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Advice re Garage Service Issue

  • 28-10-2023 09:17AM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2


    I am just wondering what the best course of action is when a car under warranty is sent in for service and a major fault is discovered which means the car repair is delayed and I am left without the use of my own car or a courtesy car?

    Briefly, I left my 211 Skoda in for service with the garage in Drogheda on October 19th. They discovered an issue with the turbo and are still having difficulty sourcing the necessary parts, even though I was promised the car back yesterday (Oct27). The garage also promised me a car when one became available and yesterday I was again informed that no car is available, ruining particular plans I had for this bank holiday weekend. The car 'might' be ready next week I am told, but I am left in a rural setting with no transport. Thankfully, I am retired and don't need the car for work, but it looks to me that no matter what one needed the car for, this dealer is not willing to support their customers.

    Any advice appreciated!

    Post edited by L1011 on


«1

Comments

  • Site Banned Posts: 1,258 ✭✭✭Whocare


    My local Skoda dealer in Banteer in cork would take one of there sales car and give it to customer if needed. Sounds like you’re dealer are pretty poor went it come to customer service



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,305 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    A poor dealer. I've never had an issue with a courtesy car. Tell them it reflects badly on them and not the service you'd expect. Something to keep in mind when next changing the car.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,035 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    I'm not trying to defend the garage here, just trying to give some perspective from their side so that you can plan accordingly.

    The key word is courtesy, it is a courtesy to provide a replacement car and not a legal requirement.

    It falls into the question of what a manufacturer is liable for when a failure occurs. Are they liable to fix the defect? Of course. Are they liable for any costs incurred? Perhaps, but how far does that go? What if the car was transporting goods and the breakdown caused you to lose out on a multi-million euro business deal, is the manufacturer liable for millions?

    That might sound facetious but it is the same principle as for a replacement car, is the manufacturer liable for incurred costs or not? If they are liable for a car then they are liable for all the other possibilities as well. So the terms and conditions are wise to be clear that they are not liable for any of it.

    You could test that in court and it would come down to a reasonableness test from the judge, but in my decades in the industry I have very rarely seen it get that far.

    As for why they don't just give you a car, the simplest answer is that they don't have one to give you. That comment about just giving you a sales car is over simplistic, every single customer thinks they deserve a courtesy car so how many cars are they going to keep spare just for that purpose? 10? 20? Pay road tax on 20 cars just in case they are needed? You can't give out new cars because they are not registered, and if you register some to use as courtesy vehicles then they are not new cars any more and just lost half their value. If you give all the used cars out then you can't sell them, and again they are losing value all the time while driving around country.

    As for the parts issue and the promise that the car was going to be ready, unfortunately it is an industry where promises cannot always be met no matter how hard they try. Parts supply is no small matter, they can have the best of intentions and still end up caught out. For example, they may have ordered all their parts immediately in order to speed things up, but when stripping the turbo they found a tiny bolt sheared and now that one bolt is on back order from the supplier and the promise can't be met through absolutely no fault of their own. Maybe the boat didn't sail from Holyhead last night so the parts order didn't come and now they are days behind, again through no fault of their own. Its crap and its frustrating but its always the way it is, and its why garages give estimates, not promises.


    One again, I am not trying to defend the garage, so don't come back at me complaining that things should be different. Frankly this scenario happens every single day in every single garage so I'm not too invested in one more example. I only post so that you can understand where they are likely coming from and so can choose an approach that might work. Because I'll say one thing, it is probably not true that they don't want to support their customers, but going in all guns blazing might just change that.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 Tfeck


    I was told yesterday that I should have booked a courtesy car when getting the initial service, then I would have the use of that car now! Given the circumstances around the extended repair period I would have expected some priority around a car at this stage, but at no time in my conversation with the service manager was I given to understand that any form of priority or support is on the table for me. In my previous dealings with a Peugeot garage getting a replacement car was never an issue, including outside the warranty period. With this garage I am getting no sense that they care about this particular customer! For me some empathy would go a long way, but there is none!! Yes I will not be dealing there again!!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 365 ✭✭carfinder


    Twice you claim that you're not trying to defend the garage while proceeding to, at length, defend the garage



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,035 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    Explaining a thing is not the same as defending a thing. If you can't understand that then so be it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 365 ✭✭carfinder


    Wow. You should probably consider some self awareness training if you think your contribution was anything other than defending the garage. But carry on 'explaining' how things are from your perspective of decades in the industry...



