Exhaust Control System LIGHT VRS - JUST GOT IT HOME

[gtyler]

I am still awaiting the return of my car, from this episode, but I really don't think I will be using Lamb's again. In the mean time they lent me a 14 plate fabia demonstrator which I have managed to rack up a good 500ish miles onto it. More worryingly though I came back to it in the car park yesterday to find the rear near side brake light (just the lens) smashed...by I presume another car/person. So no doubt they will try and make me pay for that. It's only the plastic cover that is smashed, not the bulbs or bulb holder and I can see skoda parts sell them for £50ish pounds (but then there is labour). 

 

Im guessing from reading other forums that, I have to either pay for the repair or for the excess of their insurance....despite anyone explaining or pointing anything like that out to me. 

 

If they do try and make me pay, Im tempted to get back onto Lamb's HQ or Skoda UK....

 

I understand I may be liable to foot the repair which, down to research I guess will be about £70-£100....but Ive been fk'd about so much by them and not had my car hardly at all since buying it that they should be offering me compensation not giving me a bill for a repair. 

 

Any advice or suggestions/experience would be really appreciated. 

 

George 

[Furbytom]

Was there any paperwork given to you relating to the loaner car and any assoc terms and conditions? If so worth checking the small print there.

I suspect tho that you will have to just take this on the chin and pay up. I'm not sure the dealer should pay to repair a car which was damaged whilst in your care even if not directly your fault.

[Ootohere]

If it had not been the loaner damaged it would have been your own car possibly and cost similar or maybe more.

 

The thing is, you are required to inform your own insurance of the incident even if the Dealership repair without a claim,

or if they allow you to pay the cost of the repair.

 

Or you could maybe just go buy a new light unit and replace it.!!

Now that you have posted on an open forum, that is maybe not an option now.

 

george

[gtyler]

I have come clean to the dealer and sent the following email. While I understand I may be liable, I certainly do not think the buying experience has been usual or of any kind of quality. 

 

 

 

Hi, 

I rang Gordon Lamb today to inform them/you of a slight mishap that occurred last night with the Fabia Demonstrator I have on loan (courtesy car). I came back to it, parked in a car park last night, and the rear near side (LEFT) bulb lens was smashed. 

It is just the plastic, the bulb holder and bulbs are fine. 

I am not sure if it's covered by your insurance? I have found the part on Skoda Parts Website http://www.skodaparts.com/product/fabia-n-s-rear-lamp-hatch-2007-2011-34241 at £44. 

Although it is not my fault, seeing as I did not crash the car and it was parked, I can understand if under usual circumstances that I would be liable. However, as helpful as you personally have been, I would hardly call these circumstances usual. 

The car has been in with you 4 or 5 (Ive lost count) times since I bought the car in March. I have been without the car for weeks, 2 weeks on this occasion as of Tuesday. I have been advised by some fellow Skoda members and my dad that I should be returning the car as it is, not of merchantable quality. However I don't want to return it loose the car. Having said that I was contemplating, up until yesterday of asking, whichever department or Gordon Lamb HQ or Skoda UK for some compensation or money off the car as it has caused so much hassle and I have been without it for so long! But seeing as the light has bust, I would ask, and am asking you first before raising it with either Gordon Lamb HQ or Skoda UK, for the price of the light to be void. Whilst I understand I may be liable in the terms and conditions of the courtesy car, I have been without my own car for so long now and have had one of the worst buying experiences, of a car, I have heard of. 

I understand you are not back in to the office until Tuesday, so won't expect a reply until then. And I also understand this may not be your department and I am certainly not directing all of this at you personally. 

Regards, 
George

[Furbytom]

I'm not having a dig here but not entirely sure what you are hoping to achieve? Do you want them to let you off the £44 damage as 'compensation' for what has been happening with your own car? I don't think I'd want to go down that road and leave the dealer thinking they have done you a favour so it's now all quits....

[gtyler]

To be perfectly honest I have no idea what I am hoping to achieve, and some other people's opinions on a plan of action and what you would do given the circumstances would be aprchiated. I have sent the email now so will have to wait for their reply on Tuesday. 

