Another Skoda Dealership closed down in VIC

[vEnOm_oz]

I have just been told that Brighton Skoda has closed down. They have closed the franchise and customers are to service their vehicles with other dealerships.

Any form of communication from either the dealership or Skoda Australia letting customers know about this would have been nice - who am I kidding right!

Anyone had experience servicing at Richmond Skoda or the newly opened Eastside Skoda in Nunawading?

[juniorgold]

I have not had any servicing done there but I did go in twice as they had to sort out why my car wasn't doing the needle sweep. Went in the first time without a fix, told me to come back when they've clarified this with their Sydney and Germany counterparts. Went back in the second time and it was fixed. On both occasions, I came back to a very clean car when I clearly remembered leaving it with lots of sand and leaves. They even washed it. While I was there the second time, bumped into another RS owner who went in for an alignment, he told me he got alignment done for free. They provide free loan cars too, they gave me the Superb wagon on both occasions but might be different if you didn't purchase the car from them.

It's a shame the one at Brighton closed down!

[woofy]

Richmond owned them and then sold them. I was all prepared to order from Eastside, but Richmond did the deal. Been getting services at Richmond since they opened in 2008, no real problems there. Prices went up years back, but with fixed pricing, its all pretty much equal now. Eastside is very close to me, but the servicing is done in the Mitubishi workshop which is a bit of a turnoff to me.

[vEnOm_oz]

Thanks for the info mate. Can I presume you are referring to Eastside Skoda?

Also, just curious about your signature - that was a quick move from the RS hatch to the R wagon. Care to share the story? Cheers.

I have not had any servicing done there

[juniorgold]

Thanks for the info mate. Can I presume you are referring to Eastside Skoda?

Sorry about that Venom, I didn't read the second half of your question I was referring to Richmond.

Also, just curious about your signature - that was a quick move from the RS hatch to the R wagon. Care to share the story? Cheers.

Don't mean to go off tangent with your OP or steal your thread but since you asked, it was letting me down all the time especially when trying to execute a quick getaway turning out of an intersection - wheel hop and wheel spin followed by the ESP kicking in if the roads are wet which bogs down the acceleration. Even in straight line with 3/4 throttle input from standstill produces ridiculous amount of wheel hop. I'm really heavy footed if you couldn't tell. Just came back from a quick spin to Healesville via Gembrook in the R and it just blasts out of intersections without any fuss.

[vEnOm_oz]

Thanks for sharing, good to know .

[Bamish1000]

I can confirm that the servicing is indeed done by the Mitsubishi workshop and terribly at that.

Took my Octavia 118TSI in for its 105 000 service. A fairly major service where a majority of the car is checked over. Not a single thing was printed out on the Invoice/Report. I had to ask how the brakes were and write it on the report myself.

The most worrying thing is that the Timing Chain and Guides are supposed to be checked for wear and renewed if required. I questioned the service guy and he said all was fine and that was all he could offer. I can 100% confirm that they did not remove the Timing Cover thus could not have been checked.

When I picked the car up the service guy repeatedly mentioned that he had changed over the brake light bulb free of charge. When I got home I checked the boot, he had warped the cover panel and was unable to shut it again.

I can not recommend Eastside Skoda.

[Snail Style]

Not trying to defend those guys, but a 105k is just an oil change. Although they should have given you some kind of report, the timing chain and guides are never inspected for wear as part of servicing.

[woofy]

105 for a pre FL is a timing belt change, depends on what car they have.

[chriskan]

My RS is due for its first service in a couple of weeks and was thinking of going to Eastside as Richmond is a bit of hike after work moved to Dandy South. Has anyone had any experience with servicing @ Peninsula Skoda?

[Smart1]

I've had all of mine serviced at Peninsula, never has a problem. Just had my sunroof replaced there after it got smashed and they did a good job of it. I heard as well that they have picked up a couple of techs from Brighton. Peninsula use the VW dealership Service department so at least its in the family.

[vEnOm_oz]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Bamish. Richmond Skoda it is for me then.

I can not recommend Eastside Skoda.

[RS MAN]

hi mate, I have been to Eastside Skoda and can confirm they have designated senior techs for Skoda and NOT just apprentices, they were fantastic when I brought my RS in for a service, I thought for a new dealership they really knew a lot about the product and were very helpful and professional. I would definitely recommend them.

just remember as well that 99% of dealerships these days are multi franchise and even if they don't say it on the sign out the front doesn't mean that there not.

[GeeMatt]

Just catching up on the news. Not surprised re Brighton, and I've had the same communication as VenoM (i.e nada)

[GeeMatt]

Looks like I'll need to find a another place for service and who can deny there is a warrantee issue !