After ordering my new Superb in September, duly waiting patiently for updates, hearing on Monday that it was in the UK and just needed to be shipped up to Ipswich, I had a call from the dealer to say that some damage had been discovered. Somehow the fuel tank mountings have been ripped from the body, and need welding back on ! The good news is that they have ordered a new one for me, and it will be expedited through the build process, but the bad news is yet more waiting, at least 6 weeks even if I jump to the front of the build queue.

I am flagging this hear for two reasons...

1) has anyone else experienced anything like this, and if so, what help can I expect Fromm SUK ? To be fair, the dealer (Bristos) has been very good so far.

2) if anyone comes across a nearly new (or even new stock) L&K in Quartz grey / light interior with lots of toys (towbar, vent seats, MFSW with paddles, camera etc) beware - it might be the repaired one !

From what I can gather these things happen from time to time, where cars will be damaged in transit (anything from a light scratch to something like you've put) and dealers will refuse them and they'll end up at auction somewhere, just looking through eBay and stuff today I found 2 brand spanking new Citigo Monte Carlo's unregistered for just over £8k as they were damaged in transit, if they're giving you another brand new car (which it sounds like it is) all you can probably do is push for SUK to give you a courtesy car whilst you wait and see if the dealer can give you any free goodies as a gesture of good will

Ok, bit concerned! My car arrived Monday in the uk and got to the dealer Wednesday so pretty certain it has had the same transport as yours. Any more idea on how it happen? Bit concerned on mine. Not had contact from the dealer yet, skoda uk told me it had arrived

The dealer did not give much info - i can only imagine the underside would be damaged by driving over a ramp or some sort, on or off the ship, or onto the transporter. I don't see how this would happen on the ship, so hopefully is a one off and yours will be fine.

I would take a mirror and torch and have a good look underneath when you collect though :-)

Or was damaged on the car transporter. Bit rubbish as you've been waiting soo long.

Wouldn't think it happened on the boat. Remember that ship that was beached on a sandbank in the Solent this time last year and was listing 30 odd degrees? When it was recovered back to Southampton port, they drove the cars off that boat so they clearly strap em down well. Anyone know whatever became of those vehicles? I wonder if dealers and customers rejected them?

I bet most were OK. The ones near the diggers will have been written off going off the damage I saw in the news

These things happen more often than people think. Ports even have repair shops onsite that. Often it's a case of a slight scuff or scratch as some cars can get knocked around quite a bit in transit due to rough seas.

Ocassionally in fact quite rare are cars getting damaged getting on or off a transporter but usually more serious in damage.

Thing is, it happens, it's how it gets sorted that matters.

It sounds like your dealership is looking after you well. I'd push for a courtesy car in the meantime.

My X6 had to have its bonnet resprayed when it got to the UK Vehicle Prep Centre. The suspicion was that an incontinent seagull had left a corrosive deposit whilst the car was at Charleston awaiting transport to the EU. It was all sorted and in daylight is invisible. However under IR lighting our CCTV camera can see the sprayed areas.

Very bad luck though. And as said above, it happens a lot more than people are aware of.

A friend of mine has a body repair business. Some of his work is rectifying faults on brand new cars from local dealers before delivery- as said above it happens more often than you would think or hope.