You will not get ivory carpet...you'll get black carpet instead!!!

I have a CR170 DSG Elegance Estate on order in Amethyst Purple with ivory/ivory interior plus a dozen options. After a 5 month wait so far I have a build date for week 5 which'll give me a 12 plate car next March...perfect, as I didn't want it in the middle of winter anyway. However, this week I have discovered by accident (playing around with the Skoda.co.uk configurator and then enquiring with customer services) that my car will now be built with a black carpet instead of an ivory carpet. It's not what I ordered and not what I want. I have to think hard now about whether I'll be able to live happily with a car specification that I would not choose.

Skoda UK customer services have confirmed that a bulletin went out to the retailers on 5 Oct advising that, as of build week 45 (w/c 7 Nov), all Superbs ordered with an ivory interior will have a black carpet. There are a number of other cosmetic changes being included at the same time and I'll post these as well when I get them.

Cosmetic changes such as a different lettering style on a button or warning light symbol or similar are fairly irrelevant. But to change the colour of the carpet is pretty major and changes the look of the car completely. When looking at car specs and colours the most important aspect to me is the interior. That's my living space whilst I'm driving and is of primary importance. I want a nice exterior colour but it's of secondary importance if there are choices to be made as some manufacturers tie interior and exterior colour options together.

At the moment I don't know what I'm going to do but I need to see what and ivory leather interior looks like with black carpets. From the Superb register I know a number of members have chosen the black carpet option for various reasons.

Could I ask any members with an ivory leather/black carpet interior to post as many photos as you can of the interior so that I, and any other members with unbuilt/undelivered orders, can determine what the car will look like. The first cars to come out of the factory since 7 Nov will be delivered very soon and no doubt some people will only discover the bad news when they take delivery. At least I'll be prepared assuming I choose to continue with the order.

I'm sure I will continue as I know there isn't another car on the market that ticks so many boxes with such good value for money...and that makes me even more angry. Robert Hazelwood at Skoda UK will be getting a pretty strong letter in his mail-bag next week. However, I think this is a global change direct from the factory, and not a UK only change.

PHOTOS please...I need photos if anyone can oblige.

cheers Simon

I can't supply photos I'm afraid but I've got the same ivory/black combo in the BM and it's the more durable option.Obviously that doesn't help with your dilemma but it might not be as bad as what you're thinking.

I have Ivory/black and recommend it. Ivory carpets would be impossible to keep clean. The black carpets look fine.

I have an Elegance estate with Ivory/Black and the wood trim option, I'll find my camera and post some pics back here later today. Tim.

Here are the pictures, hope they help, if you'd like more let me know.

Edited 3 December, 201114 yr by tda2806

I know what you mean when you have carefully thought through all the options and set your mind on getting it.

However IMO the black carpet will be so much more practical, get a stain on the light ivory carpet and it will never look quite new again

Look at this pic off google My link

Edited 3 December, 201114 yr by PowerMalc

You will be happy with the black carpet. Maybe your dealer would be happy to give a free inspection. But I wouldnt be thinking about replacing it on warranty.

I have a Elgance Greenline Twindoor RossoBrunello with Ivory.

I chose black carpets because as an everyday work car, I felt ivory would be a nightmare, especially if You cannot stand dirt showing

Have a look at these pics posted by a member. This helped with my choice

http://www.raygirling.co.uk/superbii.htm

Hope this helps

Edited 3 December, 201114 yr by Goffo1

Have a look at these pics posted by a member. This helped with my choice

http://www.raygirlin...uk/superbii.htm

To be accurate, my interior has ivory carpet, with black mats. The difference is in the sidewalls and it's surprising how much bigger the car feels with just the mats being black rather than the whole footwells.

Ray

Hi smf1007,

I have an Elegance est. - in Amethyst with Ivory leather & carpets.

I hope this makes you feel better as I wish we had black carpets! I try to keep the beast clean most weeks but in winter its almost impossible to keep it looking like new!

