Vehicle warranty issues

[surveyor_101]

So my Mazda was written off in may by the same guy who still drives without a licence to this day.

I bought a Skoda Octavia vrs 245 tsi 19 plate with 11k this was from one of the large car group, car supermarkets.

Really like the car aside from a string of bad luck a wheel damaged by a police car coming at me wrong side of the road etc and now a dent in the door after someone fell and hit the, a week after having in ceramic coated.

I lost two cars before as they sold so quick and I was after 4x4 diesel to starts when I found this one I pushed the button as I needed a car.

Got the balance of the skoda warranty 1 year left and extended RAC Gold 3 year to start when the Skoda one is up. I have no paper work on this other than a line item on an invoice, I did large deposit and financed the car, so I do have consumer credit act behind me. I have asked the dealer for this yesterday.

So I quickly noticed at certain revs under load there was a vibration rattle and took it to my local Skoda dealer. They thought it was and found the Sound speaker in the dash and replaced as common issue. It’s been in several times and they have messed me about a bit and had staff with COVID etc.


The tech has changed and they have switched focus from inside to outside and they called with some news. They have taken the engine heat shield out and it damaged split and then went on explain they assume I knew about the replacement parts at the front wish bone etc that are newer than the car! This seems to have solved the noise issue but it’s been damaged they assume the same time hence the newer parts were and replaced and now the whole job is no longer warranty some 7 hours work and new heat shield.

I have called the large car group and the warranty manager is leave and no help there!

Edited by surveyor_101 on Wednesday 25th August 09:33

[Turbobanana]

Is there a question in all that? It's very hard to read.

[Trevor555]

surveyor_101 said:

They have taken the engine heat shield out and it damaged split and then went on explain they assume I knew about the replacement parts at the front wish bone etc that are newer than the car! This seems to have solved the noise issue but it’s been damaged they assume the same time hence the newer parts were and replaced and now the whole job is no longer warranty some 7 hours work and new heat shield.

Edited by surveyor_101 on Wednesday 25th August 09:33

If the fault was caused by the accident then warranty wont apply. Is this what they're saying?

Was it an insurance repair?

If so, you'll have to go after the insurers repairer for something they missed.

Failing that you'll have to get your own independent report stating the fault has nothing to do with the recent repair, and then confront Skoda with that if that is indeed the case.

In saying this I'm assuming the wishbone repair was from the Police car hitting your wheel?

Edited by Trevor555 on Wednesday 25th August 10:25

[silentbrown]

Trevor555 said:

If the fault was caused by the accident then warranty wont apply. Is this what they're saying?

If I read it right, there's 'old' repaired accident damage to the front of the car which the OP was unaware of.

I can see why Skoda won't cover it, and your RAC policy is unlikely to cover pre-existing damage, even if it was in force.

3+ months after purchase, you may have an uphill battle with the selling dealer, particularly if they haven't been given a chance to fix the problem themselves.

[Trevor555]

silentbrown said:

Trevor555 said:

If the fault was caused by the accident then warranty wont apply. Is this what they're saying?

If I read it right, there's 'old' repaired accident damage to the front of the car which the OP was unaware of.

Ok, I'm assuming the recent damage was repaired whilst in the OP ownership.

But if it's damage from before the OP's ownership then present the bill to the supplying dealer.

Yes, OP may have a fight on their hands as they've been given no opportunity to fix it them selves.

If the dealer doesn't want to know then do a quality complaint to your finance company.

[surveyor_101]

Trevor555 said:

If the fault was caused by the accident then warranty wont apply. Is this what they're saying?

Was it an insurance repair?

If so, you'll have to go after the insurers repairer for something they missed.

Failing that you'll have to get your own independent report stating the fault has nothing to do with the recent repair, and then confront Skoda with that if that is indeed the case.

In saying this I'm assuming the wishbone repair was from the Police car hitting your wheel?

Edited by Trevor555 on Wednesday 25th August 10:25

No the repair predates my ownership the wheel was just kerbed and replaced, claim has gone into the police who due to dash cam wanted to keep it hush hush but Avon Somerset had said it had to go to panel to be assessed which has now changed to the officer has been had words of advice.

