Octavia Long delivery times

[fbrj]

Just to add to the general useful info on this thread - about my experiences ordering and delivery times etc.

On 7th Oct I ordered a new Octavia Elegance 1.8TSI DSG Estate. The only extras were metallic paint (Anthracite), Columbus, Tyre Pressure sensor, and wood trim (yes, I know - but special request from SWMBO!!). I had a call from the dealer a couple of days ago to say it was scheduled for a week 46 build and "should be available to collect around Mid December".

When I bought the car I went armed with a DtD quote (for the above spec) and that came in at just under £17,100 (and after adjusting for 3 months RFL, rather than the 12 months provided by my dealer).

After some discussion/haggling with the sales manager (and lots of sucking in of breath and tapping on his calculator!) the best he could offer was £17,975 (pre an already discussed and almost agreed trade in value for my Octy 2003 Estate). At which point we stood up and said "thanks but no thanks" and started to walk out. I was asked what would make me change my mind and I said he had to bridge the gap to the DtD figure.

More phone calls and he came back with an extra £200 trade in (I knew the initial figure we had was above book - as we had already had lengthy discussions on the trade in value - and on that basis, fair) and 3 years free servicing. I thought the servicing was worth about £600+ (?) and so on that basis the deal was clinched and I signed up there and then. Although the numbers stacked up for me - the thought of not having to organise a private sale for my old car was an added bonus!

I thought the end result was fair and that the dealer had really made an effort. I was also pleased to give the business to a local dealer and where I have had my old Octy, regularly serviced. Oh yes, 3 other points - 50% 0% financing over 2 years, oral confirmation from the sales manager that Skoda would pick up the tab (re increase in VAT) if delivery was post 31st December and confirmation that the newly agreed trade in value was firm even though it could be up to 3 months or more before the car was handed over.

[john999boy]

oral confirmation from the sales manager that Skoda would pick up the tab (re increase in VAT) if delivery was post 31st December and confirmation that the newly agreed trade in value was firm even though it could be up to 3 months or more before the car was handed over.

Just plucked this from the SUK website:-

ALL OCTAVIA MODELS, TAX FREE*

Until 31st January 2010 we’ve reduced the price on all Octavia models, so it’ll be like not having to pay the VAT.

HTH

[Deepjoy]

Just plucked this from the SUK website:-

ALL OCTAVIA MODELS, TAX FREE*

Until 31st January 2010 we’ve reduced the price on all Octavia models, so it’ll be like not having to pay the VAT.

HTH

That sounds like good news. But has anyone any thoughts or experience or ordering before the 1st October price increase and still being told that they won't have to pay the extra 2.5% VAT after Jan 1 if that is when the car is delivered. The feeling I'm getting from my dealer is one of 'you can't win on both counts'.

[fbrj]

Just plucked this from the SUK website:-

ALL OCTAVIA MODELS, TAX FREE*

Until 31st January 2010 we’ve reduced the price on all Octavia models, so it’ll be like not having to pay the VAT.

HTH

I've also just noted that the 0% Finance Offer for the Octavia has now been restricted to L&K, vRS, Scout and 4x4 models!!

[CSHH69]

Had my dealer on the phone yesterday.Ordered my car 23rd August and it has now arrived in the uk.It will be ready for pick up later this week but i cant get there until saturday so theres going to be a lot of sleepless nights ahead:)

Just hope all the options that i asked for have arrived aswell:rolleyes:

[fbrj]

That sounds like good news. But has anyone any thoughts or experience or ordering before the 1st October price increase and still being told that they won't have to pay the extra 2.5% VAT after Jan 1 if that is when the car is delivered. The feeling I'm getting from my dealer is one of 'you can't win on both counts'.

There was a thread about the price increases and quite a bit of discussion in it about the VAT increase.

"Also the VAT off and 0% loan offer seemed to have some changes on the conditions.

Rather than having to have the car registered by 31st December it now has to be ordered

by 31st October "

and in another post:

"When I queried the VAT thing at my local dealer, they said providing the dealership raised an invoice for the car before 1st Jan then you'd pay 15% VAT regardless of when the car is registered/paid for. It's the date on the invoice that's important.

Bottom line, get your dealer to invoice you before 1st Jan."

http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/new-suk-prices-offers/158547/

[PowerMalc]

That sounds like good news. But has anyone any thoughts or experience or ordering before the 1st October price increase and still being told that they won't have to pay the extra 2.5% VAT after Jan 1 if that is when the car is delivered. The feeling I'm getting from my dealer is one of 'you can't win on both counts'.

