Ajdude

Good luck with the next stages and getting the right outcome. So to understand, your dealer has confirmed and accepted that you shouldn’t be towing anything with the VIN plate as it stands? I need to go back to my dealer as he fitted a towbar with a VIN plate exactly the same as yours. He knew it was for towing a trailer and bike rack when it was fitted.

My loan car was from Europcar....hence the Ford Kuga!

That’s the stock response that a number of us have had from Skoda UK. My car went in today with Skoda for an unknown period. The courtesy car they gave me is.....a ford Kuga. Brand spanking new. Maybe that’s the strategy.....give me something worse so I’ll appreciate mine even if not fixed. Seriously, my last car was a ford that we replaced with the octavia, so it’ll make a good comparison. I was hoping for Kodiaq though.

Thanks. I’m sure it’s frustrating for the dealers to have this issue, though I do feel that having bought an ex demo which was exhibiting these problems that the dealer knowingly choose to sell the vehicle. They should have taken it off the market and lobbied Skoda UK rather than customers having to it. I’m hopeful it will get resolved.

According to every dealer, No MK4 octavia has an issue and mine is the first time they seen these problems. Utter BS. Whilst I accept software has its glitches, it should be the exception not the norm. Worst car buying and owning experience I’ve ever had.

So based upon what I know. Your plate looks fine. The second number is the gross train weight and so the difference between that number and the first number is what you are allowed to tow upto (your trailer/ caravans plated weight). The issue some of seem to have is that we have 0 as the second number. So we are unsure if legally we are allowed to tow anything. hopefully I’ve got my understanding correct.

Hi @AviationNut did you get a view from your wife about the legal standing of the situation? Thanks.

Has anyone received their long term courtesy car through the MOBEX system? In a rather frustrating conversation with the local dealer (not where I bought my car from) they were going to offer me a fabia as a replacement and on questioning this said it would now go through the MOBEX system via Skoda UK. A quick google search suggests it's a VW scheme set up to provide cars for those having delays on orders. My first experience with my local dealer has not filled me with any confidence.

Totally understandable. I don’t think I’ve had the same number of problems as yourself, but it does make me nervous if things start to happen further down the road! I’m ready to say goodbye to this car! Shame as my first experience of Skoda!

First question, is the front assist error always on? I get it occasionally and the it’s gone the next time it starts. I had a towbar done and it took them hours to recode the car, they had to keep my car for a week, going into each element individually to make sure it worked with or without the trailer connected. Mine is a wesfalia detachable with 13 pin electrics. I’ve had no issues since installing except for the regular software glitches for which the car is going in on the 20th for an unknown period of time to be investigated.

Have any of those that Skoda UK asked for their cars to go to the dealers had any feedback as of yet. I’m curious as mine goes in on Tuesday and I’ll like know how long it is likely to be and also to see if their is consistency with what I will be told when handing the car over. Thanks.

Thanks. I've just spoken to my insurance company (LV) and asked if fitting a tow bar to car with a 0 rating on the VIN would be a problem . They suggested that would not be a problem from an insurance perspective. That said, I don't think I had a lot of confidence in them understanding what I was asking and don't fancy testing it out incase of an accident whilst towing a trailer or a bike rack! This could be a serious issue as you say.

Please let me know what the legal standpoint is when you find out. I’d appreciate it so I can speak to dealer who fitted my towbar.

It’s a 1.5 TSi. Given that I had a Skoda dealer fit the tow bar you would reasonably conclude they knew what they were doing both professionally and legally (if this is indeed the case).

Hi @tobster911 . I’ve checked my VIN plate and rather surprisingly it is identical to the plate shown in your picture (except the VIN number). My towbar was fitted through DM Keith in Grimsby and nothing was mentioned. I had best have a conversation with them about the legality of fitting a towbar. Not sure if it makes a difference or not but I use mine predominantly for a bike carrier rather than towing but on occasion use it to pull a small erde 120 trailer.

Hi, we are now connected with Skoda directly through the email address of [email protected]. They seem more responsive if the car has the issue associated with not being able to change both the satnav and speedo units. I bought my car from DM Keith but from Grimsby, they have claimed that a few first editions had problems but were solved by software updates. IMO that was a load of BS and I suspect the dealers were trying to offload these First Edition demonstrators knowing they had issues. DM Keith have been pretty good but they are 134 miles for me so going through Skoda UK means I can use a local dealer. I think this car has major software problems that will take some time to fix.

I’ve had that one twice in the last two weeks. My latest one was volume bar not working. Mine goes in on the 20th for an undefined period of time.

Whilst I'm willing to try to give this car a chance as from a ticks the boxes perspective the Octavia is at the top of the list. However, I don't have confidence in the car and I'll be honest, the driving experience is not particularly good either. Sometimes it's great, but most of the time the engine seems unresponsive (even in sports mode). The courtesy car I was given (another 1.5 TSI) was the polar opposite and really nice to drive. The engine sounds and feels noticeably rougher! I've no idea what to do if they can't sort the infotainment or the driveability, I've spent 1000 pounds on a new towbar, roof bars, bootliner and rubber mats so it'll be a financial hit, but better that then years of concern. It's only a car, but as it's the family workhorse it has to be reliable. Our last car was a ford Grand C-max, bought from new and 8 years /140,000 miles of totally trouble free motoring! Here's hoping!

Thanks for the update. Mine was going in today but had to change it to the 20th as they couldn’t get me a hire car with a towbar and I needed it next week. Will be interesting to see what happens with yours in the meantime. I thought mine was behaving itself and then it decided to no longer have the CarPlay or telephone function and then later the occupant protection system failure alarm came up. Both went away next time the car was started. I’m keeping a log of every event to present to Skoda on the 20th.

Hi OctaviaFirstEdition, just wondering if you've had any feedback from Skoda on your car? Thanks...

I’m not sure what model you have, but a number of us with first edition models who wrote an email to honest john highlighting all these software issues have been subsequently contacted by Skoda UK and asked to take our cars to dealers where they will take 2 to 3 weeks to resolve problems. Mine goes in on 20th April. They will provide a long term courtesy car. See the kph/mph thread.

Ditto....mine was an ex demo....used by the parts manager....to be fair....it hardly moved in the last year... Kamiq...should be an interesting comparison...

So I had a phonemail from the very helpful Kate of Skoda UK. They are clearly taking the issues seriously and being proactive now. She asked if it would be alright to have my car for a long period to help resolve the kmph/mph issue as well as some of the other issues that we have all, at some-point experienced. As with yourself they are sourcing a long term hire car, although I've had to move the date as unless they can find me an estate with a tow bar fitted it's not going to be possible to be without my car for a long period. I think there is a genuine concern from Skoda regarding the kmh/mph issues given the need to bring in vehicles and keep them for such a long time. So wether it's a legality issue or it's going to take them a long time to do what they need to do I don't know at this time.

2-3 weeks! Dude that’s a long time! Hope they’re giving you a long loan courtesy car! What will take them 2-3 weeks to do I wonder! My will go in on the 7th April and I hope they don’t expect to keep it for that long, perhaps you’re the test car and subsequent cars will be quicker. Thanks for taking one for the team!

Thanks. Yes I can set sport mode. Although I don’t have comfort, just eco, normal, sport and individual. I’ll play around with different mode settings over the next few journeys and see if it feels any better.