Czech Auto experience

[Fabiaman]

Create this thread here so that Skoda owners can share experience at the comfort of a closed group.

 

Can post SENSITIVE things here too! I can blast them all I can here w/o the worry of slander or libel.

 

Why?

Because Czech Auto is also reading this forum!!! Sammo told me that.

[Fabiaman]

Okay, here goes my experience last Saturday.

Guys, if you have met them, do share your input.

 

1. Basically 1st impression quite good. Clean showroom and the workshop is neatly tucked away behind the mirrors of the showroom.. quite clever concept really!

 

2. No cars on display as they havent got any custom clearance

 

3. All silver new Fabias and Octys in the workshop (abt 7 of them). Reason is because they are servicing all the cars in the port right now and it happens that the silver ones are bunched together.

 

4. Workshop servicing bay is smaller than JTA but in Leng Kee? Who cares! Better than that stupid Tuas anytime!

 

5. Staffs are friendly - Sam (SA), Alan (SE) , Sebastian (SE), John (Aftersales head) pretty good set up... all are motivated and looked like all system go!

 

6. Servicing costs will be posted later tonight after I get home.

 

7. Offered advice that 15,000km is the factory recommended interval and that JTA recommends 10,000km most likely because of potential of more revenue from increased frequency of servicing. So at 20,000km, they said I am neither here or there! Hence recommended a basic job, ie. change plugs and oil and check air filter.

 

8. Did the basic stuffs and they also offered the NGK plugs for the Skoda. Org packaging, quoted price $20 per piece. Took up the offer.

 

9. Was all the while in the showroom on the nice black sofa while waiting for the servicing.. didnt step in the workshop so dun really know how good they are.

 

I think this is a gamble Czech Auto is making - ie... let the existing owners share the same cosy space as would-be prospects owners, ie. while one is waiting for repairs or servicing to complete, the other is looking to buy the car.

 

Will be good if the buyers bump in to happy owners... will be disastrous (for CA) if potential buyers bump into disgruntled owners at CA to do umpteenth repairs!!! I know myself that if I want to buy anything as impt as a car, I will check with existing owners first on their feedback. If its largely neg, I will not touch it!

 

10. Bumped into Brinal of AutoVox. Jovial guy. Told me that they are keen to do up 2 showroom pieces of the Faby & Octy to have a super chio bodykit, rims etc etc from AutoVox! Question is CA might not have enough space for them to put their showpiece since CA showroom is only big enough for 3 cars. I am thinking to myself, might as well do on my Fabia for low cost and can advertise for them also! Hee.... just a dreammmmm...

 

11. Had a good chat with Alan the SE and Sam the servicing in charge. Sam is formerly Komoco.

 

12. Heard a lot of angry (unlucky) buyers of Skoda thro JTA is stomping at CA - which understandably has to be sensitive to the unlucky buyers and yet explain sternly they cannot do much.

[Fabiaman]

I reposted the above in the open thread minus 2 or 3 comments.

 

Here comes the sensitive part:

 

1. The plugs were offered at $20 each but when I had a friendly chat with John Ng, they decided to gimme a good price at $15 instead... so if you want the NGK plugs, try for $15 if u can.

 

2. The reason why I decide to DIY after this is becoz when I saw the bill, I was annoyed that the labour to change the plug is $28... for those unfamiliar, to change the plugs of the Fabia is VERY VERY easy (unlike my former Fiat)! Its easy to locate and you just need an Allen Key to open up the housing.

 

Will post the full bill detail tonight if free.

 

3. I commented on the air con blower being weak and that the compressor sometimes will not turn on.... I STRONGLY BELIEVE THEY DIDNT DO ANYTHING TO THE COMPRESSOR even though Sam said they found that the connector switch wasnt that well connected... reason? Same old problem now.

 

As for the blower no longer strong as before, Sam said that its becoz it needs servicng ....... and servicing the air con at CA cost $400! He asked me when I am free to do the svcing? .... HULLO EXCUSE ME!! My car is only slightly less than 1 year old and the blower is quite weak already... isnt that part of the warranty? I told him that and he kept insisting its becoz the aircon need svcing.... didnt want to argue with him... anyway, I will be bringing this up later with John.

