Love affair with Skoda is officially over!

[yesman]

Well after 15 years and 4 great Skodas it's finally over! I had decided now was the time to purchase a new Skoda as I'd had my Superb for 6 years, I wanted a 4x4 170 Elegance Combi which are like rocking horse do-do and for some strange reason none within 100 mile from where I live! Found a grey one at a Skoda dealer 108 miles from me, before I went I'd had a quoted part-ex price of £3500,  I asked all the right questions and gave them as much information as possible as I explained to them I had at least a 2 hour journey each way. The love affair died when I got there! The car, a 2014 reg, was filthy verging on disgusting, the engine management light came on when I test drove it. When I got back to the garage I was introduced to the sales manager by the salesman I was dealing with, the sales manager didnt get out of his seat or shake my hand! I mentioned the engine management light to which he repied "he'd get someone to look at it if theirs anyone free" at this point my wife left in disgust! Told him wasn't going to talk price until it had been checked to which they replied "that might be the sticking problem" after an initial quote of £3500 part ex and knowing I'd travelled for over 2 hours they were only prepared to offer me £2700! With some of the lamest excuses I've ever heard to justify the price! When I argued the price he had the audacity to say he could go out there and pick my car to bits even more if I wanted! At this point I was ready to follow the Wife out the door but I had after all travelled all that way to only then have insult added to injury as I pointed out that some service items hadn't been done on the last service they had done, the 4x4 haldex oil and the DSG oil! they first denied they hadnt done the service and when they realised they had done it, weirdly just an oil changed, they offered to pay half the cost! My back was well and truely up now! After much "debate" got them to agree to do both oil changes as they should have been done but they were adamant they weren't moving on the part-ex price, think they thought I'd travelled to far to walk away but that I did, not just from that awful dealer but also the brand as I just cant find what I want and I'm not being treated that way! So today, probably to manys horror I put a deposit down on a Kia Sportage, unlike Skoda they praised my Superb and gave my the £3500 that I knew it was worth and also knocked £200 of the price to make it a round figure! Car drove great and with 42 months warantee left thats nearly 4 years off worry free motoring! Thats how I expect to be treated by a main dealer!

So it is with regret I say good bye to you all, thanks for all the advice over the years, I hope to come back to the brand some time!

Edited 13 June, 2017 by yesman

[Warrior193]

I don't blame you for changing brands YesMan, that is appalling and completely unacceptable treatment. If that's their take on reasonable customer service I sincerely hope more to their clients walk on them and they go bankrupt ASAP. Are you prepared to name and shame?

I wonder if SUK could be persuaded to spring a mystery customer visit on them? 

Keep us posted on your new wheels. 

[Auric Goldfinger]

Name and shame, it's the only way to save others, 

[lichfielddriver]

New Kia's are 5 year/100k warranty arent they?

[lichfielddriver]

I tried a jag XF but too cramped in the back, next up is an E class then a 5 series (maybe 7) or an A6/A8..

[yesman]

11 minutes ago, lichfielddriver said:

New Kia's are 5 year/100k warranty arent they?

Nope there 7 years or 100k warranty, got 42 months left on it!

[Dr Zoidberg]

26 minutes ago, lichfielddriver said:

New Kia's are 5 year/100k warranty arent they?

 

Nope, Hyundai get 5, Kia 7

[lichfielddriver]

10 minutes ago, Dr Zoidberg said:

 

Nope, Hyundai get 5, Kia 7

 

 

which is odd given...............they share parts and a CEO (or did)

[Dr Zoidberg]

1 minute ago, lichfielddriver said:

 

 

which is odd given...............they share parts and a CEO (or did)

 

Agreed. I seem to remember reading that the Hyundai warranty was shorter but more comprehensive, but Kia claim everything outside wear and tear is included now....

[yesman]

25 minutes ago, Dr Zoidberg said:

 

Agreed. I seem to remember reading that the Hyundai warranty was shorter but more comprehensive, but Kia claim everything outside wear and tear is included now....

Thats exactly what I was told, even the exhaust is covered. It's literally things like brakes and tyres that aren't covered!

[TheRobinK]

1 hour ago, Dr Zoidberg said:

Nope, Hyundai get 5, Kia 7

 

In Ireland - and I think the UK is the same:

 

Kia is 7 years and 150,000 km

Hyundai is 5 years and Unlimited mileage/kilometres

 

I had a client who couldn't decide between a year old IX35 or a Sportage with around 30,000 km on each. He is doing 60,000 km a year so I pointed out he would eat what was left of the Sportages' 150,000 in 2 years. He'd be +2 years better off with the Hyundai.   

 

FYI - he had been a happy Octavia owner and put over 300,000 km on his. Skoda wouldn't match his scrappage deal so off he went into the arms of a tarted up Korean...                                                                                             

[gav_is_con]

What a real shame. Such is the way the loyalty is going with VAG. First emissions and prices on par with say the top end of the VAG family. As someone said here recently may as well go to a s****y VW showroom and get better treatment or like yourself leave the brand. 

