Robinsons Skoda - Norwich..

[DGW]

Robinsons Skoda

120-126 Barker Street

Norwich

NR2 4TQ

01603 751050

Services: New, Used, Repair

Edited 4 April, 2009 by DGW
Details updated

[AlanJ]

I bought a new Fabia Vrs from this dealer in November 2005 & they've serviced it twice for me efficiently & did some warranty work on another occasion (water in rear footwells!!)

For each visit to the dealer they collected my car & delivered it back to me at no extra charge - I was very impressed by this & see it as a good reason for using a dealer that isn't actually on my doorstep.

My local dealer is Chequered Flag in Attleborough - see my review for reasons why I don't go there!

During the last service Robinson's overcharged me. I asked them to change a single spot light & they charged me for two, along with £60 labour. When I got the car back I was surprised to see a charge for 2 (they didn't tell me that I needed 2 lights) because there was no-one to talk to me when I called the service department I decided to remove the surrounds around the light & discovered that they had only changed 1 light (1 dirty plastic behind the surround & the other was all sparkly & new) . I looked in the car & they hadn't given me the 'spare' light for future use -as I thought maybe I had to buy them as a pair - but there was nothing left for me.

Because of this I was fuming & rang the MD of the Robinson group but he wasn't available. I expected to speak to the MD of the group, at the very least the MD of the Skoda showroom but got a call from the service manager, which didn't impress me. The service manager explained that they had double charged me 'by accident', not for a matching pair of lights but for two of the same light because of a mix up by the parts department.

I appreciate that accidents do happen but the fact is that, I believe, the service manager should have checked what his staff had billed me for but then why should he? Hey if they overcharge every customer then they'll be a very profitable garage!

Because I got nothing more than a credit for the 'accidental' overcharge on one of the lights I deducted the cost of the £60 fitting (they claimed that's an hours labour) because I had to remove the light surrounds in the cold, ring the garage three times, compile & type a letter to accompany my payment - all because they don't double check their work/billing. It makes me wonder whether we really do get everything we pay for at our dealerships & I'll certainly double check my bill next time & I'll probably check to what parts do get changed.

Has anyone else had any problems like this?

[Pete]

Not from Robinsons. I've bought two Skoda's off them over the last seven years, and can't fault them in anyway.

P.

[kps1961]

I have recently purchased a fabia TDI on a 53 plate from Robinsons, on the drive home i found the heater was stuck on hot & the rear brakes squeaked horrendously.The car was returned the next day & both faults were fixed (new discs & pads at the rear) I now have an ongoing situation with a noise from the gearbox the car has been assed by robinsons who admitted that the box was noisey although skoda warranty engineer says the noise is acceptable for a car with 50k. i am still waitng for a return call yet again first time it was 3 weeks and i rang them now its another week and still no call .Tue 6 june call from robinsons car going in next week for total gearbox rebuild, loan car for duration of the work. Dealer principal on hols! so i have to say i cannot fault robinsons skoda for thier service especially Damien Pavy sales Manager ,top man.

[mikebh50]

Hi

Would just like to give a thumbs up to Robinsons who have just serviced my car and also carried out some warrenty work both of which i am very pleased with.Also a very polite gentleman collected my car from my place of work and delivered it back at no extra charge.

:thumbup:

Mike

[vwescapee]

Hi, I am a new member having just placed an order at Robinsons for an Octavia Ambient. Have to praise the dealership for their their professionalism, patience and service in the buying process. I traded a VW having had pretty lacklustre and take it or leave it service at the Robinsons VW dealerships where I tried to trade up once again. This is my first deviation from VW in the past 12 years and 6 VW's.

Just out of interest I came upon this forum site after test driving an Octavia at Robinsons to see how they drove. The 55 plate 19 TDI they allowed me to drive had the most awful clutch judder. It had 11K on the clock and the dealer was as embarrassed as I was shocked. It was taken off sale immediately and examined the next day. I was there again to sign the deal when the mechanic returned i saying he had adjusted the clutch pedal and it seemed fine. -I doubt it. I saw on this site that this is a common problem with the model. The problem is possibly the dual mass flywheel- DMF which other owners have commented about. The exhaust sounded as if it was blowing.--Another classic symptom.

