Just collected my Octavia from the local dealer, the had it 4 days while they investigated the dreaded starting problem that has plagued the car for 18 months and 60,000+ miles.

The tandem pump has FINALLY been identified as being the cause, specifically the non return valve.

Problem is, Skoda UK are presently working out what CONTRIBUTION they will make towards the replacement.

While they do that they have returned my faulty car - lovely.

The annoying thing is I first complained about this well within the warranty period (car was less than 12 months old) and it has been in and out of 3 different Skoda main dealers about 11 times and 2 visits from Skoda assist when the f*****g thing failed to start at all. Both engineers pointed the finger at the tandem pump back then but the condition couldn't be adequately replicated at the dealers so no action would/could be taken.

The annoying thing is why should I be expected to make a contribution to a problem that first started within the warranty period?

I don't have any gripe with any of the dealers but I do have a serious gripe with Skoda UK who have faffed about with this from the word go. On three seperate occasions the dealer has pushed SUK to plump for a new tandem pump but they point blank refused.

IMO they have wasted a darn sight more money in diag. time than the cost of a tandem pump :rotz:

They need to be paying up 100%, without a shadow of a doubt. Good luck. BTW, mine hasn't had a single starting hiccup since having the DPF removed in July. Odd.

as the fault had been notified to Skoda and the dealers and was investigated within the warranty period , then Skoda SHOULD be paying

That is my way of thinking. They keep whinging on that the warranty has expired even though they were notified of this problem comfortably within the warranty period and the mileage of the car has not altered the nature of the problem.

I'll be speaking to trading standards to see what they have to say.

Do you have written proof of all the times they had the car before to rectify the problem? If you do simply get the local dealer to send copies to SUK.

It is down to SUK's incompetency that you still have the fault, their mechanics have already diagnosed the fault when the car was still in warranty, they should be paying 100% of the bill.

Anybody wonder they are called SUK?

I would write a letter to Skoda UK (recorded delivery) stating the dates when the car failed and the action taken by roadside rescue or the main dealers. I would also add the age & mileage when the problem first occurred.

Conclude the letter with something along the lines of: when the fault first occurred the car was within the warranty period therefore it is the responsibilty of Skoda UK to retify the manufacturing defect of the car. Please notify me within 5 working days of the date the car will be repaired and which dealer will be carrying out the repair.

If you get a negative response start a small claims court action, that usually gets things moving.

Some good advice there, thanks

Seeing as the weekend is now upon us I will call SUK CS and speak to the man who has been dealing with my warranty claim. If there is no definitive answer I will step things up a notch or two.

Yup, you need a paper trail with the faults, findings and engineers thoughts to nail it as 100% their issue.

I have the reports from Skoda assist for a kick off and SUK know damn well when it all started because the person I spoke to knew which dealership were previously investigating it

If I have to I will drive down to Caffyns and speak to them, they were actually on my side which makes a change.

I am confident I will eventually get this FOC but it shouldn't be such an uphill struggle :thumbdwn:

:iagree: with pretty much all of the above except the implication that you should be paying even 1 penny towards the costs.

After many conversatons on the phone with SUK CS They have given me a final offer:

They will pay for 90% of the pump replacement which would equate to me paying a shade under £40 all in.

I have given them dates and mileages when Skoda assist came out to the non starting car and dates and mileages when the car went in to various dealerships for diagnosis work.

I don't know whether the car's history has anything to do with it.

- Turbo went into self destruct and exploded - circa £2750

- New flywheel and clutch - circa £800

- New indicator and wiper stalks - £ not sure to be honest.

Overall the car has had something like £4000 spent on it with various warranty jobs.

Also taking into account the time lost when the car has not started and having to arrive on site late/leave site early to drop off/collect the car it has easily cost me over £1500 in lost time (self employed).

And one of the times it didn't start up I missed a VERY important meeting in London and consequently lost out on tendering for a 12 grand A/C installation Of all the sodding days it decided not to start :rotz:

There is also the time spent ranting on the phone and having to drive to dealerships to collect 'evidence' of my car being there for the starting problem (Caffyns = 60 miles out of my way) as well as ensuring the tank is more than 2/3 full so I can go to work the next day.

This is my third Octavia (4th including the vRS I bought for SWMBO) and will most certainly be the last

To say I am ****ed off is an understatement.

Idiots :(

Accept their offer, and tell them they've helped you make up your mind between a new Octavia/Superb/whatever and [insert competitors choice] after x years of loyal ownership.

