Servicing & Warranty (life after Bayford Skoda)

[K1W1]

It's a totally free market. There is no law or requirement that says a dealer has to wash a vehicle when it's in for service if they want to they can and if they don't want to they don't have to.
You are the consumer you decide whether that is really a major consideration for you and then go to a dealer that ticks the most boxes. Personally I don't give a stuff whether my car is washed. The whole point of washing cars is to trick you the owner into believing that a good job has been done during the service when you see it after you have paid the money and it's all nice an shiny.

[Graybags]

Also rang Lance Dixon and was told they hadn't done a 30k service before and would need the vin number as above. Doesn't give me alot of confidence going there to be the first.
When I rang Essendon I asked for a quote for a Octavia Vrs and the guy didn't know what I was talking about, oops my bad, meant to say rs. Surely he could use his brain and know what I was talking about. Surely He should know its Vrs in other countrys?
Anyway Quote was $515 inc gst + $130 for brake fluid. and $25 for loan car
Epping didn't have the paperwork in front of him and would get back within 1/2 hour, been over 2 now and no call.
Richmond was professional $560 +150 for brake fluid and free loan car (well was last service)
Still want to try VolksTech - Home but they are closed until Monday

[hmoon101]

Also rang Lance Dixon and was told they hadn't done a 30k service before and would need the vin number as above. Doesn't give me alot of confidence going there to be the first.
When I rang Essendon I asked for a quote for a Octavia Vrs and the guy didn't know what I was talking about, oops my bad, meant to say rs. Surely he could use his brain and know what I was talking about. Surely He should know its Vrs in other countrys?
Anyway Quote was $515 inc gst + $130 for brake fluid. and $25 for loan car
Epping didn't have the paperwork in front of him and would get back within 1/2 hour, been over 2 now and no call.
Richmond was professional $560 +150 for brake fluid and free loan car (well was last service)
Still want to try VolksTech - Home but they are closed until Monday

I went to Volkstech for a quick check up on my suspension last month and their service was quite good. They didn't charge me anythings as there was nothing wrong with the suspension which other dealers tried to charge $200+ up front just to have a look.

The workshop looked very clean and neat with all genuine parts and tools and the owner/mechanic even had a certification issued as a Skoda specialist as well as VW.

I still have 10K+ more to go until next 30K service, but I am seriously thinking about giving them a try.

[Graybags]

Sounds promising, will call on Monday.

[brad]

Also rang Lance Dixon and was told they hadn't done a 30k service before and would need the vin number as above. Doesn't give me alot of confidence going there to be the first.

Not so confident on Lance Dixon. I called them today to get a price on a 60k service and the guy told me he doesn't know, and that I'd have to give him my vin number and he'd have to make some calls and would get back to me.

This is more an indication of the level of support that Skoda give their dealers. As I was usually the first at my dealership to get each service done, they didn't have a clue what to charge. Skoda wouldn't give them any guidance despite repeated requests.

[Graybags]

Shouldn't they anticipate what the customer will be want serviced at a škoda dealership? I didn't ring to find out about a Honda. I mean you don't walk into an ice cream shop, ask for a double choc chip and be told they don't know how much to charge. Not good and they won't get my business because they are too lazy to do the research before a customer asks.
I am missing something about good business management?

[brad]

Shouldn't they anticipate what the customer will be want serviced at a škoda dealership? I didn't ring to find out about a Honda. I mean you don't walk into an ice cream shop, ask for a double choc chip and be told they don't know how much to charge. Not good and they won't get my business because they are too lazy to do the research before a customer asks.
I am missing something about good business management?

No, you aren't missing a thing but from my experience (several times over), it wasn't the dealer at fault but lack of support from Skoda HQ. My dealer tried other avenues to get info but Skoda specific information wasn't available - they tried an independent website with VW info but as there was no equivalent VW model to my car the info was inaccurate.

I used to be a Service Advisor for Ford & Toyota & all the standard times & charges were supplied by the factory as each new model came out - that was 25yrs ago so maybe it's now illegal to mandate what times the dealerships charge.

[woofy]

When we got ours in late 2008 Brad, the HQ told them that its up the dealers to charge. Some matched just the GTi price for the RS, others went cheaper. The dealers just make it up as they go. Richmond used to be less, but have increased theirs...AFAIK in the UK SKoda services are dirt cheap. Seems to not really have been the case here. I wish they offered the package servicing though like the NZ guys get. The local Hyundai Dealer who I just bought from are trialling it now, about $1k off servicing over 4 yrs and some free bits to boot, let alone no price increases. Works well if the dealer is a good one and you have the money up front.

---------- Post added at 12:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 AM ----------

Dealerships stopped washing cars during the drought but now the water restrictions are largely over they have started again. I got a full wash and vacuum with my service in early December.

Richmond always do it, I once asked them not to as I had just had it detailed...so they rinsed it with water...I told them I was serious when I said no...I don't mind them doing it, just in that case I really didn't want it done. RIngwood Mazda had a sign saying they weren't doing it in the drought and my workmate with the same car bought a week apart never had hers done, but ours always was. Sometimes they do it for certain people (I wouldn't do hers either!).

[zach]

Also rang Lance Dixon and was told they hadn't done a 30k service before and would need the vin number as above. Doesn't give me alot of confidence going there to be the first.
When I rang Essendon I asked for a quote for a Octavia Vrs and the guy didn't know what I was talking about, oops my bad, meant to say rs. Surely he could use his brain and know what I was talking about. Surely He should know its Vrs in other countrys?
Anyway Quote was $515 inc gst + $130 for brake fluid. and $25 for loan car
Epping didn't have the paperwork in front of him and would get back within 1/2 hour, been over 2 now and no call.
Richmond was professional $560 +150 for brake fluid and free loan car (well was last service)
Still want to try VolksTech - Home but they are closed until Monday

Ditto with Essendon he said there as no such engine (1.8TSI) and that I had a 1.4 twin charge!!! He didnt' check on system or back down either.

[Graybags]

Haha yeah he mentioned something like that to me as well!

[dArK5HaD0w]

Ditto with Essendon he said there as no such engine (1.8TSI) and that I had a 1.4 twin charge!!! He didnt' check on system or back down either.

bhahaha, that's funny......and not funny at the same time


i'm still trying to convince my vw service centre that the FL RS has the same engine as the MK6 GTi!!!! who knows wat they serviced it "according to" at the last 15k service!?!?

[Graybags]

Geez no bloody wonder we are fighting hard to give škoda a good reputation. škoda dealers you are embarrassing!

[VW Convert]

This is more an indication of the level of support that Skoda give their dealers. As I was usually the first at my dealership to get each service done, they didn't have a clue what to charge. Skoda wouldn't give them any guidance despite repeated requests.

Hey Brad,

If I were a Service Manager of a new Skoda dealership, I would think to myself "what are our customers likely to want?" answer "they will want to bring their cars in for sevicing" I would then ask myself "what is the first thing we need to do?" answer "review what each service comprises, calculate cost and generate a price list for service advisors to refer to"

Pretty simple really or is my logic flawed?

Cheers

George

[brad]

perfectly logical. It's a shame we don't live in a logical world where providing what the customer wants is a priority.

[VW Convert]

perfectly logical. It's a shame we don't live in a logical world where providing what the customer wants is a priority.

Sounds like the place I work at! LOL

I'm constantly at war with production because they don't have a customer service mindset.

Cheers

George