Servicing a lease car & warranty question

Servicing a lease car & warranty question

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a4cabrio

Original Poster:

904 posts

159 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
My mother has a Skoda Yeti on a 2 year lease and has had it since April 2016, it's a 1.2 TSI and has done 3200 miles since she got it. Skoda contacted her to say it was due a service so she took it in to be don, she was charged £180 for the service which I presume would have been an oil service, but the issue I have is they also charged her £70 as they had to take the rear wheel off as the plastic sleeve on the rear shock absorber was stuck and needed to be to be put back into its normal position.

Surely charging £70 for this work is a bit of a mickey take on a car that's only a year old and only covered 3200 miles. I take it a shock absorber would be classed as a wear & tear item but I'd have thought due to the low mileage that sort of work should be covered under warranty??

Just curious to see if others think that's fair or have they just taken advantage of an old woman not knowing any better??

spookly

4,020 posts

95 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
From a T&Cs of the warranty and a legal perspective I have no idea. But it is certainly something I would not have been happy with paying.


Nickp82

3,188 posts

93 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
spookly said:
From a T&Cs of the warranty and a legal perspective I have no idea. But it is certainly something I would not have been happy with paying.
This really, even if technically it was not covered under warranty a goodwill claim should be requested by the dealer to avoid any cost to the customer.

papa3

1,415 posts

187 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
put simply it is a wear and tear/serviceable item.

That said, a bit of common sense would have seen it done whilst the car was on the ramp and either an attempt at a warranty claim or done as a good will gesture. Did she buy the car from the dealer doing the service?

If that was one of our customers with that age and miles we'd have done it without charge.

a4cabrio

Original Poster:

904 posts

159 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
Thanks, you've all kind of seen it how I have I just feel it leaves a bit of a bitter taste, £70 isn't a massive amount it's just the principle of it imo.

My mum didn't buy the car from the servicing dealer, it's a lease car which she's had since April 2016. I knew a shock absorber was a wear & tear item but as you say papa, The age and mileage of the car should have carried some goodwill imo

I've said to my mother she should give the dealer a call on Tuesday and have a chat about it and see how she gets on, the car was serviced on Friday and I'd only spoke to her about it yesterday, I did ask if she wanted me to take it in for her but she was happy to take it herself, kind of annoyed I didn't take it in now.

papa3

1,415 posts

187 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
Unfortunately goodwill in this case has no reciprocal grounds. It's a lease car so the dealer will be making very little from the service and she bought it else where.

This is one of the best reasons to find a small local dealer and give them your business. You might pay a little bit more for the car but you'll get it back in spades with the service provided.

saaby93

32,038 posts

178 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
What about the lease company - isnt there an avenue there for something on finance?

silentbrown

8,844 posts

116 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
papa3 said:
Unfortunately goodwill in this case has no reciprocal grounds. It's a lease car so the dealer will be making very little from the service and she bought it else where.
Err, no? Surely they'll be making exactly as much from the service as any other car. Leasing co isn't paying for the service....

Either way £70 for this job is surely taking the piss. Surprised you even need to take a wheel off, given the car is on a ramp already,

Did they get authorization for the job before starting it?

talksthetorque

10,815 posts

135 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
Did she authorise the additional work before?
Or did the service document she signed before say anything about charging any extra over what had been agreed at dropoff?
If the answer to these is no, then she should be telling them that they did not have her permission to do the additional work on the car and that she expects it to be free of charge.

Gunk

3,302 posts

159 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
The fact it a lease car is a bit of red herring, the issue is quite simple, is it appropriate to charge an additional £70 without authorisation to remove the wheel. Probably not. I'm sure if you have a quiet word with the service manager they'll adjust the bill.

BlueMeganeII

338 posts

159 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
Why did it go in at a year old? Surely it's on variable servicing? Was the car asking to be serviced?

papa3

1,415 posts

187 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
silentbrown said:
papa3 said:
Unfortunately goodwill in this case has no reciprocal grounds. It's a lease car so the dealer will be making very little from the service and she bought it else where.
Err, no? Surely they'll be making exactly as much from the service as any other car. Leasing co isn't paying for the service....

Either way £70 for this job is surely taking the piss. Surprised you even need to take a wheel off, given the car is on a ramp already,

Did they get authorization for the job before starting it?
Oops. Didn't remember the first line by the last. Even so would you expect £70 goodwill from a total spend of £180?



talksthetorque

10,815 posts

135 months

Monday 29th May 2017
quotequote all
BlueMeganeII said:
Why did it go in at a year old? Surely it's on variable servicing? Was the car asking to be serviced?
Shouldn't have been on variable servicing at 3200 miles a year. Fixed - 10k or 1 year.

loskie

5,236 posts

120 months

Tuesday 30th May 2017
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Sounds like an hours labour for a 10 min job. I think the dealer knowingly ripped off your mum and should be challenged.

Ninja59

3,691 posts

112 months

Tuesday 30th May 2017
quotequote all
The shock itself is a wear and tear item but most would probably cover it under manufacturer's warranty.

The problem comes when many will not cover "adjustment", was the shock being adjusted? Interesting point I know but many will not cover any form of adjustment unless it is part of another process.

Case in point is usually adjustments like a geo/alignment, generally are not covered.

s55shh

501 posts

212 months

Tuesday 30th May 2017
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My wife's yeti is on the same lease deal and we are sticking to the variable service regime so it will only need one over the two years

xjay1337

15,966 posts

118 months

Tuesday 30th May 2017
quotequote all
a4cabrio said:
My mother has a Skoda Yeti on a 2 year lease and has had it since April 2016, it's a 1.2 TSI and has done 3200 miles since she got it. Skoda contacted her to say it was due a service so she took it in to be don, she was charged £180 for the service which I presume would have been an oil service, but the issue I have is they also charged her £70 as they had to take the rear wheel off as the plastic sleeve on the rear shock absorber was stuck and needed to be to be put back into its normal position.
This sounds more like the plastic cover has moved rather than anything to do with the shock itself.
The Shocks have a sleeve over them which basically helps to protect the shock body/strut. Can easily be pulled up out of the way on a ramp without having to remove the wheel.

Absolutely contest it. Especially if no prior authorisation was sought.

Sheepshanks

32,792 posts

119 months

Tuesday 30th May 2017
quotequote all
s55shh said:
My wife's yeti is on the same lease deal and we are sticking to the variable service regime so it will only need one over the two years
That's a good point. It doesn't matter if Skoda asked for the car to be serviced - was the cluster display calling for a service? They can go up to 2yrs between servicing, although short journeys will bring it up earlier. All VAG lease cars should be left on variable servicing - the dealers change them at PDI for retail customers.

nickfrog

21,174 posts

217 months

Tuesday 30th May 2017
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A wear and tear item may well attract some justifiable warranty work. £70 is very naughty but that's the car trade for you, sadly not uncommon.

ANJ91

162 posts

97 months

Tuesday 30th May 2017
quotequote all
xjay1337 said:
Absolutely contest it. Especially if no prior authorisation was sought.
Was your mother told about it and asked if she wants this done? If not they she did not enter in a contract with them and shouldn't be charged, she could have gone and get it done somewhere else or not at all.