After 6900 miles & 11 months I could be tempted to swap if you wanted! (shame you went for DSG - LOL, worth a try!

I'm sure you'll be happy in the long run but maybe a reduction in price would help???

Good luck & enjoy the best colour available - hides the dirt very well & enjoy driving it too when it when it turns up.

Stef

I remember test driving a 2 month old superb with full ivory, it's was nice, but so dirty. I went for full full black in the end, but I wouldn't have gone for the ivory carpet.

I do like the ivory trim, but it's not good for kids.

I remember test driving a 2 month old superb with full ivory, it's was nice, but so dirty. I went for full full black in the end, but I wouldn't have gone for the ivory carpet.

I do like the ivory trim, but it's not good for kids.

I speified black carpet/ivory leather seating & trim but, it came with ivory carpet.

I wanted to get it changed but, my wife insisted on keeping it.

It is impossible to keep clean (only the two of us -no children).

We have now reached a compromise --black mats.

So if I had your choice I would stick with black carpets.

+1. I'd have refused to take delivery if my car had come with Ivory carpets. Black is so much more practical.

I think they done you a favour, black is a better choice and from the pics above, it looks fine with the ivory leather.

I don't have a superb as yet, but I think you will not regret the black carpets, They give a very nice balance between the top black dash and the floor which really sets off the ivory leather.

Ivory carpets in Winter...a horror story.

I have a black magic superb with the ivory leather and ivory carpets, which is the combination I wanted,

I got 2 sets of mats ( 1 ivory, 1 black)depending on weather and use.

The black mats over the ivory carpets is very practical and looks surprisingly good, so that has become my default

I prefer this:

to this:

and this:

to this:

as the interior is much lighter and welcoming. The areas in my car that differ from the black carpets are mainly vertical, so I cannot imagine how they're a problem to keep clean if they're ivory instead of black?

Anyway, perhaps it's all moot if ivory is no longer a choice - a backward step though, IMO. :(

Ray

I ordered the L&K today and I have currently the Ivory/black carpet.

I hope it is not gonna be too dark. I ordered the panoramic sunroof with it which is not part of the package in Germany.

I hope this will help and was the excuse for spending another 900 Euro :-O

Edited 5 December, 201114 yr by digidoctor

Thanks to everyone who contributed their comments, opinions and especially the photos from Tim and Ray. I think I'm out of shock now and trying to think of a plan to get the best out of what seems like a crap situation.

Stef & Fernrock...I think a swap of carpet would be a bridge too far and there's no way I'd swap the car...I've waited a year for the sunroof to come back.

Everyone will have a different view of course (one man's meat etc, and life would be a bit dull if we were all the same) but, for me, I think Ray (and others) has it exactly right in the difference in the photos. The option of black mats on the ivory carpet is a good compromise if an ivory carpet is too difficult to keep clean. I could even put ivory mats on a black carpet to lighten it up but there's still too much black.

The real killer for me is the fact that it's not just a black carpet option. Skoda also change the plastic trim over the interior sill, half way up the B-pillar, and the outer wall of the front footwell from ivory to black. Why? I can't think of one single good earthly reason why they would do that. Have they ordered too much black plastic? It completely breaks up the flow down the inside of the car and looks like a chessboard. If I could change that it would start to look more like Ray's car and be more acceptable.

I have a letter ready to go off to Skoda UK tomorrow so we'll see what happens. Judging from a number of other national Skoda website car configurators (I now know 'black' in several different languages) I think this is a global change from the factory and not limited to the UK. I want to know if this is a permanent change or just temporary due to supply issues. Imagine my ire if I accepted a black carpet and then ivory went back on the option list in 3 months time. Ballistic wouldn't come close!

If nothing can be done with the carpet then getting the plastic side trim changed from black to ivory is the obvious half-way house. It's only a bit of plastic trim and I think Skoda should at least do that for me in return for messing up my unborn car.

I will report more when I know. On the subject of the other changes from week 45 I will post these in a fresh topic.

cheers Simon

You will not get ivory carpet...you'll get black carpet instead!!!

