Got a 1.8T L&K on order which should arrive in July, but i've contacted various areas of Skoda UK trying to find out info or bits and pieces for the forthcoming car, and to be honest, it's not been that good!

1) Tried to find out if I can get mine fitted with the locking gearstick mechanism like on the continent, having had a guy at Skoda CZ tell me his head mechanic says there is ABSOLUTELY no reason it shouldn't fit AND work, but i'm pretty sure Skoda UK aren't gonna do anything about it for me! The guy there said they're NOW looking at trying one in a test car, but that'll be no good to me as it'll be ages until it filters through and it'll cost me loads in parts to retro fit by that time probably.

2) Can't get the dealer to get in a £40 waterproof boot protector to look at and see if it's good or tat as Skoda UK won't let him return it if I don't want it. Bit petty since I'm buying £18,000 worth of car off them, surely?! I could just look at it, and if I don't want it, go tear it in the car park and get a refund, but do they really want me to do that?!

3) Phoned the dealer to enquire about how much it'd cost to colour code the chrome grill black, and (eventually) got a call back saying the bodyshop they use (sounded like monkeys, to be honest!) said it'd be £100 but i'd have to write a letter excusing them from any guarantee on it in case it got a stone ship and cracked! Nice! Is there anyone else here who's painted theirs (PROPERLY!) and had that problem at all?

Just feel that Skoda don't seem too bothered in helping with anything difficult once you've paid your money.... and I haven't even got the car yet!!

Any help on any of these, or are people getting the same experiences as me??

:(

I think that you are been somewhat over expectant.

1. The locking mechanism, as you know isnt offered in the UK, strange as that maybe. Do you really expect a company to introduce it just for you? There must be a reason why they dont have it in the UK, type approval etc, may not be to do with Skoda at all but a 3rd Party.

2. Again, go to any dealer, or indeed many retailers and ask them to order something in that isnt a stock item for you to have a look at to see if you like it. How many do you think will say OK, we will take the loss if you dont like it?

3.Maybe over the top but there would be some people in this world that would expect Skoda or the bodyshop to respray it if you got a stone chip. This is just a way of making sure that aint gonna happen. Again though, I would guess even if you approached your own bodyshop they would say that it will be prone to stone chips as the plastic was not designed to be painted and so not be as durable as say the wing mirror paint.

Steve

welcome along, i would be interested if the gear stick lock could be bought aftermarket. as for nets and boot covers try ebay ive got the boot netting off ebay and it was fraction of the price and better imho.

skoda dealers are tight in my opinion and i had numourous problems with them when i ordered mine.

I too wouldnt mind a color coded grill, so perhaps someone on here who knows a good local body sprayer could organise a group buy as i for one would be interested.

Why not buy another grille and have it painted as required by the supplying dealer or a bodyshop and keep the original grille incase things don't work out with the painted one or it needs work like repainting etc.

Keith;)

ANY dealer that says they can't return accessories is pulling your leg. you can't return things that are under £10 in value, but they've recently changed their rules and so you can return accessories now.

which bootliner was it?

If the boot liner is the insert one I had (it has a raised lip all around) then it is hard wearing and waterproof (I put a lot of wet technical equipment on it) but it does foul 2 of the securing hooks as it’s shape wasn’t cut to fit around them. It was worth it over all I felt.

I think that you are been somewhat over expectant.

2. Again, go to any dealer, or indeed many retailers and ask them to order something in that isnt a stock item for you to have a look at to see if you like it. How many do you think will say OK, we will take the loss if you dont like it?

That is just wrong. MANY retailers will gladly order you something if they don't have it in stock. Some ask you to pay up front, some ask you to pay on delivery and some on receipt of goods.

If the item is not what you expected, required or it simply wasn't upto scratch, you have every right to return the item(s).

Its a bit like going into a car dealer and saying you want to spend 18 grand on a top spec car with the biggest engine only for a salesman to turn around and say 'well, we only have the 1.4 in the bog standard trim'.

Would you really shell out all the cash if you can't test drive what you want to buy?

Totally disagree with you tomo, you're obviously a frustrated dealer who needs to change his job!

For a start, the locking mechanism IS a skoda factory part, not a third party bit, so don't know why you're going down that route, and all I asked for is for it to be fitted to my car while it's in the factory when, as i've said, there is no reason it can't be fitted as the mechanic/technician from Skoda headquarters is 100% sure there is no problem with the fitting of it on a right hand drive car as it's available elsewhere.

Why shouldn't they get the part in??! For the sake of £40, I don't see the problem with Skoda UK allowing a dealer to return it seeing as i've just shelled out 18 grand for one of their cars??!! I'd understand if I was looking at one for a car i've had ages and just want to browse but, c'mon, i've just bought a NEW CAR from the f*ckers, surely it's within the realms of common sense to get in a few parts as a goodwill gesture at least? It's a pretty sh*tty state of affairs if you're not allowed to even see stuff in the flesh to adourn your BRAND NEW CAR when you've forked over what equates to a years wages to some people?! I think on that point you're being totally unrealistic Tomo!

I understand that there's a possibility of it chipping, but they haven't even seen the item to comment on it. There's loads of people on here who've had it done and I don't see them complaining? The fact I had to explain to them that you don't spray straight on to the chrome shows you the point i'm making that they're not competent in their job! Example: recently had a panel beaten and sprayed cos someone went into me by Phirm FX who are old skool, proper spraypainters. Asked for a load of quotes from so called experts, one of which was a PROPER VAG bodyshop, and they all wanted to cut a new panel in, which cost even more than beating it! All because a lot of bodyshops out there nowadays employ YTS monkeys who want to go the quick fix, easy route because they don't have the skill to do the job properly, as an ACTUAL PROFESSIONAL would do it.

