Corrosion warranty claim refused

[Dave364]

Had my car at the dealers on Tuesday as have rust bubbles under the spoiler and had pics taken and sent down south, paint is not broken so to me looks to be rusting from inside out. Got a call today to say skoda don't think this is a manufacturing fault, the man that's dealing with the claim said if I want to dispute this I need to get an independent check organised by them and if found in my favour will be done under warranty, if found in their favour I have to pay the £180 fee. Wonderful how many people have had the "independent check" and how it went, if there's many who had it found in their favour? Cheers

[Dave364]

Pics of rust bubbles

[Ootohere]

Call their bluff

£180 is not the cost of an independent experts report, do not accept their experts report. Who was it that took the pictures a Qualified Skoda Body Shop operative or a Service Manager?

[Dave364]

The pics I've posted were the ones I took, the ones sent to Skoda were by a warranty claims person, on his Samsung S6 and not any better than the pics I have. I thought it would probably just be a scare tactic but is a lot of money if I end up needing to pay it.

The reply he gave was that they don't think it's a manufacturing fault but if they give a 10 year corrosion warranty and this is rusting from inside out how can it not be a manufacturing fault?

[Jevpls]

Be careful with this 10 year corrosion warranty - it ain't that easy.

I'd might not be able to use the correct terminology but basically if you get a rust hole in your car - it's the case. Otherwise it's only a rust...

[Dave364]

Be careful with this 10 year corrosion warranty - it ain't that easy.

I'd might not be able to use the correct terminology but basically if you get a rust hole in your car - it's the case. Otherwise it's only a rust...

I thought it was a case of if the paint is bubbling with rust but the paint has not broken it's rusting from the inside out so would be a claim. Edited 12 March, 2016 by Dave364

[Jevpls]

Maybe it is, maybe not.

My claims were based on some Latvian experience. They went to dealer with rust problems and they were rejected just because of the reason I mentioned above. Maybe it's not true in your case, who knows...

[Guest ProfesorDeBuceo]

In my experience this is par for the course with Skoda UK! I hate to use the word incompetent, but then again nothing else seems appropriate!

One mistake I won't make again. :no:

 

I'd be tempted to get my own report, & for less than £180.

 

Best of luck.

[Phil-E]

Surely it can't be an "independent" report if you're paying the dealer to do it. Unless it's an independent company they get in to do it and you pay them to arrange etc.

 

But I'd be tempted to get my own properly independent report on it. But just be careful to run this by them first and get them to accept an independent report from elsewhere and that they'll cover the cost if it is covered under warranty.

 

To me it definitely looks to be coming up from under the paint. I would guess at some exposed metal where the spoiler has been fitted.

[mikey vrs]

I noticed the same on my 58 plate vrs when i removed the spoiler for repainting due to laquer peel & i showed it to the bodyshop who were painting the spoiler for me & they thought it was due to water getting in under the spoiler where it mounts to the tailgate so i touched it up  & its got no worse over the last 2 years,i have small rust marks appearing on the sills at the front & i have a small patch of rust appearing on the bottom edge of the tailgate. 

[roaddetective]

I have just taken my spoiler off to repair a small chip in the paint. Really annoyed at my self, as I was the one that chipped it!! Anyway, I noticed some very small bubbling of the paint underneath the spoiler. Seems it must be a common fault. 

[monkster]

I had the same with Horton's of Lincoln, very poor. I persisted and they painted my Octavia 3 times under warranty. they will try to fob you off .. but be persistent ....not like Toyota my wife's Yaris has been sorted without fuss.

My next car's a Toyota.

[dstev2000]

I think the exact terminology is 'perforation warranty' as in the panel has to suffer with an actual perforation through the entire thickness of the metal to be eligible for a warranty claim. 'Cosmetic corrosion' probably won't be covered as people will be claiming left, right and centre for stone chips and such like. 

 

There are loads of different reasons a car can start to rust - even modern galvanised cars. Most major manufacturers have the same sort of perforation warranty as Skoda. Not sure about Lancia though........

 

My first Superb suffered with a few spots of rust on the A pillar where a foreign object hit it and either took off the rust protection down to bare metal, or it lodged some steel particles in there that rusted. Either way, I treated the area so it couldn't spread. Just my example and doesn't at all reflect the issues you are having. Best of luck with it BTW. 

