what would lead you to lose 'brand loyalty'?

Ok, i'm a fan of VW and their products down the years. It must be the closet Nazi in me

Anyhow, i'm on my 3rd Octavia VRS since 2006, the next generation is on order, but...

Today my rear brake disc exploded on the way down to Bridgwater, the cause being a faulty and damaged brake caliper which has effectively machined the disc away to the pint of failure.

I received a noble apology from the service guys (who serviced the car only 2 weeks ago...). I asked if I could take the new VRS overnight whilst my car stays in with its arse in the air awaiting its new brake system. I got a firm no.

And a roomster.

With a 1.2 engine.

Full of dog hair.

And the smell of pi55 and werthers originals.

I have to drive it back all the way to BW tomorrow, at least this time I have the chance to don a disguise.

I know that in life you're "only ever as good as the last..."

but, this has really changed my perception of the VW/Skoda brand and the service i've been offered. Considering there was a new VRS out on the lot I don't see why I couldn't take it for the night.

So, i'm disillusioned and would consider a change of brand as a result - what would push you to do the same?

Discuss

 

I stopped buying Cadburys chocolate when they sold it and crapped on the workers.

 

you will never get a new vrs or anything else off the forecourt.
a courtesy car is just that, a way from getting from A to B
most dealers are worse than skoda in bridgwater and its normal for them to tell you they dont have a car at all and tell you to rent one

 

Send an e-mail to Skoda UK.

 

if you ran a garage would you lend out a Marmite box with no resale value or a new shiny one that was gonna get it's arse ragged and loose them cash.......

 

I gave up on Audi after buying 4 in a row plus one as a seconded car. I had engine management issues 3 times in 3 months on a car, the first 2 in warranty and the last one just outside. I couldn't deal with the offhand way that they dealt with the problem and the disbelieving looks I got when I was describing the symptoms. Went back a few years later to look at a new model and was amazed by the arrogance of the salesman.

 

that said i'd complain and document the condition of the crapbox and get a free service or summat out of them

 

In short...a lot less than what you mentioned above. Roomster........nice wheels

 

Have you considered invading the Czech Republic as a protest? It's worked in the past...

 

Poor customer service... Rip off prices (quoted 150 to drain incorrect fuel, then charged 450 - refused to pay and got it down to 185) if only I could afford to change our car....

 

I've take out a bank loan to enable me to pay off enough of the finance to hand back my BMW bike, I've had fantastic BMW bikes before but this one has awful finish on the engine and frame. I've taken it up with my dealers and BMW UK and so far they have changed out the final drive and the centre stand but blame the rest of the corrosion on me. It's a toy that has done 2.5k a year, in good weather, so no mr. BMW , it's not fair wear and tear.
This will be a VERY expensive lesson on my part but I will not be buying a BMW ever again!
It gets picked up on Monday.

 

Well for me it was when I left my mini 1100 with a specialist over the weekend for them to run about in it to source/fix intermittent elec fault and they gave me the dogs breathe of a courtesy car which I had to repair over said weekend,then ,on the Monday ,on returning the car, not only had they failed to fix my car ,dude wanted petrol money and receipts for parts I"d used in repairing the scrapper, I showed him the repair ,told him how much fuel had wee"d out the faulty fuel pump and left(jeeeesus ,some peeps !)23 years ago that.>and yeah, I did eventually fix my car myself.

 

Had a sensible???moment and changed a twin turbo 1.6 mini for a 1.2 fiat 500. Dealers accidentally registered the wrong plates to chassis numbers. 12 weeks later still no car. Eventually got sorted but we then got parking tickets for a car we didn't own. They had also done the same on a second car. Dealership was poo car is poo won't be having another poo car my 34 year old van has more grunt.
Only offer as an apology was a half price service

 

I bought a Ford escort 1986 what a rot box ,decided to buy another 1987 also a rot box ......

decided to avoid anything ford between 1985-90,the rest is fair game..

 

At least you got a courtesy car, I remember living in Milton Keynes around the year 2000 and when I took the Golf in for a service etc the best you got from the VW garage was to wait for their minibus, once full it would drive round MK dropping people off. And you had to make your own way back to pick your car up. Similarly the Portsmouth VW garage didn't offer a courtesy car service either.

That's why my next car was a Saab and my current one a Honda

 

I got rid of my 05 GS because of the poor paint finish and corrosion. I didn't want to watch it deteriorate any more and couldn't be bothered to strip it all down and paint it properly, so I sold it. I've still got my old airhead, 1976 and original paintwork!

 

TBH I never got decent service from VW or Audi for sale or service. I got the impression that they thought their cars were so popular they didn't have to try. BMW cars service were OK. I've got an XF Jag now and so far so good. It's only one year old but I've got 35k miles on it already and I got a box fresh XF with 300 mile on it a s a loaner at the last service which was rather nice. Lets see how they get on but so far my next car will be a Jag.

 

I've found BMW garages to be snobby. The last dealings I had with one was over a warranty claim for badly calibrated climate control. If the outside temperature was in the 10C range or thereabouts you had to turn the control down to its lowest setting but one (the lowest setting turns all the fans on to the max) to avoid being roasted. I even drove around with a digital thermometer and took readings. The garage said they could find no fault and said it was within limits. Even gave me a printout of the test manual and specifications which proved nothing. I gave up in the end and lived with it. I avoid main dealers now and use local guys instead for anything non warranty related.

 

I've only had a small number of cars, 2 aircooled which have their own issues, Mk1 Golf, '96 Polo and an 06 GTi.... in between there was an unfortunate incident where I owned a Mazda for 7 months, which I drove for 8 weeks and lost a lot of money on!! You couldn't keep me away from VW after that!

The VW main dealer is ok in Portsmouth but moreso now that the cars are more like computers otherwise my local garages are great for servicing and the odd bit of MOT work... because they seem to care more