White Dove - Cardiff.

[adamc260]

Review to be complete

Edited 6 August, 2011 by adamc260

[morris77]

White Dove took four attempts to fix the external trim on the rear pillar of my Octavia estate which was loose from new. On the third attempt they cut thtough the window seal. I was amazed at their incompetence. This was my brand new car they were cutting and wrecking!

After writing to the manager I got them to fix it properly, but noticed a month later that they had chipped some paint and damaged the internal lining in the roof and the rear parcel shelf casing.

I am so peeved with White Dove Cardiff that I won't trust them to fix what they did wrong, as they only keep making it worse. Will never use them or recommend them again. First service coming up, I'm off to Newport or Pontypridd.

[2867toby]

I'm on my second Octavia bought from White Dove. I was really happy with the first car, and equally so with my current one. I'll buy another one in the future, but what on earth's gone wrong at White Dove? They were magnificent with servicing and repairing my 09 reg, but they've gone to pieces with my 11 reg.

Here goes:

1. Car ordered in Dec 2010, delivered 25 weeks later, three months late. (OK, that's not White Dove's fault but I'm still waiting for my £150 M&S vouchers (I'm currently involved in vouchers complaint ping-pong with Skoda Head Office and White Dove - neither accepts responsibilty for this mess). Not all White Dove's fault, but no understaning of customer care from them.

2. Immediately on collecting my brand new car, salesman and I discovered the fuel cap had v small nick on it. Was assured they would remove this at their expense. Still waiting 5 months later.

3. My car received a relatively small scrape im June. Took it to them straightaway for a repair quote: they photographed the damage telling me they would get in touch. Had to remind them in August. Still waiting in late October.

4. Went in over a week ago with this list of moans and demanded an immediate repsonse. Promised a call the following day to sort it all out. Still waiting.

They also seem to have a high turnover of salespeople.

They've gone from being the best garage I've dealt with in 30 years to the worst. What can be done? Any suggestions, please? They won't be getting my custom next time round if they don't sort this whole mess out sharpish.

[Llanigraham]

Suggestions?

Yes, use Sinclair in Swansea, they are getting much better reports!

[morris77]

Its really sad that people in Cardiff have to go elsewhere. Newport (Capitol) were great with my recent service. They were shocked at the mess that White Dove had made of my window seal and say that a lot of their customers have similar horror stories from them.

Even the smallest task is beyond White Dove. I rang to order some touch up paint. Was told someone would ring me back. I rang again later that afternoon; told the same. They never rang back. Customer service is shocking - I really hope that Skoda UK soon take notice as Cardiff deserves better.

[adamc260]

Its really sad that people in Cardiff have to go elsewhere. Newport (Capitol) were great with my recent service. They were shocked at the mess that White Dove had made of my window seal and say that a lot of their customers have similar horror stories from them.

Even the smallest task is beyond White Dove. I rang to order some touch up paint. Was told someone would ring me back. I rang again later that afternoon; told the same. They never rang back. Customer service is shocking - I really hope that Skoda UK soon take notice as Cardiff deserves better.

I would drive to England if they were the only dealership in South Wales, see my sig for the hell i'm going through with them. They're incompetent, rude and lack any form of Customer Service skills. How they remain a Skoda dealership is beyond me, I thought skoda expected a certain level of service that they're clearly unable to give. Capitol Skoda in Newport however is a different kettle of fish and in a completely different league. People who buy cars from White Dove end up going to Capitol to get them fixed like I've tried to.

Edited 20 November, 2011 by adamc260

[obi604]

Most of these replies are about after service.

But what are they like to buy a car from ?

I'm thinking of travelling from Ireland to buy a car off them, are they too dodgy to buy from ?

[RandomSkodaperson]

obi604 - try Sinclairs Swansea and ask for Mr Brian Thomas. Fantastic service .

[obi604]

Thanks Random

I would contact sinclairs but they have not got the car I'm looking for.

[exiledwelshman]

Hi Obi604,

I worked in the motor trade in Cardiff for 14 months and the things I heard about White Dove was not good! Take the advice from others and go to either Sinclairs, Capital Newport or even travel up to where I am getting my Fabia from, Winner Garage, Cinderford.

As for whether other dealers have the car you require then these can all do national searches for you and find the car you require, you are not limited to going to a particular dealer for a particular car, the car could almost come to you!

There are good and bad dealers around and I would not rank White Dove as a particularly good example.

Edited 25 June, 2012 by exiledwelshman

[obi604]

Thanks exile

Ive been doing national searches alright for the last couple of months but the car im after is rather rare ( 1.8 tsi from 2010 ) and white dove co incidentally have a car that suits, seems to be a good car at a good price

I have no affiliation to white dove or anything or no affiliation to buying a car from any particular garage in Britian, it's just for the above reason

And I'd be buying the car and then bringing it to Ireland on the boat so wouldn't need to worry about car servicing or whatever, I purely just would use white dove to buy the car, then I'm gone : )

Edited 26 June, 2012 by obi604

[Llanigraham]

One of the senior sales people from Sinclair's has now moved to Black Pigeon, so perhaps things "might" improve.

[MikeWales]

One of the senior sales people from Sinclair's has now moved to Black Pigeon, so perhaps things "might" improve.

Yes that's right, its Andy Shoreland who sold me my Yeti a few months back. BUT Andy if you are reading this - I am sill waiting for that touch up paint you promised!

[g_tee]

Blimey you must have travelled then, there's a Skoda dealer in Har'ford (Was drooling over the vRS's in the forecourt a few weeks back whilst I was in the area for a few days)

[MikeWales]

Blimey you must have travelled then, there's a Skoda dealer in Har'ford (Was drooling over the vRS's in the forecourt a few weeks back whilst I was in the area for a few days)

Cardiff had the DSG box Yeti which I wanted, which a bit on the scarce side! H'ford has 4 used Yeti's in stock if anyone is looking for one.

