I have just looked on the Skoda UK website at the list of standard and optional features and they are still listing an alloy spare wheel as standard and a space saving spare wheel as an option FOC (for the 1.4TSI Elegance Hatchback anyway). Mind you they also say that it comes with a variable boot floor which the bochure says is only in the estate. When Skoda UK contradict themselves so often is it any wonder buyers are not sure what we're suppossed to be getting.

I think you get a wheel in the Elegance or L&K only. Everything else it's extra or gunk.

I think you get a wheel in the Elegance or L&K only. Everything else it's extra or gunk.

The July 2009 Brochure states for the Elegance : 'Tyre repair kit (no spare wheel)', and for the L&K : 'Space saving spare wheel' followed by 'Tyre repair kit (no spare wheel)' :confused:

If Skoda want to stop supplying cars with spare wheels and advertise the fact in there current brochure then that's fair enough at least you know before you order the car. However they should supply spare wheels as advertised in the previous brochure for those that ordered the car on this basis, i.e. before the new brochure was published.

Whilst they do say in the brochure that the specification, design etc relates to the time the brochre is printed and is not binding they also say that the Skoda retailers are notified of any changes and you should confirm the exact specifications with them.

When I ordered mine the salesman, when I asked him specifically, denied there were any changes from the pre July brochure therefore either Skoda UK had neglected to inform the dealer of the changes or he chose not to tell me before I signed the order so I think I have a reasonable expectation that either Skoda or the dealer should supply an alloy spare wheel as ordered.

Note that although a full size steel or space saving spare wheel can be ordered for £50 this is 'Dependant on trim and optional tyre fitted'

The Skoda helpdesk admitted their brochure is wrong. NO Octavia comes with any spare wheel, only gunk. There is an almost parallel thread in which I posted this: http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/spare-wheel-cost-option/150627/2/#post1756003

What sort of spare you get depends on the trim level of the car, but for my new L&K it will be a space saver.

Thanks for the link Fellwalker

There appears to be much confusion caused by misprints in Skoda brochures combined with changes in spec by Skoda.

Bit surely if the misprinted then that's their fault not ours? On that basis SUK must honour the brochure details.

Lets be honest, how many people, when picking up a car from a dealer, whever its a new or used, goes and checks there is a spare tyre in place........

Ive never done it, and im sure not many others have either. But im sure someone on here will have...:(

And what would you call them.............:weeping:

My dealer went to great pains to show me the full size (but steel wheel) spare in my Octy when I bought it.

Down here in Aus, there has been a reasonably large revolt over foam kits & space savers. We aren't taxed based on emissions, so the manufacturers obviously delete the full size spare to save money & weight. AFAIK, there's no such thing as a 24 hour tyre service (except for semi-trailers). The motoring journos and Automobile associations are right behind the protest as one of them had a puncture in Western NSW in a Merc 4WD and it took 3 days to get it fixed at a prohibitive cost. Once you get outside of the large coastal population centres, it becomes impossible to get anything done at night or on Sundays.

I've had 2 punctures in my Octy in 12 months. I carry a plug kit (called dog turds) with me these days - illegal but effective.

Just spoke with my Skoda dealer, he said that so many customers had complained that some Skoda big wigs came over to UK for a meeting with the Skoda dealers. All the dealers complained and now Skoda have stated they are going to reconsider the issue.

Fingers crossed they make the right choice and give us our spare tyre's back!

My dealer said he'll let me know when he hears anymore so watch this space....

Thanks for posting that njcact, let's hope they make the right decision. I'm sure the dealers are unhappy with the situation too as they are the ones who have to deal with the irate purchasers.

I think manufacturers are merely doing this to save money and maybe aren't aware of the depth of feeling against not having a proper spare wheel.

I don't know about other manufacturers but I've just checked the VW Golf Price list and the Golf gets a steel space saving spare wheel and even that would be better than a can of gunk.

Bit surely if the misprinted then that's their fault not ours? On that basis SUK must honour the brochure details.

No, I'm afraid not. The brochure says

" Whilst every effort is made to ensure its accuracy, the information in this brochure is not binding and is subject to alteration. Some illustrations in this brochure depict left hand drive models, with both standard and optional equipment shown. Please confirm exact specifications, prices and colour availability with your Škoda retailer who will be notified of any specification changes as they occur. "

No, I'm afraid not. The brochure says

" Whilst every effort is made to ensure its accuracy, the information in this brochure is not binding and is subject to alteration. Some illustrations in this brochure depict left hand drive models, with both standard and optional equipment shown. Please confirm exact specifications, prices and colour availability with your Škoda retailer who will be notified of any specification changes as they occur. "

No doubt Skoda have had their legal team check out the above statement but manufacturers have been known to have clauses which are not enforcable in Engish law.