 

Basically I have already complained about the repair process since buying the car and Gordon Lamb (Derby Skoda) service department to Gordon Lamb HQ. I have since received advice and thought myself that I should be asking for some kind of compensation/money off what I paid for the car in March (seeing as they have had it more than I have, and have been messed around so much). So I was going to do that next week, possibly at the end of the repair when I fingers crossed get the car back. 

 

Then this incident occurred with the light and I guess I panicked and yes I thought if they let me off the price and labour (which will be nearer £100), I would let them off the shoddy experience and not proceed with a further complaint, and that is what I have presented to Gordon Lamb in the email. 

 

However, you are right Furbytom, I did panic and £100 is hardly worth talking about when £8500 was paid for the car. 

[Ootohere]

??

What are you paying £100 for, the Coil Failure & Spark Plugs?

 

It is a Warranty Issue with the faulty 1.4 TSI Twinchargers, 

its down to the Manufacturers Warranty or the Extended Warranty Company.

 

The Turbo Pipe, ECU mix up, Sensor & Codes carry on is just more proof of problems with the Skoda Dealership Workshops.,

& Skoda/VW and the Engines.

 

I would not mix up 2 issues, the Courtesy car & just £44,

&

A Warranty Issue and near £4,444,  The Engine needs checked properly, and then the Issues Resolved.

A Specialist Engineers Report Done for the Warranty Company if it is an Extended Warranty covering the car,

Because the Dealer you are dealing with are fumbling in the dark.

 

george

[gtyler]

Sorry, I think I have confused people mentioning the two problems alongside one another. 

 

I am not paying a penny for the warranty work which includes a new ECU and a new Turbo air intake pipe, and it has already had a replacement sensor. 

 

I agree the dealer has completely fumbled in the dark and messed me and the car around. 

 

I don't mind paying the £44 or whatever for the brake light on the courtesy car....but if I do, then I want some sort of money off/compensation from the dealer for all the hassle I have had since the first day I bought the car! 

[Ootohere]

A rear light & labour is not £100.

 

The light does not have to cost you RRP,  and the labour is the 15 minutes,

not the  3/4 of an hour they might want to charge a Customer on a Dealership job.

No need for them to profiteer.

 

.....................

 

You need to get your Expenses Invoice together for Skoda UK Customer Services.

Or for the Dealership to pay, where it was not a Skoda Approved Used Car,

Include all extra costs of the car you boughts failures.

Expenses that are not part of buying a Used Car of Merchantable Quality.

 

The Problem is where it is an Extended Warranty & not an Original Manufacturers Warranty,

If the Extended Company are not footing the Bill, 

then Skoda need pursued as they knew of the engine failures on CAVE engines.

[gtyler]

UPDATE 

 

Head of service rang me today to give me the peace of mind that the light was covered by their insurance (I'm guessing as it's a demonstrator it may have slightly more coverage than a courtesy car that I gathered I would be expected to pay excess on). 

 

However he also said that, bear in mind I was told I could expect my car back today or tomorrow (after 2.5 weeks), that the ECU was on back order and would not be getting it in until earliest late this week! 

 

All of this was left on a voicemail so although the light was great news, I am furious about the car now. I understand nothing can be done regarding back orders but i really feel all these problems and the time it has spent in with the dealer, is not what you expect of any car purchase - never mind from a skoda dealer. So I rang Gordon Lamb HQ today to make a further complaint regarding the issue and entire experience and told them I should see some sort of money back ect. The lady was very understanding and hopefully I will hear back off someone soon. Maybe even before I get my car back! 

[Ootohere]

I would check on the truth of the Back Order on ECU's,

Check with the Skoda UK Customer Services.

 

There is a stock of Remanufactured 1.4 TSI CAVE engines already in the UK,

So where are all these ECU's being used up.  Has the supply been used?

Are there none available in Europe?

 

They had time to get a new one from the Factory,

the vehicles are still being built but those are CTHE ECU's.

 

The Back Order Story has been used so often with Breather Valves etc,

while another Dealer or Distributor only a few miles away was sitting with them in Stock.

