If you live in London, Herts or Bucks then don't bother using Citygate VW to do anything on your car. I phoned them up for a quote and got:

"Skoda? We're a VW garage, we don't do Skoda."

Fair enough. I'll take my completely un-VW related car elsewhere then. :thumbdwn:

Doesn't say much for their training scheme or level of knowledge. Their leaflet I got yesterday for "Audi, Skoda, Seat and VW servicing" must be a mis-print as well

Its alright,

I have been into a few skoda garages that are worse. I went in to buy a new OEM dump valve from the dealer in Middlesbrough and after some explanation of its operation i was informed by the man on the service desk that skoda don't make a car with a turbo so he don't know what the part is.

Also went to buy an oil filter from the DM keith in huddersfield, "Can i have an oil filter for a 2001 octavia vrs please"... the reply i got was.. "is that a petrol or a diesel".. to which i replied, "you tell me mate, you work here"

...after some explanation of its operation i was informed by the man on the service desk that skoda don't make a car with a turbo so he don't know what the part is.

:rofl: That's a classic!

Also went to buy an oil filter from the DM keith in huddersfield, "Can i have an oil filter for a 2001 octavia vrs please"... the reply i got was.. "is that a petrol or a diesel"

That is not as daft as it first seems. I work at a garage and I have absolutely no interest/enthusiasm in the make that we sell, tell me what the model is - it means nothing, uniquely identify the car by VIN or registration number or the engine by its' code and its a different matter - correct parts, first time.

"you tell me mate, you work here"

A possible reply to this would be: If you don't know, I can find out for you - What's the VIN number.

That is not as daft as it first seems. I work at a garage and I have absolutely no interest/enthusiasm in the make that we sell, tell me what the model is - it means nothing, uniquely identify the car by VIN or registration number or the engine by its' code and its a different matter - correct parts, first time.

A possible reply to this would be: If you don't know, I can find out for you - What's the VIN number.

I dont see how having an interest comes into it, you work on these cars all day long a chimp could spot the difference between a vRS and an elegance and i would kinda expect them to know which engines they would be working on based on the model. Maybe i expect to much of the mechanics and staff i entrust to fix things like timing belts on my car.. maybe its a good thing i service the car myself after all.

I dont see how having an interest comes into it, you work on these cars all day long a chimp could spot the difference between a vRS and an elegance and i would kinda expect them to know which engines they would be working on based on the model. Maybe i expect to much of the mechanics and staff i entrust to fix things like timing belts on my car.. maybe its a good thing i service the car myself after all.

Im sure any of the technicians in the workshop would be able to tell you the ins and outs. But to be honest most service advisors and parts people probably wont. Parts people just look up parts, give them the info they need and they will do it. Its not thier job to know what is fitted to what models anymore the computer systems do that now so the parts advisor can be just an operative. Few deales have the real old school skilled parts people left, rare find indeed.

Im sure any of the technicians in the workshop would be able to tell you the ins and outs. But to be honest most service advisors and parts people probably wont. Parts people just look up parts, give them the info they need and they will do it. Its not thier job to know what is fitted to what models anymore the computer systems do that now so the parts advisor can be just an operative. Few deales have the real old school skilled parts people left, rare find indeed.

I know where your coming from on this! Main dealers have always baffled me asking what I thought were over detailed questions about the vehicle to determine which 'simple' part was required. I remember years ago Dews garage Vauhall dealers in Halifax wanted the chassis number of my Cavalier to determine the correct replacement..........wheel trim!!!!!!!!!!!

If they check on ETKA/EPC with the correct VIN number and the part is wrong they can blame the system, just a simple way of protecting themselves from a telling off. Especially if the part is a special order and non returnable.

I know where your coming from on this! Main dealers have always baffled me asking what I thought were over detailed questions about the vehicle to determine which 'simple' part was required. I remember years ago Dews garage Vauhall dealers in Halifax wanted the chassis number of my Cavalier to determine the correct replacement..........wheel trim!!!!!!!!!!!

Integral part of the vehicle those though. You don't want to mess up and order the wrong type or you bugger up the whole suspension setup

Hayseldens in donny are just as bad, i went in a couple of years back to get a set of exhaust valves , and was asked which part of the exhaust they went in------muppits

I dont see how having an interest comes into it, you work on these cars all day long a chimp could spot the difference between a vRS and an elegance and i would kinda expect them to know which engines they would be working on based on the model. Maybe i expect to much of the mechanics and staff i entrust to fix things like timing belts on my car.. maybe its a good thing i service the car myself after all.

