My Karoq was taken to my local Skoda dealership for its annual service and MOT, while in the care of the dealer the car was rear ended causing damage to the rear door and bumpers etc. The vehicle has been with the dealer for more than 13 weeks and I have just been informed that the rear door has just arrived and it will be another 2 weeks before I will get it back. How can Skoda justify a 3 month lead time for what is a metal part that they actually manufacture?
It hasn’t helped that the dealer has not been forthcoming with information over the 3 months.
 

Unfortunately that's commonplace these days amongst many if not all manufacturers due to the 'on time' build process - they no longer keep large stocks of uncommon parts. I'm taking a pure guess here that Skoda will be compelled to use genuine Skoda parts where as if the car had gone to a repair centre, the part they use could be manufactured by a 3rd party.

 

Back in the 90's I had a Vauxhall Cavalier as a company car which were common as muck but that too required a 3mth wait on some steering system when the dealership had to rebuild it.

 

The irony is we could source perfect good replacement parts at a breakers yards ourselves and have it delivered within days. prime it, paint it, fix it and you'd never know the difference. In fact it's often a much less labour intensive fix as you don't have to strip every single part off the damaged item and transfer it to the new tailgate.

 

It's just one of those unfortunate frustrating things.

Edited 14 April, 20233 yr by kodiaqsportline

1 hour ago, BEY said:

How can Skoda justify a 3 month lead time for what is a metal part that they actually manufacture?

 

They dont need or have to justify the lead time, justguarantee to  provide certain spare parts for a certain time after a vehicles manufacture.

 

Do you know that they actually manufacture the door panels themselves? Very little of a modern motor vehicle is actually made by the vehicle manufacturer, assembler would be a better choice of phrase. Some production plants may still make the bodies and engines but they will be seperate from the assembly plant and the units will arrive on a JIT basis like any other components and sub assemblies from their suppliers.

 

Tthose same parts which are required as spare parts do not follow the same logistic chain, they will not go anywhere near the assembly plant fast moving parts and consumables will be stocked in distribution warehouses and with TPS etc, I vert much doubt that an unfinished bare unpainted door or tailgate will be stocked, it will be ordered and the order will go right through the chain to the manufacturer, he will have to meet his JIT commitments to the production line before diverting one unit for a VOR (veicle off road) order.

 

3 months does not sound excessive and were you to actually be able to find the thruth behind the BS it's probably only been ordered 2 weeks ago.

 

Sorry for any typos.

I hope they provided you with a replacement car?

If not I would have told them I would be hiring a car at their expense, then you would really see how quick they could fix it.

Seems to me like the dealer is taking their own sweet time to reduce their costs.

If you have informed your insurance company about the damage (as you should) get onto them and complain.

Edited 15 April, 20233 yr by deddog

They certainly should be embarrassed about the whole affair and be doing their utmost to expedite the repairs ASAP, sadly it probably does not enter into their consciousness.

 

I dont see how delaying the repairs is saving them money especially if as you hope they have provided a courtesy car.

If you have not had access to it for 3 months, not unreasonable to ask them to extend factory warranty for 3 months.   As an alternative let them fund a 2 year all-in-one package to cover extra months.

 

If they didn't have spare parts in stock, they should have been bit more careful and not parked it where it could get damaged.

 

Work on assumption that if you don't ask, you won't get.

 

Edited 15 April, 20233 yr by SurreyJohn