2015 superb tailgate rust

[Shaunieboy]

It's been 7 days since that last phone call after being told I would get a call on Tuesday or Weds this week... nothing yet.

[silver1011]

It'll be another 7 seven days if you don't push them.

 

I'd have been on the phone on Tuesday!

[Shaunieboy]

Firm email sent to the handler this morning. Will be calling on Monday if no reply by then with further venom due to the delay.

[Shaunieboy]

They Have called back eventually (nearly a week after promising).

 

No budging due to the lack of bodywork inspections. Apparently if I can find proof of the indie garages I've used recently and the skoda garages from the first 3 years doing bodywork inspections I can resubmit the claim. Note the first 2 or 3 services by Skoda Dealers have absolutely nothing written in the inspection area in the book.  

 

What indie is going to do a full bodywork inspection if the car is in for a minor service? 

 

All again coming down to these bodywork inspections....

 

A manager is calling me back but the call handler is adamant there is no budging.

 

But neither am I...

[Shaunieboy]

An interesting turn of events.... the same call handler called me back (not a manager which I had requested.) with an 'alternative solution'.

 

Apparently the other option is for me to pay £160 +vat for an approved independent paint inspector (pvwi) to come and take pictures and write a report to resubmit to SkodaUK. If the inspection proves the bodywork has corroded as per warranty specs, it will be approved.

 

Unsure where to take this...

 

 

 

 

[Skodavid]

That is utter bull****! They are just hoping that you will back off and accept it. Like previously mentioned,  where does it say that paint/ bodywork inspections are required in order for the warranty to be valid . 

Also, how can anyone justify the cost for the independent paint Inspection. 

Personally,  I would fight them to the death,  and even if you don't succeed,  the cash you save by not paying for the inspection will go quite a way towards paying for the repair yourself. 

[Shaunieboy]

They said the cost of the inspection would be refunded but obviously it's not going to be that simple is it....

Can you imagine if they rejected it again and I was the neck end of £200 out of pocket,  still with a rusty tailgate and hours wasted on the phone.

 

It stinks. 

 

 

 

[Ootohere]

There are members here that Skoda had PVWI inspect cars and recommend the repair under Warranty and Skoda UK declined.

But then Skoda had to pay for the work and then inspection.

Skoda UK are at it.  On a hiding to nothing, their franchised/  approved repairers / main dealers do not do the annual / bi-annual body inspections at services.

They know who, where and when...

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/430237-bonnet-paint-defect

 

Edited 27 March, 2019 by Skoffski

[silver1011]

When on the phone I wouldn't let them change the subject from:

 

"Please show me where, in the warranty documentation provided to me, it says that in order for the 12 year anti-perforation warranty to be honoured, the vehicle must be periodically inspected by an approved Skoda retailer".

 

They haven't, or more likely can't provide you with this important information. As long as this is the case you have them banged to rights.

[Shaunieboy]

Their (rather pathetic) reply to that was that the manuals and warranty sheets "are made in the factory and we do have any thing to do with them".

 

 

[Ootohere]

The Service Books that had body inspection pages were with new cars until about 2012.

Then Inspections were done and the Palm Top device was used.

The Services went on the Skoda / VW System.  That is Information available to Skoda UK.

So to Alasdair Stewart when he was Brand Director, then Duncan Movassaghi (2016, but with VW from 2010, Skoda, VW and back to Skoda, Warranties...)

that was before he bogged off to head  VW North America, 

 

Now there is Rod McLeod at the head of Skoda UK.  With VW since 1998.  Knows when they are BSing, that is their mission, why he is there currently.

 All 3 were with VW, Skoda, in 2012 there was the man that was with Bentley, Porsche, VW before including Skoda, After Sales, Warranties, Alasdair Stewart.

May 2012-December 2015.  Milton Keynes UK.  The guy that should know just what was getting done after the Service Books were no longer in the glove box.

(Now head of Global Marketing for Group Lotus since Jan 2018). 

 

They might like to blame the Factory, but Skoda UK is an Importer, they are responsible for Warranties, and their Approved Main Dealerships behaviour, 

Servicing and Inspections, if the Dealerships still exist the records are all there, who did not do the Inspections they should have.

Who in the Skoda UK management that was ignoring incompetence.

Edited 28 March, 2019 by Skoffski

[Shaunieboy]

So the latest is that they are still saying my only option is to pay for an independent paint inspection.

 

Im not doing that so I guess my only option now is to take them to court.... which I have told them.