Edited by surveyor_101 on Wednesday 25th August 10:50

[silentbrown]

Trevor555 said:

But if it's damage from before the OP's ownership then present the bill to the supplying dealer.

We're talking about a vibration/rattle due to a cracked heatshield, not something terminal. Also, there's probably a reasonable argument that the fault wasn't present at time of purchase.

[surveyor_101]

Trevor555 said:

Ok, I'm assuming the recent damage was repaired whilst in the OP ownership.

But if it's damage from before the OP's ownership then present the bill to the supplying dealer.

Yes, OP may have a fight on their hands as they've been given no opportunity to fix it them selves.

If the dealer doesn't want to know then do a quality complaint to your finance company.

Sorry to be clear the wheel was only kerbed, i got a new wheel from Skoda had it fitted and in put in a compensation claim. I had the car on a ramp checked for damage by other garage no one could see any issues.


The car had not been in an accident as far as i was aware. Skoda dealer are saying the heat shield does not normally split and the fact that parts around have been replaced suggests that it happened at the same time as suspension damage. The wishbone and other parts I am told are newer than the car. They say they can’t send the heat shield for warranty as Skoda will reject but them don’t seem to be claiming the full bill at this stage £197 has been mentioned.

The police car was in a country road on a bend in the middle of the road on blues no siren late at night, I had slowed right down but the police driver did nothing just left me to dive out the way. It was near Yeovil and the standard of police driving there seems lower than the rest of my area I watched a marked car tailgating another the other even all around Yeovil, they seem to just drive without care of thought.

Edited by surveyor_101 on Wednesday 25th August 10:45

Edited by surveyor_101 on Wednesday 25th August 10:46

Edited by surveyor_101 on Wednesday 25th August 10:49

[surveyor_101]

silentbrown said:

We're talking about a vibration/rattle due to a cracked heatshield, not something terminal. Also, there's probably a reasonable argument that the fault wasn't present at time of purchase.

Yes it’s handy group who seem to not want to have anything to do with sold vehicles.

I have called twice yesterday and today and was told the warranty guy is holiday.

I am expecting a call back but it’s not great, I just want the car back sorted and any costs paid by them.

[Trevor555]

surveyor_101 said:

The car had not been in an accident as far as i was aware. Skoda dealer are saying the heat shield does not normally split and the fact that parts around have been replaced suggests that it happened at the same time as suspension damage. The wishbone and other parts I am told are newer than the car. They say they can’t send the heat shield for warranty as Skoda will reject but them don’t seem to be claiming the full bill at this stage £197 has been mentioned.

Edited by surveyor_101 on Wednesday 25th August 10:45

Edited by surveyor_101 on Wednesday 25th August 10:46

It sounds like the Skoda garage are trying to be kind to you in reducing their bill to £197

I'd get that paid in case they change their minds.

[surveyor_101]

Trevor555 said:

It sounds like the Skoda garage are trying to be kind to you in reducing their bill to £197

I'd get that paid in case they change their minds.

They called but are not 100% the heat shield is the fix they get a new one tomorrow fit and road test if that’s the case he said that was the bill.

Yes I am ok to pay that but I want in writing their findings so I can claim from Hendy. After paying what I paid and for warranty etc I don’t expect to be out of pocket now.

Also be good to know if they think the work is ok and if it Skoda parts but from what he said it was labelled newer than the car assume Skoda gen.

They assumed I knew but of course I didn’t, just seem to have rotten luck with this car at the moment.

Just a shame to find a 2 year old one owner car with 11k now 14k car that seems mint has been in that sort of smash.

[Trevor555]

surveyor_101 said:

silentbrown said:

We're talking about a vibration/rattle due to a cracked heatshield, not something terminal. Also, there's probably a reasonable argument that the fault wasn't present at time of purchase.

Yes it’s handy group who seem to not want to have anything to do with sold vehicles.

I have called twice yesterday and today and was told the warranty guy is holiday.

I am expecting a call back but it’s not great, I just want the car back sorted and any costs paid by them.

