After chasing someone at the dealership for 3 weeks and him not phoning me back (pretty obvious now I've finally made contact that he was avoiding me) I've been told that initial investigation from Skoda warranty is that the paint crack above my rear window was caused by an external influence and not covered. Now the dealership looked at it over 3 weeks ago (and photographed it) and said it's clearly a poor paint job as the filler join underneath the paint is cracked but they have to photograph it and Skoda will analyse the photos and tell them to go ahead with repainting it. There is even a 'nobble' under the paint which is painted over within 5mm of the crack.

I'm awaiting Skodas final decision which someone at the dealership is 'apparently' chasing for tomorrow.

Now I'm willing to fight this one all the way. The guy I'm dealing with has said he wants to see it for himself as he didn't inspect it the first time and admitted he hasn't even looked at the photos (which just infuriated me even further on the phone) and I'm now having to make another trip there on Saturday just for him to have a look.

Firstly if I'm refused by Skoda who do I contact next? Is it SUK? And if that fails is my dispute with the dealership or SUK?

I'll upload a photo shortly via the computer to show you what the fuss is about.

Ask the Qualifications of the people looking and expressing opinions on your cars,

Are they Dealer Principles, Sales Employees, Technicians, Warranty Managers,

or a Proper Qualified & trained Vehicle Refinisher?

 

Get the Vehicle inspected by a Qualified Paint Specialist.  All of the Bodies Paintwork.

 

You can call Skoda UK Customer Services your Self, raise a Case,

say unless they are Sending one to Inspect and report on the Vehicle, you will commission one and Invoice Skoda.

 

Your car, their warranty, but you bought a car expecting Merchantable Quality,

a Dealership is a Middle Man, and often not up to Customer Service.

 

The car need put to Factory Standard, the Correct Standard, not as you received yours.

Car to be Repainted, if that is the whole roof, to Skoda Specification,

Not by some Body Shops that Skoda Dealers use, that are no better than 'Kerbside Autos Bodyshop'.

 

george

After chasing someone at the dealership for 3 weeks and him not phoning me back (pretty obvious now I've finally made contact that he was avoiding me) I've been told that initial investigation from Skoda warranty is that the paint crack above my rear window was caused by an external influence and not covered. Now the dealership looked at it over 3 weeks ago (and photographed it) and said it's clearly a poor paint job as the filler join underneath the paint is cracked but they have to photograph it and Skoda will analyse the photos and tell them to go ahead with repainting it. There is even a 'nobble' under the paint which is painted over within 5mm of the crack.

I'm awaiting Skodas final decision which someone at the dealership is 'apparently' chasing for tomorrow.

Now I'm willing to fight this one all the way. The guy I'm dealing with has said he wants to see it for himself as he didn't inspect it the first time and admitted he hasn't even looked at the photos (which just infuriated me even further on the phone) and I'm now having to make another trip there on Saturday just for him to have a look.

Firstly if I'm refused by Skoda who do I contact next? Is it SUK? And if that fails is my dispute with the dealership or SUK?

I'll upload a photo shortly via the computer to show you what the fuss is about.

got a pic?  If its the area im thinking of someone else on here had the same and along with several other faults rejected the car.  This was at purchase though but it may be a common fault.  Ive got a sharp bit that sticks out from where the filler joins the roof at the back of the roof bars

You need to apply the pressure to the supplying dealer, this is who your contract is with.

Everything you do in terms of conversations get everything written down and right from the outset make clear, calmly, what you are asking for in terms of resolution.

By all means copy SUK but go straight to the dealer principal and deal only with them.

Expert reports that support your claim would be very useful. If they don't play ball, pay your tenner and small claims court.

It's a really simple process and usually side with common sense.

This is the best I can get with my camera phone and cropping in. There is a clear bulge of extra filler under it is now exposed with a crack through it. There's also a nobble to the left which is painted over. There's also quite a few hairline cracks around it in a place that there is absolutely zero possibility of a stone getting due to the small gap - and I'm struggling to think how a stone would even flip up to this position on the car.