 

Scumbags. My next car will be from whichever company tops the polls in customer care (so currently Hyundai/Kia). This pains me somewhat but it's the last Skoda I'll buy. 

 

Has anyone had experience with small claims court? Any tips?

[Cotswold]

I subscribe to WHICH and also their WHICH Legal service. If you are not sure your best route, that might be a very good place to start. Also, I don't think Skoda will want to have too much attention drawn to their very poor customer service story. Seems black and white in the paperwork that came with our cars!

Which Legal are a flat fee service.

 

Shame on you Skoda UK: this story does not look good for you or your reputation.....

Edited 8 April, 2019 by Cotswold

[Bagpuss]

Sorry that you're having so much pain, Shaunieboy. It really is **** poor customer service. 

 

I have had some positive news with regards to my issue. Skoda warranty were never going to accept the opinion of my local dealer, as they don't have an approved body shop on site. 

I agreed to book the car in for repair with the only Skoda approved body shop in Cornwall and dropped it to them yesterday. 

I figured it would be better to make the arguments for replacement versus repair with them, as ultimately they would be footing the bill if it rusts again. 

 

Just had a phone call from my local dealer to say that following inspection by the body shop, Skoda have agreed to replace the tailgate. 

 

Persistence can eventually pay off, so don't give up. 

[Bagpuss]

Just got my Superb back from the body shop, and they've done a great job. Full marks to K J Rule down here in Cornwall. 

They were totally professional throughout, gave me feedback throughout the process, and beat Skoda warranty into submission over repairing vs replacing the tailgate. 

Wouldn't hesitate to use them again. 

 

Have also given Skoda customer services some constructive feedback over how they handled the issue. 

I might even be tempted to write a letter, as the way these body repairs are handled (even if you've had all the inspections) leaves a lot to be desired. 

[Shaunieboy]

Great to hear yours has been sorted.

 

I've had more important things to be getting on with recently so my case is at a bit of a dead end...

 

Do I start writing letters to the customer services, or the CEO or go straight for a small claim.... 

 

 

[Bagpuss]

1 minute ago, Shaunieboy said:

Great to hear yours has been sorted.

 

I've had more important things to be getting on with recently so my case is at a bit of a dead end...

 

Do I start writing letters to the customer services, or the CEO or go straight for a small claim.... 

 

 

Thanks shaunieboy. Only wish you were having better luck. 

 

I wouldn't bother writing to customer services. I'm sure they'll just parrot the same line back to you in writing. 

Writing to the Skoda UK head might help. I certainly found this worked with both BT and TalkTalk when I was having problems. 

The CEO's offices of both have special teams who deal with customer service issues like this. One special delivery letter to both of them resulted in a very long running issue being solved in a matter of days following receipt. 

Not sure if Skoda UK have something similar, but it might be worth a try. The real question if who to write to. 

 

Easiest thing to do would be send an e-mail to the Skoda UK managing director. His e-mail appears to be: [email protected]

If you fail to get a response from there, you could write to him at the Skoda UK head office. 

Another, often successful route is to post stuff to social media. Twitter is usually a good starting point. Most brands really don't want negative comments popping up in their Twitter feeds. 

 

If you get no joy from any of that, then take them to the small claims court. 

[TP-]

I have similar issue rust after 5 years around light on octavia, skoda said bodywork inspection not done so warranty invalid, dealer says its not part of service and you have to ask for it. Both refusing to do anything. On the dealer website it said they do all warranty check as part of service and service checklist says they did it. But nobody ticked the box on the car record at soda. I paid with credit card so I'm pursuing a claim under section 75 for not getting service I paid for. The dealer has also been took over by pulman as well. I will never buy another skoda or vw after over 10 years of buying. Its ridiculous 

[Hudson1]

I feel your pain...... and i noted that on an older post it mentioned that Hyundai/Kia were top of the customer service polls...... not in my family it is not, a family member has an i10 2015 and it has rust all along the top of the rear door where the rubber meets the metal, it started 9 months ago and the dealer bodged the fix for it, now they are saying it is not covered because the original '' fix '' never went through HQ, and now it is over the 5 year period it comes under the anti perforation warranty, all good we thought until they tell us that the warranty only covers the car from the bottom of the window down !!!! So not the top of the doors, excuse me ! Who designs a warranty that only covers half the car ? Someone who is aware of a design or build issue fault and ensures they will not pay out for it, that's who.

 

Do not put your eggs in the Hyundai basket, i have looked online and this issue does not just affect the i10 it appears to cover most of their models. I would say they are good cars for a 3 year PCP but for long term ownership...... look elsewhere.