vRS picked up today - great car - NOT a great dealer experience.

[Ootohere]

You should never see any repair.

Nobody should be able to tell a vehicle is repainted when properly done.

Be specific with them,

Ask the Managing Director or CEO or whoever what they are going to do to provide a Concours condition car to you.

Tell them you want a Perfect Vehicle in Perfect Condition and you are going to be Happy if they have a Proper Detailing Job done before it is delivered back to you.

You can easily find a Professional Detailer or Re-finisher locally, that you can get an opinion from on the work done.

Or 'Trading Standards' will get an Expert to do a Report on the Vehicle if there is any doubt on the Quality of work carried out.

george

[zouche]

Thanks George, that sounds appropriate.

I had already got the car booked in with a detailer I contacted through this forum, so I think having Skoda pay for that to be done seems like a reasonable request.

[Ootohere]

Please do not have anyone touch it until it is given back perfect with a factory finish,

& as they have cars in their showroom.

Surely those in the showroom are presented in perfect condition.

Only once you are certain the paint repairs are done to the correct standard can you let someone do anything on your behalf.

Keep taking pictures of the way it is when you get it back.

george

[Money hungry]

Insist on another car and stay in the one you have until you get the new one. I can't even begin to say how bad a service this is.

[seboni121]

That's awful paint job , get it done by a proper detailer and put the bill on the dealers table , bloody awful

[zouche]

Thanks for all the support guys, it's really hard to know what to do and keep the pressure up on a dealership full of salespersons/managers etc when you are one person!

I think if further problems arise I should let them know of the backing of Briskoda members!!

[Ootohere]

Salespeople are not the Technical people.

Its the Workshop Manager,

or Head Technician who are the ones that will be doing reports on condition hopefully, Someone with some training in cars and not just selling,

or deal with the Dealership Manager if the Dealership has not got an Owner or Director present in the building.

Who was it that had the problem with you going to Skoda Customer Services?

Surely he must have an interest now in getting the car right and you happy.

george

[zouche]

The person with the problem was the dealership manager (so I am told) - he went off on paternity leave on Thursday, so I was in the hands of the 'Business manager' on Friday. He tells me he will get the 'Dealer Principal' to call me on Monday. Skoda UK are also calling me on Monday to check on my progress....

I am just amazed at the lack of care/attention even now. The dealership know I am in touch with Skoda UK, so you would really think they would be taking extra care with this situation to make sure it is 101% perfect...

[nbramwel]

If you are not happy with the repair job (and I wouldn't be), reject the car outright. If nothing else, this will focus the dealer's mind. If it was another product, say a domestic appliance, and it was scratched or damaged on delivery, you would expect the dealer to either replace it or repair it and knock a good amount off the agreed price. A car is no different other than it costs much more than a domestic appliance.

Get your money back or get the dealer to order you another car. You'll live to regret it if you don't. Also involve Trading Standards as already stated. They are best placed to explain the legalities to you. But if it was me, I would have no faith in this dealer now so would opt for a full refund. Best of luck.

[pumpsmynads]

This makes me mad and it's not even my car!!!!! Zouche, I feel your pain.

I appreciate rejection (Sale of goods act) is easier said than done but with Skoda UKs assistance they may be able to loan you a car until a new one arrives. This seems reasonable to me. Or tell them you'll hire one and send them the bill. Having finance through Skoda actually will help. You have them by the throat and balls so to speak. The dealer is acting as the finance companies agent here.)

Other options may be to have a specialised detailer do the repairs and Skoda UK pick up the tab. With their consent first of course. If I were Skoda this is the option I'd leap at.

[zouche]

Well, the car is already booked in for its second repair on Monday, so I figure I should give them the opportunity to get it right one last time. I think it must be totally right though. If there is any indication of a repair having been done there is no hope for them ever getting it right.

I think if this repair is not to 'as new' standards then I will be looking for a replacement. That's what I'm going to say to the principal and to Skoda UK when I speak with both of them on Monday.

I just want it to be done so I can get on with enjoying the car (and not the Seat Altea I've now been stuck with for a week!!!)

[PulsarET]

Is it there own bodyshop doing the work? or a sublet job?

[zouche]

They tell me it is their own body shop - they are part of a pretty large group of dealerships in this area.

[gianthotdog]

They crawl up your backside in order to get the sale. Afterwards they don't want to know!!

Important to remember these people are not your friends. It is business and you are the customer.

You are very correct in contacting SUK. It makes me angry that the dealership tried to make you feel bad for doing this!! They cannot conduct their business in a sub standard manner and get away with it.

Customer service/experience is very high on all manufactorers/dealers priorities. It is a huge Key performance indicator.

The fact that your car was not right first time is one thing, however the fact that it had a substandard repair second time just highlights the fact that this dealer does not care!! The manager should have personally checked your car before you were notified to collect. I would be so embarrassed if I were them.

I would only deal with SUK from this point. You bought and paid for a new car. You recieved a sub standard car and would have been better off buying a used one and saving yourself some money.

[philhoward]

How did the conversation go with SUK? Did you mention that if they can't do a proper job and return the paintwork to that expected of a brand new car, then you want to reject it?

The state of that "repair" is woeful...