[gtyler]

Just rang skoda uk and they are ringing lambs to investigate and getting back to me

[gtyler]

Well, the story goes on! They still have the car and the ECU is on back order and they have no date yet when they can expect it. Parking sensors have been replaced due to the intermittent fault, the rear Skoda badge has been replaced and obviously the split turbo pipe. 
 

They asked me to return the fabia demonstrator yesterday as they had a potential buyer but then the general manager rang and said not to bother inconveniencing myself. 

 

The wait goes on and I only hope the ECU comes in next week and I get the car back in working condition! 

 

In the mean time I asked them how much it would be to change the front grille for a monte and the lights for smoked monte headlights, but decided it may be a bit steep: 

 

Bonnet trim     £49.42
Grill trim            £44.37
2 head lamps £193.90
Labour              £112.50
Total            £400.19

Vat                    £80.04

Total                £480.23

[Ootohere]

You might be as well to ask them about the 'Service Campaign for the DSG', and does yours require 

any work, and are they going to get on with it now, 

and then when the new ECU arrives they can complete the work.

[gtyler]

Can you elaborate goneoffSKI, what is the 'service campaign for DSG' and how do I know if mine needs it?

 

George 

[Ootohere]

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/314923-fabia-recall

[gtyler]

Thanks, just seen that forum. Have emailed the dealer asking the question

[gtyler]

Dealer got back to me. Aparently the recall or call it whatever you will, came through to the dealers last week. However they seem very hush about it all. I was told mine will be done when the ECU is replaced as they will obviously have to drive the car.

[gtyler]

'Aparently' they have been told that the ECU is now on it's way from the factory...but they are unsure of when it will arrive (they said hopefully today or tomorrow but god only knows). Then it's a matter of fitting the ECU, updating the ECU, Changing the DSG oil as per the 'service campaign' and then taking it on a considerable test drive to see if the light of doom pops back on again. It's been three weeks today, so hopefully I will get it back before the forth!

[Ootohere]

Does it now have 4 new OEM spark plugs in before they do the rest of the work.?

Worth paying for these if they never changed them as part of the diagnosis,  

and have them in before they go any further IMO.

 

george

[gtyler]

I have rang them regarding spark plugs and dealer has checked them all and said they have not long been changed and are more than ok, so will change them in October at next service.

They said the rear badge and parking sensor have been fitted today. (Turbo pipe already fitted last week). ECU has finally arrived but (there's always a but in this story) they are having trouble coding the ECU to the engine so have sent quiery to technical. Should hear back later today and get the ECU sorted. Then it's only a matter of changing the gear box oil as per the service campaign and then changing the settings on the gearbox.

Fingers crossed I will get it back this week!!!

[Ootohere]

Maybe time that Dealership got a Specialist in to complete the job.

 

Interested in the Trouble Coding the ECU.

Lets see if its a ECU for a CAVE or a CTHE that has been sent.  

 

The plugs might well not long have been changed, the car is 39,000 miles on it.

You said the Spark Plugs were changed 1,000 miles before you got it.

Its amazing how often, the supposedly checked recently changed plugs are gash.

We will find out soon enough once the ECU is sorted out.

[gtyler]

I did originally wonder whether they had ordered or received the wrong ECU for the CTHE as opposed to the CAVE engine (which I presume mine is).

 

Maybe time they pull there finger out altogether. 
Im still of the opinion I should get some money back off what I paid for the car but Im not sure the dealer agrees. I will ring Skoda UK again I feel as they thought this was a suggested and viable option. 

[gtyler]

The JOKE goes on! Ecu received from skoda was 'faulty' and the back order means another 10 days of waiting apparently. I have obviously rang Skoda UK and Gordon Lamb HQ. This is beyond a joke now! 

 

Its been 3.5 weeks this visit and the 10 days will take it up to 5 weeks! Gordon Lamb say Skoda should compensate for the faulty ECU and therefore me having to wait another 10 days. Ive said I don't care who compensates but the whole thing is a joke and I feel like I am getting no where with any of them. Aparently Skoda UK will get back to me in 48 hours and Gordon Lamb HQ (who all now know about my car and the ridiculous situation) have raised it to the highest authority. 

Edited 15 May, 2014 by gtyler

[philhoward]

I think it's refund time...