It would be interesting to see how it would stand up in court.

No doubt Skoda have had their legal team check out the above statement but manufacturers have been known to have clauses which are not enforcable in Engish law.

It would be interesting to see how it would stand up in court.

I'd bet it isnt legal and could be classed as mis-selling, trade descriptions etc etc.

FFS, are we still going on about this. Some of you people need to stop being part time legal eagles and start enjoying your cars.

FFS, are we still going on about this. Some of you people need to stop being part time legal eagles and start enjoying your cars.

Funny how the OP has gone very quiet about the subject.

Maybe he is stuck in the middle of nowhere waiting for Skoda to come out and change his spare !! ;-)

Nah, he's too busy writing letters to his MP, calling for airstrikes on Skoda HQ and moaning at anyone who listens! Either that or spontaneously combusted in his fury!

Is that him I hear singing?

"Three wheels on my wagon....and I'm still rolling along....."

FFS, are we still going on about this. Some of you people need to stop being part time legal eagles and start enjoying your cars.

Well I can't enjoy my new Octavia yet as it's not due to be delivered until September however I am enjoying driving my Passat especially with the knowledge that the wheel in the boot is identical to those on the rest of the car :P:)

show off

I E-mailed Skoda UK and said that this was a poor, short-termist decision and goes against the mantra of creating happy motorists: they may not act on it but at last someone from Skoda rang me up yesterday and promised that it would be considered by management.

Others may like to E-mail them as well: someone from Skoda said in the phone to a fellow-member of the Honest John forum that 'if enough people complain something wil be done'.

I was contacted by my dealer last Wednesday (or Thursday) telling me my Octavia is due to be built either this week or next. So I brought up the subject that I was aware that the specification had changed in the July brochure and that I understood that the cars are being delivered without a full sized spare wheel and he confirmed this is indeed the case.

I pointed out to him that when I ordered the car (in May) that he confirmed the specification in the pre July brochure had not changed and I therefore expected a full sized alloy spare wheel. He said he agreed with this and passed me on to the sales manager who also said she understood my position and advised me to contact Skoda. I didn't think it was up to me to do this as my contract is with the dealer so she said she would contact Skoda for me but it could be 24-48 hours before she was able to do so.

After not hearing anything for a week I telephoned them today and the salesman said he hadn't heard anything but would ask the sales manager and call me back. When he called me back he said that Skoda had agreed to pay 50% of the cost of £150 for a spare wheel, but I said that although that was something I still thought I was entitled to a spare wheel and that Skoda should be responsible for all the cost and asked if the 50% also applied to the space saver spare wheel too. He said he would speak to the sales manager again.

He then called again a short time later and said that the £150 was for a spacesaver spare wheel, I pointed out that this was only £50 but he said that was a factory fitted option and it was too late for that and it would be a dealer option instead and was therefore a £100 more as they had to fit it and it was only cheaper as a factory option as they buy them cheaper ! I said that £100 extra for simply putting it into the boot was a bit excessive and he said that I should e-mail Skoda.

Instead of e-mailing I telephoned Skoda UK and spoke to a customer service representative who upon checking claimed that there had been no contact with the dealer regarding the spare wheel and that the dealers were actually informed by them in April. It was, she said, the responsibility of the dealer to resolve this and she would contact them to say so. She also said that it appeared the dealer was aware that I should have been informed of the change in specification and was trying to resolve this themselves.

It seems to me that by asking me to pay half (which amounts to £75) for a factory option that only costs £50 is trying to avoid paying any or at least the full amount of their error in not advising me of the change of specification.

To be honest I'm absolutely fed up of the whole thing. I am taking advantage of the scrappage discount but the latest offers by Skoda of VAT free and interest free credit mean that I might be better off trading it in instead.

I'm now seriously considering cancelling the car as I feel as if I'm being messed about and it appears the dealer is not being entirely honest with me.

I'm going to see them on Friday and if they are not prepared to supply a full sized alloy spare as originally ordered, and according to other posts on this forum other dealers are being more reasonable, then I might not be getting a new Octavia after all.

Thank goodness I don't buy new cars very often if it's always a dissapointing experience as this is.

(Sorry if I've gone on a bit, I know long posts are a bit daunting but thanks to those that have read it all)

I have it in writing that a spare wheel will be supplied for my order 08/06/09 for a 1.4TSI which has turned into a 1.8 TSI which is of course another story!!

I also tried another dealer who would have also thrown in a spare wheel for the sake of the sale.

With the VAT deals now, the scrap scheme is not as good as it was............I even considered canceling my crap deal for the 1.8 and waiting for a 1.4 at a slighty cheaper deal but 1.4s are like hen's teeth..........has anyone seen one?

