Paul Wakeling Skoda Campbelltown Gone !!!

[bobski]

The facts show that its not too bad. In front of Alfa, Renault, Proton and Citroen who have been in Australia for years with AFAIK no mention of leaving the shores... With VAG backing the business case, as a niche brand it seems pretty solid.

With the Fabia and some more brand recognition (which appears to be slowly building), I can see them moving easily up the list.

[Golf Loon]

I actually run a VAG specialist workshop around the corner from Wakelings in Campbelltown.
I have spoken to staff at Wakelings at various time and have been underwhelmed at their lack of knowledge and enthusiasm.
The last saturday boy told me they didnt stock the manual Skodas as they had never sold any!!

I think the Skodas are great cars and would have one in a heartbeat, but the wifes Audi refuses to die.
We have a few Skodas on our books and they are not hard to deal with as I employ ex VW staff and we have all the factory tools and diagnostics.

We pride ourselves on old fashioned customer service coupled with up to date knowledge. We have courtesy cars available and are next to the train Station at Campbelltown. More than happy to look after any Skodas out there in need of service or repair. We also have good relationships with VWA and can assist with any genuine warranty claims.

I agree that Campbelltown is a funny demographic as we get all spectrums of society from deros to battlers and the wealthy country folk through the shop. I live in Camden, but find that Campbelltown is a convenient location for people to get to. We have customers from the City, Southern Highlands, the Gong and further afield.

We are moving to new purpose built premesis in a couple of months and will then be even better equipped to service your VW, Audi, Skoda or Seat.

Try us out experience service excellence and specific knowledge.

Camden GTI Performance, 18/41 Badgally Rd, Campbelltown.

Sorry for the plug mods, but I get one person a day turn up here who has been buggered around elsewhere and has wasted time and money.

Keep enjoying your Skodas people, I reckon you are Pioneers and others will eventually see the light!

[brad]

The last saturday boy told me they didnt stock the manual Skodas as they had never sold any!!

Well, that's not true. They sold me mine & it's been back to the workshop for 3 services & a breakdown (fuel pressure regulator).

I've been happy with the service but I might give you guys a crack for the 60,000km. I could do it myself but really can't be bothered anymore.

[Antiplastix]

Me too. They had my RS wagon manual in stock until I bought it.

[Manaz]

You know perfectly well that Skodas are new, hence why they're not selling as many as they should, and that it takes more than 5 years to fully establish a new brand into a market.

Not true - Skoda were here many years ago, and deservingly earned themselves a bad reputation, and they pulled out of the market.

Part of the struggle Skoda are having is overcoming the bad reputation they earned years ago - you only get one opportunity to create a first impression, and the first impression most people have of Skoda is bad.

I was fortunate enough to experience modern VW-owned Skoda when I was in Europe in 2006, with a family member owning an Octavia. When I first heard we were taking a 150km drive in a Skoda, I was *very* apprehensive - but at the end of the drive, was very impressed.

I think the real battle Skoda have is in getting people into their cars to start with - I suspect a great number of people write them off based on brand perception, and I think both sides of the market are poorer for that, but that's how things are, and I think Skoda are doing admirably to re-build the brand and reputation here.

Good luck to Skoda, and to those of you who have purchased modern Skoda vehicles and are happy with them, well done!

[Antiplastix]

The majority of people I know who aren t "car buffs", ie. don t post on forums, read motoring mags. etc. have no idea what a Skoda is, let alone any memory of their checkered past. Hey, if Alfa can still sell cars in Australia after their products rusted in front of your eyes in the 70s there is hope for Skoda yet, they ve just got to make it appeal more main stream rather than their targeted marketing. Out of all my neighbors only the keen cyclist knows what my car is.

[sh|tbmxrider]

The majority of people I know who aren t "car buffs", ie. don t post on forums, read motoring mags. etc. have no idea what a Skoda is, let alone any memory of their checkered past. Hey, if Alfa can still sell cars in Australia after their products rusted in front of your eyes in the 70s there is hope for Skoda yet, they ve just got to make it appeal more main stream rather than their targeted marketing. Out of all my neighbors only the keen cyclist knows what my car is.

I agree (and this is from a man with a Alfa Romeo tattoo on my back.... no I am not joking...)

Give Skoda time, they will never be beating VW/Audi/BMW, but they have the potential to be close

[brad]

I doubt Skoda will ever crack 500 units a month - so at the moment they only have to aim to step up 1 place & beat Mini.
BMW seem pretty happy with Mini volumes & Mini owners don't seem to be wringing their hands with the same amount of angst as Skoda owners. And Volvo have been plugging on in the Aussie market for 50(?) yrs with varying sales volumes. In fact, for a lot of the marques, they seem happy to forgo volume for profit margin. Skoda will never do that as they can't reposition themselves as a "prestige" brand (unlike so many brands on the Aussie market that are just shopping trollies in their home country).

Does anyone recall VWA making any volume predictions in their lead up to the launch of Skoda?

[thommo]

When i first started looking at Skodas The salesman I spoke with at Southern classic cars in Wollongong told me his monthly sales target for Skodas was 6 cars a month. If thats the case they are obviously not overly concerned with volume.

[Dutch]

I was in Paul Wakeling this morning for some warranty work which was approved before the 1st of July when the Franchises ceased. Not a Skoda sign or sticker in sight unfortunatley and i think the service staff are disappointed. My RS was delivered late April and luv the car. I initially contacted Private Fleet and they were useless, i rang around all the dealers and the 2 best ones my my experince was Wollongong and Paul Wakeling with the Wakeling group being the best in friendliness and the deal. I found them excellent to deal with from my initial call and i'm disappointed that they are no longer supporting the brand. The dealership showroom is pretty old and its shared with great Wall and i know great wall are selling very well their. With Blacktown Skoda Trivett opening maybe there was to much concentration in the area.

I negotiated 2 yrs free service so i'm sticking with Wakeling but any warranty work has to be with another dealer, its a shame because i was referred by a mate here and they have been excellent and not arrogant which bores me.

Luv the car and definitley no regrets, can i ask what the service department at Nth Shore Skoda is like?