I thought they IR cure it before letting out of the paint shop and the paint is fully cured?

What a horrible experience.

If repair is no good this time round reject the car. If you are finally happy, next 2 years servicing free (make sure they give you a voucher).

Keep us posted

I really think that its time to tell the dealer that you want a refund. They couldn't put right the things that were wrong first time around that should not have been there in the first place. They have a fundamental failure in proving you what you have paid for. How ever good the new paint looks, anybody with half an idea on vehicle paintwork will be able to see it. This, at minimum reduces the chances of a simplistic sale later down the line which, in turn, is not good enough.

Today the car was returned to me...

The paint actually looks pretty good. It was a rather wet experience examining the paint as it was throwing it down (the salesman held an umbrella for me at least!) but the repair actually does look good.

Dealer also supplied the oil/accessory bag and will post the MDI cable to me (iPod type was ordered rather than the USB one I wanted).

We discussed goodwill gestures and the dealer has agreed for the car to be looked at by the detailer I was going to take it to next weekend to see if a paint correction is required and has stated they will foot the bill for this. I also suggested that I would be made happy by the offer to supply/fit some choice accessories: bluetooth and Eibach springs. The business manager said he does not have the authority to ok this, but will speak to the dealer principal once the paint has been checked over.

So, am I happy? Not yet, but things are going in the right direction. I have the car back, it looks great and I can't wait to get driving it again.

My confidence in the dealer is seriously knocked and I am as yet unsure if I would go back there for servicing etc (although I appreciate the service and sales depts are separate).

I will wait and see what the goodwill might turn out to be, but for now I am just happy to have my long-awaited and highly anticipated car back!

Will be interesting to see what the detailed says. Make sure they use the old sun gun on it to highlight any problems

You should have asked them to keep it indoors so u could inspect it dry

I was tempted to post links to how the car body painting is suppose to happen according to VAG but I left the Self Study Programme references in the office. It was in German so not much use anyways

Important thing is that you are happy with the paint and they agreed to sort out professional detailer's bills for you.

Would be interesting indeed what the "goodwill" is going to be...

Keep us posted.

You should have asked them to keep it indoors so u could inspect it dry

The car was in the workshop when I arrived, but they wouldn't let me in there to look it over due to 'customers not being allowed in that area due to health and safety sir'.

That is some dealership, they should have arranged for it to undercover where it could be inspected,

considering the messing about already.

Are you totally happy with it now.

No sign of anything that was there before?

george

I know, they are really do value their customers eh? Apparently they did have an undercover handover and valeting are but that is in the process of being redeveloped into new sales space for the dealership network.

Seems a bit off that there is nowhere to inspect a car except outside.

The paint does look good. As far as I can tell, I am happy.

A friendly detailer from this very forum is due to look at it on Saturday and have a good look at it with a paint thickness gauge. Fingers crossed it comes out ok!

I drove it to and from work today (50 miles) and was reminded why I bought it in the first place. What a car.

All I need now is my bluetooth and Eibach upgrades...

A small update...

As of today still awaiting the 'goodwill' gesture from the dealer. I received an email today after setting out what I felt would be appropriate recompense on the 15th of this month. Skoda UK remain involved and are getting in touch with me tomorrow after the dealer has spoken to me.

Hopeful for a reasonable outcome to still come from this!

On a side note, car clicked over to 1000 miles yesterday and this car just gets better and better!!! My commute is a whole lot more interesting than it used to be.

A small update...

As of today still awaiting the 'goodwill' gesture from the dealer. I received an email today after setting out what I felt would be appropriate recompense on the 15th of this month. Skoda UK remain involved and are getting in touch with me tomorrow after the dealer has spoken to me.

Hopeful for a reasonable outcome to still come from this!

On a side note, car clicked over to 1000 miles yesterday and this car just gets better and better!!! My commute is a whole lot more interesting than it used to be.

Would you mind letting us all know how you get on and what goodwill you achieve? I know it would be a useful yardstick for when others on here have issues with a dealer.

Can I have 'free service' in the sweep? :-)

Latest update today is an email from the dealership (sales) manager:

 

 

Hi

 

After speaking with Skoda, I will be standing by my offer to contribute £180 towards your detailing. Alternatively we can have the car back to carry out the work required on repairs that we have had done.  

 

Regards

 

I have to say I am not exactly happy about it.

They obviously feel that this and a tank of fuel (supplied after the first repair), is enough to make me happy. I am so thoroughly fed up with this dealership and their slack customer service now. I know they want me to just give up and leave it, but that isn't going to happen.

 

I had the car detailed at the weekend (nice thread with some pics elsewhere in the forum!) and the detailer had to deal with deep swirls etc from overzealous woolpad use. It took a number of hours for these to be removed (from what I understand).

The £180 goes towards the cost of this, but does not fully cover it.

 

So, what would you Briskodians do??!! 

My request for springs and bluetooth as recompense has been rejected (twice). What now?

I am due to speak to Skoda UK again on Thursday and see what they say - but I'm sure it will be the same 'we can't force the dealer to do anything' line...

