Hello all, I've just bought my first Skoda, a 2006 06 Octavia 1.9tdi 4x4 estate. Metallic black pearlesant paint, cruise control etc. I bought it privately from its first owner. I was very impressed on the test run. Its very well suited to my needs (not too expensive, safe, good quality, good space, handy for occasional snow, good consumption).

The car is 2 and 3/4 years old the seller quite cleverly chose to sell it with 500 miles of warranty left (ie it is on 59,500 miles). I've therefore got 500 miles to establish if there is anything wrong with it that could be fixed under the Skoda warranty.

Only 2 things seem to be under question, and any help would be much appreciated:

1: The handbrake is stiff. The resistance FEELS like it is at the handle end, almost friction in the housing, but that could be misleading. It works very well. I keep getting the 'handbrake on' warning as when you release it, it doesn't drop. Is this a 'feature' (ie normal) or a known fault?

2. Medium wave reception on the 6 CD radio is rubbish. This is a pity as I'm a Radio 5 fan. Searching Google brings up similar problems on other VW group cars. Any experience / advice at getting any required work under warranty would be appreciated.

Many thanks in advance for any help.

Handbrake stiffness is fairly normal. Mine was very stiff when new but eased off a bit - its the plastic housing at the handle end. A carefully aimed dose of silicone spray oil helps a great deal.

Can't comment on the radio, never listen to MW.

Just before my last Octavia went out of warranty, I took it in for a free end of warranty check-up at the dealer. They replaced the EGR valve. I hadn't been aware of a problem so that could be sometihng to get them to check on yours. Maybe the flywheel too. Not really noticed the hand brake on Octavias is especially stiff, but I'm not aware of a common fault with them. Regarding the radio reception, you could get them to scan it on diagnostics to see if there's an antenna fault, but I'd don't think the AM reception is very good anyway.

Take a look at my thread last year about my pre end of warranty issues to be resolved...

http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/pre-end-warranty-niggle-fix-list/107351/

Check your silver trim on the box on top of the dash. This is notorious for coming off. Also check the car starts quickly and easilly when warm, if not it may need a new starter motor because the old one isn't spinning fast enough.

Thanks for the replies so far (more welcomed). Following the advice I've booked a free 'end of warranty check' next week in Salford. I tried Macclesfield but they didn't seem very impressed with the idea!

The handbrake has been relatively stiff on my 2008 since it was new, so I believe it to be a feature. It doesn’t have the springy feel that most new cars have. As long as you accept it’s not a fault you soon get used to it.

I also have the poor radio problem AM is awful, it always sounds as if the presenters are telephoning into the studio from their mobiles. When I listen to football commentary on Radio 5 it always reminds me of the TV coverage from the 1970 World Cup. I keep expecting to hear David Coleman breaking in with “Jairzinho, oh he’s left Cooper standing, Pele…, what a save, Gordon Banks picked that out of the net”. FM is also atrocious, and suffers from terrible interference.

I’m no Derron Brown, but here’s a fairly certain prediction. Telephone Skoda UK Customer Services (0845 7745745) and ask them if there's a known problem with the radio reception on Octavia IIs. I predict they will say there is no known issue that they are aware of, and request you take the car to a dealer to get it looked at. Then, take the car to a dealer, who will say that all Octavias suffer the same problem and there is nothing they can do about it. If you try it, and I’m correct, please le me know and I’ll start doing some card tricks and guessing people's bithdays.

I’ve heard that it is a common VW group problem too, but the cheap Polo courtesy car that I had while they investigated the radio, without success, had far better reception. As does my Hyundai Getz, and that’s on a car that cost 1/3 the price of my Octavia.

The antenna base amplifier is known to pop. SWMBOs '07 vRS has the same problem, by pressing and holding the MENU button for several seconds you can see the antenna amp status amongst other things. ON = amp OK, OFF = amp FUBAR

I even get poor AM reception on my dual antenna diversity setup. DAB tuner methinks.

Thanks to all those who've replied. I've been scanning through the forum tonight (to page 60!) so I've picked up a few bits of info.

I did consider a DAB add on, but don't want cables everywhere. I did wonder if I could hide one in one of the spaces in the boot, powered from the nearby power socket, and route a cable to the AUX socket in my armrest. I'd leave the DAB permanently tuned to radio 5 (only thing I listen to on MW) and could use the normal stereo on FM for Classic FM etc.

Not sure if the power socket in the boot is permanent live?............

