Sorry for the long waffle coming up!

Having previously owned a Golf and tried the 3 nearest VW dealers to us suffering very dissapointing customer care and service we hoped the same wouldn't be true of another one of their brands.

Booked a test drive at our nearest dealer turned up, salesman was busy, no one other than initial contact even acknowledged us and despite booking a specific time for the test drive were kept waiting over an hour. At the time had a 1 and a bit year old making sitting around in a dealership even harder. After about 1h15 we complained to the sales manager, we were then finally taken straight out by someone who didn't even know anything about the car. Suffice to say they didn't get an order!

In the end we bought through a broker (2.0d L&K DSG) which went seamlessly and a great job from the supplying dealership a year ago, unfortunately no where near to us.

So role on today booked in for first service, after prompted by car to book it in. Picked the other nearest dealer after we refuse to give dealer noted re test drive our money. When booking in we also mentioned corroding centre caps on the wheels and power boot struts wet with oil.

It's an hour round trip but by 4 hear nothing so to try and avoid traffic wifey phones to see how they are getting on in the hope to get there before traffic gets bad.

She is told that the car is not due a service as it's only 1 year and 6k miles down so they have not done it. To compound this they then say it shouldn't be due for around 2 years so have reset the car to variable servicing. All this without even phoning to discuss with us.

By the nature of the short journeys the car does weekly (though it is our family car that also does the longer journeys and holidays) we wanted it on fixed servicing as per:

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/regimes

They refused to acknowledge fixed servicing until my wife collected the car and showed them the above link and they said they could change it back if she waited longer which she didn't want to do, but they still wouldn't have done the service we requested and it would have to go back next month!

They said the rear struts were fine the oil was visible for lubrication and probably because some water had got in them forcing the oil out and so it was normal. Having seen posts on here and pictures where ours looked the same we know it isn't normal, it's a common fault. They wiped them clean and that was it, wish I'd taken pics but will do when it comes back which it will.

On the whole a complete dogs dinner and epic fail in our eyes. But hey, they replaced the 20 quids worth of centre caps, so glad we wasted the day organising our lives for the car to go in for that.

Sorry it's been a long ramble, but I'm really annoyed with how it's panned out. Feels just like the VW dealers before, we were hoping Skoda wouldn't be the same.

Would I be wrong to take it up with the service manager/principle?

I'l take it up with the Service Manager.  Not sure where you are in Hampshire, but Meadens (was a Seat dealer) in the New Forest is meant to be quite good.

 

I've only had a good experience of one Skoda Dealer (in Yeovil) and they seemed ok (but I wanted a specific job doing), and the other dealer I tried when I wanted some parts, and general help was Westover in Poole were as useless as possible.

Edited 25 October, 20169 yr by mbames

Blimey yet another useless dealer In which you describe.

I would complain unless you enjoy having your time wasted. The tailgate struts leak certainly will waste your time. Warranty?you will need it.

Good luck.

Get the email address for the service manager and send him your polite complaint with a cc to the dealer principle. You could also cc it to Skoda Customer Services.

 

Or just phone the DP direct and follow up by email.

They said the rear struts were fine the oil was visible for lubrication and probably because some water had got in them forcing the oil out and so it was normal.

 

 

:D  Genius, so they're happy the oil inside the struts has now been replaced with water??

:D  Genius, so they're happy the oil inside the struts has now been replaced with water??

 

Exactly!  But its ok because they are not hydraulic (their words!)

 

And guess what - not even 24 hours later, oil is visible again.

Sorry for the long waffle coming up!

Having previously owned a Golf and tried the 3 nearest VW dealers to us suffering very dissapointing customer care and service we hoped the same wouldn't be true of another one of their brands.

Booked a test drive at our nearest dealer turned up, salesman was busy, no one other than initial contact even acknowledged us and despite booking a specific time for the test drive were kept waiting over an hour. At the time had a 1 and a bit year old making sitting around in a dealership even harder. After about 1h15 we complained to the sales manager, we were then finally taken straight out by someone who didn't even know anything about the car. Suffice to say they didn't get an order!

In the end we bought through a broker (2.0d L&K DSG) which went seamlessly and a great job from the supplying dealership a year ago, unfortunately no where near to us.

So role on today booked in for first service, after prompted by car to book it in. Picked the other nearest dealer after we refuse to give dealer noted re test drive our money. When booking in we also mentioned corroding centre caps on the wheels and power boot struts wet with oil.

It's an hour round trip but by 4 hear nothing so to try and avoid traffic wifey phones to see how they are getting on in the hope to get there before traffic gets bad.

She is told that the car is not due a service as it's only 1 year and 6k miles down so they have not done it. To compound this they then say it shouldn't be due for around 2 years so have reset the car to variable servicing. All this without even phoning to discuss with us.

