Skoda after-sales is a let down: The story of my Skoda Rapid DSG

Would I buy a Skoda again? Probably No, until some other dealer comes up here or I change my place of residence.

BHPian sachin_cs recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Update: 20th May 2024-

I was in constant touch with the service advisor and I asked them to get everything in order before I show up at their door. I usually don’t bother to take the drop-off service from Skoda because it gets easier for them to wash off their hands with the persisting or newly developed issues. I prefer to drive down and personally ensure that everything is in order before I make the payment. Because, it’s an Skoda A.S.S. & you can’t expect them to work like clockwork, there has to be some issues as I have seen in the last few years.

Following were the updates-

• Door panel was changed and it was sourced from their own demo/courtesy car
• The new door handle which is part of the door panel has scratches, but I just don’t have energy to haggle and I’m ready to let it go. Atleast they owned to their mistake this time.
• The paint touch-up done on the scratched part feels like you have used nail-polish to do the job. Drops of paint on the scratched part. As I said, I have lost the energy and I have accepted the fate that given it’s a Skoda, it can’t be 100% perfect.
• The Bill was of 4.5k which includes a minor dent repair & air filter (A biker was on a suicide mission & decided to take a sudden right turn from extreme left of the road without checking mirrors or giving indicators)
• I have bought the service package yet I was charged for the air filter. When I asked the service team, they said it’s not included in the SMP. Strange! From last 5 years I never paid for air filter under SMP.
• Timing kit and coolant flush is the job to be done next. I have got the estimate of 24k + 10k for both the job.
• For some reason, the Skoda dealer never enters the correct date of receiving & delivery of the car. I got the car back on 20th but according to the feedback call I received from Skoda, my car was returned on the same day i.e. 15th. This has happened many times in the past, even when my car was parked in the dealership for 10 days once, they didn’t mention it to Skoda.
• The interior was smelly and all slippery-shiny with some cheap interior polish, after getting home I cleaned the interior myself again! The saving grace was- the exterior was cleaned much better than the last time.

Am I happy with the car? A big yes, it was a right decision to buy the diesel DSG Rapid, it’s a beautiful machine. It rides well, it has got the safety, comfort, power, practicality, fuel-efficiency. I can’t ask for more, it’s my priced possession and I love her to the core.

Am I happy with the brand? Yes, Skoda has some USPs like brand value, dynamics, sorted handling and they have largely fulfilled it. They also respond if I escalate an issue.

Am I happy with the After Sales Support? A big No! Skoda India needs to pull-up their sock and they need a guy like Zac Hollis, who kept the rogue dealers in control & he was there to listen to us. Now it’s again back to corporate red tapism.

The dealership has a monopoly and the quality control has gone downhill. Every now & then the staff changes and there’s no consistency, no professional work culture (you steal belongings from cars, use screwdriver to open door panel, change well functioning parts without informing the customer & add it to the bill, you claim to change air filter but in reality just use the old filter after cleaning it…. I can go on). People are clueless, there is not even a dedicated guy to handle warranty claim, they themselves are learning the nuances of their system. I am just done with them, from next time I am going to take a day off and go for service & stand next to my car. Can’t trust them anymore.

Would I buy a Skoda again? Probably No, until some other dealer comes up here or I change my place of residence.

What do I have in my mind as an upgrade next year? Preowned A4 diesel or 320d, Virtus GT or if family insists then XUV700 AX5 D AT.

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