Some of you might already know, but my car was in for warranty repair many moons ago on the tailgate. A run down can be found here. Approved by Skoda UK, the job should have been a doddle and with the car going to an approved body shop I felt in safe hands. 

The claim was that on a 2010 Octavia Vrs the tailgate had corrosion on both sides of the lip - those suffering with this will understand without me going into more detail.

The car was returned from repair number 1 with a popped bubble on the paint, granted the underside, but this could let some more corrosion in. There was also damage to the wing where the gas strut had caught the paint. Unfortunately I have no photos of this but Skoda UK have them as they were taken by the dealer. 

 

The car was sent back to the repairer for number 2 visit. This time around the paint on the repair had black marks (on a candy white car) and overspray local to the repair. The car was immediately rejected and returned to the repairer.

 

Roll on visit number 3. There were significant issues with overspray to the whole car including exhaust and wheels. A chip was also apparent on the new and freshly painted tailgate in the area of the repair. Furthermore the spoiler had a rough texture and poor paint finish. The repairer denied doing anything to the spoiler when twice challenged on this. 

 

HOWEVER... Dashcam footage shown the repairer had a collision in my car where an object struck the spoiler and tailgate (hence the chip). The spoiler was repainted with the left over paint while in situ on the car, hence the poor quality repair!

 

Visit number 4... The garage finally accepted responsibility when challenged with dashcam footage. I'd also noticed that the tailgate was misaligned and was allowing water ingress into the boot in large quantities. 

 

On return of its fourth visit the garage returned my vehicle with two original defects outstanding - overspray remains on the wheel, windows, exhaust and tail light. The tailgate remained mis aligned making it difficult to shut the boot. New problems were also present in that the Skoda badge was poorly mounted with damage and doublesided tape visible. The Octavia and VRS badges were on the wrong sides and were wonky. There was damage to the mudguards and the rear wiper arm had clearcoat splashed on it. Polish residue was also stuck onto the wheels and in nooks and crannies. The spoiler also had a slight orange peel effect to it and while the repair to the untrained eye looks reasonable I feel my car went in with an OEM in tact spoiler and had come out differently. Finally, there was water ingress from the wiper grommit. 

 

Repair number 5 was then carried out at another garage. This garage had on the job card to resolve all the above issues. Today the car was returned to me with the following:
A chip in the paint behind the Skoda emblem on the tailgate where the badge was prized off

Damage around the screw heads that secure the spoiler

A poorly adhered VRS badge

Overspray / roughness remaining on the alloy wheel

In addition, the spoiler paint thickness is much thicker given they've painted over the old paint on the old damaged spoiler making me worry about how well it'll hold up in future. It seems my request for a new spoiler fell on deaf ears. 

 

So the car was immediately send on its way for repair number 6.

 

All the 'best' pictures of the failed repairs can be found here: http://imgur.com/a/Iz4y6

A video of the incident can be found here: 

 

The repairer that I'd 100% say you'd be best off writing off your car so you can choose your own Insured repairer rather than being stuck with the one Skoda UK leave you with is RMB Autos in Yarm, Teesside. http://www.rmbauto.co.uk/

 

Now, the reason I'm posting isn't explicitly for a rant, although I'm happy to vent as I'm sick of this. There are several people that have reported problems with RMB Auto doing shoddy repairs on all manner of cars and I really don't want another person to have to suffer a repair from them as your car would probably come out more knackered than it went in! 

Edited 29 October, 201411 yr by Armegatron

Wow. I would be extremely annoyed if I were you!

 

It's not unreasonable to expect an as-new repair!

 

Good job the rear camera was rolling!

 

Phil

I was also wanting to ask, there is now a thin gap under the spoiler where it fixes to the tailgate. I'm guessing frost in there would **** it up in the coming winter months...

Fed. Up.

What a tale of woe that is. I think you deserved a rant after what you've been through.

Ive recently had my rear spoiler painted,i removed & refitted it myself,i was going to say how did they mess it up but watching that video...........wow what a bunch of muppets......

I have family in Durham & have warned them of RMB following your original post

Shocking :(

Yup, this sounds a nightmare!

 

Some donut reversed into my motor at work and her insurance paid for a wing & bumper respray (which was handy cos some OTHER donut had draped a hose with stones attached over the same wing months earlier so saved me the respray cost!! :clap: ), and when I got it back, I noticed the bonnet hinge shut line had primer in it. The said it was too hard to get too, despite the fact taking the bonnet off would have made it accessible, but they got their Polish polish chap out in the carpark and he tcut it a bit to make it look better. Noticed they'd not stuck the new Laurent & Klement badge on the wing at the same height as the other side either but was generally content with the job, seemed a good bit of spraying and they touched up some stone chips just cos. If I'd got them to reapply it, they'd probably had it for ages again and would have either left a mark where it was or needed ANOTHER spray.

 

Point is, you have to pick your battles, and I was happy to let a little bit of white primer somewhere I couldn't overly see and a badge you could only compare by measuring with the other side over the hassle of getting it moved go. Would have liked it perfect from the off, but there you are, not worth chasing, minor points.

 

In your case though, I'd be spitting bullets and harassing everyone in sight over this!

The parts were baking in the oven yesterday and new badges will be fitted (again). Lets hope they put them on the correct sides, straight and level without having used a bloody screwdriver to get the old ones off!!

Fingers crossed today or Monday  

well what a bunch they are, tell them to paint it again or take else where and bill them, the guy propping the brush up hasnt got a clue has he.

 

His mate says dont worry about it tell him hes  famous see what he says then, could always have a wheres wally competition Lol.

I've been through shoite repairs myself although not as bad as you. Bloody PITA.

 

My late suggestion is to take it to a repairer you can establish has a very good local reputation for repairs.

My insurer had two attempts to fix my car and their garage did more damage than the accident, independent assessor confirmed the poor quality and I was allowed to take it to my choice of repairer who were excellent.

 

Too far for you but Iain Ross refinishing in Luncarty nr Perth was who sorted my car out.

 

And when I was back after yet another no fault accident he gave me a jag as a courtesy car.

what cameras have you got installed?, they picked up the whole fiasco really well.

what cameras have you got installed?, they picked up the whole fiasco really well.

Mobius Action Camera for the rear which caught their shenanigans 

DR32 for the front, which the t**ts taped over when it went back in. 

 

All in all, the Mobius is better, despite not having a screen, due to the form factor. 

 

I'm now looking for a new camera to replace the wifes in her car, and that'll free her old one up for when I'm using the company car

That's what I was wondering. They could ask you to turn it off or take it out but surely there's the potential for them to damage that TOO by messing with it?!

A quick update on this. The car was returned on Thursday and I'm pleased to say the job is finally done  

 

http://i.imgur.com/Tjqm82r.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/GUUhX7P.jpg

 

Given the work was patched together in places with various re-re-re-re sprays happening I guess time will tell if the paint cracks, corrodes or what not.

 

Would I buy another Skoda with a balance of warranty? Probably not. While the mechanicals are covered by the A* mechanics in the garages, I'm not happy that a car worth potentially £25,000+ would go to these bodyshops for work under warranty. While Skoda have been really helpful throughout and allowed this to eventually be resolved I think 4 months, five or six visits, to replace a tailgate is beyond a joke and they seriously need to review their approved repairer criteria and auditing procedures. 

Glad it wasnt my car if they touched my personal things they would certainly know i was not happy . As you say about skoda using other body shops, it is not really except able but its a fact most use alternative body shops.