Just spent the most frustrating 4 hours.

We arranged a Yeti test-drive with the dealer yesterday. Dissapointed he couldn't give us an automatic for testing, but I told him I'd manage with a manual gearbox. Arrived at the dealer 10:30, Yeti all ready for us to test drive. Had a great test drive, very happy. Only stalled it twice - what's that third pedal for!! Whilst we were out on the test drive, the dealer checked over our p/x car and phoned around to get a price.

So, we sit down to "do the deal". Dealer tells us all about the price promise, if we order this month the price is locked-in even if delivery date slips into next year. We haggle for a while, and eventually get to a deal I'm happy with - having priced in the extras, etc.

Now the crunch. Lets place the order. Sorry, can't take your order because Skoda aren't accepting orders until next FEBRUARY. What's the point of a price promise when you can't even order the car?

We left feeling totally conned by Skoda. A 90 mile drive wasted. Why publish a price list, headed "Yeti October 1st 2009", listing the 1.2 TSI SE DSG, at £16,800, when you can't even place an order.

And when we arrived back home, there's a letter from Skoda in the letterbox. Sorry, no you can't have a brochure. They're reprinting them - no doubt to remove the 1.2 TSI DSG as a model.

First time I've ever considered buying a Skoda. What a disorganised crowd.

So, anyone know how I can actually place an order?

Im wondering if this is anything to do with the DSG 'issues' appearing in the states right now?! :confused:

DSG issues?

Whatever the reason, we spent an hour fuming about Skoda as we drove home. Why advertise a car that you can't buy? Why offer a price promise that you can't keep? Why setup your potential customers for dissapointment?

I just can't believe that dealers aren't allowed to take pre-orders. Seems a sure-fire way of losing customers.

But you can order a Yeti, just not with the gearbox/engine combo you were after. The DSG issues are affecting every car in the VAG group (Audi, Skoda, VW, Seat), and they are working to resolve the problem. Withdrawing from sale is the best way to deal with it, otherwise you could have ordered the car, had it delivered and had major issues down the line with your new car.

Perhaps Skoda should tell their dealers that the DSG Yeti has been withdrawn from sale then. I wouldn't have wasted a 90 mile journey. We're so dissapointed.

Is this official then - that the DSG has been withdrawn from sale? Skoda still have it on their website, with a list price, etc.

DSG issues?

Volkswagen Will Repair DSG Transmissions on 53,300 Vehicles - Car and Driver Blog

Volkswagen Will Repair DSG Transmissions on 53,300 Vehicles - Car and Driver Blog

Thanks for the link.

Wowsers... 53,300 repairs to do!

I think they have done the right thing and pushed the availability back rather than building/shipping faulty cars that would just need repairing soon after delivery potentially.

I think you should get them to agree to extend the price promise along with it though and haggle a bit more off the already haggled price!

It must be doubly frustrating for the dealers you only find out when they go to order one with a customer after being with them for 4 hours on a test drive etc!!!

Phil

It must be doubly frustrating for the dealers you only find out when they go to order one with a customer after being with them for 4 hours on a test drive etc!!!

Only 2 hours The other 2 hours was our drive to/from the dealer :(

Yes, the dealer just didn't know what to say. We walked in enthusiastic, etc. and walked out dissapointed, and feeling conned. Perhaps the dealer should have checked when we phoned up yesterday to arrange a test-drive. I told him then it was the 1.2 DSG we wanted.

As for getting them to agree to extend the price promise. I tried and tried, but he wouldn't commit to that, as he said the list price will go up in January because of the VAT increase. To which I asked "why do Skoda quote a list price then?".

I did get him to match the Drive the Deal price - just hope I can do the same again in January.

One thought. Looking at a chart posted in another thread, that showed a first build date of week 5 in 2010. When are Skoda likely to start accepting orders?

EDIT: It's ironic, that this same dealer (Delmore Skoda) is currently advertising (via carquake.co.uk) the exact car that I want to order!!

Edited 15 October, 200916 yr by tarbat

Could try e-mailing SUK, although you can't guarantee getting a straight answer.

Škoda - About ?koda - Contact Us

Also try Skoda customer services in the CZ.

?koda Auto - Contacts

I'm even more confused now :(

Just had a call from someone at Skoda UK doing a followup survey on my dealer experience, etc.

She asked if I'd placed an order, so I explained why I couldn't place an order. She then took the model details, etc. (1.2 SE DSG), and seemed to think that I should be able to order that model NOW.

Are there any dealers on this forum who can check:

1. Can the 1.2 SE DSG be ordered now?

2. If not, how can I be sure that I'm at the head of the queue to order when it becomes available to order?

BTW, I've already asked the same questions on the Skoda UK site (contact form).

Edited 15 October, 200916 yr by tarbat

Order it from Drive The Deal.

My quote for a SE 140TDi 4x4 + plus extras gives saving of about £3.5.

I heard they had problems with the 1.2 engine,don't know what type of problems though .....

