.

When they have done I guess I will send the list and bill and see what they say. I agree they prob won't pay it all but even half or 2/3rds would be reasonable!

What are my consumer rights in this sort of thing?

Sorry, but why does the garage have to supply a new MOT?

I thought they had to? Mrs bought a 2.5 year old car and they put 12months mot on it.

Its by the by anyway as he has stated it has had a full check and service which it clearly hasn't if it has failed parts which are basically an mot failure.

The sales of goods act states you have 6 months of reasonable time in which to have a 2nd hand car free of faults. Ill dig out some links when I get to my pc as I'm on my phone at the min.

I thought they had to? Mrs bought a 2.5 year old car and they put 12months mot on it.

Its by the by anyway as he has stated it has had a full check and service which it clearly hasn't if it has failed parts which are basically an mot failure.

The sales of goods act states you have 6 months of reasonable time in which to have a 2nd hand car free of faults. Ill dig out some links when I get to my pc as I'm on my phone at the min.

Cheers mate - I really appreciate it

A good guide to get you started:

http://www.hpicheck.com/buy_trade.html

Ok found the piece of paper with the breakdown on:

3 x new Tyres - 1 at front buckeled out of shape. 2 at rear just above limit so my choice to change

Bump Stops at rear

Front console bushes

Drop link - O/S

Wiper blades (One split so changing both)

4 wheel alignment

Anyone know roughly how much this should cost and is the price fair? I know it will be a little more as main delear labour charge and tyres won't be cheap.

I would ring the garage you bought it from first before agreeing to skoda doing the work. The warranty may be with them and therefore will not have to pay anything towards the repair cost. You must give them the chance to rectify first.

Hi the warranty is with a 3rd party supplier that they just pay for and give with the car. Not even sure this stuff is covered under it though until I read through the details.

Am folloing all that up but just wanted to know if anyone has an idea of what this should all cost roughly?

What number is your SE, we have a thread at the top of the forum with details. Take a look and make sure its not one of the few that have been written off in the past.

http://briskoda.net/...ition-register/

A used car only needs to have a valid MOT at time of sale, it does not need to be a new one. Dealers typically do the 12 month MOT to make the car more desirable, but watch out as they usually do it themselves and who knows if it would pass or fail elsewhere.

It still has MOT untill Jan 2012 but they did service it and stamp the book including cambelt. I have also asked Skoda to check this.

Just wanted to know if anyone knows how much the list of work would cost to make sure I'm nor getting ripped off there too.

I've never known a non franchised dealer to do a cam belt change as part of their 20point or whatever pre delivery service, lucky to get an oil change, and it's usually the wrong grade. They usually just check the lights and if it runs ok stamp the service book. As for the warranty all the items you list as faulty are wearable/service items except the drop link so they won't be covered.

Best thing to do now is contact one of the trusted traders list in Briskoda and get a quote for the work. Or do the bits yourself. nothing you have listed is can't be done local to you.

Get the facts here >> http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Consumerrights/Buyingacar-yourconsumerrights/DG_183047

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/problemswithmotorvehicles.cfm

3 x new Tyres - 1 at front buckeled out of shape. 2 at rear just above limit so my choice to change

Bump Stops at rear

Front console bushes

Drop link - O/S

Wiper blades (One split so changing both)

4 wheel alignment

Anyone know roughly how much this should cost and is the price fair? I know it will be a little more as main delear labour charge and tyres won't be cheap.

Bump stops - most of them are torn, Skoda looking for work? Not a MOT fail, around £20 each and 3/4 of an hours labour.

Console bushes - £10 each and a couple of hours, new arms required if the thread pulls out with the bolt at around £90 each.

Drop link - less than £20, half an hour or less if done at the same time as the console bushes

Wiper blades - £20 for the correct VW set

4 wheel alignment - guess at £60

Tyres a good search with the size speed and load rating would give you an idea.