[Nick_H]

Thing is though search hard enough and you will find a crap Kia dealer, crap Jag dealer, crap Aston dealer, crap Lambo dealer etc etc...

 

Its happened to me. If it's a certain car I want I've just moved onto other dealers.

 

Of course if the Superb you want is so rare that only one is available within a 2  hour drive and it's crap then you have no choice but to move on but it's not Skodas fault  the dealer is crap or you can only find one car that meets your criteria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 13 June, 2017 by Nick_H

[Superb170]

The unprofessional attitude and sheer laziness of dealers never ceases to amaze me.  Such a shame you were treated like that.  There is nothing wrong with a Sportage though and I'm sure you'll be back to Skoda again some day.

[lichfielddriver]

Hunting for big cars i didnt realise how SMALL a jag was vs an S class

 

[CWARD]

This is an echo of the statements made in the biggest threat to Skoda thread. 

 

It's not how small the Jag but how huge the S Class is  I'd hate to have to park one in supermarket car park.

[Gdcobra]

Have popped into my local Skoda dealer a few times, must admit I'm not overly impressed, not sure I'd be buying a new or nearly new car from them (not sure I'd be choosing Skoda if I was in that market anyway).  Having said that I think most car dealers are a pretty poor lot, possibly because, even in this day and age, they attract a certain type of person, particularly at a sales level although the service side is hardly un-affected.  It seems they have to be dodgy, lazy and have no interest or knowledge of the product they're trying to sell. 

From a service point of view this is one reason why I was complaining recently about the necessity of major surgery as scheduled maintenance (cambelt change) It's not (particularly) the cost which bothers me it is the risk that a car which is running perfectly well could be returned in a worse state after being 'maintained'.  Apparently I just like a whinge though and should be happy to have this done.  And even happier to pay for it.

[pablomax]

On 6/13/2017 at 21:13, lichfielddriver said:

I tried a jag XF but too cramped in the back, next up is an E class then a 5 series (maybe 7) or an A6/A8..

 

I was driving an XF sportbrake. Other than than a few niggles and the interior being a bit out of date, that car was a pleasure to drive. It was nice and firm, but at the same time did not transmit road imperfections into the cab.

We are considering to buy the latest version of that car. Not to mention that in my opinion it is the best looking combi made today.

[CWARD]

For an estate the XF Sportbrake was too small hence why the pulled it out of production and just unveiled the new and much bigger version.

[lichfielddriver]

I love the XF and for myself id have 1 but not fpr passenger work

 

 

[lichfielddriver]

On 14/06/2017 at 09:45, CWARD said:

This is an echo of the statements made in the biggest threat to Skoda thread. 

 

It's not how small the Jag but how huge the S Class is  I'd hate to have to park one in supermarket car park.

 

Tesco, ASDA and others deliver

[TheRobinK]

On 14/06/2017 at 09:45, CWARD said:

how huge the S Class is  I'd hate to have to park one in supermarket car park.

 

Well, I've found the usual reaction to the Superb Combi - especially from women - has been one  of  "Ohmigod - look at size of that! And the length! Its almost frightening! How do you manage to get it into small spaces..!?". 

 

Then again, us Superb owners have grown up dealing with questions like that. 

[CWARD]

Then the day dreaming stops as you realise you've ****ed over 2 of the 4 fingers holding your prize possession

[bigjohn]

The dealer experience makes all the difference to the brand

 

I don't buy cars very often and usually wait until a suitable deal may be possible so if I have a bad dealer experience I run a mile. 

 

No such problem with DM Keith in Hull, the 14 month old Superb was spotless and drove really well and the sales guy even put up with my insistence of using some of my commute route as part of the test drive -  was trying to judge the real life fuel economy to judge the petrol was OK and test it's suspension over a rought road on the same commute (In the past If I used my wifes' Punto your tooth fillings would drop out on this road)  . As I expected my trade in price was low (old Superb was over 12 years old and had 170k miles on it) but I "er eventually" negotiated a stunning price for the Superb II and sold my previous car to a friend at work whilst I was still at the dealers.

 

The only wrinkle was a small "admin" fee that came in from stage left (these seem to have crept in on car purchases )

 

The handover process was also painless and even enjoyable

 

Will I buy another Skoda in the future - probably yes

 

Some of the dealers must be OK as Skoda always do well in surveys (JD Power etc)

 

Edited 15 June, 2017 by bigjohn

[Rooted]

'Seems to'.  Odd how if you ask how many BRISKODA members fill the Surveys in for JD Power, Autoexpress, Which etc there are not that many say they do.

 

I would hope those 'salespeople' and other employees are not those responding to surveys.

Never would happen,, well other than in Germany where a organisation was caught 'at it' with VW's.

 

All those happy MG owners are surprising considering how few cars there are out there.