Waiting and waiting and then, waiting

[tubalcain]

Having been given build week 1 on 13th December by my dealer, I was ready to sell my beloved Touran this week and receive the good news that my new Yeti was on its way across the briny. But, to my chagrin, no news from the dealer so I contacted SUK this morning to be told that my Yeti 2.0 Tdi 4x4 elegance DSG is now provisionally in build week 18! The reason given by SUK is that diesel engines are now a production 'issue', and would I like to re-specify a petrol model?. I have driven my Touran with its DSG box and 2.0 Tdi engine for 6 years now and am not willing to compromise. I thought that, with a new production line starting up this month delivery times would have been shortened. An additional 18 weeks wait is no joke (do I hear chuckles in the background?) and smacks of chaotic management (a contradiction in terms). VAG is supposed to be one of the foremost car makers in the world yet they cannot organise production of the most popular engine across the whole product range. So much for German efficiency (and yes, I know it's made in the Czech Republic). So, my Touran remains as my main (and excellent) car, the add is withdrawn and I am wondering whether I really want to persevere with the order from a company that, apparently couldn't organise a panic.

OK, rant over - does anyone out there have any information that might explain this farrago? If so it might just calm the savage breast sufficiently to cause me to extend my already stretched patience until May. And, yes, I do remember why I ordered the thing in the first place but, honestly............

Honest John in today's (15th Jan) Telegraph points out that it is more profitable for manufacturers to sell into Europe and other markets than to the UK, hence the UK is being starved of new vehicles in order to satisfy burgeoning demand elsewhere. I am sure that many of us remember the era when UK buyers looked to Holland and Belgium to source new vehicles with significant savings to be made even when the cost of importing was included. Now that market is no longer viable, we are being penalised for our success in bringing down the price of new vehicles. This is already, however, having a positive effect on residuals so it's a case of swings and roundabouts.

Edited 15 January, 2011 by tubalcain

[StewartK]

Having been given build week 1 on 13th December by my dealer, I was ready to sell my beloved Touran this week and receive the good news that my new Yeti was on its way across the briny. But, to my chagrin, no news from the dealer so I contacted SUK this morning to be told that my Yeti 2.0 Tdi 4x4 elegance DSG is now provisionally in build week 18! The reason given by SUK is that diesel engines are now a production 'issue', and would I like to re-specify a petrol model?. I have driven my Touran with its DSG box and 2.0 Tdi engine for 6 years now and am not willing to compromise. I thought that, with a new production line starting up this month delivery times would have been shortened. An additional 18 weeks wait is no joke (do I hear chuckles in the background?) and smacks of chaotic management (a contradiction in terms). VAG is supposed to be one of the foremost car makers in the world yet they cannot organise production of the most popular engine across the whole product range. So much for German efficiency (and yes, I know it's made in the Czech Republic). So, my Touran remains as my main (and excellent) car, the add is withdrawn and I am wondering whether I really want to persevere with the order from a company that, apparently couldn't organise a panic.

OK, rant over - does anyone out there have any information that might explain this farrago? If so it might just calm the savage breast sufficiently to cause me to extend my already stretched patience until May. And, yes, I do remember why I ordered the thing in the first place but, honestly............

It sounds as though your dealer was telling porkies to get your order. A year ago delivery times of 8 weeks were being quoted by dealers, when I ordered in early March 2010 they were quoting 12 weeks although it actually took 15 weeks to get my car and delivery times have lengthened since then. Have you got the build week in writing from the dealer? If so then a formal complaint to the dealer and Skoda UK might produce some compensation.

Stewart

[hmibennett]

You certainly should be due some compensation, although I know that's no consolation and I share your understandable feelings about the (lack of) management within the VAG empire. I find it astounding that Skoda UK cannot appear to get even the simplest factual information from the parent company in less than several weeks (I am still waiting for a definitive update on what the rough road package now actually consists of: Skoda UK started this investigation some 4-5 weeks ago and still have found out nothing: or, at least, they haven't let me know anything). I know from personal experience that initial build week information is meaningless (confirmed by Skoda UK customer services without a hint of guilt, irony or whatever!). I was originally given 48/10 then last week was told it will be 03/11 (ie next week). I don't know whether to hold my breath or assume - in the light of this latest farrago re diesel engines - that I will soon be getting a 'Sorry, Mr Bennett, but ... ' call from my dealer.

I do empathise with you. Buying a new (and actually quite expensive) car really shouldn't be such a difficult process in this day and age.

[GazzaC]

I get the impression that the car was ordered quite a few weeks ago and the dealer was simply confirming the build week on 13th December. That is to be expected, confirmation of build two weeks out. But it appears that the VAG diesel shortage is hitting even after a confirmed build week and that is very worrying. My build week was week 7, unless I buck the trend then I could be looking nearly half way through the year before receiving mine. And that is a fairly standard 170.if that happens I may well cancel entirely.