I'll take a better photo in the morning using a proper camera as looking at this it may look like a stone chip but can assure you it's not.

Ps thanks for the info and advise so far.

snap! :(  Ive got the bobble but not the crack (fingers crossed)  Ive been meaning to mention it to the dealer but keep forgetting.  I may bring it up now in case it progresses to a crack like yours.  Mines an estate by the way.

 

and check this thread for mike who also had this fault (along with numerous others)

 

There's a picture of the same fault as yours.  

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/289139-its-here/?p=3430424

 

Feel free to point my pic out to the dealer if they are trying to say its your fault.

and cracked paint..

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/289139-its-here/?p=3436145

Wow thanks so much. That is perfect! I'll make sure I go armed with this Saturday.

Found what looks like avery small fleck of paint missing from mine today while giving it a wash; rear nearside.

 

 

 

 

On a second look I'm not sure if its missing paint or a stain on/in the paint, as the finger nail test is inconclusive due to the sealant finish in that area.

 

 

 

TP

Official rejection from Skoda came through last night. I'm going to ask for a copy. The guy who wanted to look at it at the dealership has just done so and agrees with them. I then produced the photos above and he thinks we were all unlucky in getting stone chips in the same place but that may be a case for pushing them but don't hold my breath.

I asked him who my dispute is with for taking it further (to show my willingness to go further) and he said it's with Skoda not him as they can't do work that they won't get paid for - I don't think he understands that means my dispute is with the dealership and whether he gets paid by Skoda for repairing or not isn't my concern.

I'm popping into a body repair (insurance approved) place Monday morning who I will get a written report from and a quote then I suppose just give them the option of repairing it or taking them to small claims.

Edited 14 June, 201411 yr by JamesVRSmk3

Just been back to collect the car from having the door handle and auto lights sorted and the dealership is now saying the more they look at the chip the less they are convinced its a stone chip and are re-submitting the claim to Skoda Monday morning. I asked for the rejection in writing but apparently it's all online and isn't possible. What I will do however is if I do not hear back in the next 3 weeks (as that is how long it took this time although I've been told some cases they have have been going on for months!) is put my claim to the dealership in writing asking for their final decision in writing so I can push forward with any claim I have.

Really feel for you on this!

B*****ks about everyone getting chips in the same place though! Impossible! How are they explaining the filler anyway? Does the dealer not know how to print from the screen of a computer if "it's only online"?

Is the car on finance? If it is then you might want to get them involved as "it's their car"!

Edited 14 June, 201411 yr by banksie

Had a look at mine, no issues, but there is a lot of seam sealer in visible areas which is overpainted. I think its poor but I guess that's modern car design...

It looks to me from the photos that its an area of poor design/quality that's probably been chipped by being hit by something which a properly painted metal or plastic area would withstand.

Really feel for you on this!

B*****ks about everyone getting chips in the same place though! Impossible! How are they explaining the filler anyway? Does the dealer not know how to print from the screen of a computer if "it's only online"?

Is the car on finance? If it is then you might want to get them involved as "it's their car"!

 

+1… My thoughts exactly when i read this thread!

Seeing as all these appear to be on the rear edge of the roof I can't see how they can say it's down to stone chips......

Seeing as all these appear to be on the rear edge of the roof I can't see how they can say it's down to stone chips......

 

Again +1

 

As a point of note… I took delivery of a new Renault Laguna 3.0 V6 estate back in 2002 which was the first 'expensive' new car I'd ever purchased… and I was gutted to find (after about two weeks of ownership) that the back window had three very small stone chips in it, as well as a couple on the tailgate paintwork. We don't get to drive at motorway speeds here in Jersey (lucky if you can get above 25-30mph), so the stone chip argument from the dealer wasn't going to work.

 

Turns out it is a regular problem from when cars are transported on road transporters… you know, the two tier ones where cars are stacked literally on top of and within inches of each other.

 

Some vehicles are loaded rearwards and downward facing, and they get peppered by stones while being transported to the dealers, any plastic covering making little or no difference.