Buyer beware of that one!!

Nevertheless I am full of praise for the way we were treated in the buying process. I look forward to sharing the ownership experience with you all.

[wja96]

Robinsons did my 60K service (the big one with the cambelt) on Monday and I have to say I was really happy with the way I was treated. The Service Manager was extremely friendly and they phoned me as soon as the work was done so I could go and get it.

I have to say I'll be going back at 70K.

[markmi]

I just got my New fabia est from Robinsons, Alex there is very helpful and did me a great deal (best in the area) i found all the staff very helplful and they did everything they said they would, if your in the market for a new or used skoda give Alex a call and i am sure he will do his best to get you a great deal.

[wja96]

As promised, I took the black vRS back to Robinsons to have it's 70K service done and again it was fitted in quickly on a Saturday morning, and they left me no less than 3 messages on my phone to tell me it was ready. The didn't wash the car, but other than that 10/10 from me.

[wja96]

I booked my Fabia vRS into Robinsons over the Easter weekend to have the dashpod swapped out for the one with the MFD to match the SatNav. They put it in, but they had forgotten to tell me to bring both keys and on the way home it was very obvious that the speedo was reading massively wrong.

My wife took it back the following Wednesday and they pronounced it fixed, and they told her they had programmed the spare key. Luckily, she tested it prior to setting off, as they hadn't programmed it. So that was a further 15 minutes. And it took my wife about 10 minutes to discover the speedo was still massively out of calibration.

So it went back the following Saturday, and Russell the Service Manager got some help and a second opinion and they finally ran the VAS diagnostic check that should have been part of the original installation. That basically proved the dashpod was faulty.

OK - the dashpod was faulty, but it took 3 visits (180 miles in round trips) and a faintly hysterical wife to get them to get onto Milton Keynes to test it and properly diagnose it as faulty.

£100 wasted and Progress in Bedford (my other favourite Skoda dealers) are fitting the replacement next week hopefully.

I still think Russell and the guys are doing a decent job, but a touch more thoroughness would have had it diagnosed as faulty when they fitted it, surely?

[wja96]

Mrs WJA96 took the vRS into Robinsons to get a ticking sound looked into. It turned out that the brake line had been routed in front of the ABS pipe rather than behind it (the garage that fitted my 312mm's are hanging their heads in shame). Robinsons ordered a new brake pipe in super-quick time and fitted it. Quite pricey at £133, but they did spend almost 90 minutes diagnosing the fault (the brake pipe didn't touch the wheel up on the lift, but it did when the car was siting on the springs), so I can't really fault them for charging for their time. Faith completely restored and we'll be back soon for the 80,000 mile service and first MOT:thumbup:

[Pete]

Just wanted to reinforce how great Robinson's Skoda are! We have bought four cars off them in the last nine years, and have always been impressed with the staff there, and the work they do. I can't fault them in anyway, and the service department is so good, that I find it hard to ever consider buying a car from anywhere else!

A big thank you to Paul, Gary, and Russell, and all the mechanics!

Pete

[Mercurio]

My Octavia vRS was bought new from Robinsons and its just been in for its second service today. Friendly and efficient service as usual and car washed and cleaned.

[wja96]

Just had the Fabia vRS in for it's 90K service and I really cannot fault the service department at Robinsons. They really are first class. I did miss posting about them also doing a great job on the 80K service and them doing topping the car up with a litre of oil and filling the washer bottle when I went in to have the front tyres looked over. And their tyres are cheaper (fully fitted) than blackcircles, mytyres or Kwik-fit (Continental Sport Contact 2). And I reckon their labour rates are less than the local independents as well. If you're in Norfolk I think you'd be crazy to go anywhere else. I drive past **************** get there.

