Just thought i'de get some advice from some readers before I make contact with the garage.

I purchased a VRS advertised as Common Rail last October from a car supermarker (traded in my old car), and was only 6 weeks old. Advertisement and sales receipt show it as the CR. I had no reason to doubt it as I had not had a VAG diesel engine in the past to compare with. It was one of the reasons I purchased the car cos the CR got a very good write up - better power delivery and lower Tax bracket.

I have found out this week (Feb) that it is infact the PD engine - what a bummer, or is it.

So, here are my questions :-

1. Do I have any claim on the supermarket, either for compensation OR sale of goods act etc.... and Not as advertised.

2. What would YOU do.

3. What disadvantages do I have with the older PD engine.

Finally, just so I am sure it is a PD engine, how do I tell by looking in the engine bay and/or chassis number etc....before I go into battle....

G.

The noise on start-up should give the game away.

The PD will sound like most other diesels when cold and on tick-over, the CR will sound almost petrol-like by comparison.

There is another thread in the Octavia Mk 2 section asking how you can tell the difference between the two engines by looking, which was placed fairly recently, and there are pictures attached to that thread.

Look at your V5C and the engine number, it will start with 3 letters. Post those 3 letters on here, thats the engine code and should reveal all.

Just thought i'de get some advice from some readers before I make contact with the garage.

I purchased a VRS advertised as Common Rail last October from a car supermarker (traded in my old car), and was only 6 weeks old. Advertisement and sales receipt show it as the CR. I had no reason to doubt it as I had not had a VAG diesel engine in the past to compare with. It was one of the reasons I purchased the car cos the CR got a very good write up - better power delivery and lower Tax bracket.

I have found out this week (Feb) that it is infact the PD engine - what a bummer, or is it.

So, here are my questions :-

1. Do I have any claim on the supermarket, either for compensation OR sale of goods act etc.... and Not as advertised.

2. What would YOU do.

3. What disadvantages do I have with the older PD engine.

Finally, just so I am sure it is a PD engine, how do I tell by looking in the engine bay and/or chassis number etc....before I go into battle....

G.

1) Yes, speak to trading standards or the C.A.B to find out exactly what your rights are.

2) I'd get a skoda garage to confirm it's a PD, then send copies of your receipt and advert along with a copy of the skoda garage report to the selling garage asking them to rectify the matter.

I'd probably want the CR engined car in exchange, but if you were to be offered a good discount, eg a refund of part of the amount you paid, then I'd think that might be tempting at times like this.

3) PD is noisier, higher VED band, apparently less fuel efficient and is known to have issues with the DPF on it.

The PD however does appear to give a bit of a heavier kick in the back when you boot it, if that is your sort of thing.

Something else to consider is that a PD170 will be worth less than a CR170 come resale time, although by how much is anyone's guess right now.

HTH

Check the sticker next to the spare wheel well

CEGA is a CR and BMN (IIRC) will be a PD.

If you have a PD it's gonna get messy I'm afraid. You'll need to take some serious advice, paid for if necessary as you'll stand to lose a fair bit. Bottom line IMHO is if you have in invoice for a CR then you are in the clear all bar sorting out the adjustment for usage etc.

There is going to be one very unhappy car supermarket owner out there tonight.

If you have finance on it I think they would be my first port of call as they effectively own the vehicle.

Hope you get some clarification soon! What initially brought you to question whether it had a CR unit?

I suppose if you'd never driven a PD you'd not know any different. That's fair enough I suppose, but the CR is far more linear in its power delivery.

Steve

I know what CR is, but what does PD stand for?

(maybe I should just stick with petrol)

Pumpe Duse - or Unit Injector

Thanks all for you advice.

Service manual sticker states BMN which is the PD engine.

I have now sent a snotty letter to the company in question saying they have contravened the sale of goods act, that I have been mis-sold and what they intend to do to rectify the situation.

I look forward to their reply and will let you know how I get on.

Thanks

G

I would also contact a lawyer too. From past issues with my job been nice by sending a DIY letter is not really the way to go.

James.

I agree definitely get onto a solicitor to review your case and if appropriate write a letter and threaten court.

Surely the most straightforward to find out if it's a CR is to go and rev it.... if it goes to 5.4k rpm then you have a CR!!

Bad news that you've been mis-sold - good luck with getting it sorted to your satisfaction

Looks a pretty open and shut Sale of Goods Act, Manifestly Not As Advertised. If you have an invoice with CR on it, they are legally obliged to supply you with a CR-equipped vehicle. In that case if they've supplied a PD they've broken a legally-binding contract and you have them (eventually) by the short and curlies.

If they're going to get awkward about it, threaten a solicitor and tell they you hold them responsible for all your costs.

