Foster Motors in Sandyford.. good aftersales?

eko

Hi,

Anyone buy a new car from Foster Motors in Sandyford? Their sales peeps seem good enough, but I was wondering about their after sales service. Are they pretty accomodating on after sales issues?

They also seem to have their own servicing and repair shop. Anyone comment on what they are like too?

Thanks!

Anan1

I've used their parts department, and they're ok. Do bear in mind that you can bring any new car back to any authorised workshop for warranty work, so buy wherever you get the car cheapest.

MarkN

I wouldn't have too much time for them.

Some of their cars "have an embargo on them" so you can't do test drives on certain cars according to one of their female members on the sales team.

That's ok, I'll take my 60k elsewhere

They also have one rule for service/warranty work for people who bought cars off them and those that did not.

They replaced brake fluid in a colleagues Golf a few weeks back, forgot to put the cap back on the reservoir and his brakes failed at about 50 kms about 3 weeks ago.

Up to you really.........

Anan1

Pretty much the standard main dealer experience so?;)

eko

Good point, thanks. I've not been too happy with MSL Pottery Road in the recent past (there's a whole other thread on them!), but somehow still seemed to assume that all warranty work needed to go back to them. Good to know it can go to any authorised workshop, as you mention.

MarkN

Any VAG dealer in Europe

eko

MarkN wrote:

I wouldn't have too much time for them.

Some of their cars "have an embargo on them" so you can't do test drives on certain cars according to one of their female members on the sales team.

That's ok, I'll take my 60k elsewhere

They also have one rule for service/warranty work for people who bought cars off them and those that did not.

They replaced brake fluid in a colleagues Golf a few weeks back, forgot to put the cap back on the reservoir and his brakes failed at about 50 kms about 3 weeks ago.

Up to you really.........

Uck, sounds grim. Thanks for the info on this.

MarkN

Not sure if you are after service or sales but in Dublin I would suggest Grange for sales.

eko

MarkN wrote:

Not sure if you are after service or sales but in Dublin I would suggest Grange for sales.

A bit of both really. Last three cars were from Grange, thought I'd shop around a little this time. MSL Pottery Road was a nightmare, but sales guys in Grange are excellent, as you say.

As mentioned earlier in the thread, since I can chop and choose where I go for warranty work (stupidly, not known this until recently ), probably should stick with Grange.

Ta!

MarkN

I'm using Brady's for service for the first time tomorrow as I won't use anyone else in Dublin anymore, will let you know what they are like.

Every car I've bought I've shopped around and everytime I've gone back to Grange bar my current car and only cause another place had one in stock.

mikedragon32

I bought from Foster's. Great customer service, willing to do a deal and got a good trade in.

After sales is superb and they bent over backwards for us on a number of occasions. Really good services, and the required warranty work was done to perfection.

They don't have very nice coffee though

All in the past now, alas. We bought a Volvo from Spirit a couple of months back.

astrofool

Fosters are usually cheaper to buy in than Grange motors.

MarkN

They all work off the same price list?

crosstownk

Fosters, Annesley and Bradys are probably the best of the VW dealers in Dublin - that's not to say they are great. I know one guy who is fairly senior in the service dept in Fosters. I was planning on dealing with them until I heard he was there. I know him from his time at another VW dealership, so I steered well clear.

But look at it this way - ALL VW dealers in Dublin are useless from an after sales perspective, but Fosters would be the probably the best of the bad bunch. But I've been hearing more positive comments about Bradys of late. If you've previous experience with MSL then you have experienced the dregs of motor industry service departments so you can't get any worse than that shower of time wasters*.




*While Belgard are not part of the MSL set up, they can be included in the same league as they are equally as useless as MSL.

eko

crosstownk wrote:

If you've previous experience with MSL then you have experienced the dregs of motor industry service departments so you can't get any worse than that shower of time wasters*.

Agreed, they were pretty poor IMHO. Brought my car in for it's first service there, the guy was actually rude. Even though the car's service indicator said sevicing was required, he just told me to read the manual and said servicing was not required. Still charged me for an oil top up, which I guess was fair. Guess I should have read the manual indeed.

Anyways, this has all been dealt with in that MSL thread around here. That experience, plus others with MSL, have actually compelled me to try another dealer other than Grange, which is sad as the sales guys are good in there. I could always buy the car there, and get stuff done on it someplace else, of course..

Theboinkmaster

I bought a golf from grange in Jan and found them to be excellent (rep called Karl) - couldn't recommend them enough for sales

As for their service dept - forget about it!

I wouldn't recommend fosters for sales as when I was deciding between a golf and a3 and was visiting the various garages I found them terrible - abnoxious and very rude. When asking about a cash discount on an a3 the sales guy said *maybe* he could get me an audi umbrella, but def no discount - said it like he was doing me a favour!

In 4 years time i plan to get the next model a3 new and I plan to buy from grange but as Mark said, for any warranty or service work think id take it to bradys as ive heard lots of good things - will be heading there in jan or 1st service if Mark has good things to say

MarkN

Well I got the car back from Brady's earlier than expected.

I asked for the car not to be washed, it wasn't, there was less than a kilometer on it (I thought the temptation might be there for a mechanic to take it up and down the Navan Rd), there were no grease marks anywhere and no kick marks on the kick panel (I really am a moany git ).

