What is it with customer service here?

[harveys]

I've had my petrol Vrs for 3 months now...well when I say I've had it...it kinda been shared between me & the dealer I bought it from...

I had read all the JD Powers, Top Gear, Auto Exp etc etc...polls, reviews etc etc, which raved about them...I thought they looked great & despite having a very decent (& reliable) car, I sucumbed to the lure of a nice nearly new one at a decent price.

It's a shame really because it is a lovely car (even if it doesn't feel much different to drive than my wifes old V5 Bora which we sold a few years ago)...let down only by niggley faults & very poor service from the dealers.

It went back after a couple of days to have the retrofitted 'cruise' fixed...it had clearly never been road tested (so that was a couple of trips in before it was right)...it's been in for the wheel caps (one of which was missing)...misting up of the windows all round...all the time...this one wasn't resolved despite several visits...until I discovered it seemed to centre round the back wiper/motor area....so eventually that was stripped down, to reveal a 'wetter than the others we've seen' area...requiring a new seal (not in stock)...a temp repair was made....which then resulted in the motor going faulty...so today for the third Monday in a row, it sat at the dealers all day. Despite my requests to have the car back by lunchtime (I doubt it's even moved by then !) I still have to chase to find out of it's ready...although bizarrely I did receive a call from them to advise it was ready about an hour after I'd called again & determined it was and was just waiting for a lift back from a colleague???!!!

I was tempted on the way out to ask the salesman that flogged me the car, how much he'd give me to buy it back & I'd take my business elsewhere, either back to Toyota or somewhere else that can give the customer what they pay for & deserve...decent service.

I know nothing major has gone wrong, it's just the inconvenience of being without the car (on about 7 occasions in 3 months) I paid good money for...& the fact it seems we should just accept the poor service !

[djgritt]

You're not the only one. The servce i've exerienced so far (apart from once) has been pretty dismal.

But that is the only dealer i have experienced, apart from the one good time which was a different dealer.

[dstev2000]

I find it isn't so much the actual faults on the car but the damned inconvenience of having to drive X miles to the dealer and X miles back home along with having to leave work early/arrive late due to dropping off/picking up the car.

They should take the car off you, throw an equivalent car at you and tell you not to come back until your car is repaired and thoroughly road tested. I have to be honest, that's exactly how my dealer was when my car was in for a warranty repair but that seems to be an exception.

And it's all made so much worse if you are subjected to **** poor customer service and the 'we can't be bothered' attitude which seems to be the norm these days and not just in the world of Skoda I hasten to add.

It amazes me how inconsistent the dealers are across the UK ranging from excellent to down right ****.

[Makefish]

It amazes me how inconsistent the dealers are across the UK ranging from excellent to down right ****.

Very true, dealerships round here are generally pretty good.

[Guest]

Mine's pretty poor.

I called a week ago to book mine in for some warranty work and asked if I could borrow a VRs TDI for the day as a courtessy car. I rang to chase them up a day or so later and they still couldn't get hold of the sales manager to see if there was a VRs TDi available. Not heard anything again since. Think I'll try a different dealer.

[eddie2]

I have to wait 3 weeks for a warranty repair if I want a courtesy car, which I do because the dealers round here are all miles from anywhere. Even then the car is a filthy Fabia, and the dealers want me to pay extra for the insurance:mad:.

However, I don't think poor service is limited to Skoda dealers. In my experience all car dealerships are dishonest with an appalling attitude to customer service. My previous car was a Peugeot, which was very reliable but I would never buy another because the dealers were all crooks. Same with Ford & Fiat.

[cheezemonkhai]

Very true, dealerships round here are generally pretty good.

Really, that's news to me. Most I've used this way have been plain incompetent at locating and fixing faults, requiring multiple attempts to actually do a job right. Even then some places require another visit to correct any damage they caused.

Still at least one of the good ones are also cheaper than one of the favoured independents down here.

[4stroke4]

After sixteen years of Toyota dealer service I can't believe how bad the local Skoda dealer is! Can't find faults, then told by the service manger that he is too busy to ring me back, don't follow anything up etc.. etc. Skoda UK wash their hands of it all, and say it is down to the individual franchised dealer. Sorry, not good enough, the customer should be King, not something to be tolerated at best, ignored at worst. It's like going back to the dark ages.

[Happydog228]

I very rarely post anything but I must say that my dealer is first class. Courtesy car without problem, effective diagnosis and repair and even a full valet when the car has been in for a free service under the VAG deal which was on offer 18 months ago. I was subject to one warranty problem which was hard to resolve so they needed to keep the car for 10 days when it was brand new and they even gave me a tank of fuel to say sorry for the problem. Can't complain at that!!

[vwescapee]

Hi,

There is a dealer link on this forum where members can comment on individual dealerships. Please make a point of putting your comments there too. It helps when those such as me are thinking of buying a car from a particular dealership.

Clearly the dealers watch this forum site too and may worry about how this negative comment or praise affect sales.

PS Still waiting for my dealer to call me.......