You don't see the other side of it, not everyone is as clued up about cars as you are. A lady came into our place a while ago and said " I want a battery", parts man said "what do you want the battery for?" lady - "my car", parts "what sort of car" lady "a Volvo" and so the conversation went, it was like pulling teeth to get enough information to supply the part. Sometimes it is quite refreshing to talk to a customer who knows what they are on about.

With todays parts systems where the VIN filters only the parts that the car left the factory with, until you give the parts department that VIN you are talking about a model range as supplied to all of the worlds markets, and not a specific vehicle. Parts people don't work on cars - it's not their job, that's what the technicians are trained for (so the bits of maintenance that you can't do like the belt are in safe hands), if parts are not intersted in that make of car then they won't spend their own time learning about it, also they won't qualify for any technical product training. With regard to wheel trims that's one part that manufacturers tend to update on a whim, there could be 20+ part numbers.

Another common mistake is to order a bit of trim and assume that it comes with clips, the parts man is not going to know that you need the clips as well, or the customer explains the cars problem and expects the parts man to come up with a kit of parts to cure it. You need to help them to help you.

You don't see the other side of it, not everyone is as clued up about cars as you are. A lady came into our place a while ago and said " I want a battery", parts man said "what do you want the battery for?" lady - "my car", parts "what sort of car" lady "a Volvo" and so the conversation went, it was like pulling teeth to get enough information to supply the part. Sometimes it is quite refreshing to talk to a customer who knows what they are on about.

With todays parts systems where the VIN filters only the parts that the car left the factory with, until you give the parts department that VIN you are talking about a model range as supplied to all of the worlds markets, and not a specific vehicle. Parts people don't work on cars - it's not their job, that's what the technicians are trained for (so the bits of maintenance that you can't do like the belt are in safe hands), if parts are not intersted in that make of car then they won't spend their own time learning about it, also they won't qualify for any technical product training. With regard to wheel trims that's one part that manufacturers tend to update on a whim, there could be 20+ part numbers.

Another common mistake is to order a bit of trim and assume that it comes with clips, the parts man is not going to know that you need the clips as well, or the customer explains the cars problem and expects the parts man to come up with a kit of parts to cure it. You need to help them to help you.

Agreed as i have worked before at a Rover dealership for 7 years as a partsman but also at a Motor Factors but they are different.

When ordering parts at a dealers it's probably easier to find one of the naughty parts catalogues online, like ETOS or ETKA, and order at the dealer's parts desk by part number.

Which get superseeded quite often

When ordering parts at a dealers it's probably easier to find one of the naughty parts catalogues online, like ETOS or ETKA, and order at the dealer's parts desk by part number.

Thats all well and good, but if the part that comes is the wrong one, then you are going to have to pay for it anyway, even if its an error on the system.

I do go to my local Skoda specialist with a list of part numbers, but we always double check them together to ensure we are ordering the right bits. My experience of ETKA is thats its a great tool, but it doesn't stop parts suppliers labelling parts up incorrectly, or there being the odd mistake on the system.

A couple of examples that spring to mind are the radiator hose clips on the Superb & Passat - order the clips that arrive as a plastic type that isn't compatible. I have ordered Fabia ones before now as they are the correct part, but only because of my familiarity with those vehicles - there aren't many parts guys that would know the vehicles this well.

Another recent experience, I ordered a trim to go around the light switch. What arrived was a bag with the correct part number & a price that looked as to be expected for a piece of plastic trim, and all that was in it was a rubber bung - a quick check on ETKA shows there is no such bung anywhere near that part of the car - so its clear the part has been put in the wrong bag.

To my knowledge - unless a VW dealer is badged as being a "Skoda service centre", then they won't even have access to the Skoda ETKA system, so any ordering of parts etc would be on the assumption that they were the same as the equivalent VW - risky stuff. However, turning away trade of any type doesn't seem sensible to me.

When I was looking for someone to fit my Peloquin - I called the local VW garage.

First they told me - "we don't work on Skodas" then admitted that all they could do with any gearbox is replace it....This after boasting in the local press that they spent X million quid on huge new facilities...

Total muppets - ended up fitting it myself....