[The Plumber]

Mentioned on a couple of other posts, ordered beginning of November and given WK05, then 07 as provisional build after a slight change to the order. As of last week I lost my provisional build week and currently have no forecast on build Also asked if I would take a 1.8TSI, however as I told James SUK would need to pay me 3K to afford to run one and that's just for a year

Therefore as the thread title suggests I wait, wait and wait some more

TP

[tubalcain]

It sounds as though your dealer was telling porkies to get your order. A year ago delivery times of 8 weeks were being quoted by dealers, when I ordered in early March 2010 they were quoting 12 weeks although it actually took 15 weeks to get my car and delivery times have lengthened since then. Have you got the build week in writing from the dealer? If so then a formal complaint to the dealer and Skoda UK might produce some compensation.

Stewart

[tubalcain]

I ordered on 6th October with an estimated 14 to 20 weeks delivery. Since then I have added the electric driver's seat with all the confusion and ambiguity involved in that process and yes, I'm due some compensation both for the lack of electrically folding mirrors and now the extended delivery. The maximum compensation for the delay, however, appears to be £300 which will not come anywhere near covering the additional expense of an unforeseen extra year's extended warranty on my Touran plus a major service and the fact that the car will have depreciated significantly during the waiting period. Today I revisited the shortlisted cars that I had considered before ordering the Yeti and, not surprisingly concluded that the Yeti is still my first choice. It seems that Skoda is unable to cope with the growing popularity of the marque though it will certainly loose business when potential customers realise how disorganised the company is and how long they will have to wait for a new car.

Edited 12 January, 2011 by tubalcain

[BossFox]

Our Greenline II was quoted on the form as 12 to 15 weeks.

It took 26 and arrived yesterday.

The Yeti was quoted as 12, but took about 16.

I wonder if dealers don't want to scare off potential customers with incredibly long waits ??

[GazzaC]

I ordered on 6th October with an estimated 14 to 20 weeks delivery. Since then I have added the electric driver's seat with all the confusion and ambiguity involved in that process and yes, I'm due some compensation both for the lack of electrically folding mirrors and now the extended delivery. The maximum compensation for the delay, however, appears to be £300 which will not come anywhere near covering the additional expense of an unforeseen extra year's extended warranty on my Touran plus a major service and the fact that the car will have depreciated significantly during the waiting period. Today I revisited the shortlisted cars that I had considered before ordering the Yeti and, not surprisingly concluded that the Yeti is still my first choice. It seems that Skoda is unable to cope with the growing popularity of the marque though it will certainly loose business when potential customers realise how disorganised the company is and how long they will have to wait for a new car.

You've actually given me slight glimmer of hope. I ordered my 170 two weeks before you (and your quoted 20 week delivery was not far wide of the mark at that time, giving March 2011, mine late February). Changing the spec seems to put the build back by a couple of weeks at least (TP) so all being even that puts your build potentially into early April - still not as late as you're being told now but maybe not quite the 18 week delay you think. Given what we all knew about the lead times late last year I'm amazed that you got a week 1 build date for your spec in December, that's a pull forward of about 8/9 weeks over expectation - I do wonder whether you were in line for a cancelled order that got pulled from you? In short I think your original expectation of 20 weeks/March/April 2011 was probably far closer to the truth than the week 1 build meaning that the potential additional delay is not quite so bad. Not good either of course!

The glimmer of hope for me is that assuming I suffer a similar delay then by ordering earlier and not changing my order I should get mine about 4 weeks before you - so April, in which case I'll grit my teeth. If the call from the stealer comes through with an even greater delay I may well consider cancelling. I accept there is nothing better out there that meets my needs but I simply may just not bother.

[wakev]

Mentioned on a couple of other posts, ordered beginning of November and given WK05, then 07 as provisional build after a slight change to the order. As of last week I lost my provisional build week and currently have no forecast on build Also asked if I would take a 1.8TSI, however as I told James SUK would need to pay me 3K to afford to run one and that's just for a year

Therefore as the thread title suggests I wait, wait and wait some more

TP

Hi

i ordered my 110 4x4 with a few extras on 22nd December and i was told may June delivery but after tps post about the longer wait and the offer of the 1.8 i went to see my dealer.

he told me that the waiting time may get longer and he cannot give any new orders a estimate at all now. :no:

my order has a order no from skoda but no provisional build week so i offered to take the 1.8 that skoda are offering with a incentives but after my dealer spoke to them he informed me that the cut off date for that was the 20th December so i was two days late and they were offering a £1000 incentives. my offer to take the 1.8 was to go from the 110se with extras to a 1.8 elegance with only one extra the heated screen about £1500 more than my original spec 110 which my dealer thought was fair :yes: . he has now emailed the top man at skoda with my offer.

we now wait on the reply and wait and wait and wait the reply will probably be and for your 110 :wonder: how long

[yeti yeti]

When I was at the dealers the other day got chatting to the reptile the sold me my SM he said there is a massive shortage of diesel engines and there were quoting 6 months wait for a diesel model. They were not allowed by skoda to order any diesel models for the show room only petrols. Shame cos I was going to chop mine in for a new one. The only good thing about it is it is making the second hand worth more. A friend tried to by a second hand at a dealers and they want 2 grand over list price !!!