[GAFF]

misting up of the windows all round...all the time...this one wasn't resolved despite several visits...until I discovered it seemed to centre round the back wiper/motor area....so eventually that was stripped down, to reveal a 'wetter than the others we've seen' area...requiring a new seal (not in stock)...!

I think my rear screen mists up quite a lot and figured this maybe the reason as I seen some water droplets inside the screen around that area.

[Guest]

Mine's pretty poor.

I called a week ago to book mine in for some warranty work and asked if I could borrow a VRs TDI for the day as a courtessy car. I rang to chase them up a day or so later and they still couldn't get hold of the sales manager to see if there was a VRs TDi available. Not heard anything again since. Think I'll try a different dealer.

I contacted a different dealer, Silbury Skoda in Cramlington, and they were only too happy to loan me a VRs TDi for a day whilst mine was in. They even agreed to get it road taxed for the day so that I could have it.

[john_grant358]

Both the skoda dealers round me are pretty poor. They sale them selves on suposidley good customer service but in actuall fact its shocking 90% of the time!

[harveys]

Thanks for all the replies guys...4Stroke4, I thought I maybe just been lucky with the Toyota dealer service...but seems not. Gaff, worth investigating this option for your misty back screen...shame the problem has returned tonight & now the back washer when used sprays only about an inch around the arm...maybe a pipe has partially come off or the jet is blocked/badly directed...flipping heck...guess where she might be going on Monday unless I can fix it easily myself, well at least she'll know the way...absolutely flabbergasted !!!

Think I'll be asking for a price to buy it back when I am in...then heading back to the Toyota or other premium marques for a look !!! Shame really but I can't (& shouldn't have to) put up with service like this.

[cazgar]

How is it then that Skoda's score so highly on the various satisfaction surveys?

I have two on the drive bought after reading the surveys only to experience the same poor service 5 minutes after taking delivery.

Who is voting on these surveys? Skoda dealers if the number of comments here are to be believed.

[harveys]

Certainly won't be getting much positives from me...if I have it that long...just did a search on the various threads to do with the rear screen wipe...yikes, didn't appreciate so much could go wrong with this simple piece of kit...it's dark now, so I'll maybe have a look in the morning...but the actual screenwash part was working fine before it went in, so I feel it's up to them to sort that too...wonder what they'll manage to break next !?

[3td]

If you're in Aberdeenshire why not try Victoria Garage in Maud ? Think they are only classed as " accreddited repairers " or something like that as opposed to a dealership but should be good for warranty work . Check out other comments on here ( not just mine ! ) Got my last furby serviced / mot'd by them , then bought a ex-demo roomy , treated well - nice people !

[GAFF]

Gaff, worth investigating this option for your misty back screen...

Had a look lastnight, removed the cover and poured loads of water around the wiper with no leaks. Although I did spot water getting in through the screws that hold the number plate on so put a dab of silicone around them

[harveys]

....great....thanks for the tip on the Maud garage, unfortunately I am south of Aberdeen so it's a fair trek to get there.

Gaff...be grateful you do not have the same problem as me, or you too could have a saga like this...when I investigated why the jet was only spraying the inch round the motor & then sending water all down the tailgate...I found there are two holes for jets...but it seemed no jets...further investigation (on lifting the cap on the end of the arm) revealed...the arm with the two jets was lying loose under the cap. I know a few of you on here are guys who work in the dealers...what is the QC process when a job is done, does anyone check it & sign it off as complete...clearly there is no second check being done on some of this work or they would know it wasn't working as it should. To add insult to injury...& still have water running down the inside of the rear screen & my windows are still steaming up...so it seems like it might not have been the wiper area after all ! So that's been three consecitive whole Mondays at the dealer...& still no resolution...anyone selling a Toyota?

[3td]

If the Maud garage is in the wrong direction why not try "Thomson & Potter " in Burrelton . ( Just south of Coupar Angus ) Don't let an unlucky fault with your car combine with an ineffective local dealer get you down !

[GAFF]

Gaff...be grateful you do not have the same problem as me, or you too could have a saga like this...

Trust me I think I'd be able to pip you to the post with the saga's I've had with this car, the list goes on Most notably the brakes , but sorted now with New Brake Fluid.

[cheezemonkhai]

Trust me I think I'd be able to pip you to the post with the saga's I've had with this car, the list goes on Most notably the brakes , but sorted now with New Brake Fluid.

Had the same, but worryingly I think it's back another 20k down the line. Will have to look see if there is any pad left, but it does seem like the octy 2 is quite good at killing the brake fluid.

[harveys]

Sorry lads...didn't mean your probs/saga's weren't serious...just getting a bit fed up with the lack of decent service...it's all nicey nicey until you buy the car...then bang !

Still waiting (for a week now) for a call back re some parts I should have had returned to me weeks ago.

Thanks for all your advice & suggestions, they are appreciated. I won't give up that easily (might have done had it not been for this site !)

[GAFF]

Sorry lads...didn't mean your probs/saga's weren't serious...just getting a bit fed up with the lack of decent service...it's all nicey nicey until you buy the car...then bang !

No worries , no offence taken , hopefully you'll get sorted.