Does this rust qualify for the Body Protection Warranty?

[silver1011]

Well, exactly 1 year to the day, the rust has returned.

 

Looks like the fix was a smart repair.

 

What do you think Skoda UK will say when I ring them? Will the first fix be warrantied?

[williamshatnerspants]

Bugger! Won't hurt to ask them I guess.

[Auric Goldfinger]

10 hours ago, silver1011 said:

Well, exactly 1 year to the day, the rust has returned.

 

Looks like the fix was a smart repair.

 

What do you think Skoda UK will say when I ring them? Will the first fix be warrantied?

 

Even If Skoda say        Roy. The Smart repair must carry a Guarantee  

[silver1011]

Well, not quite a year this time, but again the smart repair has failed.

 

The paint has disappeared and the rust appears to be returning.

 

What would you do here? This would be the third repair.

 

Should I ask for another repair or just let it go?

 

 

 

Edited 25 March, 2018 by silver1011

[silver1011]

I've added some of the images from the opening post since the demise of Photobucket has killed the original ones...

 

Before...

 

 

After...

 

 

Edited 25 March, 2018 by silver1011

[snowathlete]

24 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

I've added some of the images from the opening post since the demise of Photobucket has killed the original ones...

 

Before...

 

 

After...

 

 

Given they've accepted some liability already you're in a strong position, I would say. And given it is the third time I would ask them to replace the whole bonnet. The problem with rust is that it is incredibly difficult to get rid of once it's present. A smart repair isn't really appropriate for this kind of issue in my opinion. A proper repair might take material off enough to go back to bare pristine metal, but even then they'd need to make sure they had got rid of all the rust, even a teeny tiny spec of rust left in the metal will see it spread under the paintwork again. That's what is happening here I imagine. If they've already done a full bodywork job on it, removing the rust entirely and replacing the material, not just a smart repair, then I'd ask them to fit a new bonnet.

Edited 25 March, 2018 by snowathlete

[silver1011]

Thanks snowathlete, its had two smart repairs now.

 

The last repair they did resulted in a fine layer of overspray on one of the headlights which took me some effort to remove.

 

The car is 7 years old and covered 140,000 miles, she still looks good though and I like to keep my cars in good condition. I really need this car to last another 3 years / 90,000 miles and don't want any visible rust, I'm too car-proud for rust!

 

I'll send the images over to the dealer and see what they say this time.

[silver1011]

Wow, this must be the longest saga ever!

 

Since my last post back in March I've been chasing the dealer countless times, each time a different excuse. Three different warranty managers I've had to speak with across a 7 month period.

 

Anyhow to cut a long story short, it seems that the original warranty manager who arranged the first (year 1) and second (year 2) smart repair didn't follow the proper process. He didn't even apply to Skoda UK at all, which makes it even more bizarre that the dealer accepted the claim and swallowed the cost of two smart repairs themselves. I didn't buy the car from them either. Weird.

 

Anyway the dealer hinted that these unusual practices might have been behind his demise.

 

So, now we're in a tight spot, a third smart repair is likely to result in the same failure as the previous two so the only real remedy is for a new bonnet. Whilst I didn't buy the car from them I do use them for almost all my servicing across both of our cars, it's for this reason reason I'm told that they're going to pay for the bonnet themselves.

 

I have to be honest, it's a little overkill to me. The car has covered 153,000 miles and is almost 8 years old. I was happy with the smart repairs, if only they'd lasted.

 

But either way, it's booked in to their bodyshop in a few weeks time. One thing I will say is that the dealer always ends up doing the right ting, they are very good.

[silver1011]

Forgot to update this saga.

 

In the end the dealer acknowledged one of their previous employees had not followed the proper process. They'd never even approached Skoda UK or submitted a claim, despite taking photo's and assuring me they had.

 

Their warranty guy had had the smart repairs done and paid for via the dealer. I guess he thought he'd lean on the local guy who presumably is on site regularly touching up cars ready for sale etc. and not bother with the chew of submitting an official claim to Skoda UK.

 

When it became clear the smart repairs weren't lasting, and that a new bonnet was required they found themselves in a tough spot. A £50 smart repair versus a few hundred pounds for a bonnet and a spray job. The guy who had authorised the previous smart repairs had since left the company.

 

To be fair to the dealer they did the right thing, were open and honest and agreed to do the work at no cost to me. They absorbed for the full cost without any input from Skoda UK and everything was done via their in-house bodyshop, a SEAT dealer in the next town.

 

I even got a new grill badge as the original presumably fell off when they removed the grill (it was barely holding on as it was!).

 

So a positive result all round. Unfortunately I sold the car not long after, but at least the new owner has an 8 year old 160,000 mile Superb with a stone chip and rust free bonnet 

 

Edited 6 December, 2019 by silver1011

[J.R.]

I think that I can guess what happened, you were a good customer to them that they did not want to lose, they knew that Skoda would not give the OK for the repairs and that they would screw you around for months making you jump through hoops, have inspections done, fill out forms etc before finally giving you the big no, enough to **** you of with both Skoda and the dealer.

 

So they leaned on the paint technician to do a quick blow over without removing the rust, twice!!!

[Ootohere]

^^^ So something done all the time to sales cars that might well be Skoda Approved Used cars, just not refinished to a standard if checked for a Warranty Claim sometime in the future.