Paul Wakeling Skoda Campbelltown Gone !!!

[RSwag]

I'll toddle off, I was unaware that forums were from deluded individuals who live in closed off universes where negative comments are never to be told for fear of reality interrupting.

My facts are the vfacts, check year to date sakes and peg it against half the sales volume last year. Seeming though we are now at the half way mark that should work out as a far comparison.

Now exclude the models that werent available up until June, Superb and Superb wagon and the RS facelift range, now then throw in the fact that in June 2009 the facelift had only seen 3 months of sales and you start to see this 30-40-50% increase is a pittence.

But I'm a paranoid dellusional clown, what would I know??!!

[Brycem]

I am unsure why I am wasting my time responding to you but nevertheless I will.

Your facts are incorrect thus not facts. Sales are up end of story. Even if they were down who cares? The car I own is the only car on sale in Australia that fits my brief and budget having come from Golf Gtis which no longer have the space I require on an almost daily basis. I basically have a car which is 8/10ths Gti with the space I need. Result. As for resale we will cross that bridge in due course. There is nothing available that I want to replace it with.

What other users of this forum are having difficulty with is your motivations. Can you perhaps explain to us all what you are trying to achieve by constantly trotting out negativity and hijacking posts with your brand of doom and gloom? Has someone from the Czech Republic been bad to you? Are you missing the extra KWs that the RS would have given you? Would those extra 75 litres of bootspace come in handy at the weekend? Was the Mexican who built your car swilling tequila as he worked?

Please let us all know by return what your purpose is.

[RSwag]

Who cares what my motives are, my opinion is not valid here so whether they were good or sinister has no bearing really, does it?!

Just carry on boys

[Jake02]

Who cares what my motives are, my opinion is not valid here so whether they were good or sinister has no bearing really, does it?!

Just carry on boys

Thanks. Not that your opinion wasn't valid, we are must unsure as to why you'd create such negativity with incorrect facts that you presented. Best month ever last month, 180 cars sold!

[brad]

i had a look at june Vfacts yesterday. Skoda was about 2/3rd down the list of "cars normal people buy" (ie: I ignored porsches, fezzas, mazzas, etc). If I included the exotics, it was a bit more in the middle. i rather be a Skoda dealer than a SAAB dealer these days (and didn't SAAB sell a truckload back in the 70s/80s). It would be interesting to get sales figures within a price band (cut out <$20k & >$80k) and see how it faired then.

RSWag, if you have to leave out the Superb figures because it was new, then you also have to totally leave out last years Roomster figures because it was discontinued. You also have to offset preFL with FL Octavias...... IOW, you can manipulate the figures to make them look fantastic or lousy - it's statistics & easily done (I do it all day to be honest).
My guideline is "have I ever met a disgruntled Australian based Skoda owner?" and I go up & talk to them all the time if I see one, so it isn't just fanatic forum members I'm talking to. So far, there has only been 1 (off this forum IIRC). The dude at my kids gymnastics school now has an Octy & a Superb (moved over from a Passat). The guy at Maianbar still loves his despite the DSG grenading (warranty fix so he was happy).


Personally, i think you can post whatever you want, but I can't see what your purpose or point is. We is all happy campers with our terribly unpopular Skodas.

PS: If you ask the mods nicely, you can change your handle to something else rather than constantly wearing that badge of shame.

Edit: Sales figures by brand.

Toyota 21257
Holden 13836
Ford 10012
Hyundai 8055
Mazda 8024
Mitsubishi 7203
Nissan 7058
Honda 5373
Volkswagen 4759
Subaru 4066
Kia 2820
Mercedes-Benz 2410
Suzuki 2342
BMW 1651
Audi 1342
Peugeot 691
Lexus 657
Jeep 574
Great Wall 556
Isuzu Ute 523
Land Rover 521
Volvo Car 469
MINI 215
Skoda 179
Citroen 174
Dodge 139
Fiat 124
Proton 120
Renault 103
Alfa Romeo 100
Chrysler 99
Ssangyong 90
Jaguar 80
Porsche 65
Smart 23
Maserati 15
Aston Martin 8
Ferrari 6
Hummer 5
Lamborghini 5
Lotus 5
Bentley 4
Rolls-Royce 2
Morgan 0
Saab 0

[bobski]

The facts show that its not too bad. In front of Alfa, Renault, Proton and Citroen who have been in Australia for years with AFAIK no mention of leaving the shores... With VAG backing the business case, as a niche brand it seems pretty solid.

With the Fabia and some more brand recognition (which appears to be slowly building), I can see them moving easily up the list.

[Golf Loon]

I actually run a VAG specialist workshop around the corner from Wakelings in Campbelltown.
I have spoken to staff at Wakelings at various time and have been underwhelmed at their lack of knowledge and enthusiasm.
The last saturday boy told me they didnt stock the manual Skodas as they had never sold any!!

I think the Skodas are great cars and would have one in a heartbeat, but the wifes Audi refuses to die.
We have a few Skodas on our books and they are not hard to deal with as I employ ex VW staff and we have all the factory tools and diagnostics.