By the nature of the short journeys the car does weekly (though it is our family car that also does the longer journeys and holidays) we wanted it on fixed servicing as per:

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/regimes

They refused to acknowledge fixed servicing until my wife collected the car and showed them the above link and they said they could change it back if she waited longer which she didn't want to do, but they still wouldn't have done the service we requested and it would have to go back next month!

They said the rear struts were fine the oil was visible for lubrication and probably because some water had got in them forcing the oil out and so it was normal. Having seen posts on here and pictures where ours looked the same we know it isn't normal, it's a common fault. They wiped them clean and that was it, wish I'd taken pics but will do when it comes back which it will.

On the whole a complete dogs dinner and epic fail in our eyes. But hey, they replaced the 20 quids worth of centre caps, so glad we wasted the day organising our lives for the car to go in for that.

Sorry it's been a long ramble, but I'm really annoyed with how it's panned out. Feels just like the VW dealers before, we were hoping Skoda wouldn't be the same.

Would I be wrong to take it up with the service manager/principle?

What dealer was this??? Be good to know jus in case I have to take mine in for anything....

:D Genius, so they're happy the oil inside the struts has now been replaced with water??

Probably advised from a very experienced "master technician" :-S

Probably advised from a very experienced "master technician" :-S

There are some VAG master techs who post on here, and I'd trust them with my car, or even my life.

There are some VAG master techs who post on here, and I'd trust them with my car, or even my life.

But, like any group, there are the good and the bad.... like the Audi Master Tech who was most insistent that the cam belt needed changing at 40,000 miles on my RS4 - which had 5 cam CHAINS and not a single cam belt.

 

Thankfully it seems there are more good than bad though.

There are some VAG master techs who post on here, and I'd trust them with my car, or even my life.

The comment was more tongue in cheek. Yes there are good techs who take pride in their work and pass on good information. Then there are the bad ones, maybe appearing poor when surrounded by a very poor dealer.

I would be fed up if i recived this service, the thing is find another dealer. I think the problem with the more budget brands the margins are smaller, and this is proportional to the quality of the dealer. not always i must add as my dealer is fantastic family owned and its there only garage. You are less likly to get this at a luxury car dealership and the reason is thay dont sell the same number of cars so there more costomer focused, large dealerships seem to be the worst, benfield, Arnold shark, etc. Its a real bummer when you know more than the dealer and you know what there telling you is rubbish. Find another dealer and if enough people do the same thay will soon understand the meaning costomer service.

Shame how some dealers let the side down.

Mines been brilliant, Blade Skoda Gloucester.

There was a misunderstanding on my service booking, but they squeezed me in whilst I waited.

Seems strange they dont want your money for an annual service, why suggest variable when you were happy with annual.

Vote with your feet, go to another dealer.

A few bad apples or a few good ones. that is the question? I have had mixed dealings with Skoda Dealerships. The small local Dealer I purchased my car from was absolutely fine. Unfortunately Skoda chose to close them down a year afterwards and I had to take my car elsewhere for it's second service and warranty work. The much larger multi-brand second Dealership chain was truly dreadful. I think Skoda/VAG selects their Dealers based upon number of units shifted rather than quality of service. I certainly won't buy another one.

My own experience, for what it's worth, is to "vote with your feet". I had disgraceful after sales customer service with my initial supplying dealer, and having told the Dealer Principal of that experience and despite grovelling apologies, subsequent treatment was hardly any better. 

I then travelled 55 miles each way to another Skoda dealership, and couldn't be more satisfied with their efforts at customer service. Since then I've had 2 annual services completed & subsequently ordered my new car from them, delivered in immaculate condition, bang on time, and having been treated with the utmost courtesy & respect throughout each process.

110 miles round trip is a fair distance for me to travel, but to get the customer service I feel is warranted, and expected, makes me quite happy to do so.

JKW

A few bad apples or a few good ones. that is the question? I have had mixed dealings with Skoda Dealerships. The small local Dealer I purchased my car from was absolutely fine. Unfortunately Skoda chose to close them down a year afterwards and I had to take my car elsewhere for it's second service and warranty work. The much larger multi-brand second Dealership chain was truly dreadful. I think Skoda/VAG selects their Dealers based upon number of units shifted rather than quality of service. I certainly won't buy another one.

 

You purchase originally from Adamsons? Best dealer I have ever dealt with. 

Trouble with changing dealer is our two nearest have given problems and the next lot are quite a bit further away.

 

I've emailed the service manager who came back to me same day and is now investigating the issues I've raised and will be getting back to me after liaising with Skoda UK about the struts in a couple of days.  Going to see how they deal with it and go from there.

Edited 27 October, 20169 yr by skyjawa