I took delivery on 26th Jan 2006 a new Skoda Fabia Ambiente & I have since found out that it has no air conditioning. On looking at the brochure ALL Fabias are supposed to have air conditioning so how can one car be imported without it? My dealer keeps saying they are looking into it & I am now waiting (3rd Feb 13:22 hours) for a phone call as to what they are going to do. If it comes to money back just what value do you place on air conditioning?

I wouldn't buy a car without now. Can you not have them replace it witha new one with aircon?

Welcome to Briskoda, by the way

As far as I am concerned, it is either money back or another car to the same spec as what I ORDERED, but I am still waiting for a phone call. I have even thought of contacting my local trading standards. By the way, I am think of fitting a roof rack, so have you any suggestions?

I'd be inclined to drive to the dealers and park on the forecourt, and not leave until they have telephoned and spoken to whoever sent them the car incorrectly, and have given you a satisfactory outcome - either your money back or a replacement car.

You could compromise; say you will keep that for up to a week, say, and then take receipt of the one you ordered, or have a higher spec new one/Octy or something until hey sort themselves out. It'll be costing them money then, so will motivate them.

Roof rack: VAG cars use roof bars which bolt onto the roof down the length of the car, and a range of attachments across them (for bikes, a rack (big flat grid thing), canoes/surf boards, etc). At the top of the forum is a search box, search for "roof rack".

I took delivery on 26th Jan 2006 a new Skoda Fabia Ambiente & I have since found out that it has no air conditioning. On looking at the brochure ALL Fabias are supposed to have air conditioning so how can one car be imported without it? My dealer keeps saying they are looking into it & I am now waiting (3rd Feb 13:22 hours) for a phone call as to what they are going to do. If it comes to money back just what value do you place on air conditioning?

If you haven't already done so put everything in writing - the sooner it's officially recorded the better.

Assuming you can prove that all UK examples of that model have AC - and I'd have thought that the brochure was sufficient in this respect - you will presumably have a right to reject the car. Perhaps a quick chat with Trading Standards/Citizes Advice is in order so that you say the right things

Classic -All Classic models are fitted with the following as standard:

- air-conditioning

- driver and front passenger airbags

- ABS

- power steering

- single CD player *

- height & rake adjustable steering wheel

- height adjustable driver's seat

- split folding rear seats

- seat belts with pre-tensioners

- child safety locks

- side impact protection

- driver-controlled boot opener

Ambiente - In addition to everything above, the Ambiente model has:

- electrically operated front windows

- remote central locking

- ABS

- trip computer

- tinted glass

- electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors

- front fog lights

Post a picture of your heater control panel and i can work out what heating system you have.

Just a quick reply to this, I have had phone calls promising a solution but nothing concrete yet. The salesman this morning (10:38 on 06/02/06) said they are working on a "blueprint" for a solution & will phone me back at 15:00 (06/02/06) to arrange a meeting for tomorrow. I will keep you all posted on the outcome, but I must admit I am getting a bit p****d off at the delays & promised phone calls.

Don't accept a money-off solution. Apart from loss of an essential facility while you have the car, it will make it vastly more difficult to sell/trade in when the time comes because it will be the only one of its age without a/c. Insist on a replacement.

Sal

Hi

Simple matter under sale of goods act I would imagine. Item not as described. However, you have to act very quickly or you may only be able to reclaim a partial refund. (You have had benefit from the goods). It is essential that you make a record of all communications dateas and times in this matter.

Check this out:

http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/facts/salegoodsact.htm

and this

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1994/Ukpga_19940035_en_1.htm#end

I would go for retrofit of air conditioning as an absolute minimum requirement but would try for a replacement car. Remeber as stated by others here, resale without aircon could be difficult.

Chris

All the Skoda brochures I have include a disclaimer at the foot of the back cover that the information in them is not binding and is subject to alteration. They advise that buyers should confirm exact specifications, prices and colour availability with theiri Skoda retailer who will be notified of any specification changes as they occur. In this unfortunate case what does the order form say in relation to vehicle specification and, in particular, air conditioning?

All the Skoda brochures I have include a disclaimer at the foot of the back cover that the information in them is not binding and is subject to alteration. They advise that buyers should confirm exact specifications, prices and colour availability with theiri Skoda retailer who will be notified of any specification changes as they occur. In this unfortunate case what does the order form say in relation to vehicle specification and, in particular, air conditioning?

Hi Denis

The dealer could play hardball with these clauses, however, they might run into difficulty if they have failed to advise the customer of a change in specification before delivery. Aicon is a significant change in specification that would have formed part of the buyers decision making process enough to be considered key.

Remember that the specification is agreed in advance to be as per brochure unless the order paperwork makes a specific exclusion of the aircon. If the clauses were binding, your dealer could supply a car without wheels, or supply a vRS with a 1.2 engine and get away with it.