Yes, car ordered 28th Sept at pre-increase price and at time the price would hold regardless of delivery date other than the VAT if it was after 1/1/10. i.e. I would have to pay the extra 2.5% VAT

However subsequent to that my dealer has been informed by SUK that Skoda will absorb the this extra VAT if the car is delivered in January. In effect this is the same as the promotion just started from 1st November

Currently my car has a build date of week 51 so will not be at the dealers until next year

[PowerMalc]

There was a thread about the price increases and quite a bit of discussion in it about the VAT increase.

"When I queried the VAT thing at my local dealer, they said providing the dealership raised an invoice for the car before 1st Jan then you'd pay 15% VAT regardless of when the car is registered/paid for. It's the date on the invoice that's important.

Bottom line, get your dealer to invoice you before 1st Jan."

http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/new-suk-prices-offers/158547/

IMO Not true

The relevant date for tax purposes is the date when the goods or service are provided.

If the car is provided/delivered to you in January you pay the VAT at the rate then prevailing I.E. 17.5%

[fbrj]

IMO Not true

The relevant date for tax purposes is the date when the goods or service are provided.

If the car is provided/delivered to you in January you pay the VAT at the rate then prevailing I.E. 17.5%

I agree that under the HMRC rules that is the how the "basic tax point" is broadly defined; however the basic tax point is overridden by the "actual tax point".

"But whether you supply goods or services, the basic tax point is overridden if an actual tax point is created"

The actual tax point is defined as:

if you...issue a VAT invoice or receive a payment before the basic tax point then the

tax point for the amount you invoice or receive is the date you issue the invoice or receive the payment, whichever happens first.

See Annex B here:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/forms-rates/rates/rate-rise-guidance.pdf#sec26

Anyway, perhaps all this is rather academic - if you have been told by SUK that it will cover the cost of any VAT increase....that should be that! Nevertheless I think there is an argument that if you can get a VAT invoice raised before 1 Jan and delivery is shortly after - then you should not be subject to any VAT related price increase.

[mthomas]

I have heard from a reliable source that the VAT offer due to end today is going to be extended.

According to them, Skoda are going to be doing their Q1 2010 promotion and bringing it forward to Q4 2009, basically extending the VAT offer already going on.

Whether this is true or not I cannot say, but the information is from a reliable source.

[The Plumber]

Not sure if this effects Octavia vRS TDI CR 170 but JonA has just posted in the Yeti forum that Yeti is being fitted from WK46 with a new updated 140 & 170 CR engine.

For the 140 this lowers the CO2 from 159 to 157 and improves overall fuel economy. Sorry no info on 170.

http://briskoda.net/yeti/new-yeti-accessories-brochure-suk/160992/

See post #9

Apologies if this info has been posted elsewhere in the Octavia forum.

[Phil_P]

The original "invoice before 1st Jan" quote came from me, in that I reported what my local dealer told me when I asked about it.

The "VAT offer" is irrelevant to me as I bought under the scrappage scheme, not the VAT offer, so I would simply be paying VAT at the prevailing rate. If I want to collect my car on 1st Jan, I'll have to write a cheque for it a week or two before so it has time to clear, and at the time I write the cheque the VAT will be 15%.

As has been said before, the "VAT offer" is actually an offer amounting to a value similar to the amount of VAT due as of course VAT is always payable. Skoda are simply discounting the pre-tax list price of the car.

[Ahab]

Regarding the VAT fiasco, perhaps the latest What Car briefing may be of use,

Don't get caught in the VAT trap - Car and Car-Buying News - What Car?

As can be seen HMRC are not sure eitherf!!!

[Phil_P]

Regarding the VAT fiasco, perhaps the latest What Car briefing may be of use,

Don't get caught in the VAT trap - Car and Car-Buying News - What Car?

As can be seen HMRC are not sure eitherf!!!

So the advice from that What Car? article is quite clear:

If you want to avoid paying the higher rate of VAT on a car ordered before the end of the year, you will have to clear the balance before December 31.

[m0bov]

I think we're all going round in circles, I posted up a link to an HMCE document about a month ago, pretty much confirming what What Car say, the VAT rate that prevails when the money changes hands, is whats enforced. Its simple really, there is no way legally of avoiding it unless the dealer pays it for you. What you pay before 31st Dec is "VATed" at 15%, what you pay in Jan is "VATed" at 17.5%. Invoices etc are irrelevant, I checked, its when the money is paid, that is when the VAT is applied. Hope that clears it all up.

Anyway, getting back to the original thread subject, I ordered early Sept, expected end of Nov, but the dealer quoted 6 weeks for shipping time from the build week. This seems quite long, most seems to be waiting 3 weeks from the build week.

