Clutch Eats Gearbox and Bank Balance!

[Donbrig]

Had another discussion with SUK and they are in full denial mode with the end result that I am now forced to put the case to the motor ombudsman. 

I have also supplied various media outlets a full dossier of the case and given them permission to press on with the story using me as an example if they desire.

I will also give my local trading standards office a visit in the coming days.

 

Basically, this is the line that I got told verbally today - awaiting full written response of the same from SUK.

 

• As far as they are concerned there is no manufacturing issue with the clutch and the consumer is not entitled to a full refund of the repair - basically, just be lucky you got any goodwill at all seeing as it was out of warranty.  A full service history with Skoda seemed to help there.
• The technical document describing the problem (2039427/6) is not an admission that there is a manufacturing defect.
• They are adamant that there is no causal linkage between the gearbox/clutch failure and the subsequent failure of the flywheel 8750 miles later (at just 56K miles on the clock).
  • Replacement of the flywheel is only required if there is direct evidence that the flywheel is damaged/failed at the time the clutch/gearbox is repaired, irrespective of the past history of the case (in my case my contention that the flywheel was used in a out of specification environment for 7 months when the clutch was failing between May thru Dec 2016).  
  • Indeed, there is no official guidance that the flywheel should even be examined when the clutch/gearbox is replaced - which leads to questions about the technical competence of Skoda.

SUK had the chance to redeem the situation this morning but its obvious that there is no focus on customer satisfaction these days.
Their loss, was going to order a Golf this month for the Mrs but that is not happening now and obviously the Superb replacement is not coming now from VAG.

They are nice cars but the attitude of the company stinks and I will not give my hard earned money to that kind of corporation.

 

Last comment - if you know anyone that has had this issue in the past get them to post it on this forum to provide further evidence to the media/ombudsman that there is a significant issue out there as SUK are in full denial mode.

[Jayelem]

Good luck with Motorcodes.  I tried that route and they were no help at all.  "Sue the dealer, but it probably won't work" in summary.

[Snapper1725]

Was reading s thread on a Audi Q3 owners forum. Looks like people have been having the same issue with their cars. This forum was mentioned.

one person who it happened too was told she needed new clutch and a complete new gearbox  that nothing was save able ???.

After a few discussions and complaints she agreed to pay just over £500 towards the repair. Car back and then had problems with the gearbox finding out they hadn’t put a complete gearbox in after being told a number of times the gearbox was no good.

what you would think is skoda would carry out the repairs and bill Sachs for it 

Edited 4 December, 2017 by Snapper1725

[Ryeman]

Surely, ultimately, SUK have been rejected by VAG for compensation ?.

If VAG won’t back it’s distributors the idea is that the customer is expected to fork out it seems.

[Jayelem]

Quite.  But as with the emission debacle, it shouldn't be up to VAG to define the rules to suit themselves.  By any definition, they supplied an unfit for purpose product, and as I said above it needs someone to pick the legal fight.  If not, things will continue as-is indefinitely.

[silver1011]

Skoda UK's customer service was once exemplary, that was when they needed us. The brand had very little equity, Skoda was still very much the butt of a lot of jokes, they would go out of their way to ensure we were happy.

 

Times change. A new breed of Skoda owners, thanks largely to the fruits of VAG's efforts has meant the Skoda brand is now very well respected.

 

They don't need our loyalty anymore, new models, clever marketing and a raft of people falling over themselves to bag a cheaper VW and the profit rolls in.

 

Skoda aren't any worse than most other manufacturers, its just that it wasn't that long ago they were very good, now they're simply as bad as the rest.

 

Vote with your feet. Or buy Japanese.

 

Edited 4 December, 2017 by silver1011

[Ryeman]

You’d hope Brexit hasn’t had a negative impact on relationships between SUK and VAG.

[Eddie Deguello]

From the details I got from our garage today (relayed via my wife), it sounds like we've got this problem too.

 

The clutch on our 2010 Octavia Scout started to slip over Christmas; 117000 miles, so no great surprise.

 

We got it booked in to our local independent VAG specialist to get the clutch and flywheel done a.s.a.p., and it went in today. From the verbal description I've had so far, it seems like we'll be needing a new gearbox bell housing at least, and maybe other parts. I haven't had a chance to have a look for myself, but should be getting photos sent through soon.

 

I've sent the garage the details of the technical bulletin from this thread, hopefully that's helpful for them.

 

I guess I'll get more information tomorrow, and possibly a rather large bill.

