Hi all.

Bear with me while I tell you my story.

A few weeks ago, I found my perfect Skoda Yeti at Garlands Skoda in Aldershot. Quite a drive from me, but we all know how rare Yetis still are, and this was the exact car

I wanted - a 20k mile 2010 2.0 TDI 4x4 Elegance in Cappucino Metallic. I went over the car meticulously and couldn't find a single scratch, nor did I notice anything untoward on the test drive. I even ran my fingers along the door shuts and couldn't find a single chip there. I bought the car there and then.

Several days later, I went to collect the car and, stupidly, took for granted that it would be in the same condition as when I viewed it. I was in a bit of a rush so I grabbed the keys and off I went. The first thing I noticed on my drive home was that the steering wheel didn't seem completely straight, even though the car seemed to be tracking fine. When I eventually got home, my security light came on in the drive and highlighted a sizeable parking dent in the rear nearside door.

I rang the dealer first thing and mentioned the issues, and they agreed to take the car back in, fix the dent and sort the steering wheel issue. I eventually got the call (four days later) that I could collect my car. Long story short, the dent was fixed but the steering wheel was still crooked. To make matters worse, the tracking was now out as well and the car was pulling slightly to the right.

So Garlands Skoda were contacted again and told they had to collect the car, which they did. Three days later, I got a call saying the tracking had been sorted and the car was ready for collection. As I had been given a courtesy car that was unsuitable for my work, I drove up through rush hour traffic to collect my car before closing. The tracking was now SO messed up I didn't even get 50 yards from the dealership before I noticed the car was pulling violently to the left. Straight back I went to be met with "well we didn't get a chance to test it". A quite ironic reply seeing as I never even made it to the end of the road before I noticed.

I left the car with them again (the fourth time in total I believe), to be told by the manager that the car would be going to Winchester where the main dealer had their own tracking machine, and that the car would not be given back to me until it was 100% sorted. I was assured the very experienced and trusted master technician would be working on the car. This took another five days, and I finally received the call that my car was once again ready for collection.

By this time, I had already decided that I would go elsewhere if the car still had issues, so I went and collected it. The car is now back to where it was - the tracking is fine, but in spite of the master tech giving the car the all clear, the steering wheel still isn't centred.

I am now going to speak to Skoda in the morning and I am hoping they will sort it for me to go to a dealer that is more local to me and also has at least one member of staff with a modicum of competence. Failing this, I am going to have no choice but to reject the car and go through a shedload of hassle.

If anyone has any tips that might help me out, or experienced something similar, please let me know as I am losing my mind.

They certainly talk a good game though...when I threatened to return the car for a refund I was also promised some compensation for the weeks of hassle and inconvenience caused by incompetent staff - this has, unsurprisingly, not happened. I really do hope Skoda let me go somewhere else, because I flat out refuse to deal with those cowboys again. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

Edited 22 February, 201214 yr by carnivorous

There's a four wheel alignment machine about 200 yards from Garlands workshop, surprised they didn't take it there.

There's a four wheel alignment machine about 200 yards from Garlands workshop, surprised they didn't take it there.

ATS? That's where it went the third time..and was violently pulling to the left after they got through with it. FML.

Depending on where you are, take to an independent wheel alignment place. I can recommend wheels in motion who are located in Chesham, Bucks, they worked wonders with my now sold Superb and it drove better than ever when I left their workshop. Yes you will have to pay for it, but they have the time to work on it. IIRC it was about £100 for the alignment, but they spent the best part of 3hrs with me watching them do the work, and it was 3 hrs of my time well spent. WIM only do wheel alignment, nothing else and are used regularly by Ferrari owners who have regular meets there.

I know i can take it somewhere else, but I paid almost £20k for a car with all the Skoda promises.

Surely they should put the car in the condition it should have been in on collection?

Considering the time the monkeys at Garlands and Winchester have spent on it so far, my local

independent could have aligned 10 cars by now.

Edited 22 February, 201214 yr by carnivorous

I heartily agree with Mannyo on this. WIM are genuine experts on chassis alignment and that amounts to a good deal more than "tracking" often a very crude process carried out by semi skilled people.