If you want to go down this route then you'll need the Skoda garage to put on your invoice that it was down to a previous accident that the car's sustained.

It's nothing to do with the warranty guy, this problem is NOT warranty.

Warranty will never cover pre existing, or external damage.

As I said before, present this invoice to the sales manager at the supplying dealership.

If they don't want to know then do a quality complaint to your finance company, this can be very powerful in cases like your one. And for the hassle this causes the dealer I'm sure they'll just pay the £197

[surveyor_101]

Trevor555 said:

If you want to go down this route then you'll need the Skoda garage to put on your invoice that it was down to a previous accident that the car's sustained.

It's nothing to do with the warranty guy, this problem is NOT warranty.

Warranty will never cover pre existing, or external damage.

As I said before, present this invoice to the sales manager at the supplying dealership.

If they don't want to know then do a quality complaint to your finance company, this can be very powerful in cases like your one. And for the hassle this causes the dealer I'm sure they'll just pay the £197

Yes but at hendy no one will call me I said it’s got damage from a previous accident repair, yesterday. I did think the finance company should be able to put pressure on them.

The Skoda dealer did say don’t call the garage until we have confirmed on Thursday but I am disappointed with the news but used cars are always a slight risk of previous damage.

[andburg]

worth sticking it into vcheck and seeing it its been through BCA as salvage

[surveyor_101]

andburg said:

worth sticking it into vcheck and seeing it its been through BCA as salvage

Did a vehicle check at the time and no flags on it.

It was one company owner from new they seemed to have two as found the same car one letter different cu, co.

One in Bristol and other Portsmouth.

I missed the first one as it had a deposit on it the day after a booked to see it.

[anonymous-user]

A vehicle check won't catch everything that vcheck will - a car can be HPI clear but still have been through the salvage auctions and as far as I know vcheck are the only people who have that data easily available. That'll probably change if it hasn't already, but it's still very useful.

Worth a look for a few quid.

[surveyor_101]

charltjr said:

A vehicle check won't catch everything that vcheck will - a car can be HPI clear but still have been through the salvage auctions and as far as I know vcheck are the only people who have that data easily available. That'll probably change if it hasn't already, but it's still very useful.

Worth a look for a few quid.

Thanks nothing on there like the check, no auction history but worth a try for 8.99

[Trevor555]

surveyor_101 said:

The Skoda dealer did say don’t call the garage until we have confirmed on Thursday

This could go against you if it were to end up in front of a Judge.

You really need to let your supplying dealer know it's there, and what's being suggested by the Skoda dealer, before they go ahead and spend your money on the car.

The dealer could well say to a Judge "we'd have sorted that ourselves had we known about it"

You really do need to give the dealer an opportunity to resolve this if you're going to go after them for payment.

What I suggest to you right now is to write an email to your supplying dealers sales manager explaining that it appears to be a pre existing fault with the car, one that is suspected to be caused by previous accident damage sustained from before you purchased the car from them, and will not be covered by the warranty.

Copy in as many people as you can to that email.

The sales manager, the service adviser for the garage if they have one, and very importantly the finance company...

Then, if the dealer still ignores you after being informed, you're left with no other course of action other than to let the Skoda garage repair the car, and a Judge will ask the dealer why they didn't offer a resolution. If it were to come to that.

[RichardDastardly]

OP what a rubbish run of luck. I wouldn’t bother buying any lottery tickets any time soon!

I think if it was me I’d follow Trevor555’s suggestion, though you might want to avoid copying Skoda into anything where you accept it’s not warranty work at the moment - just in case the cause of the issue proves to be something completely different which you may later argue IS covered by the warranty. It might also be worth marking your correspondence to the dealer “without prejudice” at this stage.

Given the money involved (although a kick in the teeth) I personally wouldn’t want to go as far as maybe ending up in court over this. I suspect your best threat might in practice be the social media threat to the selling dealer (ie. do you you really want me to post everywhere I can about my experience?).

[surveyor_101]

Update sales manager has called saying he will reimburse me for the work.

Skoda dealer have not returned my call from yesterday.