Some times I wonder how much time Skoda take up ghost writing their own supporting blogs. My experience of the Skoda repair service is quite different. Unless it is just in Cinderford
My Octavia failed to start one morning about a month ago. I live the rural life, use the car for all sorts on the farm so depend on it. (I know I really need a four wheel drive but even though every time I get snowed in every winter and I promise to buy one in the summer, events overtake). Everything in the car worked, battery voltage after was 14.2V. Called the A.A. and they, after over half an hour, pronounced the starter motor, dead. They tried to bump start the car down my long steep driveway but, no luck. They towed it car into our local Skoda dealership and that’s where the comedy began. For the next week they messed around with it at times, at their convenience, but failed to make progress. Each time I enquired they seemed to take some time to find the right person to answer enquiries about the particular car but as last I was told the ECU was probably faulty and would have to be sent away to be tested at a cost of £130. ‘But ECUs never go wrong’ I told him, off it went anyway. While it was away I needed something from the car and was walked through to get it there was another car in the workshop, fair enough. The next time I enquired about my car the receptionist told me that the ECU had returned and there was nothing wrong with it. The mechanic was ‘not available’. I managed to get hold of him the next day and I showed concern that they had probably spent three weeks on a single wire fault. After a pause I was told that somebody had got confused between two ECUs and mine had been faulty and it had to be repaired. Only two cars in repair, both with duff ECUs how likely is that? So unlucky. I told him that as I was paying for the repair I was entitled to have the test report from the repairer. I was told that the repaired ‘didn’t do that’ they just sent them back. After another week they had found the broken wire, pushed back connector pin or whatever was the real cause of the trouble and grudgingly gave me back my car. Empty of petrol, must have been some test drive. Then came the bill, which I had to pay before I even checked the car. For swapping the starter motor (A £90 unit, two bolts and electrical stud, half an hours work when I last did one.), and messing with the electrics the bill was £999.94. Yes I know. That’s what I said.
I am now back to zero about replacing the old car. I don’t know what the Skoda’s profit is on a new 4x4 capable of towing a hay trailer. But I think their workshops have just lost it for them.
I note from other blogs that the director of the owning group has had to keep his name out of public view. For those interested it is:- Robert Hazlewood, Volkswagen Group UK Ltd,
Larry - Cinderford
