I have just received a call from Startin Skoda in Worcester. The new Elegance that I ordered in SEPTEMBER 2010 was due to be delivered to them on 20th Feb. However, when I said I couldn't collect it until the 5th of March they reqested the delivery be delayed until 24th Feb. Skoda UK contacted them today to say it was to be delivered TOMORROW - and that it had to be registered within 10 days. 18 + 10 = 28th Feb. So after waiting SIX MONTHS for Skoda to make a car, they are insisting that I miss out on an '11' plate BY ONE DAY.

FURIOUS DOESN'T DESCRIBE IT.

Surprisingly, having called Skoda UK for a discussion (with Robert Hazelwood, Director of Skoda UK, via 01908 548000 if anyone else needs to call him - grateful for a direct line or e-mail address if anyone has it). Their answer machine seems to be full - at least it wouldn't let me leave a message.

I was unhappy at waiting SIX MONTHS for the car - to loose several hundred pounds of resale value for one day is just adding insult to injury. If this does happen then I'll never ever touch a Skoda again - and will probably walk away from this deal given I've only paid a deposit.

:'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

Edited 17 February, 201115 yr by Wybrook

It does not need to be registered by then at all. Tell them if it isn't registered on an 11 plate then you aren't having it. They can register it on an 11 plate today if they wanted so i don't really see what the issue is.

My car was delivered to my dealer Silbury Skoda on Monday and it's already been registered on an 11 plate so I don't see the problem. Think you need to speak to your dealer again.

It does not need to be registered by then at all. Tell them if it isn't registered on an 11 plate then you aren't having it. They can register it on an 11 plate today if they wanted so i don't really see what the issue is.

I've tried telling them that, they insisted it had to be registered in February. I've also told them that I'll cancel the contract if they don't honour the price stated, but it's not the dealers fault, it's Skoda UK.

Edited 17 February, 201115 yr by Wybrook

Get back onto Skoda UK then and kick up a fuss.. Tell them when you ordered you wanted it on an 11 plate and don't see what the issue is and ask them if they are going to pay for the extra depreciation on a 60 instead of an 11?

I followed an 11 plate Transit down the motorway this morning!

I smell a rat here! I could be wrong, but I strongly suspect this has something to do with dealer bonuses. Dealers get a 'back end' bonus for meeting monthly/quarterly targets. I am guessing 'someone' wants this car adding to their quota which has an end-of-month deadline. It could be the individual salesman, or it could be sales manager. I somehow feel you are not getting the full story.

Skoda themselves are likely to be less bothered about the exact date of reg.

Edited 17 February, 201115 yr by Hauptmann

Hauptman has hit the nail on the head, this all about quotas - stick to your threat to walk away if they do not reg as an 11

Don't give them your insurance or sign anything etc until the 11 plate is in

having worked in the business, Hauptman sounds like he is on the Money, its probably the Sales Manager (or someone higher) trying to get it in for that months/Quarters target.

To be fair to him, the salesman did sound as unhappy about this as I was and suggested I contact Skoda UK to discuss it, providing the name and telephone number to do so. If it was an internal dealer issue then I doubt he'd have been keen for me to go down that route.

A suitably worded e-mail has gone the the Director of Skoda UK, the Head of Press & PR and the Media Relations Manager and none of the mails have bounced so will wait to see what their reaction is and update you tomorrow.

Seperately I'll pursue the 'register it with the 11 plate you already gave me' arguement woith the dealer.

I think your worrying over nothing, the extra resale you could ask, if you found a buyer willing to pay it, could be wiped out my mileage, dent, scuff or anything else. Don't forget Octavia 3 is out next year so your car will be worthless anyway. I'd just go with the flow.

Did you specify that you wanted it to be an 11 plate when you ordered it? Or are you just trying to make the best of a massive delay in getting the car?

Did you specify that you wanted it to be an 11 plate when you ordered it? Or are you just trying to make the best of a massive delay in getting the car?