I'll update after the visit to the dealer for my end of warranty check-up. I need to at least get the MW fault registered before the warranty runs out. I can continue fighting after the 60K is up. There is enough info in the threads on here to at least (try) to get them to replace the base amplifier.

Found someone on here saying MW performance is inversely proportional to the price of the radio - I think he is correct. My Mums 20 year old Polo with its crap*y radio has fantastic MW reception.

I've got a Pure Highway going spare...

Just an update. Had end of warranty check-up today at Claybank in Salford.

Car given the all clear but not a very inspiring process as far as dealer performance went.

When I'd rung to make the appointment, the service admin lady had been particularly welcoming & reassuring. She was the same today and I noted she had summarised the situation well on the service sheet, including "customer's first skoda, looking for reliable garage to look after it". (i.e make a good impression this time and we may get future business).

A pleasant enough wait for 90mins or so only to be presented with the key and a simple 'the cars OK' from (I assume) the workshop manager. No comment about the 4 or 5 concerns I had noted; no paperwork to file away (in case any of my worries go on to develop into a serious fault next week...out of warranty).

Just a story of a missed opportunity really. A bit more follow-through and thought would have had me well impressed and probably staying inside the dealer network. I suppose I could have pushed it but the feeling given was don't bother. Such a shame after the admin lady being so helpful.

Anyone recomend a good independant on the East side of Manchester?

Radio ariel amp is working, and performance is slightly better after unscrewing and rescrewing the ariel, but still not a patch on my Mum's 20 year old Polo with its simple unamplifed extending steel post.

Are you out of your 500 mile window now then? Only just seen this thread I'm afraid.

If there's still time, give Simpsons in Colne a ring. Yes, it's a bit of a drive for you. But judging by your review of the recently re-opened Manchester dealership they're nothing to write home about (be sure to also put your findings in the dealer review section). Simpsons, on the other hand, were excellent on Saturday in noting, investigating and actiing on the potential warranty issues on my vRS, before it goes out of warranty (on time rather than mileage in my case).

Also, on the radio issue - I would have taken along a reliable and trusty handheld or similar, to show them that it must be an issue of some kind, because just outside the car the reception is perfect! Just an idea

Steve

My Antenna base amplifier has just gone off. Atrocious reception on FM but at least I could get Test Match Special on LW yesterday!

my mw has actually improved in time, i have however unplugged it are reconnected it which might have something to do with it (skoda not plugging them in properly?).

I've no particular experience of poor handbrake operation but with regard to the radio, MW reception in the standard 'Stream' unit is basically rubbish; sound like the 5Live presenters are talking within a tin box, not an acoustic studio.

Only solution IMHO, unless you decide to put up with it, is to switch to an aftermarket unit, I have a mid price Alpine, that will give you better reception and sound overall.

Beware DAB radios also; I would suggest signal coverage can be patchy and you'll suffer from the signal cutting in/out a lot - do some research on this.

Hi and thanks for all your replies:

My Antenna base amplifier has just gone off. Atrocious reception on FM but at least I could get Test Match Special on LW yesterday!

Do you mean the MW was getting some form of interference from the amp?

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Re the advice about Colne dealership: Its not too far from me (good motorwaylinks) so I will give them a try. My 60k will be up today, so next requirement will be parts & serviving.

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Re MW reception improving with re-plugging: I had a Parrot hands-free kit fitted the other day and asked the lad who did that to check the connection. He said it was fine and that the type of fitting meant it was a pretty well locked (not the simple -push-in on the old radios). Reception did seem to improve a little (still not great) when I unscrewed and rescrewed the arial onto its base on the roof.

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Re Removing the console: Mike, I've sent you a message with my email. Very kind of you.

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Re DAB reception: Thanks for the warning. Quality of MW now is just about liveable with, but still pretty rubbish. I don't think I want to change the nice looking head-unit so may stick with what I've got. Has anyone running around the North West got any experience with DAB reception, perhaps with a 'Pure Highway' add-on receiver.

Thanks again to all those who replied.

Hi and thanks for all your replies:

Do you mean the MW was getting some form of interference from the amp?

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Thanks again to all those who replied.

No, there was no interference on MW, which is as crap as ever, but I have noticed that the FM reception has been getting progressively worse over the last couple of weeks. This prompted me to look at the radios' menu settings and I found the dreaded Ant=off in the display.

This has also coincided with the high-level brake light suffering from condensation and that two of the leds have gone out.

Am just wondering whether the two are coincidental or not?

Anyway, warranty work beckons, me thinks!