The two recall jobs on my car were done and for the problem with my xenon, a part was ordered from Germany.

After one member of staff explained the work done to me and what it said on the job card, a guy called Alan who I think might be running the show asked did someone explain the work to me and how a part had to be ordered. I couldn't believe it!!!

So yes, it would appear all is not lost for VW/Audi service in Dublin.

eko

Thanks lads! Looks like the choice is clear.. buy from Grange, service / maintain in Brady's.

Cheers!

Dwilly

I had some warranty work done on the A3 at Fosters. Took about 5 trips before they actually figured out what the problem was - driveshaft.
Only went to them as they're the closest to me, but Brady's sounds like a better option.

Sonnenblumen

MarkN wrote:

Well I got the car back from Brady's earlier than expected.

I asked for the car not to be washed, it wasn't, there was less than a kilometer on it (I thought the temptation might be there for a mechanic to take it up and down the Navan Rd), there were no grease marks anywhere and no kick marks on the kick panel (I really am a moany git ).

The two recall jobs on my car were done and for the problem with my xenon, a part was ordered from Germany.

After one member of staff explained the work done to me and what it said on the job card, a guy called Alan who I think might be running the show asked did someone explain the work to me and how a part had to be ordered. I couldn't believe it!!!

So yes, it would appear all is not lost for VW/Audi service in Dublin.

I once saw a Brady's mechanic (rear window sticker!) wrecklessly driving a brand new merc on the Navan rd and cut across two lanes to make a quick exit. I was so annoyed I almost went after him. On another ocassion I saw a 'Tow truck' with one car on-board and the second on front wheels drive rough shod over the roundabouts near Bradys again delivering 'new cars'.

Was enough to put me off Bradys for life. Also vaguely recall a serious courtcase in which a customer won against Brady's a few years back.

MarkN

I think we've long since established that the dealers service dept. are not great but they do seem to be the best of a bad bunch.

Tea drinker

I wasn't gone on foster for aftersales.
Parts dept get full marks, have been going there for many years.
Service dept. brought car in with problem, and they gave it back to me with the turbo inlet pipe disconnected.

Flackfog

Fosters used sales and aftersales was terrible for me.
Maybe if you have 60K to spend they would be a little better.
I bought a used golf which I did get a good deal on and the car turned out to be a great motor but once I had bought the car they didnt want to know me warrenty or not.
The sales guy swore blind the timing belt had been done as I had bought it with just over 60K miles done. (Note to self: never thrust a salesman)
The service book wasnt with the car but I was promised that it was in the service department and would be posted out to me.
By the time I was selling the car I had found out the belt was never done (I got it checked just in case and was told I had caught it just in time) the service book was never found despite around 15 phone calls and I was put off Fosters for life.
Also just to put my spoke in MSL are crap.:D

PaulieC

They were so bad, they have put me off VW for life I think. My car (06 Passat, not bought in Fosters) went in for a couple of electrical glitches. I was told it would take 3 days (ended up being 3 weeks). I got a Polo as a replacement car, despite booking a passat when the work was booked (two months previously). It too some contacts in the trade to eventually get a passat as a replacement as the Polo wasn't big enough (three car seats don't fit in the back). They never returned phone calls, which meant I didn't know what was happening with the car and when I finally got it back, they told me the alarm was broken (it was fine before I brought it in) and that they wouldn't fix it as they didn't have the training. I had to bring it to the alarm installation company and pay to have it fixed.

All in all, a pile of w*nkers

voxpop

Only ever dealt with the parts dept, who seem like a decent bunch if you can ever get through to them. Prices are fairly close to indy motor factors on most things

Gegerty

I had a very bad experience with them. Car was making a horrible noise so I left it in to be looked at. They did a number of "repairs" to it (Audi A3) costing €360 (this was a good few years back). Went to collect the car and the problem was still there :mad: Went back in and after a long argument (which resulted in me demanding my money back) they eventually agreed to come with me in the car so I could show them what the problem was. Sure enough after 10 secs the mechanic told me to pull over and stop the car because my gear box was buggered. Now they had already claimed to have test driven the car before and after the repairs which is complete rubbish, this was a very loud and obvious noise. They took it back and quoted me for a new gear box and refused to refund the original €360 (claiming the repairs were actual done, even though they were not needed). Sure enough I got my car towed to a different garage and will never use them or any other official VAG garages again.

MarkN

Flackfog wrote: »

Maybe if you have 60K to spend they would be a little better.

Nope.

Terrontress

I cross the border and go to Isaac Agnew in Belfast to service my Audi. If you are dropping your car in they'll pay for a taxi to take you to the city centre or anywhere you want, then they will pick you up later. When I had a problem that made them hang on to the car for a few days, they lent me a brand new A4 2.0 TDi S-line and then sent down a driver in my car, met me in Donnybrook and took theirs away. It is a real experience in their showroom. Dolly birds to serve you tea, coffee etc. Very swish.

I've got a friend who works in Foster's new car sales and I had left the car in with them for service and they were expensive and did a fixed service, even though I had asked for variable. The guy in Foster's I know is as honest as the day is long and I would trust him 100% but the service is better in Agnew's and the price is better.