[Dave364]

I asked how independent it really is and was assured its totally independent but imagine he will probably be slightly biased towards Skoda as they are getting him all these £180's (Got told its someone that travels up from England most months to check claims)Will phone again on Monday and ask about getting someone I choose to get an independent check done, I am confident it should be a valid claim if checked by someone 100% independent but would hate to lose £180 and not get the problem sorted

[AJ7788]

Be careful with their "independent" reports. VW tried to force me down that route but I used my own company (http://www.scotiavehicleinspection.com/). They hate it, keep saying they don't agree with it etc etc.

 

Am now at small claims court.

 

I know this is for VW's but I would imagine these guides are similar;

http://www.corroding-volkswagens.com/advice-on-how-to-make-vw/

http://www.rustingvolkswagen.co.uk/

 

And my very own page on one of the sites;

http://www.corroding-volkswagens.com/the-extent-of/

[AJ7788]

Also, my report cost £180 inc VAT as well from Scotia.

[Dave364]

Be careful with their "independent" reports. VW tried to force me down that route but I used my own company (http://www.scotiavehicleinspection.com/). They hate it, keep saying they don't agree with it etc etc.

Am now at small claims court.

I know this is for VW's but I would imagine these guides are similar;

http://www.corroding-volkswagens.com/advice-on-how-to-make-vw/

http://www.rustingvolkswagen.co.uk/

And my very own page on one of the sites;

http://www.corroding-volkswagens.com/the-extent-of/

Would much prefer to go to them but really don't want the hassle of small claims etc, how long has it went on for you and have you any idea when it will be finished? Are you confident you should have it found in your favour at small claims? Edited 14 March, 2016 by Dave364

[AJ7788]

Would much prefer to go to them but really don't want the hassle of small claims etc, how long has it went on for you and have you any idea when it will be finished? Are you confident you should have it found in your favour at small claims?

Unfortunately I'm stuck with a car that will fail MOT because of a manufacturing defect so have nothing to lose by taking them to small claims. I'm confident of my case as I have proved there are issues on other passat's as well. My car was taken to a dealership in June last year and have been fighting since then. Only started small claims in January this year and might have an outcome tomorrow, if not I get a court date. Everything from their side so far has been either lies, or trying to scare me off. As shown on that website page VW quoted £8000 to repair my vehicle and even then it wouldn't be everything eg chassis rail as this obviously can't be done. Stick to your guns and you'll get a result. Hopefully skoda won't play as hardball as VW.

If you have any questions etc feel free to PM me mate.

[Blanes]

I've just had my spoiler repainted by Kevin at KGB body shop in Winslow, Bucks, great job, good price, anyway, yes there was the start of a little rust under this too, so must be common...I just cleaned it off and touched it up. 

[Blanes]

I had the same with Horton's of Lincoln, very poor. I persisted and they painted my Octavia 3 times under warranty. they will try to fob you off .. but be persistent ....not like Toyota my wife's Yaris has been sorted without fuss.

My next car's a Toyota.

My next car will defo be Japanese too...You cant beat em.  VAG have lost all credit in my eyes following emissions and now skoda dealers treating customers badly...I would love a Lexus or a nice Honda....I drive a Honda regularly and it just purrs, you literally can't hear it on the motorway, lovely engines. 

[m0bov]

Jap cars can be just as bad. Very thin soft paint.

[James@RRG_Skoda_Rochdale]

Jesus, if you guys are worried about corrosion I certainly wouldn't advise getting a Japanese car!

[Ootohere]

Japanese Manufacturers build cars in the UK and Mainland Europe, so European cars really.

 

VW Group build cars in many countries that are not in Europe so they will not be German Cars, 

they could be European as in from Hungary, Austria, Czech or Spanish, but then they might be South African or Chinese, 

even South or North American.

 

VW should know all about Rust / Corrosion and inhibiting it be now, they have been building plenty with it for decades.

The issues with Yetis is ridiculous.

[m0bov]

My Mazda 6 was built in Japan. I had a recall done on it for extra rust protection.