Contribution from selling dealer?, I would guess at what he would pay, if he was doing the work. Parts less 10%, a much reduced labour rate and the cost of the cheapest suitable tyre he could get. A contribution on the bushes, link, wheel alignment, tyre and wiper blades at a push would be a reasonable outcome. You may be able to push him a bit on the other two tyres.

A used car only needs to have a valid MOT at time of sale, it does not need to be a new one. Dealers typically do the 12 month MOT to make the car more desirable, but watch out as they usually do it themselves and who knows if it would pass or fail elsewhere.

Where the test is done shouldn't make any difference, we don't test our sale cars any differently to anything else, though we wouldn't let a car out with 3mm of brake pad thickness even though it is twice the MOT limit.

Hi fordfan. Thank you for the detailed reply. I really appreciate it.

In terms of the total cost if you where doing this at your garage (assuming from your post you work at a garage) what would you be charging? I asked them for some reasonably decent tyres. Didn't want cheap ones as been stung in the past! )

Looking at the £760 Skoda have quoted; based on your parts about £220, tyres reasonable guess £100 each would be £520 ish parts. Which leaves about £240 labour.

Seem like an accurate breakdown or well off?

3 x new Tyres - 1 at front buckeled out of shape. 2 at rear just above limit so my choice to change

Bump Stops at rear

Front console bushes

Drop link - O/S

Wiper blades (One split so changing both)

4 wheel alignment

Basically, you bought a 4 year old car with three worn tyres, worn console bushes, a worn drop-link and worn wipers.

You had ample opportunity to inspect the car before purchase and you drove it away knowing it pulled and had "fight" in the steering. The dealer did a "check". I think you'll find the checklist would not have involved driving the car. Heck, a full service doesn't involve checking the items you've mentioned except the tyres and the wipers. You say you knew two of the tyres were worn, so that leaves the wipers blades that you may be able to get replaced.

Accept that you've bought a USED car, get it fixed and enjoy it. Trying to chase the supplying dealer for remedy will only end in grief and disappointment.

Basically, you bought a 4 year old car with three worn tyres, worn console bushes, a worn drop-link and worn wipers.

You had ample opportunity to inspect the car before purchase and you drove it away knowing it pulled and had "fight" in the steering. The dealer did a "check". I think you'll find the checklist would not have involved driving the car. Heck, a full service doesn't involve checking the items you've mentioned except the tyres and the wipers. You say you knew two of the tyres were worn, so that leaves the wipers blades that you may be able to get replaced.

Accept that you've bought a USED car, get it fixed and enjoy it. Trying to chase the supplying dealer for remedy will only end in grief and disappointment.

Yes - because the garage reckoned it was simply tracking and I should just get it done at a garage near home as they didn't have the kit.

I am indeed going to get it fixed thank you. I would consider myself a layperson in these things and not a mechanic hence the questions and also the same questions to the garage that I bought it from to make sure everything was ok and fit for purpose. I appriciate that it is a used car and may be subject to wear. But if it is to the extent that the car has a fault then it is not simply wear but in fact a problem.

Thank you for your input.

I'd be pretty peeved if I had just bought a car, which I was told had been checked, serviced etc to then find it needed a couple of hundred quid spending on it. One of the reasons I buy from a garage and not privately.

Hi.. I'm surprised no one has mentioned yet that the Fabia vRS is camber sensitive, some more than others.

Mine pulls to the left even when the alignments spot on, and if I let the steering wheel go I drift towards the kerb.. A lot of them do.

The "piece of mind" check is to drive on a completely flat surface and see how it behaves then, you may still get a tiny tiny bit of left pull due to torque steer.. with the cluth down you should roll in a straight line.. If you drive on the wrong side of the road at any time you'll notice that it actually wants to pull to the right.

If it pulls notably left on flat ground, and straight / left on the wrong side of the road, that's when you know you've got something wrong.... don't forget that simple things like odd tyre pressure can effect tracking as well.

Seems pricey for the work IMO.

I used to take my car to the dealer for servicing and they suggested 2 new tyres for £150 each, can't remember what they were but I went and got some toyos for half the price

I use a VAG specialist now that is half the price of the dealer for the exact same service if not better