Hi, picked up my 4x4 elegance estate 170cr on saturday, and words cannot describe how pleased I am with it.

When picking the car up, the dealer was pushing for me to take out the Skoda GAP insurance at a cost of £400. This protects me if the car is written off in the first 3 years, basically I will get the difference between the insurance payout and the invoice price, potentially giving me all my money back. I understand the Skoda gap insurance is priced quite reasonably.

Have any of you had any good/bad experiences with GAP.

My stealer tried to get me to take one at £595 for 3 years. I always take out GAP insurance not Skoda. This time for 4 years, starting after the first year, my own Insurance provides a new replacement vehicle to the same specifications during the first 12 months if written off or stolen.

Check your own Insurance to see if you get a new vehicle if yours is written off or stolen in the first 12 months. If it does you are paying for 3 years one of which could be covered by your own insurance. Also shop around for gap insurance many reputable firms a lot cheaper.

I understand the Skoda gap insurance is priced quite reasonably.

Not in the slightest!

I was also told about this when ordering my new Octavia. A quick google will throw up many firms doing GAP insurance. You'll find that about £140 will get you equivalent insurance to what Skoda offer. This is known as 'return to invoice' cover.

Of more interest to me was that for about £250 you can get "replacement car cover" which instead of paying out what you paid for the car, will pay you out what it costs to get a new one the same.

Considering I saved £4500 by taking advantage of the VAT deal which is no longer available on my car, this is far more useful than return to invoice GAP.

I fully agree.

I took delivery of my big Skud last week, and £20K worth of GAP cover (return to invoice) over 3 years cost me £135 with ALA - a fraction of the laughable amount the dealership wanted for exactly the same cover.

If you want a good laugh, ask Skoda to quote for car insurance too. Unbelievably poor value.

That price is awful!

You can get it for half the price if you look on the net

I took out gap insurance when I signed for a fiesta for my daughter, glad I did a ball joint snapped on her and she took out a lamppost on a strait section of road at 40 mph thank god she was OK gap paid the difference between what insurance offered and the amount owing