My dealer called me and told me that when entering the order (Oct 1st 2011) that that option was no longer available. At first I, like you, was dissappointed, but on reflection I was thinking that if we had another bad winter like last year I would have been gutted if the carpets became ingrained with dirt etc., it would spoil the rest of the car. As I tend to be over zealous in keeping my car clean, I am now very glad I was in some respects forced to make the change as it appears the more sensible option. Especially now, having seen the pics above.

My dealer called me and told me that when entering the order (Oct 1st 2011) that that option was no longer available. At first I, like you, was dissappointed, but on reflection I was thinking that if we had another bad winter like last year I would have been gutted if the carpets became ingrained with dirt etc., it would spoil the rest of the car. As I tend to be over zealous in keeping my car clean, I am now very glad I was in some respects forced to make the change as it appears the more sensible option. Especially now, having seen the pics above.

...but how about the change of colour also for the interior sill trim and up the B-pillar etc. How do you feel about that? To me it just seems a bad and pointless change and really upsets the interior ambience. At the very least, I want to get that changed.

I have a black magic superb with the ivory leather and ivory carpets, which is the combination I wanted,

I got 2 sets of mats ( 1 ivory, 1 black)depending on weather and use.

The black mats over the ivory carpets is very practical and looks surprisingly good, so that has become my default

This is the colour combination I ordered (my car was due to be built last week). I have not heard from my deaer about the colour change, so either they are not aware of it or have not bothered to tell me. I agree with the other posts in that its the black carpet and plastic trim up the side I do not like, the black on the floor is fine.

Does anyone know how easy it will be to change this, or what our other options may be? I think that rejecting the car is going a bit too far, but I would have changed the colour combination had I known..

Edited 6 December, 201114 yr by Hoops65

Does anyone know how easy it will be to change this, or what our other options may be? I think that rejecting the car is going a bit too far, but I would have changed the colour combination had I known..

I've posted a letter today to the Skoda UK boss so it'll be interesting to see what he says. It might be an idea to fire a shot across your dealer's bow and tell him what you know and you may reject the car if it turns up with a spec different to what you ordered. I'm always amazed how fast people can move when the brown smelly stuff is about to hit the fan! I should ask them why you had not been informed, since the info went out to the retailers 2 months ago on 5Oct...I have that question pending.

Simon

This is the colour combination I ordered (my car was due to be built last week). I have not heard from my deaer about the colour change, so either they are not aware of it or have not bothered to tell me. I agree with the other posts in that its the black carpet and plastic trim up the side I do not like, the black on the floor is fine.

Does anyone know how easy it will be to change this, or what our other options may be? I think that rejecting the car is going a bit too far, but I would have changed the colour combination had I known..

According to our dealer my car, which was ordered in May and due to be built this week, is the last one here to have light interior, so maybe it still is light?

How bizarre that just so soon after offering ventilated ivory leather seating Skoda seem to be 'decontenting' to cheapo coal mine carpet in ivory interiors. I loathe black inside cars.

I've posted a letter today to the Skoda UK boss so it'll be interesting to see what he says. It might be an idea to fire a shot across your dealer's bow and tell him what you know and you may reject the car if it turns up with a spec different to what you ordered. I'm always amazed how fast people can move when the brown smelly stuff is about to hit the fan! I should ask them why you had not been informed, since the info went out to the retailers 2 months ago on 5Oct...I have that question pending.

Simon

Did you get a reply from Skoda UK regarding this change?, my car has arrived at the dealers with the black trim and carpets. My dealer was not aware of the change until I mentioned it to him.

They have agreed to change the trim on the B pillar (after my suggestion) to Ivory but I am not sure if aesthetically this will be enough as I am concerned there will be a horizontal line in the car that changes from Ivory to black. I am planning on visiting the car on Tuesday but would appreciate any members comments before then. Unfortunately SkodUKUk are closed untiWednesdayay next week so dealer/myself unable to contact them for responsese.