[wakev]

When I was at the dealers the other day got chatting to the reptile the sold me my SM he said there is a massive shortage of diesel engines and there were quoting 6 months wait for a diesel model. They were not allowed by skoda to order any diesel models for the show room only petrols. Shame cos I was going to chop mine in for a new one. The only good thing about it is it is making the second hand worth more. A friend tried to by a second hand at a dealers and they want 2 grand over list price !!!

apart from needing a 4x4 now thats one of the reasons i traded my 1.2 in at 12 months old i have lost very little on it just under £1000 guaranteed until the new one arrives this year hopefully

[The Plumber]

Hi

i ordered my 110 4x4 with a few extras on 22nd December and i was told may June delivery but after tps post about the longer wait and the offer of the 1.8 i went to see my dealer.

he told me that the waiting time may get longer and he cannot give any new orders a estimate at all now. :no:

my order has a order no from skoda but no provisional build week so i offered to take the 1.8 that skoda are offering with a incentives but after my dealer spoke to them he informed me that the cut off date for that was the 20th December so i was two days late and they were offering a £1000 incentives. my offer to take the 1.8 was to go from the 110se with extras to a 1.8 elegance with only one extra the heated screen about £1500 more than my original spec 110 which my dealer thought was fair :yes: . he has now emailed the top man at skoda with my offer.

we now wait on the reply and wait and wait and wait the reply will probably be and for your 110 :wonder: how long

Hi Kev,

interesting that the 1.8TSI offer appears over from your dealers contact with SUK :wonder: 'Hot off the press'' from Skoda was the impression I got from James e-mail last week, not something that finished before Christmas

1K would be tempting, however taking into consideration the extra cost of ownership I wonder if it really is a good deal. Particularly for myself where I already have an Elegance on order :S

Regards,

TP

[wakev]

Hi Kev,

interesting that the 1.8TSI offer appears over from your dealers contact with SUK :wonder: 'Hot off the press'' from Skoda was the impression I got from James e-mail last week, not something that finished before Christmas

1K would be tempting, however taking into consideration the extra cost of ownership I wonder if it really is a good deal. Particularly for myself where I already have an Elegance on order :S

Regards,

TP

Hi Tim

i think its a new offer that skoda are giving but with a cut off date aimed at orders that have been waiting for a while. :|

the bad part is i would have ordered on the 20th but the person i deal with was having 2 days off when i went in and i waited till he was in on the 22nd but we will see when the email comes back from skoda as he said it will help skoda (you can have my engine )

regards Kevin

Edited 12 January, 2011 by wakev

[900000]

This engine issue is outside the Kvasiny plant as far as a I know. So Kvasiny can build as many cars as it can but there are no engines coming in. So production slows again. Apart from the petrol engines. If you can get a petrol from order to delivery in just 18 weeks now it sort of indicates to me that the factory is in fact sitting pretty idle...

It is like the sunroofs. I waited 7 months for my car because they could (apparently) only get a few roofs a month. So your car could only be started to be built when that roof arrived. Same now with engines. Plant is idling along slowly waiting for engines. Frustrating. But then that engine goes into every single VAG product out there and even in some Mitsubishis and other makers' cars.

[Pouclee]

This engine issue is outside the Kvasiny plant as far as a I know. So Kvasiny can build as many cars as it can but there are no engines coming in. So production slows again. Apart from the petrol engines. If you can get a petrol from order to delivery in just 18 weeks now it sort of indicates to me that the factory is in fact sitting pretty idle...

The order to delivery of my petrol Yeti took 10 weeks, although when ordering I was told delivery of 18 to 20. The factory must be pushing through petrol orders whilst waiting for diesel engines.

[grayson]

So if ordered a TDI 140 Elegance in early November , dealer suggesting Marchish delivery when does the collective wisdom on here think I might be saddling up my Yeti?

[tubalcain]

So if ordered a TDI 140 Elegance in early November , dealer suggesting Marchish delivery when does the collective wisdom on here think I might be saddling up my Yeti?