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,035 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    Your contribution to the OP has certainly been top notch, thats for sure.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 365 ✭✭carfinder


    The best advice to the OP is to ignore your defense of the garage, but let's dismantle your unhelpful contribution as follows:

    1. It is not a courtesy to stand over a vehicle, still under warranty, which has been unavailable to the customer since 19th October - it's simply compliance with what would be reasonably expected as a consumer right

    2. Supply chain issues don't cut it for a Skoda main dealer - totally unacceptable to have a Skoda name over the door and not have parts within 24 to 48 hours

    3. There is only one Skoda dealer in Drogheda so its fairly obvious who the unnamed garage is. I looked up their website to find they have 40 2nd hand cars available for sale at the garage - so your argument around availability of a courtesy car is not valid. There is no excuse for leaving the OP without a replacement car

    4. You advise against going in "all guns blazing". The OP has gotten 2 weeks of no car by being nice about it - ALL GUNS BLAZING is the best approach when nothing else is working

    Perspective is important, but bias is not helpful and I regard your advice as biased by your 'decades in the industry'



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,035 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    Thats nice, in terms of useless pub talk all thats left is for you to quote the old "consumer protection act" that lads think is the answer to every problem. When you ask for details on how these things work they tend to go quiet unfortunately.

    Honestly, you seem to be the type that thinks saying something aggressively makes it true, like just saying loudly that main dealers should never have supply issues will magically make that be the case, in all defiance of the issues that industry faces. Just like saying that because a garage has cars on their books they should all be given out to workshop customers, in defiance of all the reasons that that isn't always possible, some of which I already listed above.

    Just like standing firm that a courtesy car isn't a courtesy, despite the fact that its literally called a courtesy car.

    Oh well, so be it. I have met many like you over the years, one thing common to you all is that you are always right, the garage is always wrong, and thats its a damn disgrace Joe.

    I hope the OP gets the fault fixed and their car back as soon as possible. Maybe you could actually give them some practical advice on that matter, though I suspect not, after all, its easier to whinge about what others said.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,730 ✭✭✭con747


    You wouldn't happen to work in a Skoda garage in Drogheda would you....

    Don't expect anything from life, just be grateful to be alive.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,035 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,730 ✭✭✭con747


    Don't expect anything from life, just be grateful to be alive.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,035 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    So just like the other lad you have absolutely nothing to offer except snark at those who did try to offer information.

    Go on, you're here now, give the OP some constructive advice...

    Something that will actually help them, and not just rubbish like "Its isn't good enough, somebody should do something".

    Lets hear it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,730 ✭✭✭con747


    The advice I would give the OP is not to listen to a poster who has already stated they are in the industry who will not be unbiased. Over and out.

    Don't expect anything from life, just be grateful to be alive.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,035 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    You already said that.

    Now tell them who they should be listening to. Although that would involve one of you lads actually offering something to listen to.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 365 ✭✭carfinder


    Wow, you are really invested in your pro garage viewpoint - the bias is strong in you!.

    You quoting me on the "consumer protection act" is a classic strawman - I never mentioned the term so your response, as well as being biased, is dishonest.

    I say a Skoda main dealer should have access to the Skoda parts supply chain a lot sooner than the approx 2 weeks and counting that the OP has endured, you counter with some insider knowledge drivel that defends the industry and advises the OP to effectively suck it up - totally unhelpful and blatantly biased.

    Courtesy car is an industry term, you know that industry that you have spent decades in - Let's use the term "replacement car" so that your decades of bias can get over itself. A replacement car is a consumer right on a car under warranty which has been unavailable to the OP since 19 October.

    You apparently have met "many like" me over the years .... seems you're on a mission to put consumers in their place and just accept whatever a garage tell them because, you know...decades of experience lad, decades of experience - unfortunately for you, consumers are a little.more savvy than when you started out.

    My advice to the OP is to ignore your unhelpful, biased advices and go in to that Skoda garage on Tuesday morning threatening to get a solicitor involved if a replacement car is not provided immediately.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 365 ✭✭carfinder


    OP, probably time to get Skoda Ireland involved

    Skoda Ireland helpline is 1800 813 764

    And email is skodacustomerservice@skoda.ie



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,731 ✭✭✭whippet


    I had a couple of Skodas between myself and my wife over the years and we live up in the north east .. not far from Drogheda. My experience with a particular Skoda dealer wasn't the best with regards to servicing.

    there were always delays .. when her Kodiaq was 6 weeks old the dash lit up like a Christmas tree and left her stranded on the M1. Skoda roadside assist got the car back to the dealer who took 2 weeks to investigate the problem (not fix - but two weeks to actually look at the car) Skoda assist only allowed for a weeks rental at the time so we had to cause a huge fuss in the showroom at the time to get a courtesy car.

    When our superb needed urgent work done ... was told minimum 3 weeks before a workshop slot would be free. I called Pilsen in Dublin and they had it back on the road in 48 hours.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,305 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    You're not half biased.

    They need to contact Skoda. A dealer unable to supply any car to a customer in those circumstances is taking the p!ss. You offered neither help nor advice yourself.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 365 ✭✭carfinder


    Jeez don't tell @bucketybuck that... he has decades of experience in the industry and advises against asserting your consumer rights to get a result (something about pubtalk... blah, blah)

    Well done to you to get a result in the "courtesy car" by causing a huge fuss at the dealers - seems some of these charlatans take advantage of the better nature of people and only look after those who assertively demand their rights. OP, please take note of @whippet experience



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,035 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    I always find it strange when lads like you use "decades of experience" as an insult. As if it is such a terrible thing to have experienced this scenario a few thousand times.