James

[prolfe]

Yes, car ordered 28th Sept at pre-increase price and at time the price would hold regardless of delivery date other than the VAT if it was after 1/1/10. i.e. I would have to pay the extra 2.5% VAT

However subsequent to that my dealer has been informed by SUK that Skoda will absorb the this extra VAT if the car is delivered in January. In effect this is the same as the promotion just started from 1st November

Currently my car has a build date of week 51 so will not be at the dealers until next year

I might need to give my dealer a call as I am in exactly the same (wonderful) boat as you Malc.

On top of this I saw a FL VRS on the road today, was in red which didn't look so good, but the DRL and new front end looked very very tidy.

[div]

so i might be being a div here but i ordered mine on friday paid the £500 deposit and was given an estimated date of about ten weeks.. with the dealer to confirm sometime this week that would make it mid jan the VAT was paid for as part of the deal so am i safe? will mine be paid for or am i a bit trapped and if i pick it up after dec 31st will i get stung for the VAT?? cant see how they can cos i have a signed receipt and order that shows an outstanding balance what i part ex'd etc etc or am i just being a muppet and having the wool pulled over my eyes?

[PowerMalc]

I might need to give my dealer a call as I am in exactly the same (wonderful) boat as you Malc.

On top of this I saw a FL VRS on the road today, was in red which didn't look so good, but the DRL and new front end looked very very tidy.

My build date might come forward but it would have to come forward to week 46 for it to be here and registered by 14th December. If its not here by then Skoda and my dealer have said it can wait until Jan 1st collection/registration

BTW Its the Red that really sets off the new front end

[prolfe]

My build date might come forward but it would have to come forward to week 46 for it to be here and registered by 14th December. If its not here by then Skoda and my dealer have said it can wait until Jan 1st collection/registration

BTW Its the Red that really sets off the new front end

Should of asked first. What colour did you order?

[bandit1]

My build date might come forward but it would have to come forward to week 46 for it to be here and registered by 14th December. If its not here by then Skoda and my dealer have said it can wait until Jan 1st collection/registration

BTW Its the Red that really sets off the new front end

Mine has also moved from week 1 2010 to week 48

There will be some down time when skoda put in the new software/procedure for ordering & delivering. I remember from another thread that that was going to cause a 5-7 day closure of shipments. Apparently though Skoda have been rushing through cars to clear the backlog, some have come through in 1-1.5 weeks.

I guess mine will still be a Jan 1 car though realistically speaking.

I Wonder if I can convince the dealer deliver it on Trade Plates to leave it on my drive on New Years Eve

[skodakid]

SUK Website - "Until 31st January 2010 we’ve reduced the price on all Octavia models, so it’ll be like not having to pay the VAT."

Again..... at the risk of boring you all to death.

"Tax free" or "Vat free" offers are marketing speak for "discounts" - note that SUK have changed there wording a little to clarify this. All talk about manipulating invoices, tax points etc is irrelevant.

As I expected, the discounts will continue - in all probability, deeper discounts will become available over the coming months as car sales worldwide are dropping dramatically (except perhaps in China).

Lead times will continue to improve until such time as factories start laying people off.

This will be the case for all car manufacturers.

[gadgetman]

(and after adjusting for 3 months RFL, rather than the 12 months provided by my dealer).

How the hell did you get 3 months RFL when the lowest is 6 months? :confused:

[topcat2006]

There does seem to be some confusion about his. I ordered my Octavia yesterday for 8-12 Week Delivery and the dealer has gauranteed I will get the vat saving at the current rate but is not sure what will happen to the extra 2.5% when the vat rate goes back up in January.

Still - at least my turnover will increase by 2.5% in January as we are VAT registered.....!

TC

[skodakid]

not sure what will happen to the extra 2.5% when the vat rate goes back up in January.

TC

Quote Skoda UK website - "Until 31st January 2010 we’ve reduced the price on all Octavia models, so it’ll be like not having to pay the VAT."

Skoda UK should pick up the bill.

[NewbieVRS]

"Tax free" or "Vat free" offers are marketing speak for "discounts" - note that SUK have changed there wording a little to clarify this. All talk about manipulating invoices, tax points etc is irrelevant.

Yes, that's true NOW, but until Skoda qualified their discount-speak, it was a relevant issue.

EG

If I sell a product for £10000+VAT at 15% that would be £11500. If the VAT rate changes, I would probably still sell my product (be it a car or whatever) for £10000+VAT at 17.5 = £11750. My terms of sale would probably state that any price given was subject to changes in the VAT rate, meaning I would not have to swallow the increase by reducing my profit margin.

SUK had a choice - swallow the increase in VAT for cars delivered & paid for after 1/1/10 or insist on getting the extra price increase from the customer (& leaving a very bad taste in the customers' mouths). They've obviously chosen good customer relations and have extended the discount to 31/1/10, thereby making the discount 17.5% for the final month.

Everybody got that? Good