Autoexpress satisfaction survey

Ol' Timer

Full Member
Jun 20, 2004
873
2
Norfolk
A guy on Briskoda has got an invitation to take his Fabia vRS to an Autoexpress photoshoot, as the Fabia is in the top five of their owners' satisfaction survey this year. How many Ibiza, or indeed, SEAT owners have received their invitations? :whistle:
 

maxcars1

Full Member
Nov 9, 2004
735
0
I wonder why - has anybody noticed the difference when you walk into a Skoda dealer - its like walking into VW or Audi around here.
 

JBS Sales

Guest
maxcars1 said:
I wonder why - has anybody noticed the difference when you walk into a Skoda dealer - its like walking into VW or Audi around here.

I get to speak to all the lovely VAG Customer Care reps.
I have never spooke to anyone who are so up themselfs than VW and Audi Customer Care staff!!!
They do NOT apologise for being the higher rated marque in the VAG group.
So both cannot be right!!!
But I am happy with contacting Skoda.
seat have learned that I dont mess about and are ok with me now.
So I do not think that you could put Skoda anywhere up the VW and Audi range.
They are trying , but not fully there yet.
Sarah
 

maxcars1

Full Member
Nov 9, 2004
735
0
My god Sarah are they that bad? So first impressions don't count for everything when you deal with the higher marque.
 

JBS Sales

Guest
maxcars1 said:
My god Sarah are they that bad? So first impressions don't count for everything when you deal with the higher marque.

All I cvan say its a good job I am a lady and dont mention things as I could tell you where they have their heads.
Yes they are THAT bad!!!
Sarah
 

Ol' Timer

Full Member
Jun 20, 2004
873
2
Norfolk
Speaking from my personal experience.

Both my local SEAT dealers, Robinsons Lowestoft and Castlegate Norwich, have been good to me and both have smart showrooms and friendly staff.

Robinsons VW Lowestoft have a nice showroom and have been friendly but not pushy when I have been browsing while waiting for my Ibiza to be serviced.

Robinsons Audi Lowestoft have now lost their new car franchise but have been fine, like the VW section.

Both the local Skoda dealers were hopelessly disinterested at the time when I changed to my Ibiza and are now Daihatsu dealers. Simpsons Skoda in Yarmouth used to be VW dealers and supplied and serviced my last three Golfs but have completely ignored me on the couple of occasions I have been in to look at the Fabia and Octavia VRS and seem to radiate an air of smugness.

So in my experience of the VW group marques Skoda have been the worst, but I guess it just depends on the particular dealers in your area.
 

JBS Sales

Guest
Yes
I deal with all the VAG cars as you know.
I do not deal with any of them in Chesterfield.
I have found good dealers with talking to them.
I know I can depend on the dealers I deal with now.
The parts are mojority shared parts but some are for the set manufacturers.
I like the idea that you can call on 1 dealer to get all parts but I also know that it would be frowned on for all the marques to be under 1 roof.
It is a shame but that is how VAG work it.

Shop around for a freiendly dealer that would be my advise.
Sarah
 

muddyboots

Still hanging around
Oct 16, 2002
5,739
1
JBS Auto Designs said:
Shop around for a freiendly dealer that would be my advise.
Trouble is, there aren't that many round to choose from - some of us get stuck with Autoworld Chesterfield :(
 

JBS Sales

Guest
muddyboots said:
Trouble is, there aren't that many round to choose from - some of us get stuck with Autoworld Chesterfield :(

Ooops!
Nah come round the corner and see me.
Even on a bad day we can beat them.

I ordered a pollon filter from them.
I even gave them the chassis number and they got it wrong.
That was down to the parts manager :shrug:
Sarah
 

JBS Sales

Guest
Yes we are just past them.
Across the road from National Tyres.
Do you know where we are?
Its been THAT long since you have been down to see us?
Well I think you should be down to see us!!
Sarah
 

muddyboots

Still hanging around
Oct 16, 2002
5,739
1
I know where National Tyres is, have used them before.
LOL I'm trying to save money, I don 't think a visit would be a good idea :(
So...how much for Custom Code on a Passat TDI 130 :)
 

Diaman

Full Member
Sep 28, 2005
131
0
Ol timer, how have you found the people from castlegate?? Servicing wise i.e the price and the general service that they give you??
 

m0rk

sarcasm comes free
Staff member
May 19, 2001
27,787
33
Clanfield, UK
Ant FR said:
Still has a lot to do with Skoda owners being a different breed.

yup - it used to be:

expect little from your car, be over the moon when it's not a shitter.

and get high up in the rankings because 'people realised the car isn't totally **** like they expected'

begs the question what kind of person buys one of the 1st VW based cars from a really bad brand.....
 

Ol' Timer

Full Member
Jun 20, 2004
873
2
Norfolk
Diaman said:
Ol timer, how have you found the people from castlegate?? Servicing wise i.e the price and the general service that they give you??

I haven't used them in the 18 months that I have owned my Ibiza, as I bought that from Robinsons and have let them look after it until, or if, they upset me.

I used to get my Leon serviced by Castlegate and was pleased with the service they gave and the prices they charged. They managed to solve a persistent brake light switch problem under warranty and sorted out the various leaks which Leons get.

I think the service manager was called Brian and he actually listened to what I was telling him. On one occasion he wasn't there and they forgot to stamp the service book. When I took it back they entered the mileage and year incorrectly. If he no longer works there or has moved to a different department I don't know what the service would be like.

Unfortunately with them being the only dealer in Norfolk, we're rather at their mercy.
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
local survey rated Ford as best in our area and the answer is simple

they have the best staff in the dealer and a franchise thats run by a director that knows that after sales care is just as important as sales care and is just as profitable

if a lot more dealers dropped the usual route of putting their best salesman in the directors/principals chair they might find a few actually would make money and retain customers ;)
 

BeezerDiesel

Minus a Diesel Beezer
Aug 3, 2002
1,852
0
Exeter
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Ant FR said:
Still has a lot to do with Skoda owners being a different breed.

Ouch! :blink:


I would agree with peoples comments on many VAG dealers, I have had god knows how many VAG cars over the last 20 years and I don't like Volkswagen Dealers full stop. I don't even walk into Audi dealers any more, just get the wrong vibes full stop. Don't particularly like Audis though and never really have done for some odd reason (noteable exclusions being the urQuattro and the early Audi 80 Sports). SEAT dealers I've found to be okay but sometimes a bit sloppy, and I've yet to deal with my local Skoda dealer - touch wood nowt's gone wrong with my car so far and the only time I went into the dealership to look at a Fabia vRS they couldn't really be bothered with me, took my details and didn't phone me back either. Parts dept. seemed helpful over the phone though after I bought my car from a non Skoda stealer.
 

Diablo559

Diablo
Mar 1, 2005
218
0
N.Ireland
i know what you mean was in the audi dealers last year in belfast they are so up their own :moon: was up with someone else they took a test drive we got talking to the :w4nk: sales person told him what i drived he didnt really say anything good about it said that 160 bhp from a diesel was to much.he was trying to sell an a3 nice car but way to dear for all your gettin in the end up my mate got an ibiza:funk:
 
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