 

In many cases the chips are so small they're barely noticeable after the dealers have prepped them and the starry eyed customers have only cursorily viewed them in the excited rush to get behind the wheel, but alike most paint finishes once a bit of water/acid rain gets underneath, that all changes.

 

Look for instance at the Nissan Micra in the pic below (the silver one on the lower deck immediately behind the driving wheels on the truck) and you'll be able to get an idea of how and why these mysterious rear end stone chips occur!

 

Edited 14 June, 201411 yr by Nookiebear

This is the best I can get with my camera phone and cropping in. There is a clear bulge of extra filler under it is now exposed with a crack through it. There's also a nobble to the left which is painted over. There's also quite a few hairline cracks around it in a place that there is absolutely zero possibility of a stone getting due to the small gap - and I'm struggling to think how a stone would even flip up to this position on the car.

I'll take a better photo in the morning using a proper camera as looking at this it may look like a stone chip but can assure you it's not.

 

I have a tiny paint chip missing in the same spot as well, not a crack just a paint missing (couple of mm accross). I saw this when I was picking the car and showed it to the dealer, but didnt want to make much fuss about it, its not like I am driving a 70k eur car, and after a year the whole car will probably have few scrathes here and there from normal road use anyway, not to mention careless drivers in a car parks. Life is to short for this

The PDI is supposed to pick up on it, and at the Service there is a Inspection of the Body, Paint & Corrosion Protection, 

not just at Major Inspection Services, the Service Book had the Page at every Service for the Technician to Mark the Damage or Defect,

& the Paint & Corrosion Warranty requires Damage to be correctly Repaired.

 

The Manufacturing Damage from the Factory & Delivery requires the Correct Repair & Treatment, & Registered and Put on Record to keep the Panel Corrosion Warranty Valid.

In a few years it will be an issue, and probably the cost being a hit in the Owners Pocket, where now the Manufacturer is footing all Costs.

 

george

Looks a lot like the problem described here: http://www.vagcars.dk/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=94306

 

It is in danish i'm afraid - but the pictures speak for themselves.

Thanks for the link. After speaking to the bodyshop a couple of weeks ago they confirmed this is a very common problem with Skodas and a couple of other VAG cars as shown above. They also showed me photos of some other Skoda models with cracks a couple of inches long along the filler line - much worse than mine. They were happy to write a report stating it was 100% not a stone chip and showed none of the characteristics but advised me to just get the "chip" covered with a touch up pen if not planning on keeping the car longer than the 2/3 years. If I am to send it to Skoda it will require a lot of work to get right on a brand new car and advised against it...especially if the bodyshop who my dealer sent my car to thought it was a good idea to simply spray paint the chrome grille black on my car to coverup the fact they forgot to fit the black design pack! (Which obviously just flaked off)

As much as it pains me to let Skoda off the hook for this I trust the bodyshop enough to go along with their advise.

Edited 23 August, 201411 yr by JamesVRSmk3

As long as the Dealer Log the Manufacturing Fault with Skoda, and confirm their Advice on the Technical Report and Body Condition Inspection Report.

& you confirm with Skoda UK and get a Case Number, then the Paint & Corrosion Warranty on the Vehicle will need honoured into the future.

(If your car has a Paper Service Book, the Technician Inspecting the Damage Marks the Position and gives a Description and signs it.)

 

Because in God we Trust, but not in Bodyshops & Dealerships where employees like the easy life and can give advice that might suit them, but 

is not in the Customer & Owners best interest.

 

george

Here is mine chipped paint, I was aware of that when the car has been handled to me, I said no big deal...

 

But now I have another problem, a paint crack has appeared next to it (red circle). It is a crack, it passed my fingernail inspection unfortunately...

 

I am going to visit the dealer next week, but I dont expect miracles...

 

 

Here is mine chipped paint, I was aware of that when the car has been handled to me, I said no big deal...

But now I have another problem, a paint crack has appeared next to it (red circle). It is a crack, it passed my fingernail inspection unfortunately...

I am going to visit the dealer next week, but I dont expect miracles...

When was this car built?