 

If anybody's had success with getting a payment from Skoda UK, without having the work or servicing done by an official dealer, I'd be very interested to hear about it …

[Ryeman]

I’d start off with the line that it looks like you too are a victim of the faulty Sachs clutch series and see what their response is.

At the least I would be expecting some sort of assistance seeing it’s not a servicing related item.

They might wriggle out on the basis that it, arguably, would have been diagnosed as worn beyond serviceable limits if serviced by them.

Best of luck.

[Jayelem]

Quite honestly, I think you're wasting your time.  As I said many times above, this is an immoral, possibly illegal, way of handling a proven, known and original manufacturing defect, but SUK are absolutely and totally rigid in their attempts to minimise claims.  I guess they have to do this, because any admission of liability would unleash massive open-ended costs for the whole VW group.  In my view, the only way would be individual or group legal action on what should be a very easy-to-prove case.  In retrospect, I think a decent welder might have salvaged my box, but I think your chance of any payment at all is near-zero. 

[silver1011]

Has the garage said there was gearbox oil leakage?

 

The bell housing should be OK assuming it hasn't completely worn through.

[Eddie Deguello]

11 hours ago, silver1011 said:

Has the garage said there was gearbox oil leakage?

 

The bell housing should be OK assuming it hasn't completely worn through.

Yeah, apparently it was oil contamination that caused the clutch to start slipping.

 

When I spoke to them yesterday, they said they'd had a customer with a VW Tiguan with the same (but worse) problem as ours, who managed to get some money off VW even though the independent garage did the work, so there's some hope there.

[silver1011]

Fingers crossed, push Skoda UK hard and let us know how you get on!

[Mikeworcs]

D*mn... I just found this page entirely by accident while looking for something else, and I remembered I had to have clutch / flywheel replaced after 47k miles on my previous car a couple of years ago - Superb MkII 2.0 TDi.  It's annoying if it's a common(ish) problem.  I've never knackered a clutch in 20+ years of driving, so for it to fail after such a short distance was baffling.  Had it replaced at an independent for several hundred quid after getting a far cheaper quote than the dealer, who insisted it was me and not a manufacturer issue.  I never saw the damaged parts, but they mechanic told me the parts they'd replaced were "breaking apart".

Edited 22 January, 2018 by Mikeworcs

[DEL80Y]

39 minutes ago, Mikeworcs said:

 It's annoying if it's a common(ish) problem. 

It's not a common problem Skoda are always right in what they say starting with "we have never heard of this problem"

It's just PURE coincidence that hundreds of owners have had the exact same problem. With all the same makes of clutches that aren't manufacturing issues

Edit: I am only kidding   With Vw and Audi figures on top it must be into the "thousands" of exact same problem with no manufacturing defect at all......Just Thousands of tiny little coincidences all happening with the same clutches............ 

Edited 22 January, 2018 by DEL80Y

[Eddie Deguello]

Having got the car back the week before last (with a not-as-big-as-it-might-have-been bill), it's about time that I tried to extract some money from Skoda UK.

 

What's the best postal address for Skoda UK customer services? Is it the VAG headquarters in Milton Keynes, or the Selectapost address that I've seen elsewhere? (Or do they end up in the same place?)

[silver1011]

Bits of paper delivered by a man in shorts driving a van? That's all a bit 'last year'!

 

It's all online now...

 

http://www.skoda.co.uk/about-us/contact-us

[Eddie Deguello]

On 07/02/2018 at 00:17, silver1011 said:

Bits of paper delivered by a man in shorts driving a van? That's all a bit 'last year'!

 

It's all online now...

 

http://www.skoda.co.uk/about-us/contact-us

Well, yes. I know of the online contact form. I'd rather use something a little more formal, where I can send a proper letter with attached invoice from the garage that carried out the work. Tends to carry more weight, I find.

[Danny 57]

Yes there is something about a letter that can seem to have more gravitas. I would use recorded delivery to add weight to your intentions.

Edited 8 February, 2018 by Danny 57

[Eddie Deguello]

34 minutes ago, Danny 57 said:

Yes there is something about a letter that can seem to have more gravitas. I would use recorded delivery to add weight to your intentions.

I intend to … once I'm sure of the correct address!

[jafo]

9 minutes ago, Eddie Deguello said:

I intend to … once I'm sure of the correct address!

 

Send to both

Edited 8 February, 2018 by jafo

[silver1011]

[Eddie Deguello]

5 hours ago, silver1011 said:

Yeah, I can use Google too

[silver1011]

Don't mention it 

[xman]

What is this google you talk of?