Hello fellow Skoda Superb drivers!

Up to now my Skoda ownership experience was going great, until a UPS van drove into the back of me. But that's another story...

So off I went to my local North Dublin dealer where I bought the car, thinking this was the 'right thing to do'. After all, I wouldn't want to jeapordise the 12 year corrosion warrentee, would I?

They swiftly gave me a quote to fix it, and I was about to give them the go ahead, when I noticed the quotation was on a generic form, with another companies name under 'repairer'.

They had sub-contracted out the repair work to a non-skoda, independent repair shop. I asked the garage if my 12 year corrosion warrentee would be honored, and they said, no, they only offered a 2 year warrentee.

I rang Skoda Ireland, (aka Volkswagen). They confirmed that if the work was carried out by an independant, they would not honor the warrentee. So I asked who they reccomended to carry out the repairs and they replied that no Skoda dealer had the facilities to repair any Skoda vehicle whilst maintaining the warrentee.

Skoda sold me a vehicle which they do not have the facilities to repair.

Has anyone else had this experience?

I think many people go to main dealers in order to maintain warrentees. And pay a hefty premium for this. Should you not be told if they are sub contracting the works out to an independent? How many others are unknowingly voiding their warrentees every week like this?

I'm very dissapointed with this situation. There is apparently no way to repair my Skoda to it's original condition with the original warrentee conditions intact.

I would welcome other people's views or advice on this matter. Surely others have had this problem? What would you do? Is there another angle I have missed?

If there is no way to repair up to Skoda standard in Ireland then they should either pay for the vehicle to be repaired in the UK or failing that they have no option but to honour the warranty. It isn't your fault that they don't have a repair shop...

I'm not an expert, but I know for a fact my two nearest Skoda dealers do not have body shops here in the UK either. Do any Skoda dealerships have their own body shops?

I think that most dealers be they Skoda or others, do not have body shops, but would send such work out to one of the major body / crash repair companies. However once the work is carried out to Skoda standards, then the balance of your 12 year warranty (if more than 2 years), should come into effect.

Try contacting S.I.M.I. or the National Consumer Agency, and ask their opinion on this, as having said before, I don't think Skoda are alone in this regard.

But who keeps the car for 12 years ? No-one....

Anyway, at least here the experts say that those long corrosion warrantys are b*ll****. They demand that even after car`s own warranty has expired, you have to check the car regularly at skoda-dealer.

And the corrosion has to start from the inside of the car, not outside. At least that`t what it says in most warranty papers....

But who keeps the car for 12 years ? No-one....

Anyway, at least here the experts say that those long corrosion warrantys are b*ll****. They demand that even after car`s own warranty has expired, you have to check the car regularly at skoda-dealer.

And the corrosion has to start from the inside of the car, not outside. At least that`t what it says in most warranty papers....

I had 2 new wings on my Bora at 7 years old - non VW history too....

There are in fact 3 repair shops in NI:

http://www.vwgroup-paintandbody.co.uk/googleCentreLocator.asp?regionid=2

Seems the VWUK and SUK don't know about how many approved body shops they have got as i had to argue with them to get the Bora in at my local bodyshop which is approved.