Skoda crashed my car.....

[Ryanfsr]

Hi all!

 

Some of you might remember that I had my Fabia SE stolen a couple of months back which was later recovered a few days later within Northampton.

 

I've finally gotten round to getting the keys and locks changed over this past week, which was initially thought to a fairly simple process. I used Ali at Unit 18 as I wanted to go to my preferred garage as opposed to the insurance companies preferred.

I cant fault Ali at all, locks were ordered and fitted etc, but there was a problem getting the immobiliser chip within the keys to talk to the cars ECU (My tech knowledge is pretty poor with these kind of things, so I think that was what was wrong haha!)
Anyway, the locksmith that Ali uses tried many times to get the two to talk, but alas it didn't work and had to go to Skoda in Milton Keynes.

 

This is where the problems started!
 

The person that pulled the car out of their garage @ Skoda to return it back to Unit 18 managed to hit some form of bollard causing damage to the rear bumper and boot lid.

I have to say Skoda were up-front about what they'd done and did phone me to explain what had happened. The sales manager I spoke to also understood that I do live an hour or so away from MK, and agreed that I could get a quote from a local to home body shop and it could be sorted that way. This was my preferred option also, because 1. its close to home and convienient, and 2. how do I know how they are going to treat my pride and joy again after they go crash it the first time it's been with them!

 

So I took a visit to the body shop next to where I work and asked them to quote it up first thing this morning. Quote was ready by the afternoon and I forwarded it to the chap I spoke to on the phone at Skoda.

 

Received a phone call an hour or so later from the same guy, and was promtly told something along the lines of, 'well, what we've decided on is for you to bring your car back to us and we'll sort it as the quote you have sent we believe is to much for the repair.....'

Have to say, I went a little mental at him by that comment! There was no mention of any prices before, simply that it was agreed that I could get a quote from my local body shop and forward it onto them. My local body shop also agreed that Skoda MK could contact them directly if there was any issue with the quote!

Asked to speak the manager at Skoda MK, but still continued to get the same sort of response from him about the quote being too high, and that the price that they would charge would be 1/3 to that of what I had been quoted.

He also kept making reference to a 'rapid repair team' that they use for bodywork repair...... i'm sorry, but I don't want a "rapid" repair, I want the job doing properly!

 

The conversation just seemed to go round in circles, and in the end I got so angry with the guy I ended up making an excuse to end the call and to speak to him on Monday.

 

So i'm just after a bit of advice on what to do? Simply put, I really don't want to leave my car in their hands again!

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Rhyan

[Toxicvrs]

Speak to Skoda Uk mate they should help sorting it out and getting the dealer to come round to your view

[aixlad]

Shocking service. Looks like they are only considering themselves, and you are obliged to put up with what they offer. I would not accept this.

[TMB]

This is all you need after all the trouble you've had

[mogwye]

Are there any rear axle alignment or rear wheel problems too ?

 

DB.

[Ryanfsr]

Are there any rear axle alignment or rear wheel problems too ?

 

DB.

 

No, nothing like that thank god. Just cosmetic damage luckily!

[Spaced99]

Definitely talk to Skoda UK. The dealer is trying to save himself money by getting it done on the cheap and doing a cheap job of it. It's your car and you can choose where you want it repaired. You may have to get some quotes from a couple of other places that you an choose. In the end the dealer/their insurance doesn't want to end up in court getting sued. You just have to keep up the pressure until they agree to do it your way. It's so much extra hassle that you don't need right now. 

[Tech1e]

The motor group behind the dealer in MK have their own very large body shop. I will imagine they are trying to do it internally to save themselves some cash rather than subletting it out.

[Ryanfsr]

Thanks everyone. I'll try and get on the phone to Skoda UK then later on today I think!

[robertwaite]

Surely you can just inform your insurance company and then have them deal with them and the dealership? They insure the car for you. 

 

If they have damaged your car then you should surely not be inconvenienced?

 

I would call the insurance company and let them earn their commission. 

[Ryanfsr]

Surely you can just inform your insurance company and then have them deal with them and the dealership? They insure the car for you. 

 

If they have damaged your car then you should surely not be inconvenienced?

 

I would call the insurance company and let them earn their commission. 

 

Doing it that way though will affect my no claims bonus surely?

 

Being only 22 and having my mods declared i'll most likely be penalised by my premiums taking a hike anyway.... perhaps worth another phone call to them though to check

[eric87]

No shouldn't affect your insurance premium as you're claiming off the skoda dealer's

[mogwye]

Don't forget to insist on a courtesy car from the garage at their expense.

 

DB

[Huskoda]

No shouldn't affect your insurance premium as you're claiming off the skoda dealer's

It shouldn't but it will as you will still have to declare it as a non fault claim on your policy.

[Dean-]

Don't forget to insist on a courtesy car from the garage at their expense.

 

DB

 

       

[Hyburnate]

It shouldn't but it will as you will still have to declare it as a non fault claim on your policy.

 

This. Although you should, do not inform your insurance company. Would MK Skoda not have their own insurance anyway? :S

[Ryanfsr]

It shouldn't but it will as you will still have to declare it as a non fault claim on your policy.

 

This is what I was thinking. Plus the insurance company already know that the car was stolen and recovered, so I have no doubt that's going to have an effect on my premium next time also.