    Regardless, please do let us know the statute that states a courtesy car is a consumer right, as you claimed above. The actual law please, you called it a consumer right, I would like to read the specifics of that right?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 365 ✭✭carfinder


    Your attitude on this issue just confirms you're a dinosaur of the motor industry and your decades of experience is really laughable given your outdated attitude to customer service.

    Though I seriously question the authenticity of your claim of decades of experience when you don't appear to understand the requirement of the garage as agent for the manufacturer/distributor to provide a replacement car to the OP for prolonged delay in dealing with a warranty matter - its a combination of contract law on the one hand and statutory rights under Sale of Goods and supply of services Axt 1980 and augmented by the Consumer Rights Act 2022.

    Glad I could help educate you



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,035 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    Dear god, you actually did trot out the sales of goods act despite you even trying to say you weren't one of those types earlier. Oh well.

    This forum has seen that act quoted thousands of times, what we never see is the actual statute that backs up your claim. Perhaps you will be different. Here is the act, can you please show us where a replacement vehicle is a statutory right for the consumer?

    Can you show me the "requirement of the garage to provide a replacement car under warranty"?

    Just saying that it is in the sales of goods act is utterly meaningless without citation.

    Believe it or not, I would genuinely like to see any such consumer right, there is so little information out there about what actually should happen in these different scenarios, I would very much welcome the education. Perhaps I might even get it today.

    By the way, just remember that my original point was that warranty does not cover all consequential costs and that when it goes to court the judge acts on a test of reasonableness. Which is strange if the topic is directly addressed in law?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 365 ✭✭carfinder


    SOGASOSA is the grounding legislation to a consumer taking an action against the offending garage and is now augmented by the CRA as well as the contractual obligations of the warranty provided.

    Simpletons think that the law can be applied by simply quoting a specific passage of legislation that neatly deals with the complexities of any given consumer issue - you appear to be one of those simpletons.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,035 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    So in other words the judge will apply a reasonableness test based on the facts and the legislation. Literally the very thing I said in my first post.

    For all your definitive talk about rights you have nothing to add, and eventually just repeated what I had already said back at the start.

    What a waste of time. You lads never have **** all to offer.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 365 ✭✭carfinder


    No, what you advised the OP was to suck it up. The garage is obligated to provide a replacement car. I provided the grounding legislation and contractual basis if he needs to enforce his rights. You provided diddly squat except some arrogant assertion that you know better than everyone else because of your "decades of experience".

    You got your a$$ handed to you on this thread but are either too arrogant or ignorant to accept it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 136 ✭✭Savetheplanet


    I hope to god you are no longer in the industry ffs.



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,093 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    Theres no obligation on any manufacturer to cover a replacement car while a warranty repair is carried out.

    Its a "courtesy" usually covered by the dealer themselves at a cost to themselves. And is and was the bane of my life when dealing with warranty issues. I had one lad took a car for a day and ended up keeping it for a month and put a couple of thousands Kms on it. Had to end up getting it collected in Cork as he wouldnt return it and wanted hi car dropped to cork.. Ive had cars come back damaged, filthy, covered in cigarette butts etc.Usually a new demo that lost thousands in value due to being used as courtesy cars.

    Another customer wanted an identical car to his own- even the same colour which was a special order while his car was being repaired so his neighbours wouldnt notice that his car was in for repairs. I could write book about what people expect when theres a warranty claim on their car.

    The basics are that you car will be put back to manufacturer specifications - thats all manufacturers are obliged to do - everything else is a courtesy and thats all their legal obligations are ie to repair your car nothing more and nothing less.

    However its a good customer service tool and one we always had in place despite all the crap that went with it.


    Even Skoda has it in their T&Cs and Im sure if you look at other manufacturers you`ll fibd exactly the same terms and conditions.

    https://www.skoda.ie/owners/assistance.


    In the event your ŠKODA cannot be repaired in the specified time, ŠKODA Assistance can arrange Car hire (max three days), Accommodation or make alternative travel arrangements on your behalf*


    Note it says "car hire" not "courtesy" car.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 365 ✭✭carfinder


    I was wondering who the halfwit was that was liking @bucketybuck posts but it didn't take long for you to reveal yourself.

    I have spelt out the basis of the obligation for a replacement car enough times so I'll assume ignorance rather than just arrogance.

    Your anecdotes about damage to "courtesy" cars simply demonstrates your ignorance - anyone other than a halfwit would deal with the use of a replacement car in the same was as rental companies do.

    Some dealers have a bad name, no wonder with you and @bucketybuck giving the sector a bad name



This discussion has been closed.
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