If you get no joy with the dealers, speak to trading standards and / or the BBC Watchdog program. The threat of that usually gets results.

Chris

The dealer could play hardball with these clauses, however, they might run into difficulty if they have failed to advise the customer of a change in specification before delivery. Aicon is a significant change in specification that would have formed part of the buyers decision making process enough to be considered key.

I entirely agree with that, Chris. I would still be interested to know what is in the written contract in this case.

How do you know you don't have AC?

The system looks like a normal heater set-up, ie turnie knobs, but is in fact AC...... there's a wee AC button at the bottom in the middle.

How do you know you don't have AC?

The system looks like a normal heater set-up' date=' ie turnie knobs, but is in fact AC...... there's a wee AC button at the bottom in the middle.

[/quote']

This is what i was aiming at.

Hi to all of that have taken the time to add to this, I can now tell you that the dealer has offered me £500 cash back & keep the car. I have put this on a local website forum & someone has suggested the cash back should be £2,000 but we have got to realistic over this. The OTR price was £8,000 so you cannot expect a 25% reduction. I have also been told that, say, 3 years on I will have no problem selling/PXing the car. After all, if I PX it at another dealer they will just give me 'book price' without even looking at the car. Anyway I have got until tomorrow (9th Feb) to make my mind up.

What is the alternative if you don't except the £500..??

Suggest you also talk to Skoda, this might be a car not built for the UK market or an Import. Take the car vin no & they can check it from there. Ive known of a UK dealer who sold a Southern Irish speced Octavia a few years ago

Personaly if I bought a new car I would want what I ordered & the dealer has failed to provide this so it would be thanks but no thanks, I want a new car or a full refund

Hmmm. Might be complicated but how much would a full A/C install cost on a fabia, using proper fittings? I assume it would involve wiring loom changes and more? :( :thumbdwn:

Its sad to think that the lack of aircon will affect the ultimate resale. More in terms of being an attractive twiddly thing to entice a buyer rather than a £££ factor. The dealer saying you'll have no trouble is a little off, considering they're the resale experts.

Also on those steamy hot summer days you will regret not having it.

I think the dealer is duty bound to provide what was advertised & at the agreed price

Have a chat with the Citisens advice Bereau, they will give you a very good indication of where you stand legally

How do you know you don't have AC?

The system looks like a normal heater set-up' date=' ie turnie knobs, but is in fact AC...... there's a wee AC button at the bottom in the middle.

[/quote']

The dealer has confirmed my Fabia was built without aircon from the factory, & they have said it was only one of two that came into the UK like this, so I am now wondering who has got the other (do they know? & if they do what cash back the they get?) In fact the dealer has not even inspected the car. I did ask whether maybe the aircon was there but not the controls, but they know it has no aircon.

If you accept this you will always regret it and you will never be happy with your new car. And it will always be in your mind about selling it.

It's just impossible that Skoda would forget to install aircon on just one car sent to the UK, so it must be a grey import.

What else is different on the car that you haven't noticed yet?

You should certainly take the advice to check the VIN with Skoda UK because they will be very interested if the dealer is selling imported cars under their franchise. IMO this is the best way of putting pressure on them.

You asked for advice. The advice is = reject the car.

Sal

I would ask for the copy of the sales agreement (if you haven't got one) and check the spec that you have ordered, if it is not what you wanted then reject. Do not accept and offer of cash off.

I had the same problem with my Peugeot 206 I order ABS but like a plum I did not check the order form that I signed, thereby I did not get ABS.

I will add it will effect your resale value and P/X value later on.

Hi

I would not accept £500 for the loss of air conditioning. The approach I would take is that I would not have bought the vehicle unless air conditioning was fitted and that it was a key factor in your decision to buy it.

The £500 may or may not cover the lack of resale value when you sell it, but wont cover your sweating your nuts off in the summer and misting up in the winter. Someone else here suggested £2000 and that would be the minimum I would accept. Sell the ar on with minimal milage, buy another from a dealer who is not taking the P*ss and trouser any difference.

This is very poor service from the dealer and should be reported to Skoda UK. For such an unnotified change, a refund, retrofit aircon or replacement car should be forthcoming without question.

That they have imposed a time limit for your decision is poor too. In the event you decline their offer of £500, what are the offering as an alternative?

Edit: If you are a subscriber to which magazine, they take up cases on your behalf and can advise points of law.

Chris

Back the car and order another with a/c.

I have been looking closely at my paperwork for this car. I ordered, on a hand written order form, a 'Skoda 1.2 64bhp Fabia Ambiente' yet I got, on a typed sales invoice, a 'Skoda Fabia 1.2 64 bhp Comfort Hatch'. On doing a Yahoo search on 'Skoda Fabia Comfort Hatch' it states that aircon is a