Still no sign of the touch up paint from Andy.

Edited 26 July, 2012 by MikeWales

[adamc260]

Yes that's right, its Andy Shoreland who sold me my Yeti a few months back. BUT Andy if you are reading this - I am sill waiting for that touch up paint you promised!

If i recall he was the sales manager at white dove but left (lovely guy though!) and no surprise he left White Dove... even to this day I hate them.

[g_tee]

He didn't hang around long then - I bought a car from him in Sinclair Swansea in 2010. I knew he had gone to WD Cardiff but am surprised (well, actually, maybe I am not surprised) that he left.

[MikeWales]

If i recall he was the sales manager at white dove but left (lovely guy though!) and no surprise he left White Dove... even to this day I hate them.

Nope he's still there & still owes me my touch up paint - only 6 months now!

[Danny 57]

My dealer told me he would "arrange" an MDI interface cable for me, which he did but he does work for Capitol in Newport!

[Welsh_kai_boy]

Andy is now on the shop floor, there is a new sale manager in WD.

[MikeWales]

Andy is now on the shop floor, there is a new sale manager in WD.

Yes, but he STILL owes me a touch up paint! & he doesnt return calls either, 2 calls so far in the last 2 months

Mind you I've only had the car 8 months

[obi604]

Mike. I'm not sure on the answer to this question.

Do you have a problem with your paint job ?

: )))))

Edited 25 November, 2012 by obi604

[MikeWales]

Mike. I'm not sure on the answer to this question.

Do you have a problem with your paint job ?

: )))))

No, what made you think that? :think:

I just like these freebies so I can sell them off on E+*y!

[Peter-B]

Ok I probably should have started this from the beginning, but better late than never.

Ordered my Fabia vRS in September. Spent a long time with Christian Dorey going through the options and deciding whether the car offered what I wanted inside. Then went out for a test drive in the Fabia, took a long circuitous route suggested by Christian to get the best out of the car. No pressure to head back to the dealership (which was surprising as closing time was approaching). It came to crunch time and Christian gave my car the once over, we sat down for a 'chat' and came to what I felt was a very good deal. I was offered significantly more for my car than other local dealers and the discounts on the Fabia were outstanding. I discussed the final parts of the deal and my haggling with Andy Shoreland, who I actually found to be slightly less helpful despite the comments above, although maybe I caught him on a bad day!

Following the order going in I had a discussion with Zac Hattab to cover the finance options and set up the arrangements. Again he was very helpful and we quickly got to what was right for me.

Since the order being placed I have pestered the dealership with a variety of questions, added the Eibach springs to my order following some lengthy discussions, arranged for my private plate to be transferred and in fairness they have accepted every query, criticism and comment without so much as flinching.

Reputation is a funny thing as good rep is never talked about and people only really take the opportunity to moan about things because it suits them better. So far I've had no reason to criticise White Dove, quite the opposite in fact. Maybe that day will come, but until it does I won't be jumping on the proverbial band wagon. I'm expecting my Fabia to arrive at the end of next week and I've been kept informed of the progress throughout. I'll give an update after I pick it up to let you all know what the service I experienced was like.

[Peter-B]

Right then, I picked up the car on 22 December so it seems like a pretty good time to be putting in an update because I've had some interaction with the dealer since then.

Pick up day was perfect, took longer than I thought it would but the end result was worth it. The car had been delivered earlier in the week and it was a bit of a rush to get it ready in order for me to pick it up before Christmas. As a result they hadn't had a chance to get the wheels balanced and tracked after fitting the Eibach springs, so it was straight over to ATS (which they weren't supposed to be doing as they are contracted to take it to VW who were closed). In order for it to come off I paid for the work done at ATS and White Dove provided me with a full tank of super unleaded for my troubles (obviously worth a lot more than the work ATS had completed).

It was then that the topic of Supaguard paint protection came up. At a price that was previously quoted at £175 I wasn't keen at all, but then they mentioned it again to me with the keys in my hand and I had a twinge of "should I or shouldn't I". They then said I could have it for free so I jumped at it. I booked it in for Supaguard treatment for the 21st January.

I turned up on the 21st Jan early as I was due in work. This was to be my first experience of the White Dove servicing department. I had arranged for the keys to a car to be left for me to take for the day while my car was in being treated. I got there at 8:15 explained what I wanted only to find that the servicing staff had no idea what I was on about. I was annoyed as I needed to get to work and there was nobody in sales for anyone in servicing to speak to to find out what was happening. To cut a long story short eventually (at 8:50) I was sent on my way with an Octavia vRS as my courtesy car for the day. Everyone was extremely apologetic and I went on my way.

Returned in the afternoon to collect my car, spotted it a mile off in the car park. It was gleaming in amongst all the other cars covered in road salt and looked fabulous. I had my new number plates sat in the back seat (awaiting the DVLA to send me the appropriate documents) and it was all ready to go. Except for the standard vRS springs which were taken off the car when they put the Eibachs on, I am still waiting for them to find them in the workshop. I'm not going to kick up a fuss about it at this stage though, end of the day I don't need them they're just for me to sell. If they have lost them then I'd rather have the money to be honest rather than the hassle of selling.

Overall I've had an excellent experience with White Dove Skoda, and yes they have had a couple of down moments as I have highlighted above. But to be totally honest I've experienced far worse at other 'big brand' dealers in the area (Cardiff Audi and Mercedes-Benz automatically spring to mind), and all in all have been very happy with the way White Dove have been with me.