I just came back from Praha and Mlada Boleslav where I got a factory tour, and there were stacks and stacks of 1,2 TSI engines ready to be put into cars/shipped to Kvasiny and other factorys, so I don't think they are having problems with the 1,2 engine

I think the DSG "problems" is blown way out of proportions as well....

I've contacted Skoda UK on this issue, I await their response as you should not have had this experience.

Edited 17 October, 200916 yr by Tom_vRS
3 spellings :o)

Thanks Colin - much appreciated. I guess now that I've calmed down a bit, all I really want to know is when I can place an order, to ensure I'm at the head of the queue. I'd really like to order now, to lock in the price promise.

I'm not sure I trust the dealer's assurance to "get one of the girls in the office to check regularly and let me know when it can be ordered".

Currently on 3rd DSG equipped car. All been superb. Now happy to buy a Yeti 4x4 with DSG when the 140 TDi or 1.8TFSi come out. Only disappointment is no mention if it'll come with flappy paddle control.

Do my own DSG Oil change at 25k miles although VW say 40k. Takes about an hour. 6 litre oil, new filter cost about £75. My home made re-useable oil filling rig cost £15 ish.

I'm not sure I trust the dealer's assurance to "get one of the girls in the office to check regularly and let me know when it can be ordered".

If your dealer is anything like mine, I read "we will keep you informed of the progress of your order" to mean I need to chase them!!!

Anyway I hope you can get your order sorted soon; think the Yeti 1.2TSI will be worth waiting for.

If your dealer is anything like mine, I read "we will keep you informed of the progress of your order" to mean I need to chase them!!!

Yes, I've already decided I'll have to phone them once a week to check if we can order yet. But if the first builds are expected in wk5 of 2010, surely they won't wait until February before they start taking orders. I've never bought from Skoda before, so what's the typical build lead-times?

Anyway I hope you can get your order sorted soon; think the Yeti 1.2TSI will be worth waiting for.

It fits our needs perfectly. We sold our last SUV (Subaru Forester) a couple of years ago, because it averaged 19mpg, and the road tax was going up to £400. That's the penalty you pay with a "normal" automatic. A 1.2TSI engine mated to a DSG gearbox in a small SUV is perfect for our needs. Our current "normal" car is really not practical in the Highlands - we need more ground clearance on some of the "tracks" (otherwise known as roads).

Having been brought up in Ross-shire I can empathise with your needs tarbat.

Would the 4x4 DSG option not be a possibility?

Having been brought up in Ross-shire I can empathise with your needs tarbat.

Would the 4x4 DSG option not be a possibility?

Whereabouts in Ross-shire were your brought up? We're at Portmahomack, on the Tarbat peninsula.

4x4 is not essential for us. It's ground clearance we need rather than 4x4 grip. Lots of roads with broken edges and deep gullies, car parks with deep potholes, and tracks with deep ruts. Of course the "greens" object to anything that even looks like a 4x4 - they should try living somewhere like the Scottish Highlands!!

More important is cost, fuel consumption and low road tax. And we'd have to wait until May 2010 (wk 22) for the 4x4 DSG :(

Thanks for the suggestion though.

But if the first builds are expected in wk5 of 2010, surely they won't wait until February before they start taking orders. I've never bought from Skoda before, so what's the typical build lead-times?

Currently at the end of build week 42.

I ordered a TDI 140 in WK39 with a scheduled build of WK45; brought forward so mine should have just come off the line this week. As I understand it will be in the UK around the end of the month so by Mid November very latest I hope to be picking it up.

aerofurb has been waiting some time but he ordered a TDI 170 which was not due to go into production until WK45 but he has now been given WK43; production has been stepped up slightly and the German scrapage scheme has ended so he has been told.

mbrock who ordered a 140 a week after me a has just posted that theirs is WK44.

The 1.2TSI was due in production WK41 but I understand UK orders are being provisionally given around WK47-49.

Regarding ordering I must admit that you cannot order a 1.2 DSG did surprise me, would try ringing other dealers see what they have to say. Or as I suggested previously drop Skoda head office an e-mail, they usually reply within 3-4 days and tend to give you a more accurate answer than SUK.

Spent 12yrs in Dingwall, then 6 in Tain..before heading gradually south and now ending up in Hampshire...

Tain aerodrome was a good place to go for those under 17 driving lessons, under supervision of my father...

Could try e-mailing SUK, although you can't guarantee getting a straight answer.

Škoda - About ?koda - Contact Us

Also try Skoda customer services in the CZ.

?koda Auto - Contacts

I've emailed Skoda UK already. But I can't get the second of these links to work - all I get is "Unable to redirect to http://new.skoda-auto.com/COM/aid/errors/pages/500.aspx". Anyone know the email address for skoda customer services in the CZ? I'm not having much luck here :(

Edited 17 October, 200916 yr by tarbat

The 1.2TSI was due in production WK41 but I understand UK orders are being provisionally given around WK47-49.

Ours was being shown on the computer wk 47, and as I understand it is now 'tagged'.