Sadly when I asked about a discount on a new Octavia vRS estate I was told no discounts at all, so they can only sell cars to people who don't have internet access. So my next car won't be a Skoda from Robinsons. It will be serviced there though!

Edited 8 April, 2010 by DGW
Inappropriate mention of another dealer deleted.

[lordrobs]

A quick skim read shows mainly positive comments but I'm afraid I'm going to have to stick a negative in. I dropped into Robinsons to pick up a bottle of power steering fluid (sure not a big purchase but you look after customers on the small things and they come back for the big things) Now admittedly it was late in the day and I walked in at 5:25, ok I thought as the big sign on the front of the door says "parts and service 9:00 to 5:30"

I ask for a bottle of power steering fluid "Part departments shut mate." was the response from the parts manager (Paul is it?) "Oh, I thought it said 5:30 on the door" "No..... Shuts at 5:00" Now I don't claim to be a body language expert but it was hardly hard to read the "like **** I can be bothered to get you that, I want to go home" attitude.

Even if it was the case that the parts department shut at 5:00 (contrary to the sign on the door) he was sat there he could have had me typing my pin into the PDQ terminal, got the bottle (not exactly a taxing request) and I'd have been on my way in less than 5 minutes. Having worked in retail myself this is what you do for your customers. Anyway all of this is arbitrary as I was working on the fact that they shut at 5:30.

As a one off incident this isn't worth mentioning but having ordered parts many times from them the general feeling that they are doing you a favour ordering parts in for you or simply telling you if stuff is in stock (all from the same member of staff) can't be ignored. I always make sure I phone up with accurate part numbers but still always come off the phone feeling like I have interrupted something far more important. Although, what is more important to a parts manager than selling parts I don't know. Its not like he manages any actual stock as everything has to be ordered in.

Whilst it seems petty I will be writing to Skoda UK about the lack of people skills from one of their front of house staff and also informing them of the incorrect signage.

Personally I will not be using them again, along with ****************my second closest dealer. Which now means a 60 mile round trip to ********************** should I need any main dealer parts. Another nail in the coffin of me ever wanting to own an in-warrenty Skoda. Something Skoda UK might find slightly less petty than my original gripe.

EDIT- I should have mentioned that contrary to my feelings on the parts dept. my single experience of the service department at Robinsons was very good.

Edited 16 April, 2010 by lordrobs
Inappropriate mention of other dealers by name deleted.

[teeps]

The last few times I've gone in over the last year or two to buy parts the Lawrence and Paul (I think those are the names) have seemed much less customer focused and much more stressed than they were when I first went there in 2005. I get a much less satisfactory experience now in terms of how I feel coming out of the dealer, but they do usually have the bit I want or get it in quite quickly.

[lordrobs]

Well I had a new steering rack fitted today and both members of staff I dealt with were very polite and professional. Courtesy car was ready when I arrived. Came back to find the car finished and cleaned (to a good standard too) inside and out. 10/10

[Pete]

I've been dealing with Robinson's for 10 years. Bought my first car in 2000, and now on my fourth. I really can't fault them. They have always offered great service and have gone out of their way to help me on the odd occasion. My experiences with sales, service and parts has been very positive. I don't think I would ever go anywhere else. Pete

[wja96]

Sorry to be boring, but I've just had the Fabia vRS serviced at Robinsons again (100,000 mile service) and I just can't fault them. I called them on Tuesday on the way back from my Eastern European work trip and they booked me in on Thursday morning, straight off the ferry. After almost 2500 miles in 2 weeks, to say the car was a state is the understatement of the century, but they did the service, washed it and vacuumed it inside. I certainly don't feel at all ripped of at £207 for a 20K service and they advised me against having work done on the brakes as the scored disk I didn't like wasn't actually an issue and there was huge amounts of life left in the brakes. They're also not at all phased about working on modified cars. If you're in Norfolk, I still reckon you'd be crazy to go anywhere else.

Edited 26 June, 2010 by wja96

[mellyboy]

My Yeti or previous Fabia was not purchased at Robinson's . I am very near to Robinsons and they have dealt with minor warranty issues and i have found them to be helpful and efficient.