Has the car been dealer or indi serviced? Skoda seem more willing on 100% dealer serviced cars.

Accept their offer, and tell them they've helped you make up your mind between a new Octavia/Superb/whatever and [insert competitors choice] after x years of loyal ownership.

Has the car been dealer or indi serviced? Skoda seem more willing on 100% dealer serviced cars.

It's not just me that thinks the skoda may well be my last skoda group car until VAG UK sort out the customer service issues they have but seem to not admit.

All service and repair work has been carried out at Skoda main dealers.

To be honest I just want the problem sorted and if it means I have to spend around £40 to ensure the car starts in the morning then so be it but i'm not happy about it. That is £40 I could be spending on my 5 week old boy :(

I'll be knocking on BMW's door around about April next year to test drive an E61.

Pity really as I really like the Superb Combi but I won't be taken for a mug a second time by the same outfit

Despite my being entirely happy with my Octy, stories like this have me contemplating it being my first and last VAG car.

Despite my being entirely happy with my Octy, stories like this have me contemplating it being my first and last VAG car.

I guess though that most forums dedicated to a particular marque will have threads like this. If we all posted how we aren't having any problems then there would be a lot of threads with little to say.

It's not just me that thinks the skoda may well be my last skoda group car until VAG UK sort out the customer service issues they have but seem to not admit.

Not quite sure it's VAG UK, but rather SUK, but other than that i completely agree and if i do move to another marque then it will be because of SUK and not the product.

Pity really as I really like the Superb Combi but I won't be taken for a mug a second time by the same outfit

Well said

Despite my being entirely happy with my Octy, stories like this have me contemplating it being my first and last VAG car.

Im on my second and on the whole im happy with the cars, they are not perfect but then no car is. Some of the dealers are shocking though (not much of an issue for me as i do all my own work) SUK though are nothing but appauling.

One good thing if you make a £40 payment to the work you will have that work guaranteed for at least a year. If done under warranty completely then the work may just be guaranteed till the end of the warranty period depending on the T&C's of the warranty. This is the case having read my MX5 warranty which I am not too happy about.

One good thing if you make a £40 payment to the work you will have that work guaranteed for at least a year. If done under warranty completely then the work may just be guaranteed till the end of the warranty period depending on the T&C's of the warranty. This is the case having read my MX5 warranty which I am not too happy about.

As long as you insist on paying £40 of the parts cost, so you have paid for the part, then the parts warranty exists

I have to say that i think VW also have issues with rejecting valid warranty claims, it's just that skoda seem to be the worse for trying to wash their hands or providing a good will gesture even when it's obviously a fault that shoudl have been covered by warranty.

It's certainly not the first time they have offered a percentage for a problem that was noted but couldn't be root caused under warranty.

I'm sure it's not just skoda that do that, but it certainly leaves a bad taste.

I guess though that most forums dedicated to a particular marque will have threads like this. If we all posted how we aren't having any problems then there would be a lot of threads with little to say.

You obviously don't know me that well; I discount stories that are obvious OP numptyism, or even dealer "vehicle technician" numptyism. It's this sort of total lack of regard for customer goodwill story that annoys me.

Unfortunately most marques are guilty of the same thing from time to time. When my dad had a Beemer he had nothing but problems with the after sales care of the garage and company, they didn't give a toss. Citreon BX number 1 was all good but by number 2 the after sales care had significantly declined.

The only consistent company I can think of would probably be Lexus tbh.

If Lexus did a GS sized estate with a good diesel engine I would consider them as I am always hearing good things about Lexus customer service.

VW/Skoda/BMW/anyone else who buggers with their customers - Take a bloody leaf out of Lexus' book!

a lot of the manufacturers are trying to cut warranty costs, especially in the current climate, hence your problems dstev, its not right but theres not a lot we can do about it except boycott them

i must admit Volvo seem to be better than most , which is odd considering they are still part of the Ford empire, and to get anything out of Ford was a PITA when i left 15 months ago

Well the car has had a new tandem pump fitted today and I coughed up (reluctantly). Its not the dealers fault, they took the car in for 4 days and gave ma a courtesy car, all FOC and diagnosed the tandem pump at long last.

It all goes to pot when SUK start to get involved.

The car is sitting outside with sod all diesel in it and I guarantee it would have had serious problems getting started before, fingers crossed it will fire up first time when I pop to the supermarket later on.

Will this be the end of a 18 month saga? i'll let you all know later on