After seven years and three Skodas (five if you count my parents' two in the same period), and after being an über-evangelist for the brand to all the short-sighted, badge-snob pillocks, it's time to say goodbye.

Don't get me wrong - while this hasn't been a great car, it's not been terrible... I've clocked up 15k a year and it's only let me down a couple of times. I accept that to a certain extent: many modern cars have issues, they're complicated beasts. What's ultimately put me off is the dealer support - I'm just sick to the back teeth of taking my car in for an issue (major or minor) and then either being told "no fault found" or else the fault getting fixed and then reappearing a couple of weeks later. I'm left simply not trusting the car as it reaches the end of its warranty. I don't trust that the faults won't re-occur, and I don't trust that they'd get fixed even if they do (... leaving aside the "but who'd pay?" question).

Damn shame. I've looked for an equivalent car and can't find anything that gives the same combination of specification, quality and price of the Octavia, so it's with genuinely mixed feelings that I walk away from this one.

Open more dealers, please, Skoda. Close the bad ones. And encourage them all to fix faults and not just match fault codes to "how to" manuals before giving up. Decent access to knowledge and a willingness to fit parts (or even order them) "because that's probably the issue" would help tremendously.

You're letting down an otherwise fine product in my experience.

I'll probably drift away from briskoda at the same time... thanks for the help/chatter/knowledge over the past years, and all the best to you all.

All I can say is that I'm not deleting my account *just* yet... who knows, maybe the Octavia 3 will lure me back, assuming I can stomach an hour's drive each way to a different dealership!

Cheers, everyone.

I'm also leaving the skoda fold soon but will stay with Briskoda as it's definitely one of the most friendly and informative forums around, plus I've got a few bits and bobs to sell!!

I agree with you regarding dealer service, my experience with them has been appalling and it's one part of Octavia ownership that I will not miss.

Good luck with your next purchase. My son is 17 next year so a Fabia may be a nice starting point for him.

The best dealer I found was an old one, wihout the glass and steel dealership.

Those that did have the modern, high cost buildings, seemed to have spent all their money on that and nothing on service.

I almost didn't get a second octavia, exactly for that reason, which is a shame.

I can sympathise, I'm right in the middle of my fifth dealer visit for the same fault.

"Computer say's no" so they aren't able to diagnose and therefore fix the fault. So frustrating.

This is their last chance, if it comes back unfixed the vRS is going.

I won't be giving up on the Skoda brand though, the car's are great and I honestly don't think any other modern dealer will offer any better service.

What are you now driving instead by the way?

I don't think the 'computer says no problem' is just a Skoda issue. While no doubt some dealers are better than others I think you'll come across the same issues across the the marques.

What are you now driving instead by the way?

Still driving the Skoda, but looking at a Passat estate. Larger than I wanted, and a good bit dearer when optioned up than the Octavia or equivalent Superb (less so when you take CO2/fuel into account - VW's stop-start system really helps in traffic), but I can't find something that's the same "package" as the Octavia and I don't want anything smaller. I still have faith in VAG vehicles, it's those pesky dealers who are the problem!

Shame, I've enjoyed the "counter-snobbery" of the Skoda bagde. Feels like selling out to go as mainstream as VW :-)

I don't think the 'computer says no problem' is just a Skoda issue. While no doubt some dealers are better than others I think you'll come across the same issues across the the marques.

Yeah, I know that. I don't know if Skoda is overly-reliant on diags, or whether they're just running on such a tight budget (dealer or SUK warranty payments) that they can't afford speculative/diagnostic swap-outs. But it's the punter who bears the brunt of this with repeat visits. My experience of VW a couple of years back was far more "we'll just fix it, sir".

One of the real advantages of VW to me is that I can walk to the dealer if need be, rather than be stuck if they need to keep it in (or have to cope with motorway speeds in a courtesy Fabia!*). And if they fail, I have two other dealers within 25 minutes or so. The same goes for Ford, Vauxhall and the other "workaday" brands... Skoda has a dealer network more like Land Rover or Audi in their density, unfortunately.

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* and that presumes you can get a courtesy car - one of my other "local" dealers refused to provide one despite me being 30 miles from home. They apparently only did courtesy cars for private motorists, and not for company car drivers... oddly, I didn't rush to go there again ...

My dealer has always been great about providing courtesy cars but I know what you mean about being able to walk to the dealer - that would be so handy.

Edited 27 February, 201214 yr by catzi

Just an update on this - I sent Skoda UK an email to point out/complain/say goodbye/whinge pointlessly. You know how it is, part "if you like it, tell your friends - if you don't, tell us!" and part "I just get the urge to send a random email".

Anyway, they came back and I can summarise their note as "oh - ta-ta, then". Not even a hollow "thanks for sharing the opinions... Skoda values all feedback... we're working hard to increase the density and quality of our dealer network, although obviously we've let you down in this time and I'll make sure your comments are passed to the appropriate department" sort of thing.

Just "goodbye, thanks for the loyalty". Took the wind right out of my sails, but they clearly weren't that bothered. I guess they're shifting enough units not to care... shame.

I'm also leaving the skoda fold soon but will stay with Briskoda as it's definitely one of the most friendly and informative forums around, plus I've got a few bits and bobs to sell!!

I agree with you regarding dealer service, my experience with them has been appalling and it's one part of Octavia ownership that I will not miss.

Good luck with your next purchase. My son is 17 next year so a Fabia may be a nice starting point for him.

What bits do you have to sell?

Jonno,

I have a hatchbag bootliner, an autoform solid boot floor liner, steel winter wheels with goodyear winter tyres and thule roof rack feet - all for an estate so not sure if it'll be any good for you.

Jonno,

I have a hatchbag bootliner, an autoform solid boot floor liner, steel winter wheels with goodyear winter tyres and thule roof rack feet - all for an estate so not sure if it'll be any good for you.

Thanks have most of that covered. Was hoping you had an ITG intake to get rid of!