That is what is known as 'a result'

Looks like customer service isn't quite dead and buried yet

Good luck on Saturday.

My new car was delivered to the dealership on Friday. I'm not collecting it until March the 1st, but I was passing today so I went to go and check it over. I'm not happy with the panel gaps on it.

Skodas in general have fairly large panel gaps. This will be my third mk2 Octavia so I know what to expect. The largish gaps are OK so long as they are even. Unfortunately that's not the case in some places on my new one...

The strip that bridges between the bottom of the rear light cluster, the rear bumper and the rear quarter (same problem on both sides)...

The leading edge of the rear bumper is touching the wheel arch. Looking at my current car and others in the dealer's compound, there should be a very slight gap...

There is a bigger gap between the wing and the A-pillar on the offside than the nearside (photo taken from the same position on both sides, one image flipped horizontally for easier comparison)...

EDIT - On closer examination, the nearside one might be the one at fault - the wing is actually rubbing and damaging the paint on the bottom of the A-pillar. Photo in post further down the thread.

Anybody else noticed such things on recently built Octavias? I've mentioned it to the salesman and he said he will speak to the body shop manager. I think I'll give them copies of those photos so there's no ambiguity in what I'm talking about. I'm hoping they can just loosen and re-align the offending parts to a good standard without introducing any other issues (I've got visions of them taking the wing off, marking it somehow and having to respray it or covering it in swirl marks or something). I should try not to meet trouble halfway. :(

I would reject it. Its not up to the standard one should expect from Skoda.Seems as though it might have had a shunt sometime and having seen cars (not Skodas) come off ships at Portbury docks it happens. My daughter had a brand new SEAT Ibiza and we found after delivery that it had had some inferior paintwork carried out to it. The dealer tried to pin it on us -problem was it was under the clear lacquer. I would reject the car and ask for money back or alternative vehicle.

I'm going to wait and see. I'll want to see the report from the bodyshop of exactly what they've done. I'll also hopefully be able to borrow a paint depth gauge.

I'm going to wait and see. I'll want to see the report from the bodyshop of exactly what they've done. I'll also hopefully be able to borrow a paint depth gauge.

Best of luck with it. Keep us posted.

Thanks for your input everyone.

I've printed off some decent photos to illustrate to them. I'll nip down tomorrow to discuss it with them.

Wish mine was just panels mines just turned up with standard seats and i ordered full VRS Leather !!!!!!!!!! its had to go back for another 10 days while they change the seats etc

p.s Sorry to here about your poor panel spacing hope they sort it for you

Wish mine was just panels mines just turned up with standard seats and i ordered full VRS Leather !!!!!!!!!! its had to go back for another 10 days while they change the seats etc

p.s Sorry to here about your poor panel spacing hope they sort it for you

Same happened to me - no leather. But it was also a petrol not a diesel! At least it is only 10 days, I had to wait eight weeks (on top of the original ten).

Quick update....

I've had a couple of calls from the dealership today to keep me up to speed. Full marks to them for communication and service. I'm impressed.

Car is at the VW bodyshop today. The dealership have contacted Skoda and we have an agreement that I can order a replacement car with same terms as this one (same p/x, VAT free - even if offer has ended, 2years 0%) if I'm not 100% happy with the rectified car. Hopefully ready for me to go and inspect on Saturday.

A good level of service. If there is any re-painting of the car involved, then I would want to reject. Mechanicals can be sorted 100%, but paint/body work is never the same.

At least you are on your way to a solution

I called in Rainworth Skoda today to get a missing stamp put in the service book of my old one. I noticed a white FL VRS hatch in their car park - registered but no tax disc. I had a look around it and it had similar (not identical) ropey gaps around the rear bumper like mine. It also had a right old paint run by one of the rear light clusters. That bit between the rear light cluster and bumper was bad on one side and ok on the other side on this one. Maybe the factory workers just hate white ones?

Edited 29 January, 201016 yr by wega3k

I called in Rainworth Skoda today to get a missing stamp put in the service book of my old one. I noticed a white FL VRS hatch in their car park - registered but no tax disc. I had a look around it and it had similar (not identical) ropey gaps around the rear bumper like mine. It also had a right old paint run by one of the rear light clusters. That bit between the rear light cluster and bumper was bad on one side and ok on the other side on this one. Maybe the factory workers just hate white ones?

Oh dear, getting a bit worried now. Im waiting for my white VRs to arrive at the dealers, ready for going on the road 1st March. Be interested to hear what your dealer does with yours. Which dealer you buying from??

I'm beginning to feel a lot happier about deciding to keep my pre-facelift version, but still hope it turns out alright in the end Nick

Garage had my bumper off before, after refitting the gaps between the rear light and panel directly under were massive. It definitely wasn't like that beforehand. We checked other brand new ones in the forecourt and they were exactly the same....sh!t.

Took it home and went at it myself, popped out the panel under the lights, loosened bolts and realigned, then put back on panel......took a couple of go's as hard to align without the panel in position. Eventually got it perfect.

From yours it looks like the bumper it up too high pushing out the panel at the top. My initail thoughts would be that your bumper was off, but I have seen brand new ones sitting in showroom worse than yours

See attached photos showing mine when new (1st picture) then after damaged had been put back on with gaps ( 2nd & 3rd photos). It's much better now, there is room to move it.

Edited 29 January, 201016 yr by GAFF

Was offered the white vRS at Rainworth when I placed my order but had decided on silver, glad I didn't change my mind after reading wega3k's comments! only 8 weeks or sooo to go

Edited 29 January, 201016 yr by Pedd

Rainworth return calls ? Once they've got your money they loose all interest, i've been waiting for a resolution to a trivial HVAC fault discovered 6 hours after picking up an approved used car that I was told to take to my local dealer to be resolved. While they talk the talk i'm yet to be convinced they walk the walk.

Personally they're not going to get the paintwork to be factory standard (or what should be factory standard). I'd suggest rejection based on the photo's and the paint issues alone.

My car isn't coming from Rainworth Avalon. I just happened to be at their showroom today getting a service book stamped.

Thanks very much for that GAFF.

Hopefully ready for me to go and inspect on Saturday.

Was it - did you?

Before you accept it, dont forget to take out Gap Insurance

Was it - did you?

No and no. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Dont buy a white car if you have problems with shadows. I bet no one had ever complained with a darker color.

So whats the latest Nick?

No update John. Chasing tomorrow. Will update.

I have a white VRS ( Pre facelift ) Guess what? Similar dodgy panel alignment, not quite as bad tough.

I am pretty sure that the little panel beneath the light cluster is an easy fix. I seem to remember seeing it come off when the towbar guy de constructed the back end of my previous VRS. Quite scary seeing what they had to do just too fit the damn thing

I am pretty sure that the little panel beneath the light cluster is an easy fix.

iirc I removed the rear light and it made removing the panel easier. It's coming back to me now, thats why it's so hard to align as you need the light & panel out to adjust so you would need to be removing/installing a number of times to get it right.

Once the cluster and panel are out, how is the alignment of the panel altered?