I am a bit annoyed its not a factory option yet as I think it'd look awesome on my new car.

You and Junoman live in Kent. He wants chrome but may get black. You want black but may get chrome. Swaps?

I quite fancy trading in for a VRS estate in white - to me, the black pack transforms it from something good to something great so Id be very interested to see if they tail end vat free orders came with the black pack as standard as Id only be buying one with the 20% off... then again, if I dont take the chance myself, I'll have missed the opportunity...

Nice idea Mike Austin. Vulgatrendkill you up for swapsies? (is it me or does that sound a bit pervy?) I Live in the Dartford area but work in Crawley so setting up a meet shouldnt be too difficult. Depends of course on what we actually get come delivery day but I'm agreeable in principal.

Sounds good to me junoman, but as I'm far from a techie when it comes to cars will need help fitting it/taking off the old ones. But certainly sounds a good idea!

I quite fancy trading in for a VRS estate in white - to me, the black pack transforms it from something good to something great so Id be very interested to see if they tail end vat free orders came with the black pack as standard as Id only be buying one with the 20% off... then again, if I dont take the chance myself, I'll have missed the opportunity...

I'm curious as to the estate black pack. I can see how they can easily transfer the grill and headlights but wonder about the black clip on side moulding? On the hatch it fits snug with the rear diffuser, perhaps they'll make another part but the monte isn't available in estate form afaik?

Sounds good to me junoman, but as I'm far from a techie when it comes to cars will need help fitting it/taking off the old ones. But certainly sounds a good idea!

I'm fairly au fait with mechanical bits & pieces. I have no formal qualifications but years (too many for my liking) of experience and I play around with race cars at weekends.

I'm curious as to the estate black pack. I can see how they can easily transfer the grill and headlights but wonder about the black clip on side moulding? On the hatch it fits snug with the rear diffuser, perhaps they'll make another part but the monte isn't available in estate form afaik?

The black pack doesnt include black side mouldings afaik. The black pack is purely the dark headlamps and grill. :yes:

...and I still dont understand the timing of this.... :no:

If members ordered at the end of January and are getting a revised wk 20 date build then surely if you are ordering some seven to eight weeks later than end of Jan... you should slip well beyond a week 22 build date. ie any cars ordered now (before the vat free offer expires later this week) should arrive after the build dates which include the black pack change over?! Or am I missing something really obvious? (And yes, im the first to admit this does happen regularly!)

Yesterday I took a look of the configurator in Skoda Finland and the black pack is available already here in Finland. It didnt state what it consists of, but I guess its the black headlights and grill surround. The option cost 67 euros which is circa 45 pounds. Funny thing what I noticed that if you choose the black pack you cant have the led fog lights (these are option here in Finland). So atleast in Finland you can either choose the normal silver headlights and chrome grille or the black ones. Hope this helps you guys. I would also apologize my English as its not my 1st language

Yesterday I took a look of the configurator in Skoda Finland and the black pack is available already here in Finland. It didnt state what it consists of, but I guess its the black headlights and grill surround. The option cost 67 euros which is circa 45 pounds. Funny thing what I noticed that if you choose the black pack you cant have the led fog lights (these are option here in Finland). So atleast in Finland you can either choose the normal silver headlights and chrome grille or the black ones. Hope this helps you guys. I would also apologize my English as its not my 1st language

Very interesting indeed! Thanks for the info. This annoys me more, but I suppose this is because any new car will be built after my12 takes effect? hrumpf. I'm going to check the uk configorator later to see if its changed here too.

Yesterday I took a look of the configurator in Skoda Finland and the black pack is available already here in Finland. It didnt state what it consists of, but I guess its the black headlights and grill surround. The option cost 67 euros which is circa 45 pounds. Funny thing what I noticed that if you choose the black pack you cant have the led fog lights (these are option here in Finland). So atleast in Finland you can either choose the normal silver headlights and chrome grille or the black ones. Hope this helps you guys. I would also apologize my English as its not my 1st language

Joenssi, thanks for the update from Finland, interesting.

Your grasp of English appears excellent, no need to apologise.

Given the lead times SUK are currently quoting (up to 32 weeks for some Fabia models!) a number of us could end up with 2012 cars. Again they may delay 2012 MY production to finish churning out the last of the MY11 orders, is anyones guess.

I'm actually starting to wonder if i'll ever see this f**k*ng car anyway, i've never known such a vague ordering process in all my life! At this time I'm almost certain i'll never order another Skoda, as good they are i'm not going to wait 5 - 6 months for a car again, is ridiculous.

Can someone clarify this for me... MY12 begins with the '61 plate in september yea? Or have I got that wrong :wonder:

Edited 30 March, 201115 yr by Silv1983

@joenssi, thanks for sharing. Sounds like typical VAG regional variation nonsense to me.

I'm guessing it's the same as with Audi where the "standard spec" of models is set by Skoda UK. In Germany you the basic A1 spec is far less equipped but they allow you to add almost any options you wish. You can even add the S-line interior AND/OR exterior packages onto the base model. Audi UK (through extensive market research ) have decided that we'd all like one of three specs: SE, Sport and S-line. Initially they weren't allowing customers to spec the Xenon headlight option on anything but an S-line.

It does seem a shame not to give UK customers the same option.

@Silv1983, I could be wrong but I don't think Manufactur(e/ing) Year is linked to the UK registration plate changes. A few of us have had confirmation that the "black pack" is being added as standard to the Fabia vRS on cars build "from" (after?) build week 22. I've not read or heard anything though that states when Skoda's MY12 begins.

Your grasp of English appears excellend, no need to apologise.

His grasp seems to be better than yours.

Cheers

Lee

Surely MY12 cars are from 1st Jan 2012?

It'll be a 2012 61 plate?

Model 2012 cars typically start to be produced from production week 22 which starts beginning of June. This is the same every year, however I do wonder whether 2012 production will be delayed to finish churning out the huge backlog of MY11 orders

Ok managed to get some clarity from my dealer on this subject. Previously I had been told after I had ordered my Fabia VRS that I would get the black pack but have now been told that I will get it if my car is built after build wk22 which now makes sense. However my understanding is that any car built after build wk13 will have the new Skoda badge and stickers so does this mean that only cars built within this current 8-9 week period will have the normal lights & new badge / sticker combination?

I recently ordered a green vRS with a black roof and alloys and contacted the dealer yesterday to ask about this pack. He went away and found that it would be on all models built after week 22 but he said he would make sure my order was held back by a week or so in order to get the black pack and to ensure that my car was current because in effect it is like a facelift and without it my car would probably be worth less.

By the sounds of the it, Week 22 is the least of our worries, will be lucky if we see our vRS's by week 40!

His grasp seems to be better than yours.

Cheers

Lee

Just changed it - well spotted sir !

That's why I like car forums,always full of good toughs :yes:

???

Ordered my Red Vrs in January, told week 12 build, now week 18 and glad of it as the black pack seems to look a bit chavvy and halfordesque in my eyes on the red, looks good on the white car.

They should of course give you a choice of what you want, there will be some upset bunnies that don't get it and want it and some who get it and don't want it. Seems a bit daft.

I think VW thinks Skoda is getting too big for its boots and is extending waiting times and changing spec of cars to make them lose customers on purpose. ( i'm so suspicious and cynical !! )

Very slightly off topic... am I right in thinking that (as shown in the above photo) that the VRS with black pack WONT come with the painted black, matching door protection strip on the side?