 

This. Although you should, do not inform your insurance company. Would MK Skoda not have their own insurance anyway? :S

 

I assume they would, but doesn't this then mean I would have to go to them to get the repair carried out. Not really what I want to do based on how they treated it the other day... :S

[gfwc]

A non fault claim on my insurance made no difference to the premium at all.

I hope skoda uk sort it out for you, they should come and collect the car from you if they want it done in house. It would cost them hardly anything in fuel and simply 2 people's time to come and get it, you shouldn't have to drive it back to them.

[Tech1e]

This. Although you should, do not inform your insurance company. Would MK Skoda not have their own insurance anyway? :S

Yes they will but most motor company insurance is third party only. This is more than likely why they would prefer to run it through their own bodyshop. The bonus about their bodyshop it is Skoda approved and won't effect the paint warranty. The bodyshop was normally pretty good when I worked there. I don't think your issue should be who is doing the work unless of course you had it booked in at Reflex (probably did asmiirc they did the tidy up work before?). But they are defiantly messing you around if one person said one thing and someone else has said something else. More than likely find the first person being very appologetic about it and worried about the fact they damaged your car had had a smack across the knuckles for saying it can go elsewhere then they have their own bodyshop and can process it internally.

[robertwaite]

It won't affect your insurance at all as you are not making a claim. If you are not happy with the service from skoda the. Let your insurance company pursue your loss. They are a lot more helpful when it's getting money from someone else

[Ryanfsr]

A non fault claim on my insurance made no difference to the premium at all.

I hope skoda uk sort it out for you, they should come and collect the car from you if they want it done in house. It would cost them hardly anything in fuel and simply 2 people's time to come and get it, you shouldn't have to drive it back to them.

 

I hope so too, although I'd still prefer it if they could take my side in wanting the work carried out by my local body shop purely for my own convinience and peace of mind knowing it's not going to be bodged.

 

 

Yes they will but most motor company insurance is third party only. This is more than likely why they would prefer to run it through their own bodyshop. The bonus about their bodyshop it is Skoda approved and won't effect the paint warranty. The bodyshop was normally pretty good when I worked there. I don't think your issue should be who is doing the work unless of course you had it booked in at Reflex (probably did asmiirc they did the tidy up work before?). But they are defiantly messing you around if one person said one thing and someone else has said something else. More than likely find the first person being very appologetic about it and worried about the fact they damaged your car had had a smack across the knuckles for saying it can go elsewhere then they have their own bodyshop and can process it internally.

 

Haha, yes good guess! The quote was from the guys at Reflex Auto Design Haven't actually got myself booked in there just yet as i'm waiting to see what happens. Might pop up the road to TUK Customs aswell to see if they come out with a similar quote. May well emphasize the fact that Skoda MK didn't quite know the extent of the damage they've caused.

 

The idea of going through my insurance is seeming a little more attractive at the moment I have to say! I am right in thinking that doing so I will be able to choose where the repair is carried out?

If so, I guess Skoda MK will have no choice but to fulfill my requirements as they've already accepted liability!

[Jon_woo]

If it were me i would ring your insurance company and tell them skoda crashed it and want to do a sub standard repair on it.

 

You pay alot in legal fees on your insurance and you need to make it clear YOU will not be claiming on your insurance and call costs should go to skoda.

 

Either that or get a full report of work required from the body shop of your choice including prices, do the same from the skoda dealer and take them to small claims court for roughly £80 cost to you.

 

During the claim you can claim for "thinking time" "loss of earnings" "duress caused" etc etc.

 

Skoda crashing it is no different from someone crashing into it imo, you will still be claiming off their insurance so get to decide where it gets repaired

[vindaloo]

I would say this has become more about personalities than the repairs.

 

I would first discover if the idiot who got your back up is anything to do with the car repair or booking in system. If he is, I'd go elsewhere due to my second point.

 

Point 2: Make a complaint to the dealer principle about the idiot in question. Saving money is one thing, obtaining mutually beneficial terms can also be a good thing, maybe. Trying to strong arm someone into hasty decisions whilst ****ing them off is quite another.

 

One other way to deal with this is to plaster it ALL OVER social media. Though I'd hold fire on that unless they get even more ****ty about it.

 

J.

[mattvrestate]

1. Whoever crashed the car will have nothing to do with bodyshop/ booking in etc.. he will have either been a mechanic pulling the car out or a driver bringing the car back.

2. Skoda have there own insurance when they are driving your car. They will be using this to cover the cost of repairing it.

3. You dont need to inform yout insurance. It was an accident that you werent involved in. This is why Skoda + all other garages have to have there own insurance in place

4. If you did try to go through your own insurance it WOULD effect your premium next year. Doesnt matter who's fault it is. This is how insurance works.. by having an accident you have become more of a risk to them than if you werent in an accident. You wouldnt loose any no claims because the other party would pay not yours. Im not saying its right.. but that is the way insurance has always worked :(

5. If you went through your insurance then it will usually have to go to one of there approved repair centres.. not always the best.. RAD + TUK are both VERY expensive bodyshops so i can see why Skoda might have changed there minds after receiving a quote from either of them.

As said though you are best speaking to Skoda UK as once they have been informed.. dealers tend to buckle

[Tech1e]

It wasn't a bollard they hit, it was an oil drainer. Think someone had moved it without the tech realising.