For the record, I didn't even bother with the dealer for the locking mechanism cos I suspected it'd be well over their head in terms of them being allowed to order it, it was Skoda UK that are jerking me about and not interested in throwing me a bone, where others have in the past with my history of car marques.

Not impressed.:thumbdwn:

I'm with Tommo on this. Quite a "spoiled" attitude to have really. You've bought a brand new car .... so what ?

You're having a laugh aren't you??!! Unless you have more money than sense, and buy a new car every other week, I can't see how you can be so flipant. Skoda up the warranty on accessories from 2 to 3 years IF you buy it at the time of purchase of a new car, so they know the score about impulse buying ad getting extras at time of purchase. So what's the big deal with giving dealers a bit of leeway and letting people look at items that interest them AT THAT TIME. It's Skoda UK that are shafting the dealer, not the dealer doing me. My dealer may well come through and order one anyway, but my gripe is why HQ are so tight at letting items go out for show when at worst they're only gonna be fitted by main dealers, and at best they're not even gonna come out the packaging!

Can't see any logic in your argument when you've handed over at least £7-8k on whatever model you've gone for... unless you're a bitter Skoda employee... or a bit of a tw*t.

Actually, motr makes a similar point about three posts up, but I had to reiterate it cos it was obviously missed.

If your that bothered you should have asked for the liner chucking in as part of the deal, as for the colour coded grill just take it to your own bodyshop and get it done, probably cheaper in anycase. As for the lockimg gear stick if you didn't ask your dealer to spec it whats the point of ranting at Skoda UK? afaik some items (outside uk build spec) are specifieable on the ordering system, if they aren't then sorry live with it.

If it turn out to be sh*te, why would I want it as part of the deal?

:orb_bonk:

Think you're missing the point that i'd like to see it before I buy it!

According to Skoda, the locking mechanism adds about 6-7 minutes of protection before the thief can drive away with your car, which in the scheme of things is a LOOOONG time, so i'm guessing by what you said you're not too bothered if your car gets nicked when a simple extra could possibly stop it and at worst be a visible deterent??!

spanner.

Less of the tw @t, spanner etc etc thank you very much.... consider this a warning.

spanner.

I'll raise your spanner

TOOL

If you read what I had posted then you would realise that the dealer may have been able to order the locking mechanisam in the first place, why would Skoda UK get involved, if the dealer can't specify it then not a lot SUK can do. If you had said when you was concluding the deal you wanted a boot liner on top I doubt a dealer would have lost the sale for £40. How carp can it be and what do you expect for £40?:confused:

For your information, smart*rse, the guy i've been speaking to at Skoda UK has just called me to tell me that apparently there's one bit of it that stops it from fitting onto a RHD gearbox but they are looking at getting a test car made with a redesign of the part to see if it's viable option to include in the future... all on the strength of my phonecall to them! Now I know it doesn't fit, i'm happy to drop it, but i'd have liked to have been given the option if it was possible... i actually LIKE keeping my car on my drive and not having a load of scrotes doing 60mph in it in the local Asda carpark!

You can call yourself anything from my toolbox for all I care, they all fit.

I take it having your name in red letters means something, although there's nothing in the FAQ to tell me. I guess it makes red lettered people something important... even if they don't actually appear to own a skoda!

Unlike you i'm not wasteful and don't see the point in getting something if i'm not gonna use it!

Hang on, why did I get 'warned' but postmanpat didn't for calling me a tool?! What is this, briskoda.nazi??

For your information, smart*rse, the guy i've been speaking to at Skoda UK has just called me to tell me that apparently there's one bit of it that stops it from fitting onto a RHD gearbox but they are looking at getting a test car made with a redesign of the part to see if it's viable option to include in the future... all on the strength of my phonecall to them!!

Yeh rite course they are, next time can you suggest a 2.0 tfsi with DSG gearbox, and whilst your at it a fabia vRS with the same

Now I know it doesn't fit, i'm happy to drop it, but i'd have liked to have been given the option if it was possible...

But you weren't and you could have been told such by the dealer.

i actually LIKE keeping my car on my drive and not having a load of scrotes doing 60mph in it in the local Asda carpark!

But it would suite your attitude and burberry accessories so well :confused:

You can call yourself anything from my toolbox for all I care, they all fit.

thanks I'll be a Stanley Knife, sharper than the average tool Boo Boo

I take it having your name in red letters means something, although there's nothing in the FAQ to tell me. I guess it makes red lettered people something important

Yup its rag week and I easily get pi$$ed off with eedjits...

even if they don't actually appear to own a skoda!

True I nicked both of mine cos they had no gear stick locking mechanism :P

Hang on, why did I get 'warned' but postmanpat didn't for calling me a tool?! What is this, briskoda.nazi??

And finally because I was only trying to help and give usefull criticism and you jumped in and let loose with the insults, to which I responded.

:popcorn:

Hang on, why did I get 'warned' but postmanpat didn't for calling me a tool?! What is this, briskoda.nazi??

I will refer you to the forum rules;

http://briskoda.net/forums/forum-rules-faqs-please-read/forum-posting-policy-etiquette/15034/

Red lettering means forum moderator.

Man you need to ge out more!

So i'll ask again, why wasn't postmanpat warned as well then??