As manufactured most vehicles are within tolerances but few are exactly as they should be with not only wheels pointing in the same direction but camber and castor to spec and importantly the tracked wheels exactly aligned to the central axis of the car.

If you have no problems it may be fine to leave the car as you bought it-if you have a problem I would get it checked and aligned by experts.

I went through this nightmare on my Audi. Once they started to fiddle it will never ever be corrected in my book. I drove it for 60,000 more miles with the wheel at a 1 degree angle, as after 10 goes by everyone and everything (including Audi's best master technician who replaced bolts and what not) I gave up. So good luck.

Paste your experiences with Garland in the dealer reviews section. Other forum members need to be warned of dealers like this one.

My own experiences of Garland have not been good either - but I decided that they were not remotely competent to work on my Superb and never gave them the chance...

With the Superb and similar chassis, if alignment is needed, simply ask the dealer if he has the VAG jig to set "raised toe" and ask to see it. Then find out if the mechanic is bright enough to use it. Any failures of this test - walk.

I have had good experiences with alignment at Micheldever tyres. (Micheldever station).

rotodiesel.

Do Micheldever have a VAG jig then?

Thanks,

Phil

Update: I have now spoken to Simon Howell, the brand manager at Winchester & Garlands. For starters, it was just nice to speak to someone that seemed genuinely concerned about the lacklustre performance of the dealership staff thus far.

Simon has offered me the option of an immediate and full refund of all costs incurred, which I can't really argue with. However, the car (aside from a few minor faults that can not be impossible to repair) is by far the cleanest 20k miler I have seen, and I know it's history well, haven spoken to the previous owner in person (a reverend in his 70s believe it or not - how cliche?). I honestly don't think I am going to find another car this clean and would be gutted to have to reject it for something so trivial and fixable.

Simon has agreed to have the car collected and replaced with another Yeti, and has assured me that the car will go back on the VAG machine in Winchester and that the steering rack, wishbones and ball joints will all be replaced should it be necessary.

This is the first time I have spoken to anyone in the group that has managed to genuinely reassure me to some degree, and it really does seem as if Simon is going to make it his personal mission to ensure I will not suffer any further disappointments. Whilst I am disappointed that I have had to go through so much hassle to get the service I should have received from the start, I am inclined to give the bloke a fighting chance at sorting out the ****-ups.

I should know more next week and will keep everyone posted. Thanks for all the advice so far, some of it may come in very handy in the future.

Good to hear that

Good to hear you have managed to speak to someone who can get things sorted out for you.

Update: I have now spoken to Simon Howell, the brand manager at Winchester & Garlands. For starters, it was just nice to speak to someone that seemed genuinely concerned about the lacklustre performance of the dealership staff thus far.

Simon has offered me the option of an immediate and full refund of all costs incurred, which I can't really argue with. However, the car (aside from a few minor faults that can not be impossible to repair) is by far the cleanest 20k miler I have seen, and I know it's history well, haven spoken to the previous owner in person (a reverend in his 70s believe it or not - how cliche?). I honestly don't think I am going to find another car this clean and would be gutted to have to reject it for something so trivial and fixable.

Simon has agreed to have the car collected and replaced with another Yeti, and has assured me that the car will go back on the VAG machine in Winchester and that the steering rack, wishbones and ball joints will all be replaced should it be necessary.

This is the first time I have spoken to anyone in the group that has managed to genuinely reassure me to some degree, and it really does seem as if Simon is going to make it his personal mission to ensure I will not suffer any further disappointments. Whilst I am disappointed that I have had to go through so much hassle to get the service I should have received from the start, I am inclined to give the bloke a fighting chance at sorting out the ****-ups.

I should know more next week and will keep everyone posted. Thanks for all the advice so far, some of it may come in very handy in the future.

Sorry to be blunt carnivorous', but I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill.

If the car is travelling in a straight line then the steering wheel should be 'level & straight'. I think (and I'm not a mechanic here) what you're referring to is the fact that on the full left hand lock, the wheels turn 'slightly' more than they do on a full right lock, which accounts for the slightly different position of the steering wheel spokes in relation to the dashboard..

Without trying to trivialise things, is it really that important?? I also think you're being somewhat unrealistic in your expectations.