I was expecting a reasonably early 60 plate when I first ordered it ! However, having been to the dealer last Friday to sort out paperwork and be given the 11 plate registration so I could sort out my insurance to change to that registration I am now expecting an 11 plate !!

I'd go mental as well. What are they going to do if you can't actually make it down there before March 1st? You'd might have been called away on some urgent business.... *cough*

I'd call their bluff. As said already, there's no reason why they can't do this for you. This just seems to be cropping up more and more as people who've ordered AGES ago get told they're having a February 60 car. Seems like SUK are trying to make the most of these delays, as if they've not been able to honour as many sales as they thought in the past 6 months or so because of factory delays. So now production seems to be speeding up they're playing the customer....

That's my take anyway.

Good luck!

Don't forget Octavia 3 is out next year so your car will be worthless anyway

Possibly a slight exageration don't you think?

Absolutely, on both counts! That'll it'll arrive then, and that all previous versions will then be rendered worthless!

Don't forget Octavia 3 is out next year so your car will be worthless anyway

Possibly a slight exageration don't you think?

It'll be worth more than your Fiat!!!

It'll be worth more than your Fiat!!!

Leave my poor Fiat out of this! It's going next month to be replaced by a VRS and is already down in the dumps!

(FWIW it wouldn't be going if it wasn't for the fact we've outgrown it - it's been a quality little car, the Octy's got a lot to live up to!)

I think your worrying over nothing, the extra resale you could ask, if you found a buyer willing to pay it, could be wiped out my mileage, dent, scuff or anything else. Don't forget Octavia 3 is out next year so your car will be worthless anyway. I'd just go with the flow.

I thought Octavia Mk3. wasn't expected until early 2013 at the ealiest?

And saying the release of a Mk3 will make the FL worthless....OTT don't you think?

I think your worrying over nothing, the extra resale you could ask, if you found a buyer willing to pay it, could be wiped out my mileage, dent, scuff or anything else. Don't forget Octavia 3 is out next year so your car will be worthless anyway. I'd just go with the flow.

I don't follow your logic: If the OP is going to do loads of miles, get a dent etc to reduce his car's value that will happen just as easily in a "60" as an "11" and the "11" will still be worth more in leggy/dented state than the "60" in a leggy/dented state.

As for the Octy 3...2013 as others have said and it will take a couple of years more before that has a significant effect on the Octy 2 FL values. In fact it may even have a positive effect for the first few months.

Consider that there are still people on here saying they prefer the pre FL Octy 2 and would take one in preference to a FL!

Latest from the dealer is that they will honour the delivery date and reg that we agreed last Friday and sort out the consequences with Skoda UK.

Latest from Skoda UK is two read receipts for my e-mail and zero replies.

Phil

Good for you , you are right in sticking out my wife's Ds3 took 5 months to arrive but wanted us to pick up on the 2 August, I said can we wait till 60 plate they said we have valued your trade in accordingly, (we did get the same price 5 months later ) so we gave them the trade in then and waited a month, 2 weeks we were in France , 2 weeks my wife was on holiday anyway but could use my car( I cycle to work) and we got a 60 plate no problem. Your car will be worth 250 more on a newer plate( fact, 2 friends are dealers) and you want to show off your NEW car, on an older plate it could be a used demo, It cant be on an 11 plate

Edited 18 February, 201115 yr by bluvrs2

Another option is to have it registered on an 11 and pay the balance on 28th.

Good on the dealer for their customer service though.

Final score is Dealer (Startin of Worcester) +1, Skoda UK -3

Of the three people I sent the e-mail to in Skoda, 2 read it but didn't have the courtesy to reply, the third deleted it without even bothering to read it. However I do have their e-mail addresses should I need them again. Reading between the lines of a cryptic phone call with the dealer, I believe the mail may have sparked off an exchange between Skoda UK and the dealer where Skoda UK made themselves look a tad stupid .....