Well, working on the assumption that yours is a similar spec to mine, it could take 33 weeks from order to delivery. My 2.0 tdi 140 DSG Elegance ordered 06/10 has a 'provisional' build week 18, i.e. first week of May. SUK have offered to keep me informed of any change (since the dealer seems unable or unwilling to do so). In fact, I was told that the sales manager of the dealership would telephone me yesterday - I'm still waiting. Don't hold your breath Grayson. Edited 13 January, 2011 by tubalcain

[tubalcain]

From the posts above, it would appear that extended delivery times are likely to remain with us for the foreseeable future. Communication between SUK, dealers and customers in such circumstances should be a priority if Skoda wish to avoid cancelled orders. This seems patchy at best. Weighing up my options after being told that I must wait a further 18 weeks for my Yeti, I went to my local Citoren dealer this morning to look at the C4 Picasso which was on my short list of cars to consider - the experience certainly it confirmed my choice of the Yeti and I'll wait for it to be knitted.

Edited 13 January, 2011 by tubalcain

[The Plumber]

Delivery from build on average takes 3 - 4 weeks (although my wife's Fabia took less than two). My Elegance 110 4x4 was provisionally given a delivery of March, having likewise been ordered early November. However having now lost my provisional build date in February, then for all I know I might be getting her on a 61 plate in September

Anyway I do hope for both of us it's sooner rather than later.

Regards,

TP

[macakfric]

So if ordered a TDI 140 Elegance in early November , dealer suggesting Marchish delivery when does the collective wisdom on here think I might be saddling up my Yeti?

If you happened to be from India then you would already have it. I ordered my Yeti TDI 170 ks with many options including sunroof at the beginning of the December and week ago dealer told me it will be here in second half of the January (I am from Serbia).

So definitely Å koda have different contingents for different countries. I am not sure if there is global shortage of TDI engines or it is just the shortage for UK batch of Yeties.

[GazzaC]

If you happened to be from India then you would already have it. I ordered my Yeti TDI 170 ks with many options including sunroof at the beginning of the December and week ago dealer told me it will be here in second half of the January (I am from Serbia).

So definitely Å koda have different contingents for different countries. I am not sure if there is global shortage of TDI engines or it is just the shortage for UK batch of Yeties.

Did he mention which January

Jeez that's 6 weeks including the Xmas break! I think I'm going to have to convert to LHD. Of course what the dealer says and what happens can often be two different things, I doubt the engine shortage is purely UK and you may well also find yourself affected, best give you dealer a call and ask him to confirm that the January build week is still on. I know you spoke only last week but it was really only last week that the rest of us started definite getting word of the shortage. I think we'd all be really interested to know whether January is still on which would call into question the apparent engine shortage.

PS Not sure about the India connection?

Edited 13 January, 2011 by GazzaC

[macakfric]

Did he mention which January

Jeez that's 6 weeks including the Xmas break! I think I'm going to have to convert to LHD. Of course what the dealer says and what happens can often be two different things, I doubt the engine shortage is purely UK and you may well also find yourself affected, best give you dealer a call and ask him to confirm that the January build week is still on. I know you spoke only last week but it was really only last week that the rest of us started definite getting word of the shortage. I think we'd all be really interested to know whether January is still on which would call into question the apparent engine shortage.

PS Not sure about the India connection?

Yes it sounds too good to be true Maybe somebody give up on the model similar to mine before it went to production and they just changed options, I will check with the dealer.

But my assumption is not just based on my example. People here are getting Yeti TSI 1.2 or 1.4 in 6-8 weeks if no additional options are selected.

I was reading one of the thread on the www.team-bhp.com India forum . Apparently they are getting Yeti TDI 140 in about 4-5 weeks. I am not sure if they have Å koda production there or cars are delivered from Europe.

[Silly Old Hector]

I ordered our 170 Elegance just before Xmas, with a "notional" delivery of late March. Our current Passat runs out of warranty about the same time. I'm now expecting a long delay, but will check with the dealer tomorrow.

What would be reasonable to ask in compensation for a major delay ?

[GazzaC]

Yes it sounds too good to be true Maybe somebody give up on the model similar to mine before it went to production and they just changed options, I will check with the dealer.

But my assumption is not just based on my example. People here are getting Yeti TSI 1.2 or 1.4 in 6-8 weeks if no additional options are selected.

I was reading one of the thread on the www.team-bhp.com India forum . Apparently they are getting Yeti TDI 140 in about 4-5 weeks. I am not sure if they have Škoda production there or cars are delivered from Europe.

The petrol models I can understand but such a short wait for a diesel is, as you know, exceptional, although fortunate for you!

I'm not too sure that the Yeti for the eastern market isn't manufactured closer to home but even if not then I would guess that as India is the new market Skoda will divert resources there in preference to the established market. Sensible for business, but crap for UK customers.