[Jabozuma]

It all goes against The Sales of Goods Act. You did everything according to legislation. You provided the supplier an opportunity to rectify their errors. Thye failed miserably. Money back or new car is automatic.

Tell SUK you love the car and you do not want to reject it but you are left with no choice and your confidence with the dealer is belowe zero. This is not only for the level of customer service their couldn't frankly be ar$ed to provide but also for their complete lack of technical ability.

Let us know how your conversations went today.

[zouche]

I spoke with SUK today to get their thoughts on the situation.

They stated they have forwarded my email (that I sent overnight to explain the current state of the car) onto the dealer and spoken with them about it. The gist of the conversation was:

SUK said I am the 'dealers customer' and complaints need to be first dealt with by them.

Dealer stated (to SUK) he didn't see the poor repair due to rain after the valeters had finished.

SUK agree the car needs to be up to standard and perfect which I need to discuss with the dealer. SUK rep stated SUK 'can't do much' or force the dealers hand as they act as the middle man only.

SUK apologised on dealer and Skoda's behalf.

Any goodwill gesture needs to come from dealer.

The rep on the phone listened to my comment of rejecting the car if the repair is again not up to scratch and said I would need to raise this with the dealer if I was not happy.

They basically said to wait for the current (2nd) repair to be completed and then to consider my position and hopefully there will be no need to take anything further. SUK said the dealer aware this repair needs to be done right.

I again stated to them how upset I was that my first experience of buying a new car has ended up like this, and the rep stated all they can do is apologise and I need to speak to the dealer regarding a goodwill gesture.

So, I guess the upshot is that I need to wait for the car to be repaired again and presented to me for the 3rd time. Hopefully this time it will be perfect and there will be no need to reject the car.

Assuming then, that the car is perfect 3rd time around, what do you think I should be looking at as regards a goodwill gesture? I'm not the sort of person who goes around looking for compensation, but feel something should be offered.

A professional detail?

Some extras for the car?

by the way - the goodwill gesture proposed by the dealer when I went to inspect the car last Friday was a tank of fuel....

[zouche]

Oh, and I didn't hear from the Dealer Principal.... Not yet anyway

Do they care? It would appear not.

[Ootohere]

I would ask for the 'first service' free,

if you do not have a Service Plan already in place.

Thats after you see that the cars fine and properly presented back to you in perfect condition.

Detailing should not be necessary, the car Sprayer should have it properly polished. & it should then be valeted if required,

& looking as a new Hand Over.

When you know its all good, you just need to wax it.

george

[zouche]

I already have a service plan for 3 years...

I'm going to have to make sure I have a good pair of contact lenses in when I go to collect - and take my finetooth comb with me I think!

[Jabozuma]

It should not be difficult as I am sure they have brand new MK2's on the forecourt ad you will be able to point out how it should look - just don't get fobbed oof and if it is wrong it is wrong and not "acceptable" or "good enough". It HAS TO BE factory new, even if those ham fisted dealers have to have the whole car resprayed! Somebody comapred this to buying an electrical appliance. You would not dream off taking a scratched TV home from the shop and would not expect any troubles with returning one isntantly to be replaced if said scratching found out at home, now would you?

I am a bit surpirsed with SUK attitude of batting the ball back into dealer's court...

As much as I can understand that it is the dealr who is responsible and who should sort out the mess they made but ultimately it is SUK who is "in charge" of franchises and should be monitoring the service quality and enforce it or withdraw the franchise. When I spoke with SUK regarding my failed rear wiper motor they offered to call the dealer and sort everything out for me. I felt no need for them to do so and I dealt with it myself. Also, it was SUK who provided "goodwill gesture" in a form of vouchers and not dealers. Perhaps it was a bit different since it was a warranty repair where spare parts were not avaialble and it had nothing to do with the dealer...

I know this is something you do not want to hear now and it is too late for that in any case but for the future and anybody to pick up their car in the future if you are not happy with even the smallest of details do not collect the car untill it is as it should be, factory perfect. Easier to say than do when you have a brand new motor in front of you and all you want is to get inside and drive off .

[Rob_Quads]

When you know its all good, you just need to wax it.

If they have painted the car don't wax it straight away as the paint will still be curing. You'll want to give it a couple months before you put anything that seals up the paint. Polishing it is fine but don't seal it up

[Ootohere]

I served my time as a spray painter in the 70's and have painted vehicles ever since.

So i just listen to that ever time i hear it and wonder where that advise came from.

Usually it was someone that could not be bothered to finish the job they did.

Plenty of this type of stuff online,

http://www.civinfo.c...er-respray.html

but the car should not have been repaired with any paints with 'Solvents'.

But my own one was, some paint work done last Tuesday, Polished the same day and waxed on Wednesday.

george

[Rob_Quads]

While paint will dry quickly it takes a lot longer to cure. Nothing to do with not finishing off the job. My friend checked with the paint manufacture when he had his done and they also advised on a 30 day cure time so we held back on the sealing.

There is post after post about paint cure times on virtually every type of car forum from detailing world, to painters to non-specialist sites.

[Ootohere]

Always best to stick with that advice then.

Others might just get on with turning out nice cars with paintwork that stays good for years,

know the products and whats required.

george