Marlborough Skoda - Isleworth..

[oldstan]

Collected my Yeti from Mike Don Carlos at Marlborough at the end of April 2011. Have found him, and Kuldip, who dealt with the registration side of things, to be fine. Mike contacted me when necessary and the handover wasn't hurried at all. He explained things to my satisfaction and even took me round the block for 15 minutes to show me the DSG gearbox in action. Maybe if you treat them with a bit of respect and manners, it gets reflected in the way they treat you?

They were the cheapest by quite a margin and so you might have expected to be treated with some brevity but, for me, it was perfectly OK and I'd happily buy from Mike again, especially now that we know each other better and can trust each other. He even asked me to drop him a line now and again to let him know how things were going with the car (I live 200 miles from them and won't be going back for servicing so he's not just trying to maintain servicing with them).

So, a thumbs up from me!

[Farley]

Does anyone have the contact email for Mike Don Carolis at Marlborough?

Based upon the recomendations on here I would like to negotiate with him.

Thanks

[Darrenb3843]

I collected my car from Marlborough back in March. I was never kept informed of updates re delivery. I had to chase them all the time.On collecting my car received a good welcome from sales. Car was very clean andall controls explained to me.

Since then had a problem of when looking at my manual it was in Czech, not a problem I thought but hey what did I know, they must be on backorder like the cars themselves. I have had nothing but lies from Kuldip and evidence to prove the lies. I finally decided it was time to go to head office and surprise surprise within a week of officially complaining I got my new English manual last week. I always prefer to give the dealer the benefit of the doubt but waiting from March to end of May not good. Got my compensation claim in and will have to wait and see when I get this, might have it by Christmas.

Edited 14 September, 2011 by Darrenb3843

[welshmikeymike]

2 weeks ago I bought a silver Fabia vRS on '07 plates from Marlborough. I live round the corner and cycle pass the showroom every day! I dealt with Clive Tucker who was very professional, offered me a fair price as part-ex on my 11 year old Polo 1.4TDI, and all was sorted 2 days later and I had the car to visit family up in Coventry

Since then Clive called up to find out if all was OK which was a nice touch.

All was OK until I noticed water on my rear door cills and damp carpets...

Quick search on here to find out its an old well-known problem. Took the car back to them and the sales team said they'd cover the cost of getting the doors fixed even though its not covered on the warranty.

I was only expecting Ray Beer, the service manager, to get the rear doors done, but when I picked it up this am he told me they had fixed all 4 doors!!! Fantastic.

So a BIG thankyou to all the team in Isleworth in fixing the doors to my lovely vRS.

Mike

[frimleyfrodo]

Further up this page I reviewed the experience of buying my wife's Yeti from Marlborough. I want to add a recent incident for which they deserve praise.

I had noticed the number plates were de-laminating, the front one badly, and emailed Mile Don-Carolis asking if he could arrange replacement plates. I know I could have gone to Halfords and bought some, but the anorak in me always prefers to see matching supplying dealer number plates on a car.

The following day I had a call from Anna at Marlborough confirming new plates had been made and would be posted to me as I live 100 miles from them. She said that they were not a warranty item but were happy to replace them to keep me happy. I then received a lovely email from Mike asking how we were, how the car was and confirming the plates were on their way. Sure enough, they arrived well packed.

I know the cost to them was minimal, but to do this free of charge, 20 months after buying the car for a customer who can't use them for servicing was beyond expectation and very welcome and much appreciated.

[peanut222]

Booked my fabia vrs in for service and MOT, having previously only been to Marlborough once before to view a used car I didn't know where the service department was, so I parked in the 'skoda customers car park' that was sign posted as I came along the road, when I walked into the sales room I was shouted at by a salesman sat at a desk in his office across the other side of the room, that if I was here for servicing I was in the wrong place. Fair enough but no need to be rude really was there? What if I had been wanting to purchase a car??

Dropped the car off in the correct place, couldn't fault the lovely lady on the service desk at all. I told her that I had noticed a possible coolant leak, that I wanted looking into, and described where it was to her and she wrote it on the job card.

When I returned to collect my car it was only serviced no MOT had been carried out as apparently they didn't know it was booked in for one? The first MOT is due in the next couple of weeks so you think they might have suggested it anyway...??

They 'technician' said that apparently the suspected coolant leak was not coolant but in fact rain water.. I know for a fact that it is coolant as when you wipe it with a tissue it is pink.. Bit of a give away me thinks...?!? Plus very little rain water gets in under the bonnet, and if it does it definitely doesn't localise itself around a coolant pipe joint!!!