[masserator]

Found that the older male who sells cars in there does not want to leave his seat and come across very rude. also a lot more expensive than other dealers on the internet for new cars. (have just bought a new Fabia VRS through car file as robinsons wouldnt even come close in price) have been in a few times when changing my car and he does not want to know :( very unimpresed! hence why i went else where

Edited 15 December, 2010 by masserator

[mellyboy]

Purchased a 2010 Octavia Elegance 2 0 lt tdi PD from Robinsons, there were several post delivery issues which should have been picked up before delivery, meant return visits to get issues rectified, this has certainly spoiled the buying experience and enjoyment that buying a nearly new car should bring. All issues have now been rectified and after a meeting with the general manager a good will discount on my next service has been offered and accepted.I have always found all at Robinsons Skoda helpful and professional in the past, and hopefully in the future I will receive there normal standard of customer care after feeling rather let down on this occasion. Receptionist Michelle , Salesperson Alex and after sales guy Paul were both friendly and professional during the course of my transaction and rectification of issues with the Octy,

[K100RS]

Well I walked into Robinson’s in Norwich looking for a brand new Yeti 2.0 TDI SE and was initially impressed by the staff and went out in the pouring rain to test drive the vehicle with the wife.

We had told the salesman that we had no other vehicle to part exchange and wanted a Yeti and would pay cash for the vehicle.

After the test drive we came back into the showroom to discuss the price and were told they could not drop from the RRP as they had no problem selling these cars to the public?

Showed the young salesman a copy of the internet price in the Midlands which would have saved somewhere around the £1,600 price and would Robinsons go some of the way to a discount as we preferred to purchase locally.

They would not budge in any way as I presume the local OAP’s do not shop around when they buy a new car in Norwich. We walked away with our tails behind us wandering what the problem is around Norwich.

Next week phoned around the Skoda dealers out of Norfolk’s hold and instantly got a big discount without having to plead poverty.

So order went to Essex and we are now happy owners of a new Yeti 2.0 TDI 110.

To add insult we then had emails from the salesman asking when we would put an order in for the new car with Robinson’s of Norwich.

Yes have used Robinson’s for new mats, mud flaps etc with friendly staff but not a new car unless you are keen to pay the full RRP.

FlyingBrick

I would like to point out that my wife went around all the main garages around Norwich looking for a new car over a month and nearly all of them would not give a decent discount in spite of showing them documentation of big discounts on the web.

Ford, Vauxhall, Citroen and Renault were all visited with test drives but their salesman just would not shift on price.

FlyingBrick

[wja96]

Once again, I'd just like to update the thread with my on-going delight with Robinsons service department. Mrs WJA96 has had the car serviced twice since the last update (110,000 miles and 120,000 miles) and the second MOT carried out. The servicing isn't just good, it's cheap too.

I would also echo the negative comments on the sales staff. They won't give you a discount, no matter what. They've never actually been rude, but I can't say I've ever warmed to them at all. I reckon they are living off old folks who don't go out of Norwich for a price quote and the fact that the same sales people have been there for the last 4 years or so would suggest that they can hit their sales targets without giving discounts. Fair enough, but if I was in the market for a Skoda, I wouldn't even bother asking for a quote in Norwich.

[Drumtech]

Can NOT recommend even walking in the door.

I was absolutely disgusted by the way I was treated here.

My experience was awful. Was treated in the most patronising, unhelpful manner imaginable by two of the sales staff when looking to purchase my Octy VRS. Have now been directly responsible for the purchase of one used Superb which was soon replaced by a brand new one, one used and one brand new Octavia VRS. Can only advise anyone to drive the extra half hour to Simpsons in Great Yarmouth where ALL the staff have been more helpful than I could have ever expected. (special thanks to Darren) These guys really know there stuff and all four cars have been purchased from, and will be serviced by them.

Robinsons - Just calculate the profits lost on those four sales and have a SERIOUS look at your staff!