My MOT on my scrap car in due at the end of Oct so I have been assured that the 1.8TSI should be in my drive by 01/10/09 which will be within the 4 months (just!) for the crap deals.

My cash is still waiting to leave my account to help the country out of recession but can I spend it?..........NO.

I was contacted by my dealer last Wednesday (or Thursday) telling me my Octavia is due to be built either this week or next. So I brought up the subject that I was aware that the specification had changed in the July brochure and that I understood that the cars are being delivered without a full sized spare wheel and he confirmed this is indeed the case.

I pointed out to him that when I ordered the car (in May) that he confirmed the specification in the pre July brochure had not changed and I therefore expected a full sized alloy spare wheel. He said he agreed with this and passed me on to the sales manager who also said she understood my position and advised me to contact Skoda. I didn't think it was up to me to do this as my contract is with the dealer so she said she would contact Skoda for me but it could be 24-48 hours before she was able to do so.

After not hearing anything for a week I telephoned them today and the salesman said he hadn't heard anything but would ask the sales manager and call me back. When he called me back he said that Skoda had agreed to pay 50% of the cost of £150 for a spare wheel, but I said that although that was something I still thought I was entitled to a spare wheel and that Skoda should be responsible for all the cost and asked if the 50% also applied to the space saver spare wheel too. He said he would speak to the sales manager again.

He then called again a short time later and said that the £150 was for a spacesaver spare wheel, I pointed out that this was only £50 but he said that was a factory fitted option and it was too late for that and it would be a dealer option instead and was therefore a £100 more as they had to fit it and it was only cheaper as a factory option as they buy them cheaper ! I said that £100 extra for simply putting it into the boot was a bit excessive and he said that I should e-mail Skoda.

Instead of e-mailing I telephoned Skoda UK and spoke to a customer service representative who upon checking claimed that there had been no contact with the dealer regarding the spare wheel and that the dealers were actually informed by them in April. It was, she said, the responsibility of the dealer to resolve this and she would contact them to say so. She also said that it appeared the dealer was aware that I should have been informed of the change in specification and was trying to resolve this themselves.

It seems to me that by asking me to pay half (which amounts to £75) for a factory option that only costs £50 is trying to avoid paying any or at least the full amount of their error in not advising me of the change of specification.

To be honest I'm absolutely fed up of the whole thing. I am taking advantage of the scrappage discount but the latest offers by Skoda of VAT free and interest free credit mean that I might be better off trading it in instead.

I'm now seriously considering cancelling the car as I feel as if I'm being messed about and it appears the dealer is not being entirely honest with me.

I'm going to see them on Friday and if they are not prepared to supply a full sized alloy spare as originally ordered, and according to other posts on this forum other dealers are being more reasonable, then I might not be getting a new Octavia after all.

Thank goodness I don't buy new cars very often if it's always a dissapointing experience as this is.

(Sorry if I've gone on a bit, I know long posts are a bit daunting but thanks to those that have read it all)

I've had a very similar experience, Elegance 1.8 tsi estate ordered mid June, only found out several weeks later that the spec does not include a spare. Initially went back to the dealer who said order could not be changed etc etc, referred to Skoda who pointed me back to the dealer.

It was only after reading an earlier post that I saw that one of the forum had a similar problem but it was resolved by the dealer who ordered in an Octavia with a spare which was exchanged with the bottle of green gunk/compressor.

So I went back to the dealer and suggested a similar resolution to which he agreed, keeping my fingers crossed that all goes to plan and I should have a spare wheel shortly after delivery.

Seems that you have to be fairly persistent to resolve the matter satisfactorily.

I've had a very similar experience, Elegance 1.8 tsi estate ordered mid June, only found out several weeks later that the spec does not include a spare. Initially went back to the dealer who said order could not be changed etc etc, referred to Skoda who pointed me back to the dealer.

It was only after reading an earlier post that I saw that one of the forum had a similar problem but it was resolved by the dealer who ordered in an Octavia with a spare which was exchanged with the bottle of green gunk/compressor.

So I went back to the dealer and suggested a similar resolution to which he agreed, keeping my fingers crossed that all goes to plan and I should have a spare wheel shortly after delivery.

Seems that you have to be fairly persistent to resolve the matter satisfactorily.

Thanks for that Nick, that's maybe a possible solution but it should not be necessary. I may suggest that to the dealer but I'm fast losing interest in the whole deal. Is your dealer supplying the spare for free or is he charging you anything for it and is it a proper spare or a space saver ?

To be honest I'm only changing my passat because of the scrappage allowance and the 15% VAT rate. There's nothing seriously wrong with it and I'd be happy to keep it if I cancel the Octavia.