 

Guys, this Sam is a old bird in handling customers - formerly Komoco. If you have any unhappy experience, suggest go to John directly. Becoz that is what I will do. This Sam reminds me of the Sim Lim kindda salesman... friendly yet ---------- (dunno how to describe) ... "pushy" might be a goiod word.

 

4. Bottomline, its good to know these pp as who knows, you really might need them sometime. They loooked more pro than JTA at this 1st impression. Good experience for me... hope this helps!

[Skoda_Man]

$15 for a set of 4 or a single piece????

 

if $15 per piece ask them go fly a big kite at Marina South.

[Fabiaman]

$15 per piece for NGK Iridium is okay right?

Honestly , I dunno what is mkt price for such things..

 

Isnt Denso selling at least $20 outside ..... ?

[Turbobrick]

$15 per piece for NGK Iridium is okay right?

Honestly , I dunno what is mkt price for such things..

 

Isnt Denso selling at least $20 outside ..... ?

 

$15 a piece for plat or iridium plugs is ok

[Skoda_Man]

As what TB mentioned unless it is the Plat or Iru type then very fair price.

 

I have my NGK spark plug in my car right now, used already lah. And I dun think it is worth 15 per piece

[Fabiaman]

Must be Iridium, I assume - 15 bucks each leh. If its normal plugs, I will ask them go fly kite.

[Skoda_Man]

Not just any type of spark plug, but NGK special plug for the VAG.

 

Next meet up I show you the plug. In actually fact look quite cool, but then my guess it is a normal plug.

 

 

Must be Iridium, I assume - 15 bucks each leh. If its normal plugs, I will ask them go fly kite.

[Fabiaman]

Yes, its a special VAG NGK plug because the casing has got the VAG logos - Skoda, VW, Seat & Audi

 

Didnt look clearly at the plugs, just saw the words NGK printed on it - so thought it must be cool stuff.

 

When is the next meet up? Can we meet at TB's house this Thursday for a short while then adjourned to Jln Kayu roti prata for our own Skodian meet up?

[Meow]

Meow............Hi Fabiaman u forgot to post the servicing bill.

 

Thank u

 

[Beanoyip]

Did you guys receive an invitation letter from CA? Said to have some free servicing and stuff. So which date will you guys be going down?

[Fabiaman]

I did leh... in tjhink in the open forum... will give you the link shortly.

[Fabiaman]

Yes, but its on a Friday... how to go - gotta work... wat I am interested in is their free dent removal for 1 dent. I did check with them wat price if we want to remove more than 1... just told me reasonable price - will confirm closer to the day.

[Beanoyip]

But there's a saturday date available also.. So coincidentally i just got this 1 dent on the passenger door. Just in need to fix it. Saturday that is. 930-530 i think.

[Veron]

From my understanding, the free dent removal is for service appointments only. Fri n Sat open house only have 'sessions of dent removal demonstration'. Anyway, u guys want to go? They're giving out balloons, I want to get one for my son...hee . What abt a meet-up on that Sat? And maybe we can invite more Skoda owners into this forum so as to share share experiences? I also dun understand why the offical opening is on Fri. Pple working how to go?

[Skoda_Man]

you guys going?????

 

My Octy now in bad shape... wifey hit the wall with my octy... *sobs*

 

So dun really feeling like going anyway right now. But if guys wanna go do send me an SMS on time, I will try to be there.

 

SkodaMan Mobile - 98321543

[Veron]

Meow, in case u r interested, our Octavia servicing charges are as below:

 

Labour charges

1. Replace oil and filter - free (usu $82)

2. To reset service meter n carry out basic settings - $18

3. To replace both rear power window lifter - $168

4. Adj wiper washer jet (chk unable to adj) - free

5. Chk n repair rear RH door n/working - $77

 

Parts charges

1. Rear RH lifter X2 - $170X2

2. Oil filter - free (usu $14)

3. Mobil mineral engine oil 35.55 (usu cost?) - free

 

I find the labour charge for repairing our window lifters extremely expensive, almost 1/3 of the window repair costs. JTA charged us $85 only for our 20K servicing. Whereas CA is charging $82+18, if u look at their usu costs. I also dun understand why they use mineral oil. I thot synthetic or semi-synthetic is better? Another thing abt their services: Sammo didnt even bother to show us the windows have been repaired n r in proper working order when Perry went to collect the car. Just handed over the key and go and do the billings. Doesnt show much for their customer service quality.