Also mention you're copying any future letters about this to Trading Standards, local media and BBC watchdog. Give them 5 days to reply in writing (tell them that)

If all that fails, tell them you will be parking the car across the main access to their customer car park at 9am in a day's time with the local TV in tow - It worked for me and a recalcitrant dealer (and the manufacturer) suddenly found the part that wasn't available anywhere in Europe ("none anywhere, even at the factory, could be 3-6 months, sir").....

I wish you good luck with this case hope all turns out well

Do you have 'Legal Insurance' cover, perhaps with your car or house contents Insurance? If so you ought to be able to get them, and their solicitors, to act for you at no direct cost.

If you have the car on Finance then again the finance company's solicitor may well act for you (be a degree circumspect if they are linked/associated to the supermarket you bought the car from).

Thereafter the choice is yours, and you have had loads of good advice already, but o me it is 1. New CR engined car or 2. big fat compensation payment.

Good luck.

Send everything by "Recorded Delivery" and keep all the receipts (you can go to Royal Mail website a day or so later to print out delivery confirmation and even digital scan of signature in some cases)

I'd say special delivery 11am as you get it tracked fully then and know it will reach them the next morning, by 11am.

The thing is, what resolution are you hoping for?

Again, thanks for all your comments.

As regards what do I hope for :-

I can hope to get the car I thought I was buying, and with comparable mileage and age at the time I purchased. Chances of them having such a vehicle, cos it just about has every extra on it (sat nav, 18 inch, electric pack, parking aids, xenons) is remote to say the least.

Wether or not I can demand a full refund of the value of the car and go elsewhere with my cash sounds very debatable, and probably would require the involvement of solicitors. It also gets messy cos I part ex'ed a vehicle which they may still have. I certainly don't want that back with another owner on the log book.

Finally, one person suggested a fat compensation - again, I have no idea how much is regarded as FAT. I would have to way up the fact that I am not driving around in something I thought was my pride and joy. How would you even estimate what the difference in value a new designed engine, smoother response, better resale value , pride and bragging rights etc... is worth...

Any further advice would be greatly accepted, but please be reasonable and not go overboard to the extremes of getting into a very messy , probably long drawn out court case.

A simple, what would you DO, EXPECT and ACCEPT would be great, just so I can gather some reasonable advice, having never been in this situation and not wanting to be a push-over to them...

p.s. They have just been in touch while writing this, saying there is not much between to 2 engines, its taxation bracket is the same etc..... Told the guy to speak with his manager and while doing so, put himself in my shoes. Also said I am willing to accept a car of the design and spec that I thought I was buying OR a full refund. We will see what he comes back with after seeing his manager.

Thanks again, and keep the advice coming

G

I'm personally VERY happy with my PD engined car. I would ask them to pay you some compensation (not sure how much is reasonable, sorry) and then enjoy the PD car.

As for the problems with the DPF (diesel particulate filter) I haven't had any in 25,000 miles and as long as you intend to keep the car standard and drive some motorway miles every now and again, then you shouldn't have any problems either.

By all accounts the PD engine is much more fun to drive than the CR and the CR is supposed to feel a little slow compared to the PD. This is probably to do with the power delivery of the PD, which I love!

Enjoy the car and take their money, best of both worlds IMHO.

HTH

I am sure it will work itself out, your receipt i.e proof of purchase states CR not PD so they really don't have a leg to stand on.

Quote - "goods do not conform to contract at the time of sale, purchasers can request their money back "within a reasonable time". (This is not defined and will depend on circumstances)"

Full refund would be the easiest way to go i.e. what you paid on exchange or you could ask for some money back. If you are happy with the car get a proper book price between the two and ask for the difffence in cash. I am sure there are people on here that can tell you how much a P.D vs CR with same spec would be.

This will come in handy - Sale of Goods Act Quick Facts - BERR

Malc

I'd start haggling at about £5,000 compensation with the expectation of settling c. £3,000 - £2,500

You wouldnt get a full refund anyway, the dealer will deduct money based on how long you have owned the car, mileage covered, and the fact there is now an extra owner on the V5C and then base the refund on current book prices.

To be fair to the dealer, they may well have thought themselves that it was a CR and not a PD. As its a car supermarket they may not have had at that time the knowledge to tell them apart, and they may have bought the car themselves having been told it was a CR engine.

You obviously like the car, its the right spec and you have already been driving it for 4 months so go down the compensation route.

Playing devil's advocate, the car supermarket may not have the knowledge to tell them apart, but they are in the business of making money from selling cars. They should not, therefore, advertise a car as something it's not.

Regardless of whether the buyer is 'happy' with the car he ends up with, I would imagine that a CR VRS would sell at a premium over and above a PD version, since it is the latest engine, so it likely that a higher price was paid than should have been paid.

If I was in that position, I personally would have been gutted if I'd wanted the Common Rail, but ended up with the PD.