You have a GREAT car at a knock-down price and in EXCELLENT condition for the age. :yes:

(puts on body armour incase he gets shot down in flames )

You have a GREAT car at a knock-down price and in EXCELLENT condition for the age. :yes:

It isn't in excellent condition though is it, the steering wheel is wonky.

If I'd just paid £20,000 it would need to be perfect too.

You're missing the point. The car tracks straight, but the wheel is constantly 10 deg off to the right when driving down the motorway. Do this for hours on end like I do and you actually get a bit of backache as your arms are never level. I have to agree with Silver here - if I pay near 20k (almost new price) for a car off a dealer - I want my 20k's worth of car and I want them to deliver what I paid for. Why should I accept a fault that can be fixed on a car under warranty? If it is, for example, a dodgy steering rack - should I wait for it to get worse and then take the car in when it's no longer under warranty? Nah, doesn't make sense to me. If you take my money, deliver what you promise.

Well, I think Phil has a valid complaint - and his dealer must think so too!

Hope it all gets sorted - it'd drive me even more bonkers too!

Oh, sorry, I didn't realise it was also 'wonky' when driving in a straight line.

I would be asking why the steering was out in the first place. Is there any indication on the tyres/wheel rims that it's been kerbed? Skoda (as part of VW group) are pretty fastidious about things being right when their cars leave the factory. Your tale suggests that the front suspension has taken a reasonably hefty knock to cause it to be out as you describe. Personally, I too would want it to be right, and that includes replacement of any damaged suspension components. Tracking slightly off centre is one thing, but to have different "turns" on each full lock is a hint that there's something more serious.

If not properly corrected, you could be looking at increased tyre wear in the future, even if the steering wheel is tracking straight ahead. Caster or camber may also have been affected, so a proper 4 wheel laser alignment including camber & caster checks are is essential to ensure that it's not just the tracking that's out. I would recommend that you ask for written/printed copy of the results, and a copy of the specification set by Skoda before you accept the car.

Good luck

John H

If you end up going to an independant four wheel alignment "specialist", don't go to Bagshot Tyre and Exhaust, they made a real pigs ear of my previous car. (Bagshot is only fifteen minutes from Aldershot)

The car had all 4 original wheels and tyres when I got it...all unmarked and never refurbed. All four tyres were worn evenly. The master tech has apparently hinted that he suspects a faulty steering rack. I did manage to contact the previous owner, a vicar in his 70s, who was more than happy to talk to me (at length) about how much he loved the car and never had an incident or cause to complain. He assured me he never kerbed it or even hit any noticeably large potholes, and merely upgraded to a DSG Yeti because of an injury to his left leg. As he had already traded in the car, he has no reason to be fibbing to me - and he seems pretty switched on for a guy of that age. I aslo asked at what mileage he handed over the car and he checked his paperwork (bless him). 19,997. When i collected it, it just rolled over to 19,999 as I drove out of the dealership. That's one trip through traffic (down the high street during working hours) to the service department and back.

I did tell Simon that I wanted a full run down of all the work done, copies of all printouts and a written guarantee that the car has been rectified fully.

Thanks for the advice Speedsport - great minds....

Have to help me out here SMOC but have we not had a previous report of a steering rack replacement, or I'm I confused in my older age by reading one of the other forums :wonder:

PS hope they sort it out this time for you; can sympathise 8 or was it 9 visits to get a minor PDC issue sorted

Regards,

TP

Tim, It has just occurred to me that a soft reset of your Bolero may help? Press and hold the Setup button to recalibrate radio volumes especially AM, and possibly PDC volume? Good luck!

Tim, It has just occurred to me that a soft reset of your Bolero may help? Press and hold the Setup button to recalibrate radio volumes especially AM, and possibly PDC volume? Good luck!

Many thanks

TP

Just an update, I have been dealing with Simon Howell at Garlands and Adrian at Winchester. After a lot of back and forth, I spent most of the day at Winchester today and had my geometry re-done with a straight steering wheel. Everything seems ok now and Simon has been very kind and compensated me adequately for my troubles. It's a shame I had to kick up such a fuss, but things seem to be sorted now. Thanks you all for your input / help and advice.

Glad to hear all is well now