sadcafe

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Decided to keep the car, and it is booked in for stock towbar fit a week on Monday. There will be some bumper mods required, but it will be out of sight underneath to all but the closest observers. Also decided in the interim to go with full loom w/13pin electrics etc so in that respect I'm glad I've taken some time to research exactly what I needed. Many thanks to Norman at Maud for answering my plethora of questions!

Just had John from Skoda on the phone this morning. He told me that no towbar exists for my car. Thanks for the feedback folks! Looks like I'll have to part company with this car as that is a deal breaker :-(

Honestly don't know! https://www.dropbox.com/s/iqc13bmqlxa8dgd/Photo%2029-01-2015%2014%2043%2033.png?dl=0

Hi, Just bought my second Octavia (my first was a Mk1 VRS) which is a Mk3 VRS 2.0 Diesel DSG Estate. Took it to the Skoda Garage in Maud today, and after much hunting around they cannot find a towbar for my car. Yes, there is a towbar available for regular Mk3 VRS Estate, but Norman explained that it is because my car is a Black Edition and the bumper clearance is barely an inch (i.e. not enough). I'll be honest, I didn't know it was a "Black Edition" when I bought it (I just knew I wanted another VRS Octavia), so I'm feeling a bit foolish that I've bought a "non standard" car which might not be able to tow anything! Just wondering if anyone out there has any advice before I go back to the garage with my tail between my legs!!! Would hate to have to put it back or sell it, as it is a lovely car. Additional info: It is for towing an Ifor Williams Twin-Axle Box Trailer, and also a caravan with Alko ball stabiliser. Thanks.

It's a joy to deal with people who actually know what they are doing. After countless problems with Specialist Cars Skoda (read my latest debacle with Specialist Cars here: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/skoda-dealers-scotland/specialist-cars-skoda-aberdeen/38369/#post971529 ) I tried this garage. Work was done while I waited. Friendly staff, and a professional job at a very reasonable price. I'm never going to Specialist Cars in Aberdeen again.

OK, it's been a while since all this happened, but here goes... I put my vRS Octy Mk1 in originally for three problems: 1) Oil Light 2) Loss of Turbo power 3) Slight damage to underside on speed bump (part of underside now "hanging") I dropped off the car in the morning, and received a phonecall just after lunch to tell me that they had found no problems with oil levels/warnings, or with the turbo. They also explained that they did not have the parts to fix the underside, but had ordered them. I collected the car later that afternoon, and the chap told me to come back if the oil-light and/or turbo problems persisted. He would also call me when the parts arrived so I could have them fitted. About a month on, I refer you to my post of 21st March 2007 above. About a week after that post, I phoned them again and the chap I spoke to that time went and had a dig around, and discovered that the parts had been sitting on their shelves for weeks. Nice... So I booked the car in to get the work done on the underside. The oil/turbo problems had sorted themselves out, so no worries there. I dropped the car off the next day for the underside repairs. No phonecall by 4pm, so I called the garage and asked if the car was ready. It was. Finished up some work and made it up to Specialist Cars at 5pm-ish. Went to the reception and the chap there took my details and went off to find out about my car. He returned about 10 minutes (yes, 10 minutes) later and proceeded to tell me that they had tried to diagnose why my oil light and my turbo were having problems to no avail. I interrupted him and explained that my car was in fact in to get some parts replaced on the underside. He looked very embarrased, and went off to find out exactly what was going on. Another 10 minutes later, and he re-appeared. He explained that the misunderstanding was entirely his fault, and in fact the repair work had in fact been carried out as requested, and would be covered under warranty (i.e. no cost to me). By this time, they were starting to shut up shop, and the showroom door was locked behind me as I left with my keys returned to me. I located my car at the front of their building. I had a quick peek underneath, and as I had secretly dreaded since talking to the chap moments ago, absolutely nothing had been done to the underside of the car. The offending tray and bracket were still sitting at the same jaunty angle as before. Since my car was still in the same parking space as when I'd dropped it off that morning, I started to wonder if anyone had even been near it. On starting the car, I can confirm that someone had indeed been in it, since the radio was on a different channel, and the air-conditioning was set to 18deg instead of my usual 20deg. Man, I'd hate for the folk at Specialist Cars to be a bit warm while doing absolutely nothing to my car. After two minutes of personal deliberation, I decided (since I hadn't had to pay anything) to go elsewhere as no amount of explaining/arguing would turn these people into competent human beings. I phoned Victoria Garage in Maud, who looked at my car that evening. I came back on the Saturday (after the parts had arrived), was presented with a coffee, paper and comfy seat, and the work was completed in approximately 30 minutes. As I expected, I had to pay the invoice (i never expected it to be covered under warranty in the first place), but it was very reasonable, and a pleasure to be treated so well by professionals. My opinion of Specialist Cars Skoda now is that unless you are buying a new car from them, they don't give a ****. It's a shame to tarnish the good name of Skoda by associating it with incompetents like them. My advice? Avoid Specialist Cars Skoda like the plague. P.S. The service indicator has just appeared in my car this morning. It'll be Victoria Garage in Maud this time for sure. It's worth the 40 extra miles round trip for me.

A work colleague and I both have Mk1 Octavia vRS estates, and we have both been waiting for about a month now for Specialist Cars Skoda to call us in for repair. We have different car problems, but both require spare parts that are on order. I phoned about a week ago and was told that the parts my car requires are still on order (I was told 3 to 5 working days originally). I am sympathetic if there is a demand for parts, but when you don't even get a courtesy call, you start to wonder whether your details are even on file somewhere, and inevitably start chasing things up. The chap I phoned a week ago did not apologise at all, but instead treated me like a mental case who had unrealistic expectations. My colleague is not having any success with them either, and decided to speak to the person in charge. After several phonecalls, he finally got through to the "brand manager" Rob McWilliam this morning, who said "I'm in a meeting, will call you back". Nice. Time will tell if he actually does. It's a bit too much of a coincidence that the two Skoda vRS owners at my work are having similar problems with the same Skoda dealership. There is an air of disorganisation up at Specialist Cars Skoda. For now, it's a thumbs down from me.:thumbdwn: :thumbdwn: :thumbdwn: :thumbdwn: :thumbdwn: I'll post an update when (or if !!!) there is anything to report.

Hi everyone, Bought a 2nd hand Octavia VRS (Black Estate) last weekend. Loving it so far, though Aberdeenshire roads are still a bit snowy to go mad just yet! Just wanted to say hi, and great to see such a busy online community of enthusiasts! Marty