On the way home I noticed an oil smell and some smoke, so on my arrival home I lifted the bonnet to find oil all over the engine cover, all down the engine onto the alternator, all over the slam panel at the front of the car and a nice pool all around the rubber bit under the filler cap, hence the burning smell of oil and light smoking. If you chuck oil all over the engine you would at least clean it up wouldn't you? Obviously not..!

This then makes you think; well if the engine cover is covered in oil, I doubt very much he bothered to take it off and look at my coolant leak...

The receipt/service sheet says at the bottom about a 'free wash and vacuum', which you've guessed it! Wasn't carried out, in fact it was probably dirtier than it went in (the windscreen was filthy). Oh and when I got in the the car to go home the fuse box cover was still in the foot well from when they plugged the diagnostic machine in, so had probably been driven out the workshop like that and just left on the floor... They have also neglected to fill out and stamp the service book. Another point: the service history shows I had an inspection service last year (just before I purchased the car) so this year it was due an oil change service, but the service book states that a brake fluid change should first be changed after 3years, so that should have been done this time and wasn't...

I was going to change the rear wiper as it isn't wiping very well, especially near the outside edge,but decided to wait as I thought that they would change it when it was serviced, it hasn't been changed but was apparently checked and is in good condition...

I had booked in for my MOT to be carried out next sat, but think I will cancel and go elsewhere!

[m0bov]

I purchased my Octy vRS via DTD and picked it up back in December, there was a bit of concern due to the lack of paper work, I had no way of knowning what they actually ordered! Anyway, I then got a call to say its in, I then arrange for insurance and a cover note to be faxed over. I sent an e-mail to check all was well and the day before collection got a mail to say they have not had the fax!! So, after much mucking around finally got them the cover note to be told they can't tax the car with that!!!!! Having been waiting for 3 months I should'nt be rushing around last minute. I contacted Skoda's 7 day insurance and after hanging on the phone for about 30mins got it sorted.

I got the impression Kuldip was just swamped with too much work and found Keith very "loud" and brash. Their service team do, however, seem to be on the ball. I did have a problem with the alarm going off from day one, seems it was going off all the time on the forecourt, they eventially sorted it when my local dealer Allams could not. They are quite flexible as they don't do bookings on Sat, so turn up first and you get done while you wait, I also asked for the same guy on each visit which was nice.

You get free tea/coffee (if you ask!) and resonable waiting area, the entrance to the service bays is'nt very presentable but inside its quite resonable, I also got to talk to the mechanic who done the work and feel they might even let me watch if I asked. I would suggest they invest in online service bookings and some sort of viewing window by the waiting area.

Sales 5/10

Service 8/10

Since found out, using a PTG when I had chunks of paint coming away from an alloy, that all 4 alloys have been repaired. Seems they were powder coated before I took delivery, very sneaky. Be aware!

[chrisgreen]

Bought my Rapid Spaceback from Marlborough Skoda in September of this year (9 month old ex-demonstrator). Sales process was very good, salesman was very helpful, maintained good comms and offered the p/x amount I was looking for from my old car.

However, aftersales at this dealership is an absolute joke. I have been completely disgusted with the slapdash workmanship, complete disorganisation, non-existent comms and complete disregard for the customer.

It turns out that none of the Skoda approved used checks had been carried out on my car prior to handover (resulting in the car being sold with a non-functioning rear window element, a broken drivers seat and water in the rear doors), they had not updated the ownership records for the car (despite Skoda UK asking them multiple times to do so), the modification to the rear doors to stop the water retention (a known and documented issue with the Rapid) was never carried out prior to handover, and when they did finally do the work they bodged it. They badly cut the rubber door seals that were blocking the drainage holes (and failed to remove the door cards to rectify the impact of 9 months of water retention on the inside of the doors and on the electrics and speakers). They also lied to me and to Skoda UK (who I am currently in discussions with about the appalling service from this dealership) about what they had actually done to the car.

I had to chase them for a month to get updates on the arrival of parts for the broken seat, and even then I was fobbed off with excuses and claims of parts being unavailable. Every time the car went in for work, they had no record of the majority of items that needed doing and even managed to 'lose' the request for a courtesy car (twice) that I needed while they had the car the last time it was in.

And, on top of all of this, the general attitude of staff there seems to be one of viewing the customer as an irritant and inconvenience to their day. Staff were very rude, extremely unwelcoming and unhelpful.

I can't stress enough that Marlborough Skoda needs to be avoided like the plague. It's in stark contrast to my local Skoda dealership which has been extremely helpful so far.

There are far better Skoda dealerships out there than Marlborough Skoda, so don't waste your time and money dealing with them.

[gadgetman]

No longer a Skoda Dealer