Well I dropped off my Vrs to have the Dash Insert done first thing today - knowing some on here said it could be done in 2 hours...9 hours + later & having made several calls to obtain updates on progress, I am told that while they have completed the fitting, they can't get the keys coded, as the Skoda computer has crashed. Genuine or not - I've no idea??? but I won't get it back until tomorrow at the earliest now.

It's frustrating as they have had the car all day & despite my best efforts I then had to make alternative arrangements to have the kids picked up etc etc. I hadn't swapped my car seats into the courtesy car this time (as it is a hassle & shoudln't have been necessary).

The courtesy car was a bit of a disappointment too - a 59 reg Octy Diesel (1.6 CR) - once I'd found it parked on double yellows nearby & scraped it clear of ice - it started with a real rattle. It was filthy inside & out. but had a Bolero (which looks interesting). Performance was so poor (wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding & acceleration is 2nd is pedestrian), it makes me so glad I have a petrol VRS (altho' I appreciate the diesel VRS is a different prospect altogether) - when it's not sitting parked at the dealers.

I've just extended the warranty on the Vrs for a further two years (so tied into using the Skoda approved outlets for servicing etc etc) with the long term plan of probably buying another Skoda, but episodes like this make me wonder if that would be the right thing to do.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/150232-dash-insert-replacement-is-this-a-big-expensive-job/page__p__1871667__hl__dash%20insert__fromsearch__1entry1871667

It takes me about an hour and I don't have the luxury of a VAS machine, I have to do everything manually!

With VAS it should be a very quick job, the process goes. Connect VAS, select option to replace cluser under warranty, VAS reads settings from old cluster. Operator prompted to connect new cluster, settings copied to new cluster, operator prompted to insert both keys one after the other. Thats it, job done. When mine was done by a skoda dealer I think it took less than 20mins.

9 hours?! Had they ANY idea what they were doing?! :wonder:

And on the topic of the extended warranty, to my knowledge as long as your choice of garage is using official parts and is VAT registered, you have the same rights under the warranty as if you were inside the usual 3yrs. Unless they've made a specific clause about this in the T&Cs of course.

Whereabouts are you and what dealer did you use?

Steve

1.6 Octavia. 1.6 Octavia!

You were lucky. My last courtesy car was a 3 cylinder Fabia! I had to do a 300 mile round trip in it as well!

1.6 Octavia. I'd have given your right leg for one!

Steve

I had a Octy2 Pre-FL 1.9TDi PD105 last time I visited a dealer. I thought it was broken, or was missing a turbo

With VAS it should be a very quick job, the process goes. Connect VAS, select option to replace cluser under warranty, VAS reads settings from old cluster. Operator prompted to connect new cluster, settings copied to new cluster, operator prompted to insert both keys one after the other. Thats it, job done. When mine was done by a skoda dealer I think it took less than 20mins.

You must be the lucky one who has a dealer who knows what they are doing as far as displays are concerned ! :'(

The problem with doing a dash-swap attached to the VAS machine is that if it spits it's dummy out (and it regularly does apparently) the technician is completely stuffed. For a variety of reasons I've had more than my fair share of dash-swaps and sometimes it goes easy and sometimes it doesn't. It shouldn't strand you without a car though as you should be able to put the old one back in and it will still work.

If they have the code, they shouldn't need to hook it up to VAS as you can key it in manually. BUT! The official manual says to use the VAS machine and that's what they do.

Thanks for those comments - I suspected it shouldn't have taken that long ! Do they know what they are doing, I doesn't sound too hopeful !

It goes into Spec Cars in Aberdeen - I have considered using the garage in Maud but it's a bit of trek for me - as I stay other 'other side'.

I'll check the T&C's on the warranty stuff when it comes thro'.

The 1.6 diesel is a pig as far as I am concerned - awful to drive (apologies if you own/cherish one) it reminds me of a 1.7 non turbo Cavalier that I had the misfortune to run for a while (many moons ago) - had a 1.2 Yeti the last time - great compared to that Octy diesel.

just be glad your dealer doesn't share a franchise with perodua !!

Edited 19 February, 201016 yr by Wet Kipper