We pride ourselves on old fashioned customer service coupled with up to date knowledge. We have courtesy cars available and are next to the train Station at Campbelltown. More than happy to look after any Skodas out there in need of service or repair. We also have good relationships with VWA and can assist with any genuine warranty claims.

I agree that Campbelltown is a funny demographic as we get all spectrums of society from deros to battlers and the wealthy country folk through the shop. I live in Camden, but find that Campbelltown is a convenient location for people to get to. We have customers from the City, Southern Highlands, the Gong and further afield.

We are moving to new purpose built premesis in a couple of months and will then be even better equipped to service your VW, Audi, Skoda or Seat.

Try us out experience service excellence and specific knowledge.

Camden GTI Performance, 18/41 Badgally Rd, Campbelltown.

Sorry for the plug mods, but I get one person a day turn up here who has been buggered around elsewhere and has wasted time and money.

Keep enjoying your Skodas people, I reckon you are Pioneers and others will eventually see the light!

[brad]

The last saturday boy told me they didnt stock the manual Skodas as they had never sold any!!

Well, that's not true. They sold me mine & it's been back to the workshop for 3 services & a breakdown (fuel pressure regulator).

I've been happy with the service but I might give you guys a crack for the 60,000km. I could do it myself but really can't be bothered anymore.

[Antiplastix]

Me too. They had my RS wagon manual in stock until I bought it.

[Manaz]

You know perfectly well that Skodas are new, hence why they're not selling as many as they should, and that it takes more than 5 years to fully establish a new brand into a market.

Not true - Skoda were here many years ago, and deservingly earned themselves a bad reputation, and they pulled out of the market.

Part of the struggle Skoda are having is overcoming the bad reputation they earned years ago - you only get one opportunity to create a first impression, and the first impression most people have of Skoda is bad.

I was fortunate enough to experience modern VW-owned Skoda when I was in Europe in 2006, with a family member owning an Octavia. When I first heard we were taking a 150km drive in a Skoda, I was *very* apprehensive - but at the end of the drive, was very impressed.

I think the real battle Skoda have is in getting people into their cars to start with - I suspect a great number of people write them off based on brand perception, and I think both sides of the market are poorer for that, but that's how things are, and I think Skoda are doing admirably to re-build the brand and reputation here.

Good luck to Skoda, and to those of you who have purchased modern Skoda vehicles and are happy with them, well done!

[Antiplastix]

The majority of people I know who aren t "car buffs", ie. don t post on forums, read motoring mags. etc. have no idea what a Skoda is, let alone any memory of their checkered past. Hey, if Alfa can still sell cars in Australia after their products rusted in front of your eyes in the 70s there is hope for Skoda yet, they ve just got to make it appeal more main stream rather than their targeted marketing. Out of all my neighbors only the keen cyclist knows what my car is.

[sh|tbmxrider]

The majority of people I know who aren t "car buffs", ie. don t post on forums, read motoring mags. etc. have no idea what a Skoda is, let alone any memory of their checkered past. Hey, if Alfa can still sell cars in Australia after their products rusted in front of your eyes in the 70s there is hope for Skoda yet, they ve just got to make it appeal more main stream rather than their targeted marketing. Out of all my neighbors only the keen cyclist knows what my car is.

I agree (and this is from a man with a Alfa Romeo tattoo on my back.... no I am not joking...)

Give Skoda time, they will never be beating VW/Audi/BMW, but they have the potential to be close

[brad]

I doubt Skoda will ever crack 500 units a month - so at the moment they only have to aim to step up 1 place & beat Mini.
BMW seem pretty happy with Mini volumes & Mini owners don't seem to be wringing their hands with the same amount of angst as Skoda owners. And Volvo have been plugging on in the Aussie market for 50(?) yrs with varying sales volumes. In fact, for a lot of the marques, they seem happy to forgo volume for profit margin. Skoda will never do that as they can't reposition themselves as a "prestige" brand (unlike so many brands on the Aussie market that are just shopping trollies in their home country).

Does anyone recall VWA making any volume predictions in their lead up to the launch of Skoda?

[thommo]

When i first started looking at Skodas The salesman I spoke with at Southern classic cars in Wollongong told me his monthly sales target for Skodas was 6 cars a month. If thats the case they are obviously not overly concerned with volume.

[Dutch]

I was in Paul Wakeling this morning for some warranty work which was approved before the 1st of July when the Franchises ceased. Not a Skoda sign or sticker in sight unfortunatley and i think the service staff are disappointed. My RS was delivered late April and luv the car. I initially contacted Private Fleet and they were useless, i rang around all the dealers and the 2 best ones my my experince was Wollongong and Paul Wakeling with the Wakeling group being the best in friendliness and the deal. I found them excellent to deal with from my initial call and i'm disappointed that they are no longer supporting the brand. The dealership showroom is pretty old and its shared with great Wall and i know great wall are selling very well their. With Blacktown Skoda Trivett opening maybe there was to much concentration in the area.

I negotiated 2 yrs free service so i'm sticking with Wakeling but any warranty work has to be with another dealer, its a shame because i was referred by a mate here and they have been excellent and not arrogant which bores me.

Luv the car and definitley no regrets, can i ask what the service department at Nth Shore Skoda is like?