 

   

unfortunately by going ahead with other work before they can rectify it you've put yourself into a sticky position. I would take the money and walk away.

 

IMO you will not get anything more out of them now. If you had let them do the work and it was still sub-standard then you would have cause for complaint but as they don't have a chance to do the final fix then I think they will just stay stuff you. As for SUK they seem to be pretty pointless as they don't really have any clout over the dealer

I'd take the money and run tbh

£180 Cash money (well a cheque) sounds fine to me.

The Detailing you have had done has your car looking great and even if the hand over had been a wonderful experience your car would not be looking like that now.

 

george

unfortunately by going ahead with other work before they can rectify it you've put yourself into a sticky position. I would take the money and walk away.

 

IMO you will not get anything more out of them now. If you had let them do the work and it was still sub-standard then you would have cause for complaint but as they don't have a chance to do the final fix then I think they will just stay stuff you. As for SUK they seem to be pretty pointless as they don't really have any clout over the dealer

from regularly listening to the consumer show on local BBC, by doing the work yourself you've sidestepped their legal obligations and placed yourself in a difficult situation through impatience. Not blaming you its common to want things sorted NOW, and we all do it.

But if you intend taking a company to task and using the law to help you you need to play things by the book and by the numbers.

As others have said, accept the offer, learn a lesson and go your separate ways from the dealer.

Take the money and do the only thing that can harm the dealer, vote with your feet and never go back there.

Take your car somewhere else from this day forward.

Well, the work was done by a professional detailer as there was no way I was going to trust their body shop after the botch they made the first time and the relatively poor finish second time. 

I'm disappointed that they didn't even really try to make me the 'happy customer' they said they would do after the handover debacle.

Delerships are franchises and run by people. It is only natural that some are better than the others but rather dissapointing some can stoop to such a low level. What is even more dissapointing is the fact that SUK is not that much interested in enforcing the quality. After all this is the face their customers see, not headquarters...

 

Still, you have a car which was detailed to a much higher standard than any dealer anywhere would be able to provide and costs are largely covered by the dealer. In my opinion after the first fiasco there should have been a recorded delivery letter sent to the dealer and SUK stating that you are not happy, you are returning the car to be sorted and provided in perfect condition - an expert witness in the field could provide you with a report at that time. Should this be not the case you will take the car and have it sorted by professionals and bill sent to them. That would be well within your consumer rights.

 

Paper trail / e-mails are the most important thing and proper photographic record. You basically think about evidence like in a court case. Horrible, I know, but if the ******s do not play ball and you are willing to call their bluff that is the way to do it.

I try to avoid it as much as possible as I have bigger problems on my head frankly and life is too short - prefer to spend time with my family

This epic saga still drags on....

 

The dealer offered the amount earlier mentioned. After discussing it with Skoda UK I begrudgingly sent them an email to accept their offer. Skoda UK have also given me gift vouchers to say 'sorry' on their part. Fair enough.

 

What is so annoying through all of this how little the dealer seems to care.

I accepted the offer a week ago, replied by email to say so. So far - no reply.

 

My previous email took over a week to be replied to by the dealer and I only got a reply after SUK prodded him. 

Spoke to SUK today and they will 'prod' the dealer again.

 

So sick of their lax attitude to customer service. 

Cannot recommend this dealer to anyone!! 

This continues to drag on for those who are interested....

 

Dealer still hasn't paid the offer of recompense that he offered weeks ago. Skoda UK have to 'prod' him to get him to give me any sort of contact/response. Disgusting service as far as I'm concerned.

 

I've managed to so far successfully warn off three people from ordering cars from Basingstoke and suggested they try elsewhere. 

The only thing I can do now is try to stop others having the experience I did!

 

I really hope they pay up soon or it will have to be banners outside the dealership time...!!!

Any update on this?

Oh goodness what an awful time you have had! :(

Update as requested:

 

STILL no cheque received as offered by the dealer many, many weeks ago now. Skoda UK continue to contact me each week (a very nice lady there) to find out if there has been any progress and then go back to 'prod' the dealer... Last email I got from the dealer was on 29/07 saying that they were 'raising a cheque' and it would be with me very soon.

 

Frankly, I remain disgusted with the lack of any kind of interest from the dealer. This has dragged on so long now that I am sure they are hoping I will just forget. I think the problem is I have been too nice - maybe I should be shouting and screaming in the dealership on a busy Saturday afternoon?

 

VERY fed up with this dealership. It's a shame as they are the closest to me and would be handy for warranty/servicing etc but I have zero interest in going back there.

I have heard good things from friends about other nearby dealerships so will be taking my business there in future.

 

Interestingly, a lady I know recently went to see them (before I had a chance to talk to her!) about buying a new Fabia, was told they would ring her when they had a car for her to drive - never called her back. Maybe they don't want to sell any cars?!  

I said to you some time ago to just back the car. You paid money for a brand new car. What you got was a a car in the condition of a well looked after second hand car with very few miles on it. Personally I would still demand a refund. I really feel for you and the lack of satisfactory service that you have had so far. It is not fair at all. Take the car back, tell them it has never been in what you would describe as new condition and ask for a full refund. I would also start to threaten them with court action.